“Glenna we’ll stop whenever you don’t feel comfortable. Just tell me.” He waited until she nodded. “How does that feel?”
He raised a brow at her. Again he moved his hand, softly running his fingers down her arm.
“Good.”
“And this?” He walked his fingers along the fabric of the dress that still lay across her rib cage.
She couldn’t say anything. The hum worked its way up her throat and tumbled out in a groan.
“And this?”
He repositioned himself onto his knees and worked the silky black fabric over her hips, his fingers skimming her skin in the process. She heard him suck in air when he realized she hadn’t worn any panties. She’d thought about these moments that morning as she’d pulled on her dress over her bare skin. She hadn’t wanted anything so much in her life, or been so scared to follow through.
“And this?” His voice low and gruff.
“Indescribable.”
He growled and bent his head, his tongue circled and dipped into her navel.
Shivering she pushed him, his look of surprise brought her up on her elbows. She wasn’t sure if it actually happened but she tried to raise a brow at him, nodding toward his jeans.
“You’re overdressed.”
Then he grinned, stood and shucked his pants. She pushed herself into a sitting position in order to have a better view. He’d been sans underwear also. He gazed down at her, standing strong, tall, and full of desire for her. She gulped down the emotion that threatened to overwhelm her. She blinked her eyes to keep the moisture at bay. God, he was the most beautiful sight she’d ever seen.
“Come here.” She placed her hands on his hips and pulled him into her.
As he had done a few moments before, she nibbled along his taut stomach relishing in the texture of his skin. Her fingers worked the way around to his fine ass and kneaded.
He placed his hands on her shoulders and gave her a small shove until she lay back on the bed. He waited a moment while she shimmied up to the top of the bed, then he crawled over her. His hands placed on either side of her face, he dipped his head enough to give her a feathered kiss on the lips before moving on to her cheeks, nose, forehead, nothing was safe from his exploring lips.
Sometime during his assessment of her body he’d shifted to the side of her to lay along the length of her. His hands were following along in the wake of his lips. Need settled in the pit of her soul, gripping her with an emotion she wasn’t coherent enough to name. She only knew that if he didn’t take her soon, she’d wither and die. She’d think about how dumb that sounded later when she could actually think.
When had she fallen in love with him? She knew she’d been on her way and almost there. The emotions running over her in the aftermath of his questing hands stole away her thoughts, and she gladly turned herself over to the sensations.
It took a moment for her to realize he wasn’t touching her, she opened to eyes to find him looking down at her with a tenderness that made her heart ache with want.
“I didn’t…” he sucked in air. “…come prepared.”
“What?” Her mind refused to work. A moment later it dawned. “Oh, it’s been so long. I’m safe.”
He placed his hand on her stomach, her skin quivered and her muscles tightened. She had to press her legs together to still the need.
“I’m… not… sure I can stop.”
“It’s up to you.” His arms vibrated holding himself to look down at her. “I’m clean also. Of course, I have been waiting for you.”
He trailed his finger up the center of her until he cupped her face and dipped in for a kiss that started tender, but quickly turned to an urgency that stole her breath away.
All thoughts of consequences and responsibilities flew out through the gently swaying curtains.
When he entered her, the dam broke and tears swelled and slid down her cheeks. He took his time, kissing away the wetness and keeping a steady rhythm. The need caught deep in her chest until she was bursting, she bucked her hips trying urging him on, but he keep to his pace.
They peaked together, had his mouth not found hers at that same moment, she was sure her cry of release would have brought the hotel security.
For a moment neither of them moved, his head rested on her forehead, their breathing ragged. Hearts pounding as one. He shifted a fraction so his body lay to the side of her, his arms still held her.
They must have fallen asleep because the next rational moment, Glenna felt the cold seeping from the breeze coming through the open window. Her shiver woke him, he reached for the blanket that was sprawled on the side of the bed to fling it over the both of them.
“Let’s just stay here the rest of the weekend.” He nuzzled the side of her neck and she had to swallow to keep herself from hurling herself at him again. “I do need fuel to continue.”
She chuckled. “Order Pizza?”
“Sounds good.” He didn’t move other than snaking an arm for the phone.
*****
Finn watched the two girls pouring over their notes. He hadn’t known what to expect when he met his soon-to-be step-family. His dad may say that this was a trial period for them all, but he knew deep in his heart that Glenna was his dad’s soulmate and meant to be his mother. There’d been a connection since the moment she’d entered their home with Agnes.
Now here he was with two new cousins who had all but high jacked him into helping to plan the wedding, though no one had discussed it with the bride. He had a feeling where Gabby and Sophie were concerned the Beckett family was inclined to indulge them.
He had always wanted a big boisterous family like Rebekah had, now it looks as if he’d get his wish. Yet there had been a few times over the last couple of hours listening to the girls chatter over fabrics, styles, and colors he’d thought of the cliché be careful what you wish for, it just might come true!
“Let’s go.”
Gabby grabbed the notebook she’d been busily scribbling in, Sophie close on her heals. They stopped at the door, in unison looked over their shoulders and raised a brow at him. Did they practice that?
“Are you coming?”
“Ah, I didn’t hear where we are going.”
And again, in unison, they studied the ceiling for what he didn’t know, then returned their attention to him.
Then as if he were the dumbest boy on earth Sophie instructed him of their plans. “We’re going to the backyard to stage the wedding.”
He waited for the duh but at least she hadn’t done that. Of course, he had no idea what she meant by stage. Wasn’t that what they did in the movies?
“Stage?”
Again they tossed their attention to the ceiling. He looked up to see what was so damn interesting. Just a white ceiling.
“Come on, we’ll explain while were doing it.”
Gabby reached for his hand, Sophie for the other. They led him through the house and out the back door. Luckily he’d still had his jacket on, he hadn’t adapted yet to the cooler climate.
Sophie walked to the far corner of the yard, spread her arms and twirled to look at them. She crossed an arm across her midriff and resting her other arm’s elbow on it, she cupped her chin with her hand.
“Picture it, the music stage situated here at an angle in the corner. It’ll allow for more seating.”
Gabby walked over and stood next to her and surveyed the yard. Finn wondered what they were seeing. Both girls walked around him to the other side by the gate. Turned and surveyed from that vantage point. If he hadn’t known better he would have asked if this was their first time in the Elders’ back yard.
“Yes, that will work.”
Gabby then turned a little to the side to regard the side of the yard where they were standing, just in front of the Arbor. The area they were regarding was to the left.
“Food tables here. As we had for Mom’s wedding.”
“Yes.” Sophie wandering around the yard a bit.
Finn was
content to just watch, it was very intriguing. They were little generals as the family called them. They had a goal and they were strategically planning every detail. He couldn’t wait to entertain Rebekah with his adventure.
“Finn, what do you think? This is staging.” Again Finn waited for Sophie to say duh. Instead she continued. “The process of selecting, designing, adapting to, or modifying the space for the event.”
He had a feeling she’d read that somewhere, or learned it in a class. They were taking some kind of class for event planning. They had their entire careers planned out. He had no idea what he wanted to be, he had an idea to follow in his dad’s footsteps, but yet that idea kept changing.
“What do I think? I have walked into one crazy ambitious family, especially my new cousins.”
“And?” Gabby gave him a grin.
“I like it.”
*****
Great advantage point. From the windshield of the van he had an excellent view of the backyard where the young punk just walked out with two girls. He lowered his brow, what the hell were they doing?
Fascinated he watched them walk from one corner to survey the yard here then to the other side. All the while they kept up some kind of dialogue, he could tell they were explaining something to the kid. What with all the arms flaying and pointing this way and that.
He got out of the van and quietly closed the door, not latching it. Just enough so the light above the windshield didn’t stay on. Then he made his way to the back and unlocked the doors, inching one opened for easy access.
If he timed it just right he could surprise the kid as he threw the black bag over his head. He’d wait until the girls were occupied and the kid came close to the gate. A huge tree would block him from their view. He couldn’t have done better if he’d planned out the scene himself.
Then someone would have to sit up and take notice of him.
His thoughts were a jumbled mess as they flew from one scenario to another. No. He had to stop this. He sucked in his breath. Concentrate. He was getting himself worked up and nothing good ever came when he let that happen. He needed a cool head, because for his plan to work, he needed the kid. He closed his eyes and counted to ten.
When he opened them he almost squealed in delight. The kid stood by the gate. Almost like the boy was delivering himself to him. He searched the back yard for the girls. Perfect they were occupied arguing about something in the far corner.
Quietly he walked to the boy, he was taller up close. No matter. Again, it was if everything was ready for him. The gate was unlatched, he eased it open sucking in his breath in hopes it wouldn’t alert anyone.
He waited two beats, when his target didn’t move he launched the bag over his head. Taking advantage of the boy’s surprise, he grabbed him around the waist firmly keeping his arm over the fabric of the bag. He hauled him away from the gate, not an easy task with the boy struggling. If the kid’s arms hadn’t been anchored under his hold he doubted he would have managed to get him to the van.
The bat waited on the bed of the van. He held tight with the one arm, his other snaked out, grabbed the handle of the bat, then bam—the boy went peacefully into the back of the van as planned.
He surveyed the area as he walked to the front of the van, that’s when he realized he’d been so intent reaching his goal he hadn’t noticed the screeching emanating from the yard where he’d just snatched the damn kid. Those two girls would alert the entire neighborhood if he didn’t hurry.
He jumped in and slammed the vehicle into gear and slammed the pedal to floor. He’d barely gotten out of there before the girls got to the space the van had vacated. Not that they’d been able to stop him, but being able to identify him was not in the plan.
Especially since no one knew he had been following the Cat Boys, whatever the hell they called themselves, every step of their adventure.
Right before he careened around the corner, he took a moment to check the rear view mirror. They weren’t standing in the road watching him leave as he’d expected. They’d gone in the house for help he supposed. He shrugged. Let them try and find him. He’d covered his tracks.
*****
Gabby grabbed Sophie by the arm as they watched the van take off right before they’d reached the back of it.
“Come on, I’ll call my mom, you run and find Papa and Nana.”
Gabby reached for her phone in her back pocket pulling the door open, she let her cousin enter first. While she waited for her mother to answer, she could hear Sophie pounding through the house hollering like a banshee. One of Paco’s favorite sayings, not that she even knew what a banshee was. Their new soon to be cousin had been kidnapped and what was Gabby doing? Thinking about Banshee’s. She shook her head and clicked off, her mother wasn’t answering she’d have to call someone else. Before she had time to call Paco or Uncle Tyler her ring tone for her mother sounded. Bad to the Bone.
Reagan’s voice filtered through. “Sorry, couldn’t find my phone. What’s up Gab?”
She straightened her back sucked in a breath and let it out.
“Gabby?”
“Someone took Finn.”
“What?”
Gabby quickly explained what they’d been doing in the backyard. “Finn was checking the gate, you know how sometimes it sticks and Soph and I were arguing about where the band platform should be….”
“Gabby…”
“Sorry anyway we heard this weird sort of grunt thud sound and turned and we saw some guy wrestling Finn across the road. The guy had put some kind of black bag over Finn’s head. We ran after him.” She swallowed. “Mom he hit him over the head with a bat and threw him in the back of the van and took off.”
“Tell me all you can about the man and the vehicle. Take a deep breath and close your eyes and describe the scene.”
Gabby did as told and relived the scene. “I swear it was the black van that’s been in front of our house ever since Aunt Glenna came home. The guy had his back to us when he used the bat, then he slammed the door and went on the far side of the van to get in the driver’s side. He was parked across the street facing the wrong way. Anyway, I got the plate number.”
She rattled off the plate id. Concentrated on anything else she could remember. “If it hadn’t had a license plate I would have thought it was a new vehicle, there were no dents, and it was clean as if just washed.”
“Good girl,” her mother said. “You and Sophie stay inside the house. Where’s Nana and Papa?”
Gabby looked up when they walked in. “Sophie went and found them, they’re here now.”
“Let me talk to Nana.”
Gabby handed the phone to her nana. She put her arm around her cousin’s shoulder the younger girl shivered, and Gabby knew she needed to distract her, she could see the tears swimming in her eyes. There was no time for hysterics. She’d called her mom, whom Gabby considered her own personal wonder woman, she’d take care of Finn.
“Come on Soph, let’s go in the living room and finish up our plans it will give us something to do and keep our mind off Finn.”
*****
Finn had a mother of a headache. When he tried to move, he discovered two things. His hands were tied behind a chair and he faced a stranger that was currently sitting across from him, smirking. Smirking? What the hell? Where was he? He glanced around the room and it looked like something out of a horror movie. It was the type of basement that he always screamed in his mind at the girl don’t go in the basement.
“I was beginning to think I’d hit you a little too hard.”
Well, that explained the drums currently playing a vigorous concert in his head. He refused to ask the obvious where am I? It wasn’t like the guy would tell him. He could only imagine this had something to do with the art thieves. The only thing was, this guy wasn’t one of the men in the pictures his dad had shown him. Could they have been wrong about who the culprits were?
“Cat got your tongue?” The guy chuckled, sounding a little too
much like Chucky. “Pretty funny under the circumstances.”
Finn had to pull himself out of his horror movie comparison of the situation or he’d scare himself to death. His father would be so proud if that happened. He pulled himself out of the slouching position, with his hands tied it wasn’t easy. Two days earlier he’d been put through a quick tutorial of how to handle exactly what he was going through. Think Finn. Which was a bit hard with hammer time going on in his head.
Keep him talking.
“Cat? So you are part of The Black Cat’s then?”
“No. I just happened to be at the right place at the right time. They needed someone to give them details of some of the properties around Calistoga, and since I happened to know the area real estate, they made me an offer.”
Okay so maybe the guy had hit him a little too hard, but he couldn’t make any sense out of what he had just told him. Lame he knew but the “Huh?” came out before he could pull it back.
“The four of them were at one of my favorite Irish bars in Midtown talking about taking their ladies to Napa to do a wine tour.” He chuckled, again a chill rained down Finn’s spine. “They were bellyaching about how bored they were going to be. Then one of them leans in speaking real low, and just at the right moment the band stops for break and I was able to hear. The guy had heard about a priceless piece of art. The minute they started talking about where it was at, I knew it was Glenna’s Surprisingly Vintage. It had to be. I heard enough to know they needed my knowledge of the building that Glenna owned.
“I took the opportunity to introduce myself, of course they never bothered telling me their names, just smiled and shook my hand. All would have been fine, except the bastards were too dumb to find the secret way to the basement.”
“Wait we thought there were only four of them.”
“I’m not part of their little group. After I gave them the information, not that they used it, I didn’t have anything to do with them. I just made sure I watched.”
Finn stopped struggling, he knew about the basement? He stared at the man. “You know Glenna?”
Abandoned (The Beckett Series Book 6) Page 25
