by Stone, Piper
“Slow and easy. For now.” Teasing her lace covered nipple with a single finger, he gave her a mischievous smile. “Until I’m ready .”
The simple command, his total need for domination was both a turn on and an utter blasting shut down. She had to be in control. This wasn’t the woman inside. This was …
Buzz!
“Damn it!” he hissed, his hand immediately moving away from her body .
The vehemence of his voice, the way he jerked the phone out of his pocket and pushed her to her feet was telling. She took a step back as he answered the phone .
“What? I said, no interruptions!” He darted a glance at her face before rising to his feet, immediately pacing .
Shannon studied his facial features. What she knew about his rather ruthless professional demeanor is that he was both respected and feared in his rather prestigious development company. The firm had purchased several smaller firms in a half dozen states, making them one of the largest on this side of the Mississippi. There was no doubt where the man’s wealth came from. Sighing, she turned away, giving him privacy as she studied the gleaming pool .
“Do you really think I care?” he huffed as he continued to walk back and forth, his polished shoes heavy on the concrete decking. “No! That’s not acceptable .”
When he slammed his hand down on a table, she jumped. Montgomery had a temper. He breezed past her, the boom of his voice completely different than he’d been with her. As he moved toward the house, she caught his last words .
“If we have some casualties, I don’t care. This is all about the contract and one I’m determined to keep at all costs. Do you hear me or are you just a fuckheaded pig? I could and should replace you .”
Stunned, she thought about what few newspaper articles she’d read, all in an attempt to get to know the man. He’d been accused of bad business practices, had been sued by a dozen or so disgruntled employees, two for sexual harassment, but there was nothing about deaths or accidents. Or was there? The development corporation had developed enemies, but that wasn’t unlike any business that changed the face of a city. Still, the various stories stuck in the back of her mind .
Shivering, she held her arm and took another sip of her wine. What was she doing here? And with this kind of man? She’d made a promise to herself more years ago than she cared to think about. No one would ever get close to her again. Now this? Suddenly, sitting in front of the television with a blanket wrapped around her and very much alone was far more appealing. Making the decision, she walked toward the back door, moving inside just as he was getting off the phone .
“I’m so sorry about the interruption.” His smile appeared genuine until he seemed to notice her expression. “What’s wrong ?”
“I don’t feel very well. I would like to go home.” Shannon gave him a cold look as she eased her wine glass down on the dining room table .
“You were fine thirty seconds ago .”
“That was thirty seconds ago .”
He narrowed his eyes and clenched his mouth. After only two seconds, his smile returned. “I said, we’re not finished yet. Come with me .”
The moment he grabbed her arm, she squawked, jerking away and moving out of his reach. “No, Montgomery. We’re not doing this. Period. Take me home .”
Chuckling, he polished off his wine, slapping the glass down next to hers .
She could swear she heard the leaded crystal cracking. What was wrong with her? Coming to his house? This was completely out of character for her. “We’ll do this another time. All right ?”
Sniffing, he wiped both hands through his hair as he sauntered closer, the swagger too exaggerated. “You can lie down. Rest .”
“Thank you, but no.” Keeping her eyes on his every move, she reached down, snagging her purse. “Please, take me home, Montgomery .”
He nodded several times and acted as if he was headed for the door then reached out, gripping both of her arms. “You will do as I say. I’ll be happy to take care of you .”
She laughed and shook her head. “Not gonna happen, buddy.” Twisting both arms, she jerked back, managing to push away from his grip .
Whap!
The slap hit him square across the face and just below the eye. Standing her ground, she placed her hands on her hips. “Now, Montgomery .”
His head was tossed to the side and he held the stance, his chest rising and falling. When he shifted, adjusting his neck, he finally looked in her direction. “You can walk .”
“You’re right. I can.” Every part of her body shaking, she took two additional steps backward before turning and heading for the front door. She passed by the girl who’d offered her a drink. The look on the woman’s face was one of fear, but for whom ?
When she stepped outside, she slammed the door and hadn’t realized she’d been holding her breath until she reached the end of the walkway. She stole a look back, shocked the asshole hadn’t followed her. Had he suspected she’d heard his conversation or was he that much of a son of a bitch? She suspected the latter. Trudging up the long driveway, she made a solid promise that she was off men for a long time. Why hadn’t she followed her gut? Halfway up, she took off her shoes, high heels that she never wore, except to funerals and weddings .
She continued walking, anger fueling every step, and thought about the few times she’d seen him in the bar, always with his buddies. His friends always hitting on her, but not him. Then all of a sudden... The dozen roses had done the trick. What a stupid fool she’d been. The play by play was a not so gentle reminder of another time. Another man. Yet the ending had been very different. Never again .
“Fuckin’ jerk off.” She glared at the road, the very darkened road, and grunted. This was going to be one long ass night. Lumbering up the rest of the driveway, she froze when she heard the rumble of his car. When the car was almost beside her, she gave him a nasty look the moment he rolled down the window .
“Shannon. I apologize. Allow me to take you home. I’m an ass .”
“I’m fine. I’m sure I can catch a ride.” From here? Not a chance in hell .
“Don’t be ridiculous. I said I’d take you home.” Parking, he eased out of the car, leaving it running. “Get in. Please. I’m so damn sorry. I’m an asshole. I know that .”
Pivoting, she flashed a plastic smile. “Over my dead ass body .”
Montgomery let out a long, slow breath before heading in her direction. “Why are all women such hardheaded creatures? We had an argument. Nothing more .”
“An argument? You have to be kidding me.” From somewhere in the distance she heard what had to be the sound of a truck .
Reaching back and closing the door with a solid thud, he took two additional long strides until he was only a few feet away. He held out his arms, giving her a conciliatory look. “Please .”
Shannon waited to see if she could detect any light. When she didn’t, she sagged. Five miles into town was far too long of a walk in the dark. “Then just take me home. I’m not coming back inside. I’m not finishing our dinner conversation. Are we clear ?”
Grinning, he nodded as he walked closer, holding out his hand. “That’s a deal. You’ll feel better tomorrow, and I’ll still be apologizing .”
Very tentatively she reached out and the second their fingers touched, her inner voice gave her a solid, guttural sound .
He grabbed and pulled, tossing her against his chest. “This is much better. Don’t you think ?”
She struggled to get out of his hold, slapping her hands against his chest. “Let me go or I swear to God.” She managed to get out of his grasp, tumbling backwards and onto the street .
A flash of light blinded her just then and the sound of brakes screeching forced a strangled moan. “Shit !”
Creak!
The rumbling truck jerked to a halt, the door immediately opening .
Blinking, she darted a look in Montgomery’s direction. At least Mr. Asshole was holding back. She scrambled to her feet,
fear and adrenaline rushing through every cell .
“Shannon?”
The voice, deep and husky, was one she recognized. Shielding her eyes, she took a step closer. “Stoker ?”
“That’s me. What are you doing? I could have killed you.” Stoker took a sideways step then walked closer .
“The lady is with me,” Montgomery said as he flanked her side .
“I was just leaving,” she insisted and inched her way closer to Stoker, thankful the rugged cowboy and smokejumper was out on the road. Stoker Hansen was one of her best friends, and a man who refused to take any shit. For that, and so much more, she would always adore him .
“She’s staying with me.” Montgomery laughed as he reached for her .
Stoker reacted, closing the distance until he blocked the man’s advance. “I don’t think the lady wants to be with you .”
Montgomery reared back .
She took several steps toward Stoker’s truck. Please. Please, don’t leave me here .
“I know exactly what the lady wants.” Laughing, the sound menacing, Montgomery beckoned for her .
Stoker glanced at her face before reaching behind his back, pulling out his gun. Holding the piece with both hands, he shook his head and flicked off the safety. “Not gonna happen. We can do this the hard way or the easy way. Your choice. And you should know. I’m a damn good shot .”
Montgomery sucked in his breath, gave her a heated look then took another step forward .
Bam!
Chapter 3
“D ude. Get over here. Look at this shit!” Steve Thompson was on a mission – to find some damn fun. He was bored to freaking death. Being on vacation with the parents wasn’t his idea of a good time, especially since he’d been forced to drag his little brother with him everywhere. They’d done nothing in almost five days but eat and go on tours. Tours! What the hell were his mom and dad thinking? At least one of the local kids had approached, offering to show them around. He eyed his new friend, studying the way the lanky guy seemed to have no fear. While Cory said very little, he certainly knew his way around the mountains .
“Da… da… don’t get too close, Cory.” The voice was laced with terror. His face pinched, he hung back from the other two .
From where Steve was standing, he could tell his brother was shaking. Rolling his eyes, he found and tossed a pebble in the young boy’s direction. “Don’t be a scaredy-cat, Ryan. We’re here to have some fun. Take a chance. Be men.” He took a step closer to the guardrail and threw out his arms. “Yeow!” The screeching sound echoed into the trees, bypassing the wind .
“Who… who’s scar-ed?” Ryan stuttered .
Cory snickered and tossed his stringy black hair out of his eyes. “If you’re not scared, then come here.” He took several long strides toward the edge, beckoning with a single finger .
Ryan kicked the toe of his tennis shoe into the dirt, disturbing several rocks. After a befuddled look at his brother, he inched closer to Cory. “There. See ?”
Laughing, Cory managed to ease around the group of barriers until he was only four feet from a drop off. “Your brother is a pansy ass,” he said then shot Steve a quick glance .
Steve shrugged and shoved his hands into his pockets. “He’s all right. Just not used to mountains and shit.” No, where they lived they only had a small backyard and most of the area was covered in his father’s shit. Tools of the trade, good ol’ pop liked to call the tables full of junk. Ryan was a city kid, usually playing video games .
“Can… can we ga… ga go home now? I’m hungry.” Ryan clenched his fists, frustration riding his pensive expression .
“Ga… ga go home?” Cory burst into laughter, holding his stomach as he doubled over .
“Don’t do that shit!” Anger furrowed inside of Steve, a bubbling fury that had been pent up for days. He dropped to his knees, grabbing a handful of rocks. When he stood, he took aim, pitching the entire group in one hard toss .
“Ouch! Jesus Christ. What are you trying to do, kill me?” Cory ducked and swayed, his body teetering toward the edge .
“Shit!” Gulping air, Steve moved closer .
“I want ta… ta go home!” Ryan moaned .
Cory’s eyes opened wide as his feet shifted, kicking rocks over the edge. The wind whisked up, tossing dirt and sand into the teenager’s eyes. He wiped furiously, every move making him sway more. Seconds later, he grinned and jumped forward, away from the precipice. “Thought I was gonna fall. Didn’t ya ?”
“You’re a fuckhead. Do you know that? Shit.” He stalked away and toward Ryan, muttering under his breath. “Come on. Let’s get a cheeseburger or somethin’. More fun than this .”
Blinking several times, Ryan finally smiled and nodded, trailing behind his big brother as they walked back toward the hotel .
“Wait a minute. I got something you guys will like,” Cory said with a catch in his voice .
Exhaling, Steve stopped but didn’t turn around. “Yeah, like what ?”
“Come on, let’s go!” Ryan insisted .
“Like what?” Steve repeated .
“Gonna have to follow me to find out. If you can handle it .”
Steve shook his head and snorted as he heard Cory running off toward the dense foliage. The woods surrounding the hotel grounds were supposedly filled with all kinds of dangerous wildlife. At least that’s what they’d been told when checking in. He half wondered whether the old fart at the desk was just trying to scare them into behaving. “Come on, Ryan. Get that burger later. Okay ?”
“Ga… ga… gonna t-tell mom and dad!” Ryan huffed .
He tossed the hair out of his face and grabbed his brother by the arm, dragging him toward the forest. “Stop being a baby.” Eight-year-old brothers were nothing but a pain in the ass. Thank God, he was almost fourteen, a real man .
“I’m na not a baby. I’m not!” Whining, Ryan continued to try to jerk away until they were several feet into the forest .
Crack! Wham !
“What the hell?” The moment Ryan clung to him, his hands fisting Steve’s shirt, he groaned. “Just the damn trees or somethin’. Come on.” He glanced in a semi-circle, swallowing the lump in his throat. Even in the late morning, the darkness remained all around them .
“Psst. O-ver here.” Cory’s voice sing-songy, he darted back and forth from tree to tree, popping out from one to the other .
He could swear Ryan was crying. “Okay, what do you want us to see ?”
Crack!
This time Steve jumped. When he noticed the broken branch had to have been tossed, he gave Cory the finger. “Asshole .”
“Oh, come on. Look what I found.” Cory scampered away, jumping over debris and several rocks as he continued to head deeper into the forest .
Sniffing, he held back his shoulders and took a step forward. Nothing was going to scare him. Nothing .
“No!” Ryan managed .
“You’re with me, dude. It’ll be all right.” He took another tentative step then another until he could see what had to be a clearing up ahead. Sunlight streamed down through the trees, creating a golden halo around the ground. Darting his head into the light, he couldn’t help but grin. “Did campers just leave this stuff ?”
“Must have. You’d be surprised what kind of shit I’ve found up here. Even found some money.” Cory hunkered down on the ground, fingering a circle of rocks surrounding blocks of wood .
“Wha… what’s that?” Ryan asked shyly .
“Some ritual shit?” Steve could only imagine .
Cory made several guttural sounds. “No, goof ball. This is where they had a fire. Still some embers. Let’s get it going.” He leaned over, blowing on the ashes .
Steve scanned the area. The sunlight caught on something, an intense flash shooting out near another group of trees. Curious, he inched closer and noticed what appeared to be a partial six pack of something. “They left some shit.” Since Cory wasn’t paying any attention, he strutted
through the pasture and was surprised at what he found. A short hill gave way to a stream. Water tumbled over several rocks. Nestled alongside was a find like no other .
“What’s that?” Ryan asked, the stutter all but gone .
“Somethin’ you can’t have. Stay here.” He took careful steps until he was able to reach a cut off plastic tub. When he peered inside, he chuckled. “Liquid gold .”
“Hey. You ca-can’t have beer. Da… dad will kill you .”
He pressed his finger to his lips before snagging what he could carry. “What pop doesn’t know won’t hurt him. You keep your mouth shut and maybe we’ll give you one .”
Ryan wrinkled his nose before nodding, as if accepting the deal .
“Let’s get Cody.” When he stood at the top of the knoll, he cocked his head, surprised his buddy had gotten the fire going. As flames licked up several inches, he walked closer, holding out the cans of beer. Maybe he could have some fun after all .
* * *
L anden rubbed his tired eyes and blinked, trying to focus on yet another highway sign. Ten more miles. Ten more freaking miles until he could finally stop. Shit. He wasn’t entirely certain where to go first. The morning had quickly given way to the late afternoon. Slowing down, he grabbed his phone, studying the directions. Okay. He’d popped in the only address he knew – the fire station or hanger for the smokejumpers. That would work .
Woof!
He propped the phone back onto the dashboard and rubbed behind the dog’s ears. “Almost there, buddy.” Taking the dog with him had seemed like the right thing to do. Maybe he did so out of loneliness. Who the hell knew ?
As if content given the answer, the pup laid his head back down, his stocky tail thumping once against the passenger door .
Stepping on the gas, he headed straight for a massive mountain range and couldn’t help but stare out the windshield in awe. The area was gorgeous. He’d give Montana that. At the highest elevations, the mountains were capped with white. The color faded into various shades of green and brown the lower the elevation. The entire effect reminded him of tears. Sighing, he twisted the knob on his radio, trying to find a local station. Everything was country music. Country bumpkin music. Great. His favorite .
