Going Home (Nugget Romance 1)

by Stacy Finz

  “Is he going to be okay?” Maddy asked.

  “Should be, ma’am. His vitals are good. We’re transporting him to Plumas District Hospital in case he has a concussion.”

  “I don’t have a car with me. Can I come with you?”

  “You his wife? Or a member of the family?”

  “I’m his employer.” Maddy didn’t know Colin’s family, but she should probably call someone.

  “We can only take immediate family,” the paramedic said apologetically.

  She didn’t want Colin to be alone at the hospital. If she got a ride home, she could get her car. But the thought of driving in this weather scared her to death. And Rhys seemed to have disappeared. He’d been nosing around the trapdoor on the basement just a second ago.

  Before she could go looking for him, her contractor called out, “I’ll take you, Maddy. Just let me lock up and get the crews out of here.” Pat tossed her his keys and told her to wait in his truck with the heat on.

  But by the time they made it to State Route 70, the California Highway Patrol turned them back to Nugget. The storm was too bad to make it through the pass. Maddy only prayed that the ambulance would have better luck.

  Chapter 19

  Not since living in Alaska had Rhys seen weather like this. Twenty-four inches of snow had been dumped on Nugget and most of the Sierra. It was hardly a record, but it had come down so hard and so fast that it had wreaked havoc on the area’s infrastructure. The major highways were shut down. The power was out on the south side of town. And someone had knocked Colin Riley over the head.

  Rhys was sure of it.

  He’d finally been able to reach Colin at the hospital. All Colin could remember was trying to secure the trapdoor. Then boom—lights out. The doctors at District said he had a mild concussion and they wanted to monitor him overnight.

  Rhys didn’t believe there was any way in hell Colin could’ve sustained those injuries from a flying branch. Since he’d been standing under the eaves of the Victorian when he got knocked out, it seemed unlikely that the branch could’ve fallen from above. No, his wound seemed more consistent with someone swinging that branch like a baseball bat.

  Someone looking for his stash.

  Now, besides dangerous weather and an armed robber, Rhys had to deal with a deranged druggie. He and Jake had processed the scene, questioned witnesses, but no one had seen anything. Tomorrow, he’d start all over again.

  “You’re getting good at this,” he said to Sam. The two of them had camped out on the couch to play a little NBA 2K13 on the Wii Rhys had bought for Christmas. If only the kid could play this well on the court.

  Lina stared out the window, biting her lip.

  “It’ll be fine,” he told her. “Come over here and play basketball with us.”

  The new rigs had finally come in, and Jake and Wyatt were supposed to drop one off in case he got called out in the middle of the night. He handed Lina the Wii remote control and alternated between checking the dial tone on the phone and the signal on his cell. The cell was dead. But by some miracle the landline was still working. He used that one to dial the station.

  “What’s up?”

  “Not much since the last time you called,” Connie chirped into the phone. “What was it? Fifteen minutes ago?” In the short time she’d been working for Rhys, Connie had developed a smart mouth. “We’re fine, Chief. Get some rest in case we need you.”

  “How’re those rigs working out?”

  She laughed. “Wyatt and Jake are in love. I swear they’d drive them to the bathroom if they could. Last I heard they were on their way to you with one of them. I’ll call you if anything comes up.”

  “See that you do.” Rhys hung up and checked on his dad in the bedroom.

  Even over the noise of the Wii, he could hear Maddy vacuuming next door. He’d have to deal with her in the morning—tell her his theory about Colin. Now more than ever, he didn’t want her going into the Lumber Baron alone.

  “Someone’s here,” Lina said.

  Rhys opened the door and Wyatt stood at the threshold with a set of keys while Jake waited in one of the other Chevy Tahoes. “Tell him to come in.”

  Wyatt bounded down the steps like a puppy, immune to the freezing conditions. Shep padded into the living room, looking annoyed.

  “What’s with all the racket? You people could wake the dead.”

  Lina made a place for him on the couch and tucked a lap blanket around him. Rhys rolled his eyes.

  “Hey,” Jake said, and he and Wyatt came in. Both of them did a quick perusal of the living room, Wyatt fixing on Lina.

  He introduced everyone. “Y’all want coffee?”

  “Wouldn’t mind a cup,” Jake said.

  Rhys led them through Shep’s bedroom to the kitchen. He could only imagine what they must think of the dump. Both sat at the table, while Rhys searched for the filters. The setup was nothing fancy, not like Connie’s, just a Mr. Coffee.

  Lina came in and nudged him away. Wyatt kept looking at her. Rhys knew all too well what those looks were about. The moron didn’t even have the common sense to be sly about it.

  “You scored, man.” Jake broke the silence. “What were they, drug seizure vehicles?”

  “Yup. For a few extra bucks I had ’em pimped out with Data911s.” The high-tech computer systems might be overkill for Nugget, but he wanted to bring the department into the twenty-first century.

  “They handle beautifully, especially in the snow,” Jake said.

  “It took some hunting around,” Rhys said. “But I’m happy with them.”

  When the coffee was done, Lina grabbed a few mugs from the cupboard. Wyatt bounded out of his chair so fast, Rhys thought he might hurt himself.

  “I’ll get that for you, Lina.” Wyatt took the creamer from her hand.

  “Thank you, sweetheart,” Jake said as she handed him one of the cups.

  “I could’ve done that,” Rhys glowered, and Lina, embarrassed, excused herself to check on Shep.

  As soon as she was out of earshot, Rhys turned on Wyatt. “She’s seventeen. Don’t look at her, don’t stand near her, don’t even so much as breathe on her. You hear?”

  “Yes, sir.” Wyatt let his gaze fall to his shoes.

  “Oh, boy.” Jake couldn’t stop grinning. “Good thing you don’t have five daughters.”

  They finished their coffee and Jake tapped Wyatt on the arm. “Let’s go, son.”

  On his way out, he slapped Rhys on the back. “Cut the kid some slack. She’s a pretty girl.”

  Well, that pretty girl was his goddamn sister.

  “It’s open,” Rhys called.

  Maddy let herself inside the fifth wheel and found Rhys laid out in a recliner, eating a frozen dinner, watching the 49ers on a big-screen TV. One of those fan-style space heaters kept the trailer nice and toasty. This was her first visit to Chez Rhys and her mouth must’ve fallen open because he chuckled, then went back to watching the game. Since Rhys didn’t look inclined to leave the comfort of that chair anytime soon, she took the liberty of showing herself around.

  “Wow!” she uttered loud enough for Rhys to hear her in the other room. The master bedroom was compact, but plush. “It’s like a real house.”

  She checked out the bathroom, swung through the kitchen, and tested the other recliner.

  “Beer’s in the fridge,” Rhys said, engrossed in the game.

  She got to her feet, pulled out a Trumer Pils, twisted off the cap, and snooped inside the cabinets. Melamine dishes, a few mismatched glasses, and a bag of pretzels. Ha, what more did a person need?

  Actually, pretzels and beer were the perfect ending to a harrowing twenty-four hours. She’d barely opened her eyes this morning when Colin called. The hospital had released him and he’d needed a ride back to Nugget. So Maddy had jumped into her car and made the trip to Quincy. Thank goodness the roads had been plowed and reopened. She’d dropped him at home before dashing to work.

  “You ge
t a lot done at the inn today?” Rhys asked.

  “Yes, I did, and I’m pissed at you.”

  “Huh?” He switched off the game and pulled the recliner upright.

  “I heard about your little brouhaha with Sandy Addison at the bowling alley New Year’s Eve.”

  “Brouhaha? Is that like a Wellmont word?”

  “Cut the crap, Rhys. Why are you fighting with that woman when she could have your job?”

  “It’s hers anytime she wants it,” he said. “What are you getting yourself all worked up over? You can’t stand the woman.”

  “This is not your fight. Your job is political and she’s got a lot of clout in this town.”

  Rhys pretended to tremble. “She’s beary, beary powerful.”

  Maddy blew beer out her nostrils. “Stop it,” she said, doubling over from laughter. “Why didn’t you tell me that you had an argument with her?”

  “Because it wasn’t a big deal. She got in my face, telling me how to run my department. So I got in hers. She can’t do anything to me, and even if she could, I don’t care. This job is temporary.”

  “Even so, it’s good to have options. What if you decide to stay?”

  “I won’t,” he said. “Now, let’s talk about the inn.”

  “What about it?” She sat back in the recliner.

  “Don’t go there alone,” he said in a voice Maddy had come to recognize as Rhys’s cop tone.

  “I didn’t. We had the whole crew.”

  “I know,” he said. “I cruised by to make sure.”

  She stared at him, perplexed. “What’s going on?”

  “I think someone attacked Colin the other day . . . Someone looking for his supply. I wanted to talk to you about it this morning, but you were already gone.”

  “I had to get Colin and they’d just cleared the roads. I was afraid I wouldn’t get back before they got icy again. Oh, Rhys.” Maddy covered her mouth with her hand. It had never occurred to her that what had happened to Colin could be anything other than an accident. “What does Colin say about it?”

  “Can’t remember a thing before falling flat on his face.” He turned to look at her. “That’s why you living there right now is out of the question.”

  She stood up on shaky legs.

  “Where you going?” Rhys asked.

  “I have to call Pat, let him know to warn the crew. I don’t want anyone else getting hurt.”

  “It’s done.”

  “You caught someone?” She sat down.

  “I wish,” he said. “I told Pat. You were out picking up lunch.”

  “When you said he might come back, I thought you were overreacting,” she said. “So, what do I do now?”

  “Hope that he returns to the scene of the crime when we have the place under surveillance.” As soon as the words left his mouth, she could tell Rhys regretted it. “Maddy, don’t tell anyone about the surveillance. If word gets out—and if you tell even one person in this town, word will get out—it totally defeats the purpose.”

  “I won’t,” she promised, resting her forehead on the heels of her hands. “This so sucks.”

  He reached over and massaged the back of her neck. “It’ll work out.”

  “You think you’ll catch him?” she asked, and he nodded confidently, continuing to work loose a series of tight knots in her neck.

  “But for now you’re staying put. No moving into the innkeeper’s quarters.”

  “Yeah, okay.” What a disaster this was turning out to be.

  She gazed around the trailer again, taking in little touches she’d missed. “This place isn’t what I expected.”

  He grinned. “Pretty nice, huh?”

  “I’ll say.” She took a sip of the beer and ran her hands over the arms of the recliner. Real leather.

  She put her beer down on the side table and turned to face him. “I mailed the earrings back to Dave today.”

  He shoved his hand through his hair. “Yeah, I’ve been thinking about that . . . and it wasn’t any of my damned business. It’s just that a guy like Dave . . .”

  “What, Rhys? Just say it.”

  He took in a deep breath. “I know you care for the guy . . . but Maddy . . . an honorable man doesn’t marry a woman he doesn’t love, then mess around on her with his brother’s wife. Someone that low . . . well, he’s never gonna be decent.”

  “It was actually his cousin’s wife.” For whatever reason she felt compelled to correct him. Always good to set the record straight.

  “I’m sorry, Maddy, but you deserve a hell of a lot better.”

  “I know,” she said, crying a little. By now, she really thought she’d gotten all these tears out of her system. “My lawyer says that even if he doesn’t sign the paperwork, I can get a default judgment. It’ll just take longer for the divorce to go through. And since I signed a prenup, there’s not that much to work out in settlement.”

  He heaved out a sigh and eyed her barely touched beer. “You gonna drink that?”

  She held it out to him and when he reached for it their hands touched.

  Taking a sip, Rhys placed the bottle on the lamp table. He lifted her out of her chair so he could take her place and settled her onto his lap. For a few minutes he just sat there, resting his forehead against hers.

  He cupped the back of her head in his hands, his eyelids growing heavy. Then he covered her mouth possessively and kissed her. He tasted so good—like beer and man.

  His erection pressed deliciously against her backside as his hands snaked up under her sweater and fondled her breasts.

  She moaned into his lips, “What are you doing?”

  “I’d like to finish what we started Christmas night, if that’s okay?”

  “Because you feel sorry for me?”

  A small laugh escaped his lips. “Yeah. I just go around having sex with all the women I feel sorry for. You’re killing me, Maddy.” In one swift move, he lifted her into his arms and headed to the bedroom.

  He laid her down in the middle of the bed, and began shucking off his clothes. Her mouth went dry at the sheer beauty of him. His broad chest, sprinkled with dark hair that trailed down the center of his honed abdomen and disappeared inside his boxers, was solid as a brick wall. She hadn’t known she could want someone this badly.

  Grabbing the hem of her sweater, Maddy pulled it over her head. She started to unclasp her bra, but Rhys got into the bed next to her and caught her wrists.

  “I’ll do it,” he said, kissing her neck and throat, feasting on her mouth, while his roughened fingers leisurely eased the straps of her bra down her arms. He caressed her shoulders, running his hands down her sides and spanning her waist. “Mmm,” he murmured against her belly, slowly bathing her in kisses.

  He worked his way up until his mouth found hers again. This time he lingered at her lips, nipping and licking, then delving like an explorer. One of his legs hooked over her hips and she could feel him grow harder against her.

  A tremor seized her as he deftly undid two tiny hooks at her back, freeing her breasts and taking each one in his hands reverently.

  “Cold?” he asked, stroking her nipples with his thumbs until she wanted to scream from the throbbing pleasure of it.

  “No,” she whispered, moaning as he straddled and bent over her, taking the tip of her breast into his mouth and suckling. “Ohhh.”

  He grazed her stomach with those clever hands of his, unbuttoned her pants, and inched inside her panties, feeling her with his fingers. “Oh, you’re so wet.”

  Maddy reached for the elastic band of Rhys’s shorts. The contact made him suck in his breath before pushing her hands away.

  “Not yet, sugar.”

  “Please,” she whimpered.

  He took her mouth in a scorching kiss, rolling her on top of him, and pushed her pants down over her ass. “Ooh. I like this,” he crooned next to her ear, fingering the lace of her thong. In one fluid motion he tugged both her underwear and pants down her legs until they
tangled around her ankles, palming her cheeks and molding them with his hands.

  She kicked off the jeans, and he turned her onto her back. Their mouths came together again as he reached between her thighs. Every part of her body hummed with pleasure as his fingertips caressed her.

  She writhed against his hand, bowing and squeezing her eyes shut to keep from erupting. “Please,” she pleaded, desperate to feel him inside of her.

  “Come like this first. I want to watch you.”

  With her eyes still closed, she could sense him gazing down on her, watching the way she moved, absorbed in her passion. When the time got close, Rhys quickened the friction, rubbing her, penetrating her deeper with his fingers, until she shattered into a million pieces.

  She rocked her head back on the pillow and his lips moved over her throat. “Oh, God,” she whispered.

  He reached down on the floor, fumbling for his jeans, and pulled a foil package from his wallet. Yanking off his shorts, he rolled on the condom, spread her legs with his knees and entered her with one hot hard thrust.

  Filling her to what felt like capacity, he slid his hands under her bottom, angling her so he could go even deeper. To match the rhythm of his driving beat, she wrapped her legs around his hips and her arms around his back, feeling his muscles bunch every time he drove into her.

  “Good?” he asked.

  It was more like transcendent. But so caught up, she could only moan her response. He’d slowed the pace until she arched against him, his chest hair tickling her nipples. He kissed her deep and sexy, his tongue keeping time with the measure of his thrusts.

  Lifting his head, he gazed into Maddy’s eyes as he moved inside her. She heard herself gasp as heat and pressure coiled in the pit of her stomach.

  “Close, baby?” He altered the tempo, picking up speed.

  “Oh, yes. Ohhh.”

  “Say my name, Maddy,” he moaned. “I need you to say it.”

  She clung to him, undulating wildly to meet his fervent demand. And something in her broke, something so primal and emotional that she felt her eyes well up with tears. “Rhys,” she sobbed, as her body ignited into intense spasms. “Oh—oh, Rhys.”