Little Boys Blue

by Susan Kearney

  Alexa nibbled her bottom lip. “I don’t understand what you’re thinking. My grandparents live in Boston and Sandra died in Boston. But they had no reason to murder Sandra, since she didn’t know about the trust fund.”

  The fact that she had accepted that the grandparents who had raised her could be capable of such a deed pained Cameron. He couldn’t imagine how it must be for her to suspect her only living relatives of such ugliness.

  “Exactly. But if those bills were sent to Boston, perhaps we’ve been looking in the wrong direction.” Heat filled him, and deep inside, muscles tightened around a kindled ember. He ached to kiss her. He had trouble concentrating and dipped his head until his lips almost touched hers.

  “Wait a minute. Sandra was mugged in the park.

  You think it might have been premeditated? That whoever murdered Sandra caused the trouble here? What makes you think that?”

  “The possibility hadn’t occurred to me before now.” His fingers traced slow, lazy circles at the base of her neck. He enjoyed his effect on her, enjoyed watching her pupils dilate and feeling her pulse quicken. Enjoyed watching her lose to the pull of desire.

  She trembled at his caress. “Did you have any enemies in Boston?”

  He drank in her response and ran his hands through her hair. “There are lots of crazy people in this world. Maybe some patient’s relatives blamed me when their loved one died.”

  “That’s crazy.”

  “Whoever let that bull loose, blew up the bridge and the stable isn’t exactly what I’d call sane.” She shivered against him, and he rubbed her arms to warm her, but he knew he wouldn’t succeed. Despite her passionate nature, cold fear had taken over as she considered the possibilities.

  She shivered again. “Don’t forget the stalker didn’t just attack us, he went after the twins. It’s almost as if someone has a vendetta against your entire family.”

  Cam didn’t want to think about his family right now. Nor did he want to think about danger and intrigue.

  He often found a solution to a puzzle would pop into his mind if he relaxed. And he could think of no better way to take his mind off his problems than a little relaxation with Alexa.

  “Come on, let’s get you warm.” He led her downstairs, past the fireplace to the hot tub off the pool. The hot tub had been designed deep and wide to hold four to six people. He was glad for the privacy fence, glad to have Alexa alone. He left the lights off, except for one pink underwater light that reflected through the water in enticing rays.

  As the night air blew across the privacy fence, goose bumps rose on Alexa’s flesh. “I thought you were going to make me warm?”

  “Oh, I am—right after you take off your clothes,” he teased as he started to strip. He couldn’t wait to try out his new toy with Alexa. “Last one in has to…”

  He jumped first into the hot tub without finishing his sentence. Letting the warm water swirl over his bare flesh didn’t change his temperature much. His skin, already heated from thoughts of Alexa, adapted easily to the water.

  Cameron rose to the surface and flicked on the whirlpool jets. He turned to watch Alexa slide into the water, her back arched, her breasts high and aroused in the pink water.

  She tilted her head back on the ledge with a contented sigh. “This feels wonderful.”

  He shifted his body close to hers and claimed her lips in one possessive swoop, let the heat chase away the cold, let the soft light banish the shadows. She kissed him willingly, pulling him to her, her mouth fitting his perfectly, making the ache spread through his body until he needed her with a force that shook him.

  Refusing to deny himself, he drank deeply from her mouth, letting his tongue move over hers. Then he felt the liquid movement of her hips against his sex.

  “Not yet.” Ending the kiss caused him pain. Backing away cost him. But she was worth every bit of patience he could summon, worth the savage pleasure she gave him with her eagerness. Worth waiting to bury himself in her heat.

  Without his body to block her, her toes floated to the surface, and he nipped the arch of her foot. His hands kneaded her feet as he ignored his aching arousal.

  She giggled and tried to pull away, watching him with a breathless combination of wariness, excitement and pleasure. “That tickles.”

  Urgency roughened his tone but he kept himself under control. “Too bad. You have to hold still. You lost the bet.”

  “What bet?”

  “You were the last one in, so you have to do whatever I ask for the next hour.”

  Her breath drew in sharply. “I never made any such bet.” Her protest, lazy with indignation and a hint of curiosity, lacked conviction.

  “Hold still,” he demanded as his lips traced a path from her pearly pink toenails, past her delicate ankles to her parted knees.

  “Oh.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “The whirlpool…”

  He swallowed a knowing grin and returned to exploring the tantalizing softness of her legs, the gleaming ripeness of her thighs. She had a terrific body, and her legs called to him, the smooth silky muscles quivering as he parted her legs wider and raised her hips to his mouth.

  “Cameron—” Surprise and hunger made her tremble with anticipation.

  “It’s all right.” He fully intended to taste all of her—and he would wait until she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

  Cameron knew his patience would reward both of them. Although she wriggled and squirmed, he avoided the spot where they both desired his lips most. He tasted her thighs, her hips, the hollow at her waist as she floated in the water, open to him and content to let him have his way.

  Only content wasn’t quite the right word. Little moans of pleasure came from deep in her throat, a sound he could become quite accustomed to hearing. Holding back had never been so difficult. He wanted her badly. Wanted to thrust into her heat and feel those silky thighs around his waist, hear her purr turn to a shout of satisfaction.

  But not yet.

  Water glistened over her skin. Pink shimmers of water lapped at her flesh. She had no idea how much he wanted her.

  But he waited, wanting to show her how good they were together, and he’d hold back until he’d done so—even if it killed him.

  “Cameron?”

  “Hmm?” She wasn’t hot enough yet.

  Slowly he maneuvered her parted legs over a jet, adjusting the pressure and direction of the spurting water until she tensed in pleasure.

  “Relax, darling. We have all night.”

  She lifted her head, her eyes dilated with need, her voice urgent. “I can’t…relax. I’m not sure I can wait one more second.”

  “But you’ll wait for me, won’t you? I want to be inside you when you explode. Tell me, you’ll wait.”

  “I’ll try.”

  “Not good enough.” He eased her away from the water jet. “Promise me,” he demanded softy.

  “I promise. But you don’t know how good I feel.”

  “Tell me.” He floated her back over the jet.

  “My skin is hot and hotter. It’s hard to breathe. And my heart is beating too fast. And if I don’t move, I’m going to die.”

  “Don’t move, sweetheart. And remember your promise.” Then his mouth came down over her and she tasted so sweet, he wondered how he’d ever recover if she left him. Her hips bucked and he supported her legs with his arms, pinning her open for him against the hot tub’s wall.

  She flailed and reached for his hair to tug his mouth away and drag him upward. Gently he replaced her hand on the pool’s edge. “Patience.”

  “I’m…going…to get…even.”

  He breathed more sweet torment into her. “I can hardly wait.”

  But he couldn’t wait. Not another second.

  Breathing brokenly, he thrust into her and she welcomed him with a throaty whimper. Her breath rushed out, his name on her lips.

  He paused to angle another jet onto her sweet flesh. And she arched upward. />
  “Wait. Wait, just a few more minutes,” he coaxed.

  He pumped back and forth slowly, enjoying the exquisite sensations of silky heat and burning nerve endings. And when he could hold back no more, he moved his hips faster.

  She clutched his shoulders, frantic, her hips meeting his, matching him move for move, thrust for thrust. Giving herself to him completely, she shuddered against him, her nails raking his back as she dragged him with her into a fiery intimacy, rocking them both with a series of explosions that left him weak, breathless and very much in love.

  ALEXA AWOKE in Cameron’s bedroom. They’d made love several more times last night, leaving her satisfied and lazy and just a bit sore. She desperately wanted coffee and a shower, but Cameron’s arm across her hip kept her pinned to the bed.

  She moved his arm without waking him and wondered if he normally slept this deeply or if his exhaustion was due to his strenuous activities last night. Alexa hurried to the shower, wondering why she didn’t smell breakfast being made. Had Leo slept in? She’d kill for a sip of caffeine but would settle for brushing her teeth, a hot shower, soothing body lotion and a quick manicure to make her feel human again.

  After her long shower, Alexa returned to her room for a fresh set of clothes. Although the shower had revived her, she still wanted coffee and again wondered if Leo had slept in for she still didn’t smell any food. Perhaps she’d try her hand in the kitchen and serve Cameron breakfast in bed.

  Alexa eased open her bedroom door and stepped inside. Hundreds of big fat scorpions marched across the wall like an army of invading soldiers. With a shriek, Alexa backed into the hall and slammed her door.

  She rammed into something hard and let out another yelp.

  “Steady.” Cameron’s strong arms gripped her and she realized she’d bumped into him. He’d run naked into the hallway without taking a moment to pull on his pants. And his main concern was for her. “What’s wrong?”

  She forced her throat and mouth to work past her fright. “My room is full of scorpions.” Turning, she hurried to the twins’ room. “Let’s make sure they’re okay.”

  Cameron got there first and opened the door. The room was empty of scorpions and children, and he let out a sigh of relief. “Julie must have taken them for breakfast and a ride.”

  Alexa tried to control her shaking. If she had gone to her room last night, instead of Cameron’s, she might not be alive right now. “Cam, there’re too many scorpions in my room for them to have gotten there by themselves.”

  Cam gathered her into his arms and ushered her back to his room. Alexa dressed in yesterday’s clothes with a grimace. Cam’s silence grated on her nerves, but she knew him well enough by now to know his mind was busy sifting through possibilities and alternatives, and he would make a connection she couldn’t in her frightened state. So she waited.

  “This is the first attack on you alone. I always assumed you’d been in danger because you were with me or the twins. But it appears as if we are all in danger.”

  Alexa shivered. “You’re supposed to be making me feel better, not worse. Our problems were supposed to be over after the custody hearing.”

  “Maybe we were wrong and the dangers had nothing to do with the hearing or your grandparents,” Cam suggested.

  “Maybe. Look, I just can’t think without coffee. And I’d rather put a full flight of stairs between me and those scorpions.” She glanced toward her room with a shudder and wondered if the deadly creatures could travel under the door.

  Cameron put on jeans, a shirt and boots, then they both went down to the kitchen. There were no signs of Julie and the twins or Leo. The house was so quiet Alexa could have heard a tear dropping on the kitchen floor.

  There were no dirty cereal bowls in the sink, not even a hint of the aroma of coffee or bacon. But then, both Julie and Leo kept the house spotless. Alexa opened the dishwasher, looking for signs of breakfast. The machine was empty, and panic replaced her feelings of unease.

  “Let’s go see if the ponies are still here.”

  Cameron looked up from the coffeemaker, his eyes dark with concern. “I thought you wanted coffee.”

  “Something’s wrong. I don’t think Julie and Leo have been here.” Alexa gestured at the dishwasher. “There aren’t any dirty dishes around.”

  “Leo could have washed the dishes and unloaded it,” Cam suggested, but he was already moving toward the back door. Ever since his old stable burned down, they’d kept the children’s ponies and Julie’s horse in a hay shed out back. Most of the other horses were let loose in open pastures to graze on the summer grasses until the stable could be rebuilt.

  Alexa and Cam hurried to the shed. Cameron shoved open the door and looked inside. “Julie’s car is here. So are three of the four kittens. Both ponies and Julie’s horse are gone. She must have taken them for a ride.”

  Alexa frowned, unable to banish a niggle of worry. “She didn’t say anything to me about a ride.”

  “The twins may have talked her into it.” Cam pulled out his cell phone. “I’d feel better if she’d left a note or we could check with Leo. Remind me to buy Julie a cell phone.”

  “We’re probably worrying for nothing. They’ll likely all come riding in within the hour,” Alexa agreed as she scanned the horizon for two little boys and their sitter.

  Cam dialed the phone, then ended the call without speaking to anyone. “Leo’s not home, either.”

  An hour later there was still no sign of Julie and the boys, and Cam had alerted all the ranch hands to be on the lookout. Four hours later they were positive something was very wrong.

  “Maybe they stopped for a picnic and the horses ran off,” Alexa suggested.

  “Maybe.”

  Alexa admired Cam’s calm, but she could see the worry in his eyes, hear the tension in his voice. He’d notified the sheriff, Tyler had mobilized a group of neighbors to help, and Rafe had gone up in the helicopter to do an overhead search. There was nothing left to do but wait.

  The ranch was huge, a full four days ride from east to west and almost that from north to south. The land encompassed rivers and mountains and ravines and creeks. By early evening it was obvious that Julie would never have voluntarily kept the twins out so long. And where was Leo?

  And as the sun fell behind the mountains, so did their hopes of finding the boys before morning. Alexa brought Cam a sandwich and coffee. He accepted the drink and ignored the food. All afternoon they’d searched the area where the boys and Julie usually rode and were finally forced to come in and rest their weary horses.

  Alexa sat beside Cam on the front porch, knowing he burned to continue a night search—on foot if necessary, but knew it was foolhardy. “At least it’s warm tonight.”

  “The Senator’s bringing in more help tomorrow.” Cam told her. “I just wish I could do something more. I feel so helpless.”

  The waiting was eating away at her. Alexa had filed her nails down to nubs, blistered her feet from pacing and had trouble controlling her tone to keep from snapping at everyone who was trying to help. Cody had cleaned out the scorpions in the bedroom, but she couldn’t even consider sleeping with the twins still missing. Her place was here with Cameron.

  “No one’s found Leo in town. Do you think that’s suspicious?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe he and Julie are together with the boys.”

  “Can you think of anywhere else Julie may have stopped?” Alexa asked. “Maybe a nearby cabin, a neighbor’s, a cave?”

  “She never rode out for more than an hour or two. The boys can’t sit still in the saddle longer than that.”

  “Maybe Julie mentioned something to her roommate,” Alexa suggested. “Why don’t we ride into town and check? If we find nothing there, we should check with Leo’s neighbors. Someone may know where to find him.”

  Cameron’s voice wasn’t argumentative or commanding or angry. It was as if the loss of the boys had created a dead icy spot inside him that made his eyes into gray
pools of despair. “I’m not leaving.”

  She couldn’t bear to see him in such misery. She knew better than to urge him to eat or sleep. How could he when she couldn’t, either? “You have your cell phone. The sheriff and his men have taken over the kitchen. They’ll call if there’s news. Wouldn’t you rather do something?” she coaxed.

  JULIE LIVED in a dorm by the community college. Cam drove over without much hope of finding anything that would help. He knew Alexa was simply trying to keep him busy, but it made sense to cover all the bases.

  Perhaps Julie had mentioned something useful to her roommate. Perhaps the roommate had noticed someone following Julie. Perhaps Julie had mentioned being frightened. Ever since she’d been attacked on the way back from the portable toilet, he’d felt responsible for her safety. But Leo had always been there as an unofficial guard.

  And after the fiasco of hiring the security team, Cameron had preferred not to bring more strangers onto the ranch. Another mistake. Although the sheriff thought the twins and Julie might have run into trouble with the horses, Cam suspected their trouble was the human kind.

  Tomorrow they would find them. Alexa had to be correct. It was warm, and the twins and Julie would survive the night—even without food and water. And Julie was no fool. She always packed boxes of juice and snacks for the boys in her saddlebags. They would be fine. Once they returned safe and sound, the twins would be talking about their adventure for months.

  Alexa looked at Cam worriedly and knocked on the dorm door. Alexa had shadows under her eyes, her cheeks were hollow, and her lips raw from nervously biting her lips. She wanted the twins back every bit as much as he did, and that knowledge made him love her all the more.

  Loud country music blocked out her knock. Cam pounded harder, and finally a young woman answered the door. She wore heavy eye makeup, and her hair was teased out around her head in a most unbecoming fashion.

  Cam forced himself to smile pleasantly. “Can we talk to you about Julie?”

  “Julie?”