by Lea Kinkade
“Don’t worry. I’m not telling anyone. Besides, I think the rest of the family and your friends already know what you like. It wouldn’t be an earth-shattering revelation to them. You’re thirty-one years old and have lived at the Ranch ever since you finished vet school. You’ve dated your share of women in town. I’m sure we’ve all heard whispers. You haven’t been completely vanilla in your past relationships, have you?” asked Rio.
“Why am I even talking about this to you two?” Dillon didn’t know how his brother had gotten him to talk so much about something he considered private and off-limits, let alone in front of an old friend like Rio. His friend didn’t usually talk this much and he didn’t butt into other people’s private lives.
“I need to ask you some things you’re not going to like but I need to find out as much as possible. When I talked to Decker earlier, he told me the prime suspect in a stalking case is usually the boyfriend, or former boyfriend, of the victim. Abby’s getting these calls when you aren’t with her. Because she doesn’t remember all of the times of the phone calls, you don’t have a solid alibi for all of them. You two seem to fight a lot. Could be you’re trying to scare her into running to you or something like that? I’ve got to check all the bases. For what it’s worth, neither Decker nor I think it’s you, but I told him I’d question you about your relationship with Abby.”
“What the fuck? You think I’m doing this to Abby? We’re friends. I thought you knew me better than to think I’d hurt a woman.” Dillon was trying not to get pissed. On the one hand, he understood why his chief of security would be asking him these questions. On the other, he was trying not to take offense at his friend’s questioning.
“Abby hasn’t been hurt—yet. So far it’s just been used to scare her. Is there some reason you’d want her to be frightened? Something you get out of the deal that you wouldn’t otherwise?” Rio didn’t let any feelings show in his face. Dillon suddenly realized how hard this must be for his old friend.
“Fuck. I suppose there is. I’ve been trying to get Abby to move out here with me since we started seeing each other. I was planning on asking her again to move in with everything happening and the fact that this pussy doesn’t call when she’s with me. Thought it might encourage him to go find someone else to play with.”
“I’m not surprised. It makes sense for her to move here. I can protect her better if she’s living on the Ranch. However, according to Decker, that may make the stalker bolder. It may piss him off enough that he starts to do other things. More threatening things. You need to know this if you’re going to try to get her to move in with you. Of course, if he gets bolder, he might make a mistake that will lead us right to him. Just remember he probably has the stolen ketamine.”
“I still think the safest place for her is on the Ranch. My place has a security system and we have your team to watch out for her. She’ll have to start taking some precautions, but she would anyway with this threat over her. I’ll talk to her again and see what she says. I’ll let you know.”
“Let me and Decker know about any new phone calls or other suspicious things that happen. I don’t think this guy’s done with Abby. I think this is just the beginning. I’m going back to the office to check on things. I’m thinking about putting security cameras on the doors of some of the more important offices on the Ranch. Because of the drugs you store, this office would be one of them. Do either of you have a problem with that?”
“Do it,” said Xander succinctly.
“Not at all. I wish we’d had one earlier today. Maybe we’d know who this asshole is by now.” Dillon was onboard with any security measure Rio wanted to put in place if it would help keep Abby safe.
“Okay. I’ll check back with you soon. Take it easy and good luck with getting her to move in with you. The sooner the better as far as I can see. We’ll get started installing the cameras tomorrow.”
Dillon watched his friend and chief of security head out of the building. He immediately began to plan just what he’d say to Abby to get her to move in with him. It wasn’t going to be easy. He looked at his watch. Shit, it was almost five o’clock, and he promised Abby he’d be down at the horse barn as a show of support while she gave Diablo the last of his vaccinations. He headed out to the barn. Xander moved to follow.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he asked Xander in a surly tone.
“You’ve got to be kidding,” Xander laughed. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”
“Asshole.”
* * * *
Saturday night Abby was sitting on Dillon’s couch with Dillon’s head resting in her lap. They were talking and relaxing. There was some reality show on television but neither was really watching it.
“Baby, I want you to move in with me here at the Ranch.” They had been snuggling on the black leather couch watching some television after having had a great dinner of Chinese takeout from Ming’s Dynasty in Deseo. They delivered out to the Ranch for a small fee. He’d been distracted since he’d come to the horse barn on Friday afternoon to demonstrate his confidence in her, and now she knew why.
“I’m not ready for that yet, Dillon. Shit, we haven’t even been dating for two months yet.”
“Why not? I love you. I told you that some time ago. Why wait? We could be together all the time if we lived together.”
“And that’s a good thing? The being together all the time, I mean? Dillon, if we lived together you’d totally try to take me over. Twenty-four-seven. We need more time to establish the ground rules in our relationship. I need to make sure that the control I let you have in the bedroom doesn’t spill over into other areas.” She really wanted to be with him all the time, but she felt that she needed to maintain some distance or he was likely to topple all of her defenses and she’d let him take over all aspects of her life.
“It won’t, baby. I told you. I don’t need to control your every waking minute. I just like being in control of your sexual pleasure. I can keep my dominant tendencies confined to the bedroom.”
“Like you did Friday morning?” She said it softly, not wanting to start a fight but needing to make her point just the same.
He evidently didn’t have a response to that one because, although his mouth opened to retort, no sound came out.
“See? You can’t even deny it. I lived with a domineering father for twenty-four years. I’m not going to put up with a boyfriend like that, nor am I going to live with a man who acts like that.”
“Baby, I already apologized for that. Can’t you forgive me so we can put it in the past, where it belongs? Besides, I reacted the way I did because I thought you put yourself in danger. I wasn’t trying to control you.”
“Shit, Dillon, don’t try to pull that one on me. That was a dominating move. You were pissing on me like a wolf marking his territory. Besides, you know my reluctance to move in with you is about more than what happened in the barn. This isn’t the first time we’ve had this discussion, and I’m sure it won’t be the last.” She looked at him with a grin on her face and a twinkle in her eyes. “Evidently, you need more training.”
“First it’s educating, now it’s training! What the hell are you talking about, Abby? You make me sound like a dog. I thought you were educating me on the finer points of dealing with an independent woman.”
“Oh, don’t get all blustery. Just settle down. Yes, I said training. Don’t think I don’t know that, in your own way, you’ve been training me to do what you want in bed. I’m not stupid, you know?” She looked at him perfectly calmly and saw the resignation in his eyes when he decided to admit the truth.
“Okay, fine. I’ve been training you. You don’t seem to mind.” He had turned petulant, and Abby couldn’t help but laugh at his little-boy pout. “In fact, I’ve got a feelin’ you like it just fine.”
“I don’t mind that you take control in the bedroom, Dillon. I love that part of our relationship, just like I love you.” She watched as his pout changed into the face of a
supremely satisfied dominant male. Man, that look made her tingle all over. She’d finally admitted she loved him but that didn’t mean she was going to let him get away with anything, so he could just wipe that grin off his face.
“But.” She stopped his advance with a hand to his chest. “That doesn’t mean you don’t need to work on how you treat me in other areas of our life. I’m training you just as much as you’re training me. Don’t forget that, big man.”
He took her in his arms, ignoring the hand on his chest. “If we were living together, you’d have more time to train me properly.”
“I’m not ready for that step yet. I’ll let you know when I am. Let’s just drop the subject for now.” Changing the subject when she could see him gearing up for another attempt to change her mind, she asked about the break-in.
“Did Rio find out anything about whose keycard was used to get into the vet offices?”
Abby could tell that Dillon was obviously debating whether or not to tell her the truth about what had been found out, and she drilled his eyes with hers. With a big sigh, Dillon told her everything they had found out today, even about the possibility that her secret admirer was a stalker and had stolen drugs from the clinic office for some unknown purpose.
“Shit. Who would want to stalk me? I haven’t gone out with anyone since I moved here. There’s no jilted lover. I don’t think the calls and the rose are related. They can’t be. This is like something out of a cop show on television. Nobody would want to stalk me. I’m not that interesting.” She just couldn’t wrap her mind around someone caring enough about her, one way or another, to stalk her. The whole idea was absurd.
“I’m asking you to at least consider the possibility that the calls and the break-in are related and be a little more aware of your surroundings. Please think about moving in here with me. I need you safe, baby.”
“I’ll think about it, but I don’t want to think about any of this any more tonight. Let’s go to bed. I think I need another lesson.” Smiling, she took his hands in hers and led him back to his bedroom.
Abby couldn’t get enough of this man. There was something about Dillon Chisholm that made it okay for her to let him control their sex life. With the other two men Abby had tried this with, she hadn’t been as comfortable letting them take the reigns. Looking back on it, Abby realized she just hadn’t trusted those men enough to give them that much power over her. They certainly hadn’t done anything to earn her trust in that way. Shit. She was even beginning to enjoy the little skirmishes with Dillon when he overstepped the bounds. It was sort of like foreplay for them really. Abby didn’t know what it was, but she wasn’t going to fight who she was anymore. For some reason, she trusted Dillon implicitly. As the song said, she was going to just roll with it.
Dillon told her that he wasn’t into whips and things like that but might want to use restraints on her. He even hinted that he might consider giving her an erotic spanking if she wanted to give it a try. She was going to have to think about that one for a while. She trusted Dillon in a way that astounded her. She trusted him to take care of her and to always worry about her pleasure. She knew he’d never take it too far. She’d chosen a safe word at his insistence despite the fact that she knew she’d never need to use a safe word with Dillon. He was adamant that she have one and that fact just made her trust him all the more.
Right now, she wanted to let the outside world and the worries of the day just drift away on the wave of erotic sensation she knew Dillon could bring her. They were in his darkened bedroom and Dillon was looking at her like she was the best dessert ever. How could she resist? She knew she didn’t want to.
“Take your clothes off and come to me.” Dillon’s voice was low and raspy, the way he got when he was on the edge.
* * * *
Smiling at him, she began to unbutton her shirt slowly. Drawing this out was part of the game they played with each other. She knew he liked to watch as each inch of skin was revealed to his hungry gaze. Once she had the buttons undone, she slowly shrugged off the top, leaving herself covered in a little wisp of pink satin and lace. He liked her in pink. Moving her hands to the button on her jeans, she slowly undid it and the zipper rasped down until her jeans were open. She slid them over her hips and down her thighs. She may not be very tall, but her legs were long and lithe. She knew he loved it when her legs encircled him while he was pumping in and out of her pussy.
Steadying herself with a hand on his bicep, she kicked out of her jeans and socks, leaving her pink bra and her matching cheeky short panties the only things concealing her body from his intent gaze. His cock was hard and long. She could see he was aching to sink into her as he continued to watch her act out his command. She kept her eyes on his as she unfastened and removed her bra then slid her panties over her hips and down her long legs so they pooled at her feet.
She knelt down and picked up her discarded clothes, folding them into a neat pile and placing them on the dresser. Then, as ordered, she went to stand in front of him and waited for his next instruction.
“Take off my shirt.” She knew he watched as she sauntered up to him, her hands tugging dark-blue T-shirt out of his jeans, pulling it up and over his head as he assisted her by raising his arms. He spun her around so she faced the wall. “Hands flat on the wall.”
Obeying immediately, she pushed her ass out toward him. One of his hands splayed gently on her back while he used the other to unbuckle his pants, shoving his jeans and his boxer briefs down low on his hips, freeing his cock. Placing his hands on the wall next to hers, he crowded in on her, caging her between the wall and his body. One hand left the wall and played with her nipples, tugging on them, while the other headed south, seeking her pussy.
He groaned when he found her slick heat. It drove him nearly crazy that she was so responsive to him. He sank his teeth into the back of her neck and she bucked back against him. He pressed two fingers into her opening, his path eased by the slickness of her sweet cream. While his fingers were thrusting into her hot body, his thumb stroked over the hard nub of her clit.
He continued to finger her slippery cunt as she came apart with one long exhale. Pushing his jeans down on his hips, he used one foot to splay her legs farther apart. Bracing his own legs, he stepped closer into her body.
“Doing good, baby. Are you ready for me?” he asked even as he nudged his cock into her opening and thrust up into her with one hard flex of his hips. She hissed as she thrust back into his body, her hands clenching into tight fists against the wall. This was going to be quick.
“That’s it, baby. Give me your pussy.” Holding her hips tightly, he held her ass right where he wanted it. She’d have bruises after tonight’s activities. The knowledge made him even harder.
Making soft, demanding noises, she urged him on. He let her guide his actions as he fucked into her with shallow, hard digs of his cock. Knowing she was the woman he’d been waiting for his whole life, he released all of his inhibitions. This. This is what he wanted. Hard and rough and on his own terms. He moved one hand from her hip, seeking her clit, and he began to strum it back and forth. Her cunt rippled around his rapacious cock as her orgasm took control of her body.
Harder and harder he thrust into her wet heat, letting his head fall back as pleasure began to overtake him like a tsunami wave, rising higher and higher. More of her sweet cream coated his cock as he continued to stroke through his never-ending release. He finally pulled out slowly and leaned his body against hers, pressing her up against the wall, hemming her in again. His hands were running soothingly up and down her sides, her arms still raised with her hands flat against the wall once more.
“Stay right there. I’ll be right back.” He walked quickly to the bathroom and wet a washcloth with warm water to clean her up. She startled when he pressed the wet cloth to her tender pussy lips. He cleaned her up carefully and threw the used washcloth into the hamper.
“Okay, baby. You can relax now. Let’s go to bed.”
> As he held Abby tightly in his arms, Dillon couldn’t help but worry for her safety. Was this some whack job that threatened her safety or was it a harmless secret admirer? Either way, he would feel much more comfortable if she was living under his roof. Now he just needed to find the right argument to get her there.
Chapter 6
It was Tuesday night and Abby was alone, for the first time in two weeks, at her apartment in town. She’d put her foot down and told Dillon she needed an evening to herself to do laundry, pick up the apartment, and just be. He told her that he wanted to spend every night with her, but he didn’t seem to mind when she made plans with her friends for a dinner and a movie or needed time on her own. There were no further incidents of either phone calls or gifts from her secret admirer. Abby was convinced that the teens calling her had found something else to keep them occupied and that the gift was a one-off. She didn’t know how to explain the theft of the drugs from the med room. Rio and the sheriff were still investigating it.
It was Halloween, or beggars’ night as her family had called it when she was growing up, but Abby didn’t think she’d get many kids begging for candy at her apartment. After all, her front door was in an alley. Still, she’d gotten a couple bags of Butterfingers and Tootsie Rolls to give to the kids if any showed up. If there were leftovers, she wanted it to be something that wouldn’t go to waste. It would be a sin to waste chocolate.
Abby quickly put together a supper of leftovers from the refrigerator. She’d already started a load of laundry consisting of her bedsheets and towels. As she listened to a country music station on the radio, she sang along with the music as she danced around her apartment in her stocking feet, dusting and straightening up the place.
