by BJ Wane
To her relief, Sheriff Tyler was in his office and the attractive dispatcher and receptionist sent her right in to see him.
“Cassie, come in. Is everything all right?” he asked as he rose to greet her with a wave toward a chair.
His welcome smile went a long way toward calming her nerves and Cassie took a seat hoping she wasn’t wasting his time by overreacting. “I’m sorry to just drop in on you, sheriff.”
“I’ve told you to call me Scott. You should know by now we don’t stand on formalities around here.”
Why couldn’t she respond to the deep command in his voice like she did to Marc’s? With his collar-length, wavy dark brown hair and piercing gray eyes, he’d draw any red-blooded woman’s attention. While her body stirred when she pictured herself submitting to him, her mind and heart just wanted Marc.
“Okay, Scott.” Handing him the letter, she said, “I was wondering if there was a way to find out where or who this came from.”
Scott took the letter, his eyes turning flint gray as he read it. “When did you get this?” he asked, his tone brusque and all business.
“Just now, in today’s mail. About two months ago, I got a couple of similar notes in the mail, but since I was already planning on moving from Omaha, I ignored them.” Looking back, she realized that had been a mistake.
“You didn’t contact the police, show them to anyone else?”
Cassie shook her head, feeling like an idiot for not getting advice back when the notes first started.
“I don’t suppose you still have them?” Scott noted the pallor of her face and her clenched hands. She was trying to hide it, but the note shook her up, as it was meant to.
“No. When I moved, I threw them away.” Another dumb move, she thought.
“I’ll try to get fingerprints off it, but odds are whoever it is used gloves. I’ll make sure my deputies are aware of this and between us we’ll keep an eye on the bakery and around town for anyone suspicious. But, Cassie, this is a tourist area and strangers are the norm here. Have you told Marc about this?” Scott knew Marc continued to struggle with Cassie’s sudden appearance and the best way to proceed with her. This incident may have just settled that dilemma for him.
“No, of course not. I wouldn’t bother him with this, especially when he’s made it clear he’s none too happy I’m here.” She didn’t like that Scott witnessed the humiliating way Marc ushered her out of his lodge, and hoped he didn’t know of their past, but knew she couldn’t let embarrassment keep her from getting help.
“You came as a surprise, sweetheart, give him a little slack.” Rising, he came around his desk and took her elbow. “Come on, I’ll walk you back to the bakery and check out your locks for you. For now that’s all I can do other than keep an eye out. Make sure you keep your phone on you at all times. I’ll give you my office number and my cell number and you can enter them in your phone.”
His calm, take-charge attitude revealed he handled his job with serious intent and had her feeling better already. Walking beside him, she felt small next to his larger frame, as small as she did next to Marc. Both men were a little over six feet and had muscled, lean builds; both could set her pulse to racing and cause her happy places to sit up and take notice. But it was only Marc who aroused a need in her so strong it made her want to drop to her knees and do anything he demanded just to please him. She was just sorry it had taken her so long to come to that realization.
After Scott checked her locks and promised to return with better ones, Cassie started her baking for the weekend rush and tried to put both her stalker and Marc out of her mind for now since she couldn’t do anything about either situation at the moment.
* * *
Marc parked his Tahoe in front of the bakery and took a moment to give himself an attitude adjustment. When Scott called thirty minutes ago and told him about the threatening note Cassie received, he responded with a spate of curses, his first instinct to get pissed because she went to Scott and not him with her fears. Of course, his friend was only too happy to remind him he sent her away without a hint she would be welcomed back. Guilt had replaced anger, but the frustration of staying away from her the past two weeks made him irrational, had him swearing again when he realized his actions were the reason she hadn’t turned to him and he had no one to blame but himself.
He didn’t know what brought her to Bear Creek, or to his lodge, his mind rejecting her claim she was here to start over with him even though his body welcomed her back with a surge of lust he hadn’t experienced in two long years. It’d be insane to start over, crazy to think she had changed and now wanted everything he had been foolish enough to push her toward when he knew she wasn’t ready. But he wanted to. He hadn’t realized how much until he got Scott’s call and the thought of someone stalking her, tormenting her, or possibly doing her harm twisted his insides into a tight ball of fury.
Damn it, he swore. With the constant turnaround of summer guests booked into their cabins, he didn’t have time to unravel the knots her sudden reappearance in his life had him tied up in. Waiting until he saw the last of the late afternoon customers leave the bakery, he stepped inside and turned the sign to Closed before shutting the door behind him and locking it.
“Cassie, where are you?” he called out when he didn’t see her behind the counter.
“Marc? I’m back here.”
Following her surprised tone, he went down a short hallway that led to a small office, the large kitchen, and a storeroom. Hearing frustrated mumbling, he found her in the storeroom standing on a stool and attempting to lift down a large bag of flour. Ignoring the way his cock jumped at the taut stretch of denim shorts hugging her delectable ass, he strode across the room. Reaching past her, he grabbed the bag and hauled it down before turning to glare up at her.
“Get down from there,” he ordered, trying and failing to control the frustration in his voice. Even with her hair pulled up in a sloppy ponytail, her face devoid of cosmetics, and a streak of flour smearing her cheek, he found her attractive, his body responding without his permission with a painful press against his zipper. He hadn’t seen her in two weeks, but there hadn’t been a moment when she wasn’t on his mind. He wanted her, which he freely acknowledged, but he still couldn’t decide where he wanted to go from here.
Cassie took one look at his scowling face and stepped off the stool. She’d had an awful scare today, had gotten behind on her orders, and now she would have to work late to get caught up. She did not want to get into anything with him right now, no matter how delighted she was at seeing him again.
“I’m down. What are you so pissed about?” Moving around him, she failed to stifle the surge of pleasure rushing through her at his unexpected arrival and went to lift the bag of flour.
Grabbing the heavy sack, he snapped, “Pack some things. You’re coming back to the lodge with me.”
“What are you talking about? I have work to do. I haven’t heard from you for two weeks and you think you can just storm in here and snap your fingers and I’ll come crawling? Think again.” Her anger at his high-handedness replaced her happiness at seeing him, more so because she wanted to obey that demand in the worst way. She couldn’t deny the small spark his ungracious invitation ignited, but suspected his offer didn’t stem from any strong desire to pick up where they left off.
“Scott called you, didn’t he?” she sighed, disappointed he had sought her out only because of some misplaced notion she needed his protection.
“You should’ve called me. You trusted me enough to pop in out of the blue after two years, couldn’t you trust I’d be willing to help you until this asshole is caught?”
“The sheriff replaced my locks with some sturdy deadbolts and he and his deputies will keep an eye on the bakery. I have his numbers programmed into my phone. I’ll be careful. There’s nothing else that can be done.”
“I don’t want you staying alone here, especially at night. Come stay at the lodge. Between Jack and me, you’
ll be safer there than upstairs.”
Cassie sidled around him and crossed the hall back into the kitchen, mulling over what to do. This might be her best opportunity to get close to him again, to show him how much she wanted to explore what they had started in Omaha, how much she wanted another chance with him. She knew she never would have responded with such abandon to a man without her feelings involved, nor could sex, any sex, have left her craving more. The question plaguing her the most was how much more could they have together? With only one way to find out, she moved behind her mammoth work counter and geared up her nerve to pin him down with straightforward candor. “And where will I sleep, Marc?”
She could tell by the look on his face he hadn’t thought that far ahead. She had learned how protective doms could be, and figured his only thought in making his offer had been to get her where he knew she would be safe. Until he decided for sure if he wanted to pick up their relationship, the last thing she needed was to live so close to him without the benefit of sharing his bed.
“We have a guest room with its own bath. You’ll be comfortable there.”
Disappointment swamped her, but she held to her resolve. She hadn’t disrupted her whole life to come out here and fail. At least, not this soon. Putting on a false, brave front, she replied, “No, thanks then. I’ll stay here.” She turned her back on him, the move dismissive, but she should’ve known that would be akin to waving a red flag in front of an enraged bull. He sped around the counter, clasped her arm, and swung her back around to face his frustrated expression so fast the room spun for a split second.
“Why not? What do you want, damn it?”
“You, to sleep in your bed, with you. I want what I came here for. I’ve regretted running away from you for months now and want a chance to continue exploring submission with you being the one to teach me.” She refused to give him more, didn’t want to give him additional leverage over her by revealing her feelings, not until she was sure of them herself.
“What’s the matter, darlin’? Your last dom leave you hanging?” he asked, his tone calm, almost polite despite the look in his eyes that accused her of betrayal.
Cassie averted her face, recalling how astute he could be. She couldn’t let him know the only things she learned from Master Greg were not all doms are worthy of trust and Marc had been more patient, more tolerant of her inexperience than she gave him credit for.
“I have work to do,” she replied, avoiding his questions.
There was no way Marc could leave her here alone. He’d never be able to sleep at night worrying about her. Her ultimatum pushed his buttons, her evasive response to his rude question pissed him off, but the small part of him that had never forgotten her, that had regretted losing the chance to finish what they’d started, urged him to give her what she wanted. The Cassie he remembered never would have had the nerve to challenge him the way she had tonight. That change alone stirred his interest, made him wonder how far she would go to get back into his good graces.
“Are you sure you want to submit to me again, Cassie? Do you know what that even means?” he asked her, his mouth damn near watering when her nipples puckered under her tee shirt, their pointed nubs more obvious because she wasn’t wearing a bra.
“I remember those nights at the club very well,” she answered, the look of lust entering his eyes sending a shiver of excitement up and down her spine.
“But we’re not in that club and you’re not naïve about what I want, what I expect anymore. Are you positive you’re ready and willing to go down that road with me again?”
His soft voice increased the shivers down her spine, but she wasn’t shivering from fear. Marc wouldn’t hurt her; she was convinced of that. “What do you want?” she asked, wishing he’d just take her over again, leave her no time to think, just feel.
Marc grabbed the small stool next to the counter and sat down. “Pull down your shorts and bend over,” he instructed, almost hoping she would refuse. Then he’d have a way out of this out-of-control situation. To his surprise, she didn’t hesitate to unbutton her shorts, push them down, and lower herself over his lap. He had dreamed of having her ass under his hand again these past two weeks, but his dreams hadn’t compared to the reality of having her plush buttocks bared and at his disposable.
“God, Cassie, you’ve got a gorgeous ass.” He couldn’t help praising her as he caressed her soft flesh.
Cassie kept her head lowered, biting her lip at the light touch of his hand. Her body responded to her vulnerable position and his stimulating caresses with a gush of cream between her legs. Not even when she was in a club wearing nothing had she ever felt so exposed, as vulnerable as she did now. He kneaded her cheeks and the tight squeezes had her shifting on his lap, a low moan slipping past her compressed lips.
“Please,” she whispered, ashamed of her need, but craving something more so bad she couldn’t help but beg. She’d waited so long for this.
“You beg beautifully, darlin’, just like I remember. Is this what you need?”
He landed a hard smack on her right cheek, raising instant, pulsing heat and she felt his cock harden even more. “Yes!” She could no more stifle her cry than she could prevent from lifting for the next swat and almost weeping with the pleasure sweeping her senses from the stimulating pain. His swats sped up, became harder, until he had covered her butt several times. Pausing only long enough to shove her shorts down further, he then aimed for her thighs, raising a throbbing burn along the tops before returning to her buttocks.
“I don’t like ultimatums,” Marc said, his hand smacking her again, the heat of her flesh reminding him of the warmth of her pussy when she clamped around him. “But I like less the worry I’ll have to live with each night if you’re here alone.” He spanked her twice right in the middle of her ass before dipping between her legs and running his fingers over her drenched, swollen folds.
“Sir,” she groaned, and even though he suspected the title slipped out without thought as she arched into his hand, it gave him a moment of unguarded satisfaction.
“I don’t think so.” Though tempted to give her an orgasm, pleasing her would not suit his purposes right now. Lifting her up, he stood and undid his jeans. With a sigh of relief, he freed his aching cock into his hand, those bright blue eyes filling with awe and unfulfilled desire nearly his undoing.
He managed to hold back by sheer willpower. “On your knees.” She once again surprised him with her immediate obedience, sinking to her knees in front of him. “Put your hands behind your back and use only your mouth on me.”
Cassie had never seen anything as erotic as Marc slowly stroking his hard cock, the small drops seeping from the slit in his bulbous head a sure sign of his pleasure. Her buttocks throbbed hot and swollen, as did her pussy, and she desperately wanted a climax, but not as much as she wanted him, so she did as instructed.
Bending her head, she closed her eyes, savoring his taste as she wrapped her lips around his girth and took him deep. With her arms behind her, the position was awkward and a struggle to hold, but it didn’t keep her from stroking him with her tongue, tracing every ridge before swiping over the smooth crown and tasting his pre-come. When he took control by clasping her head, she took him deeper, hollowing her cheeks and sucking hard. His low groan of pleasure encouraged her, his hands guiding her head helped steady her in the awkward position, enabling her to concentrate solely on pleasing him.
Marc thought she made a beautiful sight with her shorts still down around her knees, her ass bare and red, and her mouth filled with his cock. Unable to hold back any longer, he thrust into her once, twice, three more times before exploding, his release shooting down her throat as a storm of sensations erupted from his balls and left him panting.
She released him with a pop, licking her lips as she looked up at him with a pleased smile. “Did I pass your test?”
He didn’t like her smug look, or the little twist her impish grin gave his heart. It wouldn’t do to let her
know yet how well she did pass. Until he got a handle on her, this stalker, and his own roiling emotions, he wouldn’t think of their reunion as anything more than friends rekindling an affair for a brief time, an affair that would be on his terms. “Let’s pack a few of your things and get going.”
Her face fell as he helped her up and pulled up her shorts. “I can’t leave yet. I still have baking to do tonight. It’ll take me about two more hours. I can meet you there when I’m done.”
“No, I’ll wait for you.” He wasn’t sure how much of his desire not to let her out of his sight came from the need to keep her safe or just to keep her close for his own selfish purposes. Either way, he was staying until she was ready.
Chapter Five
Cassie had never enjoyed her job more than she did over the next two hours. She thought putting Marc to work would speed things up, but she couldn’t have been more wrong. His sweet tooth took precedence over everything else and she spent more time trying to keep his hand from reaching his mouth with one of her concoctions and laughing than she did baking. At last, the final batch of cream puffs went into the refrigerator and the donuts into the display case for the early morning customers. She finished her two custom-ordered cakes, and all that remained was the cleanup, something that took longer since in her struggles to keep Marc from eating all her hard work, they had both made a mess of her kitchen.
“Put that back.” Swatting his hand, she tried to keep him from reaching for another brownie, but he snatched his hand back without letting go of the chocolate treat. Instead, he gave her an unrepentant grin, licking the gooey fudge from his fingers.
“I need to set a few ground rules before we reach the lodge; the first and most important being I’m in charge.”
She returned his smug look with a narrowed eye glare. She wanted him in charge when it came to sex, liked his control and the thrill it gave her, the extra pleasure she got from not having to think or worry over what he wanted or if she pleased him. But aside from sex, it wouldn’t do to let him run roughshod over her. “During sex, you’re the boss, I get that, want that.” Not wanting to push him when she was so close to getting what she came here for, she left it at that.
