Scarlet Toys (Violent Circle Book 1)

by S. M. Shade

  He unhooks it and holds up the pitiful little thing. “Want a picture with this monster?”

  “Shut up.”

  He thrusts the fish towards me, opening and closing its mouth with his finger. “Aw, don’t be mean. I didn’t mean to scare you. Give me a kiss.”

  Giggling, I grab the fish from his hand and toss it back into the water. “I’m not scared of a fish.”

  “So you just threw the pole at me for shits and giggles?” he teases.

  “Hey, it’s dark as a damn pocket out here. You can’t get a city girl high and then surround her with dark water. I was waiting for a sea monster to surface.”

  His chest vibrates as he wraps his arms around me. “Nah, they only live in salt water. Here you only have to worry about piranhas or gators.”

  “There are no gators in southern Indiana!”

  “Fine, but there are catfish big enough to bite off an appendage or two.”

  “Very funny,” I grumble, taking my pole back. “Give me a worm. I want to try again.”

  The worm freaks out when I pierce it with the hook and I almost drop it, but I’m determined not to freak out over something stupid again. Wyatt watches as I bait the hook and nods after I cast the line again. “Good job. Just try not to cross the lines.”

  “Or all life as we know it will stop instantaneously, and every molecule in your body will explode at the speed of light?”

  His lips raise in a crooked grin. “Just watch your bobber, Egon.”

  I love how he doesn’t seem affected by my weirdness. I just threw a fishing pole at him, then quoted Ghostbusters and he seems genuinely amused. It’s rare to find someone who really gets you, but I think he does.

  Wyatt gets his own line in the water, and we sit side by side on the dock. I finally start to relax and soak in our surroundings. Bright stars hang overhead, so vibrant and gorgeous, I just want to reach out and grab one. A slight breeze kicks up, making the water lap against the bank in a soothing rhythm.

  My attention returns to the water just in time for me to see the bobber dip below the surface. “I got one. What do I do?” I exclaim, jumping to my feet.

  “Yank the line to get it hooked, then reel it in.” Wyatt stands beside me and breaks into laughter again when I pull the line out of the water to reveal another tiny fish.

  “Hey, it’s not like you’re catching anything!” I giggle. This is actually fun. I’ve never really understood why people would like fishing, but I get it now. It’s relaxing and peaceful, but exciting when you catch one.

  He shows me how to get the fish off the hook, then tosses it back.

  I bait the hook and cast again and I swear the line barely touches the water when I have another bite.

  And another, even smaller fish.

  “It’s not funny,” I insist, fighting back a giggle. It is, though. It is funny. Especially when it happens again.

  And again.

  By now, Wyatt isn’t even trying not to laugh.

  “I give up,” I tell him, tossing the pole aside.

  “Probably a good decision. We might want to leave a few baby fish in the lake.”

  “I’ll just gather up all these huge catfish that you caught…wait a minute…” I look around like I’ve lost something. “Where did they all go?”

  “Probably busy taking care of all the injured children.”

  “Don’t say that!” I exclaim, shoving him.

  I swear I didn’t mean to push him hard. I don’t know if I’m unaware of my own strength or his balance sucks, but he trips, drops the pole and stumbles off the dock and into the water.

  Oh god. I killed him.

  I pushed him into the black water and he’s going to be eaten by the Lochness monster. The water bubbles where he went under.

  “Wyatt!” I scream. Oh shit. He’s not coming back up. What if he can’t swim? I’m not a strong swimmer and I have no idea how deep the water is.

  The longest thirty seconds of my life passes as I repeatedly call his name. Finally, I hear a chuckle coming from behind me and spin around so fast, my vision takes a second to focus on the dark figure standing shoulder deep in the water beside the opposite side of the dock.

  Okay, so the water isn’t deep.

  “That wasn’t funny!”

  “Hey, you shoved me in.” He climbs out, raining drops onto the wooden dock.

  “It was an accident! I thought you drowned or something!”

  He reaches out and grabs me, pulling me against his soaked body. “Aw, were you worried about me?” he teases.

  “You’d better be worried about your balls if you pull any shit like that again.” I can’t help the smile on my face. “Now let me go. You smell like old fish.”

  His smile widens, and we head back up toward the cabin. “You’re awfully judgmental for a baby fish murderer.”

  The next few days are a glorious mixture of relaxation, sex, swimming, sex, laughing, and sex. It’s the best vacation I’ve ever had and I could spend the rest of my life hiding away in this cabin with Wyatt. Too bad we’ll have to get back to life eventually.

  I’m standing in the kitchen, trying to decide what to make for dinner while Wyatt paces back and forth across the back deck.

  Whoever he’s talking to on the phone isn’t telling him anything he wants to hear. His hand runs through his hair and he blows air through his lips before ending the call.

  “Is everything okay? Is the rebuilding not going well on the store?” I ask when he steps inside.

  “Our store is fine, but it looks like I have an issue at the one in Tennessee. The books show everything is fine, but sales took a deep dip for no apparent reason. It looks like someone has been stealing.” He cocks his eyebrow at me. “Are you up for another road trip?”

  “Sure, but if you’d rather handle it on your own, you can drop me home on the way.”

  He steps up behind me and plants a kiss on the back of my neck. “I want you to come with me.”

  God, he can drive me crazy with the smallest touch. “Fine, but you know the rules. If you kiss my neck, you have to put out.”

  The words are barely out of my mouth when I’m bent over the counter, my panties at my feet and my shirt shoved up my back. I hear the crinkle of the condom wrapper before his fingers dip inside me. “You always have a condom within reach,” I giggle.

  “I’m travelling with a beautiful woman who has an ass I want to bite.” His palm leaves a sting on my cheek. “I’m not missing out on an opportunity.”

  Light kisses down my spine halt my giggles, and I groan as he sinks in so damn deep. My feet dangle an inch above the kitchen tile, and I hold onto the far edge of the counter like it’s trying to escape as he pounds into me.

  His hands grip my hips and he lifts me a bit, adjusting his angle and hitting a spot that makes me cry out.

  “Right there, huh,” he murmurs.

  “Yes! Fuck! Don’t…”

  My words are stolen by the powerful spasms seizing my body, and all I can do is ride it out, reveling in the heat streaking across my skin. I swear this man is a fucking voodoo sex sorcerer. No one else can draw these reactions from my body, not even me.

  Soft kisses fall on my neck and shoulders and I hum. My voice shakes a little when I say, “Well, that was unexpected.”

  “You asked for it, baby. I’m always a second away from fucking you. Anytime and anywhere you want it.”

  And there goes my vagina, planning a future with him when my brain knows it’s all temporary.

  After a quick shower, we get packed and head out for the drive down to Tennessee.

  * * * *

  Scarlet Toys South, as Wyatt has been calling it, is a little larger than the one I manage. It makes sense I guess, since the city is a bit more populated as well.

  “I’m not sure they count as a small town if their McDonalds is open twenty-four hours,” I point out as we park just outside the back entrance.

  “The one in Morganville closes?”

&n
bsp; “At ten. We do have a supercenter though.”

  “Moving up in the world,” he chuckles, grabbing my hand as we head inside.

  I’m a little surprised. I assumed he’d want to remain professional here, at his other place of business. Maybe he just isn’t going to mention I manage the other Scarlet Toys.

  A bell goes off as we step inside and a petite, dark headed woman glances up at us. She does a quick double take, then quickly straightens her spine and rushes around the counter. “Wyatt, I didn’t know you were coming.”

  “Surprise.” He walks over to the counter and gestures to me. “Cass, this is Joanne Michaels, assistant manager of Scarlet Toys South. Joanne, this is Cassidy West, General manager of Scarlet Toys North.”

  The smile on her face is as fake as her eyelashes when she replies, “It’s so nice to meet you.” A slight frown creases her lips as she notices he hasn’t released my hand. “And I told you to call me JoJo.”

  Wyatt only grins in response before asking, “Is Diana off tonight?”

  “She left a few minutes ago. Do you want me to call her?”

  “That’s not necessary. I know where she keeps the books. We’ll be in the office.”

  Joanne twists the ring on her finger and her voice wobbles a little as she asks, “Is everything okay?”

  The smile on Wyatt’s face isn’t one I’ve seen before. It’s forced, and I realize what I’m seeing is anger, bubbling just under the surface. “Everything’s fine. Just checking in, routine stuff.”

  Joanne’s head bobs and her shoulders relax a little. A customer approaches the counter, so her attention is diverted as we head back to the office.

  “You think she’s the one?” I whisper, taking a seat in an office twice the size of the one at my store.

  “I do now. She doesn’t exactly have a poker face, does she?”

  “She went from eye fucking you to fidgeting pretty fast.”

  A thought jumps into my head as Wyatt pulls out a stack of paperwork. “Did you fuck her too? She’s a manager. Are you a serial manager fucker, Wyatt?”

  A snorting laugh escapes him. “No, I don’t have a manager fetish.” His lips cock up in a little smirk. “Are you jealous, Cassidy?”

  Damn it.

  “Of course not.”

  “Uh-huh.” I want to smack that satisfied little grin off his face.

  I lean my chair back and gaze around the room. “Don’t worry. I know this is just temporary. I’m not reading more into it.”

  My breath catches when he grabs the arms of the chair and leans on them, bringing the feet back to the ground and damn near giving me a heart attack. “Asshole! I thought I was going to fall.”

  His eyes are intense as they focus on mine. “Who said this is temporary?”

  “You’re only in town for a few months. And I said I wasn’t looking for anything serious.”

  “Doesn’t matter what you’re looking for. That’s not how it works. When something good falls into my path, I don’t veer around it.”

  Is he saying what I think he is? “And I’m…something good?” I murmur.

  I’m still pinned in by his arms, his eyes burning into mine. “You’re something amazing. Funny and smart, hardworking and beautiful. And you actually care about other people. That’s a rare combination, so don’t tell me that this is temporary. Tell me this is something you want as much as I do.”

  I’m caught up in his words and the intensity of his gaze as he waits for me to answer. “You want a real relationship,” I finally state.

  “We have a real relationship. I want you to know our real relationship doesn’t have an expiration date.”

  “Okay.”

  Standing up, he grins at me. “Okay? That’s all I get?”

  “What? You need to hear me say that I think you’re sweet, you make me laugh, and I love every minute I spend with you even when we’re just lying around doing nothing?” I tease, getting to my feet and looping my arms around his neck.

  His hands land on my hips and he pulls me against him. “And I’m devastatingly hot, don’t forget that.”

  “Yeah, I guess you’re kind of cute.”

  “Cute! Bunnies are cute. Puppies are cute. I’m—”

  “Hey, don’t get ahead of yourself. I didn’t say you were as cute as a bunny. That’s a pretty high bar. A puppy, maybe. Unless it’s one who trips over his ears then—”

  His lips land on mine, soft but demanding, and I groan as he slips his tongue against mine and kisses me until every inch of my skin feels alive and tingly. Somehow, I end up with a handful of his ass because I swear my hands have a mind of their own.

  “You want to try that again?” he breathes in my ear after we break apart.

  “Fine, you’re sexy as fuck and every time you walk into a room I want to take my panties off.”

  “That’s more like it.” He swats me on the ass.

  “So, we’re officially together?” I clarify.

  “Yes.” He gathers up some receipts and papers. “Now let’s go to the hotel so you can get some rest while I catch a thief.”

  Joanne eyes us warily when we leave. If she is the one stealing, the sight of Wyatt carrying the books and inventory sheets must scare the shit out of her.

  “What’s her story?” I ask as he drives us to a nearby hotel. “Do you know anything about her? Maybe she’s desperate for money for some reason? Not that it would justify stealing. I just wondered.” I know what it’s like to struggle. What if she’s stealing money to feed her kid or something?

  “She’s married to the chief of police and they’re pretty well off. She wanted the job because her kids are grown and out of the house.”

  “So, she’s a bored housewife?”

  “Basically.”

  “And she probably thinks she can do whatever she wants because she’s married to the chief.”

  Wyatt parks the car and we head inside to the rental office. “Not in my store, she can’t. I do my best to support my staff, pay a fair wage with benefits, and offer flexible schedules. In return, I expect hard work and honesty. I have no sympathy for a thief. Whoever it is, I will file charges.”

  “You should,” I agree.

  Our room is a suite that takes up the top half of the third floor. I’m instantly in love with it when I find it has a huge tub with jets.

  Wyatt chuckles at my enthusiasm. “Go on and have a soak. I’m going to go through these reports and see what I can find.”

  He doesn’t have to make that suggestion twice. Wyatt settles at a desk in the next room with his laptop and the stack of papers from the store while I fill the tub. There are tiny bottles of bath salts on the counter in the bathroom. This place is getting a fantastic review from me.

  I choose a citrus scented bottle and add it to the tub before stripping down and easing into the hot water. A floor length mirror hangs on the inside of the door, so with the door open, I can see Wyatt in the reflection. His lips are pressed together as he sorts through paperwork, occasionally making notes and typing on his computer.

  He has made himself comfortable, removing his shoes and socks, and changing into a t-shirt and sweats. I swear I could stare at this man until we both wither from old age. His words from earlier ring in my head and I lie back, letting myself think about how things have changed.

  This isn’t a fling. It isn’t just a temporary fuck buddy situation and I don’t really know how I feel about that. I’ve been worried that I was catching feelings for him, setting myself up for future heartache when he leaves, but I never considered that he might be feeling the same way. I mean, I’m no uggo, but look at him. The man could have any woman in the world. What are the chances that this is going to work?

  I know I have a tendency to overthink things, to analyze them to death, and I need to stop. Some things can’t be predicted. There are times when you just have to relax, wander the path and see where it spits you out. Fortunately, my path has crossed with a gorgeous, caring man with a cock that even
the most uptight virgin would worship.

  I’m not going to worry about what happens when he needs to go back to Indianapolis for good. Or think too much about how different our lives are and how that could possibly work. I’m just going to enjoy the ride and damn the consequences.

  The hot bubbling water doesn’t take long to suck away my stress and I lay my head back, closing my eyes. I don’t know how much time passes before I feel like I’m being watched and drag my eyes open. I may have dozed off for a bit.

  Wyatt stands in the doorway, leaning against the jamb. “You were smiling in your sleep.”

  “Hmm, must’ve been dreaming about you,” I reply, stretching. “Or food. I’m starving.”

  Chuckling, he grabs a large, fluffy towel and walks over to me. “I just ordered a pizza. If you can tear yourself away from the bubbles.”

  My skin is puckered and wrinkly when I stand. “Damn, I have been in here too long. My skin looks like your balls.”

  “You should be honored then. My balls are very attractive.” He wraps the towel around me.

  “Balls are not attractive,” I snort.

  “Hey, you’ll make them self-conscious.” His hand travels down like he’s comforting his nuts.

  Slipping my hand down his pants, I give them a little squeeze. “Sorry, I’ll be kinder to Bert and Ernie.”

  His fingers close over my nipple. “You are not naming my balls after Muppets.”

  A knock at the door interrupts us. “Guess I’ll have to wait for later to play with Thing One and Thing Two. Pizza’s here.”

  He delivers a stinging slap to my bare, wet ass. “Get dressed, baby.”

  Wyatt inhales two pieces of pizza before returning to the desk.

  “Anything I can help with?” I ask, after tucking our leftovers into the small fridge.

  “I’m missing something. It’s just like Diana, the GM, said. Look.” He slides the paperwork over to me. “The cash drawers aren’t coming up short. Not more than a few cents here or there, which is normal. But it looks like sales have taken a sharp drop all at once. Yet, when compared to the inventory, it doesn’t add up. We’re selling the same amount of items for the same price, but somehow bringing in less money. I’d assume we’re missing the stock from shoplifters, but not at this rate, and some of the items are too large and obvious to walk out with.” He sits back and runs a hand through his hair.