“And what is your name, young man?” she asked.
“Colby,” the little boy said, shuffling his feet as he looked at the parquet floor.
“And where is your mother, Colby?”
“She’s dead.”
Wow, okay, I don’t have a response for that one.
“Where’s your dad?” she asked, praying he wasn’t dead, too. Just then, she heard the sounds of a snowmobile approaching. Standing by the front door, she never took her eyes off the little boy, even when Jacks and Davis walked in, bumping into her. Vanessa lost her footing, tripped, and would have fallen if Davis hadn’t caught her.
“Oh damn. I’m sorry, Van.” Jacks laughed, brushing snow from his jacket.
“It’s all right.” She turned to look at him. That was when her stealthy little customer made his move. Running for the back of the store, the little imp was out the back door before Vanessa could get her hands on him. “Damn!”
“Are you all right, Van?” Davis asked, a concerned look upon his face.
“Yeah.”
“I’m calling Braxton,” Jacks said, reaching for his phone. Stopping him, Vanessa sighed. “No, Jacks. He has his hands full with Charlotte. Besides, it was just a little boy and it’s Christmas. Whatever he took, he probably needed it more than I did. Let me just lock up the back door and I will get your package.”
“I don’t like this, Van. You’re here all alone,” Davis added.
“I’m a big girl. I know how to take care of myself,” she said. After securing the back door, she walked back to the counter where Jacks and Davis were waiting. She really wished the men of this town would get it through their thick skulls that a little ole female was more than capable of taking care of herself.
Jeez, I wonder what they would think if I told them I could kill them twenty different ways with just my bare hands!
“Sorry, it took us a little longer getting here. The roads were literally impassible, so we had to go back for the snowmobiles,” Jacks said, taking off his gloves and hat.
“It’s okay. How are Lilly and the boys?” Vanessa asked, leaning against the counter.
“She’s good, and the boys are getting big. Oh, Jeff called and talked to Lilly yesterday. Apparently, Janie hasn’t been very festive lately because of her being bed-bound. Was he able to get a hold of you?”
“Oh yeah. I can’t wait. I let Macie know, and she told Braxton and Jordan. They weren’t too excited about taking Charlie all the way out there, but Macie assured them that Andy was going to be there if anything happened. Of course, Charlie heard the whole conversation, and well, there was a mini rebellion over at the Connelly house. Charlotte told Braxton flat out that if she didn’t get to celebrate Christmas with her sister, she wasn’t having the parasite.”
Davis laughed as Jacks said, “And how did Braxton take the news?”
“Oh he took it like a champ. He told Charlotte that if she didn’t have that baby soon, he was going to chain her to the bed permanently and she would never see another computer ever again until she gave it up.”
“Oh man, to be a fly on the wall in that house.” Jacks laughed.
“Oh I don’t know about that, brother. I hear the hell kitten has an aversion to flies. You fly in there, and she’s likely liable to swat your ass with a newspaper.” Davis chuckled.
“Well, if we don’t head back soon, Lilly’s gonna swat our ass,” Jacks said, making his way to the counter, rubbing his hands together eagerly. “So, where is it?”
“Anyone ever tell you, Jacks, that patience is a virtue?” Vanessa laughed.
“Every damn day of my life. I just ignore it.”
Laughing, Vanessa shook her head. Reaching under the counter, she grabbed a small velvet box and placed it on the counter.
“So, what’s this I hear about your momma working out at the Hicks place?” Jacks asked. Vanessa already knew what he was hinting at.
Damn gossip mongers. Nothing was sacred in this town. No one could piss in the wind without the whole town finding out by nightfall. Yep, living in a small community did have its drawbacks.
“Oh it’s nothing. Momma wanted to get out of the house, and she loves Janie. It’s good that she stays mobile, and besides, looking after Caleb can be a full-time job in itself.”
“I hear ya. We have Orin,” Davis muttered, and they all laughed.
“Ain’t that the truth.” She smiled. “All right, I had to do some digging for this, but I believe this was what you boys were looking for?”
Opening the lid, she heard them gasp. Yep, that was what she wanted to hear, another satisfied customer.
“You boys were really explicit, which made it a little hard, but I tracked this beauty down in Maine. When I saw it, I knew it was what you boys were looking for.”
“It’s perfect, Van. How much do we owe you?” Davis asked as he lightly touched the small contraption.
“Nothing, it’s my Christmas gift to you boys. You just make sure Lilly enjoys herself.”
“Are you sure, Van? This wasn’t cheap,” Jacks asked.
“It was a trade. I had something the owner wanted, and we agreed on an even swap,” Vanessa said, placing the small box in a bag. “I hope Lilly enjoys it.”
Grinning like the devils they were, they both said at the same time, “Oh, we will!”
Chapter Five
Sunday, December 22nd, three days until Christmas
Steven felt the blood surge hotly in his face. He panted heavily.
“Push it harder. Don’t stop,” Hazel shouted.
Neil did a deep chest grunt and pushed, sweat beading over his face. “Something is going to rip if I push any harder. We need some lubricant or…”
“Just a little more!” she shouted determinedly.
Without a rip, or even a popping sound, the large secretariat desk edged the half a centimeter it needed to slide smoothly around the dogleg into the spare room. Steven did a quick two-step not to stumble. They hefted the massive piece of solid oak and got it inside.
“See!” Hazel said smugly as she leaned against the doorjamb. “I told you it would fit.” Steven knew of another thing that would fit, too, if she would stop being so damn bossy and just let him have a little. Since their return from their honeymoon, Hazel had taken charge of reorganizing their life and house. Of course, Neil didn’t mind one bit, but when Steven started to bitch at the new and improved Conner household, well, he and Hazel were once again at odds with each other. Basically, they were fighting like cats and dogs, and if he didn’t get some pussy soon, his alpha dog was going to be unleashed.
“Put it against the far wall for now. If I need it shifted, I will call you,” Hazel ordered.
“You’re gonna have to do it, bro, because I’m never moving this thing again,” Neil panted as he slowly slid down the wall.
Fucking pussy!
Doing as ordered, Steven pushed the large monstrosity against the wall. When he was done, he, too, collapsed against the wall, stretching his legs out. He pulled up his shirt and wiped away the sweat that dripped slowly down his forehead. Fuck! It was minus fifteen degrees outside with three feet of snow on the ground, but he was sweating his ass off.
A blazing beam of sunlight filtered into the room, illuminating in its brilliance. A person couldn’t even tell from this view that winter still gripped the world.
“I am going to get lunch ready. I will see you boys in ten minutes. Don’t be late,” Hazel once again ordered before leaving them to their sweaty mess.
Watching her leave, Neil groaned as he stood. Stretching, he looked around the room. “I hate to admit it, but she was right. This room is the perfect place for writing. The light is remarkable in here.”
“For God’s sake don’t go and tell her that. We will never hear the end of it,” Steven grumbled, looking up at his brother. Sometimes he really wondered if they were biologically related. Neil was just too damn nice. The true poster boy for all that was good and decent in the world. There wasn
’t a deceitful bone in his body.
Rubbing the back of his neck, Neil asked, “Is it just me, or has our lovely new wife gotten a little bossy in the last couple of days? She sure does seem hell-bent to have things a certain way.”
“Exactly! And just what in the hell is wrong with the way things were before? I thought they were great.”
“Did you piss her off and not tell me?” Neil asked. When Steven didn’t respond, Neil went ballistic. “Oh come on! Dude, we’ve been married for one damn month. Couldn’t you wait at least until spring? That way we could sleep comfortably in the barn. Do you know how cold it gets out in the barn in the middle of winter?”
“I didn’t piss her off!” Steven yelled, quickly shutting up his brother.
“Lunch is ready!” the demanding feminine voice shouted from the kitchen. Something was off, and Steven couldn’t put his finger on it. He thought back to everything that happened from the moment they got married, they went on the honeymoon, and then returned. Yet, everything he thought of was normal. There was no yelling, no fighting, just lots and lots of sex. Yep, just thinking about his wife’s pussy was making his cock hard.
Maybe it wasn’t him. Maybe it was something Neil did, but he quickly dismissed that thought. His brother would never do anything to piss off Hazel. Nope, which meant that left him. He could sit there and wrack his brains trying to figure out where he fucked up again, or he could get off his ass and ask the woman. Either way, he wasn’t going to start his marriage with an angry wife and no sex. Nope…that wasn’t going to happen.
“Coming, Hazel!” Neil shouted back as he trotted out of the room.
Following, Steven never said anything. He entered the kitchen, sat at the table, and watched his wife move around the room. She was a natural. In her own element, the woman was a master at what she did. She was a magnificent cook, and his taste buds were still riding the flavorful high from last night’s dinner.
Hazel Conner leaned over on the kitchen counter with her elbows and her butt sticking out, her legs slightly parted on the floor as she thumbed through a magazine. Her fingers danced furiously through the pages as if she was speed-reading. Still, even in such a slack-jawed, sexy pose, she artfully kept her scoop-necked cleavage on glorious display, and her skintight jeans accentuated those long legs and ass to perfection. Her meticulously styled red hair draped down her back. However, even the exquisite makeup job around her huge, vibrant green eyes and magnificent cheekbones couldn’t hide the fact that something was off.
Neil leaned in to kiss her cheek when the phone rang. Pulling away, she answered. Neil looked over at Steven and shrugged his shoulders. Sulking as he took a seat next to him at the table, he leaned over. “Whatever you did, you better fix it.”
“I didn’t do anything,” Steven shot back.
“Oh hey, Orin, what’s up? Really! Oh my god! If there is anything we can do, just let us know. All right. We’ll be there. Sure, I’ll tell them. Thanks. See you there, bye.”
Their new wife bounced around the kitchen, happier than a kid in a candy store.
“Good news, baby?” he heard Neil ask, but Steven didn’t care. Seeing her so happy was pure joy to his heart, even if he wasn’t the one who put it there. Right now, he just wanted to know what the fuck he did wrong so he could grovel and get back in her good graces. It had been three days since he sunk into his wife’s heavenly body, and if he didn’t get his groove on soon, he was going to have permanent blue balls, and not the twinkling ones blinking on the damn Christmas tree in the living room.
“The best! We’re going to a party,” Hazel informed them.
Steven sprung back to reality in lightning speed.
A party, at the McDaniel house?
Oh God not again!
Without conscious thought, Steven jumped from his seat and shouted, “Hell no! We’re not going.” Whatever Hazel expected for a reaction, his didn’t fit the bill. Only slapping her with a fish might have resulted in the same popped eyes, gaping-mouth surprise, and hurt he witnessed looking at her, but that only lasted for a second. What came next would scare the bats from the belfry! Her eyebrows slammed together, and her lips closed in a thin line. Red-hot fury crept up from her cleavage to distort her pretty face. Flames burst in her eyes, and Steven swore he saw the bowels of hell open up to welcome him home.
“Who the hell do you think you are to tell me no!” she screamed back. While Steven knew he wasn’t the brightest crayon in the box, he did know when he was about to have his ass handed to him, and this was going to be one of those times.
All that training he received at the Pleasure Cave those some months ago flew out the window when he opened his mouth and inserted his size-twelve boot. Of course, looking to his brother for help was useless. Neil just leaned back in his chair and grinned as if he was perfectly content letting his ass roast in brimstone. Yep, once again, he fucked up, and this time, he knew what he did.
Now, normal manners would suggest he immediately apologize for speaking out of turn without knowing all the facts, but since he was already being denied his husbandly visits in the bedroom, Steven decided to go for broke. “You heard me, Red. I said no.”
Hazel’s rage rivaled the four horsemen of the apocalypse. When she was on a dither, she could scare rattlers into volunteering themselves to a boot factory.
“Nobody talks to me that way! I will do what I damn well please. You got that, Steven? Just because we’re married does not give you the right to dictate to me, whom I can see, what I can do, or where I will go. If you have a problem with that, get over it!” she ranted beautifully, pointing her dainty little finger into his chest.
God, he loved his hot-blooded woman. Now, if he could only channel some of that anger in the bedroom, then he could find some relief. That was when it hit him. Maybe she was sexually frustrated, too. Maybe she was waiting for him to make the first move.
Grabbing Hazel around the waist with one arm, he yanked her close. As her brain struggled to catch up, he gripped the hem of her shirt at the back and pulled up, giving her a small shove. The green shirt peeled up over her arms like a banana skin. She came to rest against the counter, hair tousled and eyes wild. “What are you doing?” she gasped.
“Taking the decision away from you,” Steven replied, shrugging out of his shirt.
Flinging the shirt aside, he stepped in again, her hands batting away at him as he gripped the front of her bra between her bouncing tits and pulled it up. “Hello, ladies,” he growled.
“You moron! You think sex is the answer to everything,” she yelled, lunging toward him. However, tangled in her bra strap, she didn’t quite reach.
Steven laughed. “Sex is the answer to everything!” he said, jumping out of the way and letting days of frustration run free. He made two steps before she grabbed the back of his jeans. Steven fell forward, across the new rug in the living room she insisted they needed, before he caught himself from the perfect face plant. He squirmed away as she clawed at his back legs. She ripped his jeans from his body.
Holy shit! His woman was strong. Looking over his shoulder, he saw a gleam of retribution flicker in her eyes. Oh yeah, Red was turned on just as he was.
Hazel crawled forward on her knees, nude from the waist up, taking off her remaining clothes. “You need your butt whipped.”
“Bring it, baby.” Steven chuckled as he rolled to his hands and knees, trying get away from her.
Hazel lunged at him again just as Steven got his feet under him to stand up.
“Uh, guys, you’re going to tear up this house,” Neil muttered from the kitchen.
“Shut up!” they both yelled at the same time.
Hazel wasted no time ripping his boxers from him. He was now naked except for his socks and sneakers. He laughed as his cock bobbed stiffly in the open air.
He lunged at her like an attacking bear. Hazel shrieked as Steven tackled her, grabbing both her wrists. Landing on top of her, Steven crushed her lovely tits under his chest. He
snarled and twisted her wrists until he had her pinned to the floor. She snarled back at him.
“Spank me?”
“Yes, you need a good spanking!” she shouted back.
“What a good idea.”
Steven sat back up, pulling her along with him. Sitting cross-legged, with the carpet scratching his bare ass, he shifted Hazel facedown across his lap. His cockhead poked into her stomach. He kept his arm across her back to pin her down while his other hand pulled and yanked at the waistband of her jeans. Skin tight as they were, it took a lot of bucking and wrestling and a few minutes to expose her ass.
No panties? God, he loved his woman.
Whack! Steven brought the flat of his hand across her pert cheeks. They had descended to grunts and growls while wrestling, but this brought a fresh shriek out of her. “Hey! That hurt!”
Whack! “Ow!”
Whack! “Jesus!”
Whack! “Stop it!”
Whack!
Steven kept going, letting loose a lot of frustration, some of it not entirely Hazel’s fault. Her cheeks wobbled like red Jell-O when he finally felt a need to pause, if only because his arm and hand ached. Hazel’s shouts had become whimpers, and then became…moans? Her long, smooth body didn’t thrash so much as it squirmed.
“More,” she moaned into the carpet as her body writhed on his lap. Steven didn’t know if Hazel knew this about herself or not, but he thoroughly enjoyed the fact that his wife was catching on to her submissive side. The fact his cock still stood like a bar of iron didn’t surprise him. She turned her head, peering at him through a curtain of tousled red hair.
“Don’t stop,” came a bleary voice talking into the carpet.
Steven felt something splash on to his thigh beneath her. It might have been sweat, but his nose caught the rising tang of a woman feeling the heat. It didn’t calm him down much. Still, he hadn’t become a total lunatic. His cock and temper demanded more. Desperate to please, his brain noticed Hazel’s panting and flushed body. He gave her beautiful bottom another smack. “Who’s in charge, baby?”
A Christmas Treasure [The Men of Treasure Cove 9] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 7
