“I take it the contacts you made in Carson City were helpful?”
“Oh yes, they were awesome,” she said, nodding.
“Since you’re working, I’ll head out for a bit. If Remington comes out of the red room, will you let him know where I am? I should be back by lunchtime.”
“I’ll make sandwiches with the bread I baked yesterday,” she offered.
“That’d be great,” he agreed, shoving off from the doorway to his office and heading right up to her, crossing into her personal space.
“Anything wrong, Jaxon?” she asked, pushing away from the desk. Jax had to grab the chair to keep her from scooting back farther.
“No, although I’d appreciate it if you’d consider joining me in my private dungeon this afternoon,” he said. “It’s time to begin your training in earnest.”
Eve flushed brightly, lowering her gaze. “If you so wish it, Master Jax, I am willing to join you.”
“Excellent.”
“Will Remy join us?”
“Not during your training sessions. His need to protect you could interfere with your progress. Hear me now, baby girl, they will intensify as you learn and you may get scared, but you’ll never need to be rescued.”
“I understand,” she said, continuing to look away from him.
Removing his hand from the back of the chair, he touched his hand under her chin, bringing her face upward. Eve’s flush intensified, signs of arousal becoming more evident.
“Your gift of submission is something I will cherish. Just be honest with yourself. If something scares you, tell me. I can’t be a good Master to my sub if she doesn’t trust me.”
“Master Jax, the other night you wanted use nipple clamps on me and I refused.”
“It was your right to refuse them, no questions asked, love.”
“I disappointed you,” she murmured, looking away. Not having that, he brought her chin back around.
“No, you didn’t. If you’ll recall, Remington and I made love to you. Even during a lesson, the power to stop a scene is in your control. Have you thought of a safeword?”
“Yes, it’s boardroom,” she answered, no longer struggling to look away. “Will you kiss me before you go?”
“I’d be honored,” he agreed, bending down close enough to kiss her soft lips. He loved kissing her, she responded with enthusiasm and passion and she tasted sweet.
Minutes later, he drew back, resting his forehead against hers. She was precious to him. He would’ve told her he loved her but she seemed distracted and he decided to tell her how he felt when they were in his dungeon later.
Eve pushed her glasses up on her nose and went back to work. She was so cute it took effort to leave her in peace.
In the kitchen, he found a small notebook in a utility drawer and jotted a note for Remy. He’d asked Eve to tell Remy where he was going, but on the chance that she became immersed in her research, Jaxon had his bases covered.
Task done, he went outside through the garage. Remy’s small camper was parked off to the side, his Toyota truck in front of it. In another week, they’d both be gone as Remy and Evelyn had to begin the trek back to New England.
He didn’t care to think about that right now, he needed to see what he had to do to keep his lovers happy, whether they were together or separated by distance.
Heading to the trails leading away from the mountain house, he took the center of a three-pronged fork, hiking toward a clearing he’d established where he could think and look out over Dare and the valley below. On a clear day, he could make out the fencing of Sawyer Hamilton’s ranch and the glistening blue water of manmade Dare Lake.
Dare Mountain wasn’t the biggest of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, but it was peaceful with runoff and erosion from the taller mountains around it smoothing out some of the jagged tops. Both experienced hikers and climbers appreciated the more intricate trails that led to rock ledges and cliffs on the other side of Dare Mountain.
Hiking aside, Jax simply needed to think and make peace with Gemma and Niko. Though they were gone, they would forever remain part of him, he’d come to believe they’d want him to fall in love again.
Alone in the library, Eve was lost in the history of Jaxon Wynter’s paternal family. The book on Nevadan explorers turned out to be a gem. Between that, research and correspondence with an historian she’d met in Carson City, she felt pretty confident that Jaxon was a descendant of Oskar Thorolf.
Oskar Thorolf had settled outside of Carson City, married and had a large family. Two of his six children died very young, causes unknown, though four married and had children of their own. Interestingly, Oskar’s children and their wives had been buried in the same cemetery and were converted members of a Lutheran church.
When they’d visited Jaxon’s mother and stepfather, Gerald Jacobson provided Eve with his stepson’s birth certificate. Although his birth father’s name was unknown, information such as ethnicity, age, description and religious background were there, confirming that his father had been Lutheran.
Tracing the Thorolf name further, Eve came to believe Jaxon’s grandfather, Gunther, was a Lutheran priest who’d married a woman named Elise and had two children, Johannes and Astrid.
Eve then compared Johannes’ age to the date of birth listed on Jaxon’s birth certificate for his father. They’d matched.
While she was confident she’d found Jaxon’s biological father, Eve was saddened when she’d unearthed Johannes’ obituary notice in a Carson City newspaper dating back to when Jaxon was twenty years old. She really wished differently, although she’d managed to trace his family tree all the way to Norwegian Quakers immigrating to North America.
Saving the information she’d input on a computerized genealogical chart, she gave herself a little pat on the back. About to go in search of Remy to see if he wanted lunch, she froze when her cell phone jingled as if it were a landline.
“Hi, Dad,” she greeted, not having to see the caller ID to know it was her father.
“I’m worried about you, Evelyn,” he said. It was the same way they started every conversation they’d had since she left Salem with Remy.
“I’m fine, Dad. Actually, I’m happier than I’ve been in a while.”
“Evelyn, something isn’t adding up with you lately. Each time we talk, you’ve been evasive or in a rush to go somewhere. Why is that? Where are you, really?”
“I’m in Dare, as I’ve told you a couple days ago. Remy’s work is complicated and I’ve been helping Jaxon Wynter trace his family tree. Remember a few weeks back when I said we were going to Carson City? Jaxon introduced me to a historian there and he’s been incredibly forthcoming.”
“Interesting. At one point during your roadtrip you told me you wouldn’t date Matt because of your feelings for Remington. I believed you, but lately you keep bringing up Jaxon Wynter. Who is he to you?”
“Wow, that’s a lot of questions,” she replied, feeling sixteen years old.
“You’re keeping something from me, Evelyn.”
“It’s complicated and I’d rather not talk about Remy or Jaxon until we are face to face. Remy and I are leaving Dare in a week. We’ll talk at length when I get home, promise.”
“We’ll talk now. What did Remington get you into? The truth, Evelyn. What would you tell your mother if she was here?”
“If you really want to know, I’d tell her I’m in love with them,” she blurted out hotly, her temper getting the best of her.
“Both of them?” her father shouted back. “That’s…that’s immoral.”
“My relationship with Remy and Jaxon may be unconventional, but it’s not immoral to us.”
“I’m booking you a flight home. No more ghost hunting. No more gallivanting around Nevada with two men. I’ll not be disgraced by the likes of you!”
“Disgraced?” she asked, deeply hurt.
“That’s right. You’re Bartholomew Stratham’s daughter and I will not allow you to disgrace our good name
or your reputation. Continue with this relationship of yours, I’ll see to it funding for Remington’s reality show is cut off.”
“You go after Remy, I’ll never forgive you,” she declared, her protective instincts kicking in big-time, the pain of her father’s words cutting deep. “I’ll come home when I come home and not a day before.”
Turning off her cell phone, Eve stared at it for a second or two, realizing her vision had blurred. Sad, angry and confused, she dropped the phone to the desk and let herself cry. When no more tears fell, she lifted her head, determined to find Remy. Maybe the two of them could join Jaxon for a picnic and talk.
Outside of the library, she listened for Remy. When she heard nothing, she opted to give him a few more minutes. When he was listening to EVPs or watching video, he preferred everything else around him to be very quiet.
Heading upstairs to the bedroom, she stripped out of her capris and tee shirt in favor of the turquoise dress Jaxon bought her in Carson City. It was pretty, feminine and had a handkerchief hem that made it feel airy and soft.
Dressed and feeling better, she made a quick trip into the bathroom to check her reflection. Her eyes were beet red. The evidence of crying had taken its toll. She knew she needed to call her dad and talk things out, but right now she needed to think so she didn’t overreact or cause another fight.
Taking the time to find a clean washcloth, she soaked it in cool water and pressed it to her eyes. She’d have to fix her makeup afterward, but she’d have to stop crying first. For on a day when she’d found success tracing Jaxon’s family tree, it felt as if her own family ties were unraveling.
Remy worked well into lunchtime, his grumbling stomach breaking his concentration and forcing him to take a break. After jotting down some notes and saving the data on his laptop, he stood up, stretched and headed out of the red room.
In the hallway, he closed the red door and made a beeline for the kitchen. Once there, he scored a big apple. Chomping into it, he was in the middle of chewing when a note on the bar caught his attention.
Jaxon had gone for a walk but he’d sketched a map of where to find him. Hmm, Eve was working on Jax’s genealogical tree. When she was working, she preferred to be left alone. He’d let her do her thing.
Adding his own message to Jax’s note for Eve inviting her to join them if she finished, he placed the wallet on the counter and took off at a steady clip.
With help from Jax’s map, Remy found a hiking path and came to a wide patch of open land fifteen minutes later. The patch was manmade, plush with rich green grasses and field flowers.
At the center of the patch was a hammock, Jax’s figure visible through the hemp rope. His leg was draped over the edge, his foot on the ground helping to rock the hammock back and forth.
“I was hoping you’d come find me, Remington,” Jax said, pushing up some and shifting around to look back at Remy.
“How’d you know it was me?”
“You may be an excellent ghost hunter, but when you’re not on the job you walk heavy. Evelyn’s always very quiet.”
“Sorry, it’s the combat boots.”
“Care to join me?”
“Sure, it’s beautiful up here. Actually, I’ve loved everything about Dare and the mountain. Maybe tomorrow we can head to Dare Lake or Sawyer’s ranch.”
“Sawyer called earlier this morning. He wants to host a barbeque for you and Eve before you two drive home,” Jaxon said.
Walking up to the hammock, Remy sat down next to Jax. Ahead of them, the valley dipped and flowed into crevices, opening up to expansive property lines, houses and fencing. The crystal-blue reflection of the lake gleamed on the horizon.
“Jax, you do know that Eve and I are already making plans to return to Dare as soon as we’re able, right?”
“Yes, but I’ve been thinking. Would you and Evelyn be open to letting me come with you to Massachusetts?”
“Seriously, you’d be able to drive across the country with us?”
“I talked to Gerald last night when I checked in on Mama. He urged me to take a vacation,” Jax answered. “First, I’ve a confession to make before you decide if you want me to join you two on the trip.”
“Okay.” Remy half turned toward Jax, once again taken aback by how much he loved him.
“During my hike up here, I told Gemma and Niko that I’d always love them but that I was ready to let them go. I also said I was sorry.”
“What were you sorry for?” Remy asked, concerned for his lover.
“A lot of things, primarily for letting my pride interfere with my relationship with them. However, would you understand if I table this confession until after I take Evelyn to my dungeon this afternoon? She should hear it too.”
“Of course, Jax, it’s important for us to be open with her at all times.”
“I agree,” Jax replied. “I’m concerned that Evelyn’s feeling left out. Between the ghost hunts, my work at the club, writing and the trip to Carson City, sex has been rushed or not as frequent, for all of us.”
“That’s true, but she hasn’t said anything to me about it,” Remy said. “You were great with her when she rejected the nipple clamps the other night, by the way.”
“Yeah, I thought we both were, but she wrongly thought I was disappointed in her and brought up her concern before I came out for my walk.”
“The two of you talked it out, I’m sure,” Remy said.
“Yes, we did. Listen, I’m going to need your help when we go back to the house.”
“Hmm, sounds interesting. What do you need?”
“I’m taking Evelyn to my dungeon this afternoon.”
Remy felt his brow arch upward. “For training, I presume?”
“Unless you object, it’s time to begin in earnest.”
“I don’t mind as long as you’re gentle with her.”
“Will you prepare her for me?”
“It’ll be an honor. May I choose what she wears?”
“I’d prefer her to be naked when entering my dungeon for the first time.”
“Very well,” Remy said.
“Keep in mind that there’s a cowbell downstairs. When I clink it three times, join us.”
“Should I be naked too, Master?”
“Enter wearing a Dom’s cloak, you’ll find two in your favorite playroom. Remove it as soon as you close and lock the door, assume the position I taught you on your first morning in our bed.”
“You want me to be submissive. I’ll enjoy that,” Remy said. “Does this mean you’ll come with us to Salem?”
“If Evelyn will have me, yes,” Jax answered.
“She’s in love with you, Jax. She will want you to come. How long will you stay?”
“As things stand at my club and the town, two weeks unless something comes up with Mama. I’ll make arrangements with Gabriel for a flight home.”
“I bet flying in a private jet is better than going commercial.”
“It’s great. If all works out between the three of us, I’ve the feeling we’ll all be traveling back and forth from here to New England frequently. Maybe we can work something out with Gabriel in the future.”
“That’ll be nice,” Remy said. “But he’s a busy man with a Vegas show.”
“True, but he’s taking a hiatus to work on some new tricks. We’ll talk to him and see if he’s willing to help us out. Maybe he’ll invite Taylor to be his co-pilot.”
“I like Taylor. She’s really cool.”
“She is, but she’s hiding something from Gabriel. If it’s what I think it is, someone’s got a lot to answer for.”
“You think she was abused by a former boyfriend?”
“Yes, though I’m not sure if it was physical or mental. She’s gun-shy with Gabriel but not panicked around men in general.”
“If you’re right, we’ll help him kick her ex’s ass.”
“You bet we will.”
“Jax, can I kiss you?” Remy asked, needing him something fierce.
“Tell me you love me and you can do anything you want to me.” Jax’s hand came up and combed through Remy’s hair.
Remy caught Jax’s hand, staring into his lover’s eyes as he brought it to his mouth. “I love you, Jaxon Wynter.”
“I love you, Remington Sinclair,” Jax replied.
Lowering their hands to his lap, Remy leaned in, kissing Jax while the hammock swayed.
He never heard the rustle of quiet footsteps behind them or knew they retreated.
In a hurry, Eve followed trail markers back to the mountain house. It wasn’t until she stood in the kitchen with a picnic basket hanging on her arm that she acknowledged what she’d heard in the mountain clearing.
The problem wasn’t the fact that she overheard her men confess their love for each other. The problem was her own doubts about where she stood with them.
Remy loved her, of that she was sure. She wasn’t nearly as confident about how Jaxon felt. He called her love frequently, but that didn’t mean he was in love with her.
Taking a few minutes to unpack the picnic basket and put it away in the pantry, she ran upstairs to the master bedroom, stripped and dashed into the bathroom, locking the door for privacy.
Hastily, she turned on the shower, not caring if it was hot or cold and ducked inside, drenching herself as she cried over her own insecurities regarding where she stood with them. A cool washcloth simply wasn’t going to cut it this time.
Grabbing a bar of soap the men preferred, she lathered up her hands and scrubbed herself vigorously. But as she swiped her hands down her body, her palm encountered the bruise that’d she’d first felt in the midst of PMS and she winced painfully.
Pressing on the bruise with more purpose, she discovered it was no longer the size of a peanut. It was pliable, tender and the size of a grape. Was that possible? Not wanting to freak out, she pressed deeper, inhaling when the soreness became more acute.
Deciding to give her doctor a call as soon as she finished the shower, she’d just finished the self exam when the shower door opened, startling her.
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