by BJ Wane
Bryan lit up as soon as he reached the hospital parking lot. He should quit, if for no other reason than to make his brother happy. Brad had been harping on him to get help to kick his chain-smoking habit since the day he started medical school. The truth was, Bryan not only craved the addictive nicotine rush, but he liked smoking. It gave him something to do with his hands and calmed him as he dealt with the stress of his job. Working Vice put him in contact with a lot of scum and as far as negative ways to cope, walking around with a lit cigarette in his hand so he could relish the burn of pungent smoke filling his lungs whenever he wanted wasn’t near as bad as the lines his cop friends crossed. At least he hadn’t sunk so low as to accept a bribe or line his pockets from a bust before turning in evidence.
As Bryan drove away from the hospital and his suffering brother, he realized what he was planning would cross over those lines he’d been so proud of avoiding since making detective ten years ago. Tracking down Lillian’s whereabouts by tracing her finances would be on the up and up using resources at the precinct, but he didn’t doubt ridding her of those pictures would require breaking a few laws. As he recalled Brad’s slurred speech, loss of physical coordination and almost daily nausea that had laid him low since she’d attacked him, he didn’t feel in the least guilty for what he planned to do.
Getting retribution for the pain and suffering she’d caused his little brother was all that concerned Bryan right now, that and Brad gaining full recovery of his life and health.
Chapter 7
Lillian kept the 9:00 a.m. appointment at the clinic Monday morning, swearing that wasn’t disappointment tugging at her when another doctor called her in to tell her the x-rays a tech had taken were clear. After checking her for lingering tenderness and giving her instructions not to overdo for another week, she walked out of the clinic promising herself not to give Mitchell another thought. The man was good at giving her orgasms and irritating her, and that was it.
Unlike most years in Utah, March was not rolling in like a lion here in Montana. This week’s temperatures were expected to reach the lower fifties, prompting Lillian to zip up her coat and walk the one block over to the town square as she left the clinic. It was still cold enough her breath blew out in white puffs, but the bright mid-morning sun was already warm enough to make the air tolerable.
The walk helped calm her irrational disgruntlement over not getting Mitchell’s personal attention at the clinic. He never said the appointment would be with him, she admitted, and since he annoyed her when he wasn’t touching her naked body, she couldn’t understand why her mood had taken a nose-dive after he’d pawned her off on his colleague.
Coming around the corner into the square, Lillian stopped in her tracks upon seeing a large moose with broad antlers meandering across the cobblestone courtyard as if he didn’t have a care in the world. Even several feet away, the animal’s size was intimidating. As she stood there pondering the safety of going around the buck, Gertie stepped out of the diner and moved in front of her.
“Just stand still, girl. They’re harmless, for the most part, but if startled, they can move fast and attack. Big son-of-a-bitch, isn’t he?”
“Yes, and he doesn’t look to be in a hurry to leave here. The one that ran out in front of me a few weeks ago was smaller and didn’t have those antlers, yet still managed to scare the crap out of me.”
Gertie snorted. “City girl. That would have been a female. This guy might linger for a while. May as well come in for a cup of coffee and piece of pie. All I have is chocolate cream.”
She opened the door and went back inside the diner, expecting, Lillian was sure, for her to follow. Who needed Mitchell’s friendship when people like Gertie were so nice to her? A giggle worked its way up her throat as she entered the restaurant imagining the gruff woman’s reaction if someone called her nice. She stayed for an hour, eating pie and talking to friendly patrons who took the time to chat for a few minutes, before strolling down to the library after the moose finally lumbered off. Willa greeted her with a wave and held up a book as Lillian approached the counter.
“I saved this back for you, figuring you would be in soon. It’s a new release I think you’ll like if you don’t already have it.”
“Oh, no, I don’t and I saw this advertised. Thank you so much.” She pulled the book she finished from her bag and traded it for the new thriller, the librarian’s consideration warming her as much as Gertie’s brusque invitation for coffee and pie.
Leaving the library, Lillian veered toward Nan’s teashop and ran right into Grayson Monroe as he exited the city building. “Oops, sorry, Sheriff,” she apologized, stepping back. She only got a glimpse of his eyes from under his lowered Stetson, but it was enough to see the same probing intensity Mitchell would look at her with that always put her on guard. Or maybe it was the size of the men in Montana that caused her to take notice with more interest than she’d ever bestowed toward anyone back home.
“Lillian. You look better than the last time I saw you.”
“I feel much better,” she returned, relaxing. “I’ve met Avery. Your first?”
He nudged his hat back and smiled around the toothpick. “Yes, a girl.” He looked around at the parked cars. “Where are you parked?”
“I walked over from the clinic. I’m headed to the teashop now, so I won’t keep you.” She made to go around him but he reached out and touched her arm, a hard glint entering his eyes.
“If you give me his name, I can contact the authorities in Salt Lake City, make sure he won’t come after you.”
Lillian thought of Bryan, Brad’s cop brother, and how he’d covered for Brad’s bad behavior, doubting anyone Grayson talked to would take him seriously. As long as she kept hold of those pictures, she didn’t worry about Brad trying to track her down. “Thank you but that’s not necessary. He’s not a problem anymore. Have a good day, Sheriff.”
“You too.”
Awareness of his eyes following her all the way to the teashop rippled down her spine, but instead of getting under her skin, the same pleasant rush she’d experienced with Gertie and Willa’s thoughtfulness washed through her. An older man she didn’t recognize waved to her from across the courtyard as she reached Nan’s teashop. She returned the friendly gesture thinking Liana would have liked this small town. Her sister had been more of a homebody than Lillian, preferring takeout and movie rentals to dining in public or going to a theater. But she could see her enjoying the laid-back atmosphere and people at Dale’s Diner and spending an evening at the small cinema housed in what appeared to be the original, decades old theater. With a tight clutch around her heart, she remembered how Liana would compromise whenever Lillian insisted they try a new place to eat or view a certain film on the big screen. Their mother always said Liana was much better at give and take than Lillian.
God, I miss you, sis. Sucking in a deep breath to ward off the encroaching melancholy, she stuck her head inside the teashop, spotting Nan wiping down the table closest to the door.
“Hi there. I just wanted to accept that offer of a ride out to the barbeque, if you’re sure they want me.”
Nan nodded without hesitation as she lifted the small tray holding empty cups and plates. “I’m sure. Sydney called first thing this morning double checking the head count and is looking forward to meeting you. Do you have time to come in?”
“No, sorry. I’ve been out all morning and want to paint while the sun is still coming through the window at the apartment.”
“Catch you later then.”
Much to Lillian’s annoyance, Mitchell’s bothersome step back from doctoring her himself wasn’t enough to deter her from continuing to watch for him first thing in the mornings over the next few days. As much as she wanted to, she couldn’t stop thinking about the ‘lesson’ he’d heaped upon her butt or prevent the memory of her response to those slaps from becoming fantasies flitting through her mind as her traitorous body heated eyeing his tall, loose-limbed stride out to his
vehicle. By Friday, she was forced to admit she lusted after the damn man despite his dominant nature going against everything she’d ever thought she wanted, or didn’t want, in a man.
Maybe it’s time to move on, she considered as she saw an SUV pull into the drive and disappointment gripped her throat when she realized it wasn’t Mitchell but Nan’s husband arriving to pick Lillian up. She wondered if Mitchell would be at the Dunbar’s tonight, was working late or had gone to his club without coming home first, and then wanted to kick herself for thinking about him. Gratitude for being there for me that night at his cabin, that’s all this obsession is. That’s what she’d been telling herself lately, disregarding the thirty minutes he had tormented her over his lap a week ago and she’d exploded from the pain-driven pleasure.
Snatching her coat, she skipped down the stairs, looking forward to the evening.
Twenty minutes later, Dan parked behind a row of several other vehicles in the circular drive in front of a sprawling ranch home and Lillian got her first look at a working ranch. A herd of black cattle foraged for dried grass in the pasture behind the barns and beyond them, the Dunbar land stretched as far as the eye could see. Snow still blanketed over half of the prairie and the artist in her craved to see the landscape strewn with spring foliage.
The ride down the long narrow road leading up to the house and other structures was a lot bumpier than the snow-cleared highway they’d taken when leaving Willow Springs. Lillian slid out of the back seat with the urge to rub her butt, but considering what she’d heard about the men she was about to meet, not to mention Nan’s husband, she didn’t think that was a good idea.
“You look nervous,” Nan pointed out as the three of them reached the front door.
Lillian flicked a glance up at Dan before saying, “I’m hoping I don’t stick out like a sore thumb tonight since I’ll be the only one who isn’t a member of that club.”
“You won’t,” Dan assured her, placing a hand on her back as he opened the door.
She wanted to argue how he could be so sure and then let it go as she remembered the futility of questioning Mitchell after he would utter such an assertive comment. Entering the warm house, a pair of collies bounded up to her, tails wagging in greeting, followed by a smiling, pregnant red head with bright green eyes.
“You’re Lillian. Thanks so much for coming. I’m Sydney and this is Spike and Sadie.” Sydney reached down to stroke Spike’s black head.
Lillian returned her smile as she scratched Sadie behind the ears. “Nice to meet you, and these two.”
“Dan, the guys are in the den.” Sydney beckoned Nan and Lillian to follow her. “Avery and Tamara are in the kitchen with me.”
Following her host and the tantalizing aroma, Lillian caught a glimpse of several men gathered around a corner bar in a massive great room and recognized the back of Mitchell’s salt and pepper head. She shouldn’t feel so relieved at seeing he was here and not at his club, especially after the way he’d pawned her off on another doctor. Squaring her shoulders, she looked away and hardened her resolve to stay immune to his presence.
“You have a beautiful home,” she told Sydney as they entered a kitchen with every modern convenience, her mouth watering at the pan of homemade biscuits another heavily pregnant woman was sliding out of the oven.
“Thank you. Tamara, this is Doc’s Lillian.” Sydney flicked her a teasing grin as Lillian shook her head.
“No, I’m not. There’s nothing between us. Nice to meet you, Tamara.”
Tamara laughed and took the bottle of wine Lillian handed her. “You sound just like Connor a year ago. I swear, if that man had denied what was obvious to everyone else one more time, I would have washed my hands of him. Thanks for this.” She grabbed an opener off the counter. “I’ll pour for you and Nan.”
Avery smirked at Tamara as she handed her a glass of juice. “No, you wouldn’t have, and you know it. You might have smacked some sense into him, but you would have hung in there. Besides, once he caved to the inevitable, he’s hardly let you out of his sight for long.”
Tamara’s gray eyes shone with pleasure as she released an exaggerated dreamy sigh. “Yeah, I know.”
Sydney moved to the stove to stir the big pot of bubbling chili that was responsible for the aroma tickling Lillian’s senses as soon as she’d entered the house. Turning her head, she said, “Just you and Master Mitchell, alone for almost three days and then he invites you to stay in his spare room and there’s nothing between you? Are you sure you’re female?”
The others giggled and Lillian had to smile and admit Sydney had her there. Despite the doctor’s dominant personality waving red flags of undesirability, she’d failed to stay indifferent to him. Unlike at the cabin, there were no excuses for caving to his high-handedness in the apartment, or a reason for her uncharacteristic response other than she was female and he was so freaking male.
Because they had been so welcoming and friendly toward her, she felt she owed them the truth, or a small part of it. “Okay, but it’s not what you think. Nan mentioned he’s a member of your club, and I respect that’s a big part of your relationships, but those proclivities have never held an interest for me. Mitchell was nice at the cabin. I was in the first days of grieving for my sister and he helped me through a bad night. It didn’t mean anything beyond that, and neither did his offer to stay in the room above his garage while I’m here, since I’m just passing through.”
“One thing about dominant men, they tend to jump into protective mode and are damn good at helping when we’re going through a rough time. I’m glad Mitchell was there for you. Dealing with your sister’s death and your ex’s abuse must still haunt you, so I hope you won’t get in a hurry to leave,” Nan said, pouring herself a refill and leaning against the counter.
Tamara nodded. “What Nan said. We’re just teasing you, and we’ve all been in denial over the perks from the lifestyle when we first explored it, so don’t dismiss it out of hand just yet.”
Lillian wasn’t sure how to reply to either of them. She appreciated the request for her to stick around, but the suggestion she might reserve judgment on whether she was interested in exploring their sexual preferences had never entered her mind. “I don’t go for the bossy type,” she stated, opting for blunt honesty.
“I didn’t think I did either, until Master Grayson helped me one night, his voice and commands alone sucking me in enough I tracked him down here to enlist his help and see if my response that one time was due to stress, a fluke or the real thing.” Avery rested a hand on her rounded stomach. “And I’ve never regretted taking that chance.”
A tightness spread around Lillian’s chest and coiled in her abdomen as she eyed the contented faces of these women. There was no denying they were happy with their spouses, and that included the alternative sex they indulged in, yet each one appeared to maintain their independence, working in their chosen careers and running their homes without dictation from their ‘Dom’ spouses. Surely it was envy of that special connection with someone that she once cherished with Liana she was experiencing, and not a yearning for a relationship such as theirs.
Before she could come up with anything to say, a deep voice drew the dogs’ attention toward the door.
“Spike, Sadie, go lie down.”
Lillian looked up at the man entering the kitchen, his enigmatic blue eyes zeroing in on Sydney with a possessive glint. Wow, was all she could think as he turned toward her and held out a large, calloused hand in greeting.
“You must be Lillian. I’m Caden. Welcome to our home.”
“Thank you.” His hand engulfed hers in a gentle grip but it was the man leading the others toward the kitchen who snagged her attention.
With the strong pull of a magnet, her gaze was drawn behind her host, toward Mitchell, who regarded her with a bland expression. He appeared relaxed holding a drink, those broad shoulders stretching his casual knit pullover.
Despite his neutral look, her pulse jumpe
d, like always. With several eyes focused on them, she managed to throttle down the now familiar response, refusing to cave to this weird attraction again, especially after he’d dropped her as his patient.
“I’m glad Mitchell was around to help you out when that snowstorm struck. That one even caught us unaware,” Caden said as the men filed into the kitchen.
Shifting out of their way, Lillian sighed with a rueful grin, flicking Mitchell a questioning glance as she wondered how much he had told his friends. “I missed the turnoff for Billings, which is where I’d planned to stop for the night, and am grateful for the doctor’s hospitality.”
“It was no problem,” Mitchell interjected smoothly before turning toward Sydney. “Sydney, are you going to make us smell that much longer without feeding us?”
“Nope. It’s ready. Buffet style, so get in line and load up.”
To Lillian’s surprise, Mitchell moved to stand to the side with her as everyone filed in. “I didn’t know you were coming tonight or I would have offered you a ride.”
She brought her glass of wine to her mouth and sipped as she flicked her eyes up at him. Forcing a cool tone, she let her disgruntlement with him win out over self-preservation to keep her feelings to herself. “I find that hard to believe since you couldn’t bother telling me yourself about the x-rays you insisted I have taken.”
Before he could answer, a tall man sporting a sexy, bristled jaw and eyes as blue as Caden’s stopped in front of them. “Nice to meet you, Lillian. I’m Connor, Caden’s brother and this one’s lord and master.” He yanked Tamara against his side with a teasing grin.
“Ha, you like to think so, don’t you? Don’t listen to a word he says, Lillian.”
Grinning, she shook Connor’s hand, not surprised Tamara had refused to give up on this man. What would it be like to spend years of your childhood with such a protective, close friend looking out for you and then reap the rewards of that special relationship growing into such a deep caring commitment? Sadness tugged at Lillian as she thought of the bond she and Liana had shared since birth, and the void her passing left that would always be with her.
