by KC Crowne
“Marlon Ford.”
“Mornin’ Mr. Ford. My name’s Crystal Peterson, proprietor of the Rio Rica Bed and Breakfast.”
“OK.” He was curt and clipped, already none-to-pleased about the call.
“I was surprised as all heck to get a hand-delivered letter this mornin’ lettin’ me know that my building was in violation of some code I didn’t know anything about.”
“Well, whether or not you knew about it or not, a code’s a code. And I’m in charge of enforcin’ them.”
“I understand that, and I know you’re just doin’ your job. But my problem is that I don’t have the funds to cover the remodeling, and with me needin’ to shut down on account of the code violation I’m closed off from my only avenue of earnin’ money to pay for the remodeling. It’s what they call one of them Catch-22s, right?”
“Not familiar.”
I held back a sigh. Mr. Ford wasn’t going to make things easy for me. “Anyway, since you’re the man who signed off on the order, I wanted to give you a little ring to see if you’d be amenable to workin’ somethin’ out.”
“Workin’ somethin’ out? What do you mean by that, precisely?” he asked, though he didn’t wait for an answer. “You violated the code, and it’s on you to make the necessary adjustments to the building. If you open, you’re subject to fines. Seems simple to me.”
“But it really ain’t so simple. I can’t pay for the remodeling without my income. And I know most cities don’t come down so hard on small businesses so fast, not givin’ ‘em a chance to make things right before forcin’ ‘em to close.”
“Are you new to Idylwood, Ms. Peterson?”
“In a matter of speakin’. I grew up in Patterson, and I’m back here from New York.”
He scoffed. “New York. Well, I don’t know how they do things in the big fancy city, but here we follow the letter of the law.”
I side-stepped his pointed comment, knowing getting dragged into that sort of mess wouldn’t do me a damn bit of good. Not to mention it wasn’t exactly as if I had a love for the city.
“I got no problem followin’ the letter of the law. If I need to remodel, then I’ll remodel. I just need a couple of months to earn the money to do it.”
“You want an exception, then?” he asked.
“That would be most appreciated, Mr. Ford.”
“Well, you’re not gettin’ one. As I said, my job is to enforce state-wide code. If I went around givin’ exceptions to anyone who asked, it’d be total chaos.”
I was totally deflated. “Please, Mr. Ford. I’ve seen some of the other businesses around town, and I know for a fact they ain’t all followin’ the code perfectly. If—”
“Are you accusing me of not doin’ my job correctly?”
Fuck. It’d taken a wrong turn. “No, it ain’t that. I’m just sayin’ I know you have made exceptions. Why, the fill-up station on Miller Road looks like it’s been in the middle of a warzone. I’m simply askin’—”
“You’ve got a lot of nerve, Ms. Peterson. I give you simple instructions to follow state code, and now you’re suggesting that I’m givin’ special treatment to certain businesses.”
“That’s not what I’m sayin’. I just—”
“You just want me to not do my job, to look the other way while you flaunt the law. Well, I’m not letting that happen. You’re already messin’ with my schedule, and now you’re askin’ me to give you special treatment.”
The need to raise my voice was pushing at the back of my throat, but I maintained calm. “No, I’m askin’ you to be fair.”
“You have the letter, so you know what needs to be done to follow the code. Come up with the money or close – it doesn’t make a damn bit of difference to me.”
A surge of righteous anger ran through me. “Well, maybe I’ll just go over your head! Come down to City Hall and see who I can talk to about this. I bet you’re not the only guy there who can sign a damn piece of paper.” The words weren’t going to do me any favors, but I couldn’t help myself. When I was mad, I was mad.
“You can try. But I’ll save you the trouble and tell you that there isn’t anyone over my head. Even the mayor himself would need my final sign-off on code-related issues. And besides me, you’ve got to get approval from the Fire Marshal. I can tell you right now that he and I are on close terms.”
I let out a frustrated sigh that was awfully close to a groan. “This is insane.”
“It’s the law. And if it’s too much to ask you to follow it, then close up shop, sell your business for what you can get for it, and head to some other town that might be more amenable to skirting the law.”
The line went dead, and I sat in the chair for a long moment trying to figure out what the hell to make of the conversation.
“I’m screwed,” I said to no one in particular.
“Nah, just try again with that same sweet-talkin’ approach. I’m sure it’ll get you somewhere one of these days.”
I nearly jumped out of my boots. Turning, I saw Gerald, proud and confident, his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the door frame, a slight smile on his lips. God, he was a hell of a physical specimen – like one of those statues of Greek gods but dressed in a cowboy shirt, rugged jeans, and worn boots.
“Were you listenin’ in on my conversation?”
“Only caught the tail-end of it. But I can tell it didn’t go well.”
Part of me wanted to scold him for even doing a little eavesdropping. But I was too frustrated for any of that. I sighed. “Tried to call the man who signed off on this horseshit. But he stonewalled me, said he wouldn’t do a damn thing.”
Gerald shook his head and hummed sympathetically. I spotted something tucked under his arm, a manila folder stuffed with papers.
“What you got there?”
He raised his eyebrows. “Just some information I’m gonna look over. Don’t you worry your head about it.”
“Don’t tell me what to worry my head about. I’m not a child,” I snapped. I didn’t like being talked down to, but I didn’t need to be an ass. I sighed, sure my response would have been less snappy, but equally strict, had I not been angry. “Shit. Don’t mean to get you caught up in my pissy mood.”
He chuckled. “Don’t worry about it.” He nodded to the front desk. “I left the cash for the next month on the desk. Should be all paid up.”
I glanced at him, my brows furrowed. “You serious about stayin’ here?”
“Serious as it gets. But I should get up to my room. Got a busy day ahead.”
He turned and headed out, my eyes locking onto his perfect ass again. After angrily folding up the letter and stuffing it into my back pocket, I headed into the front room and spotted an envelope on the counter. It was packed full of crisp hundreds. Gerald might’ve been a bit of a wiseass, but I didn’t need to count it to make sure it was the exact amount.
I dropped into one of the nearby chairs, the silence of the place washing over me. I felt helpless, like there wasn’t a damn thing to do about my shitty situation.
And then there was Gerald. What was in that envelope? I had a good feeling there was something on his mind he wasn’t telling me.
What it was, I could only guess.
Chapter 5
GERALD
I considered telling Crystal about my little meeting with the mayor. But I knew her well enough to understand she likely wouldn’t be too thrilled about me going around her back and seeing what I could find out about her situation. And the threat of danger Josh had hinted at only solidified my decision. Once in my room, I took the folder out from under my arm and tossed it onto the small wooden desk near the window and sat down in front of it.
The first page was a brief email from Josh.
“Hey Gerald. Did a little poking around into the Bed and Breakfast, along with a few other businesses in town. Found some tax records and such. Far as I can tell, they’re all on the level. But the code department keeps their files under lock
and key. Take a look and see if there’s anything worth your time. I’ll see what else I can sniff out. Good luck.”
The email was from an encrypted address, and it wasn’t signed – no connection to the mayor’s office. That meant he didn’t want people finding out what he was doing or that he was in contact with me.
It was all strange as hell. Why would the mayor be worried about lower-level departments knowing what he was up to? It certainly gave a lot more credence to the idea of corruption somewhere in the city ranks.
Cup of coffee in hand, I pored over the documents. Like Josh had said, they were mostly tax records, along with some forms from the B&B and other businesses in town, the kind of stuff you’d need to fill out for opening a business. But the information was far out of my realm of expertise. There were lots of numbers, and a hell of a lot of legalese. I’d need someone to interpret the shit for me, someone who had experience with these sorts of matters.
I’d need someone like Crystal.
However, telling her I needed her help would mean bringing her in on the loop with everything else I’d done. I could only imagine her reaction if I told her I was possibly on the verge of investigating serious corruption in the city, corruption that involved her business.
She’d react the same as me, most likely, get all headstrong and stubborn and not listen to anyone telling her to be careful. But the difference was I had training in these sorts of matters. Investigation was my forte.
I reasoned she’d have to know at some point.
I finished going through the files, polishing off the coffee as I did. While I wasn’t able to make heads or tails of the information itself, I did come away with a nice list of other businesses in town that had opened over the last year or so. My plan was to drop in on a few of them, ask some questions, and see if there was anything to find out.
First, I needed a shower. The humidity had picked up over the course of the morning, and I was all kinds of sticky and sweaty. I rose and stretched my body before shucking my shirt and stepping out of my boots. After that, I slipped out of my jeans and grey boxer-briefs. Being naked brought the memory of Crystal barging into my room earlier back. And a glance down revealed that I was half-hard, just like I’d been that morning.
I was distracted. Seeing Crystal, even for a short time like I had downstairs, was enough to put all kinds of thoughts in my head, thoughts about what I wanted to do to her, what I wanted her to do to me.
With a snort and a shake of my head, I realized I’d need to clear my mind before doing anything else that day. Once I was naked, my cock hanging long and low between my thighs, I stepped into the bathroom and turned on the shower, sticking my hand under the hard stream of water until the temperature was just right. Then I stepped in, and without thinking my hand grasped my cock.
I closed my eyes, bringing back the scene earlier in the day. Just like before, I was standing in front of Crystal, the towel pooled around my feet, her eyes wide as she stared disbelieving at my cock. But in my fantasy, the events played out a little differently.
The expression of surprise would be on her face, but it would soon flicker to one a little…hungrier.
“Gerald, grab that towel this instant and put it back on. Come on now.” But her eyes wouldn’t leave my shaft.
“Tell me, gorgeous – is that what you really want?”
She’d be confused, not sure of herself. She’d huff and say, “I don’t know. I mean, yes! Gerald, you’re buck-ass naked right in front of me! You think this is appropriate?”
Back in the real world, I began slowly stroking myself, my thick cock hardening in my hand until it was spear-straight and pointed directly in front of me. Waves of pleasure moved through my body, causing my breath to quicken and my heart to beat harder.
“We’re not talkin’ about what’s appropriate – we’re talkin’ about what you want, what I want.”
Her gorgeous eyes widened. “Well, what do you want, exactly?”
“I think you know what I want. She’s standin’ right in front of me.”
Before she could react, I stepped forward, wrapping my arm around her curvy waist and pressing my body, stiff cock and all, against her middle. Crystal gasped, as if disbelieving what I’d done. But she didn’t move, didn’t try to back away.
“Tell me you haven’t been thinkin’ the same thing since I checked into this place.”
“That doesn’t matter,” she mumbled, staring at me with wide eyes.
“Wrong. I think it’s the only thing that matters.”
Finally, a grin formed on her gorgeous face. “So damn bossy. You ever think I might not want to be told what to do?”
That was another impression I got from Crystal – she didn’t take kindly to anyone giving her orders. But I wasn’t afraid of that. If anything, I was more attracted to her because of it. I loved her spirit, her backbone, the way she didn’t take any shit. Nothing like a woman who isn’t afraid to speak her mind.
“Maybe, maybe not,” I said, shrugging. “But somethin’ tells me the bedroom is a different matter.”
The grin stayed on her face. “You think I want you to take control?”
“I know it.”
She chuckled. Her hand moved up, settling on the long length of my cock. Crystal began to stroke me slowly, her fingertips dancing over my head. “Maybe I want to do a little control-takin’ of my own first, cowboy.”
“Then why don’t you show me what you’ve got in mind?”
Her eyes narrowed into sensual slits as she backed away just a bit. Then she dropped to her knees, still moving her hand up and down my cock. “I’ve got a few tricks. Let me show you…”
She placed her lips on my thigh, flicking her tongue along the underside of my cock, all the way to the base and back up. When she got to the head, she lavished it with the flat of her tongue and nearly made me blow right there.
After a little teasing, she opened her mouth and took my head into it, forming her lips into a tight seal. She went down, sucking hard when she reached the top. Crystal repeated this, taking more and more of me into her mouth each time.
Her eyes remained locked onto mine, the sight of her with a mouthful of my dick more arousing than anything I’d ever imagined. Finally, she let my cock pop out of her mouth, wiping her lips with the back of one hand and continuing to stroke me with the other.
“And how’s that, cowboy?”
“Perfect. But as much as I’d love to watch you make me come with your mouth and see you drink every last drop, you know I want more.”
“More?” she questioned flirtatiously. “Damn, someone’s greedy.”
“How do you think I can’t be greedy with a woman like you? I want every bit of you, gorgeous. And I want to make you mine, all mine.”
“Other men have tried,” she warned. “And failed.”
“None of those men have been me.”
Without waiting for her response, I reached down and clasped her arm, gently but forcefully bringing her to her feet. She appeared surprised by the move, like she wasn’t expecting me to take control like that.
“Undress,” I said, my voice stern and commanding.
“You think that’s all it takes?”
I let out a snort of a laugh. “You’re right. Might take a little more.”
I wrapped my long arm around her waist again, bringing her close. Then I placed my free hand between her thighs, rubbing her pussy through her skin-tight jeans, feeling the heat growing there. She closed her eyes and moaned as I teased her through the denim.
“See?” I asked. “I know what you want.”
“Then…then give it to me, dammit.”
Just what I was wanting to hear.
My pace in the shower quickened, an orgasm closing in. Just the thought of Crystal was enough to make me want to come hard, to say nothing of imagining her going down on me. But the fantasy wasn’t over.
I placed my fingers on the front of her jeans, undoing the button and zipper and yanking her p
ants down. What kind of panties would a woman like Crystal wear? I pictured her in something lacy, maybe a powder blue thong, one that showed off her sexy as fuck curves.
Once her jeans were off, her shirt was next. The bra matched the panties, her round, ripe tits on the verge of bursting out of the lacy cups. I reached around and got that bra off so quickly it wasn’t even funny. Once she was completely nude, I put my hands on those ripe, luscious hips and turned her around, getting that plump ass stuck up in the air. She grabbed the wooden bed frame, glancing back with eager eyes as I put my hands on her ass, the flesh warm and soft.
“You want this cock?” I asked, my voice coming out in a low growl.
“So…so fucking badly.” She was breathless with need.
Exactly what I wanted to hear. I grasped my shaft, dragging it along the pink, wet line of her pussy. Then I placed my head at her opening and pushed in slowly, entering her inch by inch. She let out a surprised shriek, as if she hadn’t quite been ready for all of me to be inside her. I buried myself to the root, giving her body one last push as I did.
“God,” she moaned. “I need it. Please give it to me.”
The idea of a strong-willed woman like her craving my cock was enough to put me on the brink instantly. Then again, it was just my fantasy. Maybe in real life she’d be just as hardheaded in the bedroom.
My hands clamped down on her ass, and I pulled back and pumped into her hard. She moaned, bucking against me as I drove into her again, then again. The sight of my cock vanishing into her was a beautiful one, her ass shaking with each crash of my body into hers.
She moaned, shrieked, screamed with delight. If it’d been the real world, everyone in the B&B would’ve heard us – hell, probably everyone in Idylwood.
It didn’t take much imagining before I was on the brink of letting lose. I kept my eyes closed in the shower, imagining her pussy gripping me hard as she came, and me along with her. I couldn’t hold back anymore. I erupted inside her, my cock pumping as I drained my seed deep.
Back in the shower I finished, shooting pearly ropes onto the white porcelain of the shower. I grunted hard as I came, the water washing it away as quickly as it sprayed.