The Monkey Jungle (The Bennt, Montana Series)

by Taylor Ryan

  “Hello?”

  “Henry is snoring,” Garth was whispering. “Get dressed and sneak downstairs. Meet me in the boot room! We’ll go out the backdoor.” Garth’s whisper was quick and urgent, low and husky. “Sneak, sweetheart!” The deep timbre of his voice sent a delicious shiver of excitement racing through her as he rang off.

  Excited, she shoved herself off her bed and dashed around the room, her heartbeat quickening, her blood racing.

  * * * * *

  Garth backed her all the way to his car with his mouth on hers, finally picking her up as she wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him back ravenously. The motion detector light flicked on. They both froze with guilty pleasure. Garth groaned and set her on her feet, urging her toward his rental as if he thought Henry or Alison would appear out of thin air. “Get in,” he whispered urgently, opening the car door. “We can do this—there must be somewhere we can go!” he was talking to himself and she didn’t pretend not to know.

  “If you had enough money to do anything you wanted in the world, what would it be?” Her question surprised Garth as he backed the Lexus out of the driveway.

  “Buy a motel,” he laughed ruefully, then said, “Beside a motel, I don’t know.” He turned on the headlights when the car pointed toward the street. “I’ve enough money now, I guess. I pretty much do what I want already. I’d say twenty years ago that my answer would have been entirely different.” He glanced at her in the dark interior. “Why?”

  “Where would you live, if you could chose?” Mary Kathryn asked as he took her hand in his.

  “I don’t know—like I said, I think I’m a pretty simple guy.” He gently bit the tips of her fingers as he drove. “I’ve been looking around for a job I’d like to do, not one I’m qualified to do, or a hobby. Frankly, I’ve been bored since retiring—but I was restless before I retired. Retiring, finding something different wasn’t an option, four more years to get my thirty seemed like torture.”

  “I think I would like to have another house, somewhere warm,” she said after a moment. “Florida. Maybe the Hawaiian Islands. You’ve been all over the world, more or less. If you could a house or property to build on, or buy, where would you go?”

  “Northern California,” he said instantly, adding wryly. “As you know, the climate is mild. But,” he cast her an assessing glance. “I like it here too. In many ways, I like it more.”

  She didn’t respond other than her fingers tightening around his. Garth felt her pulse jump and knew he’d be staying.

  “Let’s hop on a plane and fly to Louisiana to try some deep fried alligator. We’ll get a room for the night, maybe two nights, then fly back.”

  “Right now?” Garth absorbed the idea, unsure if she were serious.

  “Why not,” she shrugged. “I’m about as sexually frustrated as I’ll ever get. A plane ride isn’t going to make any difference. We aren’t getting any privacy in my house. Nor are we getting any younger. I’ve never had alligator—it seems important right now that I do— What are you doing?”

  He had turned the car off the street began driving into a park-like area with bathroom and a lookout. He steered the car toward the parking spot farthest from the solar streetlight, drove into it and turned off the ignition. She watched as he unbuckled his seat belt.

  “Garth?” she said as he reached for her.

  “I can’t wait that long.”

  “Oh thank God!” Mary Kathryn fumbled with her own seat belt, dragging the strap over her head. She was against him in a flash, tearing at his shirt, causing buttons to fly as he yanked her own shirt from her waistband and pulled it up. Her breath jumped and skittered with excitement as his hands slid under her blouse to find bare skin. “Please, Garth, hurry,” she begged as his fingers caressed her bare breasts. “I just know something will happen—we’ll get to second base and Henry will pop up outside the window and make another interception!”

  “Interception?” He was with her all the way, trying to turn sideways, chuckling, but even with the steering wheel tilted he was to big. He tugged her hand as he opened his door. “The back seat!”

  “It will take too long!” she pressed frantic kisses against his neck, her hands devouring his bare skin under his shirt. Pulling back without hurting her took some effort, but he managed, then used the automatic lever and slid the drivers seat forward, thinking ahead, knowing they would end up in the back of the car. Garth dragged her, laughing with him, and as urgent as he, from the car. He caught her as she tumbled out the door, using his shoe to shove it closed. He clamped his hands on her waist and tossed her bottom onto the warm hood. They were frenzied, jerking at each others clothes.

  Mary Kathryn moaned and ground her jeans against his erection, wrapping her legs tight around his waist, greedy and eager, trying to get rid of his shirt, using the slick surface of the metal to aid her as she rubbed against him.

  “Why aren’t you wearing a skirt—” Garth’s complaint was rough, impatient. He worked the button, then the zipper on her jeans as she greedily shoved his shirt open to expose his chest.

  Nothing soft or slow was happening. They were needy, hungry. The waiting was over. Their mouths never broke contact as he plucked at the button on her jeans. Their shirts were wide open. She had managed to get his slacks undone and was unsuccessful trying to drag them down his hips.

  “Not here! Not like this,” he rasped, lifting her up to carry her with her legs wrapped around his waist to the back door of the car. Her arms loped around his neck, teasing the heated bare skin of his chest by sliding against it with her pebble hard nipples.

  He set her down to open the door. Mary Kathryn grasped the waist of his button fly jeans, her hand sliding down the front of them to explore, to examine the bulge. Her eyes grew slumberous, sensual pleasure crossed her face, intrigue and longing. The sight made him tremble. He half carried, half dragged her, kissing her as he opened the door, his hand on the back of her head as they fell, slid and scooted into the backseat, her slip-on flats flying as she kicked them off.

  “Close the door!” Mary Kathryn barely gave him the opportunity, panting and breathless; greedy, wanting him now, as he wanted her. He managed to get her pants completely off one leg as she tugged his jeans down in the cramped space. Her hand slid down. He froze at the first touch of her fingers on his bare sensitive skin. Her fingers slowed, gripped then slid down the length of him. Her mouth opened slightly and he claimed it, kissing her hungrily.

  Their intent changed, they grew serious, moved slower. He scooted her up until her head was against the other door, bending her knees, balancing one foot on floor as he lifted, his hands trembling with anticipation.

  “Beautiful.” Her breasts in the pale light from the distant solar street lamp glowed, ghostly. He took her nipple into his mouth, teasing and breathing warm breath onto it into she pressed upward, demanding more, rearranging her knees, one leg simply falling sideways. She moaned deep in her throat, tilting her hips, inviting him to join with her, needing to ease the deep empty ache tormenting her. She reached between them, finding him and guiding him into her.

  Garth sank into heaven, watching her in the dim light. Her eyes were open, meeting his, exquisite pleasure crossed her face. She moaned, but never closed her eyes as he filled her, heavy and heady.

  She was as tight as a virgin, hot and so wet—he groaned, his jaw clenching. It was more than he’d expected—had even thought of—this heat, her clenching him, her lush against him, their clothes abrasive, and the excitement of the stolen moment. He began move, slowly at first, then catching a rhythm. This, their first time together. Her breasts smashed against his chest, her hands everywhere, urging him on. She tilted her hips, gasping as she writhed under him, trying to get closer.

  Then she bit him, her mouth clung to his shoulder as her teeth sank gently into his flesh, aching pain, teasing but not hurting him—his attention fractured—it had been so long... he caught her mouth and began to love her in earnest, moaning deeply
as he kissed her.

  “It’s too much—” he gasped against her mouth a few moments later. “You’re too much—I knew it would be this way with you—for us, amazing—” he was hoarse, talking against her ear, flexing his back as he shifted and sank into her again and again, driving harder, faster. She keened, the sound so erotic he forced her face up to his and ravenously took her mouth again. Tongues tangled, joined—rapture rising—fully engaged—when a bright light, then a sharp rapping on the car window caused them to freeze.

  The rapping sounded on the roof of the car. And then light illuminated the interior...

  Mary Kathryn was trembling violently from pure bliss. And shock.

  Garth’s eyes flew wide. He emitted an agonized groan, long and frustrated; so loud Mary Kathryn knew whoever was interrupting them outside the car heard it. They stared at each other, nose to nose in equal disbelief, then consternation as that beam of light began to travel...

  “Ma’am, are you a willing participant?”

  “Oh my God!” Mary Kathryn’s mortified whisper was one of sheer unadulterated horror. “Oh god. Oh god! No no no—oh my God! Garth, this can’t be happening—” she whispered with stark terror. “Garth—” she wheezed in his ear, “it’s—that’s Wilson! Which means—”

  “Ma’am,” another voice, familiar—feminine, at the window directly above their heads was louder—a bright flashlight shining through the glass. Tap tap tap went the flashlight against the window. “Sheriff’s department! Please respond, Ma’am! Are you a willing participant?”

  “Beth—!” Horrified, the squeaky whisper was uttered in a swallowed shriek against Garth’s throat. Mary Kathryn made a ridiculous and feeble attempt to hide under him. Squirming, she tried to use him to cover her entire body. Which was bad—because she stimulated him.

  Garth’s harsh growl was desperate against her ear, “Quit moving or I’m going to come!”

  Mary Kathryn slumped in defeat, hiding her face in the crook of his shoulder from that powerful beam of light traveling over them. “Oh god oh god oh god—this isn’t happening!” she cried low and horrified, trembling underneath him. Garth inhaled sharply when her fingernails dug into his back.

  “What are we going to do?” her frantic words were more of a plea for a miracle than for him to solve the situation.

  That same damned voice Beth had used on Mary Kathryn at margarita bingo was impatient above their head. “Answer the question! Mister, don’t try any coercion, I’m watching you. Ma’am are you a willing participant?”

  They froze—stock still.

  “Answer the question Ma’am,” it came again from the window at their feet, “or step out of the car.”

  “Oh god oh god oh god help me—wake me up from this nightmare!” Mary Kathryn was panicked, ill, stupefied and pleading for divine intervention. She was so embarrassed she wanted to die. Her legs were wrapped around Garth’s naked derriere, his pants were around his ankles, they were still fully—operational—

  “I want to die!” she sobbed.

  “Answer Deputy Yahoo, Mary Kathryn,” Beth was insistent, authoritative. “Are you a willing partici—Mary Kathryn—?!” Beth screeched as if just realizing what she’d said. “Holy Molies!” The light was searching now, the voice at the top of the window closer— “Mary Kathryn, is that really you? Well—jeeezz...” Beth drawled. “Hey, Wilson—” Beth voice was louder than necessary as she called over the roof of the car. “Check this out. It’s your sister-in-law.”

  “Our Mary Kathryn?!” The bellow from outside the window at their feet on the other side of the car was outraged, shocked. “Mister, step out of that car! And keep your hands where we can see them!”

  “Oh god—oh god—oh my god! What have we done to deserve this?” Mary Kathryn clutched at Garth when he moved slightly, keeping him above her to conceal her. “Don’t do it. No no no no...Please, Garth,” she burst into tears, “don’t move. Your pants will be down.”

  “Sir!” the authoritative masculine voice coming from outside the car at their feet boded ill for Garth. “Step out of the car with your hands up!”

  Garth knew he was going to get shot for certain this time. A short burst of unwelcome harsh humor escaped against Mary Kathryn’s hair. His survival training kicked in. Scenarios for escape ran through his head. The irreverent thought that he was safer right where he was flitted across his mind; then irony; self-disgust, embarrassment—sort of. Strangely, he felt more fatalistic about the situation then he would have thought—awkward didn’t begin to cover it; probably the shock, he concluded numbly, buried to hilt in his future wife—

  “Please don’t move, Garth!” Mary Kathryn begged, her fingers digging deep into his flesh. “Please don’t move—don’t leave me—I want to die! Please don’t leave me for them to see like this!”

  “My pants are down,” he whispered, not knowing what he was saying. Fate! He’d mooned one to many ceilings. Some angel was tired of looking at his bare ass. It was bound to catch up with him sooner or later. It seemed Sooner was now. He groaned against Mary Kathryn’s ear, then whispered, “Sweetheart—this is a sign, for sure. Twice in one night—we’re doomed. I know this is bad—really bad, but if I don’t get out of the car I’m probably going to get tased, which means...you’re going to get tased—”

  Mary Kathryn’s noisy sobs became louder. Garth was immediately contrite.

  “It’s—it’s—this—” she was sobbing as she was whispering, “You’re—we’re still—Oh, God! I’m so humiliated I want to die.” She began crying in earnest, so loud he knew the gun toters outside could hear. “Shopping wasn’t doing it anymore,” she sobbed harder, her tears soaked his neck where her face was buried. “All I wanted was a quickie.” She forgot to whisper. “That’s all I needed—all we needed. Just a little quickie! A little pick us up! That’s not too much to ask—but nobody will leave us alone long enough...”

  “Me too, a little pick me up...ahh, sweetie, please don’t cry, you’re killing me here,” Garth was doing his best to comfort her, knowing there were two people listening with extremely bright flashlights shining on them—mostly him. He tenderly brushed her hair from her face. “Please don’t cry, Mary Kathryn—shhh—we’ll figure it out...I won’t move—they’ll have to shoot me, I’ve accepted it.”

  That only made her cry harder.

  She gripped his shoulders, turning her damp face from the bright beams shining on them. “Nobody cares, Garth,” she sobbed. “Nobody will give us a moment alone. It’s like—it’s like we’re meant to suffer.” Mary Kathryn was in full, emotionally-battered, embarrassed mode, bawling her eyes out. She wouldn’t release him. Her arms moved to grab his neck and hold him, one bare knee raised pressed against the backseat. Her other leg, with her jeans hanging from it, tipped out, her foot braced on the floor. It was clear he was cradled in between her thighs. She held him tight against her, her humiliated, wracking sobs growing louder.

  Garth reached for the window knob and the window slid down a few inches. The flashlight blinded him. He turned his head, making sure Beth Harper couldn’t see Mary Kathryn’s face. “Uh—um, Beth... She’s pretty upset. Could you come back later?”

  “Mary Kathryn,” the familiar voice was shockingly placid, even friendly. “Are you a willing participant?”

  “Not anymore. Shoot me now, Beth.” Mary Kathryn sobbed. “I-I want to d-die.” She refused to face her friend, burying her nose in Garth’s bare shoulder.

  “I gotta say, Mary Denise Kathryn,” Beth had a long, drawling conversational tone as the beam of light shined around the interior and settled on Garth’s naked bottom. “I never expected to see you out here...like this...getting it on...in a car...”

  Mary Kathryn’s sob rose into a mortified wail.

  “Mary Kathryn, you two using a condom?” Beth’s tone was so nonchalant she might have been indulgently patting a good dog on the head. “You gotta stay safe, Mary Kathryn. I’ll pick some up for you tomorrow and drop them off.”

>   “Why - won’t she - leave—?!” Mary Kathryn tried to catch her breath.

  “Shhh, this isn’t right—sweetie, calm down...” Garth agreed. “All we need is coffee and donuts and we’d just be having a pleasant little chat—but I agree, what is she doing, running for office?”

  “I heard that, Mister Military...” Beth Harper’s tone was sterling. “If you don’t have enough sense to get a room, it ain’t my fault. Keep up the attitude and I’ll run you in for lewd conduct.”

  “Come on, Beth.” A loud rumble came from Wilson, outside the car at their feet. “Let’s go. I can’t take this! I’m too disgusted to die.”

  “Let’s ask him first, Wilson,” Beth argued over the roof. “We’ll never find a better opportunity. Wilson, you promise to keep your mouth shut about this, he’ll say yes to anything! We own him! Look at him, his butt all bare for anyone to see. I’m telling you, Wilson, we own him! Ask him.”

  “Blackmail, Harper—?!” The horror in Wilson’s voice sounded real. “Sometimes I just don’t know who you are!”

  “Oh, Wilson, climb off your high horse,” Beth exclaimed, exasperated. “Let’s ask him right now, this second. The timing is incredible! It’s like a miracle... I’m telling you—he’ll do anything to get her out of this! Listen to her crying—it’s breaking my heart, hearing her sobs and seeing her pants dangling from that leg. Wilson, think about how Morley’s feeling right now? Poor Mary Kathryn’s going to go home and stick her head in the oven. He’d do just about anything to get her out of this—Ask him, Wilson, he’s a sensible man. I promise, he’ll say yes.”

  “You do it!” came a disgruntled grunt. “I’m too disgusted—with all of you! Mary Kathryn, get your pants up—on—and get out of here!” Footsteps crunched on the gravel and faded.