Tristan (The Kendall Family #1)

by Randi Everheart

  “Is there any way to get the parts quicker?” he asked Rick, who turned to him with eyebrows raised.

  “I might know a guy.”

  “Who?”

  “It might cost a bit extra though. I can ask around if you’re in a hurry?”

  Tristan nodded. He noticed how Rick ignored the question, which could mean either that the information really was none of Tristan’s business and Rick wasn’t obliged to provide it, or that the answer was “a guy who steals bikes.” Something about Rick’s demeanor suggested the latter, but Tristan conceded he’d never have thought that were it not for the talk with Ryan. Then again, the “I might know a guy” line had underhanded written all over it.

  To keep Rick from wondering why he was asking, he remarked, “It would be good if Victoria could take her own bike on the mountain tour.”

  “Okay. Let me see what I can dig up.”

  Looking dubious, Victoria asked, “How much extra are we talking?”

  “Depends on the part,” Rick said. “If the part isn’t local then it can cost more to get it here fast. Really depends. Your bike is a new model, though, so it shouldn’t be a big deal.”

  “Okay, let us know what you find out.” Tristan put a hand on the small of Victoria’s back and began leading her to the exit almost abruptly, causing her to shoot him a look. They were unlikely to get any more out of Rick; with Victoria cutting in like that, the dealer had already turned the talk away from where Tristan wanted it to go.

  “Will do,” Rick called after them. “You guys have a look around, and let me know if you want to take one of the bikes for a spin.”

  “Okay, thanks.” Tristan led a frowning Victoria through the showroom, but when she started to ask what he was up to, he shook his head and led her outside. By the time they got to the car, she was scowling.

  “What was all that about?” Victoria finally asked.

  Tristan shrugged. “I wanted to see what he said about getting parts.”

  “Anything interesting?” she asked skeptically.

  “Not really. He knows I’m related to Ryan, so I doubt he’d admit to using stolen parts.”

  “So then what’s the point?”

  “Just checking him out. I’m gonna call Ryan and tell him what parts your bike needs and have him find out if a bike like yours has been stolen recently.”

  “With thousands of bikes stolen every year, it wouldn’t prove much, would it?”

  “Maybe. Maybe not. I’ll let the cops handle that. Since your bike is new and not rare, he’s right that spare parts are easy to come by, though that doesn’t mean they’d be above stealing another one and not having to buy the parts, while also charging you full price for them. Even extra.”

  “So it’s pointless.”

  He smiled and realized he’d only make her mad by questioning the dealership too much. Even so, he had to raise another topic he had on his mind. “I find it odd that he knew I was around.”

  Victoria shrugged. “What difference does it make?”

  “I don’t know. Something just seemed off about that.”

  “You’re being a little paranoid.”

  “No, just curious. There is one obvious way he’d know.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Someone stole my bike, brought it there, and they opened the seat and found my bike registration with my name on it inside.”

  Victoria’s eyes widened. “Wow, that’s true.”

  “And he told Larry to move the bikes they just got in, but then Larry said it was just the one. Why would they get a shipment of just one bike?”

  “I don’t know how that kind of thing works.”

  “I don’t either but I’m pretty sure that’s odd.”

  “Maybe it was a special order.”

  Tristan noticed her sour expression but wanted to finish saying things she likely didn’t want to hear. “And he told Larry to move the bike so we could get to yours, but when we got in there, there was plenty of room to reach yours. I couldn’t see a way that another bike would’ve been in the way. I think he was hiding the bike.”

  Victoria laughed. “Oh, come on. I think we’re going a little far with this. I mean you get all of this from him knowing you’re back in town? You’re really reaching.”

  Tristan made a face and admitted, “Yeah, I guess you’re right. That’s pretty thin.”

  “I’m telling you, these are good guys. We should do that bike trip with them. You’ll see what I mean.”

  “Maybe. Need a couple bikes first.”

  She unfolded her arms and squeezed his leg. “C’mon, sweetie. I think it would be fun to get away for a while.”

  “I just got here.”

  “Please?” She nuzzled into him, doing her best to suggest lots of loving would come next if he said yes.

  “Well, maybe you can plead with me enough to convince me.”

  She grinned and slid her hand inside his pants for a long feel, unmindful that with the convertible’s top down, anyone could see. Not for the first time, Tristan thought she was going to make him crash.

  A few minutes later, they reached Sugarloaf Inn. Tristan’s brother Connor ran the bed-and-breakfast, which was painted white except for the shingled roof, shutters, and front door, all in blue. A porch ran along the front while a detached garage stood in the rear behind the patio. Sometimes a large white tent for weddings was visible back there, too, but the inn was closed for renovations. Behind the house in the distance, Sugarloaf Mountain offered the most picturesque view in the area, trees covering everything but the occasional rock face peeking out from behind the foliage; the mountain wasn’t tall enough for a tree line below the peak.

  When they pulled up, Tristan saw a Harley-Davidson parked there and grinned.

  “Riley’s here!” he said, parking beside the bike.

  “Your brother?” Victoria asked.

  “Yep!” Tristan hopped out and dashed up the porch stairs, bursting through the front door to find Riley rising from the couch in the living room beside the foyer. Hardwood floors resounded with the quick footsteps of his riding boots as the brothers came together for a hug.

  Riley looked every bit the rugged biker Marine, with a strong jaw, stubble, crew cut of black hair, and tattoos on both arms. He seemed casual in well-worn blue jeans and a T-shirt with a black leather vest over it. His blue eyes were direct, intelligent, and alert enough to intimidate most people. That he’d killed men with his bare hands and a sniper rifle added a certain edge to him, but right now he was all smiles for his baby brother.

  “Having your bike stolen serves you right for not having a Harley,” he said to Tristan.

  Tristan laughed and pulled back. “It was you, wasn’t it?”

  “Are you kidding? I wouldn’t ride one of those toys. You’re not gonna get a real bike now, either, are you?”

  “Nope. Another sport bike if that one doesn’t turn up.”

  “Punk.”

  Tristan turned at the sounds of Victoria’s heels entering the foyer behind him. Only now did he realize he’d left her behind in his excitement. He flushed in embarrassment and flashed an awkward smile to apologize. “You remember Victoria?”

  “Of course.” Riley greeted her before she excused herself to the bathroom.

  With her gone, Tristan turned to Riley and quietly said, “Don’t say anything to the others, but I’m thinking to stay in Comus.”

  Riley cocked an eyebrow. “And give up racing?”

  “Yeah.”

  Riley looked after Victoria. “That good?”

  Tristan laughed and blushed. “Yeah, it is.”

  “Good. We’d love to have you back. What are you gonna do?”

  “I don’t know yet. That’s part of why I mentioned it, if you have any ideas. I’m feeling pretty happy to be back and thinking I never should’ve left. What are you doing here, anyway?”

  “Decided to give civilian life a try.”

  “Contract was up?” Tristan asked, knowing Ma
rines served for eight years at a minimum.

  “Yeah.”

  “What are you doing now?”

  “Pestering Quinn.”

  “How well does it pay?”

  “The wine is pretty good.”

  Tristan laughed. On hearing the toilet flush, he grew serious and said, “I need a favor.”

  “Name it.”

  “Ryan suspects CMS is selling stolen bikes or parts. I think they have mine but can’t be sure.” He related what he’d seen earlier and asked, “Is there any way you can discreetly check it out?”

  “Maybe,” said Riley. “I can see if there’s a good place to watch from with a scope, see if your bike turns up. Other than that, I’m not sure there’s much I can do. I don’t want to get into trespassing without more to go on.”

  “I understand. I don’t want you getting into anything over me.”

  “You already did, sport.”

  Tristan shook his hand, letting go just as Victoria reappeared. The last thing he wanted was for her to know he had Riley spying for him.

  Victoria looked around at the living room’s cozy fireplace, sectional sofas, and cherry tables, and the matching dining room behind her. “I haven’t been in here in forever. It still looks the same, pretty much.”

  “Connor’s not big on change,” Riley remarked. “Nothing to change anyway, except a bigger kitchen.” With a nod, he indicated the ongoing renovations in that room, where two Latino workmen tromped through the foyer on their way out for a lunch break.

  “Where is he?” Tristan asked.

  “Patio.”

  “Okay. Tell him I’m going to go change into some of his clothes. Mine were taken with the bike. Be right back.”

  He took Victoria’s hand and led her up the wooden stairs that overlooked the living room. Once at the top, they headed down the long hallway to the master bedroom, where he helped himself to some of Connor’s pants, shirts, socks, and underwear. He and Connor had regularly shared clothes growing up, making other people even more prone to calling them twins. With a comment about feeling weird seeing into Connor’s underwear drawer, Victoria headed for the room across the hall. Tristan followed, stripping naked and sneaking up behind her as he threw the change of clothes on the bed there.

  “Do you remember this room?” He asked, wrapping his arms around her.

  She leaned back into him. “Of course.”

  “This is where you took my virginity. And I yours.”

  “I’m pretty sure you wholeheartedly gave it to me.”

  He slowly spun her around, surprising her with the sight of him in the buff. “Let’s relive the moment and finish what you started in the car.”

  “It’d be a little odd, what with your brothers downstairs. And the door open.”

  “They’ve seen it all before,” he joked, kicking the door behind him shut without looking.

  “I didn’t know you were so naughty,” she purred.

  “Yes, you did.”

  With that, he pressed his lips to her lush mouth, which eagerly strained against his. Her tongue slipped inside his lips to be warmly greeted. His hands deftly undid the buttons on her jeans. Then he shoved a hand into her panties along her trembling backside, giving her a squeeze that made her gasp amidst their kiss. He probed deeper, in between and past her warm cheeks, his middle finger searching for and finding her moist folds, which were already soaked. When she eagerly pushed her pussy against his finger, he obliged by slipping it inside her. She moaned into his mouth and then pulled her lips away.

  “We can’t take too long or they’ll start to wonder,” she panted.

  “A quickie.”

  In agreement, she shoved her pants down until he took over, stripping her from the waist down. The smell of her arousal washed over him and made his cock throb with need. His hands went for her shirt only to have her turn around and present her dripping pussy to him instead, leaning on the bed, propped on a pillow.

  “Fuck me, Tristan.”

  He grunted on hearing his favorite words from his favorite woman. He intensely enjoyed foreplay, but sometimes a rousing fuck, without preamble, surpassed everything. Licking his lips, he stepped close and pushed his throbbing manhood into her. His cock easily parted her flesh, which enveloped him in such heat that he groaned. She shoved back onto him even as he thrust, gently burying himself in her eager pussy, which stretched to welcome him.

  “God, you’re so wet,” Tristan murmured, the slickness suggesting that foreplay wouldn’t have been needed anyway. She felt luxurious and couldn’t get any more ready. There were advantages to having great sex several times a day—a woman stayed hot.

  At his words, Victoria only moaned in response. She began to shudder as he pulled out almost all the way and then hurtled back inside so hard that the slap of flesh echoed off the walls and hardwood floors. He did it again. Then again. And Victoria whimpered his name and begged for more speed, so he hammered away at her soaking loins, balancing himself with an aggressive stance that freed his hands for mischief. He slid her shirt up and expertly unhooked her bra before squeezing the heavy globes in both hands, tugging at nipples that stiffened between his fingers as if rising to greet him. Even while pounding into her with his hips, he could be gentle with his hands, the combination driving her out of her mind. Victoria buried her gasps and moans in the pillow. She almost sounded like she was laughing or crying, from the wild undulations in her throat.

  “You sound like a wild animal,” he observed.

  “I feel like one!” Victoria purred.

  Then Tristan changed tactics, partly to stop himself from erupting inside her too soon. This might be a quickie, but he wanted at least five minutes in her velvety womanhood. The hips that were furious now slowed to a gentle probing, and the hands that were soft now became fierce as he smote her beautiful white ass, leaving a red hand print. She let out a yelp of surprise but pushed back into him, showing approval. He smacked her ass again and she shuddered. The sight of her backside quivering became too much for Tristan and he began slamming into her like a jackhammer, his approaching eruption stealing his breath away. Finally his cock pumped his seed deep into Victoria.

  The feeling of his warm cum splashing into her was too much for her. She bit the pillow in a muffled scream as Tristan made her cum. In the throes of ecstasy, she cried out his name. Then for a moment she reared up like a wild creature ready to bolt for its life, standing on her tiptoes. She collapsed onto the bed, all strength leaving her legs so that she would’ve fallen were it not for the cock that impaled her upright. She lay trembling for long moments as her body involuntarily spasmed around his manhood. Tristan leaned forward and enveloped her with his arms, whispering sweet nothings about this being their future together if she wanted it.

  And she did.

  Chapter 11 – In the Moonlight

  As Tristan and Victoria put their clothes back on minutes later, he wondered about this mountain tour down Skyline Drive. He’d ridden it before but not with someone he loved. And he still loved her but wasn’t sure if he should admit it to her yet. It might sound too soon or not genuine. She might think it was some sudden rush of emotion, even though that was part of it, but his soaring heart was reacting that way due to years of holding it down so that missing her wouldn’t consume him. And he’d feared that she’d become unavailable, moved on, gotten married, or who knows what.

  The trip wasn’t necessarily romantic but it could be, with all of the overlooks down into the Shenandoah Valley offering a natural beauty to match that of the natural beauty putting on her clothes in front of him. He could get some wine from the family’s Comus Winery and maybe ask Connor to make them one of his picnics. Connor’s skill in the kitchen was one reason he’d taken over the inn. Even though Tristan wanted to spend time with his family, he sensed he had some work to do binding Victoria to him once again. Maybe the trip would help.

  “So you really want to do this mountain tour?” Tristan asked, purposely changing the subje
ct away from carnal pleasures. He knew she needed to reclaim her composure before going downstairs, as she looked like she’d been ravished. She glowed. “We’ll both need to rent bikes,” he added.

  Victoria bit her lip. “Maybe we can do it some other time.”

  “Why?” He put his shirt back on, wondering why she was changing her mind. He knew that he’d upset her with his suspicions at CMS. Did she think he didn’t trust her judgment? Maybe he should apologize. Then again, maybe it was simpler than that. When she didn’t answer, he asked, “Is money tight? I know it’s not my business…”

  She shrugged. “Not really. I mean, my mom didn’t leave that much. Mostly the house. I probably have to pay for some of the bike repairs now. And my insurance is about to go up.”

  “Well, I’ll just rent the bikes for both of us.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t want you to do that.”

  “Why not? Consider it a gift to celebrate being back together.” To his surprise, that made her frown.

  “I’m not a charity case, Tristan.”

  It was his turn to frown. “What? C’mon. I don’t consider you a charity case. That wasn’t a very romantic response, by the way.”

  “Sorry. I just don’t want to be dependent on anyone.”

  “How does this make you dependent? It’s a one-time thing. Unless you need help some other time, of course. You know I’d give you anything you need.”

  “That’s just it. I don’t want to need help.”

  He silently stared at her, wondering what was going on. “You’re starting to sound like me a few years ago. You know I grew up with all my brothers and sisters looking out for me, helping me when I didn’t want it. I eventually grew up, though, and realized it’s not such a bad thing having someone to rely on.”

  Again she frowned. “I’ve been doing fine on my own.”

  He looked at her more closely, noticing her folded arms and straight back. He didn’t understand what he was saying that was wrong.