Dead Moon Rising

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  She shivered. “Bad dream.” In her dreams, she didn’t pass the RV and black sedan. She pulled in behind them and became caught up in the horrors first-hand.

  “Ah. I can understand that.” She loved his blue eyes. “About that night?”

  “Yeah.” She didn’t want to talk about this. “Why does everyone call you Del?”

  He smiled. “If you didn’t want to talk about your dream, all you had to do was say so, kiddo, not resort to a segue like that.”

  She felt her face heat a little. He’d proved extremely perceptive. “I’d still like to know.”

  He shrugged. “Plato isn’t the most common first name around. My mom liked it, and my dad let her have her way. I wasn’t fond of it, and just went by Del and it stuck.”

  “Are they still alive?”

  “Yeah, they retired down to Arizona.”

  “Any other family?”

  “I’m an only child.”

  “What about John? Does he have family?”

  “A brother, out in New York. His mom and dad died a few years apart.”

  “Are you close to your family?”

  He smirked as he leaned against the counter. “As close as average people are, I suppose. They know about me and John, if that was the hinted question. They’re not necessarily happy I won’t be producing any grandchildren, but they love me and John.”

  She felt a sharp, stabbing pang of melancholy. “Lucky you,” she said. Realizing how it might have sounded, she softened her tone. “I meant lucky that you have family.”

  “Last time I talked to your uncle, he seemed pretty anxious to get you down there with him. You’ve got family that cares about you.”

  “I love Uncle Eddie, don’t get me wrong. He’s my dad’s oldest brother, the eldest of the four kids. He was the black sheep of the family. He was more my last chance than my first choice, to be honest. He doesn’t have any kids. One of my other cousins called him, I didn’t. When Uncle Eddie found out what was going on, he offered me a place to live and asked me to move in with him.”

  He snagged her wrist and pulled her to him for a hug. “Listen, kiddo, John and I talked. Seriously, you’ve got a home here if you want it, as long as you want it.”

  She let him hold her, closing her eyes and enjoying the warmth, both physical and emotional, surrounding her. He did mean it. Both men did. “Yeah, well, my options will be limited by dodging a serial killer who’s probably looking for me, and once word gets around about my freaky-deaky inner voice, no one will want me.”

  He kissed the top of her head. “We want you.”

  If only. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it.” She tipped her head back to look into his blue eyes. “Just my luck, two hunky eligible bachelors, and they’re taken by each other. Story of my life.”

  She started to pull away so she could pour her own mug of coffee, but he held her in place. “Who says we’d let any other man have a crack at you?” She didn’t miss the playful gleam in his eyes, and she felt a damp spot grow on her panties. “Who says we’d ever let another man within a hundred feet of you?”

  She wanted to melt in his arms, then realized it had to be more playful teasing designed to boost her spirits even though the vibe she got from him felt totally sincere.

  “You know it’s not nice to tease a poor single girl like this, right?”

  His warm, rumbling chuckle washed through her body as he brushed his lips against her forehead. “Who said I’m teasing?” He finally released her and poured John’s coffee to take back to him.

  She couldn’t do anything but stare at him in shock as her clit throbbed.

  With both mugs in hand, he turned at the kitchen doorway and winked. “John said you promised no sexual harassment charges. Right?”

  She dumbly nodded. “Uh huh,” she managed.

  The sound of his playful laugh followed him down the hallway until she heard the sound of their bedroom door shutting behind him.

  She collapsed against the counter. Her heart raced, and hot moisture pooled in her pussy. Yeah, the men had playfully—and sweetly—teased and flirted with her the past few days, but nothing like that blatant display.

  Yowza!

  * * * *

  Del’s cock throbbed, rock hard and ready for action as he pushed the bedroom door closed behind him with one foot. John stirred and rolled over with a sleepy grumble as Del set his mug on the end table beside him. “Morning, lazy.”

  “I’m not lazy. I’m semi-retired.” He reached out and grabbed Del’s hard-on through his pajama pants. “What’s this?”

  Del set his mug down before he slopped the contents all over John. “I was flirting with her a little.”

  That seemed to fully wake John. “Oh, really?” He worked on Del’s pj bottoms and slid them down so his cock was fully exposed. “And what did you do? This seems like more than just a little.”

  He related the conversation as John leaned in and licked the engorged head.

  “You really have the hots for her, don’t you?” he asked Del in a teasing tone.

  “Oh please, like you don’t?”

  “I didn’t say I don’t.” He stroked Del’s sac, drawing a soft moan from him. “You know how horny she makes me.” He licked his cock again, flicking his tongue over the sensitive ridge.

  “Think we can talk her into being more than a roommate?” Del asked.

  John’s hand froze. “You don’t mind?”

  “Fuck, no, I don’t mind. I haven’t forgotten you were married once. I’ve been with girls a time or two myself, you know that. Just never thought we’d find ourselves one as sweet as her out here in the middle of nowhere.” They’d had a threesome, with the friend of a friend, while on vacation in Texas several years earlier. A three-day weekend that left both men spent and smiling. The girl hadn’t wanted anything more than a hot, memorable weekend, and the men had been happy to oblige her no-strings-attached desires.

  John’s hand resumed its sensuous journey. “Then I think we’re in agreement, buddy.”

  “Good.” Del plunged his fingers into John’s hair. “Then let’s take care of this right now.”

  He rolled John onto his back before straddling him sixty-nine. John’s fingers dug into Del’s thighs as he deep-throated his cock. “That’s it, baby,” Del said. “You know what I like.”

  He wet two fingers and pushed them into John’s puckered hole, enjoying it when his lover’s back arched, a low moan humming against his cock as he finger-fucked him.

  “Yeah, you like that, don’t you, baby?”

  More happy sounds sent even better sensations through Del’s cock as John lost himself to the feeling of Del’s fingers in his ass.

  As clear beads of pre-come leaked from John’s slit, Del wrapped his fingers around his cock and licked it. “Come on, baby, suck me hard and deep. You know what I want you to do.” He thrust his hips, feeling his cock sliding even deeper inside John’s hot, wet mouth, down his throat.

  He cupped John’s sac in his free hand and went down on him, careful of his teeth, seeking and finding his gland with his fingers buried inside his ass.

  John let out a muffled yell as hot ropes of come exploded in Del’s mouth. He sucked him dry, waiting until John made the soft little sounds that Del knew meant he was totally spent.

  He withdrew his fingers. “My turn, baby. Suck my balls dry.”

  John redoubled his efforts, finally plunging a finger into Del’s rim, sending him into orbit. Sated and exhausted, Del carefully rolled off him and changed position so he could kiss him. “You give the best head, you know that?”

  John smiled. “You sweet talker, you’re not so bad yourself. One of these days, you might get it right.”

  Del gently, playfully shoved him.

  They took their coffee into the bathroom and stepped into the shower. Del wrapped his arms around John, pulling him close, his chest pressed against John’s back. He ran his hands up John’s chest, through the light mat of dark hair there. �
��I love you,” he said, nipping him behind the ear.

  John reached behind him and patted Del on the ass. “Love you, too, you damn horn dog.”

  “I don’t hear you complaining.”

  “Did I say I was complaining?” He looked up into Del’s face. “No jealousy, right? We do this with her, it won’t ruin what we’ve got?”

  “I promise. I love you. I don’t ever want to lose you.”

  John grinned. “Then we’ve got ourselves a girl to seduce.”

  * * * *

  John emerged from the shower first, donned jeans and a T-shirt, and made his way to the kitchen. Sarah had already started breakfast.

  He leaned in and nibbled the back of her neck, not missing that she leaned into him. “Morning, sweetheart.”

  “Good morning.”

  “I heard Del was a little on the playful side earlier?”

  Her body tensed. “Um, a little.”

  He slipped his arms around her waist. “Good. The more we can do to talk you into staying with us, the better.” Her tension eased as she leaned into him again. “Oh, and by the way, one more thing.”

  “Yeah?”

  He pressed his lips to the back of her neck again. “We don’t share well with others. Hope that’s not a problem?”

  He noticed her surprised gasp and felt her swallow hard. “No, that’s not a problem.”

  “Good.” He released her with a gentle swat to her rear and went to refill his coffee. When he turned to look at her, she was staring at him, frozen, with shock on her face.

  “What?” He took a sip, feigning innocence.

  “Um…” She shook her head, as if to clear it. “Nothing.” She turned back to the pan full of French toast she was making, hurriedly flipping the pieces as she apparently tried to gather her wits.

  Unable to resist, he put his mug down again and stepped in. He grabbed her chin, tilting her face to his, and planted a long, deep kiss on her.

  Frozen in shock, she didn’t respond at first, then she nearly dropped the spatula on the floor as she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back.

  She jumped when Del, dressed in his uniform, rounded the corner with a laugh. “Lucky bastard. Starting without me.”

  She started to stammer something when Del pulled her from John’s arms and kissed her.

  John took the spatula from her and took over the French toast while Del french kissed her.

  She wobbled a little on her feet when he finally released her. “You okay?” Del asked.

  “Uh huh!”

  * * * *

  Holy fuck! She’d barely had time to recover from, much less process, John’s kiss when Del laid one of his own on her. As she stood there in shock and stared at the two men, she realized they’d planned this.

  “What’s going on?” she managed to ask.

  Del shrugged. “We’re open to playing around, if you want to.” His eyes narrowed. “But only with us. We’re bound and determined to talk you into staying here one way or another on a permanent basis. Got it?”

  She nodded. “Uh huh!”

  Still stunned, somehow she managed to fork food into her mouth as the men exchanged playful banter with her and each other. After she finished, she stood to help clean up the dishes when John took them from her.

  “No, go get dressed. We need to run by Tom’s and look at that truck he’s got for sale. You need wheels.”

  She felt heat rise in her face. “I can’t afford to buy a new car right now.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” Del assured her. “If you like it, we’ll pay for it and work out the money later. Your car will be there at least another couple of months while they continue the investigation.”

  “And you don’t want it back anyway, I suppose,” John observed.

  She shook her head. “No,” she whispered, feeling gooseflesh rise on her arms at the memory of the dried blood painted on her car, as if a psychopathic child had attacked it. “I don’t want it back.”

  “Then that’s solved,” John said. “Go get your shower and get dressed.”

  She did, and after bidding good-bye to Del as he started his day, she climbed into John’s Explorer with him and headed to the mechanic’s.

  As they drew closer, her stomach tightened.

  John didn’t miss her distress. “What’s wrong?” He reached across the seat and captured her hand.

  “Just being there gives me the creeps, knowing what that guy did.”

  “Me too. Not as badly as you, obviously, but I feel it too.”

  That calmed her somewhat. She’d been convinced the men would think she was nuts, but the fact that they knew about her oddball talent and still wanted her gave her a sense of belonging she hadn’t felt in years.

  They rounded a corner as a flat-bed tow truck passed them. John waved at the driver, a man, who returned the gesture. Another dark wave engulfed her as the service garage came into sight.

  She tried not to look at the storage building out back, but found she had to fight to keep her eyes on the little black Ford pick-up truck sitting by the road with a For Sale sign on the windshield. On the driver’s side was parked a black Ford LTD sedan, the only other car that wasn’t parked next to the building.

  “Is that a police car?” she asked. “Are they here looking at my car again?”

  “Naw, that’s Tom’s car. He picked it up at a police equipment auction. Retired cruiser.”

  They parked next to the truck, and John got out. She hesitated a moment, the dark cloud nearly overwhelming her again. Trying to focus on John, she stayed a few steps back from the truck as John looked at it.

  “What do you think?” he asked.

  She thought she might be sick and knew for certain there was no way in hell she could ever get into that truck. The same dark evil seemed to coat its surface that she’d felt with her car.

  Cindy walked out, a set of keys in her hand. “Hi, John. You want to take it for a test drive?”

  “Yeah, thanks.” He took the keys from her, unlocked and opened the door, then finally seemed to notice Sarah’s distress when she slowly stepped forward, afraid to get too close. “Sar, what’s wrong?”

  With great relief, she realized the truck was a standard-shift. “I can’t drive a stick,” she managed at barely more than a whisper. She quickly stepped back, trying not to touch the truck. She hoped he’d forgive the lie.

  John paused, one hand on the roof, the other on the driver’s door. She prayed he didn’t sit inside it and get his clothes covered with the stink of darkness. He wore a confused look. “That’s okay. Del and I can teach you. It’s easy.”

  She vigorously shook her head. “No, seriously. I can’t. I need an automatic.” She dared to meet his gaze and prayed he caught on.

  He studied her for a moment, then nodded. “Okay, sweetie. We’ll keep looking then.” He stepped away from the truck, closed and locked it, and returned the keys to Cindy. “Sorry. Tell Tom thanks anyway, and to keep his ear to the ground.”

  “No problem. I’ve got someone else coming to look at it this afternoon, so that’s okay.”

  John placed his hand in the small of Sarah’s back as he led her to his truck. When he unlocked the passenger door for her, he caught her wrist and made her look at him. “I want to know.”

  She glanced to the office door, where Cindy was disappearing inside.

  Hoping she didn’t cry, she said, “It’s like my car. He touched it.”

  Thankfully, she didn’t have to clarify who she meant. He immediately nodded. “Okay, I believe you.” He laughed. “So you can drive a stick?”

  “Yeah. My first car was.” He held her hand as she climbed in. Once he was behind the wheel, she turned to him. “I’m sorry I lied to you about the stick shift.”

  “It’s okay.” He cast a look behind him as he put the Explorer into reverse. “Now I just need Del to run the VIN on that truck and see if it gives him any leads he can parlay into something helpful.”

  Chapter Se
ven

  They didn’t return home. Instead, John turned a different direction and headed downtown. Sarah liked Mitchell’s quaint, small-town feel compared to Seattle’s bustle and skyscrapers. She liked the open feeling, the calm flooding through her in John’s presence now that they were well away from the dark evil.

  “Where are we going?” she asked.

  “You’ll see. I want to show you around town.” He grinned. “Try to show you why you’d like living here forever.”

  She blushed. That’s right, they’d taken flirting to a whole new and thoroughly enjoyable level. They pulled into a parking lot, and she stared at the nearby building. “The Corn Palace?”

  He laughed. “Yep. It’s world famous, or so say all the signs.” He led her to the large building. The outer façade was covered by a mural depicting a rodeo scene. As they drew closer, she realized it was made of corn.

  “Wow! That’s…weird and amazing, all at the same time. Someone have too much time on their hands?”

  “It’s a major attraction around here.” Even street lamps lining the quiet thoroughfare bore corn motifs.

  They went inside, and he paid the small admission fee. They spent over an hour there. By the time they finished, even though he was limping and heavily relying on his cane and holding on to her arm for support, she suspected he’d had an even better time than she did.

  “Thanks for humoring me,” he said.

  “What?”

  “For bringing you here.” They sat on a bench in the shade of another building and watched tourists taking pictures of the Corn Palace.

  “I figured you wanted to take my mind off this morning.”

  He laced his fingers through hers. “I did.” He turned to look at her, squeezing her hand. “But I wanted some time to ourselves.”

  “You have me all to yourself all day usually.”

  “I want you all to myself when we’re not working.” His eyes traveled her face, focusing on her gaze. “I meant just chilling out. You deserve a day off.”

  She took the risk to tease back. “You just want to seduce me.”

 

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