“For now.” I open the PDF file that Ritter’s secretary forwarded to Josh and me, and say, “It looks like we don’t get any free time together.” I frown. “If this is a couples retreat why don’t they give the couples some time to spend alone?”
“I agree. It doesn’t make sense.” Joshua takes my phone and scrolls up and down. “They want everyone to be together, and,” his frown deepens, “I think they might be offering—” his voice trails off.
“What? Don’t keep me in suspense.”
He gives me a side eye glance and that’s when I notice a blush on his cheeks. I’m tempted to tease, but needing to keep this professional, I raise a brow and wait.
He clears his throat. “I think they’re offering couples the chance to swap partners.”
Blinking a few times while I get my head around that, I ask, “Are you sure?”
“Not exactly, but on the agenda in the evening it says ‘swing’ and my head immediately went to swinger parties.” He shrugs. “I have a friend who got an assignment in Dallas. We met up a while back and he told me about a bizarre case he’d been working. It involved swingers.” He reads on. “It could be something else, but maybe our guy goes after the couples who indulge.”
“Partner swapping hasn’t come up in the investigation,” I add, feeling uncomfortable. “Perhaps we need to consider it though.”
“I don’t give a shit how we capture this guy, but I am not sharing you with anyone.” Joshua’s gaze blazes into mine with a furious possessive heat that I feel all the way down to my toes. “I figured you should know up front. No fucking sharing.”
I’m left floundering like a fish with his attitude as he passes my cell back. Josh sits back in his seat, plugs his ear buds in and ignores me for the rest of the flight.
My brain won’t allow me to rest because I have a feeling this next week is about to change my life in more ways than one.
32
Joshua
The resort is exactly how I expected it to be: surrounded by forestry, large log cabin type buildings, and hosts who look…normal. Tom and Lindsey Granger are in their late fifties and have built this small resort up from nothing. It’s on land left to Tom by his parents, and I have to say that I’m impressed with what they’ve done to the place. It had been four years ago when they’d transformed it. Pictures and all the information had been in the file sent by Ritter.
Guests stay in cabins spread throughout their own part of the forest, which wasn’t good. Anyone could be watching from outside with the occupants inside having no clue. It made me nervous because it wouldn’t be so easy to keep watch, then again, maybe the cover of the trees would be good for that. We could do the same as the hunter will be doing. We’ll just have to be more vigilant.
Mallory comes into my line of sight with room keys in her hand. Her long strides toward me, and the smile on her face, makes my heart beat hard in my chest. She’s a sight that I’ll never get tired of. Without so much as one thought, when she’s in reach, I wrap my arms around her shoulders and pull her in tightly against my body. She only hesitates for a moment and then I feel her arms around my waist. I bury my face into the curve of her neck and breathe deeply. My body goes hard with need at the scent and feel of this beautiful woman. She undoes me completely.
“Josh,” she whispers in a husky voice, the sound of my name on her lips going straight to my balls. Her fingernails dig into my ass and my cock throbs hard, releasing precum into my briefs.
Groaning, I slowly nuzzle into her and force myself to only briefly caress her lips with mine. Meeting her gaze, I realize it’s a mistake because her eyes tell me everything; she wants me as much as I want her.
“Cabin,” she whispers the words against my lips, her gaze briefly wavers to over my shoulder before it’s back on me. “Your friend doesn’t appear happy that I have my arms around you.”
“She isn’t my friend, Mallory.”
“Hmm,” she mumbles and slips her hands into the back of my pants and briefs. The feel of her fingers on my ass causes a shudder to ripple through me. “I love how your body reacts to my touch.”
“Any more reaction and I’m going to be inside of you.” I glance around and smirk. “The huge oak tree behind you is looking good. Should hide us from view.”
“You’re both great at acting,” Clarissa hisses.
Mallory grabs a chunk of each ass cheek in her hands and briefly squeezes before she removes her hands from my pants. I know my face is flushed with arousal and I’m so damn thankful that Mallory stays close to hide what’s going on in my pants.
“You,” she snaps at the woman, “are going to blow everything that Ritter has put in place.”
Clarissa looks chagrined.
“Look around you,” Mallory continues. “The couples who haven’t gone to their cabins yet are touching. We’re fairly timid compared to some. You and your partner need to blend in.”
Without another word Clarissa stomps off, and I’m left wondering what the hell she’s doing.
Mallory pulls away and collects her bag. “Cabin’s this way.”
Hurrying to catch up, I say, “I don’t know what the hell she’s doing.”
“Don’t you?” Mallory drops her bag at the door to our cabin and spins around to face me. “She’s jealous!”
My mouth drops open in response, which I quickly snap shut when I realize she’s serious. Not only is she serious; she’s annoyed.
I narrow my eyes and take a step toward her not knowing my intention until I think fuck it, and decide to take what we both want; each other. Grabbing the key from her fingers, I open the door, kick our bags inside, and wrapping my hand around Mallory’s wrist, I drag her in after me.
Quickly turning, I capture her gasp of surprise as I plunge my tongue inside her mouth. Her greedy moan does things to me, and goose bumps cover my skin. It’s as though I’ve lit a fuse within us both. Mallory’s hands are tugging at my clothing while mine manage to get her jeans unfastened. I shove a hand down into her panties and groan when I feel how wet and swollen she is.
Mallory lets out a guttural sound of need and seconds later, she has one hand behind my neck holding me to her while her other hand is wrapped around my dripping cock. She jerks me off hard and fast in time to my finger inside of her, except, it isn’t enough. I need to have my dick buried deep.
Pulling my finger free and wincing when I take her hand from my erection, I turn her to face the door and shove her jeans to her ankles. I pull her hips outward and taking myself in hand, I press into her. The head of my cock feels like it’s going to blow off as it becomes surrounded in hot, wet heat. I can’t breathe as I slide fully inside, her ass pressing and rubbing on my groin. She’s going to be lucky if I can move without coming.
“Hands on the door,” I hiss. “Now.”
“God yes,” she whimpers, the sound growing louder when I shove her shirt up, followed by her bra.
“I need to touch you everywhere.” My hips start thrusting as I cup her large breasts in my hands. My fingers play with her nipples—pinching and pulling. “I need your mouth,” I gasp and seal my lips over hers. That does it. My senses are completely overwhelmed and the moment Mallory lets go and ripples around my dick, I grind into her and come. Semen pours from me with each tug of her pussy, exciting me even more. Small ripples of pleasure squeeze and massage my flesh as I collapse around Mallory.
My hands hold a breast and I don’t want to let her go, even when my mouth waters to have them in my mouth.
“I’m weak.” Mallory drops her head to the door. “You only have to touch me and I go up in flames.”
“You do the same to me,” I admit. “Can’t you feel what you’re doing to me?” I rock my hips slowly and let her feel my rapidly swelling cock just before I withdraw and turn her in my arms. “Kick your jeans off.”
“I’m not going to survive you,” she comments, but does as I asked.
I back up to the sofa, taking her with me. When I drop my a
ss down, I pull Mallory astride my thighs, and curse when she wiggles into a more comfortable position—for her. For me it’s painful having her wet pussy rubbing over the root of my cock.
“I’m going to make you come.” Then I add, “Without being inside of you.” My mouth captures one of her dark nipples and, in response to her taste on my tongue, my dick releases precum onto her belly.
Mallory slides her hands through my hair, holding me to her, and then her hips move. I’m not inside of her, but the lips of her pussy wrap around my dick and she rides me.
Sweet heaven!
What’s sweeter is having her breasts in my face while she rides. I’ve dreamt about her in this position, although at the time my cock was inside not out.
Unable to resist, I hold on to her hips and help her rock while my mouth and tongue bathe her gorgeous breasts. Her nipples are hard tight buds and when I roll one between my tongue and the roof of my mouth, she grinds down so hard that come suddenly shoots out of my dick. I feel the spasms of Mallory’s pussy as she quivers in release and I can’t stop myself from reaching between us and jerking my dick. The pleasure is intense and once I can see straight, the sight isn’t pretty; it’s dirty as fuck. I want to do it all over again.
“So much for being professionals,” she winces, and I freeze. Her eyes quickly go to mine and instead of pulling away, she leans closer and presses a soft kiss to my lips. “I don’t regret being here with you, in anyway at all. I want to make that clear. One touch from you and you can do anything to me.” She blushes. “At least if anyone was watching outside, they’ll believe we really are together. There was no hiding our need for each other.”
“I want to spend the rest of the week in this cabin, naked, with you.” I breathe heavily.
“That sounds amazing.” She wraps herself around me. “Unfortunately we have a murderer to catch.” She stills and sitting up, looks me over. “Why do you still have your shirt on?” I raise a brow and grin, eyeing her chest. Her eyes follow mine and she groans. “Why do I have my bra and shirt wrapped around my chest?”
“Because babe,” I smack her ass and bring her closer, “I was too impatient to get my mouth on you.” I wiggle my brows. “Ready for round three?”
“Urgh!” She stands on unsteady legs. “Round three is going to take place somewhere secluded and safe, after we leave this place.” She glances around and after trying to tug her bra down, gives up and removes her shirt and the bra.
Standing before me totally nude is playing havoc with my intentions, but when she smirks and drops to her knees in front of me, my erection springs up past my belly button.
A dark and sultry laugh leaves Mallory’s lips. “You’re imagining my mouth wrapped around your cock, huh?” Her hands caress from my knees downwards, until she’s removing my shoes, pants and briefs. Holding my gaze, she very slowly leans toward me and presses feather like kisses over the red and raw scar I’m left with after being shot. “My heart dropped through the floor when I heard you’d been shot.” Her eyes become glassy with unshed tears, which she rapidly blinks away. “I couldn’t let anyone see how that news affected me, which is why I spent the night when everyone else had left. I didn’t want to leave you but the nurse told me when your parents had arrived, so I snuck out.”
Thoughtful, I stand and gently tug her to her feet and wrap her against my body. “What we share is a lot more than either of us were looking for, Mallory. I have never felt the way that I do with you, with anyone else. I know we have a job to do, and I know officially we can’t be together, but I need you to promise me that you’ll talk to me. Please don’t get cold feet and make decisions that affect me without talking to me first.” I pause and kiss her gently on the forehead. “I know you, and as soon as we’re back in the office you’ll tell yourself that we won’t work out, which is total bullshit by the way.” I lightly slap her on the ass. “You’ve been waiting for me, and I have no intention of letting you go anywhere.” I grin. “We’ll make it work.”
Her eyes search my face and then she whispers, “I promise Josh.”
My breath catches and she smirks. “I know exactly what I do to you when I call you Josh, because it’s exactly what you do to me every time you call me Mallory.” She sighs. “Let’s make sure we’re locked in and get cleaned up. We have a meet and greet in thirty minutes.”
“I think we should see how many times you can scream my name within thirty minutes.” I pick her up in my arms and go in search of the bedroom.
33
Mallory
Mingling has never been my strong suit. I always find myself awkward and desperate for a way to escape in these situations. Joshua is having no trouble talking to all the other couples here, and he even managed to hold a polite conversation with Clarissa and her partner, Roger, who is going by the name Drake. If anyone is going to ruin this operation it’s going to be her with her need to constantly flirt with my guy. My mind scatters when I realize what I just thought. I blink a few times to clear my mind, but it’s still there. He’s mine.
I move closer to him and place my arm around his back, and smile against his neck as his arm holds me tightly. I feel his lips on the top of my head before he goes back to the conversation I’d just interrupted. He’s never short for words while I can’t come up with a single one.
Clarissa is going by Clara during this week, and her gaze is never to far from a glare aimed at me. I wonder if she suspects this between Joshua and I is real. What am I thinking? The woman can tell it’s real and she’s jealous. She wants Joshua all to herself and I bet she was annoyed when she’d realized she wouldn’t be teaming up with him. Ritter had told me she’d asked, but luckily for me, I’d already been teamed up with Josh the night in the club, so that made him still mine.
As Joshua turns toward me, our bodies brush against one another and I lift my face to his. He tilts my chin upwards and whispers against my lips, “Are you okay?” His lips lightly caress across mine before he lifts his gaze to my eyes.
I squeeze him tightly before taking a step back. “Yes.”
Joshua reaches out and intertwines our fingers together. “Stay close.”
My heart flutters and a secretive smile tugs at my lips.
“We’re supposed to be working,” Clarissa hisses.
I snap my gaze to the furious woman in front of us, and notice the shocked face of her partner. Roger quickly wipes his face clear of all emotion and takes Clarissa by the elbow. “We are,” Roger comments, “and they’re doing a much better job of blending in than we are.” He gives both Josh and I a glance of apology and ushers his angry partner out of the room.
“Fuck,” Joshua curses. “What the hell is her problem?”
“She’s jealous.” I look up at Josh and notice a slight flush along his cheekbones. “I can’t believe you’re not aware of that.”
He opens his mouth but thinks better of what he was about to say. “We’ll ignore them from here on out.”
“I don’t have a problem with that.” I grab his tie and tug him closer. “Do you?”
“I suggested it.” He raises a brow and gives me a sexy smile with a slight tilt of his lips.
“Are you really okay, Josh?”
He holds my gaze and answers. “I’m doing fine. I’ll let you know if I need to rest my leg, okay?”
I nod. “What do you think so far?” I ask, wrapping my arms around his neck.
Joshua places his hands on my hips and slowly massages, moving toward my bottom, where his hands linger. “I think having you in my arms is the best assignment I’ll ever get,” he clears his throat, “but that isn’t what you meant.”
“No, but good to know.”
“No one couple has made me question anything they’ve done so far, other than our friends.”
“That was my thought. We’ve talked to everyone here, right?”
“Yes.” He nuzzles into my neck. “You taste amazing.”
“I don’t think—”
“We’re b
eing watched,” Joshua whispers.
“Ah!” I smile and dig my fingernails into the nape of his neck.
Joshua growls and I feel a barely controlled shudder work over his body, hardening his penis against my belly.
“So,” I rub against him, “we have to play?”
He grabs my ass, holding me against his erection, which I feel throbbing and twitching. “You play dirty,” he grumbles.
“I love to play dirty,” I nibble his earlobe, “with you.”
“Fuck, Mallory. The other men might be used to walking around with a hard dick in public, but I’m not.”
The thought of me relieving the pressure in his balls with my mouth flitters through my mind, and then I remember where we are and what we’re supposed to be doing.
“Think about something else,” I suggest, moving my body slightly away from his, but keeping his condition hidden. Much to my relief music starts to play through the sound system, and I find myself back in Joshua’s arms and swaying to the music. “We know our killer focuses on couples who have an age difference between them. We know he’s left-handed and looses control easily. We know he only goes after those couples who party and who possibly stray.”
“Maybe the killer is going after the couples who party too hard because of something from his own past. Or maybe he isn’t too picky and just goes for the couple who he’s attracted too, and he gets his kicks from watching.” Joshua stills, but quickly starts moving again. “What did Stephanie say about him? That maybe he made the couples have sex in front of him. So what if she’s right? What if that’s his thing? He gets control of them, and makes them have sex. The M.E said that all victims had had sex prior to being killed. She found no signs of rape.”
“So he’s a pervert who probably gets aroused watching others have sex, but doesn’t get off until the kill,” I murmur, knowing this has to be it.
“If that’s the case then how would he be here on the retreat. It’s for couples only this week, right?”
McKenzie Cousins Box Set Three: Books Seven, Eight, Nine Page 15