All in the Timing

by April Zyon

  “I wish you would have,” Eli whispered with a smile. “God, I missed you so much. But no more. That’s what is important. No more separating. When one of us has to go out of town, the other goes as well. Period.”

  “Agreed,” he told her. Wheeling out of the parking spot when the road was clear, he darted down a side street. “I’ve slept horribly since I left. I cannot believe how quickly I became used to sleeping with you in my arms. I kept waking up thinking you were slipping out of the bed, only to realize you’d never been there in the first place.”

  “Well, no more sleeping alone. I’ve slept like crap as well. I’ve been sleeping in the chair down in the living room because it’s just too lonely in our bed. So I can’t wait to have you there with me once more. Holding me close and keeping me warm.”

  Reaching over, he took her hand, gave it a squeeze, and lifted it to his lips to press a kiss to her fingers. “After we make love, I plan on sleeping for a week. Quite possibly straight given how the last few weeks have been. Think I can talk you into sticking around to keep me company for part of that at least?”

  “I’m fine with that. You can talk me into being with you for as long as you want me to be there. I think that after we’ve made love, I intend to sleep for a week right along with you.” “Good.” He nodded. He let her hand go so he could make a tricky corner turn. They were on the street where the house sat, minutes away. She could feel the tension in the truck as they drew closer.

  As soon as they pulled into the drive, she had her belt unbuckled and was out the door before he had the truck in park. She was all but running for the door, laughing when he caught up to her. She turned off the alarm when he pushed her into the hall and began to peel out of her clothes once the door was closed. “Naked, now.” She wasn’t going to wait either. “And no more condoms. You are home with me. That’s what’s important.” She watched as his eyes got rounder. She grinned. “Now, naked?”

  “Put your roses in the kitchen and meet me upstairs. ‘Cause I need a bed, babe. No way in hell will I be able to stay upright if we go against the wall today.” He grabbed up her discarded clothing, gave her a kiss, and then raced for and up the stairs. “Quickly!” he bellowed.

  She took the flowers to the kitchen and put them in a bowl of water. She knew that it was dumb, but there was no way in hell she was going to hunt around for a vase. Not when he was naked. Once she had that done, she raced up the stairs and toward their bedroom. Seeing him there in the bed, she grinned. God love him, he was exhausted. His eyes were closed and he looked so relaxed. Turning off the light, she climbed into the bed at his side and laid her head on his shoulder. “Maybe we should make love after you’ve had sleep?” she asked softly when he pulled her closer.

  “Hell no,” he said with a bit of a growl. “I’ve been dreaming about having my lovely wife naked in bed with me again, and no way in hell am I wasting this bit of energy I have.” Rolling with her, Frank kissed her, one hand sliding down her side to curl around her leg and lift it up over his hip.

  She moved her other leg so that he was cradled in the vee of her thighs. “I’ve missed you too, husband.” She was married. It all felt so surreal to her. She had actually married Frank Carver. “So when we wake tomorrow sometime, should we plan our honeymoon?” she asked as she rubbed her foot up and down his thigh, holding him close as she did so.

  “We could,” he said. He was dropping kisses all over her face, neck, and upper chest. “Or we could make love again a few more times and worry about planning the honeymoon after my mother realizes I returned to town. That and the fact I didn’t call her to tell her I’d returned.”

  “Oh boy, she’s going to be unhappy with you. But she will understand. Now, make love with me, Frank. Let’s start working on Frank the Third, shall we?” She was hopeful that they would have a family one day and no longer wanted to take steps to prevent it.

  He jerked his head back and glared at her. “We are not naming any child of ours Frank. I love you more than I can say, Elizabeth Carver, but no more Franks. Not for a good long while. Our kids can use the name if they want, but no, just no.”

  “Then no Franks.” She touched her fingers to his cheeks. “As long as you are mine, that’s what’s important. I don’t care what we name any children we might be blessed with, as long as we are both active in their lives. That’s later. That’s one day in the far future. For now, fuck me, dammit.” She blushed when she spoke those words, but she needed him to know how serious she was about this.

  “I cannot believe you still blush,” he said. His lips curled into a slight smile. “I love that blush, though.” Nuzzling at her cheek, he slipped a hand down to cup her, and a finger slipped between her already slick folds to stroke her. “God, I’ve missed how wet and hot you always are for me.”

  “Always for you and only you. I swear it feels like sometimes I walk around with wet panties just from thinking of you.” Her hand closed around his turgid shaft and began to stroke him. “I live to please you just as you live to please me. That’s why we are so good together.”

  “You have that right,” he said. He rubbed his finger up and down a few times before withdrawing his hand. Sucking his finger into his mouth, he gave a low moan. “Fuck, I miss the taste of you. It’s been way too long. Later, I plan on drinking from your sweet little pussy while you come for me, but right now…” Knocking her hand off his cock, Frank lifted her leg and slid deep into her pussy.

  Eli arched back and against Frank. “Jesus.” She had never before had anyone inside of her without a condom and she liked it. The feeling of each vein in his cock rubbing against her inner walls, and of the domed head bumping against her had her sobbing. “Later, I will let you do just that. Drink from my pussy.”

  “Good,” he said. Growling softly, he began a slow thrusting, taking his time while he adjusted her a little here and a little there. When she was in whatever position he must have approved of, Frank started to thrust harder, deeper, and with longer strokes.

  “Oh God, yes.” She cried out and pushed back against him once more. “That’s it.” She sobbed and moved harder against him. Everything about this experience was just what she needed. “Missed you. God, I missed you so much.”

  Kissing her, he nipped at her lower lip. “Never fucking again,” he said with a small grunt. “Never will I be separated from you for any extended period of time. It practically drove me insane.”

  “Good.” Her nails were biting into his shoulders. She moved her leg once more to wrap tighter around his hips. She held him where she wanted him. “God, yes.”

  Cupping her ass, he squeezed with each thrust. Frank peppered kisses over her lips, her cheeks, and chin. Again, he caught her mouth for a deep kiss. His thrusts stopped the smooth rhythm, and became quick, jerky, and shorter.

  Eli felt her climax coming. She kissed him, held him close, and wiggled slightly. “Come,” she demanded. “Please. I need you to come with me. Now.”

  “Scream for me, baby,” he demanded. “Squeeze me.” He gripped her ass, nipping at her chin, and kept thrusting. “So close. Come for me, Elizabeth. Come now, damn it.”

  Eli didn’t deny him. She screamed his name and arched back. She gripped him tightly, both her arms, legs, and her pussy gripping and clenching at him. She shuddered, a second gasp escaping her throat as she came a second time.

  “Fuck!” His whole body went tight, a small vibration rocking his muscles as he stilled. Then came the splash of heat from his semen inside of her. With a low moan, he collapsed over her, pressing her deeper into the bed.

  “Holy Christ.” She felt her pussy clenching at his cock. The feeling of the heat of his seed filling her was surreal. It was something she had never felt before and she loved it. “So good. God, I want that every time that we come together from here out, please?” She yawned. “I love you, Frank Carver.”

  “I love you, too, Elizabeth Carver.” She felt his lips curl into a smile against her throat. Then he yawned wide, his b
ody shaking from the force of it. “Damn, I’m even more exhausted than I realized.” With a couple of muttered words, he flipped them over so she was on top.

  Eli didn’t move at all. She just rested her cheek against his chest and, with her eyes closed, she whispered, “Tomorrow we will figure out what we are doing next, but, for now, sleep.”

  His arms slid around her, giving her a hard squeeze before he relaxed. “Sleep is very good indeed. Grab those blankets, if you would, love. I can already feel parts of me cooling that really should never get chilled.”

  “Okay.” She reached down and grabbed the blankets. Once they were pulled up and around them, Eli let out a satisfied yawn. This was what she had been missing, Frank holding her and keeping her warm. “Never sleeping alone again, Frank. Just warning you.”

  “Agreed,” he breathed out.

  Chapter Nine

  Late the next day, very late the next day, Frank and Eli finally crawled out of bed. They pretty much had to. Both of their bellies were being incredibly loud and obnoxious. While Eli was off in the kitchen making them something to eat, Frank got on the phone with Brant. He’d promised his brother an update as soon as he was able. No better time really.

  Sitting down where he could see part of the kitchen, and Eli’s sweet little ass while she worked, he made the call.

  “Where are you?” Brant asked without even a hello.

  “Hello to you too you little shit,” Frank muttered. “I’m at home right now, sitting and watching my wife make us a snack. Why?”

  “We need to talk, and I really don’t think we should do it over the phone. I’ll be there in ten,” his brother said.

  Ten minutes? How the hell? “Uh, how are you going to manage that?”

  “I’m in Massey right now. Sit tight, and no matter what, don’t take any calls from anyone until we talk.”

  “Okay, see you in ten.”

  Hanging up, Frank frowned. “Eli, love. You might want to make a little extra. Brant’s on his way over,” he called out to her.

  He saw her eyes go a bit wide and heard the wobble in her voice. “What’s going on? Frank?”

  “I don’t know, love. I was going to update Brant on some things that I was doing that related to the case here, but he cut me off.” Moving to her, he wrapped her in his arms and pressed a kiss to her temple. Closing his eyes, Frank breathed in her soft scent, one that was all Eli. “It’ll be okay, love. Promise.”

  “I hope so. I love your brother like my own, but if he even dares to think of asking you to leave again, I promise you that I will have a fit. No questions about it.”

  “All right, but you shouldn’t worry. I’m sure it was merely precautionary on his part in keeping whatever he wants to discuss off the phone lines. He knows as well as I do that nothing is as secure as people are led to believe.” The doorbell rang then. Checking the clock on the stove, Frank frowned. “I have a feeling he’ll be getting several tickets in the mail soon enough.” Dropping a kiss to her lips, he turned and headed for the door.

  The scents of the bacon cooking followed him out of the kitchen. When he and Brant walked back in, he saw Eli smile and offer Brant coffee.

  “Grab a seat, Brant,” Frank said. Taking the second cup Eli held out, he caught her hand and lifted it to press a kiss to her soft palm. “So, what’s going on that you had to get over here at the speed you did?”

  “Trouble with a capital T. But you go first. Tell me you got that fucker.”

  Frank gave him a nod as he joined his brother at the kitchen table. “He’s pinned in the net we strung up, and is only tightening the noose that was slipped around his neck without him ever realizing. I had an update on my phone when I woke, which is what reminded me to call you. They’ve gotten the last of the warrants and should be serving them in a few hours. They plan on doing it when they know he’ll be home, in bed, likely with a few of his purchases scattered about.”

  “Sick fucker. When will you know if everything sticks?”

  “Oh, it’ll stick.” Frank had seen to that. When he’d flown back overseas to deal with Jean-Marc Verdaan, his sole purpose of being there was to slip in undetected and gather up the evidence prior to the teams going in with the warrants. With his former group, they had an interesting little loophole they could work if they were very, very careful.

  He’d gotten everything they could possibly ever want or need. And he knew the rest of the team would ensure that Verdaan spent many long, horrible years in prison. Not one of those cute posh ones like the States had, but one where you slept with one eye open just to survive the night.

  “He will be seeing a lot of the inside of a nasty European prison. If we’re lucky, it’ll be one of those older, drafty ones where the guards are real dicks,” Frank said.

  “We can only hope,” Brant said.

  “So, what’s the big rush?”

  His brother shot a look to Eli, and then looked back his way. “We’ve been digging through our own mounds of evidence. And we have a huge problem. Your guy wasn’t the only one the former mayor was selling to. On top of all that, the guy that the mayor was selling to on top of your guy has someone else here in Massey. It’s all vague and in some sort of code, but about six months ago, it looks like Malcolm expanded his growing flesh sale business. We’re passing everything on to the Washington office in the hopes one of the geniuses there can crack the code. So far, no luck. The biggest problem is we’re having such growth here it’s a bitch to figure out who out of the newcomers could potentially be his other connection.”

  “He was talking about my guy, though. Why isn’t he talking about this second man?”

  “That’s just it,” Brant said. Leaning in, his brother braced his arms on the table. “I don’t think it is a man. I think it’s a woman, and she’s got Malcolm by the short ones on this. If he talks, he’ll end up with one hell of a short, but likely very painful, life. When I first brought it up in our question sessions, he went pale and practically passed out. Since then, if I so much as breathe about it, he clams up and redirects the conversation. He’s scared to death of this woman.”

  “If it is a woman,” Frank said.

  “Right, if it is a woman. But, Frank, everything inside of me says I’m right about this. It’s a woman, and she has something on Malcolm that has him doing everything he can to avoid the discussion.”

  Well, shit. That was just great. Scrubbing a hand over his face, Frank looked to Eli. “I don’t know what to suggest. But I’ll mention it to the team, and maybe the can ask my guy about it once they have him in interrogation. I doubt he’d know anything, but maybe we’ll get lucky.”

  “Good enough for me.” Brant nodded. “Now, I know you have bacon over there, Elizabeth. Why the hell are you not sharing with your favorite brother-in-law?”

  Eli’s laughter filled the room. Frank could hear the edge of fear, but she spoke without a wobble to her words. “I also have stuffed Brioche French toast with maple and bacon toppings. I have a nice fruit salad as well if you would like any?” She turned to the men with two plates piled high with food. “Now, eat.” She turned her back to them, and the once she turned around with her plate of food and the carafe of coffee, she settled in at Frank’s side.

  Reaching over, Frank clasped the back of her neck, leaned in, and gave her a kiss. “Thank you, love,” he said softly.

  ****

  Two hours later, Brant left the house having eaten everything she’d put in front of him and then some. She heard Frank shut and lock the front door before she felt him rejoin her in the kitchen. The heat of him came against her back a moment before his arms slid around her waist. “You okay?” he asked softly, his cheek resting against hers.

  Eli leaned back against Frank and just enjoyed being there with him. “I am scared. I hate that there is still someone out there using our town for sex trade, and we have to figure out how to make it stop. We will have to come up with a plan to make sure that these people pay for what they have done, free the
women they have, and make sure that it never happens here again. I know that doesn’t stop them, but if we take a stand, maybe those at our sides will as well.”

  “Brant will help the Feds get this thing ended once and for all. Since there’s only a slim drug connection still tying him to the case, I doubt he’ll be lead on it. He might be, but it’s doubtful. For now, let’s worry more about you and me, sweetheart. Later, we can worry about the rest of the town, yeah?”

  “I like how you think.” Eli turned in his arms so that she could wrap her arms around his neck and hug him tightly. “I think that you and I need to decide where we are going to go for our honeymoon. And yes, I want one. I want to get away from everyone and everything, please.”

  “I know, love,” he said softly. “I have a couple of ideas if you’re interested in taking a look. I have them on my laptop so we can see if any of them cater to your sense of romance.” Brushing a kiss to her lips, Frank rocked her in his arms slowly.

  Eli shivered and then grinned. “I know that if it’s something you’ve picked out, I love it already. I mean that. Anywhere that we go, as long as we are together, will be perfect.” She just needed to have him. Nothing else. Hell, she didn’t even need clothes as long as she had him.

  “Well, I do want some input, woman. Especially before I go and book the tickets. I’d hate to find out once we’ve arrived that you detest the local cuisine on principle, or for some woman-type reason. Don’t give me that look. You know you women have these reasons that no sane male can ever figure out yet seem perfectly sound to you. So let’s go and take a look.”

  “Deal. Do you know at least when you would like to go?” She moved to grab his hand in hers to tug him toward their bedroom. “Where is your laptop?”