A Nash Mystery Box Set

by Vella Day

  He sipped the wine then swirled the remaining liquid around in the glass. She might not be an expert on reading people, but there was something he wasn’t telling her. Be that way. Sky poured herself a third glass of wine.

  “You sure you should be drinking like that?” A hint of smile crossed his lips, probably remembering her low tolerance level.

  “Yes.” Like she’d ever tell him she was drinking because she wanted to be uninhibited when she ripped off his clothes and had her way with him.

  “How’s Chris these days? Hear much from him?”

  Her hand stilled. That came out of left field. Talk about a mood killer. “I broke up with him a while back.”

  “Nice.”

  Now she regretted not telling Kane before.

  He set down his glass and plucked a rose from the vase. “Come on.”

  She swigged down the rest of her wine. “Where to?”

  “Trust me.” He winked.

  “What are you planning?” she asked, wanting confirmation before she obeyed.

  “I think you know,” he said, dragging a knuckle down her cheek.

  As much as she wanted to jump his bones, she wanted to be sure that he truly was interested. She’d just told him she and Chris were through. “Are you sure you’re ready to move on?”

  He slipped his hands down her shoulders. “If you’re asking me if I will forget my wife, the answer is no, but it’s time that I move on. It’s what she would have wanted.”

  He grabbed Sky’s hand and slowly led her over to the sofa, probably to give her time to tell him no—only she wouldn’t. The music filled the whole room, and the essence of steak and wine mingled with the sweet aroma of the flower he’d plucked from the centerpiece. He set the rose on the coffee table.

  “Lie down.” Without saying a word, he unlaced her right boot, keeping his eyes on her face the whole time. As he pulled off the first one, along with her sock, he let one finger drag across the bare skin of her ankle so lightly that she had to glance down to see if he was actually touching her or if it was just the sudden rush of hormones causing her skin to tingle. He repeated the divine movement on the other side.

  Kane stepped over to each of the lamps and flicked them off. Had it not been for the light filtering in from the kitchen, she wouldn’t have been able to see at all. “I want you to close your eyes and not move, no matter what I do,” he said.

  “Why?”

  He held up a hand. “Sky.”

  Because she trusted him with her life and with her heart, she bit her lip and pressed her legs together so as not to appear too eager. Then she did as he asked.

  With her eyes shut, she listened to his feet move across the wood floor and tried to figure out what he was doing. A match struck the side of a box and that tangy smell of phosphorus wafted over to her. Even through her closed lids, light danced. She’d had the dang candle for over two years and had never lit it.

  She had no idea what was in store, but whatever it was, it would be memorable. With her head on a throw pillow and her feet extended, she should be almost asleep, but the tingling that raced up her legs and the wetness building between them made her heart pound.

  Kane scooted her legs closer to the back of the sofa and sat next to her waist. He smelled of charcoal and smoke, and she wanted to reach up and touch him, but decided that for once in her life, she’d follow directions and not move. His breathing was even, but his thigh against her tensed. Something velvety soft touched her forehead, and it took her a moment to realize it was the rose!

  He dragged the flower over the bridge of her nose and down her lips before caressing her throat. The scent of sweetness teased her nostrils, and she inhaled deeply. He brushed the petal over her eyes, lingering there before returning it to its downward path. Around and around, the soft swirls relaxed every muscle, and she couldn’t help but smile.

  “No moving,” he warned.

  He wanted her not to react at all? That wasn’t possible when every nerve in her body fired off electrical pulses of pleasure, making her toes curl.

  “I won’t lie. I want you, Sky.” His hand rested on her zipper.

  “I want you just as much.”

  He exhaled on a large huff and then unzipped her jeans, the metal teeth clicking open one by one. Remaining still when he was doing such wondrous things to her body was one of the hardest things she’d ever been asked to do.

  “Keep your eyes closed. Promise?”

  She nodded and moaned in anticipation. The rose returned to kiss her lips, and he moved it back and forth until her mouth was swollen with desire. She wanted to yank the flower away from him to stop the intense sensations, but the lazy movement held such caring and sensuality, she didn’t dare interrupt his dance.

  “Lift your hips.”

  Once again, she followed his command, and after a few tugs, he slipped off her jeans, the material slowly dragging over her thighs and across her calves. The flower of torture found a new location. It traveled over her belly, then made its way between her legs for what seemed like an eternity, before he dragged it over her hips, thighs, and calves, the touch so light it tickled the small hairs on her legs. He treated the bottom of her feet to the delightful petal touch, but each brush of the flower wreaked havoc with her senses. Each caress was so sweet and soft, it ratcheted up the need for him to be on her and then in her. She was pulsing with desire.

  The pressure on the sofa disappeared. What? The legs of the coffee table scraped on the floor, and then his breath cascaded across her belly, even though his lips didn’t touch her.

  “I want you.” Each of his words caressed the hairs on her stomach.

  The flower suddenly landed on her lips as if he was forbidding her to respond. The lack of his touch drove her crazy. She wanted to feel his hands on her body and willed his lips to her mouth. Damn him for withholding the pleasure. His plan must be to drive her over the edge.

  “Be right back.” The sound was so low she almost didn't catch what he said.

  A moment later, cool liquid pooled in her belly button then overflowed onto her stomach. The shock of the cold made her suck in her breath, and she fisted her hands to keep from grabbing him. This torture was too much. From the tangy, rich scent, it was wine. When his tongue licked her navel, she inhaled, the throbbing between her legs intensifying at his mere touch. A groan escaped. She elevated her hips and slipped her hands underneath her butt, her willpower having evaporated. She could almost taste him on her tongue even though she hadn’t licked him—yet. And lick him she would.

  He slid his fingers under her shirt, and the rough pads of his fingertips prickled her skin. “Sit up a bit,” he commanded.

  She didn’t mind following any of his instructions. Off went her shirt, and a few seconds later, her bra followed. She waited for his tongue, but apparently, he had more frustration in mind. One by one, he dropped rose petals on her breasts then blew air across each once so that they fluttered over her chest up to her neck. Her core ached. Hell, she ached all over. How much more did he expect her to withstand?

  The tips of his thumb danced over each nipple, and no doubt they were standing erect, worshiping him. He tweaked one nipple, and then the next, sending erotic messages to every inch of her. From the way his breath skated across his skin, he was close to losing control.

  Her inner walls contracted, again and again, her climax brimming. She bucked her hips up and down and fisted her hands, wanting him to see that this wasn’t fair, but he didn’t seem to notice. She moaned loudly, and as her orgasm claimed her, she let out a yell.

  Breaths rapid, she collapsed back onto the sofa. She defied him and opened her eyes. She’d never come before with so few touches.

  Kane leaned back grinning. “You liked that?”

  She swatted at him. “You bastard. If you ever do that again, I’ll have to arrest you for torturing an officer of the law.” Her glance went from his face straight to his crotch where his huge cock was peeking out from the top of his low-
rise jeans. “I see I wasn’t the only one turned on.”

  “That you weren’t.”

  Without another word, he stood and stripped off his jeans and shirt that showcased muscles and sinew bulging everywhere. “Wow.”

  “You’re the wow in this duo.”

  “Can you just shut up and kiss me?” she begged.

  And then he did—after he donned a condom he just happened to have nearby. Kane obeyed very well when he wanted to. The kisses weren’t soft either. He devoured her lips while his hands plied her body. In a flash, her panties were gone and he eased inside her, each inch stretching her wide, and taking her higher and higher.

  “You feel so damned good, girl.”

  “So do you.” Joining with Kane was better than she could have ever imagined.

  He pumped and thrust, acting as if this might be his last moment on Earth. Heat built inside her as her inner walls clamped down on his hard shaft, wanting to keep him inside her forever.

  Between the blood rushing to her brain, pounding against her skull, and her screams of ecstasy, she barely heard the grunts and groans of his pleasure. His fingers tightened on her shoulders as he dipped his head and kissed her again, their tongues trying to possess each other.

  Time flew as their passion soared, and finally, their time together ended with a shattering release. She was spent, never having experienced anything so remarkable in her life.

  Kane lay on top of her, and as much as she wanted to say something, no words came out. Kane too seemed speechless. Once he caught his breath, he stood and carried her into his bedroom. As he placed her under the sheets, she’d never been so happy in her life.

  The sound of wind buffeting the windows woke her, forcing Sky to crack open an eye. The glowing clock read 7:00 a.m. and Kane was no longer in the bed. She sat up quickly but immediately regretted the movement. Her head pounded, but not so bad she couldn’t function. They’d made love—twice! Once in the living room earlier, and then last night in his bed. She fell back onto the pillow and nearly giggled. The room smelled of their hot, passionate sex.

  As she exhaled, his voice filtered in through the door. Kane was speaking to someone in the kitchen, or else he was on the phone.

  Sky slipped out of bed. Not wanting to walk into the kitchen naked, she pulled on the shirt he’d worn last night and inhaled his scent. Without panties, she managed to tiptoe out of the guestroom and into her own bedroom without him noticing.

  She drew on jeans without underwear and planned to eavesdrop just in case Kane was speaking to the General. She stood by the kitchen entrance out of his sight and leaned against the doorjamb.

  “Her only choice is to quit being a cop, and she'll never do that.” Her heart dropped to her stomach. He was talking about her? “She’s great. I agree, but it isn’t going to work, I’m telling you.” He paused. “We just don’t have the kind of relationship we would need for things to work out in the long run.” This was followed by a long silence. “We got along in the beginning and had great times working together, but I don’t have that strong of an attachment to make a go of it.”

  Sky’s knees almost buckled. He never said he loved her last night, but she assumed he at least liked her a lot. For starters, he had taken such care to make her happy before he sought his release. True, she anticipated he’d leave someday, just not now. Dear God, she’d been a fool.

  Chapter 24

  “Sky?” Kane had his hand around her arm helping her to remain upright as he pressed the phone closer. “Listen. I gotta go. Talk to you later.” He swiped off his cell and stuffed it in his top pocket. “Why are you hiding?” His voice came out soft and not accusatory. He must have realized she’d overheard his conversation.

  Sky pasted on a smile. “I wanted to surprise you.”

  “You did.” He tapped her nose. “Listen. I need to take care of some business this morning. Promise me one thing?”

  “Sure.” How she managed to smile with her broken heart barely managing to beat she didn’t know. Inside, her stomach was devouring itself, probably eating the heart that had dropped into her gut.

  “Please stay in the house.”

  She refrained from tossing out a retort, mostly because she wasn’t in the mood to listen to his bluster this morning. “No problem. I’ve got lots to keep me busy around here.” He had to see she was lying.

  “Good.”

  Guess not, or else he didn’t care enough to question her. He kissed her quickly and then practically ran out the door, acting like he hadn’t just told the person on the phone that he didn’t give a shit about her.

  She didn’t move until the sound of his engine disappeared down the road.

  In an attempt to keep from breaking down, Sky went through the motions of fixing breakfast. Too bad the eggs tasted like rubber, and the coffee did nothing to help the headache that fully blasted her. She wanted to cry and beat something, but her energy had disappeared. How dare he say there wasn’t a strong attachment between them? There was, dammit. She slapped the table, and the coffee sloshed out of the cup. The tears trickled out at first, before the sobs came in full force.

  She’d been abandoned again. What was wrong with her? Her rational side screamed, nothing, but her emotional side said she was just plain unlovable. She bet Kane would say she was too stubborn, didn’t listen, and was too afraid to open her heart.

  “That’s not true,” she announced to the air.

  Hoping a hot shower might help shed some light on this mess, she placed her dishes in the sink, and then disappeared into the bathroom. While the hot water and lavender scented body wash soothed her skin, her heart wouldn’t stop crumbling. Not in the mood to enjoy the shower, she finished and dressed in her fanciest outfit, hoping her new blue top would cheer her up—and it did somewhat. She put on makeup and even curled her hair, but then decided she looked dumb all dressed up with no place to go.

  Sky stared in the mirror at a person she barely recognized. Anger, frustration, and depression nearly swallowed her. Her life was in shambles, plain and simple. Not only was she on suspension from a job she’d worked her ass off for, the man she was falling in love with had rejected her.

  Follow your dream.

  That little person in her head screamed at her to do something positive with her life instead of wallowing in despair. With the military out to frame her, it might be smarter to just leave town, because, knowing her, if she stayed, she’d be tempted to go back to the Base.

  Hell, she’d been wanting to visit her cousin, Jessie, is West Virginia, for quite some time, and a few days of rest might help clear her head. If she recalled correctly, Jessie’s man used to commute to Kerry, West Virginia from Baltimore. Perhaps he could even help her find a job in the big city.

  Sure, Harriet and Earl would miss her, as would her dad, but that would be all. Harvey, Elmer, and the Chief would forget about her in a week. Sky would catch the next flight out east and call Harriet when she was safely with Jessie.

  Happy with her decision to start living her dream, she tossed a few things into a suitcase, wrote a note to Kane about why she was leaving, and then headed out. For the first time in hours, Sky had pep in her step.

  Once in her car, she headed toward the Page Airport. The windy day had calmed, and the sun was shining brightly. She tried not to think about Earl, Pearl, or the good citizens of Savory. She’d miss them for sure, but they’d survive. She hoped Kane was successful in learning something about the Base and was able to expose them.

  Her thoughts were filled with regret, but this was the best thing for her. A light reflecting off something in front of her startled her. She reached up to shield her eyes from the glare when suddenly a trailer carrying cows entered the roadway directly in front of her car.

  “No, no, no. Shit.” She slammed on her brakes but couldn’t stop in time to prevent the collision. The airbag deployed and her whole body jerked forward. Her first thought was that this couldn’t be happening again. Then she mentally thanked her
dad for insisting she have airbags installed in her old VW. It had cost a mint, but now she was happy she had them.

  Instantly, the bag deflated, and she let out a big breath. Other than the blood pounding in her head, only the mooing of the cows reached her brain. She slumped forward, not willing to assess the potential damage to her body or her precious car.

  A few seconds later, a knock sounded on her window. “Hey, lady, you okay?”

  The moment Sky’s house came into view, and Kane saw her car was missing, he slapped the wheel. “Goddammit.”

  That pig-headed woman would never listen. He should have taken her with him, but if he had her by his side, he would have ended up kissing her endlessly and never would have been able to do any work.

  He let himself in, and in case she’d loaned her car to someone, called her name. “Damn it, Sky. Couldn’t you follow orders just this once?” he mumbled.

  She’d done a bang up job lasting as long as she had on that sofa, doing an amazing job of withstanding his brand of torture a lot better than he ever could. She’d followed his orders then, so what had changed?

  A note sat on the table next to her phone, and his gut churned. She always kept her cell with her. She must not want him to be able to contact her. He read her note: When I heard what you said on the phone this morning, I realized you didn’t want me the way I wanted you. With things being so heavy in town, together with my suspension, I’m going to follow my dream and be a detective in the big city.

  He had to read the message twice, and each time he did, the pain was like a saber through his heart. He let the paper float back to the table. What had he said on the phone to make her think that? Kane replayed his discussion and realized what had happened. “Oh, shit.”

  She was wrong, so very wrong.

  The worst part was that he had no way to contact her. He’d seen her standing there when he called his friend, but damn it, he wasn’t talking about Sky. Kane wanted to go after her, but he had no idea which big city she was talking about.