by Susan Stoker
Wow, the man was a cowboy through and through. Taking pity on him, she straightened her leg and crossed it. “Of course. Maybe some other time then.”
His gaze came up past her breasts this time and he gave her a grateful grin. “Yes, miss.” After tipping his hat, he climbed into the tan golf cart and drove back the way he came.
She couldn’t be sure if he was grateful for her invitation or that she had released her hold on him. What bothered her more was that she wasn’t even wet. After teasing a man like that and with the anticipation of oral sex, her juices should have been flowing.
Maybe a visit to casita number four was in order. If Hunter had reservations about them then hanging out during the day should be safe with so many people around. And if he was just mad at her, it served him right to take it on himself not to deliver a message.
Happy to have something to do, she jumped up and headed into her casita. The only problem would be disguising herself so none of the staff would recognize her. She may be on vacation, but being caught fraternizing with the guests after that bitch complained could get her in more trouble.
She’d have to go naked to pass as a guest, but her black hair and dove tattoo would be a dead giveaway. She must have something that could disguise her hair, maybe a bandana?
Thankfully, she hadn’t packed her bedroom yet. She opened her closet and turned on the light. Most of her clothes were sexy, but one side of her closet was specifically for sex, particularly sex play. Moving hangers one at a time didn’t help as all the clothing was too sexy. The cheerleader costume, Viking woman and demon were not going to fly on a nudist resort.
She glanced at the shelf above. “Oh, this could work.” She took down the box with the Viking wig. On top was a box labeled accessories. She might find something in there as well. Clipping her hair up, she pulled the wig out of the box and put it on.
“Oh please.” Two blonde braids made her look like an idiot. She’d never pass for a guest in that. She threw it back in the box. Hell.
She opened the accessories box. Now this had possibilities.
After rummaging through it, she pulled out three small hoops made to look like nipple and clit piercings, as well as a couple temporary tattoos. She’d put the rose on the side of her breast and the Celtic knot around her belly button.
She also pulled out face paint. It was a little lighter than her skin, but she could mix it with black liquid eyeliner to make it match so she could cover her real tattoo. She’d thought a lot about her dove before having it done. To her, a dove meant peace and that’s how she’d felt a year after settling into Mrs. B’s, completely at peace with herself.
But she still needed something to hide her hair.
Re-shelving the box with the Viking wig, she looked in a number of others. There was nothing. She shuffled through more hangers, looking for an idea of what she could do when she came across a twenties flapper costume. She must have had a wig with that because she’d never cut her hair. So where did she put it? She always knew where everything was.
She sat on the floor of her closet and tried to remember the last time she’d worn that costume. It was Halloween and she’d had nothing on underneath it. She’d had a short wig, platinum blonde, straight bob. So where was it?
Note to self: label boxes with more detail.
“Think, Adriana. What else could you have worn it for? If not a flapper then what?” Was it Halloween or sex play or Mardi Gras? “Mardi Gras! That’s it!” She jumped up and ran into her bedroom to grab a chair. Standing on it in her closet, she pulled down a box. She’d never been into Valentine’s Day, but she was all about Mardi Gras where anonymous sex was the norm, at least in her circles.
She opened the box. The wig sat on top. She quickly pulled it over her head and looked in her mirror. “Well hello there, honey.” It was perfect. Of course, to be a blonde it meant her little arrow of hair to her pussy would have to go. But that was okay as it would allow the hoop on her clit to show.
She immediately walked into the bathroom and took care of that issue. She rubbed her fingers over the smooth skin. She felt sexy all over again. It’d been years since she’d shaved everything.
Without a second thought, she pasted on the tattoos, clipped the hoops to her nipples and clit, and mixed up the heavy costume makeup. Standing in front of her three-way mirror, she checked all sides. She stilled as her gaze landed on the tiny red marks left from the whipping. At least it looked as if she wouldn’t scar. She had Hunter to thank for that.
What would he think of her like this? A need to know built, but she squashed it. For all she knew, he didn’t even want to talk to her anymore. Better to go where she was wanted. Finishing her inspection of her look, she smirked. “Perfect.”
Grabbing up one of the resort’s towels, she switched on her outside light just in case she was back after sunset and locked her door behind her. Finally, some fun to forget about her troubles.
*
Hunter loved riding with Julie. She was a very capable horsewoman, which was no surprise since she’d competed in Western Pleasure. As they stopped by the stream that ran along the mountain base, he dismounted and lifted her down. Damn, it was good to be home. It was like dating, learning each other all over again.
She’d grown even more beautiful while he was gone. She was also more timid around him. Part of that was his stupid dreams at night. But he was sure they would fade the longer he was around her.
After checking the ground for critters they might disturb, he spread the blanket and put the small wicker basket on it for her. As she sat and emptied the contents, he brought the horses to a shadier spot were wild grass grew.
When he turned back, he had to pause and drink in the peaceful picture of the scene. His wife’s wavy brown hair lifted with the slight breeze as she focused on laying out their lunch. A saguaro cactus rose up behind her on the other side of the stream like a sentinel and the purple-flowered thorn bush to the right made her appear so delicate.
He took a deep breath of the dry air. He should pick a flower for her and put it in her hair. That’s what he used to do. He strode toward her, his intention to bring her that flower, but instead he crouched down next to her and lifted her chin with his fingers. “I love you.”
She smiled shyly. “I love you, too.”
Ignoring the food she’d spread out, he lowered his lips to hers, his need to reclaim her too strong. He sensed her hesitancy. It was as if she was afraid of him and it rankled. It took all his willpower to pull back and sit.
Her smile returned as she handed him his sandwich and a bottle of beer.
He needed to take it slow, but he didn’t want to. He was too happy to be alive.
The burn of the M16 bullets as they hit his calves swept through his nervous system and his leg twitched.
Immediately, her brows lowered in concern. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” He looked away. He wasn’t fine. He wanted her. He wanted to feel alive again.
Wait, he hadn’t been wounded in his legs after his first tour. He was fine to make love to his wife. He wasn’t messed up. He was supposed to be proud and ready to celebrate. But now he was scarred in so many ways and he needed to find peace.
He pulled her against him, ignoring her squeak and kissed her, pushing her lips open so he could taste her sweetness.
But the taste was exotic, like cinnamon, and as he grasped her silky hair, he breathed in the scent of sage. She pushed her body against him and moaned. She wanted him as much as he wanted her.
Finally.
He pushed her back on the blanket and covered her with his body.
Her hips tilted toward him and ground against his hardening cock.
Shit, he needed to be inside her bad. He bunched up her split skirt, thankful to find no panties barred his way. With one hand, he unzipped his jeans and let his cock loose.
Her breathy voice echoed in his head. “Now.”
Yes, now. He pushed her legs wider and set his
cock at her wet entrance. Thank God she was ready because he had to be inside her.
He pushed his cock home in one quick glide, holding his position tight against her.
Another moan sounded in his ears and her pelvis pushed up against him as if she couldn’t get enough.
He pulled out and pumped back in, starting the age old movement that would bring him to bliss. He wanted bliss.
But he didn’t deserve it. He’d left his wife for another tour. He’d protected a general instead of her. He was alive and she was dead.
The woman beneath him laughed. “Now this is heaven.”
He leveraged himself up, his cock still inside her and stared into lively brown eyes.
“Do it.”
He wanted to resist. His brain said no, but his body was in control. Against his will he pulled out again and slammed back in.
“Yes!” Laughter followed.
He did it again and again, rocking Adriana’s body as he buried himself deep inside.
Her joy resounded in his ears, making him feel as her pussy sucked at him, forcing the beginning of pleasure to radiate outward from his groin.
She chanted as he rocked into her. “Yes. Yes. Live. Live.”
No. He couldn’t. But he was and his body tensed as her scream filled his ears and her sheath tightened around him, forcing his pleasure to explode.
Hunter opened his eyes to see the ceiling fan above his head. His body was covered in sweat and the sheets were soaked with come.
“Fuck.”
Chapter Seven
‡
Hunter rubbed the side of his face. That dream was the weirdest yet.
He glanced at the clock. It was four in the afternoon. Close enough. He rolled out of bed and walked into the bathroom. Turning on the shower, he stepped in and let the warm water calm his racing heart. He leaned his forehead against the shower wall.
She was making him feel good again. He didn’t want to feel good. He liked his anger. He deserved his pain. Why was she doing this?
An image of the shattered sliding glass door flashed across his mind. Fuck.
He’d been safe, the glass a barrier between watching and feeling. Then he had to go and break the glass. Now he knew what she tasted like, how she smelled, and the warmth of her body. He also had come to know her thoughts and her lust for life.
She was the bullseye and he was the bullet racing toward it, refusing to be redirected.
This sucked. Staying away from her wasn’t helping. Nothing helped. His control was slipping, over his need, his anger, his life. He had to take back control.
He moved his head beneath the spray and poured shampoo in his hand. As he washed what little hair he had, he threw out one plan after another to gain control.
As he lathered his body, it hit him. Maybe he needed to roll with it and through it, like taking a punch. Go with the momentum, let it take him into the motion and out. It might work. The only problem was, he wasn’t sure where exactly out would be.
He turned the water off and quickly dried himself. At least he could move forward on his private investigation. His friend had been delayed in getting to him because there were far too many things of greater importance, but once he’d focused on the source of the photo site, he’d been able to track it no problem, except it initiated from an office complex, and there were at least twenty business located there.
Hunter donned his black jeans and boots. He checked his face in the mirror. He needed a shave, but he wanted to take advantage of waking early and get to the main building before five.
Opening his closet, he pulled out a black, long-sleeve shirt and threw it on. He grabbed his hat and glanced at the slider on his way out to make sure the bar he cut to fit was still in place. Everything was secure. After locking both the door and the new deadbolt, he headed for the reception desk.
He tipped his hat to two couples walking toward the stables. They were probably going for the sunset trail ride. He still couldn’t see how riding a horse naked could be comfortable, even though Wade assured him they kept the horses to a walk. Frankly, he didn’t consider that “riding,” but for nude vacationers, it was probably a dream come true.
Walking into the building, his stride slowed. Lacey was not at the desk. Did she leave already? Damn, but it wasn’t five yet. He continued down the employee hallway to the back room. There he found her putting paper packets away in a cupboard.
His relief caught him by surprise. What was another day?
It was a delay his reawakened investigative abilities would not be happy with. He enjoyed this challenge. It reminded him of his days on the force and his first tour overseas. It gave him a sense of purpose, but more than that, he felt on top of his game. Energized. Happy.
No, not that, just productive.
“Lacey, I need your help.”
She started as he spoke. “Oh, Hunter.” Her hand covered her chest. “You scared me. What are you doing up so early? Nothing’s wrong, is it?”
“No.”
“That’s a good thing.” She closed the cabinet. “What can I help you with?”
He stepped back to the door and closed it then turned to face her. “What kind of information do you collect on guests when they make their reservations?”
She leaned back against the counter. “I get their name, address, phone number and credit card. Why?”
“I need all that information on every guest who has stayed here over the last month when the judge was here in order of most recent to oldest.”
Lacey’s eyes widened. “I don’t know if I can do that. That’s very sensitive information.”
“And I’m in charge of the security of this place. If I can’t keep it secret then we might as well close the place down.”
Lacey’s lips formed a self-deprecating smile. “Good point.” She clasped her hands in front of her. “But I should probably ask Kendra first.”
“No.” He needed to make Lacey an ally. “Do you think Adriana is innocent?”
“Of course.”
“Then you need to keep this between you and me.”
“But Kendra is just concerned about the resort. I’m sure she’d want to help. It’s not like she’s fired her.”
He looked away. He needed that information and if he had to break into Lacey’s computer, it might take days. Shit. “The reason Kendra hasn’t fired Adriana is because I told her if she did, I would walk.”
“What?” Lacey took a step forward to grasp the chair tucked against the table. “Why would you do that?”
Because Adriana was innocent. Because she didn’t deserve to be fired. Because he didn’t want her to leave. No, because it wasn’t right. “Justice. It’s about getting justice. Adriana doesn’t deserve to be fired without further investigation. If I uncover proof she set up the site and was paid for those photos, then fine. She should be fired.”
“You don’t think she did it either, do you?” Lacey’s gaze was intense.
“No, I don’t. It’s not how she operates.”
“Exactly! And Kendra knows that too. So why does she want to get rid of her?”
That was easy. “This is Kendra’s dream. If she gets rid of Adriana then she no longer has a problem and Poker Flat stands a chance of surviving. Kendra is thinking of all of us who would lose our jobs and not be able to find employment anywhere else.” Including him.
Lacey’s shoulders fell. “That’s true, but Adriana has done so much for Poker Flat. It’s not right.”
“No, it isn’t, so will you help me?”
She glanced at the clock. “I should be able to pull that up and get it printing, but I have to leave because Cole and I are going out. You’ll have to wait for the print to finish and shut down my computer for me.”
“I can do that.” He stepped back from the opening that led to the front desk area.
Lacey nodded and walked through.
This was just the first step, but if he could find someone who worked at a company in that office compl
ex, he might just find the true culprit. Then all he needed was the person’s relationship to Adriana and their motivation.
He followed Lacey into the front, his blood pumping with renewed purpose.
It took her no time to pull up the report. Once it started printing, she gave him a stern look with a quick lecture about turning off her computer so no one could get into it. He swallowed his smile and nodded.
Apparently that did it, and she was headed out the front door.
He didn’t need anything else from her computer. The only thing of interest to him would be Adriana’s background, but everyone who worked on the resort already knew that. She was more than happy to share.
And that’s why he was so certain she hadn’t set up the site to sell photos. He and Kendra had gone through every photo on Adriana’s cell phone but they didn’t find a single picture of a guest. Kendra wasn’t surprised and neither was he. He had the feeling Kendra wished they had. It would make it a lot easier if she’d been betrayed by her staff like she had once before.
But he’d found it very telling that none of the guests were in Adriana’s photos. The only pictures were her with other staff, some x-rated selfies in a three-way mirror, and the rest were pictures of her former dog and her car. There were no pictures of the girls she worked with at the bordello or of her old boss.
It said a lot about her. As open as she was, she never let anyone get close. A phrase from a poem he’d read in high school that had been resonating with him lately came to mind. “No man is an island.” Adriana appeared to be an island.
It made his existence to date appear full and yet she seemed to be the one full of life and himself half dead. But he had loved…and lost. The pain in his heart would always be there, but at least he had known what it was like to give his heart and hold someone else’s.
Guilt niggled at his brain. His parents loved him as well. So did his siblings and he’d shut them out, his pain too much to bear, barely contacting them over the last year. He dug his phone out of his pocket and scrolled through a couple dozen photos.
If he died tomorrow, these people would mourn him despite the fact he hadn’t talked to any of them in over a month. He hadn’t told them where he worked or lived to keep them from visiting. He should call them soon.