“We never talked about his life, Hugh. That wasn’t part of the deal.” Her expression turned dull.
“Is one of those his glass?”
“Yes.”
“How many glasses did he have?” Hugh noticed the bottle was empty and still sat next to the glasses.
“Two.”
“How about you? How many did you have?”
“One.”
He opened his mouth to ask another question, but the front door burst open and Maggie’s mother, Rosie, barreled in, her hands clamped against her chest. “Where’s my girl? Where is she?” Her silver hair was wrapped in pink rollers and she wore a bright red nightgown that billowed behind her as she moved.
Maggie jumped up from the couch. “Mom? What are you doing here?”
Hugh watched as Rosie dragged Maggie against her bosom, holding her tight. She then pushed her daughter away, looking Maggie up and down. Some of the deep wrinkles around Rosie’s eyes softened. Maggie, though, seemed angered. “Are you okay? Are you hurt? Why didn’t you call me? I had to receive a call from your neighbor. When she told me Sheriff Jericho was here I almost fell over. Who was taken out in a body bag?”
“I’m sorry, Mom.” Maggie sniffled. “You shouldn’t be here. I would have called if I needed you.”
“Where else would I be? If my daughter is in some sort of trouble, I want to know.” The older woman spun on house shoes, nailing Hugh with a skeptical glare. “Sheriff, is my daughter in trouble?”
“No, Rosie.” Hugh scratched his chin. “Maggie, I think I have everything I need from you for now. As of right now, this is a crime scene. Can you stay with your mom a few days?”
“A crime scene?” Rosie flushed. “What is happening?” Maggie blinked, but before she could answer, Rosie stepped forward. “Of course, she will stay with me.”
Hugh nodded. “I might need you to come down to the station and answer more questions.”
“Yes, I will if you need me to. Thank you, Hugh.” Maggie appeared in a daze.
After she left, Ben asked, “Sheriff, anything more you need from me?”
“Go home and be with your wife. There’s no reason for both of us losing sleep tonight.”
Once he was alone, Hugh sat on one of the bar stools and stared into the living room. Why did he feel as if something was missing? Why would Maggie call him and not the paramedics? And why did she want to get involved with a man like Reed?
He slid off the stool and took a step, then stopped. It was then that he saw the large shoe print. Taking out his flashlight, he investigated the mark closer. Someone had stepped into dirt, and the print wasn’t from one of his deputies.
Inside the evidence bag, he took out Reed’s shoes and examined them. Not a speck of dirt marred the polished loafers. Who did the print belong to?
Outside, he walked around the perimeter of the house until he finally found a matching print in the flower garden near the back door.
What he could have easily called an accidental death was suddenly becoming very suspicious.
~~~~~
Adira spread out a blanket and pillow on the floor of Hugh’s office and took a step back to scan the setup, smiling. She’d set the tapered candles along his desk and turned on the seductive music on the radio. She’d dressed for the occasion and hoped Hugh approved. She pulled the long jacket from her shoulders and dropped it to the side, then laid down on the makeshift bed, trying out various positions until she believed she found a pose that made her look sexiest in the itty-bitty red corset. Never had she worn something so sexy, so intimate.
Hugh had been MIA for days. He was wrapped up in the case of Marshall Reed’s death. Although he hadn’t told her much except that he was found dead, she realized there was a lot more he was keeping to himself, and she didn’t pry. As much as she disliked Reed, never had she wanted him dead and hoped the man had made peace within himself.
Whether she liked it or not, she missed Hugh. What should be happiness that her time was dwindling, instead she felt sadness.
However, tonight she would only concentrate on spending time with him.
Trying to get comfortable on the blanket, she realized it might be best if she wasn’t lying down when he came in.
So, she moved to his desk and angled her body so that her legs were elongated and her breasts were lifted in the corset. From what Carol had told Adira, he should be here any time so she wouldn’t have to stand in the agonizing posture too long.
Hearing the jiggling of the handle, the door swung open and a tired-looking Hugh strolled in, stopping dead in his tracks when he saw her. She lifted one knee and gave a striking pose that she hoped looked as sexy as she envisioned in her mind. His eyes widened and the corner of his mouth lifted. “So, this is why you didn’t answer my call.”
“I’ve been at a surprise bachelorette party for Presley this evening.”
“I thought bachelorette parties happened before the wedding?”
“They do, but Pippa, Harley, Sammie, and I decided since Presley and Urban married so quickly and she missed out, we thought she deserved a night with the girls. I hope this is okay, but you have been out of touch lately.” She wagged her brows.
“I can’t think of anything I needed more than this tonight.” He walked straight to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, drawing her against him. “I’m sorry I have been so busy.”
She pulled back and cupped his cheeks. “You’re only doing your job, but I am a bit disappointed. I’m supposed to be helping you and this is about the only way I know how.”
“Honestly, I didn’t expect to see you…in this way again. I know we haven’t had time to finish our discussion from the other night…”
“And now isn’t the time.” She kissed him quickly on the lips.
“I guess not.” He kissed her neck, gliding his tongue along the length until he reached her ear lobe, then he whispered, “Thank you for thinking of me. The candles. The music. And this.” He slid his fingers down the red satin material of the corset. “You look beautiful. Sexy.”
Looking into his pale blue eyes, she wanted to stay right here. “How about for tonight, at least for a few hours, you forget that your Sheriff with a big case on your hands and enjoy yourself? I have a surprise.”
“Yeah? I see that.” He tapped his finger on the lace of her top.
“This is only part of it. You see, the ladies and I stopped at that little toy shop just outside of town to do some shopping.”
His brows scrunched as if he was confused, and then his eyes lit. “You mean…?”
“Yes. The adult toy store.” She chuckled, barely able to contain her excitement. “That’s where I got this.” She rolled her hips and puffed her hair.
He pulled her in and gave her a long kiss on the lips. “This is definitely the best surprise.”
Chapter 11
Hugh stared at the red corset that lifted her lovely, firm breasts high, how the material accentuated her slender waist and flared hips.
“I’m glad you like it.” She followed the frilly lace along her breasts with her fingers, working her bottom lip. He couldn’t put into words how glad he was to see her. For the last few days, he’d been caught up in the Reed case. After they’d received the preliminary report back from the autopsy and found that he had a high level of fentanyl in his blood, what should have been a clear-cut case of a heart attack had become a homicide. And even more puzzling, Reed didn’t have any prescribed meds in his blood. That meant he hadn’t taken Viagra before he climbed into bed at Maggie’s. Logically, he would have taken it a few minutes before so it had time to start working. And the kicker was… the number on his phone traced back to Joe Peterson.
Why would the two men be talking? From Hugh’s understanding, the men had a falling out.
“Hugh, if you’re not into this tonight…”
“I am. I really am.” He needed her.
“So, do you think you can put the case aside for now? I won’t have my feelings
hurt if you have to work.” She smiled shyly, but it had the force of a vixen.
“Please, stay.” He swallowed hard, pushing beyond his overwhelming thoughts. He brushed his fingers along the satiny material of her top, rolling his finger on the tiny button of the bodice. “Damn. You’re a welcome sight.”
“You might have to show me how much you like my outfit.” Her eyes twinkled.
“I’ll do my best.” He gave the top of the corset a gentle tug and her naked breasts popped out. Her nipples were pink pillows of beauty. “You’re perfect,” he muttered. He reached out to sweep his thumb along the rosy tip. His zipper stretched.
Her chest rose and fell as she arched her back ever so slightly, bringing her breasts higher. “There’s. More. To the surprise.”
“Yeah?” His cock grew another inch. He wasn’t sure what more she could have done to make this anymore special.
“You see, the girls and I had a bet, and I lost.” She peered up at him, her bottom lip puckering, and he had an image of her mouth wrapped around him again. He rolled his finger around her areola and she sucked in a breath. He liked how responsive and sensitive her body was when touched her. She was a beautiful, sensual woman who deserved to be made love to every day.
“I hate when that happens.”
“You might like this one.” Her voice shook.
“Ah, now I’m really wanting to hear what the surprise is, but I’m even more curious if my sisters-in-law know about us.” He cocked a brow.
She worked her bottom lip. “Well, let’s just say they have an uncanny knack for knowing what’s happening on the ranch, not to mention me staying the night isn’t too subtle of a message.”
“Even if you weren’t spending the night they still would have linked us together. Now, back to that surprise.” He kissed her cheek and each corner of her mouth. “These jeans are getting mighty uncomfortable.”
“Let’s play a game of hide and seek. How good are you at following clues? The trail starts here.” She tapped the fringy lace of the corset and took a step back, leaning against the edge of the desk.
He followed the delicate material. The front was fastened with a matching ribbon and he wondered what would happen if he gave the ends a good tug. He’d like to know, but he was playing a game and finding that surprise. Lower, close to her hip, he saw a small bulge in the material. After investigating further, he saw that it was a tiny pocket holding a black controller with an off/on switch and a dial. “Am I warm?”
“So hot you’re about to melt me.”
Hugh switched the button to on. He heard a vibration and, at the same time, she jerked, her face flushing. “Holy smokes. Is this what I think it is?”
“Yes. A bullet with your name on it,” she teased.
“Yeah, a bullet all right. I think I’ve just been blasted into another world.” With a slight turn of the dial, the vibration grew louder and the pink tinge on her cheeks turned darker. And her bottom lip trembled.
“I-I hope...this isn’t…too presumptuous of me.” She was gripping the desk tight, her knuckles were white and her body was now shaking. “If you don’t like it, we can pull it—”
“Fuck. I’m so turned on I could go in my jeans.”
“You really like this?”
“I feel sorry for my brothers that their wives lost the bet.” He turned up the dial a notch. She squirmed.
“Pippa said this would definitely get your engine running.” Her voice was breathless.
Roman’s wife was a genius. “I want to see all of you when you orgasm.” He tugged the ribbon and just as he’d hoped it would, the bodice parted and slipped down her hips and legs to tumble at her feet in a satin puddle. That’s when he noticed the sexy heels she wore. They too had ribbons that were tied at the back of the ankles. His fingers itched to tug them free too, but he had a better idea. “Keep the heels on, sweetheart.”
Now she stood before him, covered only in a tiny thong. He didn’t waste any time slipping his finger into the elastic and dragging the scanty panty down her quivering hips and allowing it to join the corset. He pasted his eyes on her mons, and seeing the thin string hanging from her almost made his shaft unbearably hard. He loosened his hold on the remote before he crushed the plastic.
Another slip of the dial and she let out a small moan. Her eyes closed and she smiled like the cat who ate the juicy canary.
He pulled her to him, loving how her soft curves fit against his hard body. He nestled his bulging zipper in the vee of her thighs and she purred, her back arching. If he didn’t have his jeans on he wouldn’t have been able to resist the need to jerk the bullet out and slam into her. Thankfully, the barrier tamed his need some and he could take things a bit slower than his body urged.
Wrapping his hands around her tiny waist, he lifted her, placing her on the desk, not caring that she was sitting on files and paperwork. He couldn’t think past his erection and her sweet looking pussy and the rhythmic vibration of the toy. She laid back and bent her knees, using her feet to brace the edge of the wood.
“Spread your legs for me,” he murmured.
Without hesitation, she opened and he sucked in a breath. Her pink mons glistened with desire and the ribbon moved with the vibration. “I-I will go soon.”
“That’s what I want.” He grinned, breathing in her sweet, musky scent. He brought one hand to her bare breast, rolling his forefinger around the tight nipple. Her back arched, bringing both breasts higher.
Her knees opened wider. He enjoyed how responsive she was, knowing he could bring her orgasm with just his fingers and it wouldn’t be long.
Removing his hand, he followed the natural slender line of her stomach, belly button to the apex of her thighs covered in a soft thin layer of curls that matched her hair. He liked that she wasn’t completely shaven—liked even more that she made whimpering noises in the back of her throat.
Brushing the backs of his knuckles over her slit, wetness coated his fingers and he realized she was ready for him—but he still had more exploration to do before he gave in. As much as he wanted to unzip his pants and take her wild and hard, he also wanted to take things slow.
Her whimpers turned into deeper moans that echoed off the white walls of the office. He was glad they were alone in the building otherwise they might draw attention. His balls tightened and throbbed.
Moving his fingers, teasing her seam, he followed the slippery slit until he found her clit as he turned the dial one more time, to the halfway mark. She cried out and gripped his shoulders, and he ignored her desperate pleas for release as he lowered his mouth to her mons. Her scent filled his nostrils, making his mouth salivate. Rolling his tongue over the swollen clit, he drew invisible figure eights, then suckled the flesh. Her lips vibrated against his tongue and he could feel the movement all the way into his gut.
~~~~~
Adira had always wanted a man who made her feel comfortable in following her every wanton desire. Hugh was exactly the man she needed—wanted. She’d gone from zero to one hundred in a matter of minutes and she lay sprawled on the desk coming down from an orgasmic high when he said, “Come here, sweetheart.”
Lifting herself on elbows, she looked up at him as he swiped the back of his hand across his glistening lips. With wobbly legs, she slid from the desk and he held her steady. “Bend over,” he commanded in a rough, raw voice.
Her inner thighs trembled at the tone. She loved that she was the culprit of his inner turmoil. Willingly, she turned and bent over, lifting her bottom high in silent invitation. The bullet slowed and the vibration stopped, a second later she heard his zipper and she squirmed in anticipation. Yet, he didn’t remove the bullet as she expected.
His large, warm hands spread her ass cheeks as she felt the ribbon between her legs tug. He moved the vibrator against the walls of her clenched muscles. Another rush of tingles made her suck in a breath.
“You have the nicest ass. Firm. Tight.”
“Hugh?”
“Ye
s, darlin’?” His words came out in a groan.
“I need you.”
She felt his fingers between her cheeks, then a slight push along the seam. Holding her breath, she backed her body up, pressing against him. The ribbon was tugged and the bullet slid out, then he slammed his large cock into her with one complete thrust, stretching her sheath. Vibration reached her ears a second before he pressed the slick toy against her butt and the combination of his cock inside her and the vibration was amazing.
“Come for me, baby.” He pulled his cock out, then pushed into her, again and again, until he leaned over her, threading his fingers in her hair.
Sensations she’d never known before raced down her spine right to the spot where their bodies connected. His hand came to her shoulder, holding her steady as his thrusts became harder, wilder.
Her muscles turned to jelly and she clenched around his cock. Her sensitive breasts pressed against the cool wood of the desk. With each thrust she cried out, pleasure enfolding her in its mesmerizing clutch. The tingles started in her toes and slowly, easily, crawled up her legs. She arched her back and a muffled scream slipped from her lips. Release came and held her hostage.
“Adira. Adira…” Her name fell off his lips and in one final thrust, he spilled inside her.
He still held her tight as he gave several jerky bucks.
Lifting her chin, she could see his reflection through the large glass picture. His eyes were closed, his head tilted to the side and his jaw tight. She could stay here forever, watching the sexy cowboy. But time continued…
He pulled out of her and she heard his zipper. Pushing herself off the desk, she turned and smiled. “That was amazing.”
“Better than amazing.” His sleepy grin set off a bouncing ball on her insides.
She stepped across the room, grabbed the long jacket she’d brought, and quickly dressed, then gathered up the corset and bullet. Her cheeks flushed remembering how she’d had the toy inside her. Looking at him, she wondered if he would look at her differently? Make fun of her as Preston had done after they’d experienced something new. He liked when she was open to new things, but he used it as leverage to make her feel dirty after.
Hugh's Chase (Saddles & Second Chances Book 5) Page 11