Dwyer, Dixie Lynn - Angelique [Orchidea: Love on the Bayou 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Dixie Lynn Dwyer

  * * * *

  By four o’clock in the afternoon, Angelique made up an excuse to leave and headed to her car. When she got there, Armand was waiting for her.

  She attempted to unlock her car door, but he stood in the way. He placed his hand on her hip and stopped her from fleeing.

  “I know you have to go, but I just wanted to make sure you were good. How’s the cut?” he asked as he gently rubbed a thumb over her waist but away from the cut. She stopped him by placing her hands on his hands. When she stepped back, her rear hit the car door and Armand made his move. He was so much larger than her, and his body encaged hers against the car. His forearms had muscles just like the rest of him.

  He twirled a finger around a strand of hair near her cheek.

  “You’ll come back, right?”

  She swallowed slowly. He was so sexy.

  “I don’t know. I have work to do?” She forced the words from her lips and hoped that she didn’t sound as breathless as she felt.

  “Where do you work?”

  She was caught off guard at his question. She had to make something up. She couldn’t say where she lived or these four men would come looking. She knew they were interested in her. Remy even said it. The thought aroused her in ways she wasn’t used to. There was a lot to think about and consider.

  “I don’t want to say.”

  “Why not?”

  He was persistent as he wrapped one arm around her waist and used his right hand to play with her hair and twirl the strands around his finger. She looked up into his eyes, and her breath caught in her chest. He wanted her. She knew it with every feminine instinct that she had.

  “I really have to get going,” she whispered.

  He watched her, and she waited for a reply. Should she attempt to move again or remain in his possessive hold? The idea of being his possession didn’t bother her one bit. In fact, she was turned on so much she was squirming for him to do something or say something. In her mind, she knew that if he kissed her again and forced information from her about her life that she may give in. Would it be so bad to have a boyfriend again? Except that she was pretty certain that she read the brothers’ intentions clearly. They all had an interest.

  His thumb caressed her lower lip, and she held his gaze.

  “I don’t want to let you go. You feel so good in my arms, sugar. You scared me today,” he whispered as his warm breath tapped against her lips right before he kissed her.

  * * * *

  Armand was trying his hardest not to act out his desires and scare the crap out of Angelique, but she was perfect and he wanted her like no other before her. The smell of her perfume, the sweet way she smiled, and the sway of her ass when she walked all made his dick hard and his body crave physical contact with her. The way her long, ebony hair cascaded down her back in waves and the unique color of green in her eyes was like nothing he had ever seen before. He took the moment to kiss her one more time and hoped that it could hold him off until tomorrow. Then he kissed her deeper, harder, wanting to imprint his scent, his taste into her mouth so she would think about him for hours and days to come. He needed a sign that she felt even an inkling of what he felt, and he got his wish when he felt her hands rub against his chest and her tongue meet his in a duel for control. He pulled her away from the car and harder against his body as he felt her lower back and then her rear. She stirred in his arms, resisted a second, then rubbed her breasts against his chest as she stood on tiptoes to meet his kiss. Finally they released one another’s lips to breathe, and he hugged her to him.

  Her face was wedged against his chest, her warm breath burning through to his skin despite the T-shirt he wore.

  “Damn, woman, that was some kiss. In my dreams tonight you’ll be,” he told her then gave her ass another squeeze right before she pulled away. The look on her face was memorable. She looked like a sex goddess with her hair wild around her shoulders, her pink lips swollen and wet, and her eyes sparkling with affection.

  “You look gorgeous,” he told her, and she shyly turned away. When she did, she must have seen something that concerned her as she pulled her hands from his and stepped back, placing some distance between them.

  Armand followed her line of sight and saw Remy, Marcel, and Eloi talking by the building. They all must have seen him kissing her and watched.

  He touched Angelique’s cheek to make her look up at him.

  “It’s okay, Angel.”

  She looked worried, and he hoped he hadn’t made a mistake by choosing her for him and his brothers. So far all of them were attracted to her and wanted to see where meeting her led.

  “They look angry. I really should go,” she told him then tried to turn toward her car.

  He stopped her by placing a firm hand on her waist.

  “They’re not angry, baby, they’re interested, and they want you like I do.”

  Her eyes widened, and then a look of desire flashed across the green. At least he hoped that was what he saw.

  She shook her head and opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. She was overwhelmed. He just knew it.

  “Don’t think about it now. Just give us a chance. Let’s see where this goes.”

  “I really need to get now. Please, Armand, let me go.”

  He saw her concern and immediately stepped back.

  “Where you stay, baby?”

  She shook her head. “I don’t want to say, Armand. I need my privacy.”

  He felt the twang of anger then fear that he may never see her again and had no idea where she lived. He pulled out his cell phone.

  “I’ll feel better if I have your phone number?” he asked then winked as he stood there holding his cell in his hand and praying that she would give him at least that much.

  When she crossed her arms in front of her chest, causing a large amount of cleavage to show, his belly warmed and his cock throbbed beneath his jeans. Fuck, she was hot. Even her flat, tight belly skin was showing a little above the waist of her pants. She appeared to notice his line of sight and uncrossed her arms.

  “Please, Armand, I need my privacy and I need time to think about this. It’s been a crazy day.”

  “I’ll take me your number?” he asked again, flirtatiously with a side of Cajun zing and she released a sigh then rambled off her cell number. He smiled and his entire face lit up.

  “Can I call you tonight? We can talk about what time you’re coming to work tomorrow.”

  “Bye,” she told him then opened her car door. He peeked inside, not noticing anything but a box or two with his Mama’s business logo on them. His Mama knew about Angelique. Eloi would have to use his law enforcement training to interrogate their mother. It might be the only way to find out more about their woman.

  He helped close her door then crossed his arms in front of his chest as she eyed him over. Oh yeah, she liked him, too. He just knew it. He watched her leave, and then he headed toward his brothers.

  * * * *

  “Well, is she okay?” Marcel asked as Armand smiled then licked his lips. “She delicious,” he stated then smiled.

  “Yeah, it looked like you got a good taste of her,” Remy replied.

  “Now maybe you can focus on the accident today,” Eloi stated.

  “What do you got?” Armand asked.

  “No one saw anything. I mean, not a thing but what y’all saw. I don’t like that fact one bit,” Eloi stated.

  “It was an accident. Someone probably left the truck in gear is all. It was a stupid thing to do, but it’s done now. I bet they won’t be touching any trucks again,” Armand added.

  Eloi shook his head. “I hope not. She could have been killed, then what?” Eloi announced, revealing where his true anger was coming from. Armand smiled inside but didn’t dare smirk or smile at Eloi. He was such a hard-ass. The man hardly ever smiled and never took notice of a woman unless it was to ease an itch. Apparently he liked Angelique.

  “She’s a tough one, Eloi,” Remy added.<
br />
  He shook his head then glared at Armand.

  “You get any info on her? She sure doesn’t want to share much. I don’t like that one bit,” Eloi added.

  “My kisses are good, Eloi. I got me a number,” he stated then smiled.

  They looked surprised.

  “Are you going to call her tonight?” Marcel asked.

  Armand nodded his head then released a sigh.

  “She’s definitely shy and wants to keep her business. I don’t know why, but she just does,” Armand stated.

  “Well, I don’t like the sound of that either. Find out what you can tonight,” Eloi replied then walked away. Armand exchanged looks with Remy and Marcel.

  Chapter 5

  “Think I did well and a lot better than you told me to,” Coon told Pierre Williams.

  “It sounded like you did fine. Just wait a day or so then do something else,” Pierre replied.

  “I will. There is one other thing that may be useful to you.”

  “Go ahead,” Pierre told him and wondered what he could be talking about.

  “There a la femme that the Lafont interested in. She was the one that got caught in the line of fire today.”

  “Got a name?”

  “Don’t know yet. Just think it may interest you, that’s all.”

  “Okay. I’ll call you soon.”

  Pierre hung up the phone and sat back in his chair. Perhaps this woman could come in handy somehow. He would find out who she was and what interest the Lafont brothers had in her. The phone on his desk rang, interrupting his thoughts.

  * * * *

  “Nothing’s going on, Ellena, I’ve just been visiting a few friends and hitting the local shops in New Orleans,” Angelique told her sister as she stepped into her floral off-the-shoulder tea dress. She adjusted her boobs into the built-in cups as she held the phone with her chin and right shoulder.

  “You sound out of breath. What are you doing now?” Ellena asked, and Angelique sighed. Why did her sisters have to be so overprotective? Thank God they didn’t know about the accident today.

  “I’m trying to get dressed and talk to you at the same time.”

  “Where you off to now? I thought you might stop by the restaurant and have lunch with me.”

  Angelique nibbled her bottom lip as she looked herself over in the mirror.

  “I kind of have plans, Ellena. It’s just a cookout on the bayou in New Orleans.”

  “With whom?”

  Angelique had about five minutes to get dressed, and she didn’t want to answer twenty questions from Ellena and then Angelina when she called. But she wouldn’t lie to them.

  “I met some nice people. The lady that owns the shop I buy craft stuff from invited me to a party.”

  “Who is the guy, Angel?” Ellena asked in that tone she pulled when she wasn’t buying bullshit.

  “It’s not serious. I just met some people and it’s a party. Didn’t you and Angelina say I needed to get out more?”

  Ellena was quiet. Angelique knew she was throwing Ellena’s words back at her. This wasn’t what Ellena meant. Ellena and Angelina wanted to be the ones to set her up with a man. One bad decision on her part three years ago and they still gave her a hard time. She just bet that Ellena would call Mikayla and Illeanna as soon as she hung up the phone.

  “Well, you be careful, Angel. You call me if you need me or Angelina.”

  “I know, I know. Can I please go get ready now?”

  “Have fun.”

  Angelique hung up the phone and looked in the mirror. She wasn’t sure what to wear when Maw Maw invited her to a cookout at her place. She said a few customers were coming and some friends. Angelique hoped not her sons, but she couldn’t be rude and ask that. She had been trying very hard to get the men off her mind, but it just wasn’t possible. She had some really inappropriate thoughts about the five of them together. The heat and accident must have killed some brain cells.

  She grabbed her things and a nice large bowl of berries soaked in pinot noir, apple juice, vanilla bean, arrow root, bay leaf, and sugar. It was a recipe she created herself. When she was recovering from her abusive relationship and regaining her self-confidence, she began to place some of that negative energy into positive energy. She cooked, baked, made crafts, and began sewing. In a boost of energy and confidence, she decided that instead of sitting back being unhappy about her body, she should do something about it. There were plenty of women who were petite and had large breasts. It was hard to shop for bras, for bathing suits, and definitely lingerie that wouldn’t hang everywhere but cling to her boobs. She wanted to feel sexy and classy and not like the person her ex tried to make her feel like. She shook the thoughts from her head. Why on earth was she thinking about the asshole so much? He was rotting in prison somewhere and wasn’t getting out in this lifetime.

  She juggled the large bowl, her purse, and keys then headed out the door to the party.

  * * * *

  Chester and Willie were leaning on the back of their truck outside of a bar downtown. Deputy Leon Rue was driving by when he noticed the two men. Sheriff Lafont had warned the men about their behavior and returning to town, so the deputy decided to watch them. They were just hanging out talking when two other guys showed up and joined their little get-together by the sidewalk. He’d give them a few minutes, and then he would break them up and send them on their way. There were a lot of tourists around and locals trying to do their Sunday shopping.

  He looked around the area when some woman in a pretty floral dress got out of a beat-up car near the florist. She wore her hair up in a fancy style and looked real classy. He watched her as she spoke to Mr. Perkins, the florist and he smiled as if he knew her. Deputy Leon Rue waited to see if her face was as attractive as her body when she turned toward the right. That’s when he noticed it was Angelique, the woman whom the sheriff’s brother Armand had saved from the Rousse brothers. Then he saw Chester and Willie notice her, too. Shit. This isn’t good.

  He got out of the car just as Chester and Willie approached her.

  “I thought we’d never see you again, sugar,” Chester stated, moving closer to Angelique.

  “She come back to visit. I told you she was interested,” Willie added, taking position behind her.

  “You two leave her be. She’s not interested in you, now get,” the store owner yelled.

  Chester and Willie went to grab Angelique when Deputy Leon Rue intervened.

  “Is there a problem here?” he asked, stepping up to the sidewalk with his hand on his gun. Both Chester and Willie raised their hands in the air and stepped away from the woman.

  “Just chitchatting, Deputy. Looking at all the pretty things is all,” Chester stated as he eyed Angelique over from head to toe and licked his lips. Leon grabbed Chester by his collar and yelled in his face.

  “You leave this one alone. You hear me, Rousse, or I lock you up. The sheriff warned you, now get before I call him.” He released him abruptly, and both Chester and Willie walked back slowly across the street.

  Deputy Rue turned to look at Angelique, who was standing there looking both annoyed and surprised.

  “You okay?” he asked, taking the moment to look her over. She was a fine-looking woman. No wonder the sheriff and his brothers called dibs.

  “What is up with those two anyway? I don’t even know them,” she told him.

  He looked toward the direction the Rousse brothers left in.

  “They’re just trouble. You be careful where you go.”

  “Oh, I will. I just stopped for flowers.”

  “Where are you off to? Maybe I should follow you?” he asked.

  “No need. Just headed to Lafont’s place.”

  “Oh yeah, Maw Maw is having some special business cookout today. You have fun. Hope you’re hungry for the crawfish. They will probably have a truckload there,” he told her then followed her across the way.

  “Who doesn’t like crawfish?” she replied with a smile, and h
e thought she was a stunning woman. He was kind of jealous that he hadn’t met her first. He would have saved her from the thugs that day if he had been there.

  He watched her get into her car then walked over to his car. There he stayed and watched the Rousse brothers, who didn’t look like they would follow Angelique. Then he called the sheriff.

  * * * *

  Angelique tried not to think about what just happened in town. Her hands were shaking a little, and she wasn’t sure if it was from the confrontation with the Rousse brothers and the deputy intervening or the amount of cars and people surrounding the Lafont residence. The house and property were stunning. There were so many ragged, moss-draped trees surrounding the old-fashioned home. It looked renovated and must have been built in the eighteen hundreds. Angelique knew that a house like this was worth over a million dollars. She was shocked. It appeared that the Lafonts had money. The grounds were perfectly landscaped, combining newer shrubbery and flowers with traditional bayou. The windows on the house were tall and large, letting lots of light into the home, and she was curious about the interior. Angelique loved looking at home-interior magazines, especially about old houses being renovated and restored. She held the bowl of fruit in her arms with the bouquet of orchids on top. She just absorbed the scenery around her.

  “Angelique!” someone called, and she turned to see Maw Maw walking down the sidewalk carrying a package of some sort. She looked lovely in a free-flowing, purple chiffon dress with matching sandals. Angelique was glad she chose to wear the classy dress she wore. It appeared this was an upscale cookout.

  “I am so glad you made it. You found my place okay?” Maw Maw asked as she gave Angelique a hug then a kiss on the cheek.