by Trent Evans
“W-what?”
She remembered how uncomfortable she felt walking down the long line of cubicles. She’d dressed in a long black skirt and sweater, both feeling tighter than she liked. But she wasn’t about to deprive Troy the pleasure of showing off his first-born baby boy to the guys he worked with.
“When I took Hayden around? Half the time, those assholes were ogling you.”
“Oh Troy, you… you don’t have to say that.” She pressed her eyes closed, unable to look at him. “I… I’m gross.”
“Men don’t mentally undress a girl who’s ‘gross,’ dear. They just don’t.”
“Well…”
“Believe it.” He pressed a kiss to her tear-soaked cheek. “You’re gorgeous, but unfortunately for the horn-dogs I work with, you’re all mine.”
She giggled against the covers. “You mean you wouldn’t want to share me?”
“Not with them.”
Wait… what?
“Come here.” Troy helped her up, sitting down on the bed and pulling her into his lap, cradling her in the strong sanctuary of his hard, muscular arms. “You’re such a good girl, you know that?”
“Thank you, sir.”
Tilting her chin up to him, he kissed her, lovingly, softly at first, then, as she clutched to him, he took her mouth, drawing from her a lost moan as his tongue tasted hers. In that silent, darkened room, he kissed her, tasting of her devotion and surrender, imprinting his ownership and love upon her with every languid caress of his lips.
He held her head to his chest then, his voice a deep rumble at her ear. “Sara is jealous of you. But you can’t tell Hunter that.”
“W-what?”
“I can see it in her eyes. The way she looks at you.”
She’d seen it too, but she’d dismissed it. Lacey thought the woman was gorgeous — far above her level. She’d chocked it up to Sara feeling sorry for her, more than anything else.
And yet, despite the woman’s beauty, there was a serious problem with her. It was who she was married to. She and Hunter were just about the worst match she’d ever seen.
“I was serious, sir. About what I said earlier this week.”
“I know you were.” He leaned back, looking down at her. “Got something else you want to say?”
She bit her lip, unsure if she had the self-control not to blurt out exactly what she was really feeling.
“I just… he deserves better. I’m sorry, but he does. Somebody who would take care of him. A woman who… gets him.”
“Have any ideas for women who’d fit that bill?” He smiled as he said it, but his gaze was keen, watching her closely.
“I don’t know…”
Oh yes, you do. You’re going to have to tell your husband about this.
Just not yet.
“Give him a chance. Maybe he can get Sara to come around.” He hugged her close then, tucking her head under his jaw. “If he doesn’t, well, he’ll find that girl eventually.”
Unless that girl’s been there all along.
Chapter 5
He found her leaning against the kitchen sink, her slender arms wide, palms flat on the counter, her face turned up to the faint morning sun that poured through the window. For a moment, he watched her in silence, drinking in her beauty, her quiet peacefulness, struck anew at how lucky he was to have found a woman as wonderful as Lacey.
To have found a wife who fit him so well, in every way.
Her charcoal suit clung to her curves in a tasteful, yet mouthwatering, way, the skirt ending just at the knees, her black heels high, but not quite enough to be deemed inappropriate for the office. He smiled at the flash of envy that her coworkers would get to see her in that outfit for hours that day.
Apparently bending her completely to his will still wasn’t enough for him.
“I shouldn’t let you leave the house looking as good as you do right now.”
Lacey spun around with a yelp, her hand to her mouth, her knuckles white as she gripped the edge of the countertop. “You scared the sh-hell, out of me!”
Good catch.
Troy slid into a chair at the table. “You have any coffee?”
She nodded, reaching up and retrieving a mug.
Her eyes sparkled in the sunlight room as she set the steaming cup down on the table, pecking him on the temple. “Good morning, sir.”
“Morning, gorgeous.” He took a searing sip, wincing. “You have a big meeting today? Dressed to kill.”
“This is how we’re always supposed to dress.” She sat down opposite, nursing her own mug. “I got tired of feeling like a slob, honestly. Now that I’ve got Hayden into a good pattern, kinda like to come back to the land of living, and start adulting again.”
“Motherhood is about as adult as it gets, dear.” He gave her a wink.
Lacey didn’t need to go back to work; he made enough now that they would be just fine on his paycheck alone. She’d stated that it was probably time to start staying home and just be a mother and wife. They’d planned for her to hand in her resignation shortly after her maternity leave for Hayden, but he got the sense she wasn’t in a hurry to let the world of work go quite yet.
He wasn’t about to pressure her into leaving before she was ready though. As submissive as Lacey might be, she was as strong as steel when it came to making career decisions for herself. He knew better than to fuck with that aspect of her life.
When she was ready, she’d say goodbye to the gig.
“You heading out soon?” He touched her hand, and she squeezed it.
“In a few, wanted to say goodbye before I left.” She winced, shifting in her seat. “I… I’m feeling it this morning.”
Swelling pride accompanied his suddenly swelling cock. “Good.”
“I don’t want to admit how many times I’ve told myself I’ve bitten off more than I can chew this time.” Her luminous eyes met his. “I trust you though… even though my ass is killing me.”
Troy chuckled, then took another sip. “You’re a good girl, Lacey-mine.”
She beamed at that, as she always did at those special words, ones that held a unique power — and affection — for women like her.
“I, uh, I need to talk to you about something though.”
Her expression instantly sobered, but she regarded him quietly.
“I think I’m going to need to take a short trip out of town. Not far, just out to eastern Washington. But I will need to stay overnight, most likely.”
“Where?”
“Place is called White Valley. Yeah, I’ve never heard of it, either.”
“Is this… part of”—she waved her hand in front of her—“what we’re doing?”
“I don’t really know. Probably not.” He shook his head. “Maybe.”
“Clear as mud,” she murmured, with a mischievous quirk of her soft lips.
He set his mug down on the table. “Von Ellison got in touch with me. He’s living in White Valley. Guess he’s a big contractor guy out there apparently.”
“Isn’t he one of your… war buddies?”
“Yeah. He was the one who was, well, pretty intense. He’s… into what we’re into. And then some.”
He watched her very closely as he said it, noting the way her eyes widened ever so slightly, the subtle flaring of her adorable nostrils. “Why do you need to go out there? They must have a website or something. Chamber of Commerce page?”
“Oh, I looked at those. They… don’t really show what the place is really like. Von wants me to come out there and see what the tourism board doesn’t exactly advertise.”
“I… don’t know what you mean.”
“I’m not sure either.” He draped an elbow over the back of his chair. “Which is why he wanted me to pay a visit.”
She didn’t say anything for a moment, then smiled at him over the rim of her mug. “Why don’t I come with you? I’ve still got vacation time I didn’t use for maternity leave.”
“I don’t think that’s a go
od idea.”
“Why not?”
Troy spun his coffee cup in his hand upon the table. “I have a feeling it’s a little more… out there. As far as how they live.”
“Like hippie commune shit?”
Troy shrugged. “Don’t know — but knowing Von… it’s probably something fairly fucked up.”
“Hopefully in a good way.”
She said it so quietly, Troy did a double take. Her sly grin confirmed he wasn’t suddenly hearing things.
He stood up, taking her hand and drawing her to her feet. “You need to get going — and I need to hop in the shower. I have a shitload to do at work if I want to get away.”
“When are you going? To White Valley, I mean?”
“Probably head out tomorrow morning. I’ll come back early Friday and get a couple hours in at the office before I head home.”
For Maintenance Night.
His cock began to stir at the nervous way her slender throat worked. “Oh… does that mean…?”
Gently kissing her on the forehead, he whispered the words against her soft skin. “When I get back from White Valley, we have a date with those luscious tits of yours, wifey.”
“Yes, sir.” She shivered as she said the words, even as she hugged those same generous breasts to his chest.
He gave her skirt-clad ass a playful slap. “Now, get to work.”
Chapter 6
The prospect of Troy’s impending trip remained on her mind all day at work, and she finally decided to skip out of the office early. The sunshine was brilliant outside, the sky a deep azure blue one rarely saw during fall in the Pacific northwest.
There was no way she was going to let that weather go to waste.
It might even help her not think about being without her beloved husband for a night.
Those thoughts occupied her as she worked on her hands and knees, digging up the holes for the winter bulbs in the cold, hard soil. There was a patch in the backyard at one corner of the house that was perfect — it would get plenty of the weak winter sun whenever the clouds decided to break.
The air was crisp, but her exertions quickly had her shedding her jacket, leaving her in only her black tank and a pair of well-worn, grass-stained jeans she reserved only for gardening. She’d been inordinately happy that she could fit into them again, something she’d despaired would never be possible in the immediate aftermath of Hayden’s birth.
“Just my luck to stumble upon an attractive woman on her hands and knees. Too bad she happens to be my best friend’s wife.”
Whirling around, she saw Hunter standing behind her, the bright afternoon sun just above his broad shoulders. His face was shadowed, but she could tell from his voice who it was. “Jesus, what is it with you men? Always scaring the shit out of us.”
“It’s only me. Scaring you was just a happy bonus.”
He offered her a hand and she took it, the man drawing her up to her feet with a casual ease bespeaking considerable strength.
Stop it.
“How long were you standing there?”
“Long enough to know better than to answer that question.”
“Why not?” She pointed the garden trowel at him, posing a gloved hand on her hip, giving him a scowl.
“Because then I’d have to tell you what I was looking at. Then I’d have to tell your husband — who’d have to punch me in the mouth.”
“Oh…” The heat at her cheeks was much more than the warm sunshine.
He cleared his throat, looking around. “Troy back here with you?”
“He’s not back from work yet,” she said, still distracted at the implication of Hunter’s words.
Stop acting like a little twitterpated schoolgirl.
It wasn’t the first time Hunter had flirted with her — and she wasn’t exactly averse to flirting right back. But it was rare for it to be that… blatant. Instinctively, she knew it was a signal though.
A signal that something… wasn’t quite right.
“Where’s Sara?”
“Out of town. Again.”
“Jesus, Hunter. Why is she traveling so much?”
He scratched his chin. “Always something, you know? Makes good money, but yeah, seems like they’re constantly yanking her all over hell and back. She’s a trooper though, doesn’t complain.”
“Yeah, but what about you?”
He looked away for a moment, then when he met her gaze again, she saw it. Uncertainty — and maybe even a little hurt.
“She doesn’t have much choice — which means I don’t either. Comes with the territory, I guess.”
“Did you tell her?”
Every woman was different, of course, but somehow, she had a feeling that if Sara had wanted to not travel so much, Hunter’s wife would be home a lot more than she was. It was never a good sign.
You sure that’s not wishful thinking?
“No… not yet. Soon though.” He shrugged. “If I do it, maybe she’ll change her mind on things.”
“Change her mind?” She stared at him. “I know this isn’t really my place, but seriously, you shouldn’t have to bare your soul to her just to get her to want to stay home more than five days out of a month.”
“It’s not that much.”
She threw the trowel into the dirt. “You don’t have to defend her to me, Hunter, but I can see what’s happening. Why can’t you?”
“There’s nothing happening.” There was zero conviction in the words.
“She’s avoiding you — or neglecting you. Neither one is exactly a good thing for a marriage, don’t you think?”
“It’ll be fine. Blow over, in time. It’s been this way before.” He sighed. “Okay, different subject. You have any idea what he wanted to talk about? Asked me to stop by after work, sounded, well, serious. Said he was going to be out of town and needed to ask me a favor.”
She was about to tell him about White Valley, about Troy’s friend, Von — and then decided against it.
There were more important matters at hand.
“Oh, we’re not done talking about this.” She took a step closer to him, poking him in the chest. “You deserve better, Hunter. She… she doesn’t know how good she has it. You deserve a woman who will want to be with you, who’ll do anything for you — and someone who’ll actually want to be home with you.”
“I liked you better when you were on your hands and knees.”
“Now you sound like my husband.”
Hunter threw his head back laughing, the sound deep and reassuring. He had the sort of infectious laughter that she couldn’t resist, and in moments she was giggling right along with him. “Come on, I’ll get you a beer.”
“You know, Troy might have some good taste after all. Your husband can’t shoot his M-4 worth a damn, his golf game is pathetic, and I out bench his ass by seventy pounds.” He tilted his head, a sly curve to his lips. “But he sure knows how to pick his women.”
She pushed him in the chest, striding by him toward the house. She looked back over her shoulder as she walked. “What makes you think I wasn’t the one who picked him?”
“Because you worship the ground he walks on.”
“I just need to find you a woman who worships the ground you walk on, Hunter.”
Unless you already have.
Chapter 7
“Christ, no wonder you moved here.”
Troy’s words were little more than an awed murmur as he gazed out over the vista afforded from Von’s second floor deck.
“When I found the listing for this place, I snapped it up so fast the realtor’s head was spinning.”
He could see why his friend was so eager.
Perched along the steep side of a hill, Von’s house was at the very southwestern edge of town, the pine dotted foothills of the Cascades soaring immediately behind it. Below, spread out like an alpine Austrian village, was White Valley. It wasn’t a large town, by any means, but the way the houses, farms and outbuildings flowed down the gentle s
lope of the canyon, concentrated mostly along the southern banks of the White river, made the place look much larger than it should have.
“No high-density housing in this place. Thank God.”
“We do things our own way here.” Von took a seat in the padded chaise, the varnished dark wood creaking as he crossed his long legs and leaned back, a beer bottle in hand. “I never get tired of that view.”
“Shit — is that the Columbia way the hell down there?”
A pale blue ribbon could just be made out between the promontories of two massive, rocky hills, the same rugged topography that hugged either bank of the White river. It reminded him of a river cutting its way through Norwegian mountains, ending in a pure, isolated fjord where it met the sea. Only in this case, that hint of blue many miles away was the mighty Columbia river, one of the largest in North America.
Von nodded slowly. “Probably a ten-mile view, at least, on a good day. No haze up here in the mountains either.”
Troy turned, leaning his ass against the railing, hands clasping the weathered wood at either side, enjoying the surprising warmth of the late fall sunshine. It was plenty cool outside, especially at this elevation, and the sun on his back made him grin like a goofy kid.
“How the fuck did you find this place?” He tilted his head toward the village. “The map doesn’t even show this place until you drill down to practically the city block level on Google. It’s like it doesn’t exist.”
“Oh, it exists, all right.” Von took a drink, then grinned. “Just think of it as a hidden gem. We like that people can’t find it on a map.”
“We?”
He’d wondered about that since the day Von had asked him to pay a visit. It had the distinct whiff of… the unusual.
Let’s hope for your sake it’s not something out of The Wicker Man.
The most dramatic feature of the place was the gently sloping, but truly immense, hill that angled down into the very center of town from the southern edge of the pine and Douglas fir covered foothills flanking the valley.
“It’s like some giant dropped that rock right into the center of town.”
“Wait ‘til you see it up close. It’s one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. It’s a hiker’s and hunter’s dream, that hill.”