by Liz Crowe
“It’s new for all of us, and we have a lot to take care of right now. But when this is over, I want it to be just the three of us. Let’s go somewhere and see where this goes.”
Michael looked like a statue as he stared into Graeme’s dark eyes. She wondered what he was thinking, but his face, so expressive when they were making love, gave nothing away now. Her heart began to ache a little knowing how much Graeme wanted to hear reassuring words from him.
Lizzie could give him part of what he wanted, so she came up on her knees to join her two men. Wrapping an arm around each of their waists, she said, “Yes, Graeme, let’s see where this goes.” She turned her face to Graeme and raised her mouth for a kiss. Then she turned to Michael, and he kissed her as well. She gave a little gasp at the taste of Graeme on Michael’s tongue. It was intoxicating.
Sitting back on her heels she watched as Michael turned back to face Graeme. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to feel,” he said, and he sounded a little lost.
“I know,” Graeme said, and he pressed lips to Michael’s forehead. “I’ll wait. Now you should probably go relieve Jolynn.”
Michael sighed, and she suspected it was with some relief he got out of bed and headed for the door. He’d almost made it when Graeme tossed out one last remark. “You should know, Michael…as sheriff around these parts, I always get my man.” Then he quickly added with a lopsided grin, “Or woman.”
Chapter Seven
“I’m going to follow you and this discussion is over,” Michael said, with uncharacteristic heat.
Jolynn looked as if she was about to argue more, but Michael raised a hand to stop her. “If you want to leave, I will follow, otherwise you stay. Once you reach the interstate safely, I’ll turn around and come back. It’s the middle of the day, and Graeme and Liz will be going out, too. He needs her to make a formal statement, and they are going to do a little shopping.” He grinned. “By the way, thank you for sending along the clothes, they were perfect.”
“You’re the one who gave me all the right information about what the two of you would need. You know, bro, you’ve got a great eye for sizes, styles, and colors.” She grinned mischievously at him, and he braced himself for whatever zinger she was going to toss his way.
“You’re going to make Graeme a good little wife someday.”
Groaning, he threw a book at her head, which she neatly avoided.
“Want to talk about it?” she asked, her face suddenly gone serious.
He shook his head. “I don’t know what there is to say. It never bothered me, you know. I mean, I think I just always knew that you liked both women and men, and I never thought anything about it. Never once did I worry whether my sister was gay or straight. You were just my sister. Then when you wanted to tell Mom and Dad, I realized it probably hadn’t been as easy for you as I thought. I’m sorry. I should have been more thoughtful.”
“Idiot!” Jolynn said with a grin on her face. “Don’t you know that’s one of the things I love best about you? Your feelings about me didn’t change. Now think about this. You have a great capacity to love, brother dear. You love people for who they are, not for their labels.
“Anyone with half a brain can see you have strong feelings for Elizabeth. And why not? She’s beautiful, funny, and despite the competent business woman façade, there is a hint of vulnerability about her. I know you’re falling for her.
“But I can see you have strong feelings for Graeme, too, and that scares the shit out of you. You don’t know what to do with your feelings, but you don’t know how to stop what’s growing between you, either. What you told me before we spoke to Mom and Dad holds true for you, too. Don’t worry about what society thinks. Don’t worry about the labels. So what if you’ve only been attracted to women before? This time you’re attracted to a woman and a man. Follow your heart.
“From the looks Graeme and Liz both shoot you when you’re not looking, I think they’re both half in love with you already.”
He felt the flush creep up his neck, but he couldn’t keep from asking, “You think so?”
“Idiot, “ Jolynn said again and laughed. “Come on. Let’s go, so you can get back before nightfall.”
*****
Everything was perfect. He had all his supplies in place, no one knew where to find him and he’d managed to get the three of them separated. It was exactly the way he wanted it.
Humming to himself, Barry put a little water on his whet stone and began to sharpen his blade. The guns were fine for impersonal jobs, but this one required a knife. This one was personal.
*****
“Enwright.”
“Michael?” Lizzie said, relief flooding through her at the sound of his voice.
“What’s wrong, Liz?” he asked, his voice sharp.
“I…uh…oh hell! Nothing’s wrong, I just was worried about you, okay?” she said. She felt foolish. She’d spent the afternoon at the sheriff’s office, hidden away in a back room while Graeme fended off everyone that was looking for the elusive Michael Enwright.
Since there was a computer in the room, she’d surfed and done some research of her own. Michael Enwright was one of the most competent men on the planet, if even a third of what they said about him was true. Touted as a boy genius, Michael had made his fortune building high-tech security solutions for problems the world hadn’t seen coming. He had a reputation as a heck of a geek, a sharp businessman, and a loyal if demanding employer. He’d also been listed on the “Phoenix Best Catch” list for the past six years. After his reported kidnapping the other night, the press rehashed every news story ever aired or printed about Michael.
It was clear that someone from the state police was feeding them information. The first articles reported that Michael had been inadvertently involved in breaking up a domestic dispute. The story grew when it was reported that he’d saved the woman’s life. When Michael hadn’t been seen after the incident and, with a little prompting from the FBI, the kidnapping story began to make the rounds. Now the reporters were in the front office, making Graeme’s life miserable, demanding the full story.
“I’m sorry, you’re probably busy. I just wanted to hear your voice. Poor Graeme’s under siege at the moment.” She caught him up on the reporter’s questions. “Just a little while ago the state police called and they’re sending an investigator up here from Phoenix to review Graeme’s handling of the incident. As if he wasn’t feeling harassed enough. I don’t know when we’ll get home.”
There was a brief pause, and then Michael’s voice was suddenly all business. “I’ll be there to get you shortly. You are about to become the official client of Enwright Security, under the personal care of the owner himself. I’ll answer a few brief questions, and then we’ll leave the sheriff to handle the rest. My appearance should take some of the pressure off Graeme, and it’ll get you out of there much earlier than if you have to wait for him.”
His next words had her insides clenching down hard in anticipation.
“We’ll have a couple of hours alone at the cabin together, Liz. Think we can find something to do?” he asked and then laughed, a rich, rolling sound that sent shivers along her spine.
*****
It was nicely played, Graeme thought. He stood watching impassively as Michael worked his charm over the press, lightly teasing them out of the outrageous suppositions they’d begun to report.
“The news of my kidnapping were an exaggeration at best, malicious rumor at worst. I have no idea why the FBI would jump to such an erroneous conclusion on so few facts. I was taking a few days of vacation and stopped at a rest area. I saw a woman being chased by a man into the surrounding wilderness. I followed, and the man shot at the windows of my vehicle. I managed to escape before my vehicle went into the ravine. I fired my own weapon in the general direction of the man, and he ran off. My first concern was for the safety of the victim, so I did not pursue.
“At this point, I have taken Ms. Ashford as a client on a pro bono
basis. I have an aversion to having my windows shot out and an even stronger one to men who hurt women. Once the sheriff captures her husband, the law will provide my client with all the protection she needs.
“So, ladies and gentlemen, I give you my word. I was not kidnapped nor am I near death in a secret location. I never met Ms. Ashford, her husband, or Sheriff Graeme Kennedy prior to the incident at the rest area. I will answer your questions more fully once the situation is resolved. Thank you.”
Shit, Graeme thought. He’d never be that smooth in front of a camera. He watched as Michael shepherded Lizzie into the backseat of his new Tahoe, got in the driver’s side and sped off, leaving him to answer more questions and distract the press so they didn’t try to follow.
Stepping forward, Graeme asked, “Are there any further questions?”
*****
Standing close, Michael pressed his lips to the top of Lizzie’s head. She sighed in contentment. “Does this mean you’ll try, Michael?” she asked, hope welling inside of her.
“Come sit with me,” he said, pulling her to the couch. “I wish I could tell both of you together, but I think it might be a while before Graeme makes it home. Especially if he has to wait for the state investigator.
“I want to share something Jo said. She told me not to worry about what society thinks, not to worry about labels. She thinks I should follow my heart.” He looked at her with clear blue eyes, and she found herself holding her breath, waiting.
“I’ve never imagined anything like this for myself. I suppose if pressed I would have answered I want the whole wife, kids, picket fence thing. But really, I’ve just been too busy to worry about it. These past few days have changed me. Have made me aware of feelings I didn’t know I could have.
With a small smile, he continued, “Graeme drew me in from the first night. I could see how much he cared for you. He was so intense, but there was something about him that he was holding back. I wanted to know what made him tick. Did he tell you I undressed in front of him?”
“No! How’d he take it?” she asked, on the verge of laughter.
Michael smiled. “Like a man. Better than I’ve taken my growing attraction to him. What am I going to do, Liz? What are we going to do?”
“Love each other, I suppose. What choice do we have? It might be different if Graeme and I had been an established couple and invited you to join us. I think this only works if we all three commit to making the effort.” She waited a beat, letting her words sink in.
“Michael, will you make love to me?” she asked, unsure of herself, unsure of him.
“Isn’t that like cheating on Graeme?” he asked with a smile.
“We could call and ask him,” she countered. “Besides, for this to work between the three of us we can’t spend time being jealous of the others. It works if we’re free to love in any grouping between the three of us. You know someday, you and Graeme may want to have a go without me.” She winked and reached for the phone to call Graeme. She tried not to laugh as Michael raised his eyebrows.
“Lizzie?” Graeme answered. “Everything all right?”
Michael was watching her now with amusement crinkling the corners of his eyes.
“Everything’s fine. Actually, better than fine. Seems Michael is considering his sister’s advice to forget about society and follow his heart. So we were wondering if you’d mind if we, you know…fooled around a little bit before you got here?” she asked, barely able to hold back the laughter.
“Hell’s bells, little bit, go love on our boy.” Then he lowered his voice. “I’ll be home soon. You two take care of each other. I love you both.” He ended the connection before she could tell him she loved him too.
“What did he say?” Michael asked.
With a tight throat, she said, “He said to take care of each other, and he loves us both.”
Chapter Eight
Michael thought she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. And for the next little while, he was going to love her and make her forget the bad times she’d suffered at the hands of her rat bastard husband.
“I want to see you naked,” he said as he unbuttoned her blouse and let it slip to the floor. He unhooked her bra and tossed it aside. Then, kneeling in front of her, he unbuttoned her jeans and pulled them from her hips, taking her panties with them. He looked at her, running his hands over her soft skin, memorizing the perfection of her curves.
He realized she had a light sprinkling of freckles on her shoulders, her chest, across her cheeks. He vowed to kiss every one of them someday. Maybe with Graeme’s help. He lowered his face to the light triangle of hair and took in the scent of her. He took her leg and draped it over his shoulder and pressed his mouth intimately against her. He began to kiss her, lap at her juices, slide his tongue along her pussy. He drove into her with his tongue, gliding in her wetness, filled with the muskiness that was uniquely Lizzie.
“Christ, I need you now, Liz. I need to be inside you.”
“Yes,” she gasped and collapsed back on the bed then opened her legs to him.
He swiftly rolled on a condom and plunged inside, driving in deep on a single thrust. The silky heat of her surrounded him. He heard her moans, made noises deep in his own throat and when she went, he let her, refusing to follow.
His own need was great, but he stilled, savoring the feeling as her pussy clenched tightly, spasm after spasm ripping through her. Even as she shuddered around him, he began to move again, slowly now, back in control. Time spun out as he pushed deep. He needed to be deeper still, to imprint himself on this woman, to touch her soul.
He hooked her knees over his forearms and thrust. He closed his eyes and thought of Graeme, of Lizzie, of what they might make together. And then he didn’t think…he felt. He drove into her, slick and hot, and he took her over the edge once more, coming with her, becoming part of her.
*****
Graeme combed his fingers through his hair and took another sip of coffee. Christ, would this day never end? Knowing that Michael and Lizzie were home making love both pleased and irritated him. He wondered if Michael would be ready to take the next step in their relationship. Would Michael be a bottom or a top? He’d always preferred to top, but the thought of Michael’s cock shoved deep in his ass was intoxicating. Guiltily pushing away the intimate images, Graeme turned his tired eyes back to the computer.
He’d spent the last two hours scouring property records for northern Arizona, looking for any connection to Ashford. He had uncovered five possible locations, if the cabin was indeed a recent purchase. All he had to go on were Lizzie’s sketchy memories of Ashford’s mutterings.
He’d verified Michael’s information about the lack of a military record, including no record of any treatment at the VA hospital in Phoenix. The deployments, the tumor—it had all been bullshit. He’d run into a brick wall at the State Department and decided to ask Michael to pursue that angle using his connections.
Tomorrow he would track down each of the land transactions. He needed to find Ashford’s cabin. If they could flush him out into the open, they would have a much better chance of capturing him. It would be even sweeter if they could trap him inside his cabin and take him out before anyone knew what happened.
The desk phone rang. “Kennedy,” he barked.
“Sheriff Kennedy, this is Lieutenant Buckholtz from the Department of Public Safety. I’m sorry to keep you so late. Traffic was bad coming north out of the city. If it isn’t too much of an inconvenience, could you meet me at the rest area instead of your office? I’m almost there, and it would speed things along. I don’t have many questions, and the captain wanted some additional crime scene photos.”
“Sure, I can meet you there. It’ll take me about fifteen minutes.”
“That’s just about perfect. I’m one exit away and going to grab a cup of coffee. Can I bring you one?” Graeme liked him already. “Yes, please. Black.”
“No problem and, by the way, the captain is real a
nxious to talk to Ms. Ashford and Mr. Enwright. I don’t suppose you have contact information for me?”
“Afraid not, however, Enwright promised to stay in touch. I expect I’ll hear from him sometime tomorrow. I’ll make sure he contacts you. See you in a few.”
*****
Graeme filled out yet another report while he waited at the rest stop. He’d made good time and figured the lieutenant wouldn’t be far behind. He was looking forward to the coffee. As if he’d conjured it, the cup appeared in his side mirror, held by a man in blue jeans, a faded denim shirt, and a ball cap. He snorted. You didn’t see too many undercover DPS agents. He reached to open the door, just as the hand holding the coffee reached through the open window.
Laughing, he grabbed for the coffee so it wouldn’t spill and never saw the taser before it exploded against his neck.
*****
Graeme woke slowly, vaguely aware he was in very deep shit. The rest of his thoughts were scrambled, but he recognized the danger. He kept his breathing steady and tried to keep his muscles as relaxed as they’d been when he was unconscious. He didn’t want to give any indication he was awake in case he wasn’t alone.
There was the sound of birds; he could hear them clearly. No other sound intruded. He must be alone. After what seemed like an eternity, he slowly opened his eyes and took in his surroundings. Fuck.
He was in the main room of a small cabin, facing the tiny kitchen area. He could see an immaculately clean countertop, a two-burner stove, and stainless steel sink. He was suspended from the center beam of the ceiling, in some type of a sling or modified hammock. His arms were bound behind his back, knees folded up tight with his ankles strapped securely to his thighs. His head was restrained, but he could move it just enough to make out two closed doors behind him. He figured one for the bedroom and one the bathroom. He’d found Ashford’s cabin, he thought, just before his chin dropped onto his chest as he fell unconscious once again.