by Maggie Ryan
Dillon let the horses roam, telling her they’d come when he called and she had no doubt they would. He had an affinity with animals that amazed her. Janet had packed fried chicken, potato salad, baked beans and deviled eggs. Dillon handed containers to Charlie and then handed her a wine glass, and then another.
“Well, looks like we have glasses but nothing to drink,” he said after rummaging in the basket for another moment.
Charlie peeled off a small piece of paper that had been taped to the bottom of one of the glasses. “Janet says to look in the water.”
Dillon glanced up towards the pond. “Smart girl,” he said, walking to the water. Charlie watched as he squatted and pulled on a rope. “Very smart girl,” he said, returning with a smile on his face and a bottle of wine in his hand. “That explains the corkscrew.” He opened the wine while Charlie loaded their plates with the food. They chatted about the beauty surrounding them and the fun of the horseback ride. After he’d gone back to the basket and served her a huge slice of chocolate cake, it was delicious but far too much for her stomach which felt as if the butterflies they’d watched flitting about the field had settled inside. Looking up, she found Dillon’s eyes on her.
“Dillon…”
“Charlie…” they said at the same time. “You first,” he said.
Charlie looked away and then looked into his eyes. “Remember the last time we were at Lupitos?” He nodded and she took another breath. “You asked me to take a serious look at my life. You asked questions that I’d been avoiding for a long time. But, what you really did was plant a seed.” She took another breath and knew that no matter the outcome, it was time to push aside her doubts, her fears and speak from her heart. “The night at Black Light, that seed germinated and every day, every moment spent with you, it has grown. I- I don’t want to leave you. I ache all over with the thought of not being here… with you. I love you, Dillon.”
“Thank God!” Dillon said, tossing his plate aside and taking hers before pulling her into his arms. “You just saved my director a heart attack.”
Charlie looked up. “Your director?”
“Yes. Do you know how many state lines I’d be crossing when I followed you to Texas only to drag you back to Virginia? It would be quite embarrassing for my director to have to defend me against kidnapping charges.” He smiled and then bent to kiss her, but when they parted, she had one more question.
“Why didn’t you say something?” she asked.
“Every time I touched you, held you, kissed you, I thought I was showing you. I thought you knew. I was an idiot.”
“No, not an idiot.” She grinned and shook her head, adding, “But perhaps a man used to communicating with dogs who don’t need words.”
He kissed her again, pulling her to him. “Definitely an idiot. I should have realized that words are just as important… even more so than signals. From now on, no more assumptions. Not about anything. Both of us will be open and honest. I’m sorry I didn’t just come out and tell you, sweetheart. I love you more than I’ve ever dreamed it possible to love another.”
With those words, that instruction, his kiss, she knew she was exactly where she was supposed to be.
When he moved to reach for the basket, she groaned.
“Dillon, I can’t possibly eat another bite.”
He didn’t even look up as he pulled something from the basket. When he came to her again, he dropped to one knee. “I love you, Charlize Elena Fullerton. I’ve loved you for months and can’t imagine waking up without you beside me. Marry me, Charlie. Marry me and make me the happiest man on earth. Make Virginia your home… with me.”
“Yes!” Charlie said, allowing the tears she’d been holding to fall as he opened the small box to reveal a beautiful solitaire.
“This was my grandmother Ruby’s ring. She would have loved you, Charlie, and I know you would have adored her.” He slipped it onto her ring finger and then kissed it before drawing her into his arms again. “You are both wonderful women who have filled my heart with love.”
“That’s a beautiful thought. I’ll wear it with pride and can’t wait to hear more stories about your grandmother.”
Then Dillon slowly undressed her and she him until he laid her back on the quilt. They made love that brought fresh tears to her eyes.
“Don’t cry, baby,” Dillon said, bending to kiss her cheeks.
“I can’t help it, I’m so happy,” she said, pulling him to her, their kiss as gentle as their love making and yet it filled both her heart and her soul.
“You call me every time you stop,” Dillon said, giving her yet another reminder.
“I will. And yes, I’ll stop every couple of hours and stretch my legs. Of course, you do realize that will make my trip longer?” she teased.
“A few hours longer is worth you arriving safely,” Dillon said, loading the last of her stuff into her Tahoe.
“He’s right. We want you back in one piece,” Martha said, hugging her. “We’ve got a wedding to plan you know.”
“A simple wedding,” Charlie said. “I don’t need anything flashy. I just want you and Owen and a few others. All that matters is that I’ll be Dillon’s wife.” She paused and looked down at her hand where the diamond sparkled. “Wife, wow! I’m still shocked.”
“Happily shocked, I hope,” Dillon said, taking her back into his arms. “God, I’m going to miss you.”
“I’ll be back before you know it. I’ve already talked to my captain and he knows I’ve put in for a transfer. In a couple of weeks, I’ll be a real trainee.”
Dillon wagged his eyebrow. “And I’ll be your teacher, which reminds me—”
Charlie slapped his chest. “I am not going to come to class in a plaid skirt and knee socks.”
Martha laughed. “I don’t know, that might be fun, but don’t forget, Dillon, naughty school girls are supposed to wear their hair in pigtails and have white granny panties—”
“That’s it. The next time you’re at the club, I’m going to put a gag in your mouth and show you that topping from the bottom is NOT acceptable.”
Charlie watched as Marty turned to look up at Owen. “Can it be a red ball? That way it will match these new panties I bought? And can we start out on the spanking bench? But I don’t want you to spank too hard—” her voice trailed off as Owen growled and Dillon rolled his eyes.
“And on that note, I’ve got to get on the road,” Charlie said. She gave hugs to both Martha and Owen and bent to give Lucy a hug.
“You take care of our guy, okay?”
Lucy gave a single woof and licked her cheek before Charlie stood and stepped into Dillon’s arms.
“You be careful, babe. Don’t drive all day. Call me often and when you stop for the night.”
“I will. I love you, Dillon.”
“I love you, Charlie. I love you with all my heart. Now, lift up your shirt.”
“What?”
“How quickly you forget I’m not only your fiancé, I’m your Dom. Lift up your shirt.”
Charlie did so, pulling her t-shirt free of her shorts and holding it to bare her stomach. Her heart lurched when Dillon pulled two lengths of white rope from his pocket.
“This is you,” he said, holding up one piece. “And this is me.” He put them around her waist and began to weave the ropes, intertwining them in a simple but beautiful pattern. “Though we are apart, we are connected.” She watched as he began to tie a knot that rested against her naval. “Don’t take this off,” he said, bending to kiss the knot before taking her shirt from her hand and covering the rope.
“I won’t,” she said, cupping his face with her palms. “God, I love you, Sir.”
“I love you, too. Be safe, but hurry and come back home to me.” He kissed her until her knees were weak and then helped her into the car.
Even though Charlie was leaving him, the rope around her waist kept her connected, the promise of the shibari they’d share filling her head and her love for him filli
ng her heart.
They spoke often as she drove through states and for hours as she checked into various hotels at night. On the fourth day, she arrived at the house where she rented a room. Tomorrow she’d pack what few belongings she’d take back with her, donating the rest to Goodwill. She’d report in at work on Wednesday and begin the paperwork that would transfer her to the K-9 corps of the DEA.
She climbed into bed that night and waited for her call to connect.
“Hello, my love.”
Charlie smiled as she heard Dillon’s voice. “Hi. How was your day?”
“Better now that I’m talking to you. Seriously, how are you feeling?”
“A little tired, but glad that I’m a day closer to coming back to you.”
“Are you in bed?” When she said she was, he asked, “What are you wearing?”
“Just your shirt and our belt, Sir.”
“That’s too much clothing. Put the phone on speaker, take off the shirt and lie back.”
Charlie felt her body quicken with his instructions. She set the phone beside her, pulled off the t-shirt she’d worn to bed every night, and lay back, her hand going to the knot on her stomach.
“Spread your legs apart.” He paused and then said, “Wider.”
She smiled and obeyed, spreading her legs wide, feeling the coil beginning to wind inside her.
“Massage your breasts,” he instructed, guiding her through the massage until her nipples were hard and demanding to be touched. As if he could see, his next order was to play with her nipples.
She moved her fingers towards her nipples, but before she could take them, Dillon’s voice came through the speaker.
“Lick your fingers first. Put them in your mouth and suck, like you do my cock.” Her pussy spasmed as she obeyed, closing her eyes, memories of her lips stretched around his cock playing in her mind as she suckled on her fingers. She gave a soft moan, and Dillon said, “That’s my girl. Now, play with your nipples.”
She obeyed, the wetness of her saliva transferred to her taut buds as she rolled and pinched her nipples. “Harder, Charlie. I want to hear you moan. Pinch them as I would.”
The room filled with the sounds of her moans as she tugged and twisted on the sensitive nubs. Several minutes passed before he spoke again.
“Are you wet, Charlie? Is your pussy pulsing?”
“Yes… yes, Sir,” she said softly.
“Keep playing with your nipples but put one hand between your legs. Don’t touch your clit, spread those beautiful rose petals apart.” She obeyed and gasped as her fingers slid through her sex, her moisture making them slide so easily as she spread her lips open. She stroked the soft skin, feeling her clit jump, her lips swell.
“Don’t forget your nipples,” Dillon said with a chuckle. Charlie blushed, again wondering how he knew she’d forgotten them in her play. She gave each one an extra hard pinch, gasping with each one and yet feeling more of her essence slip from her pussy.
“Two fingers, inside now.” He gave her a moment and then asked, “Are they inside your cunt, Charlie?”
“Ye-yes, Sir.”
“Good girl. I want you to finger fuck yourself, in and out, start slow and then hard and fast. Do not touch your clit.”
She began to move her fingers in and out of her pussy, wishing it was Dillon’s cock with each thrust. Her hand moved from breast to breast, tugging, twisting and pinching her nipples as the spring coiled tighter.
“Charlie?”
“Ye… yes?”
“Is your clittie pulsing, throbbing, out of its hood demanding to be touched?”
“God, yes, Sir. May I touch it, Sir?”
“No, not yet. Add another finger to your pussy.” She did, moaning as her vagina stretched to accept the additional digit. “I love hearing every gasp, every breath as you fuck yourself for me. I can picture you lying there, your legs spread wide, your fingers in your cunt driving in and out, filling that sweet, hot pussy.”
“Oh, God, please… please, Sir, I need to come.”
“Keep those fingers in your pussy. Take your other hand and play with your clit. Come for me, Charlie. Let me hear your pleasure.”
Charlie’s fingers played and within moments she was arching off the mattress as the coil sprung, a burst of pleasure flooding her senses. She whimpered with the release, wishing so much that Dillon was in the room with her.
“That was beautiful, Charlie. I love you.”
“I love you, too, Dillon.”
“Sweet dreams, my love. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“Good night, Dillon.”
She pulled her hands from her sex, and rolled to her side, pulling the shirt she’d discarded to her chest, hugging it as she shut off the phone and dreamed of a man over a thousand miles away.
Chapter 13
Dillon paced his office as he listened to the phone ring again, and again and again. He pressed the end call button and felt the sick feeling in his gut grow larger. Though Charlie should have been back by now, she’d been asked to return to Brownsville. She’d apologized, but even though he was disappointed, he understood she felt a sense of duty.
“I won’t lie and say I’m thrilled, but I understand, Charlie,” he had said. “It will give you the closure you need to be able to leave Texas behind. But, promise me, you’ll be careful. I don’t trust that sonofabitch as far as I can throw him.”
“He’s in custody, Dillon.”
“I know, honey, but still, I’m not very happy that all of a sudden Sorenson is offering information. Why insist it was you he talk to? It’s suspicious to me.”
“I don’t know, maybe he feels remorse for what he’s done. But if the information he provides helps us stop or even slow the flow of drugs across the border, not to mention the young women pulled into his trap, a few days will be worth it. I’ll be careful,” she promised. “Once it’s over, I’ll be on my way home. I love you, Dillon.”
“Home. Now that I am very happy about. I love you, too. Call me as often as you can.”
She’d promised, and he knew she wouldn’t break her word. Something was wrong… something was very wrong. He was scrolling through his contacts when the phone rang.
“Charlie? Thank God. Are you all right?”
“Special Agent MacAllister?”
Instead of Charlie’s voice, a much deeper tone came over the phone and his gut twisted. “This is he, who is this?”
“This is Captain Morrow—”
“What’s wrong? Where’s Charlie?” Dillon demanded.
“Sorenson gave us information that we were able to confirm about a tunnel running between Brownsville and Matamoros. He told us of the next scheduled run—but it was a trap. We’re not sure how it was arranged but it was retribution from the cartel for the loss of the drugs and cash we confiscated. A team of agents went in and we lost contact…” He paused and Dillon closed his eyes. “Dillon, they blew the tunnel. The explosion was massive and took out buildings in Matamoros. We’ve sent teams in and have recovered bodies… but son, Charlize hasn’t been found. I’m so sorry to tell you—”
“No!” Dillon said, his eyes snapping open. “Don’t you dare fucking say it. She’s not dead. I’m on my way!”
“Dillon—”
Dillon was already running out of his office and almost knocked over his director who placed his hand on Dillon’s chest and said, “I’ve just heard—”
“She’s not dead!” Dillon said again.
“The jet is fueling and the team is assembling. Go find her; go bring her home.”
Within a half-hour, the jet was in the air. A team of five other agents and their canine partners joined him on the flight. Dillon sat, his hand in Lucy’s fur as images played through his mind. He was not conscious of the other agents’ chatter. Charlie’s voice, her laugh, the sound of her moans of pleasure were all he heard. Forcing back the tears that threatened to fall, he drew on the memories of her strength. Charlie was strong, she was a fighter, she w
ouldn’t give up and neither could he. “Hang on, Charlie. I’m coming for you, baby. Just hang on.”
The jet landed in Brownsville and Captain Morrow was waiting. Dillon would have slugged him if he’d said that Charlie was gone. He was extremely grateful when the captain just nodded and brought him up to date.
“Teams have been searching since yesterday,” Morrow said. “Eight agents went in, five with dogs. Three made it through the tunnel and were recovered from the rubble of the building when it blew. One has since died of his injuries; the others are in critical condition. We’ve recovered another but he didn’t survive. So far we’ve found ten residents of the town buried in the rubble of the building on the Mexican side.”
“Charlie would be in the back,” Dillon said. “She’d allow the dogs to go first.”
“I agree,” Morrow said. “The last contact we had was her stating that Agent Carter with ICE and the K-9 teams had gone in and that she and Officer Cortez were about to enter the tunnel.”
“Then that’s where we’ll start,” Dillon said but Morrow reached out and laid his hand on his arm. “The tunnel has continued to collapse at both ends. It’s over a mile and runs under the river. God knows how the fuck they ever built it, but it’s not stable and though we’re working on shoring it up, it’s not safe. There are continuous tremors. Divers have gone down but visibility is poor. So far we haven’t found signs of the roof collapsing, but if it does, the tunnel will flood. A team has been running FINDER, the ground-penetrating radar. Dillon, they detected a faint heartbeat… but the signal disappeared a few hours ago.”
“I don’t give a fuck. Any number of things could interfere with their readings,” Dillon said. “Lucy will find her. We start where Charlie and the others went in.”