Their Ex's Redrock Four (4 page)

“I can’t believe...” she started to say. “You, you can’t. Not with us … together. It won’t look right and...”

“Hush,” he all but ordered, and her lips pressed shut. “I’m doing it for me and I can do for me what I want too. But, beautiful, it’s really good business for Redrock. I know once you calm down, you can see that.”

Doing for me.
Oh my god. Her fingers curled against his side. Maybe he was right if she could think straight about it. But right then tears started filling her eyes.

“Aw, baby,” he murmured, and his lips touched hers lightly.

“For me,” she whispered.

“Yeah,” he breathed against her mouth, then he kissed her deeper and her tears dried into the beginning heat of passion.

But at just a slow burn, Vincent pulled back, let go of her chin, and sifted his hand through her hair. “Went to my place,” he said out of the blue, making her blink and regroup.

“Your place?”

“Silver Canyon.”

“Oh.”

“Coronado was there. Came out the bedroom.” His hand fisted in her hair as her eyes grew wide. “Should have fucking checked the garage for cars. Next time, I will.”

She stroked his hard jaw, cupping it. “Sorry, honey.”

“No.” He shook his head. “I don’t give a damn, just pissed I can’t use those photos to keep Luna’s ass off us.”

She rubbed his jaw, liking the feel as she made understanding sounds. Then, he leaned back more turning his gaze down to her. “Burgers before we go get your stuff?”

She smiled. “Yeah.”

FIVE /
YOU SO OWE HIM
 

Friday afternoon, Rusty was laying on her stomach across the master bed in Vincent’s house. Tess came out of the bathroom wearing her fifth set of heels.

“These?” she asked Rusty.

“No. I keep telling you the gold ones.”

“But they look like slut heels and this dress is so short already.

“Ah huh.” Rusty nodded. “That’s why!”

“You’re not helping,” Tess scolded her.

“You
so
owe him, babe,” Rusty said, with a smile and a wink.

Tess had spilled everything to Rusty, about Vincent, about Cabe,
the oops kiss
, her flower shop, and more about Vincent. Rusty had taken up Vincent’s side, agreeing Tess owed him a night out with her wearing the Vegas dress.

In the last three or four days, she and Vincent had been living a kind of normal life. Although, it was like the new stages with any new boyfriend. There were exciting moments, warm moments, and “wow” moments.

Still no sex.

Vincent was a man of his word.

Lots of phone sex though.

Wow.

But that left days and partial nights, before the hot cell phone sex ensued, to get to know each other and do things like make dinner (she had twice for him) (he had once for her.)

She’d started going to WTSF after work for an hour self-defense session with Tag. He was Vincent’s main bounty hunter, PI guy. And the reason Tag was training her was Vincent had a hard time keeping his hands off her with the no sex thing going on. Training sessions were all about body contact and she had to admit it was difficult not to get aroused and distracted when in full body contact with Vincent, while he put her in body holds, and then told her to get out of them.

Vincent finally called Tag in after one session where she might have accidentally elbowed Vincent’s erection. That shouldn’t be erect … but was. He forgave her, after she kissed him into it.

But that was okay, Tag was cool. Ex-military with dirty blond hair and a sarcastic mouth. Tag was also a drill sergeant; not taking it at all easy on her. But she learned quicker that way.

Glad she did, but it didn’t help for the run in she had with Luna on Wednesday in the thong section of Cha-Cha’s Fashions and Lingerie.

Tess had been there updating her underwear selection as Vincent had encouraged her to do. She was also looking for some lounging lingerie to maybe drive him wild with when they camped out after dinner, spooning on his big couch, to watch a movie or the cooking channel. Vincent was a tad obsessed with the cooking channel, even though he didn’t cook. His night of cooking consisted of Chinese takeout, and then he heated some egg rolls in the oven. After, she’d showed him how.

Still, when Tess heard the woman’s growly voice behind her, she knew she was in trouble.

“I’ll take ten of those hundred dollar ones. Put it on my man’s card.”

Tess looked over her shoulder, from toying with some emerald green thongs, to see Luna at Cha-Cha’s counter, but Luna was glaring directly at her.

Umm? Ignore her or...

“
Nothing
you get, hon, is going to make that round booty of your attractive to Vincent,” Luna snarked, throwing down right there in Cha Cha’s.

Tess cringed inwardly, instantly remembering taunts from her school days. But outwardly she turned toward Luna, squaring her shoulders. She had training behind her now. Right. Yeah, like two days. Oh well...

“Man, I hear Coronado’s like
very
hot and
very
rich!” Tess exclaimed, adding some gushing in there. “I see why he latched onto you.”

Inwardly, Tess cackled at the comical look on Luna’s beautiful face. It was as if she’d been smacked with surprise, then dawning pleasure.

“Well, umm, yeah,” she stuttered.

Tess walked closer, but not close enough she couldn’t run if she had to, and then she lowered her voice.

“Steven could
never
get you as far as Coronado will.” Tess leaned closer as Luna’s eyes brightened. “You’ll make Coro-man
famous
.”

“I
will
,” Luna breathed, conceitedly agreeing.

Tess nodded. “I’m so jealous. But talent, you either have it or you don’t.” She’d heard that blather from Steven often enough, she could spout it in her sleep and lie as slick and convincing as say ... Steven could.

“Girl, you are
so
right!” Luna exclaimed.

Just then, the sales clerk was handing Luna her bag, and Tess backed up to the emerald thong section.

Luna turned toward her and waved. “You want an autograph, hon, anytime, you just ask,” she gushed.

“Oh wow, that’s so cool,” Tess exclaimed, watching Luna strut her stuff out of Cha-Cha’s.

Tess would have expected to feel ill after lying so much and to such a bitch. But she realized the prize of playing to Luna’s ego was Vincent, and he was
so
worth it. After that she put a really expensive deep purple baby doll that had no back just tiny straps crisscrossing and some pink, animal print silk pjs, and a black satin, floor length nightgown on Vincent’s credit card. Along with a bunch of sexy panties.

Then over lunch with Vincent, sitting in his truck with deli takeout and after she’d shown him her purchases, and then they’d made out, until he stopped them, she told him about Luna.

“Tess.” His voice, which was always so deep, just purred her name as she sat sideways on his lap, playing with the ends of his hair. He looked puzzled, then impressed. “Can’t believe you did that.”

His hand tugged her hair bringing her mouth to his. “Kill em with kindness,” she murmured, right before Vincent showed her how impressed he was. That left her slumped on his chest wanting to toss out their “no sex” agreement.

She could see in Vincent's inky eyes how affected he was and feel the hard erection in his jeans beneath her bottom.

“Sweet and wise, baby. You’re amazing.”

She cupped his jaw. “Don’t we know each other well enough
yet
,” she whined.

That got Vincent to chuckle. “Finding amazing things out about you every minute, beautiful. Don’t know too many women could set their ego aside for their brains.”

Tess beamed. Of course. Now
this
was worth it.

That was the night Vincent did takeout and she was nice to him, because he’d been so spectacular to her, and she gave him a break. She wore the least revealing pink, animal print pj’s to spoon on the couch after dinner, instead of the backless baby doll. But he was all about that baby doll nightie, and when was she going to wear it.

Until she was giggling, trying to watch Chopped. She was lying on her side with Vincent behind her and she flung out her arm with the remote in her hand. She pushed pause so she could laugh. Luckily, she had the DVR setup to tape the shows.

“You’re going to miss who won,” she exclaimed on a laugh.

Vincent was raised up, partially over her shoulder with his hand spread across her stomach over the silk pj’s, as if he was feeling her laugh.

“Our version of Chopped. In the kitchen. You in that baby doll,” he told her with amusement in his deep voice.

“You don’t know how to cook,” she reminded him back, looking up at him, while trying to look serious.

“Don’t care if I fucking cook. I’ll watch you.”

Oh wow.
He meant it too. She tried to bite back her grin. Barely worked. “Won’t be able to keep on the “no sex” thing, handsome,” she warned him.

His eyes were smiling as he tried to sound affronted. “Beautiful, you questioning
my
willpower?”

Not really. He had a ton. So she tried. “No, honey. My own,” she declared. “I won’t be able to keep my hands
off
you
.” Then she added for devilry, “And, my mouth.”

His gaze moved to her mouth and his hand pressed into her stomach more warmly.

“Really like how you do that, baby,” he murmured. “Very attractive.” She blinked at him. Did he mean her? That he thought... “Doesn’t bother you a bit, does it?” he asked her, as she wondered what he was talking about.

“What?”

“Special,” he murmured, looking over her face.

Now that she got! “Vincent,” she whispered, and he moved his hand to cup her cheek, stroking lightly.

“Just things I like about you, beautiful.” Then he said even deeper, “Really like.”

Then she was getting very kissed for these things he really liked. Kissed with deep tongue, until she was clutching his hair. Then with his lips lifted, and a breath away, he murmured, “Lots of women wouldn’t just give me that vulnerability so easily. Too much ego. You, bright light, you just hand it to me. You don’t argue I’ll lose my willpower, you simply say you will lose yours.”

Oh, that. He liked that.

She smiled slowly. “And only you would notice,” she told him. Then she kissed him, slow, hot, and thorough, until he had to get up off the couch and walk it off.

But he had her anteing up over their cell sex that night in the dark. Him residing one room away.

Then Friday morning she cooked him pancakes, while blushing over cell sex from the night before.

“Pull your panties down,” he’d ordered on her cell last night in his bossy, sexy voice. When she’d done it, he’d said,” Grab them between your legs and pull, until your knees are touching your chest.”

As she’d done it, she’d felt the exposure. It felt as if she were waiting for him. For his hot, thick erection.

“You wet?” he’d asked, in a rumble that had quivered through her.

“Yes,” she’d whispered hoarsely.

“What do you call me,” he’d demanded.

“Chief. Yes, Chief.”

“Put your fingers in my wetness, baby. Keep your legs high.”

Oh. God. Wow. In the light of day, he never mentioned her calling him “Chief,” which sounded like “Master” to her.

But the features on his chiseled, masculine face and the intimate knowledge in his dark eyes as he lazily looked at her over the rim of his coffee mug, told her that he knew all her sexual secrets. It was amazing what they were doing over the phone each night and she wondered if he’d planned it somehow. The connection was so intimate it was as if she could feel him inside her.

When she reached for the coffee pot, while standing beside him, she felt a brush near her ear.

“Such a good girl,” he murmured.

Tess instantly blushed and then squirmed, clutching the coffee pot. He meant she’d submitted to everything he’d dared her to do over the phone last night. She dared herself to look directly at him, and then they stood speaking through their gazes for a full minute.

“Is that the way it’s going to be when we … when we resume making love,” she asked, trying not to stutter.

He looked sexy as hell and a bit surprised, then amused. “Baby, I want you anyway I can get you.” He paused, leaned closer as if he was slanting his head to kiss her. “But that’s the way I like you best.”

Incredible feelings rushed through her. She thought he should be able to hear the thumping of her heartbeat as her hand wobbled. Vincent caught her hand and the coffee pot, guiding them to pour as he leaned back from her lips a little ways. But the instant he helped her set the coffee pot back, his face returned with his black eyes melt worthy.

“You going to let me be your Chief?” His voice was so low, it purred straight through her sex, then pooled hotly. Things flushed and swelled on her body as she swayed toward him, their lips touching.

In some type of Vincent sexual haze, she murmured, “Yes.”

Ohmygod. Had she just said that! But then his hot mouth was kissing hers and his tongue swept deep into her mouth, making her moan and fall against him.

Back to present time, Tess stood in the bathroom, looking down at her wedding rings, still on her finger. She’d sort of given herself to Vincent this morning. Saying yes to the control he liked and she had to admit, she liked. She understood, even under his charismatic sexual haze, that she’d been saying “yes” to a lot more than him bossing her sexually.

She’d been saying yes to him … to all of him,
and
them. Them completely together.

Tess sighed looking at herself in the mirror. She was ready to go and as dolled up as she could make herself. Rusty had left with her stamp of approval on Tess’ makeup and outfit. Vincent would be there soon to pick her up. She wasn’t sure where they were going and there were not many places in their smaller town for her outfit to fit in. Certainly not Lulu’s or Kickin Rodeo. Maybe he’d take her to the steak place further down the highway and closer to the next town over.