Like Arrows (Cedar Tree #6) (16 page)

"You okay?" I ask before she has a chance to answer.

"Yes, I'm fine. It's just that Kerry is going to Vegas for a few days next Wednesday and asked me to come. I mean, her husband can take care of Boo but he's, well—"

"I can take him. But Kim, I don't know if now is a good time. I mean, we're getting a better idea of who we're dealing with, but you'd be hard to keep an eye on in Vegas."

We actually have a really good idea in which direction to look, since Neil discovered the geologist's drilling suggestions. That led to an unreleased report which is being hung up by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, NRCS for short, describing the locations of suspected oil fields in the state of Colorado. Apparently a shitload as evident from the map enclosed, depicting a number of them in Montezuma County. One name keeps coming up, that of an aggressive Texas oilman who has made himself a name with his less than above-board tactics in procuring land on top and around newfound oilfields elsewhere in the state of Colorado. There is no real evidence tying Jacob Hartnett to the Walker ranch and its neighboring properties yet, but the quick forceful sales through a third party, often a realtor, is too similar to other cases to be a coincidence.

"...Are you there?" Kim's voice breaks through my train of thought.

"Sorry, yes. What were you saying?"

"Just that if it's difficult for you to keep an eye on me, how could it be any easier for someone who doesn't even know I'm going to be there? I mean, we don't even know if I'm really in any danger, right? Vegas is like a haystack and I know it like the back of my hand," she says, reminding me she lived there for many years.

"Right. Still, let me talk to Gus and get his take."

"I need to go, Mal." Her voice is almost pleading. "I need to get out just for a couple of days. I'm going nuts."

"Let me talk to him. We'll figure out a way."

I didn't tell her that I'd pay someone to watch her ass if I had to.

-

T
urns out Gus has a better idea.

"When is she going?" Gus wants to know when I sit down again in the chair across from his desk. We'd just finished discussing the case when my phone rang.

"Next Wednesday morning. Driving with her friend from what I gather. Back on Sunday. She's going nuts with nothing to do, Gus."

Without a word Gus gets up and opens the door. "Emma!" he hollers down the hallway.

"You bellowed?" Emma's voice can be heard coming down the hallway between their house and the office wing. Gus grins unashamed at his wife's words, pulling her into his arms and laying a wet one on her.

"How long have you been bugging me about Las Vegas?"

Emma raises an eyebrow. "Only forever."

"Right," Gus chuckles. "Well, I have a proposal, but I need your help. I'll kill many birds with one stone," he says, and proceeds to tell Emma about Kim and her friend’s trip.

"Since Mattias turned two, Katie has been eager to get back into a bit of action. Caleb is working on an Internet fraud case with Neil, who is also helping us with this land deal one. Caleb could keep Mattias since most of his work he can do from home. We can't afford to send anyone to Vegas to keep an eye on the girl, but Katie can get her feet wet again with an active assignment, and you can do whatever it is you do that makes everyone love you. To make that arrangement go over more easily." He sits back and watches his wife.

"So let me get this straight. You want Katie to be the muscle and me the soft shoulder? For Mal's girl?" She turns her head to me. "I assume we're talking about Kim, right? I've gotta say, compared to what I've seen you with before, it's refreshing. Just don't hurt the girl."

"Not exactly my girl, Emma." I feel I have to clarify.

"Well, why the hell not?"

"Haven't quite gotten there yet."

"Bullshit. I heard you called off Drew a few times. Sounds like your claim is staked," Gus contributes and I stifle the grin that wants on my lips.

And to Emma he says, "Yes, that's what I want. You know Katie can get abrasive at times. It would help if you were there to smooth the way, so to speak."

"I'm going to Vegas?" A big grin crosses her face now that things are settling in. Emma makes to stand up right away.

"Where are you off to?" Gus calls after his wife who's already halfway out the door.

"Vegas baby, I've got nothing to wear!" she calls over her shoulder.

I throw my head back and laugh when Gus grabs his hair with both hands. "At least wait until we have it all confirmed!" he yells after her.

Of course Katie jumps at the opportunity when Gus calls her. I had no doubt she would. Kim would be another matter though, and one I think I better go handle in person.

"All right, I'm off to clear all this with Kim."

"You don't want to send them in and make this a 'chance encounter'?" Gus asks.

"Fuck, no. From what I know, Kim's got some trust issues. And she's smart as a whip. Emma 'happens' to show up there with my sister-in-law in tow, she'll know I had a hand in it and that would be one black mark against me. No thanks. Besides, how long do you think Emma could keep up a lie?"

"Not even a minute," is his immediate answer. We all know out of everyone, Emma is the most straightforward, honest person who doesn't even know how to hold a grudge.

"Exactly. I want a chance to get in with this woman. It's not gonna happen after I set her up blindly."

"You're already a fuck of a lot smarter than I was when I met my wife. Took me a while to figure that one out."

-

B
oo is at the door, barking, when I walk up the steps. No sign of Kim though. I punch in the code on the new touch pad lock Neil installed.

Boo almost slams me into the door when I come in, charging at me the instant he recognizes me.

"Down." Obediently he immediately drops down on all fours, even though his clumsy tail never stops wagging. "Good boy."

Walking into the kitchen, I find it empty. As is the living room. Her car is in the drive so she has to be home. I call her name a few times, but there's no answer.

Heading down to check the laundry room, I hear the patter of bare feet on the stairs above me and turn just in time to see Kim coming around the basement door. She lets out a scream and slaps a hand over her mouth when she spots me at the bottom of the stairs. The other hand is desperately trying to hang on to the towel wrapped around her midsection. Looking up the stairs I have a perfect view of the tidy patch of hair at the apex of her soft white thighs. All that is in my mind all of a sudden is wedging my shoulders between those thighs and breathing her essence in before tasting her. Which is why I totally miss what Kim is saying.

"Mal!" she yells, finally catching my attention, but also propelling my feet into motion, climbing those stairs two at a time. This causes Kim to back up against the kitchen counter. "You scared me half to death," she manages, her ample chest heaving, tits threatening to spill free from the flimsy hold the barely clutched towel provides. I stop two feet away from her, breathing at least as heavily as she is.

"I called out." My voice sounds hoarse and I swallow.

"I was blow-drying my hair," she whispers, her eyes big and round.

I don't even try to hide my hungry scan of her body. Didn't expect her to look so soft, so downy. Cute toes, a touch of turquoise on the tips, tapering out to full legs and round hips. A soft belly and high waist underneath a set of tits that have my mouth watering.
Jesus fucking Christ
.

I can smell her...fuck, that smell. Something fresh: a hint of citrus and rich spices underneath. Shampoo and... arousal.

By the time my eyes reach her cute as hell face, her teeth are worrying her plump bottom lip and her eyes are dark and hot. The pressure of my surging cock behind my zipper has me wince and I press the palm of my hand against my fly. Her eyes inadvertently follow the movement and at the sight of my crotch, they pop open even further. Her mouth falls open.

"You do that to me," I growl. "Don't need to be almost naked either. You come near me, I see you or smell you, this happens."

She looks at me with a mix of surprise and panic clear on her face. Before she has a chance to make a run for it, I take the remaining two steps to box her in against the counter, an arm on each side of her. Her scent is stronger and my head dips down to take her mouth. Slowly. Thoroughly. Her lips open immediately allowing my tongue to sweep in. I can't stop a deep groan as the heady combination of her smell, taste, and her softly receptive body pressed against me, hits my senses from all directions. Her hands that were clutching at the towel earlier, are now holding on to my shoulders. Wrapping one arm behind her, I use the other to push back from the counter without losing her mouth, press her body closer and turn us both. With my back to the counter, Kim is in between my spread legs. It's easier for me to reach her mouth now—and other places. Sucking on her lower lip, I slowly let it slide from between mine before kissing her jaw, along her neck and down to her shoulder. She automatically tilts her head away to allow me access. The moment I pull my chest from hers the towel slides down, exposing a surprisingly small, dark pink and very hard little nipple. Ignoring her sharp intake of breath, I bend my head and suck it hard against the roof of my mouth. My nostrils are flaring, sucking in air while I feast on her breasts. The small whimpering sounds escaping from her have my cock leaking pre-come like a teenager.

"Malachi..." Her soft voice pleads, hands grabbing on to my head pressing me to her.

The shrill ring of the doorbell bursts the erotic bubble and with a pop, her nipple slips from my mouth.

"Don't move," I tell her, my voice ragged. "Be right back."

I set her back a little and walk to the front door to find a teenager selling newspaper subscriptions in the neighborhood. Assuring the kid we're not interested I return to the kitchen, only to find her gone.

K
im

"I'll be there at ten thirty to pick you up."

Surprisingly excited at the prospect of a little shopping, I quickly check my bank account. My savings are substantial enough to take a little dent. I've never enjoyed shopping much, but when Emma called to see if I wanted to head into Durango with her, to her favorite plus-size boutique, the prospect of some new threads suddenly seemed like fun.

Nothing to do with the beautiful tall man who seemed irritated after I ran into my bedroom after our hot and heavy make-out session in my kitchen. In broad daylight with every bump and dimple of my body on display. My God, I'd never been so mortified once the blinding fog of sex was lifted by a simple ring of the doorbell. I have no idea what possessed me. Sure, there was no doubt he had a reaction to me. A pretty intense one, but I convinced myself the moment his mouth and hands left my body that he'd come back into the kitchen, take one look, and realize the mistake he made. So I ran. Even though he had ordered me to stay put, I beelined it up the stairs. By the time he came after me, I was already dressed in my most comfortable sweats. Safely unappealing.

His eyes darkened when I finally opened the door to him, and his mouth drew tight. His disapproval obvious. He didn't like it when I told him it was all a mistake. Didn't like that at all.

"Bullshit," he said. "You're scared. You don't want to see what's right in front of you and is so obvious to everyone else. You're a gorgeous woman. All of you. You look good, you smell great and you taste even better."

Embarrassed at his candor, I pushed past him and went downstairs, Mal close on my heels.

"Mouse, I'm not gonna push this, but what happened just now, my mouth and hands all over you and you whimpering with need? That's only the beginning. It
will
happen again, and next time I'll want to taste that pussy that got so wet for me I could smell it."

I remember the combination of disgust at myself and instant arousal at his words, but other than the blush I could feel on my face I pretended to ignore his words.

"Why are you here?"

When he finally gave up on the intense stare-down, he told me about Gus's plan to have Emma and Mal's sister-in-law, Katie, come with us to Vegas. We'd go in two cars, so Katie could make sure no one follows us. Apparently Katie had been an active part of the team until she'd had her baby and wanted a chance to go back 'into the field.' My first reaction had been negative. It felt like an intrusion. But after a little consideration, I had to admit it was probably the best compromise. Why Malachi had stepped up as my protector, who knows, but he was determined to look out for me and I had a choice of either going with his plan, or not going at all. And I wanted to go to Vegas. Besides, Emma had made me feel really comfortable the first time we met at breakfast, and to be honest, the idea of maybe making some new friends felt good.

Mal left shortly after that, but not without bending low to press a soft kiss to my lips. "You go have some fun with the girls, but babe, when you come back, we're gonna see where this goes."

For the last two days I haven't seen him, but his words have been rolling around in my head. In fact, I haven't been able to think of much else until Emma called. She's so excited about going to Vegas and some of it is spilling over to me.

"I absolutely
have
to have some new clothes. All I own is sweats, yoga-pants and a few stray jeans. Nothing soft and summery. It's gonna be warm there already, you know?"

Yes I know, I've been all over my own closet with little to show for it. It tickled me to hear Emma's wardrobe is much like mine. Although I do have a few business outfits, they are mostly aimed at hiding, not showing off. For some reason I feel like showing off a little. I try to deny it has anything to do with the hunger in those obsidian eyes as they scanned over my near naked body a couple of days ago.

And still...

-

"S
o funny that I lived in Durango for years and never knew this place was here," I point out to Emma who is leading the way into what appears to be a historic brick building along Main Avenue. It probably had more to do with the fact that I never considered the boutique would have anything for people my size, so I never even bothered to look closely.