You're Busting My Nuptials (Tizzy/Ridge Trilogy Book 2) (21 page)

“Let me remind you, I’m seven years older than you and I already worry about what will happen when I can’t keep up with you anymore.”

“They make pills for that now, so don’t worry. I own stock in the company.”

That got a laugh from him. He propped his casted arm behind his head and pulled her down by her hair with the other. “I love you like crazy.”

“I love you too. How was your day?”

“Good. Yours?”

“I found out we’ve got to wait six months before we start the adoption.”

“Okay, we can do that.”

“Why do you need the car?”

“Surveillance. Thanks for bringing it.”

“Where are you going to surveil?”

Ridge sat up. “I’m not telling you. I don’t want you anywhere near the location.”

“We could be partners. If you’re only going to be sitting and watching, I’d be company for you. I wouldn’t get in the way. I promise.”

He turned to face her. “I know you, Tizzy. Give you an inch and you’ll take a mile,” he said, twirling a lock of her hair in his fingers. “However, I’ve been thinking about what we discussed this morning and maybe I wasn’t fair. If you want to do some investigation work, I’m not going to stop you.”

She planted kisses all over his face. “Thank you! Thank you!”

Ridge pushed her back. “Hold on. I have a stipulation. I don’t want you working potentially violent cases.”

She lowered her shoulders. “Whataya mean?”

“Look, I’m fine with background checks or surveillance for divorces, but not murders or thefts. Okay?”

“Oh c’mon, Ridge.”

“I mean it, Tizzy. I’d rather you not do it at all, but I’ve offered a compromise here, so you’ve got to give me something in return. Okay?”

“You’re right. Now, you’d better get ready to go. I filled the car up with gas for you. Just remember it’s old, so go easy on it.”

“Thank you, Darlin’.” He gave her one more kiss, got dressed and left.

As soon as he drove away, she ran to her closet and pulled out a box labeled
Halloween costumes. She removed the lid and dug around until she found the wig she was looking for.

~~*~~

A Hunter’s Moon hung high in the sky and lit up the night. The temperature hovered in the low forties, but the thirty-five mile per hour wind created a chill-factor much colder. Tizzy wished she’d grabbed a coat before she left the house. The backless dress proved to be a poor selection as far as comfort was concerned.

Thanks to a text from Jinx, she knew exactly where Ridge was parked on Lide. Not that she would have any trouble locating the old Chevy. But, at least she wouldn’t have to drive up and down the street looking for him and risk him seeing her first. Once she parked, she sat in her car for a few minutes and watched him. There wasn’t much activity. The cold wind was keeping the Johns at home and the girls off the street.

Tizzy straightened her blonde wig and decided the time was right to make her move. She was almost to his window when Ridge noticed her. He rolled it down and she leaned in. “Hey cowboy, need a date?”

“
Jesus
, Tizzy. Do you ever listen to anything I say?”

“The name’s Velvet and are you sure you don’t want some company?”

“Cut the crap. What are you doing here? I thought we agreed. Made compromises.”

“If we’re going to have a long conversation, may I please get inside? I have a full nipple alert,” she said, sticking out her chest, displaying the warning.

Ridge gulped for air. “No. You need to leave and we’ll talk about this when I get home.”

“Okay, if that’s the way you want it.” She rose to her full height, started to leave but stopped and leaned into the window again. “Just one more question. Would you be less mad if you knew I wasn’t wearing any panties?”

“
Jesus Christ
.” He ran his hand across his forehead. “Get in the back seat.”

She opened the door, slid in, and kicked out of her shoes. “Start the car and turn on the heater. I’m freezing.”

Ridge complied, then spoke into his walkie-talkie. “Bubba, I’m going to be off air for a while. I’ll let you know when I’m back on again.”

“Roger that,” Bubba said.

Ridge stepped out of the driver’s seat, slammed the door and slid in next to her. “I knew you’d give in,” she said, undoing his belt. “Velvet always gets her man.”

“How did you know where I was?”

“Just another example of my investigative skills.” She rubbed her face in the hollow of his neck and breathed him in. “God, I want you so much,” she whispered and unzipped his pants.

He lifted his hips. She tugged his pants down, and stroked him. A low moan came from deep in his throat. “Velvet is going to make you feel so good,” she cooed.

“Why the hell are you calling yourself Velvet?”

“It’s my stage name. Just play along,” she said, dropping character for a moment.

“Well,
Velvet
, are you getting warmer now?”

“Warm and
wet
,” she said, guiding his hand up her skirt.

“
Jesus.”

“You got a condom, Baby?”

Ridge jerked his head away from her neck. “You’re kidding, right?”

“No. If you bareback, it’s extra.”

“Bareback?”

“Yeah. No condom, it’s extra.”

“Fine,” he said, moving in for a kiss.

She backed away. “No kissing.”

“Are you shittin’ me?”

“If you want to kiss me on my mouth, it’s extra.”

“Money’s no object. My wife is rich,” he said, and took her lips in an open mouth kiss.

She giggled into his mouth.

When their lips parted, he asked, “Any more rules I need to know about?”

“Yeah. I don’t do kink. No threesomes, no backdoor, no bondage. Got it?” She narrowed her eyes. “Why are you laughing?”

“Darlin’, you’re on a street known for hookers, in the back seat of a Chevy, calling yourself Velvet, wearing a blond wig and no panties. I think you may be in denial about the kinky part.”

“You think?”

“Oh yeah,” he said, slipping his finger inside her.

Her nipples were at attention again, this time from the ache spreading through her. She shifted and moved against his strokes. His lips were everywhere. First on her mouth, then her cheek, down her neck, and when they kneaded her breast through the fabric of her dress, she moaned with desire.

She looked up at him, dug her fingers into his shoulders, and got so lost in the heat, she got dizzy.
God, this man is everything I’ve ever wanted and more,
she thought, trying to remember how to get her breath back.

“That feel good,
Velvet?”

“Oh God, yes,” she said, the first wave of spasms rolling over her. When she stopped moaning his name, his hand was hard on her back. He pulled her into his lap. He moved inside her with such ease, her blood burned hot leaving a trail of fire as it coursed through her veins. “Oh dear God,” she whispered, a prayer for Ridge to go slower, but he didn’t. He pulled her hips down hard. She clenched around him, spoke his name and when she came, he plunged deeper one last time.

Her breath came in short gasps as the climax came harder than the first one. Ridge mumbled something causing her to come out of her sex trance. “Yeah, that
was
smoking hot,” she gasped.

Ridge lifted her from his lap. “I didn’t say smoking hot. I said the car’s smoking! Hurry, get out!”

They scrambled for the door, Ridge pulling up his pants and Tizzy adjusting her skirt, leaving her shoes behind. When they made it to the sidewalk, they stood in silence as the Chevy burst into flames.

Within a few minutes, the fire truck arrived and put out the blaze.

Jinx, Synola, and Bubba huddled around Ridge and Tizzy, all staring at the car in disbelief.

The fire chief approached the group. “Can somebody tell me what happened here?”

Ridge looked at Tizzy. “Why don’t you tell him,
Velvet
?”

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
Ridge didn’t remember who made the statement, but concluded the quote applied to Tizzy. After a lot of consideration, he decided the best way to handle his new wife concerning the case, would be to keep her in the loop. At least then he’d be able to keep a watchful eye.

He rolled up on his elbow, and tucked some strands of long, dark, hair behind her ear. The cast on his wrist got in the way. He’d be glad when the damn thing was gone.

Tizzy twitched a little when he puckered his lips and gently blew into her ear. “
Vel-vet,”
he sang in a far off voice. “
Wake up, Velvet. It’s your favorite John.”

She rolled over, opened her eyes, and he smiled down at her.
“Time to wake up. I want to tell you something,” he whispered, stroking his fingers across her cheek. “I’ve decided to let you help me with the case.”

She sat up, pushed him down on the bed and kissed him. “Really?
You won’t be sorry. I promise.”

“Settle down. If you want us to work together, there are some rules you have to follow. Okay?”

She pushed away from him, folded her legs Indian style. “Yes sir.”

He trailed a finger down her bare breast. “No sneaking around. No going behind my back to check a lead without discussing it with me.”

She started to speak, but he placed his fingers against her lips. “I’m not done. No phone calls, questioning, or contact with anybody who might be the least bit connected to the case without my knowledge. Understand?” He cupped her breast and kissed her neck.

She took a deep breath. “Okay.”

His lips found hers. “Promise,” he whispered.

“I promise,” she said and straddled him.

Thirty minutes later, he wiped fog from the bathroom mirror and rubbed a palm across his beard.

Tizzy sat on the edge of the tub slathering on lotion, eyeing him. “Don’t shave, just trim.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it. Since I’ve had these whiskers, I’m getting so much action, I can’t keep up.”

She placed the bottle of lotion back on the shelf. “Yeah, I think the only other person in the running is Jinx.”

“Seriously?”

“Synola says he has
skills.”

Ridge smiled.
“Maybe so, but can he set a car on fire?”

Tizzy giggled. “You’re funny.”

Ridge slapped her bottom. “Get your hot little butt dressed. The whole gang is going to be here soon. Jinx is bringing cinnamon rolls from Sweet Thangs.”

“Okay, I’ll make some coffee.”

After everyone arrived, they took seats around the room facing a small television. Ridge put in the disc from the storage facility and advanced the recording frame by frame until the black truck came into view.

“There’s the truck,” he said, pausing the scene. “Gwynn’s behind the wheel and she’s alone.”

“Advance forward until we get sight of the bed,” Jinx said.

A few clicks and the wooden crate came into focus. “I guess that’s me,” Ridge said. “According to the time stamp, seven minutes later, Gwynn left through the same gate she entered.” Ridge shook his head. “Gwynn drove in, parked in the unit and walked away. Apparently, someone picked her up once she was on the street.”

“They were smart enough not to be caught on camera,” Jinx said.

Ridge looked at Jinx and Bubba. “Let’s check out all businesses and traffic cameras in both directions in front of Discount Storage. They might identify who gave Gwynn a ride.”

Tizzy stood, walked to the dry erase board and started to list the points as she spoke. “Let’s recap. We know Gwynn slipped something into your drink at the bachelor party, but a woman and two men took you. She couldn’t have put you in the crate and loaded you by herself.”

“That’s right, but who helped her? Bubba shuffled some papers. “The storage unit was rented in her name.”

“According to Officer Fisher’s notes, the owner of Discount Storage claims Gwynn came in about a month ago and used her charge card to pay for the two months minimum rental,” Jinx said, around a mouthful of pastry.

Tizzy wrote all the info on the board. “So, that tells us the abduction was probably planned well in advance”

Jinx held his coffee cup with both hands, leaned forward and rested elbows on knees. “I think you were in the crate for a reason other than getting you out of sight. If I was going to take you somewhere, what better way than to haul you in a box in the back of a truck?” He straightened in his seat. “Nobody would pay any attention to that. It’d just look like somebody either picking up or making a delivery. You were drugged, after all, and wouldn’t be able to make noise for a while. When you did regain consciousness, you were gagged.”