Chapter Three
Shep tossed his bag on the bed in the room he was shown to, noting Stace’s bedroom was directly across the hallway. Hell, he’d wanted nothing more than to strip her and lift her against that wall earlier. He imagined how she would slide onto his cock as he eased her down his length. He was hard as granite. And his thoughts weren’t doing anything to ease him. He needed to focus more on finding Stace’s sister and less on getting Stace naked. She deserved better than that.
Stace stepped into the doorway. Her dark hair now hung loose over her shoulders and down her back. It appeared long and silky, and he wanted to feel it brushing over his skin. Her tongue darted out to lick over her plump bottom lip, and he craved that tongue, wanted to feel it glide over his shaft, lick across the head of his cock.
“Penny for your thoughts,” she murmured, and he chuckled.
“Trust me. My current thoughts are best left for later,” he murmured. “Much later.”
Stace smiled, and damn, she was beautiful. She took his mind to carnal things when he needed to be focusing on why he was there. To help Stace find her sister, not to strip Stace and get intimate the first chance he got. Didn’t mean he wouldn’t do his best to achieve both.
“Later, then,” she agreed, turning back toward the hallway and leading him out of the room and down the corridor. “Chloe’s room is this way. I put her bookbag and purse in her room when I picked them up from the police.”
They entered the room, and Stace’s breathing changed as she looked at her sister’s things. He saw the touch of sadness and worry in her eyes. He wanted to pull her close again and offer more comfort, but he knew the better way to support her was to buckle down and find Chloe.
“I’m guessing you already searched her purse?” Shep asked.
“There’s nothing out of the ordinary in her purse or bookbag.”
“This one hers?” he asked as he moved over to the desk against the back wall and the laptop that sat there.
“Yes. I didn’t see anything on there, but I’d appreciate a second set of eyes,” Stace replied.
Fresh eyes without the blinders that often went along with close relationships. Shep sat and turned on the computer. The first thing he did was look at all the documents and files saved on her drive. Most had to do with school. He clicked into her internet browser and appreciated how well organized she was. Across the top bar were files that held the links for specific websites she frequented. He checked her email, unsurprised she had multiple accounts. He browsed through her history and followed trails that led him nowhere.
He wasn’t sure when Stace left the room. He took the time required to go through every file on the computer and still came up empty-handed. There was nothing there to point them in a particular direction. He powered down the computer and stood. He stretched his back, groaning as he looked at his watch and saw he’d been at it for over an hour. He headed downstairs and followed the laughter to the kitchen.
Griff had arrived, and Shep caught the tantalizing aroma of pizza. His stomach rumbled, and he hoped Griff had brought enough. He stepped into the kitchen as Griff put paper plates out on the table. Stace sat on the counter with a beer in her hand, sipping as she watched Griff. She’d ditched her socks and shoes at some point, and he loved the way she swung her bare feet. They both glanced his way as he entered. He moved toward Stace.
“Smells good,” he said. He was going to stop beside where she sat on the counter, but when she spread her thighs, he couldn’t resist the invitation and moved to stand right between them.
“Beer?” she asked casually, as if they stood this way all the time.
“Yeah,” he answered, and she reached over and popped the top off one of the bottles sitting next to her before handing it to him.
“Pizza and beer,” she murmured, smiling. “Doesn’t get much better than this.”
Ah, hell. She was perfect. Shep might just fall in love.
“Woman after my own heart,” Griff said with a grin as he opened one of the pizza boxes and grabbed a couple of slices to put on a plate. “We’ve got everything, all meat, and one that has like twenty different kinds of cheese or something like that.”
“What do you want?” Shep asked as he set his beer by her thigh and moved toward the table, grabbing a plate for each of them.
“Give me one of each,” Stace said, and Shep loaded two plates with one of each. He handed her a plate then moved back between her thighs, turning to face Griff while they ate.
No one spoke for a bit as they were too busy eating. After they each had another plateful, they finally began to wind down. Shep loved the fact that Stace ate. She didn’t pick, didn’t eat one and set her plate aside. She kept up with him and Griff, and that was a big turn-on. A woman who could eat like that would have the energy to play hard later, and he knew just what they could play.
“So did you find anything?” Shep asked Griff.
“That Tark’s is indeed wall-to-wall people,” Griff said. “If they said they remembered her but not who she was with or where, then chances are they aren’t lying. That place is crazy. I have no idea where all those people come from.”
“Tark’s has always been the place to go,” Stace offered.
“I spoke with several of the staff, and they honestly either didn’t see Chloe or did but don’t recall anything other than they saw her there,” Griff said. “I believe them. After looking around tonight, the flow of people in and out is heavy. Hell, I could remember faces I saw tonight but not what they did while they were there. And this isn’t even a Friday.”
“Did your sister go there often?” Shep asked.
“I don’t think so,” Stace said. “She just turned twenty-one this year. I’m sure Nicole would know more. I spoke with her earlier, and she’s agreed to stop by tomorrow after her morning classes.”
“Great,” Shep said. “It will help if we can find out if Chloe went there often or if this was an impromptu stop.”
“I don’t know. God! There’s too much I don’t know about my own sister,” Stace admitted, sipping her second beer. There was no missing the pain in her eyes. Shep had no doubt Stace would always blame herself for what happened to her sister. She hadn’t been here when Chloe needed her. He’d feel the same.
“We’ll see what we can find out from Nicole in the morning,” he said. “Did you find anything of importance in your sister’s purse?”
“Nothing out of place,” Stace said. “Her wallet didn’t hold any secret numbers or notes or receipts. Compact and gloss in the side pocket with a couple condoms. Some pens, peppermints, and a pack of gum.”
“Condoms?” Griff asked. “Was your sister dating someone?”
“Once again, not that I know of,” Stace replied, holding up her hand before either guy could say anything. “But she’s heard enough from me to know to practice safe sex. It’s her body, so she can’t depend on a guy to have protection.”
“Smart woman,” Shep said.
“The condoms came from a box I keep in the bathroom,” Stace said letting her gaze lock with Shep’s. “The only two missing are the ones in her purse.”
So Stace had them covered when it came to protection. Good to know. Of course, he had a box in his bag, as well. So, there was no limit to the amount of fun they could have.
“What time are Nicole’s classes over?” Griff asked. “At this point, it seems like everything depends on what we can find out from her.”
“Her class finishes at eleven forty-five,” Stace said. “She said she’d try to be here around one.”
“All right,” Griff said. “Been a long day guys, so I’m hitting the hay.”
“You remember the way to the bedroom?” Stace asked.
“Down the hall, last door on the left,” Griff said.
“Bathroom is right across the hall,” Stace offered.
“Shower sounds really good right now.” Griff tugged at his shirt and shook his head. “I smell like a bar. Catch you both in the morning.”
“Night,” Shep said.
Griff slapped Shep on the shoulder as he passed and sent a wink toward Stace. “I’ve got my earbuds with me, so if you need me for some reason, you’ll have to come get me. I won’t be able to hear a thing.”
Shep grinned. Stace laughed. Griff just whistled and headed out the door and down the hallway.
Shep turned to face the counter, and Stace inched forward until their hips met at just the right point. He rocked his hard cock against the denim-covered vee of her thighs. She moaned and rotated her hips up and into him.
“I could really use a distraction right now,” she shared.
“I can be a great distraction,” Shep agreed.
“Promises, promises,” she murmured, wrapping her legs up around his waist and pressing hard into him. “Why don’t I be the judge of how great you are?”
“Hell, yes,” Shep agreed, hauling her close and taking her mouth in a deep, hard kiss of possession.
“Why don’t we move upstairs?” she whispered into his ear as soon as they’d caught their breaths. He scooped her up off the counter, cradling her weight with his arms as he turned and headed toward the stairs.
“Your room or mine?” he asked.
“King-size bed with connecting door to the bathroom and the box of condoms,” Stace murmured as she licked a path up his neck to his ear. “I’d say my room.”
Shep groaned as her teeth found his earlobe and she nibbled. He had no idea how they’d make it upstairs to her room without him losing control and taking her against a wall. But he was determined not to mess this up. He wanted more than one night with her, and that made this first time even more important.