Chapter Several Months Later Byron #2
God, if Reynolds could somehow hear what I was thinking he’d accuse me of trying to be Shakespeare or something. But I’d heard him talk about Nadine in ways I’d never thought he’d talk about a woman.
I looked around. I’d love to get down on my knee right here, in the middle of the dance floor. But that wouldn’t be right. I didn’t want to take away from Paolo and Jelly’s big day. I’d need to do it somewhere out of sight if I was going to ask her tonight.
Before I could contemplate it further, there was a commotion on one end of the dance floor.
The sheriff was standing outside the tent.
He was staring at Nia with her date, and I thought that’s why he’d come to the wedding at first. He wasn’t close with Paolo or Jelly, so there was really no reason for him to be here.
I hoped he wasn’t about to go all jealous boyfriend on Nia. I’d have to stop that before it happened. “I’ll be right back,” I kissed Jess quickly, and then walked over to the sheriff. Reynolds got there right as I did.
“What’s going on?” Reynolds asked quietly, keeping a smile pasted on his face. He knew people were watching him.
The sheriff looked stressed. His salt and pepper hair was standing up in places like he’d been running his hands through his hair. “It’s happened again.”
Reynolds’ face drained of all color. “No.”
The sheriff stood there, waiting for the truth to sink in.
“You mean… there’s been another murder?” I asked.
He nodded. “She was found just like the others. It’s the exact same m.o.”
Reynolds winced. “Is it anyone we know?”
The sheriff hesitated. “She worked at Sugar,” he confirmed.
It was a gut punch revelation. I couldn’t believe this serial killer would be reckless enough to target the Salazars in any way.
But he had. This would make three times now that he’d murdered someone from either Sugar or Cayenne.
I would have worried that it was one of the Cinnamon Girls that Nadine, Jess, and Carmen were so close to, but they were all at the wedding. “Who?”
“Daniela.”
Reynolds scrubbed a hand over his face. “Don’t tell anyone tonight. I don’t want anything to spoil the wedding. None of the girls really hung out with her, but Leo and Joaquin were, er… very close to her.”
By that, he meant she’d been a favorite of theirs to take to a private room in Cayenne and share a few hours of fun with a couple of times a week. They wouldn’t take the news well, I was sure.
“We’ll start interviewing tomorrow,” the sheriff said with a sigh. “I just wanted to brief you tonight, Mr. Mayor.” With that, he glanced at Nia one last time, turned, and walked away.
“That’s a kick in the gut,” Reynolds said.
“It is.”
Reynolds realized everyone was shooting glances our way. He grabbed me by the elbow. “Act normal. Go dance with Jess and act like nothing happened. Don’t tell anyone a word about this.”
I nodded and hurried back over to Jess.
“Was he upset about Nia?” she asked.
“Yeah. We told him he shouldn’t be here, and he took off.”
“That’s strange behavior for someone in law enforcement, don’t you think?”
I shrugged. “They’re people, too. They get jealous, fall in love, and have all the same emotions the rest of us do.”
“True. I guess I just hold them to a higher standard. Especially the sheriff,” she said with a slight frown. “I think Nia should steer clear of him.”
“Maybe.” I whipped her back onto the dance floor trying to distract her from the sheriff’s visit to the wedding. After a couple of dances, I got back to what I’d previously been thinking about. Could I do it? Could I really ask her to marry me?
Suddenly nervous, I leaned in to whisper in her ear. “Could you come with me?”
She looked up at me startled. Then she grinned. “Oh, I know what this is.”
“You do?” How could she tell?
“I remembered, and I wondered when you were going to be ready.”
I was trying to figure out exactly what she was talking about. “I think I’ve been ready since the first week I knew you, to be honest.”
She laughed. “I would have thought it was the first day.”
I cocked my head to look at her better. I couldn’t help but think we were talking about two different things, but I wasn’t sure. “The first day?”
“I mean,” she lowered her voice even though there was no way anyone could hear her, “we kind of did that already in the first ten minutes I knew you.”
Now my eyebrows shot up. I was talking about proposing… she was not. I realized now that she was thinking back to when I told her I wanted to have sex with her in public. Somewhere we could be caught in the act but most likely wouldn’t be.
I took her hand and motioned for her to follow me.
“Where are we going?” she giggled a little, and I knew she’d had a couple of glasses of champagne. She had a very low tolerance, so I wasn’t surprised she was a little tipsy.
“I think I saw a place where we could be somewhat private.”
“But not too private, right? Isn’t that what you wanted?”
Damn. She was making me hard. We walked down the beach a little and behind some large clumps of pampas grass.
Some huge palm trees were blocking the view from the path that wound along the beachfront where the Salazars had built houses for family members and friends.
Nothing around the area was open to the public, and there was a gated entry.
The only people who could stumble upon us would be wedding guests.
“This doesn’t really feel very public,” Jess said. “Did you lose your nerve?”
“Not at all. Maybe we’ll be more out in the open next time,” I said as I laid down a quilted blanket for us to lay on.
Madeline had a designated area for couples to sit and look at the stars, and she’d set out several blankets so they wouldn’t get too sandy in the process.
I’d stolen one for our nefarious purposes.
“I like this dress,” I said as I unzipped the back, helped her out of it and laid her down. I looked at her for a while in her sexy lingerie and heels. “God, you look amazing.”
I didn’t bother getting undressed. I kneeled in front of her and pulled her up towards me. I kissed her, cradling her face in my hands. I could’ve done that all night, but I really didn’t want to have to stop in the middle of things if someone did happen upon us.
I leaned her back as I trailed kisses over her neck, down onto her collarbones, and stopped at her damaged shoulder.
I kissed it gently, knowing she was sensitive about how it looked.
I’d told her many times it wasn’t ugly at all.
I thought it was beautiful because it represented how we’d almost lost each other, and we could use it as a reminder to live life to the fullest every chance we got.
She watched me for a while but then threw back her head and gave a helpless little moan as my lips locked on one of her nipples through her lacy bra. I switched back and forth between her breasts, thankful that she loved me focusing on them as much I as did.
Well, maybe not quite as much.
We heard voices approaching, and I stilled.
I looked up and she was smiling, trying not to laugh. “Hurry up,” she said.
“You want me to keep going?” I had planned to take my time with her, ready to taste between her legs and make her come at least twice as I sucked her clit.
“Yes! I’m ready, come on.” She grabbed my ass and pulled me towards her. I positioned myself over her as she unzipped my pants, reached in, and wrapped her hand around me as best she could.
“Oh God.” It felt so good as she stroked me roughly, and my hips bucked as I moved with her hand. She moved her hand up and used her thumb to rub pre-cum over the crown of my cock. It felt so fucking good, I thought I might die.
“Are you ready?” I whispered, my voice rough.
She nodded, her eyes half-lidded and full of desire.
I thrust inside her, and she had to fight not to cry out. There were voices somewhat near us now, and it seemed to be turning both of us on even more. I could feel her getting wetter around me as I grew inside her.
A couple suddenly sounded close by, and I started to pull back and cover her with my body.
She shook her head, bit her lip as she smiled at me, and wrapped her legs around me.
She pulled me back to her, and I thrust inside her again.
I began moving fast. We both did our best to keep completely quiet, which was almost impossible.
Then we started hearing unmistakable moans and sounds of pleasure nearby. My eyes opened wide as Jess and I stared at each other.
“Oh my God. Oh fuck! Do it harder. Harder!”
“Baby, I just don’t want to hurt your back against this tree,” came a familiar voice, but I couldn’t quite place it.
“Forget the tree, Leo! Just fuck me,” a voice I recognized as Nia’s said.
My mouth dropped open, and Jess looked equally surprised. Both of them had come to the wedding with other people. Were they meeting up in secret? And if so, how long had it been going on? Or… it was more likely a one-time thing after too much champagne.
“God, I love your dick,” Nia cried out, and the obscene noises they were making made me feel like we were on the set of a porno being filmed. I had to hide my face in Jess’ neck to smother my laughter as I continued to pump inside her.
And then, as we both got closer, I all but forgot about Leo and Nia. The sounds of their… fucking became more background noise as I completely focused on the breathtaking woman beneath me.