Chapter 10
Marlee stared at the screen and read it again. Ice coated her skin. Whoever had written the email harbored so much anger for her, it was a wonder her laptop hadn’t burst into flames.
Was this why Colt had been so concerned about her this morning? Had he received something similar?
Who could have sent this? From what she knew, Colt had dated several women in King Creek and the surrounding areas over the years. She hadn’t paid enough attention to know if he’d had any long term or recent relationships.
She drew in a deep breath and realized her hands trembled. She’d never been threatened like this, and she felt momentarily frozen. Should she respond? No, that wasn’t the right way to handle this. She needed to talk with Colt when he returned from working out on the range.
Thoughts ping ponged in Marlee’s brain. The email’s author said she would make her burn. What did she mean? Was she going to try to set her on fire? How? Where? Was she just trying to scare her?
She clenched her hands into fists and ground her teeth. No way would she allow some jealous woman to scare her like this. Not anymore than she already had.
This evening she would talk to Colt about the email to see if it related to his concern and to see if he knew who had sent it. And if he truly thought she was in danger. One thing bothered her, though. If this was related, why hadn’t he told her?
Marlee moved the email to a save folder so that she didn’t have to see it while she worked, and to show Colt later.
In the meantime, she couldn’t let someone’s vicious email affect her so that she couldn’t function. Hell, no. she had a career that depended on her doing her job. She had her authors to touch base with and a slush pile to annihilate.
Colt came back to the house, tired as hell, but eager to see Marlee. Ranger trotted at his heels, seeming as anxious as Colt.
When he walked into the kitchen, delicious smells smacked him in the face and made his stomach rumble.
Marlee stood at the stove, her back to him, one crutch propping her up while the other leaned against the counter next to her. Ranger parked his butt next to her.
She stirred something in a saucepan but stopped and looked over her shoulder. “Hi, Colt. Hungry?”
He took his hat off and tossed it onto the hat stand. “First of all, what are you doing up? Your butt should be in that chair. Second, what smells so good?”
She gave a little smile. “Believe me, I needed to get up and do something. And I chose something simple because doing anything while on crutches is the worst.”
He leaned in for a kiss and his lips moved softly over hers. Her smile seemed forced as he drew away—it looked like something bothered her.
Before he voiced his concern, she nodded to the pot she stirred with a wooden spoon. “I found fettuccini noodles in the pantry along with this alfredo sauce. I also dug out a package of meatballs from the freezer and they’re in the oven. Easy peasy.”
She pointed to the stock pot on the counter. “I need you to fill that up and we’ll boil water to cook the pasta while the meatballs finish cooking.”
“Still think you’re overdoing it.” He picked up the pot and put it under the faucet. “I’m concerned you’ll hurt yourself.”
“I’m fine.” She set the spoon on a spoon rest. “I am going to sit down for a bit. Being on crutches wears me out.”
He put the pot of water on the stove and turned on the flame. “That’s why we need to get a knee scooter.”
“Already ordered.” She made it to the kitchen nook and sank into a chair and sighed. It was easy to see she had exhausted herself.
He propped one hand on the island. “As much as I appreciate dinner, I’m going to tie you to your seat tomorrow, so you don’t get any bright ideas like this.”
She rolled her eyes. “As if you could.”
He moved to her and braced both palms on her chairback, caging her in. “Just try me.”
“Stop worrying so much.” A hint of something was in her eyes that gave him pause. Was it concern or was it anger? Both?
He backed away and studied her. “Looks like we have something to talk about.”
She sighed. “After dinner I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.”
He raised an eyebrow. “I’m not following.”
She made a waving motion, like she was swiping away their conversation. “After dinner, we’ll talk.”
Colt gave a slow nod. “Okay.” There wasn’t anything else to say on the subject for the moment. “But.” He raised a finger. “I’m finishing dinner. You just sit yourself right there and don’t move.”
“I’m too tired to move.” She gave him an exhausted smile. “Thank you.”
Colt served dinner when it was ready, and he ate like it was the only meal he’d had all day. He’d eaten plenty today, but he sure was hungry.
After dinner, he insisted on cleaning up, and she seemed grateful to let him do it. Getting around appeared to take a lot out of her. It should be easier for her once she got the knee scooter. When he finished cleaning, he sat her on the small couch in his man cave.
“I need my laptop.” She looked up at him. “Would you mind getting it for me?”
“No problem, honey.” He squeezed her shoulder before fetching the laptop and giving it to her when he returned.
She patted the seat next to her. “I have something to show you.”
He took the seat and leaned forward, his forearms on his thighs. “What is it?”
“Give me a minute.” She logged on and retrieved the email. She moved the laptop onto his lap. “Read it.”
Heat slammed into him as he read the email that was no doubt from Sally. “Sonofabitch,” he growled. He looked into Marlee’s puzzled gaze. “It’s from Sally Farmer.”
“How do you know?” Marlee cocked her head to the side. “Come to think of it, that’s who I saw at Mickey’s when you took me dancing. She looked familiar, but I couldn’t place her then. She was glaring daggers at me.”
“She called me and threatened you.” Colt clenched his jaw. He told Marlee what Sally had said.
He went on, “I had a feeling there was something off about her, so I googled her name.” He tried not to let his fear for Marlee show. “She was arrested on the suspicion of murdering the girlfriend of her former boyfriend, but the case was dropped due to a lack of evidence.”
The color drained from her face. “Why is this happening now? Sally may have killed the girlfriend of her former boyfriend, but what does that have to do with you or me? I didn’t think you dated her, even after that kiss.”
Colt pushed his hand through his hair, frustration and the burn of anger coursing through his veins. “Sally kissed me out of the blue the day you saw us, and afterward I came to think she intentionally did it to break up you and me. She started stalking me after that and didn’t stop until her parents moved her away from King Creek.”
Marlee’s eyes widened. “I had no idea.”
“She called me last week and asked me out to Mickey’s, and I told her I was already going with someone I’m seeing.” He dragged his hand down his face. “I saw her there, too, and she looked livid. I didn’t hear from her again until last night.”
Marlee brushed hair from her eyes and frowned. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t want to worry you.” He took Marlee’s hand in his. “I was still processing all of it, and I know I can keep you safe here with me, until I fix this.”
“You should have told me.” Marlee spoke low and evenly, but it was clear she was angry. “It’s not up to you to protect me. And how on earth do you think you’re going to fix this?”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “I called Mike Bailey today and asked him if threats are enough to get a restraining order. He said yes, but that two acts of harassment are required to get an injunction against harassment, the equivalent of a restraining order. This email gives us the second act against you.”
Marlee glanced at the email then back to Colt. “Even though it was sent anonymously?”
Colt considered her question then pointed to the sender’s email address. “This address has ‘farmer’ in the name. In my mind, that’s enough.” He turned back to Marlee. “Plus, it piggybacks the threat she made last night.” He rested his hand on her thigh. “I’ll take you tomorrow to get the order.”
Marlee’s chest rose as she inhaled deeply then lowered as she released the breath. “All right. But will it be enough against someone who’s clearly psychotic? Someone who probably killed a woman who had an injunction against her?”
Colt gripped Marlee’s thigh, her leg firm beneath her sweatpants. “We’ll figure this out, together. I won’t hold anything else from you, I promise.”
She glanced away before looking at him again. “Okay. Let’s put it aside for now, and we’ll talk about it again tomorrow.”
He took her hand in his. As he stared into her eyes, he wanted to tell her he loved her, but he couldn’t get the words out. Maybe it wasn’t time, or maybe he was afraid.
So instead, he took the laptop away from her and set it aside. Then he gathered her into his arms and held her as close as he possibly could.
A week after receiving the email, Marlee’s concern over the email and the threats Sally had voiced to Colt faded. No doubt the woman had been trying to get under Marlee’s skin. She’d done it, if only for a while.
Now, she waited for Colt to come back into the house. They’d just finished dinner, when a ruckus broke out that sounded like a large pack of dogs. Colt had left to make sure the dogs weren’t on the property, the horses in their stalls, and the barn doors shut. He hadn’t seemed overly concerned, but he’d wanted to make sure everything was secure.
In the meantime, Marlee settled onto the couch in Colt’s man cave. She looked around at the distinctly male inhabited room and smiled. It had Colt written all over it. She wondered how he would like a wife and kids to inhabit his space.
She shook her head, still smiling. Her thoughts seemed to always be on Colt.
As the week had gone by, Marlee’s aches and pains from the accident lessened and her headaches vanished. Every day she did exercises using her crutches, to strengthen her arms and not lose toned muscle in her legs. She didn’t want to lose her hard-won physically fit body.
She’d been on edge for a while, wondering if Sally Farmer would somehow come at her, even at Colt’s, but the threat faded the more days that passed.
Her knee scooter had arrived, and she was able to get around better, but the broken ankle still aggravated her. She supposed that frustration would remain until her ankle fully healed and the doctor removed her cast.
The time she spent with Colt drew them closer, and Marlee’s desire for him increased with every day that came and went. He’d been respectful, treating her like a princess, but keeping a slight bit of distance, clearly not wanting to push her. She’d gotten to the point where she wished he would lose control.
She wanted him.
And somehow, she would have him, soon.
Tonight.
As she shifted on the couch, she realized she couldn’t sit still because her body ached for him so much that she almost couldn’t bear it.
If only she had something sexy to slip into that would make him lose control. Maybe it was the sweatpants and T-shirts that kept him at bay. She laughed to herself. She doubted that her appearance would impede his desire for her.
The back door slammed shut, and a few minutes later, Colt appeared in the room. His presence commanded her attention, causing her to catch her breath. A day’s stubble shadowed his jaws and his western shirt fit his large frame perfectly. His worn Wranglers hugged his hips and thighs.
“Hi, honey,” he said with a smile.
She bit her lower lip, holding back a sound of desire.
“Turn around.” She circled her finger, encouraging him to do just that. “Slowly.”
He looked at her with amusement. “What are you up to?”
She did her best to keep a straight face. “Just do it.”
He complied.
“Stop,” she said as soon as his back was to her, and he came to an abrupt halt. She sighed as she looked at his tight ass in those snug Wranglers. “Oh, that’s niiiice.”
“I feel like a piece of meat,” he said over his shoulder.
Marlee burst out laughing. “But a sexy piece of meat.”
He grinned and faced her before settling on the couch beside her. “I should take a shower.”
She gripped his shirt in her fists, catching him off guard as she pulled herself onto his lap and straddled him. She nuzzled his ear. “Only if I get to take one with you.”
He gave a low groan as she shimmied against his growing erection. “I don’t think this is a good idea.”
She nuzzled his ear. “Why not?”
He hissed out a breath and his voice sounded strained. “You were in an accident, and you have a concussion…”
“The accident was over a week ago.” She tugged on his earlobe with her teeth. “And I don’t have headaches anymore.”
She felt his racing heart beneath her palm as she braced her hands on his chest. A rumble rose within him. “You can’t get your cast wet.”
“That sounds like a lame attempt to get out of what you and I both want.” She slid her hands down his chest and stopped at his belt buckle. “Give it up, McLeod. Tonight, you’re mine.”
“Oh, hell, Marlee.” He sucked in his breath as she ran her fingers along his belt line. “I can’t control myself if you keep that up.”
“Then don’t.” She moved her mouth to his.
Marlee kissed Colt, hard. He cupped the back of her head and answered her kiss with a powerful one full of the same pent-up desire she had for him. He pressed up with his hips as their kiss grew frantic, and she ground herself down on him.
He grasped her ass, squeezing her firm globes, encouraging her to move up and down, as if taking him inside her. She tipped her head back, thrusting her breasts in front of his face. He groaned and moved his hands to her breasts, filling his palms with them.
She wasn’t wearing a bra, and her hard nipples pressed against his hands. He rolled her nipples between his thumbs and forefingers, and she moaned as pleasure flooded her.
“Colt.” She moved up and down, unable to sit still. “I need you inside me.”
“Damn, Marlee.” He pushed up her T-shirt and tugged it over her head. She helped, and he tossed it behind him. He took her nipple into his mouth and teased it with his tongue.
She sucked in a breath and her belly tightened. She didn’t think she’d ever felt anything as exquisite and pleasurable in her life. He moved his mouth to her other nipple, and she knew she hadn’t. Nothing had ever felt this amazing.
“I have a cover for my cast, Colt.” Marlee had a hard time talking. Let’s take that shower together.”
Colt surged to his feet, holding her close to him. She hooked her thighs around his hips, glad she kept in shape.
He carried her into her bathroom and scooped up the cover before taking her to his huge master bath. She hadn’t been in here before and was amazed at the vastness of the rough stone shower that looked like a small grotto. It had two shower heads, one soft rain and the other more powerful.
He set her on the countertop before turning on the shower, then returned to slide the cover over her ankle cast. She braced her hands on the countertop as he slid down her sweats and discovered she didn’t have on any panties.
“Oh, honey.” He tossed aside the sweats, leaving her completely naked. He knelt between her thighs and pressed them apart. Her eyes widened as he ran his tongue down her center and she cried out in surprise and pleasure. He sucked and licked, and her mind spun.
She had a hard time breathing as he got to his feet and tugged off his own clothing, dropping everything onto the bathroom tile.
A sigh rose in her and she let it out with a soft sound as she stared at his naked body. She’d only imagined how he would look with nothing on, and her imagination hadn’t even done him justice. All that firm flesh and every well-defined muscle, as if his body had been chiseled in stone by one of the masters.
He moved to her and gathered her into his arms, drawing her close so that she could hook her thighs around his hips again. This time she shivered as her naked flesh touched his, her breasts rubbing his bare chest.
Colt took her into the shower grotto and set her on a seat built into the rock, beneath the largest showerhead. The gentle fall of water felt like rain over her face and skin.
“I don’t have any girly shampoo,” he said, as he looked down at her.
“Your hair always smells like apples.” She smiled up at him. “Use that shampoo.”
“One apple pie coming up.” He gave her a cute grin, but she became focused on what was directly in front of her.
Colt put shampoo on his hands and started to wash her hair just before she grasped his thick, long, length.
He sucked in his breath, his hands stilling in her wet hair. She lowered her head and slipped him into her mouth. “Marlee.” His voice sounded strangled.
She paused long enough to say, “Don’t stop washing my hair,” before she slid him into her mouth again.
He groaned but worked the shampoo into her hair as she took him deep into her mouth, to the back of her throat. He hesitated and she felt a shiver travel through him. She smiled as she sucked, shampoo running in rivulets down the sides of her face and over her back.
She could tell he had a harder and harder time trying to stick to his task while enjoying what she was doing to him.
His body tightened. She looked up at him to see him staring down at her, watching her. His jaw set and a pained look filled his expression. She knew he was on the edge, and she wondered if she should push him over the precipice.
He grasped her head in his hands to still her. “Stop, Marlee. I want to be inside you so damned bad.”
She let him slip from her mouth. “Then hurry and finish washing my hair.”
“It’s done.” He pushed wet hair from her face. “You enjoyed torturing me too much to notice.”
She gave him a mischievous grin. “Absolutely.”
Colt knelt on the Baltic blue tiles and pushed her thighs apart. He gave her a sexy, smoldering look before he lowered his head.
Marlee’s eyes widened as he raised her legs and put them over his shoulders. He gripped her hips and buried his face against her. She gasped then held his head in her hands as he licked and sucked her, and she squirmed in his grip.
She watched his head between her thighs as he drove her crazy. She tipped her head back, water gently falling on her face and rolling down her shoulders to her breast and off her nipples.
The sensations traveling through her made her mind whirl. It was a heady feeling that spread throughout her. Her belly tightened and she felt herself climbing closer and closer to orgasm. It all but felt like he was slowing, his tongue barely touching her, and she wanted to scream at him not to stop.
Her orgasm slammed into her, and she screamed. Her voice echoed in the shower grotto, and she thrashed in his arms as he kept going and wouldn’t stop.
“Colt.” She tried to hold his head still. “I can’t take it.”
He kept at it and another orgasm hit her hard and fast, and she screamed even louder.
The sensations were too intense to bear. Tears rolled from her eyes, washed away by the fall of water.
“I’m serious.” The words came out rough and uneven. “I can’t take anymore.”
He raised his head, a sexy heated expression. “I’m not finished with you.”
“I certainly hope not,” she managed to get out.
He grasped her waist and surged to his feet and braced her against the wall. Her breath left her in a rush as he drove himself into her. She cried out at his thickness stretching her and filling her. He moved in and out, hard and fast.
She gasped as she felt an oncoming orgasm.
“You feel so good.” The words came out of Colt in a hard rasp. “You’re so tight.”
“I’m going to climax again.” Marlee had a hard time even talking. “Come with me, Colt.”
“I’m right there with you, honey.” He thrust in and out a few more times and Marlee screamed. Colt shouted her name as his body bucked against hers and he throbbed inside her core making her spasms continue.
His knees seemed to give out and they slid down the tile so that they were sitting on the shower floor, water raining down on them. He gathered her close and she felt the rise and fall of his chest against hers. She held onto him and knew that she was completely head-over-heels in love with him.