CHAPTER NINE
“What is this place?” whispered Everest.
“It’s our family’s home,” said Rett. “All of these cottages belong to members of our team and their families. The security here is tighter than the White House. No one gets onto this property without us knowing about it.”
“Wh-where will you be?” she asked looking up at Mike. He touched her cheek, giving her a soft kiss.
“With your permission, I’ll be in the guest room across from your room.” She gave a nearly imperceptible nod as they walked inside the beautiful cottage.
“What about Colt?” she asked.
“What do you mean?” frowned Rett.
“If he gave me that document intentionally, they’ll find out. What about him? He’s not going to be okay.”
“Do you have his phone number?” asked Mike.
“No. I can try to call someone from the office, maybe someone I trust,” she said shaking her head.
“Do you trust anyone?” asked Mike.
“At this point? No,” she laughed, fighting back hysteria.
“We’ll find out where he lives and check on him for you. You said he worked at a club downtown. What’s the name of it?”
“The Naked Saddle,” she said shyly. “I asked him if he wanted help finding a new job but he said he makes a lot of money there.”
“I’m sure he does,” nodded Mike. “We had a young firefighter who took shifts there. He made five times what we make at firefighters. He quit the department, bought a four-bedroom house and seems happy.”
“He said that Abigail and Samantha paid him and Jordan extra to spend two hours in a private room. He also confided in me that he was abused by his stepmother starting at eleven.”
“Damn,” muttered Mike. “We’ll try to find him.”
“You guys get some rest,” said Hex. “We’ll handle the rest. Join us for breakfast in the morning and we’ll walk through this.”
As they entered the cottage, Mike immediately walked down the hallway turning on lights. He came back into the kitchen and put the tea kettle on, taking out two cups and placing tea bags in side.
“You’ve been here before?” she asked.
“Oh,” he chuckled. “A few times. Mostly to deliver furniture that I made for the team. That coffee table is one of mine.”
She casually walked around the sofa and touched the wood grain of the massive coffee table. It looked like an old steamer trunk, but all wood with iron hinges.
“Mike, this is beautiful,” she whispered. “You could sell this and make a fortune.”
“I do sell them, to friends,” he smiled. “The family that owns this land, also owns a construction company that builds homes, businesses, all kinds of things. I do a lot of their custom woodwork.”
“It’s just beautiful,” she said sitting back against the sofa.
“Penny for your thoughts,” he asked, handing her the tea cup.
“I just don’t understand what’s happening. I mean, one minute I’m working on a project that I was stressed about and the next I’m fired, almost killed by an elevator, and now I’m being chased for a piece of paper I don’t understand.”
“It is a lot to take in,” he said leaning back on the sofa beside her. “But you don’t have to take it in alone. I’m here for you. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Mike,” she whispered. “What are we doing? What are you doing?”
“Trying to convince you that our age difference means nothing.”
“I’ve lived with the idea that I was too old to fall in love again. I don’t think I loved my ex at all toward the end. We were comfortable and we were friends, but we didn’t love one another. What if it’s me? What if I’m not capable of loving someone?”
He turned to her, gripping her face in his hands, kissing her gently, sweetly.
“That’s complete nonsense. You are loving and caring. Just asking about Colt tells me that. You make me so excited for future possibilities, Everest. I see a future with you. I know that probably scares the shit out of you.”
“Yes. It does,” she said staring at him.
“Too bad. I’m not going anywhere. I always knew that when I met the woman I loved, it would hit me like a ton of bricks. Even the men on my team knew.”
“The w-woman you l-loved?” she stammered.
“Don’t run,” he smiled. “Just let me hold you tonight. Just let me lie with you.”
She stood from the sofa and he stared up at her as she turned back to him.
“Okay. I’m going to shower and then go to bed. If you want to lie with me, I won’t argue. I’m too tired.”
Mike didn’t say a word to her, watching as she disappeared down the hallway. His phone chirped and he read the text message.
Colt didn’t show for his shift at the club. Neither did Jordan. Owner said Colt is a good kid but didn’t have the same words for Jordan. Tomorrow.
Shit, thought Mike. Everest wouldn’t forgive herself if something happened to Colt. He heard the water in the shower turn off and he walked to the spare bedroom, changed into a pair of loose-fitting shorts and walked across to the master bedroom.
Everest was lying on the bed, the sheet pushed to her feet. She was on her side, her face already relaxed. Her wet hair fanned out on the pillow and he cursed himself thinking he could do this. He pushed down on his stiffening cock and then moved to the other side of the bed.
He carefully slid onto the sheet, moving closer to the center, just to be able to touch her hand. He was surprised when she didn’t pull back, instead, clasping her fingers with his own.
“Don’t leave me,” she whispered.
“I’m not going anywhere.” It shocked him that he was able to fall asleep so quickly. It didn’t shock him that he woke with a stiff cock the next morning. She was curled into his side, her left arm draped across his abdomen.
He grimaced as her hand slid up his side, then back down. She’s asleep, he told himself. She doesn’t know what she’s doing.
“Mike?” she whispered.
“Yeah, baby. Good morning.”
“Good morning. Mike? If I were to take off my nightgown will you promise not run?” He rolled over, staring at her.
“Why the fuck would I run?” he asked.
“Mike, my breasts are no longer where they once were, my abdomen is not flat, my thighs are not sturdy, and my ass…”
“Your ass is fucking perfect,” he said gripping her face. “You forget that I touched that ass when I put that harness on you. It’s round and lush and positively edible.”
She laughed at that, shaking her head.
“I’m serious, babe. Your body is real. It’s you. No silicone, no injections, no surgery. I can tell. It’s not your body that drew me in, Everest, although I love your body. It’s your mind, your heart, all of you.”
“Why do you know all the right things to say?”
“I don’t know,” he chuckled “but weren’t you saying something about taking off that nightgown?”
She sat up, turning her back slightly to him as she lifted the gown over her head and tossed it to the floor. She covered her breasts, laying back against the pillow and he shook his head, moving her arms aside.
“Don’t hide from me,” he growled. “You’re fucking perfect. Fucking beautiful.”
He traced a finger from the hollow of her throat down her chest, her breasts not as full as they once were, but still perfect. The small swell of her stomach told him she was a woman. A real, nothing fake woman. The soft flesh of her thighs made him moan.
Hooking his fingers into her panties, he tugged and shoved them down. He kicked off the shorts and she stared at him, her face pink and hot with desire.
“Touch me,” he said in a husky voice. She reached, swallowing as her fingers slid along his length. “Don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt you.”
Pushing her knees apart, he hovered above her, kissing her gently at first, then move invasive, deep. She could feel his hot length along her slit and groaned involuntarily. With the big head at her opening, she knew this was going to be bigger and better than her ex-husband.
“Relax,” he whispered in her ear. She nodded but nothing about this was making her relax. He pushed forward, the big head now slick with her juices. “Fuck.”
“Yes,” she gasped. “Fuck.”
He laughed and moved slowly at first, a little at a time, in and out, in and out. When he was fully inside her, she moaned, arching her back.
“How long?” he asked. She stared up at him. “How long has it been for you, sweet Everest?”
“Years. Even before the divorce. Years.”
“That ends today,” he growled moving inside her. “From now on, this body is mine every damn day.”
Everest suddenly had a realization. She was wet. Like seriously wet. She’d fought vaginal dryness for years as she matured. Her ex-husband, frustrated with her complaining, just stopped trying. This man made her soaked within just a few minutes.
It wasn’t her fault. It had nothing to do with her.
“More,” she cried out as he plunged deeper and deeper.
“You’re mine, Everest,” he said gripping her face in his hands. “Mine. Say it.”
“I’m yours,” she cried out with release. While she shook beneath him, he emptied his body inside of hers, knowing that they were both safe. Unable to have children, and both clean.
But damn could they have fun.