Point of Contention (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (24 page)

“Damn it, Kay,” he said, but it took all his effort to manage that.

“More,” she said, and watched him lift off her enough to see her

face.

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With a wide smile, he shook his head at her. “More?” he asked,

unsure he heard her correctly, and she laughed at him.

“Yes, do it again, Stuart.” Her hand reached to his shoulders and

pulled him down to her mouth. It was a long, slow, lazy kiss that had

them both starting up the climb toward fulfillment once again when

the winds outside changed. They both realized the difference, and he

pulled sharply back from her.

“Get dressed, Kay,” he told her harshly. Stuart pulled from inside

her with a fury that annoyed her until she realized he was aware of

something she wasn’t. Looking around, she realized the power had

gone off and the stable roof was heaving.

Pulling up his jeans, Stuart struggled to right himself inside them.

Then he pulled off his flannel shirt and wrapped it around her

shoulders. Buttoning it in place, she too hurried to pull on her jeans

and boots. He reached a hand down to her to help her up, and while

she would have liked to stay in his arms to enjoy the afterglow, she

understood it wasn’t to be.

“Stay here, I’m going to check…”

“I’m going with you,” she said, tugging his shirt down over her as

she rolled back the long sleeves.

“Damn it, Kay, can’t you just once do what I ask?”

“Damn it, Kay,” she mimicked. “Stuart, you say it like my name

is Damn it Kay.” For about five seconds they stared each other down,

and he finally smiled at her.

“All right, but stay close,” he told her, and she accepted his

statement with a nod.

They moved to the front door closest to the lodge, and both had to

hold it from snapping in the wind. Torrents of rain splashed them, and

the wind whipped at their faces. “The storm moved,” he started. “Kay,

check the horses. Make sure their doors are secure.”

He moved to one side of the row, and she took the opposite,

checking each stall and its occupant. When he reached the dogs he

went in and soothed them for a few minutes.

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“I have to get back to the lodge. I want you to stay here. You’ll be

safe and dry…”

“I’m coming with you,” she told him as she pulled on her rain

jacket. He gave her his look that meant he was about to argue with her

when she leaned up and gave him a wet, sloppy kiss on the lips.

“Discussion over. If you go alone, you’ll want to come back for me.

This way we’ll only be outside once, together.”

It was obvious he didn’t like her second-guessing him, but

accepted the validity of her words.

“Okay, but stay close. I don’t think taking the truck…”

“I walked over in the first place. I won’t melt in the rain.” Her

look dared him to suggest otherwise.

“And what are you going to tell everyone you were doing in the

barn with me?” he asked, pulling a few small strands of straw from

her hair. “For the last three hours?”

“Do you really think they need to ask?” She laughed openly at

him, and he nodded she was right. “Just about every person who

works at Agrarian Lodge knows the tension between us.” She

hesitated and waited for him to argue. “Besides, I’m wearing your

shirt and your scent,” she told him.

“Oh, hell, Kay, do you mind?” he asked, his voice tender with

concern.

“No, do you? As far as I’m concerned, I don’t care what they

think, only what you think.” He studied her for a long time, and she

added, “I could go to my apartment and clean up and meet you back

at the lodge if you’ll feel better. Nobody would have to know…”

“I only care about you, Kay.”

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Chapter Eighteen

Kay was thankful the storm had passed without much damage.

The last few days were filled with setting the lodge to rights and

getting everything back in working order. By Sunday night, she was

appreciative all was quiet. They had the next day to themselves and

by Tuesday, a new round of guests would arrive, along with all the

chaos they brought. Tonight, she just wanted to relax.

Fresh from the shower she cussed at the knocking on her

apartment door. Tucking the towel wrapped around her torso tighter,

she flung the door inward, full of attitude.

“What?” She wasn’t prepared for Travis to be standing there with

a bottle of scotch in one hand.

“We’ve been summoned to the office,” he said, pausing to twist

open the top and take a drink. He handed it to her and she took a sip

too. “Don’t know what it’s about, but I figured since it’s our evening

off, we have the right to a drink.”

“I’ll need a few minutes to dry and dress.” Handing him back the

bottle, she eyed him up and down. “You look sexy tonight, Travis,

like you’re primed for something. Want to share?”

“No ideas, I was relaxing and having a drink when Stuart called. I

told him I’d pick you up on the way over.”

“So the glassy eyes are from alcohol?” She reached up and

unwound the towel from her hair, blotting the excess moisture from

the ends. “Want to come in and wait while I get dressed?”

“I think I’ll walk over and meet you there.” He gave her a look

from head to toe. “Too much temptation here.” Travis took a step into

her apartment and wrapped her wet hair between his fingers. His kiss

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was just short of rough, transferring heat and passion and need. When

he released her, he took a step back and shifted his cock in his jeans.

“I better walk slow to get rid of my hard-on.” He laughed at his own

words and disappeared from her doorway.

“Great, he’s drunk and horny, and now he’s made me horny, and I

have to go sit with Stuart and listen to his garbage.” Kay closed the

door and headed back to her bathroom. After covering her body in

lotion, she pulled on clean jeans and her clogs. She stood before the

bureau, a front-close bra in her hands, deciding if she wanted to wear

it or not. With a resigned laugh, she struggled into the torture device

and settled her tits in the cups, clasping it tight. She pulled a white tee from the top of the pile and headed back to dry her hair.

Kay heard the knock and yelled, “Come in,” but kept the hair

dryer flowing underneath her hair. When she finally clicked it off and

turned she let out an involuntary yell when she realized it was Timms

standing in her apartment.

“You said come in, Katie, so here I am.” He was drunk, she

realized, and that meant dangerous. She glanced around for her phone

and saw it sitting in the charger on the bedroom bureau, across the

space. There was nothing in the bathroom within reach she could use

as a weapon.

“You’ve been warned not to come back on lodge property. What

do you want?”

Kay hoped if she sounded stern and scolding, she’d gain an

advantage.

“I’ve been here all along, just nobody bothered to check I’d really

gone. Lots of places on this land for a guy to hang and not be seen.”

“So why come out now?”

“Oh please, after your little scene in the barn with Stuart the night

of the storm, I just couldn’t wait any longer. Watching you suck and

fuck, hearing you yell and plead for him to fuck your ass, baby, I

came in my jeans from two stalls away.” He gave her a self-satisfied

look, one that was meant to be demeaning.

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Kay realized he was there for his turn, and her stomach soured.

She tried to evaluate her options and didn’t see many. He already

knew she wouldn’t shy away from physically protecting herself, so

he’d be prepared if she lunged at him. In the back of her mind she

wondered if Travis or Stuart would come look for her if she didn’t

show up. Maybe, she decided, but not for a while. In the meantime

she had to outsmart this creep. She heard Stuart’s dog at her door,

giving her his occasional yip to be let in.

“Shut up your lousy dog,” Jimmy hollered, and she hoped

someone else in the complex would hear. When the dog barked, he

took a small wooden box she kept earrings in on the top of her bureau

and threw it at the door. “Go away,” he screamed.

“I’ll get him,” she said in a low tone. “If I don’t pet him, he won’t

go away.” Drawing a breath, she slithered past him and headed to the

door. He grabbed her upper arm, holding her in place.

“Where do you think you’re going? You’re mine tonight.”

“I know that, Jimmy, but if I don’t get rid of the dog, someone

else might hear.” She hoped she sounded somewhat interested in his

attentions and smiled at him. “Relax, have a drink. There’s a bottle of

vodka in the mini-fridge in the corner.”

“Don’t try anything stupid, Kay. I know this land like the back of

my hand. You have no place to hide.”

“I understand,” she mumbled and pointed him toward the small

fridge. Kay opened the door and bent down to pet the dog. As she did,

she grabbed several of her earrings that had landed in the doorway

and wrapped them around his collar. As if she were ruffling the dog’s

ears, she took a few more and wrapped them around the leash clasp.

“That’s enough. You should be hugging me.”

Kay slowly stood and looked at the dog. “Go to Stuart, go on,

leave me alone.” It took all her strength not to vault after the animal

and run for her life, but she knew Jimmy was within reach of

grabbing her. If she pissed him off, it would be worse. “See, all he

wanted was a quick pet and he’s gone. Now, did you pour us a

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drink?”

She tried for casual and froze when he used his arm to wipe off all

the items she kept on her bureau. Jumping when the clattering noise

hit, she hoped someone downstairs heard and would come looking for

her. In the meantime, she had to stay calm and outwit this lunatic.

“Where were you staying, Jim? You mentioned you stayed on the

land and nobody knew you were here.” She took a step inside but left

the door cracked. “Aren’t you going to get us a drink?”

Timms turned, and she saw her break. Kay didn’t think or

breathe—she yanked on the door handle and pulled it inward, making

her getaway. She prayed he’d not catch her, but he was right behind

her, grabbing at her hair as she hit the top of the outer staircase. She screamed involuntarily, and he twisted harder, dragging her back up

the steps toward her apartment. He was screaming, his words not

understandable, only that she’d pissed him off. In a fleeting glance,

she saw Martha push the kitchen curtain aside. Kay yelled for help,

with her full voice. She remembered tumbling down the staircase and

landing in a heap at the bottom, but everything went black after that.

Kay woke cradled against Stuart’s chest, his arm protectively

around her, his hand pushing the hair from her face.

“Timms,” she managed, and he pulled her tighter.

“Don’t worry, he’s gone. Just relax. Are you hurt?”

“I don’t know,” she said with a nervous laugh, noticing the rest of

the employees standing around them. Martha knelt down and pressed

a cold cloth to her forehead. “I think I’m okay,” she added, suddenly

embarrassed by all the staff watching her. In the distance she could

hear a siren getting closer, and she relaxed back against Stuart.

“Do you want me to call the emergency for you?” The look on his

face showed true angst. She realized in that instant he truly did care.

“No, I don’t think so. Let’s see if I can stand first.” There were

several suggestions from the staff about letting her get up or not, but

she slowly maneuvered her body one limb at a time until she first sat

forward. Her head spun a bit, but she held the cloth to her forehead.

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With Stuart’s help, she stood and got her footing. “I think I’m okay,

I’m just pissed.”

“I know, Kay, we’ll talk about Timms later. For now, are you all

right?”

“I think so. I’d like a drink, but this time I do want to press

charges against Timms.” She stretched her neck and straightened her

clothing. “I think I’m all put together.” Turning to Martha, she smiled.

“Thanks for the cold cloth. I don’t feel like it needs stitches. I think it’s just a bump.”

“A bump that blacked you out for minutes, Kay, long minutes.”

“I’ll be okay, better when I get Timms in a cell. Where is he?”

“Hoyt and Travis have him tied up in the bunkhouse kitchen.

Sheriff is on his way.”

“Good, I want to talk to the sheriff. Stuart, did you know all this

time he’s been living on the lodge land?” He looked appalled at the

concept. “I think he’s been staying in the storage sheds. He claims…”

Kay glanced around and looked to Martha. “I know it’s an imposition,

but would you mind making a pot of coffee?”

“Of course, it’s already brewing. You could use a couple of

aspirin too. Come inside, into the living room.” Kay let Martha begin