Chapter 5

Dexter

If this is a mistake. It’s hard to quantify it as Scarlett pulls a robe over her body.

Standing there in the low light, with her hair tangled, for the first time in a while I feel like I did something good.

I lace my fingers behind my head and watch her as she steps inside the bathroom and starts running a bath.

Through the crack in the door, I see her bend over and run her fingers through the water.

I throw the covers off me and grab her so I can spin her around. “What are you doing?” she says.

I grin as I grip her ass, and feel my cock start to get hard again, as she moans. “What’s it look like I’m doing?”

I slip her robe aside and bend her over the vanity and start to slide my fingers down the soft skin of her ass. “Oh, oh.”

When she’s moaning, and I know she’s into it, I part her legs and watch her face in the mirror as I slide my finger inside her wet pussy.

I groan along with her as she rocks her hips back and forth, moving into me rubbing her ass against my cock.

I turn her around, and kiss her, slowly working her tongue with mine while I untie her robe.

When it hits the floor, and she’s naked again and near panting for me to make her come again, I gesture to the bath. “Get in.”

Her cheeks flush, but she does what I ask, and carefully slips into the tub. I get behind the clawfoot, toss a towel down on the floor, and slide my hands over the tops of her shoulders.

I press a kiss to her neck and run my hands down her tits until I reach both of her nipples.

I keep kissing her neck as I rub her nipples until she’s moaning and her nipples are as hard as my cock.

When she’s writhing under my touch, I slide one hand down to direct her hand to her pussy.

She fights me, but when I start to pinch her nipples and nibble on her ear, she relents and slips her fingers between her legs.

She leans back, eyes closed as we work in unison until she’s breathing hard, moaning and jizz is starting to coat my cock.

The water is splashing as her hand rubs faster and faster as I pull and tug her nipples.

Her legs spread a little wider, and her back arches as she starts to come. I keep working her nipples until she’s finished and I’m about ready to burst.

I shift around, and grin down at her as she takes a couple of breaths. “Think we can both fit in there?”

She chuckles and shakes her head. “No. But we can fit on the bed.”

I reach for her hand and help her out of the water. I don’t bother to get her a towel just steer her back into the bedroom.

“Naked and wet. Just like this morning.”

Her lip catches her teeth. “What would you have done if I’d come back in and watched you shower?”

I smile as I conjure up all the dirty things I could have done to her on the tiled floor. “You really want to be talking right now?”

When her eyes narrow and she kisses me again I don’t waste any more time. I push her back on the bed, ready to lick her out again, but she has other ideas.

She grabs me by the shoulders and swings a leg over. When she’s sitting on my chest, she peers down at me. “There’s something I’ve always wanted to try.”

I’m pretty sure I know what she’s thinking of, so I grab her hips. “Do it.”

With a coy smile, she wriggles her hips higher until her pussy is positioned over my mouth.

I grab her ass and pull her into me while she balances her forearms on the wall.

I lick her until she’s panting and coming in my mouth again. The second she’s done; she shuffles down and starts to suck my cock so hard I think I died and went to heaven.

Her tongue massaging my tip, she moans as she slides her mouth over my shaft until I’m close to coming.

“I’m going to come, shit, that’s so good.”

She sucks harder, licking the tip, and running her nails over my balls until all I can think about is how good her mouth feels on my cock.

But I want her to come again, and I know just the way to do it.

I push her away and tell her to get on all fours. I plant myself behind her ass and spread her legs so I can push my cock inside her.

With my thumb rubbing her asshole, I start to thrust so hard the vibrations from the headboard cause a picture to fall off the wall.

I don’t stop pumping her until she’s gripping the pillow and jamming it into her mouth to muffle her orgasm.

I pump her until I’m right on the edge then pull out and flop on my back. She takes a breath and climbs on top of me and she’s so wet I slide in easy.

She rides me slowly at first, her eyes shut as I run my hands over her amazing body.

When she starts to rock faster, and her face contorts in pleasure, I grab her ass and push my cock even deeper inside her.

She leans back a little and I know she’s coming again, so I quit holding back and join her.

When we’re both done, she collapses on top of me, and I wrap my arms around her waist as she whispers panting hard in my ear. “You. Are. A. Sex. God.”

***

Scarlett

He chuckles as I slide off him and flop onto the mattress. “Does that make you my Goddess?”

I laugh and look at him. “Maybe. Guess we’ll see where we are after the weekend.”

I flip on my side and run a finger down his chest expecting him to blow me off, but he doesn’t say anything.

“Did you grow up around here?”

He shakes his head. “I’m from Brooklyn. My mom is still there.”

“What’s she like?”

I keep stroking his chest as he breathes out a long sigh. “Not homey like your mom. She’s hard as nails. Guess she had to be.”

I prop myself up on my elbow and press a kiss to his chest. “What about your dad?”

There’s so much bitterness in his reply that I flinch. “Last I heard he was in San Quentin. Far as I can tell he’s not going to get out again any time soon.”

I trace a circle around his nipple as I wait to see if he explains any further. But when he doesn’t say anymore and looks uncomfortable, I change the subject.

“If you’re worried about me judging you, I won’t. My family isn’t perfect. Chelsea is kind of a slut.”

His head snaps in my direction and I hastily add to my statement. “I mean I love her. But I don’t understand her. It’s like if she wants something, she just takes it. Never worries about the consequences, never worries about whether she’s hurting anyone. Just goes for it. Mom calls her a free spirit.”

Dexter shakes his head. “That’s what people say when they don’t want to call someone self-absorbed.”

My eyebrows raise. “Really?”

He smiles at me. “Are you disagreeing with me? Or pissed off because you think I’m insulting your little sister?”

I pull a face at him. “I’m not pissed off with you.”

He chuckles. “By default, that means you agree she’s self-absorbed.”

I roll my eyes and lie on my back and try to keep the smile from my voice. “Oh, shut up.”

He chuckles and rolls on top of me. Pinning me under him so I can’t move. “You, on the other hand, are not self-absorbed. You hate flying, but you were the one up there with me. I bet you put up with all kinds of her shit.”

My eyebrows rise as I run my hands down his back. “You only think that because you haven’t known me long.”

He frowns at me. “Do you always do that?”

“What?”

“Deflect compliments?”

I frown back at him. “I didn’t realize that was a compliment.”

He looks at me like I’m crazy. “It was. But here’s a better one. You are an incredibly interesting woman who I’d like to see more of.”

I suck in a breath, my heart starting to pound too hard in his chest. “You can stop with the moves. You already got me in bed.”

He raises a single eyebrow and presses his mouth against mine before he speaks. “It’s not a move. It’s the truth.”

The only way I can escape without showing him how much I wish that were true is to make a mumbled excuse about needing the bathroom.

***

Dexter

I’m busy thinking about whether I can really make this work with Scarlett given the distance between us when my phone buzzes from on the floor where Scarlett dropped it.

“Yeah?”

“Dexter? There’s a rumor going around that the wedding is off?”

I frown at the irritation in Jack’s voice. “The groom is missing. I’m helping to look—”

He cuts me off with a curse. “So where are you then?”

A warning sparks in my gut. “I told you. I’m helping to look for him.”

“Yeah, but where? West Fork?”

I’m not sure what the big deal is until he curses again. “The police have been at the base. They’re asking all sorts of questions about you.”

I bolt upright. “What the fuck? Why?”

Jack’s voice is tense. “I don’t know. But they asked me if I knew where you were. I told them as far as I knew you were staying with the family in West Fork. If you aren’t there, get your ass back before you dig yourself a deeper hole.”

Thoughts still jagged and muddled, I lower my voice as Scarlett decides to walk into the room. “Shit. I can’t get back anytime soon. I had to land then I needed to get my passenger to the motel.”

I don’t know why I’m explaining myself to him, if the cops are asking about me, I need to explain it to them.

The last thing I need is to get mixed up in this. Jack near growls down the line at me. “Yeah. Well. Get back in the air and get back to West Fork as soon as you can. I gotta go.”

He hangs up without a word, leaving me staring at a startled looking Scarlett. “What’s wrong?”

I try for a smile, but it falls flat. “You told your dad you were here with me, right? And that we were forced to land?”

She nods. “What’s going on? Who was that?”

I toss the phone on the bed and go searching for my jeans. I’m tugging them on when she stands in front of me, frowning down at me. “Dexter?”

I glance up at her as I grab my boots. “The police are looking for me.”

She sits on the bed beside me and I can feel her eyes on me as I lace my boots and grab my t-shirt.

I reach for my phone, and don’t look at her as I check I have my keys. “I need to get back to West Fork. They’ll come looking and I need to be where I said I’d be.”

When I start to walk towards the door, she springs to her feet and blocks my exit. “You’re flying? I thought you said it was dangerous?”

I can’t think about that right now. “I’ll have to risk it.”

She grabs my forearm and looks irritated. “I want to come with you.”

I’m no longer sure if sleeping with her is my biggest worry. This simple job is turning in a cluster fuck of epic proportion.

I run a hand over my face and growl. “I’m not taking you up with me. It’s too risky. Okay?”

She seems to understand this is not my doing, and nods slowly. “I’ll use the phone at reception to check in with dad.”

I’m so relieved, I pull her into my arms and kiss her. “Thanks.”

I get in one last kiss that leaves her whimpering and a little flustered.

Since I know if I keep kissing her it’ll lead to things I can’t afford to start up again so I step away, and stalk towards the door before I make things even worse for myself.

I turn and look at her, a smile curling my lip. “See you later.”

She smiles coyly. “Is that a promise?”

I shouldn’t make her promises. Normally I don’t want to. But for some reason, for her, I do.

“I promise,” I say as I close the door.

I pass the owner as I head to the front door, and from the way she can’t meet my eye, I’m pretty sure she heard Scarlett screaming earlier.

I smile as she blushes furiously and hope I can clear this up sooner rather than later.

If I can, there’s still a chance there could be a repeat performance back at the villa before Scarlett leaves.

***

Scarlett

Saturday 9.06pm

I wander around the room in a daze, not sure if it’s because of Dexter’s leaving or the time we spent together.

I’m not exactly given to romantic notions. And up until an hour ago, I’d pretty much given up on the idea of meeting someone I wanted to start a relationship with.

With a dreamy sigh, I head back to the bathroom, and slip my robe off my shoulders, secretly hoping he’ll come back and join me again.

I clean up the spilled water on the floor, smiling to myself as I think about how many times he made me climax, and how eager he was for me to enjoy myself.

I almost wish I could call Chelsea and tell her I’ve finally met a man to make all my sexual fantasies come true.

I don’t know what else Dexter might be capable of showing me, but I can’t wait to find out.

Rather than think about Dexter, I slide under the bubbles and let the warm water wash over my skin.

I stay soaking, trying not to think about what he can do with his tongue and whether he’s in trouble and let my thoughts stray back to Chelsea and Michael.

When I met them three weeks ago, they seemed such an odd match. Chelsea is so extravagant, so unpredictable, and Michael seemed so offhand and he was hardly paying her any attention which was contrary to her preference for men who fawn over her.

I’ve lost count of the times I’ve seen her fall too fast, declare her undying love, only to move on to the next one when she finds, usually, a minor fault.

But Michael doesn’t fit the mold. He was borderline rude, in such a rush to get back out here to a meeting, I barely said two sentences to him.

Given that he’s disappeared, and given the speed they got engaged, I’m beginning to wonder if Chelsea is pregnant and he’s being forced to marry her.

Rather than think about my little sister’s latest problem with a man, I stare at the ceiling and listen to the water drip from the faucet.

When my skin is wrinkled, and my stomach is reminding me I need sustenance I pull myself out of the tub and dry off.

Since I’m here until my dad comes to pick me up in the morning, and I do have the picnic basket, I wrap myself in a towel and tidy up the room a little before I dig into the hamper.

I don’t open the wine but do open the cheese I think I remember mom saying Chelsea got imported from somewhere.

As I slice into the cheese and find a cracker to put it on, I look around the room and wonder what I’m going to do all night.

When I thought Dexter was going to be here with me, the idea of spending the night here had been exciting.

Now, I’m not so sure I want to stay overnight in a borrowed room, with nothing to do but wait for dad to come get me.

There isn’t even a TV I can put on. I sit on the bed and nibble on the cheese and crackers until I’m stuffed to the brim, and in dire need of a drink.

I stumble inside the bathroom again and fill the glass on the vanity. I stare at my reflection in the mirror and wonder if anyone is going to suspect Dexter and I were fooling around.

I smirk at myself. Whatever Dexter did, it can’t be described as fooling around. More like giving me everything I’d ever hoped for, and never experienced before.

I roll my head at my reflection and finish the glass. By the alarm clock on the nightstand it’s getting close to nine pm, but I’m not even remotely tired.

I look around the room one final time before I decide to dress and go see if the owner will take pity on me and loan me a TV, or maybe point me in the direction of one.

I grab the key, and lock the door, thinking about whether Dexter has made it back to the plane or whether he’s still walking back to the airstrip.

The reception area isn’t attended, so I tap on the bell and wait for the owner.

When the seconds have ticked by and no one has arrived, I lean over the counter. “Hello? Is anyone there?”

I crane my neck but don’t hear anything in the small office at the back. I do see a telephone I can use to call mom or dad.

I step around the desk and call out again in case anyone is back there. I wait until the count of one hundred before picking up the receiver and tapping in dad’s number.

I keep my eyes on the office and wait for the ring tone. Dad sounds about as tense as I expected him to when he answers.

“Hi, dad. Just checking in. Any sign of Michael?”

“No. His friends and his father are still looking since it’s too early for an official search. Speaking of, I’m getting concerned about you being out there with that pilot.”

I frown at the desk. “He’s not here with me. A friend of his called and said the police wanted to talk to him so he’s on his way back to you.”

“I don’t understand? I thought you said the plane needed to stay grounded?”

I don’t really understand myself, but I also don’t want to worry him. “Dexter was trying to limit the risk to me. I think it’s okay to fly, but he seemed concerned about the fuel or something.”

My father’s relief is audible. “Well, he seems like a good man to have around in an emergency. It’s good to know he’s been taking care of you.”

Heat rushes to my cheeks and I have to clear my throat before I can find my voice again. “Dad, I should go. I’ll see you in the morning.”

He sighs heavily. “I’d rather have both my girls under one roof at a time like this.”

I smile and lean my hip on the counter. “I’m fine dad. But my cell is flat and there’s no phone in the room Chelsea booked. So, I might not be able to contact you again tonight.”

He sighs down the line. “Hmm. I still don’t like it. It’s not a long drive. I can be there in an hour.”

I shake my head like he can see me. “Chelsea needs you there. I’m going to get some sleep so I can be waiting for you first thing, okay?”

I hear a burst of activity down the line, and dad has to raise his voice. “Michael’s parents just arrived with some big wig from the Air Force. I better go talk to them. I’ll check in with you if anything happens otherwise, I’ll see you at seven am. Call me if you need me, okay?”

I reassure him I will and hang up the phone feeling more than a little out of sorts I’m alone out here.

There’s no sign of anyone in the back office, so I decide to scribble a note on the pad beside the phone to say I used the phone and to charge me for the call when the door opens and an incredibly scruffy and beat up man steps inside.

He doesn’t seem to notice me as he moves some of the pamphlets around and pulls out a cell phone.

His lip is swollen, and dried blood is crusted to his chin. His eyes lock on to mine and I have to blink to make certain I’m not imagining things when he shoves it in his pocket like he’s hidden it here.

My voice comes out uncertain as I take in the disheveled man before me. “Michael?”

***

Dexter

Saturday 10.12pm

I touch down, every muscle tense as ease off the throttle. I half expected to see the cops waiting for me. But all I see is an old station wagon parked beside my truck.

The fuel gauge still hasn’t budged, and the whole way back, I’ve been in touch with the tower just in case I had to glide land the plane.

I come to a stop at the hanger and swipe the sweat off my brow as I release a breath.

I power down and hop out the front door, just as the door to the station wagon opens and Scarlett’s father steps out.

Carl Sanders looks about as harried as a man in his position would look as he approaches. “The police are at the villa talking to Chelsea. I said I’d come to check if you’d arrived.”

I nod, feeling slightly off-balance the father of the woman I just screwed is the one to come meet me. “I’ll just put the plane away and be right there.”

He nods and walks with me as I head to the hanger door. “Scarlett mentioned some trouble with the plane?”

I nod and stick the key in the padlock as I answer. “The fuel gauge is faulty. I was hoping not to fly again until I got it checked over.”

His eyebrows rise as I take the padlock off and roll the hanger door up. “Does that sort of thing happen often?”

Since I know he’s genuinely interested, I nod. “It’s a pretty common problem in private aircraft.”

I switch the lights on and lean against the wall. “Now I’m back I can take a proper look at it.”

He glances at the Cessna and I think he’s going to ask more questions about the plane, but I’m the topic of conversation. “I was reading that the Air Force prides itself on the high moral standards of recruits?”

I nod and catch on a second too late he’s on to me when he gives me a loaded look. “Both my daughters think highly of you. Chelsea is understandable, she goes through men like I go through potato chips, but Scarlett is a completely different matter. That girl mates for life.”

Oh, well, shit. “Sir, I’m not sure what you are getting at.”

That’s a bald-faced lie and from the look on his face he knows it. “I met a friend of Michael’s father. A Commander named Halberg. He says you’re currently being reviewed.”

I swallow hard and wait for what I know is coming. “He also said, you have a reputation as a womanizer.”

I can’t exactly argue that. So, I shift my weight and fold my arms over my chest. “Looks like you’ve made up your mind about me.”

He works his jaw and shakes his head. “I don’t base an opinion on hearsay. I base it on a man’s actions.”

He steps closer and leaves me with no doubt my future is as much in his hands as Michael’s family. “Six months ago, I watched my daughter have her heart broken by an asshole who treated her like shit then made her feel it was her fault. I knew he was no good the second I laid eyes on him, but my wife convinced me to stay out of it.”

He takes a step closer and eyeballs me. “I’m not staying out of it this time. If you hurt her, I will find a way to hurt you. Are we clear?”

I swallow and nod. “Yes, Sir. We’re clear.”

He seems pleased with the outcome and steps back, looking more like the laid-back guy he probably is when his daughters aren’t concerned. “Good. We’ve got more than enough drama in the damn villa as it is.”

He starts to move towards his car, and I speak without thinking. “What if—"

He doesn’t let me finish, just narrows his eyes. “What if is a dangerous combination of words, son. Be sure you can finish that sentence with a promise you aim to keep.”

When I don’t respond he gives me one final ‘don’t fuck with me’ look and pulls his keys from his pocket.

As he gets into his beat-up station wagon, I have to admit he’s the kind of dad I hope to be someday.

I don’t know what he does for a living. He’s in good shape, a little soft in the middle, but he’s got muscle and after that not so subtle warning, I’m one hundred percent convinced I’m in even deeper shit than I realized.

By the time I’ve gotten the plane into the hanger and locked the door, I’m starting to think I’m my own worst enemy.

I just had to have her. I couldn’t leave well enough alone. And now her old man is going to be on my case.

I jump in my truck and try not to think worst-case scenarios all the way back to the villa.

My nerves crank up a notch as I see a couple unmarked cop cars parked along the street.

All the lights are on inside the villa, and as I step out of my truck, I can see a few people in the front room.

My internal warning system is telling me something is off. And normally I’d listen to it.

But when the front door opens, and a bulky black dude I don’t recognize spots me, I go against my gut and step towards him.

He looks me over before he nods. “Dexter Conway? We’ve been waiting for you. I’m detective Charles Vance with the Colorado Springs PD.”

I stop walking just as the cop slides his jacket and makes sure I see his weapon. “I think it’s better if we do this out here. No sense upsetting the folk inside any more than they already are.”

My shoulders stiffen and I already know why he’s looking at me like I’m a suspect before he speaks. “Why don’t we take a walk?”

I lean against the hood of my truck. “Do I need a lawyer?”

He slowly shakes his head. “That’s up to you. But something tells me you’d rather not turn this into an even bigger problem.”

He jerks his thumb at the door. “Strange arrangement isn’t it? You staying here with a family you don’t know?”

I keep my voice level as I shrug. “I guess. But it’s not my show. I’m just the hired help. I go where I’m told to.”

He steps a little closer. “And how did that come about exactly? You being here?”

“Jack Carnegie knows the groom. He was offered the job but couldn’t do it.”

“So, he was doing you a favor giving it to you?”

I’m growing increasingly uncomfortable, but I’m no stranger to being in the spotlight. “I guess.”

He glances at my truck. “You’d had a problem with the plane and were forced to land in Macetown?”

“That’s right.”

He glances at his notepad. “And Scarlett was your passenger?”

Since he already knows that I just nod.

He makes a big show of writing something then puts his pad away in his top pocket and puts his hands in his pockets.

“This is where things get a little fuzzy for me.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Oh yeah?”

“Maybe you can help make things a little clearer.”

I wait as he sends me a loaded look. “I’m trying to work out if you’re involved in something you shouldn’t be or if you’re just the hired help.”

I send him my own look. “Involved in what? The groom just took off.”

“That’s looking less and less likely. And now what I have is a pilot on shaky ground with the Academy, with a family member incarcerated for kidnapping.”

Fuck. Fuck.

All my blood runs cold. “You’ve been busy,” I mutter.

He shrugs slightly as if digging up the skeletons in my closest aren’t a big deal to him. “Would you care to explain why you decided to take a faulty aircraft up and search without permission to do so?”

My eyes nearly pop as heat tracks over my skin. “Who was I supposed to get permission from? Michael was missing and I didn’t want to trouble his father.”

Vance keeps his face relaxed as he carries on. “And maybe if you also hadn’t been the last person to see Michael before he disappeared that wouldn’t be an issue.”

I can’t say anything. I know if I do, I’ll land myself in more hot water, so I let him talk. “We will be searching the plane and looking for evidence of foul play.”

My pulse starts to speed as I see where this is going. I stay silent and let him talk as the door cracks open behind him and a uniformed cop steps outside. “Just one final question.”

I wait, all my muscles contracting as the uniform passes him something and stands at attention with his sights set on me. “Did you transport anything between here and Macetown other than passengers since arriving yesterday?”

I frown at him. “No.”

His eyebrow rises. “You sure about that? No packages? No suitcases?”

I keep my tone cool. “If anything was brought on board the aircraft, it was without my knowledge.”

He looks down at the piece of paper in his hand and feigns being confused. “See, that doesn’t track Mr. Conway. According to Chelsea Sanders there was a hamper filled with food and alcohol on board since this morning.”

Shit. “I remember. It was in the cabin. They were going to take it to eat inflight on route to Aspen.”

He nods slowly. “So, you did have knowledge of items on board?”

Rather than dig myself a bigger hole I just stare at him and the beat cop waiting for his orders.

“See, this is where that fuzziness comes in again. I now have a forgetful pilot, a missing groom, a faulty aircraft which was forced to land, and now, I hear the hamper is no longer on the plane.”

I have to force myself to keep my breathing slow and steady as he steps so close I can see the faint freckles on his skin.

“What makes things even fuzzier, is that the only person who may have been able to verify all this, the one person who can make this a little less fuzzy, isn’t contactable.”

Ice trickles down my spine as the words lodge in my throat. “Scarlett?”

He nods slowly. “I think it’s better if we carry on this discussion elsewhere.”

He gestures to the villa, and I see Carl peering steely-eyed at me. “We’ll do the rest of this in an interview room. Officer Riley let’s do this by the book. Can’t afford any mistakes on this one.”

The cop nods and manages a slight smile as he taps his handcuffs. “I don’t need these, right? You’re not going to do anything stupid?”

My fists curl at my sides and for the stupidest reason almost want to fight this.

But when Vance looks at me and then taps his weapon, I know I wouldn’t make it more than a few feet before he shoots me. “Right now you’re just being detained,” he warns.

With a nod that this at least isn’t going to disqualify me from the Academy, I slump against the truck and listen as the cop recites the Miranda rights that further confirm I’m heading further into a black hole.

All the work I put in. All the years spent creating a new life for myself, one where everyone didn’t know anything about my deadbeat father, is slipping further out of my grasp.

I’m not sure what is worse. Losing everything I worked so hard for or knowing that I left Scarlett in a potentially dangerous situation without realizing it.

I don’t know what the hell is in that hamper or what Michael is mixed up in, but I do know that without Scarlett, I’m as good as fucked.