Beth's Absolution: A small town, opposites attract, suspense novel (Twisted Willow), page 12
“I don’t know.” She looked Cameron straight in the eye. “I’ll stay if he invites me.”
“He’ll invite you.” The response was flat.
“Yeah?”
“I saw the way he looked at you, Beth. I don’t think anyone else noticed. Well, maybe Jake. That sheriff wants you to be his.”
“I’m not an object to own. I thought you, at least, understood that.” Beth could feel her blood pressure rising.
“I do. My question is, does he?”
Well, crap. Cameron was probably making a reasonable point. “I hope so.” It was all she could say.
“I’m here as your backup. No matter what the situation is. Call me if you need me.” Chin down, eyebrows up, Cameron was asking her to make a promise. He’d had the same look the first time she’d told him she would cover his business with her rifle. She’d been following him and covering his meets for more than a month. But that time the location hadn’t allowed her to be there without him knowing, she’d told him, not asked, and explained she’d been doing it for a few weeks. He’d made her promise to run like hell at the first sign of trouble.
Beth didn’t mind making him the promise back then, and she didn’t mind it now. It was part of how she knew his love for her, while familial, was real. “Yeah, Cameron. I promise. The same goes for you, too, you know. If you see or hear any signs of anything, you get the fuck out and call me.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Now Cameron’s teasing grin broke out across his face. He knew she despised being referred to as ma’am.
“Whatever,” she rolled her eyes at him and slung her pack over her shoulder.
“Hey, for real, you good with me putting in some cameras and shit? A guy in town was telling me about these trail cams that blend into the woods so no one notices them, but they pick up motion and take pics of it. He was saying a lot of people around here use them on the property to keep tabs on wildlife, trespassers, and shit like that.”
Cameron was making this his home. When Beth had told her dad she was staying, she’d worried that Cameron would come to resent her for it. He’d never been interested in small towns or hiking. He loved the hustle and bustle of the city. When he talked about getting away from DCs, his daydreams always included an apartment in the city so he could walk everywhere he wanted to go. She didn’t want him to end up somewhere he didn’t want to be out of the same loyalty that had kept him with the club for so long already. The fact that he was talking to locals and setting up long-term security eased that concern. It made her think he might be choosing Twisted Willow for himself in addition to his loyalty to her.
“I think that’s a great idea, Cameron.”
“Alright. Go have fun with your sheriff. I would make a comment about a man in uniform, but I’m not sure his cargo pants and T-shirt count. Oh, but text me if you’re staying the night. Otherwise, I’ll worry.”
“Will do. Have a good night, Cameron.” Then Beth headed over to Doug’s place.
As she pulled her truck in beside his department SUV, her headlights illuminated him sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch, but he didn’t get up.
She opened her door and climbed down without saying a word. She wasn’t sure what to say.
“I really would have come to get you.” Doug sounded thoughtful. He’d leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees, but he still hadn’t come to greet her. “I’d have fucked my job and my commitment to this community to protect you.”
Beth wasn’t sure what to say to that. Her instincts took over, and she responded with the same sass she always leaned into when she was feeling vulnerable. “I’d rather you fucked me.”
Doug’s responded huff didn’t hold any amusement. He didn’t move and didn’t speak any more.
Beth left her truck door open. She wasn’t sure what was happening, but it made her uneasy. She was wishing she’d backed her truck in. “What are we doing, Doug?” she asked from beside her vehicle.
“You know I’ve slept with most of the women in this area—at least the ones close to my age, anyway.”
Beth’s hackles were popping up to full attention one neck hair at a time. “What’s your point?” Her tone was less kind than usual, and she had to consciously unclench her fingers from around the edge of her truck door.
“Does that make you jealous?” Doug asked her.
“I don’t see what it matters. Unless you don’t think I have the capacity to separate feelings from actions?”
“Damn it!” Doug roared as he stood to his full height. Then he stomped down the porch steps until he was toe to toe with her. Despite the darkness, Beth could clearly see his eyes. Hell, he’d dipped his chin so his face was close enough that she could probably stick out her tongue and lick him.
Despite the large authority looming over her, she didn’t flinch. He was still in uniform, but that didn’t matter to Beth. Doug was the same man no matter where he was, who he was talking to, or what he was wearing. It was a big part of what she loved about him.
He kept his hands fisted at his sides as he seethed at her, “I want you to be jealous. I want you fighting the urge to fuck me in front of the courthouse to claim me as your own for all to see, because that’s exactly how I feel about you. Seeing you in the middle of all those men tonight—” He shook his head subtly and closed his eyes for a slow blink. When he opened them again, he shifted his hands to her neck and dug his fingers into the base of her skull. His thumbs notched under her jawbone to tilt her head up and keep her fully focused on him. “I want to kill everyone who’s ever looked at you. I want to wrap you in my clothes, tuck you into my bed, cover you in my cum, and tattoo my name on your forehead.”
“Everything you do to me, I get to do to you,” Beth said simply.
“Good,” Doug growled with a smile.
“I won’t be an owned possession or a kept woman.” As hot as it was to know how thoroughly he wanted to possess her, she’d come to Twisted Willow to find her freedom. There were zero chances in hell she’d give that up for anyone—no matter how good he was at giving her orgasms.
“Don’t want a timid doormat. I want to pour gasoline on your flame and watch you tear through this town with your determination. I have no idea what you’ll do, but I have a feeling nothing and no one you touch will ever be the same again. I know I’m not.”
“I don’t know what I want to do with my life,” Beth confessed.
“You don’t have to. I say that I want you to claim me because you already own me. I meant it when I said I’d come for you no matter the consequences. You have as long as you need to figure out your future. I just want to be a part of it.”
“Things are going to get ugly when people find out the drugs are gone.”
“My sister OD-ed six years ago. I found her—” Doug stopped without finishing his thought. He leaned his forehead against Beth’s.
She’d known a little of Doug’s history, but obviously it had a bigger impact on him than she’d imagined. “Tell me about her?” she asked.
“Tomorrow,” Doug leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. “Right now, we should go in, shower, and check each other for injuries.”
“Injuries, huh?” Beth asked.
“Yeah, scratches, bumps, and bruises can hide in the most unexpected places. We wouldn’t want them to go untreated.”
Beth rubbed her nose against Doug’s as she laughed softly. “As long as the treatment ends with orgasms, I’m on board.”
“Oh, so we’ve upgraded from expecting one orgasm to demanding multiple now, huh?”
“Hey, you shouldn’t set a bar higher than you’re willing to meet regularly.”
“Where’s your bag?” Doug asked as he stepped back from her.
“Backseat.” She nodded toward the still-open truck door.
“I’ll grab it. You go get the hot water running.”
Beth headed for his front door with what she could only imagine was the silliest of grins on her face. Doug hadn’t invited her to stay at all. It felt just as natural to him as it did to her. He was in this just as deep as she was.
By the time the water was running hot, Doug was standing behind her with his hands at her waist. “Arms up,” he rumbled as he pulled her shirt up and over her head.
Doug ran his hands over every inch of Beth’s skin as he undressed her, but he wouldn’t let her return the special treatment. When she’d asked, he just growled, “You can have a turn later. I need to see for myself that you’re okay.”
Two weeks ago, Beth would have sworn she’d respond to that kind of bossiness with a swift kick to the guy’s crotch, but coming from Doug, it didn’t feel overbearing. He never asked her to change. Hell, he never even told her no. He agreed to give her as many orgasms as she wanted. He was happy to stand beside her for as long as it took to decide what she wanted to do when she finally got away from the club. The way he touched her so reverently made her feel loved and treasured in a way she never had before.
It helped that his deep growly voice went straight to her pussy, too.
Doug nudged her toward the shower before stripping off his own clothes faster than The Flash could run. As soon as he climbed in behind her, he turned her to put her back under the spray and shielded her eyes as he wet her hair. Doug lathered his own shampoo and massaged it into her scalp with a firm tenderness that had her moaning.
Only after he inspected and cleaned every inch of her did he hand her the body wash and allow her the same exploration.
By the time she was sliding her soapy fist up and down his dick, Doug was trembling. “Stop,” he demanded as he grabbed her hand and pulled it away. “We’re moving this to the bed where we can take our time.”
“Do you always insist on slow and careful sex?” Beth asked.
Doug looked down at her with pupils blown. “If you think this is going to be careful, you’re in for a surprise, but I do plan to take my time.” He stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel to rub Beth dry. As he did, he assured her, “There will come a time when I step in behind you, remove any barriers, and drive into you fast and aggressive, but it won’t be on a night when I spent the evening terrified that I might lose you. I’m saving fast and aggressive for when I know we’re both on the same page about just how important it is to me that you return to my bed alive and well. Before I can let loose like that, I need to know that you understand a quick orgasm before carrying on with your life doesn’t mean a quick relationship that you can walk away from.”
Beth was stunned into silently staring at him as Doug dried off himself using the same towel he’d used on her. When she recovered her wits, she asked, “Aren’t you supposed to be more modern and civilized than that?”
Doug chuckled and laced his fingers through hers to lead them both back into his bedroom as he explained, “I’m modern enough to ask permission first. I’m civilized enough to wait until I’m sure our relationship is solid enough that you’ll feel comfortable with me doing that. But, Beth, never doubt that I fantasize about making love to you at every speed, from every angle, and in every room of this house.”
Beth furrowed her brow at him. “I feel like there’s a lot of assumptions about us being together long enough to get there and still living in this house and, and, well, and lots of other assumptions.”
Doug had started nipping his way from her earlobe down to her collarbone. It made her thoughts swirl like leaves on a windy fall day.
“Those are all goals of mine. Do you take issue with any of them?” he asked while nuzzling the indention at the top of her breastbone.
Beth shoved his lips and tongue away from her skin long enough to think. His physical affection was too distracting for this talk. Was he trying to trick her into agreeing to something? “You already know I expect you to give me orgasms, so what’s the game?” she asked. He couldn’t really mean what he was saying, at least not in the altruistic way he made it sound.
Doug stepped back just far enough that she became very aware that the two of them were standing in his bedroom, facing each other, completely naked. He placed one hand on her hip and the other on her jaw so his thumb could caress her cheek. For a minute he just looked at her. Then he spoke. “Beth, what do you want this to be? Am I a fling? Is this just a quick fuck for you?” His voice held no judgement, and he wasn’t pushing for a quick answer.
So Beth took her time to consider. She pictured going back to pouring drinks in the clubhouse. She imagined working with Liz at the bakery. Beth even closed her eyes to mentally drive home to see where her vision had her parking. When she opened her eyes, there was only one future that felt real to her. “This is important to me. I don’t know what that means exactly. My life hasn’t been full of great examples of healthy, long-term relationships, but when my dad started yelling and burning—” She stopped herself just before accidentally confessing to having drugs on her property. Damn. She really did need to remember this man was the local sheriff, even if his naked cock was pointing at her with excitement. “—stuff, what I wanted more than anything was to come back here with you.”
“Then let me take you to bed and give you the many, slow orgasms you deserve.” With that, Doug’s expression shifted to that of mischievous glee. “Now get on the bed on your hands and knees.”
Beth decided to let go of everything else and enjoy the moment, so she did exactly as he asked. She was rewarded with a single finger stroking down her spine before teeth nipped along the junction where her ass shifted to thigh. It was more sensitive than she’d imagined. Shivers coursed through her, and by the time Doug finally swiped his tongue through her juices, she was rocking back and forth and begging for more. Again, he honored his promise and didn’t find his own release until she’d peaked at least three times, though he claimed she shouted out a fourth. By the time they both collapsed, face-down on the bed with half his body blanketing her, Beth was too blissed out to be picky about details like trying to count to four.
Somehow, Doug managed to rouse himself enough to grab a warm washcloth and clean them up enough so their earlier shower wasn’t completely wasted. When he climbed back into bed next to her, Beth was so happy to rest her ear against his chest that she could feel tears trying to build behind her eyes. This wasn’t a time to cry though, so she focused on breathing slowly and deeply to calm her emotions.
It didn’t fool Doug though. The arm under her reached around and stroked her back as he asked, “Penny for your thoughts?”
“I’m fine.” No way was Beth going to blurt out her post-orgasms’ nonsense.
Doug sighed but didn’t let it go. “I’m glad you’re fine, but I’d still like to know what you’re thinking.”
“It’s stupid—”
Doug sat up abruptly and pulled her up with him. As he slid back to lean against the headboard, he pulled her fully on top of him. Beth could work with him and end up straddling his lap or go limp and wind up with her face flopping by his now-limp dick. She pulled her knee up and held onto his shoulders to end up in his lap, facing him.
“Nothing you think is stupid. Now will you please talk to me so I don’t have to lay here imagining horrible things?”
When Doug put it like that, she could see how it would make a person nuts to have someone they just screwed thinking loud thoughts without being willing to share them. “Fine. I was thinking about how relaxed I was and how comfortable your bed and chest are, and I was enjoying the thump of your heart, and it made me emotional, but I don’t really know why other than that I never expected anything other than being some club members ol’ lady or, best case, maybe spending my whole life single and not having to deal with someone.” She was completely deflated by the time she’d spurted it all out.
Doug wrapped his arms around her, kissed her forehead, and said, “Thank you.”
“That’s it? I word vomit crazy shit all over you, and thank you is all you have to say about it?”
Doug was grinning at her like it was Christmas morning. It made her want to slug him.
“I was laying here terrified that you were realizing that you’re too strong and independent to put up with a bossy, overbearing ass like me. Then I was debating if I could stop myself from being as bossy as I naturally am if it was what I needed to do to keep you, but I just couldn’t figure out how that would work.”
“I kind of like that you’re bossy and overbearing as long as you understand that I’ll only listen when I want to,” Beth countered.
“That’s one of the things I love most about you.”
Beth replayed what he said in her mind. Did he really mean that he loved her? Would it be stupid to ask?
Doug rubbed a thumb across her furrowed brows. “I don’t know where this will all end up, Beth. I do know how I feel about you though.”
She couldn’t help the relief that he hadn’t said it outright. It was too much, too fast. She couldn’t go there, at least not yet, but she could offer him some reassurance. “I feel the same way,” she said.
He smiled at her and wiggled down the bed until they were both lying down again with her on top of him. Then he glided his hands up and down the bare skin of her back and ass until she was mewing like a pampered house cat. Doug hooked his hands behind her knees to pull them toward his hips, so she was straddling him again. Then he guided himself back into her and encouraged her to ride him and take her pleasure as he stroked her clit.
CHAPTER 12
Doug
“Good morning, Judy,” Doug greeted his office manager almost a week later.
“Your chipper attitude is starting to concern me.” She frowned at him.
Instead of playing into her drama, he handed her the box of treats he’d picked up from the café on his way in, but that didn’t appease her either.
Judy’s eyebrows furrowed further, and she didn’t open the box before moving it to the counter behind her desk. “You bought pastries yesterday.”
“Are you seriously accusing me of being too happy?” Doug asked.
“Yes. I am. Sheriff, we’ve had just as many overdoses this week as usual, but since we’ve run out of Narcan, two people have passed away. Last time I checked, that throws you into a rampaging tizzy.”
