Chapter Fifteen

“What’s your favorite color?” Griffin took his gaze off the road long enough to watch Jett wiggle in her seat. He smirked as he focused on the road again. He had brought several strands of beads for just this reason.

Her reaction to their sex last night had been more than he could have hoped for. She was, most definitely, his perfect mate. If he had the time he’d fly over to England, find Stan and punch him in the face for the way he treated her. Of course if he hadn’t treated her like crap, Griffin would never have met her. Maybe he should go over, beat the crap out of his old friend, and then thank him.

“Blue,” she said He’d been thinking about his good luck in having her come into his life so long, he’d forgotten the question. But he didn’t want her to know that.

“Any specific shade?’ he asked.

“Cornflower blue. And you?”

“Plain old everyday blue.” He slowed down for a curve. They were close to home now, even though they’d slept longer than he usually did. When they were up they showered together and she’d sucked him off. His cock stirred at the memory. She was definitely good at that.

“So, do you deep throat?” he asked.

“Did Stan tell you that?” She sounded a bit put out, and he wondered if it was the discomfort from the beads in her ass, or her anger with Stan.

“We never discussed sex with you,” he said. “Just that you liked to be spanked, and dominated. He didn’t give many details.”

“We never had sex after our arrangement for spanking night,” she said. “I haven’t had much experience in the deep throating department.”

“We’ll work on that.” He tightened his grip on the wheel. “Tell me your deepest fantasy, something you’ve never told anyone else.”

“Are you talking something unusual?”

He shrugged. “When you masturbate, what do you fantasize about?”

She wiggled on her seat.

“Tell me,” he said, keeping his voice soft and coaxing. “You know I won’t judge.”

She licked her lips right when he turned to see her reaction. “Tell me,” he cajoled her. “I want to know. You want a big, rugged cowboy to lash you to a tree and whip your ass, right?”

“I’ve already got a big, rugged cowboy who whipped me last night.”

There was a lilt in her voice that made him smile. She didn’t say anything more, so he decided to push the issue. “If you want anymore whippings from said cowboy you’ll answer my question.”

She cleared her throat. “Fine, when I’m in bed with my battery operated boyfriend, I think about—a lot of different things.”

“You’re skating on thin ice,” he said. “I see someone’s ass being welt-free for a couple of weeks now.”

“It’s a little embarrassing to talk about fantasies,” she said.

“I’ll start,” he said. “My fantasy is taking my lady for a walk around Tres Lobos West, while she’s naked, and bound, and making her gallop. Makes my dick hard just thinking about it.”

“Okay.” Out of the corner of his eye he saw her glancing toward him. “You’ve got nothing more than that?”

“Not enough for you?” He took another curve. “Something tells me my lady’s tastes are darker than she wants to let on.”

“I always worry what people will think of me.” Her words were so low that Griffin barely heard them.

“You’re not dreaming about killing someone, are you?”

She giggled, and he was glad he’d asked that question. It lightened the mood.

“No,” she said.

When she didn’t continue, he said, “Do you dream about rape?”

“No,” she said. After a moment’s pause, she said, “Well, not exactly. I dream that…” Her sentence drifted off and he reached across the bench seat and squeezed her thigh.

“Don’t be afraid to open up to me.”

“In my fantasies I’m always a sweet, innocent virgin, who is forced to give up her maidenhead.” She spoke quickly now, and he wondered if she thought if she stopped she might lose her nerve. “You know the story. It’s a staple in old time romance novels. The woman falls in love with the bad guy. She doesn’t want to love him, and he forces himself on her. She ends up with him in the end.”

“And who is this man?” he asked.

“It changes from time to time,” she said. “He’s a pirate. He’s a highwayman. He’s a thief. He’s whoever pops into my mind.”

Jett ran her hands up and down her thighs, and he knew she was aroused, that she wanted to touch herself. There was a place nearby where they could go, but he didn’t want to wait.

“Go ahead and undo your jeans,” he said. “Take them off and play with yourself.”

She didn’t argue. She undid her seatbelt and let it fly so hard the clasp hit the passenger window. Her boots went next, and then her pants and panties. By the time he pulled into a copse of trees that he knew locals used as a lovers lane type of thing she was frigging herself so hard the sound of her fingers moving through her wetness filled the cab.

He parked the truck as far back as he could, slamming it into gear and undoing his jeans. When his cock was free he held out his hand. “Come on, get on me.”

She wedged herself between him and the steering wheel. It was a tight fit, but they made it. He lifted her up and she took his cock deep inside her and started to ride. They rocked the truck and fogged up the windows, and when they came they did it together. She collapsed against his shoulder at the exact moment the phone rang.

He reached to where it sat on the seat. He picked it up and checked the screen.

“It’s Trick.” He hit accept. “What’s up?”

“You sound like you just ran a mile,” Tricky said.

“My cock is currently buried inside Jett.”

“Why the hell did you answer the phone?”

“What do you have to say?” Griffin asked. “How did things go with the search today?”

“They found a body,” Tricky said.

“Oh that’s awful,” Jett replied. “That poor woman.”

Tricky snorted. “Don’t feel too sorry for her. It’s not her body we found. It was Jake’s.”

***

Griffin pulled into the Bear Creek Lodge and put the truck into gear. Jett looked around, then pointed behind them. “There’s Tricky.”

She had texted him about twenty minutes ago to let him know they were close. Then she and Griffin had sat in his truck and necked like teenagers. Then they’d had to get out of the truck and right their clothes.

“Took you long enough,” Tricky said. “You could have stopped by Jake’s on your way by.”

“We saw all the police units,” Jett said. “And I had no desire to see a dead body.”

“He’s all ready on his way to Las Vegas,” Tricky said.

“We’re hungry,” Griffin said, “Let’s go inside and eat, and you can fill us in on what happened.”

Celeste was ready for them. She’d made barbeque, and they had their choice of ribs, brisket, sausage, potato salad, and coleslaw. She’d also made blackberry cobbler for dessert that would be topped with homemade ice cream.

The chef loaded a plate and sat down with them.

“So, I hear you’re moving to Bear Creek,” she said to Jett. “I’m excited to have you here.”

Jett raised her glass of iced tea to her. “I’m looking forward to us being friends.”

“Me, too,” Celeste said.

Griffin tapped his knife on the table. “Enough small talk. Tricky, tell us about this morning.”

The deputy had just put a bite of brisket in his mouth. He chewed, took a drink, and then wiped his mouth.

Jett could tell by the look on Griffin’s face that he was becoming impatient as he waited for his friend to answer his question.

Finally, Tricky said, “I’ve never seen dogs work a piece of land before. It was really quite fascinating.”

“Where did they find him?” Griffin asked.

“Behind the storage shed.” Tricky started to build himself a sandwich. “There’s a small tractor out there. It’s obviously what she used to dig the hole.”

Jett held back the urge to barf. She took a drink of water and stared at her plate.

“Hardly appetizing conversation,” Celeste said. “Can we eat and then discuss the murder? Jett, when will you be up here for good?”

For a moment, Jett thought Griffin would override Celeste’s suggestion, and her question, but then he answered for her. “I’m giving it a month before I go to Santa Fe and kidnap her.”

“I might wait more than that just to see if he sticks to the threat.” Jett laughed.

“Don’t push it,” Griffin said.

Jett took a bite from her cobbler. “So, what happens next in the investigation, Tricky? Do they have any idea where Hope Hackworth is?”

“Not a clue,” Tricky said. “They’ve assigned a digital expert to track the money. We’re of the idea that she didn’t want to share with Montgomery, so she killed him.”

Jett trailed her spoon through her cobbler. “I have a question.”

“Listening,” Tricky said.

“If this was all done digitally, how did Portland find out about it?” She cocked her head just a little. “His note was very specific that JM was guilty, followed by dollar signs. How would he know that? Were he and Montgomery close? Did he help with the theft? I hate to say it but it just doesn’t make any sense if it was all done digitally.”

“You’re ruining my meal,” Tricky said.

“It makes sense, though,” Griffin said. “The only thing I really know about Portland was that he wanted my land. I don’t even know what the man did for a living. Was he independently wealthy? Did he import drugs? Was he a serial killer?”

“He was a day trader,” Tricky said. “I understand he made a lot of money that way.”

“So he was involved with computers,” Jett said. “Did he help Montgomery? Would he have known Montgomery had money coming in that he didn’t earn?”

“I have no clue,” Tricky said. He pulled out his phone and stood. “Excuse me.”

“I think you upset his ideas about what happened,” Celeste said after he’d left. “I think it’s time for me to clean up and start work on dough for cinnamon rolls tomorrow.”

“I didn’t mean to turn his world upside down,” Jett said after Celeste had left. “So, are you going to take me to your cabin? I haven’t been there, you know. I’d love to see it.”

“Since you’re going to be living there,” Griffin said. She’d never seen him grin like that, and it made her smile.

“Then let’s go,” she said. She stood and headed for the door, anxious to see her new home. She’d never moved to a place she hadn’t checked out before. But then again she’d never met anyone like Griffin before. She’d move to Mars with him if she had the chance.

He waved to Tricky, who nodded in return. When they were in the truck she said, “Should I get my suitcase out of my car? I just thought about it.”

“We’ll get it later,” he said. He drove out of the resort and turned left. When he reached the gate for Tres Lobos West he hit a clicker and the gate swung open. “I’m going to give you the exact experience all submissives get when they arrive at Tres Lobos West.”

“Do submissives receive instructions on what they are supposed to do, on what is going to happen?”

“They are given a code to the gate after they check in at Bear Creek. Their instructions are to drive to this little hut, park their car, and wait.”

Griffin pulled up beside two other vehicles that were already there. She knew Tres Lobos West was small, and exclusive. They had few visitors at the same time. The cars parked here fit the style that ladies would drive, so she thought there were two guests here now. Or were they couples?

She examined the outside of the hut, and saw two horses tethered to a post on the other side away from the cars. It was then that she remembered the woman who’d raced her to the lodge. She’d been riding a horse. She mentioned it to Griffin, who laughed.

“That would be A.J.” He turned off the truck. “She does housework for us. Now, get out of the truck, strip, and walk toward the horses, head down, hands behind your back.”

If this was part of the experience of arriving at Tres Lobos West, she was thrilled that he’d decided to let her get the whole experience. As she exited the cab she looked up the road they’d just driven. It wasn’t that far off the main road, but the trees were dense enough that she couldn’t see it; that meant people couldn’t see her, either.

Jett undressed slowly. When she was naked he said, “Put your boots back on to protect your feet.” He watched as she obeyed his order, then he said, “You know how to ride?”

“No.”

He approached her with a short length of rope, which he used to bind her wrists in front of her. “Just keep your hands on the saddle horn.”

“Okay,” she said, shakily.

She wanted to ask how to get on the horse, but when he tugged her forward using the rope, and she almost fell, the thought fled her mind. He led her to the horses and then, as if she weighed nothing, hoisted her onto the saddle. There was a towel placed over it and it took her a minute to settle herself. She put her hands on the horn and nodded down at him. She couldn’t help but wish she had long hair so she could pretend she was Lady Godiva.

Griffin mounted his horse with ease. He took the reins of her horse and they started down the road, with her trailing, naked except for cowboy boots. Her nipples tightened and wetness formed between her legs. She started to shiver as they moved. It wasn’t cold, cold, but it was cool.

This was definitely not what she’d expected to be the standard arrival procedure. True, Tres Lobos West was in the mountains, and it was very rugged. The men she’d seen were definitely the mountain types. But the ladies who arrived were, more than likely, city dwellers. What if they didn’t know how to ride, like her? She supposed it didn’t matter since Griffin was leading her horse. She imagined the others were also led.

She couldn’t help but think this would be better if she were blindfolded. That would increase the nervousness she felt, and make things a little more exciting. But then again she wouldn’t have the chance to see how things were laid out, and to see this absolutely stunning landscape.

They’d ridden for about ten minutes when they rounded a corner and she took in the sight in front of her. There was a circle with four cabins around it. They were spaced far enough apart to give privacy. In the middle of the circle was a large pole. It didn’t take too much imagination to know what it could be used for.

Griffin took them around the circle and down a path that led toward what she figured was the creek they’d talked about. She could hear water rushing. After another five minutes they came across another cabin. She figured this was where Griffin lived. He rode to a post and dismounted. Once he’d secured his horse he helped her off.

This was the type of cabin she expected to find in the mountains. It was made of logs, and stone, with wood framed windows. He led her to the front door, and once they were inside she couldn’t help but smile.

“Something wrong?” he asked.

“It could definitely use a woman’s touch.”

“That will be your first assignment.” His phone rang and he let go of the rope. “Have a look around. Our bedroom is to the right. To the left there is a spare bedroom, and the playroom.”

Griffin put the phone to his ear and said, “Yeah.”

Jett walked around the room, noticing the back wall was a sliding glass door with floor to ceiling windows at the side. It provided a spectacular view of the mountains. She could see the creek not far away. That was how Portland came to spy on activities at Tres Lobos West.

Not far from the creek was a deck, with several different poles on it. She imagined being tied between them, and whipped. Her body shivered in need. Would it be too naughty of her to tell him that’s what she wanted first? The sound of the whip on the phone the other evening still made her gasp with need.

She wanted that whip. She needed it.

“I gotta go,” he said.

“I don’t have my phone,” she said. “What if I need you?”

“There’s a land line in the kitchen that connects to the lodge. Just use it.”

She held up her hands. “Untie me?”

“Nope.” He leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. “When you’re here you’ll be wearing ropes. You’ll get used to doing things with them on. Look around, make plans, settle yourself in. I’ll be back in time for dinner.”

“Do I cook?” she asked as he headed toward the door.

“Nope.” He started out the door, but then turned back, “And keep your hands off yourself, understand?”

“Yes, Mr. Flack.” When he was gone, she went to the refrigerator. There were cold bottles of water inside, some butter, and some bread. She needed to talk to him about keeping his bread in the refrigerator, she thought with a laugh. On top of the fridge were several bags of potato chips, and a box of microwave popcorn. At least she would be able to eat a snack if she got hungry.

She went to the bedroom. There was a huge, four-poster bed there, made of wooden logs. She imagined being tied there, whipped then fucked. Her body quivered. Keeping her hands to herself was going to be hard, but she would do as he asked.

After all, she was his now. She belonged to him, which meant she followed orders. It would provide great pleasure for them both, of that she was certain.