Chapter Five
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Every part of his body wanted to back Adriana against the outside wall and take her right there. He swallowed and forced himself to focus. “Something’s wrong.”
She frowned before dropping her legs to stand, but she didn’t back away. “You can say that again.”
He didn’t move. He couldn’t. If he did, he’d be ripping her clothes off like an animal. He focused on his breathing, in and out, keeping his in-take even with his out-take while ignoring his hard cock.
“Some stupid bitch accused me of sleeping with her husband.” She let go of his neck and placed her hand on her hip. “As if I was that desperate.” She raised her other hand and snapped her fingers. “I can have my pick of those who are free to indulge. Why would I go behind some wife’s back to sleep with her husband?”
“For the challenge?” He purposefully incited her. Something in his masculine brain wanted to see her out of control. Maybe to retaliate for making him almost lose his own.
Her eyes turned to slits before she wrinkled her nose and spat on the ground. Then she thrust her chin up at him. “I have standards. I’m not a home wrecker. I don’t submit. I don’t ever put Poker Flat at risk. You got that?” She rose on her toes to get in his face.
He barely kept his lips from quirking up. “Got it.”
She scowled at him a moment longer before she stepped back. “I’m under house arrest.”
“What?” That didn’t make sense.
She threw her hands up. “I might as well be. I’m not allowed to go back to work for a week.”
“Kendra believed the guest?” He found that difficult to swallow. He didn’t know his boss very well, but from what he knew, she was very protective of her staff.
Adriana’s face softened. “No, she didn’t, but she had to do something or this couple could say nasty things about the resort, which would keep anyone from ever coming here again.”
He doubted one disgruntled customer could do that much damage, but he was no expert on the nudist community. Shit, he hadn’t even known there was such a community until his old high school buddy, Dale, asked him to apply at Poker Flat.
“And as if being off work for a week for something I didn’t do wasn’t punishment enough, Kendra confiscated my phone. The bitch claimed I called her husband. All you have to do is look at my outgoing calls and they could easily see I didn’t call, but Kendra had to pacify the customer.” Adriana crossed her arms over her ample chest. “I haven’t talked to anyone since this afternoon.” She pouted in an effort to enlist sympathy, but her full lips were far too sexy to make that work.
To him it was more of an invitation to take off her clothes and he was on duty. If there was one thing therapy had done for him, it was teach him how to refocus. “Your car was broken into.”
Adriana’s eyes widened before she let out a yell. “Yes! I knew it.”
Her whole body relaxed, which had his lips itching to smile. Most women would be devastated. “Do you think you could tell if anything was taken?”
She gave him a seductive look. “You bet I can. I know every item that’s in that car. It’s my organized mess. It helps to keep my casita clean. Can’t stand clutter.”
He raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “What about the rabies tag?”
Her face softened, her brows drawing together. “That was Lady’s. I keep it under the driver’s seat.”
The expression was so unusual on her that he had to ask. “Lady?”
She looked away. “She was my dog. A sweet little terrier who didn’t mind wearing a pink bow once in a while. A client had given her to me as partial payment. I didn’t want her at first, but the silly thing seemed to live for my every glance. It was the oddest relationship, but we got along fine.”
He had to ask. “What happened to her?”
Adriana, lost in her memories, appeared startled, but she covered it up with a shrug. “She died. They only live so long.”
Her reaction was forced indifference. She’d loved that dog. He didn’t say anything, processing this surprising information. She was far more complicated than she first appeared. He’d bet most people didn’t realize exactly how complicated or how intelligent the woman was.
Eventually, she put her hand on her hip and caught his gaze. “So now that we know my car was broken into, what do we do?”
“That depends, was anything taken?”
“No.” She scrunched her nose. “I can’t believe they went to the trouble of breaking into my car and didn’t take anything. Not a single receipt was missing. Even my bullets were still in the glove compartment.”
He wanted to ask more about that, but as it wasn’t relevant to the issue at hand, he moved on. “That could be because someone was interrupted before they could take something or because they just wanted to see if they could get in so they could come back another time when they thought it would be safe to steal it.”
“I would be devastated if that car was stolen. It means a hell of a lot more to me than just a vehicle for driving around. That’s a symbol.”
Before he could clamp his mouth shut, he’d opened it. “Symbol of what?”
“My independence from my past.”
“You mean from the bordello? I had the distinct impression you enjoyed that job.”
She winked at him. “You bet I did. Though now that I’m here, I’m glad that part of my life is over. No, my car is older than that. I bought it a year after I started at Mrs. B’s. I bought it outright. Cash.”
Adriana’s eyes sparkled in the dim light of her outside light, her energy reaching across the feet that separated them to make him feel her thrill.
“Once I’d done that, I knew I could leave anytime I wanted. It also symbolized my ability to have and do whatever I wanted in life. That’s why it was so easy to leave when Kendra offered me the job. I didn’t owe Mrs. B anything.”
“Did she try to force you to stay?”
Adriana laughed. “No, nothing like that. She more or less begged and cajoled me to stay because after ten years I was her most profitable girl.” She grinned in pure feminine satisfaction. “But it was time to move on.”
He found himself nodding, as if he could possibly understand what it was like to be a prostitute who left a bordello. He stopped. It had to be her refreshing honesty. Every emotion or thought appeared on her face and in her words. Nothing was held back. He liked that.
A memory of his wife pretending to like the rodeo because he did came unbidden to his mind. She’d loved him so much, she’d have done anything he liked. It had taken him awhile to finally realize that. Too long. He hadn’t appreciated what he had.
“Would you like to come in? I could sure use the company. I promise not to attack you again…unless you want me to.” Adriana winked.
“I’m on patrol.” The words came out in a rush. “Thanks anyway.” He gave her a curt nod and strode off toward the next staff casita to make sure everything was okay, and not because he was running away.
*
Adriana walked back into her casita. That man was a puzzle and she so wanted to put him together and find out what the answer was.
She turned off the television, the noise of having it on all day finally getting to her. Picking up her laptop, she flopped onto her love seat. She clicked it on and pulled up a game. Not working was driving her crazy. After killing a few monsters and getting into the secret passageway, she paused the screen.
If she had to be bored, the least she could do is have a drink with her boredom. After taking down a wineglass, she uncorked a new bottle of red wine and poured. It felt odd drinking alone. Whatever. It wasn’t like she had a choice.
Pushing the cork back into the bottle, she put it on the counter and walked back to her couch. She glanced outside, noticing the light shining from her living room onto her patio, just like it did with the guest casitas. Would Hunter come by again tonight to make sure all was safe?
Yes. He would.
Suddenly, the distraction of the game wasn’t enough. She could masturbate in the living room and watch for the telltale black cowboy boots to show up. Just the image of that had her body sensitized. But as she let the fantasy play out in her mind, it wasn’t as exciting as it used to be.
Because now she wanted him. She’d felt the hard muscle of his body when she’d jumped onto him. It could have been anyone at her door, but riding his waist had sparked fireworks inside her. He hadn’t even taken a step back as she threw herself into his arms. The man was a hunk.
He did want her. At least his kiss said he did. Of course he did. She was hot. And how long had it been since he’d been with a woman? Her gut told her not since before he arrived at Poker Flat last October.
MacKenzie was an amazon and just as hard bodied. It was doubtful those two had sex. They were more like comrades in arms. She grinned at the thought.
Why not? She and Hunter were consenting adults. It’s not like she wanted a relationship. Those were way too sticky. As the idea grew, the more convinced she was that it was a perfect ending to a boring day.
Jumping up, she sauntered into her room. Now what to wear? Nothing frilly for him. She prided herself on reading men’s likes. No, Hunter would like casual sexy, which fit her perfectly.
Pulling off her yoga pants, she wiggled into a pair of cut off, denim shorts, nothing underneath. Something simple for a top. A red, no-sleeve button-down that tied beneath her breasts would work. She looked at herself in her full-length, three-way mirror. One more thing.
Grabbing up a clip, she twisted her long hair up like she did when bartending and stuck the clip in it. Slightly messy. Perfect. She gave herself a sultry smile.
Oh yeah, she would be getting some tonight.
She pulled on a pair of short socks and her cowboy boots that made her legs look awesome. Jumping up from her bed, she grabbed her lock pick from her jewelry box. She paused. Last time he’d been pretty pissed she was in his casita. But what was she supposed to do, sit in a chair outside?
No way, but she could prepare him. Turning the light off in her bedroom, she moved back into the living room to her desk against the far wall. She pulled out a piece of scrap paper with an expired coupon for twenty-five percent off a vibrating anal wand and with a red marker she drew the female symbol intersecting with the male symbol. That should give him a hint.
She laughed, thrilled with her plan of action. Now all she needed to do was wait until the early hours of the morning. She didn’t know much about Hunter, but he was definitely a cowboy, which meant he wouldn’t leave his job one minute before it was done. It hadn’t taken long to figure that out.
Maybe she could make him that breakfast she’d suggested the other morning.
Adriana busied herself with packing up breakfast ingredients, snacks, sex toys and condoms in between playing games and fantasizing. When two o’clock finally rolled around, she grabbed her basket of goodies and turned out the lights.
After locking her casita, she walked past two others before coming to Hunter’s. With expert finesse, she unlocked his door and stuck the sign on the outside before closing the door and relocking it. Once she’d put all the cold stuff in the fridge, she sat on his couch to wait.
Just a few more hours and he would be coming home. Her imagination started to go wild.
*
Hunter filled in Mac on what had happened with Adriana. They also took turns patrolling the garage. After what Adriana had told him about her car, he didn’t want anything else to happen to it.
The woman intrigued him. She was very honest in her immediate reactions, but there was another layer to her he hadn’t expected. He probably should have. Everyone had a past.
He grunted as his own rose up to choke him. Forcing it away from his thoughts, he strode to his casita. The sun had yet to come up, the sky just barely starting to lighten. It wasn’t much past five, but Selma had already opened the kitchen and Jorge was feeding the horses.
Kendra had closed the bar by one, which had left only one casita active for most of the night. When the foursome saw him, they’d asked him to ask Adriana to come down. He should have passed along the message, but he hadn’t. He didn’t know why, but it was probably better. Adriana had enough crap to handle between her car and the angry guest.
As he approached his home, a paper fluttered against the door. Curious, he pulled out his flashlight since the predawn light had yet to make it to that side of his casita. He stared at the symbols.
“Adriana.” His cock jerked. “Shit.” She’d picked his lock again.
He didn’t move to open the door. She was inside and he was off work. Was there any reason not to take what she offered?
If it had been anyone else, the answer would have been not a chance, but Adriana was different. Sex was given freely and often, no strings attached. That’s the part that was unusual. Sex meant something to women. To Adriana, it meant pleasure and no more.
His cock hardened. It knew sex with her would be good. It was a basic animal need, that’s all.
Even as the possibility enticed his body, Julie clung hard to his heart.
Everything feminine, sweet, innocent and loyal was embodied in his late wife. She would have made an amazing mother. They were supposed to grow old together and teach their grandchildren how to ride.
Doubt crept through his dreams of what should have been. Could they have found that peace after he came home the second time?
He stood three feet from his door and stared at the drawing fluttering slightly as the temperature started to change and sent small disturbances through the air. It had been hard returning after the first tour. It had taken him almost six months to readjust to being around Julie after seeing the horrors that were the reality on the other side of the globe.
This tour had been far worse. If she hadn’t been in the accident, could they have had the future they’d dreamed of, or had he already killed it and didn’t know it? Was her accident and subsequent death a blessing in disguise?
“No.” He grabbed the paper and ripped it down. Julie deserved to live and in death continued to be an angel.
Unlocking his door, he strode in, ready to boot Adriana out. What right did she have to come into his space? Into his head?
He didn’t turn on the light as he silently let himself in. Instead, he used his flashlight. Maybe if he scared her, she’d get the message.
He assumed she’d be in his bedroom and headed that way when he caught sight of her on the couch. She was asleep, curled up to fit on the love seat.
He moved the light to reflect off the title floor. Even in sleep the woman looked sexy, as if she beckoned him to enjoy her charms.
Had she always had this aggressive sexual demeanor? What would that have been like when she was a teenager? Did men approach her? Even as his gut answered yes, his mind rebelled at what might have occurred. Were all women jealous of her like the guest wife? How did she make female friends? Or did she?
Better yet, why should he care? Fuck.
He turned off the flashlight and strode into his room. He shouldn’t be thinking of Adriana and what her life was like. The woman wanted sex and a lot of it and right now she happened to want him.
She had a past. Who didn’t, but she was just a coworker. Nothing more.
Stripping, he threw his clothes on the bench at the end of his bed and lay down. He needed to stop thinking of having sex with her. It wasn’t going to happen. He was at Poker Flat to protect the staff, not fuck them. He wasn’t going to start screwing up Adriana’s life too.
Closing his eyes, he rolled onto his side, focused on the image of the last sunset and took deep, even breaths.
Eventually, he drifted off…and the dreams began.
“Sargent Hunter. Please come with me.”
“But my wife will be waiting for me.”
The corporal refused to meet his eyes.
They had to let him see Julie. It had been over a year since he’d been home, but his training wouldn’t be denied and he followed the corporal away from the terminal exit and into an airline lounge.
“Major Swanson will be right out.” The corporal disappeared.
He looked at his phone. Julie knew he’d arrived in Phoenix. She’d be anxiously watching every passenger from his plane, her eyes lighting when a uniform walked out of the A gates and into the main terminal only to be disappointed when it wasn’t him.
Hunter glanced at the door he’d just come through. Whatever it was, the Army could wait. They knew where to find him. He stepped toward the exit when the door opened and a major he’d never met before walked in. He stood at attention and saluted.
“At ease, sergeant. I know you are anxious to see your wife, but she’s not here. We have a car waiting to take you to Van Buren Memorial Hospital where she’s receiving the best care possible.”
“What? What are you talking about? I just talked to my wife when I changed planes in Chicago. I think you have me mixed up with someone else.”
The major studied him. “Your wife is Julie McKade, isn’t she?”
His heart tripped, making it hard to breathe as a wave of fear froze his blood. “Yes.”
The major put his hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry, son.” His mind refused to listen. “There was an accident…a tractor trailer…drunk driver…coma…” The words blurred as pain ricocheted through him.
“No.” He shook his head. “No. No. No!” he lashed out, fighting off the major and others as they tried to restrain him. No. Not Julie, his life, his love, his reason for making it home.
The scent of sage and linen filled his nostrils, softening the edges of his dream. The harsh lines of glass and steel rounded into saguaro cacti and mesquite trees. Warmth, not cold, recycled air, permeated his back and the image of an old withered male face was replaced with laughing brown eyes and enticing lips. Silky soft hair brushed against his shoulder, soothing the tension in his muscles.
Gentle arms wrapped around him, held him tight. He sank into the peace that filled his senses, luxuriating in it like the warm therapy tub he’d used to recover in, letting it seep into every part of his being. He greedily took it in, his soul thirsty for comfort and relief.
*
Adriana held on to Hunter until his breathing returned to normal and the steel-hard tension of his body finally relaxed. Then she continued to hold him, still baffled by her own actions.
When his yell woke her, she was disoriented, having forgotten where she was for a moment. At first her ego kicked her hard for being somewhere she wasn’t wanted, just before she started scolding herself for falling asleep. But when another yell and an agonized groan came from Hunter’s bedroom, she was compelled to check on him.
Whatever the dream was about, it was a bad one. A faded memory from her childhood pushed its way past her blockade, forcing her to acknowledge a time when her beautiful but spineless mother had eased her fear by cocooning her in bed.
Hoping it would help, she crawled onto Hunter’s bed, still clothed, of all things, and held on to him, pressing herself against his back, her arm wrapped around his waist. He started to calm immediately, which made her feel inordinately pleased with herself.
Damn, she’d never been in bed with a man this long and remained fully clothed. Though she’d usually view that as a failure on her part, she didn’t feel that way at all. She felt good that she’d been able to help him calm down. Maybe she’d scared the nightmare away.
She liked that idea. Adriana. Nightmare Slayer. She silently chuckled. Looked like she had another talent she could add to her list.
Hunter’s breathing grew deep, as if he hadn’t truly slept in months. Maybe sleeping during the day didn’t agree with him. She glanced toward the window where the blinds were closed tight. Still, she could see the sun had risen over the high ground and light would soon be beating down on the resort within the old ravine.
She was loath to leave his side. She liked holding him. There was more male in his body than in any three she’d slept with since coming to Poker Flat. She’d never comforted a man before. She’d given out her fair share of hugs at Mrs. B’s, especially to Lynzie. That poor girl had wanted a child so bad and every time she didn’t conceive, it was another bout of tears.
But a man? Men didn’t need comfort. They just bulldozed their way through life like they pounded themselves between her legs. Even her father, while lying in a puddle of blood, still managed to shoot off his gun, refusing to admit he was dying.
She blinked at the memory and shoved it aside. Hunter’s past was slowly becoming an addiction and without any work to occupy her, she needed to figure it out or go crazy.
Slowly, she lifted her arm and forced herself to move away. She stood and stared at the naked man who had been her fantasy. His back was a mass of muscles with definition standing out even in their resting position. His hard white ass appeared sculpted from marble and the backs of his thighs held shadowed lines, emphasizing how taut they were.
But below his thighs his perfection ended. Scars were everywhere, as if he’s been on the barrel end of a shotgun. The other place he had his fair share of scars was the back and top of his head. No wonder the man wore his hair so short and kept his cowboy hat on all the time. It looked like Picasso had etched a painting on his head. Another puzzle piece.
He lay on his left side, but his right arm had a few tattoos. She loved tattoos. Had one herself. One of Hunter’s tattoos was a name. Beyond curious, she leaned on the bed and looked at it closer. It was a name.
Julie.
Hmm, ex-wife or girlfriend? He definitely hadn’t had any woman with him at Poker Flat and since he lived in his casita, that meant he was single. She stood straight again. Perfect. That meant he was definitely for the taking.
But not now. As much as she wanted to ride him like a cowgirl should, his deep sleep, which she took complete credit for, wasn’t something she wanted to disturb. Maybe this evening before he had to go to work.
Quietly, she left the room and headed for the door, still baffled that she was letting a hunky naked man sleep. She grabbed up her cowboy hat and stilled. Did he not want to have sex because she was asleep or because he wasn’t interested?
She shook her head. What was she thinking? Of course he was interested. He was just being a cowboy. Too damn polite. Opening the front door, she looked back toward his room and blew him a kiss. “Later, cowboy.” She closed the door quietly and turned.
Lacey stood there staring at her with wide eyes, a to-go package in her hands.
She put her hand out to stop her friend. “He’s sleeping. Don’t disturb him.”
Lacey’s brow furrowed. “I wasn’t looking for Hunter. I was looking for you.”
“You found me.” She grinned. “Oh, is that for me? If it is, I love you and will forever.” She strode toward Lacey, smelling the air as she moved closer.
Lacey glanced back at Hunter’s casita, so Adriana took advantage of her distraction and took the package from her before heading for her own place.
“Adriana, wait.”
“Uh-uh, this feels warm and smells like one of Selma’s breakfast burritos. I’m not waiting for anyone.”
Lacey caught up with her just as she unlocked her door.
“I hope this was meant for me because if this was yours, you’re going to have to get another.” Selma rarely allowed staff to take to-go boxes because she felt strongly that they should “break bread” together.
Lacey followed her inside. “No, that was for you. I was hoping to cheer you up, but it appears you are already pretty happy with yourself.”
At the perturbed tone in her friend’s voice, she paused halfway through opening the container on her kitchen counter. “What? Because I was at Hunter’s? There’s no policy saying staff can’t have sex with each other.”
Having put that to rest, she pulled a fork from the drawer and dug into the spicy egg concoction.
“It’s not always about policy, Adriana. Sometimes it’s about being sensitive to others.”
She stilled, the food an inch from her mouth. “What do you mean, sensitive?”
Lacey dropped onto a stool across from her. “Like having a little compassion. Geeze, the man just lost his wife a little over a year ago. I doubt he’s in any shape to have a relationship.”
His wife died? She put down her fork, the food untouched. Multiple feelings swirled through her, none of them good. “Who said I wanted a relationship? You know me better than that.”
“That’s just the thing. I doubt the guy wants just sex. How must he feel?”
A knot formed in her stomach. “He’s a man. If he lost his wife I’ll bet some meaningless sex is just what he needs.”
Lacey clasped her hands in front of her, a sure sign she was really bothered.
“Listen, hon, don’t worry. I didn’t have sex with Hunter. I just cuddled with him a bit, which helped him sleep.”
Lacey’s eyes grew wide. “Don’t lie to me. I’m not stupid and you don’t have to protect me. I thought you realized that last time we went lingerie shopping together.”
She couldn’t help her grin. It had been fun watching her sweet friend try on some wild lingerie, Lacey’s one fetish, but the questions from Whisper, Lacey’s friend, had Adriana laughing out loud even while relating the stories to guests weeks later.
“Lacey, I’m not lying to you. I’d never do that with you. The fact is, I went over to Hunter’s to seduce him but fell asleep and believe it or not, he didn’t wake me up.” She didn’t feel the need to tell Lacey about the nightmare he’d had. “When I woke, I cuddled with him for a while. But he was in such a deep sleep, I didn’t have the heart to wake him.”
Lacey studied her. “I’m sorry. It was just a little hard to believe.”
“I know. I’m still shocked myself.” She winked then dipped her fork into her breakfast again.
“I feel so bad for him.” Lacey paused to watch her take her first mouthful and moan. “You know, I didn’t care for him at first, but when Kendra hired him, I knew there must be a reason.”
Lacey may not let her see Hunter’s profile, but it appeared she was open to talking about him. “You mean in addition to the fact he does a damn good job and moves around this resort so quietly even the desert mice don’t realize he’s there?”
Lacey smiled. “Yeah, there is that.”
She took another bite of her breakfast, trying to appear casual when her stomach was so tight, she questioned whether she should be eating at all. “So what’s his story? I mean, everyone here is on their second chance.”
Lacey clasped her hands. “I think for him it is more just being able to function in civilian life. He went back to the police department, but things didn’t exactly work out. I think Dale tried to place him at a number of jobs, but as far as I know, this is the longest one he’s been at.”
She nodded as if she understood. Anything to keep Lacey talking.
“He has all kinds of medals from his service to our country, but to come home and find his wife was on life support must have been devastating.”
Adriana felt the mouthful of egg she just swallowed stick halfway down to her stomach. Crap. He must have been a mess. He had to have really loved his wife to have her name tattooed on his arm.
Love was something she knew nothing about and stayed very far away from.
The problem was, the more she learned about him, the more she wanted to know. But she was about sex, keeping it nice and clean. Maybe that’s why he didn’t take her up on her offer. He didn’t think he could have sex because she might want more.
“Adriana, what are you thinking?”
She shrugged. “I’m thinking maybe I can offer him exactly what he needs. A warm body to sink into and forget about his woes for a while. Just sex.”
“I don’t think he’s wired that way.” Lacey cocked her head, her look doubtful.
“Lacey, war changes people. All that blood and guts and killing.” She shivered just from saying the word blood out loud. “He may need a little hot sex to escape his misery and his celibacy.” She wiggled her brows.
Lacey moved off the stool. “You two are adults. You certainly don’t need me looking over your shoulder.”
“If—”
Lacey raised her hand. “No, I don’t want to watch. Cole is all I need, thank you.”
“And a little lingerie.” She winked. “What are you wearing today?”
Lacey used to blush around her, but she’d become more comfortable with the teasing. “The open nipple bra and crotchless panties. I’ll put the three-way clips on once I get home. Cole would kill me if I wore those to work.”
Adriana laughed. “I’m so proud of you. Just wait until you do wear a toy or two to work. You won’t be able to wait for Cole to strip.”
Lacey shook her head even as she moved to the door. “Nope. Toys aren’t my main thing, but some accessories now and then really heat things up for Cole.”
“Honey, what do you expect? The man is a freakin’ firefighter.”
Lacey laughed and let herself out.
The casita became too quiet and Adriana turned on the television to add some noise. Lacey had spilled a lot more about Hunter than expected, but then again, the easiest way to get Lacey to talk was to get her concerned about someone.
Adriana snorted. That Lacey felt the need to protect Hunter, a veteran, a former police officer, from her was silly. Hunter could take care of himself and if she had her way, he’d take care of her too, no strings attached, unless of course there were nipple clips at the end.