DEFIANT (A WESTERN BAD BOY ROMANCE) (11 page)

“This is no laughing matter, Clif!” Vince bellows. “This is the state attorney general we’re talking about! He doesn’t just conduct investigations because he’s bored. He must have received a pretty damning bit of intel, and that means we’ve got to be proactive as hell! Now get your shit together and get moving. Our plane has been fixed and is on standby at the airport, I’ve already called and set it up. I even set up a VRBO vacation rental because I’m not sure how long you’ll have to stay. A rental car is reserved as well. I’ll text you the address sometime during your flight”

Clif and I hurry to gather our things. “It would’ve been nice to get a heads up,” Clif calls over his shoulder irritatedly.

“Just received the message twenty minutes ago from the Coal Butte mayor. He claims it’s some kind of sting operation.” There’s a pause, and with a calmer voice he says. “You’re right though, Clif. We got nothing to worry about, at least on our end. We just got to get our ducks in a row and hope to hell Coal Butte isn’t embroiled in some kind of long-standing corruption scandal that sinks Caddis Flats. You guys need to stay camped out in Coal Butte for a few days to provide up-to-the-minute updates to our lawyers. When all this blows over I’ll let you know when it’s safe to return.”

T
wo hours
later and we’re halfway to Coal Butte.

“Damn, the plane is so much nicer than the helicopter, huh?” I comment, massaging my neck and rolling my head.

“Mm hm,” replies Clif. He doesn’t look up from his laptop; he is perusing every word of the charges being brought against the town of Coal Butte. He takes a long pull of his energy drink.

I just finished my press release. It was easy enough, a trite statement asserting that the Seven Group had no knowledge of the corrupt activities prior to negotiations with the town, that no incentives have been provided, monetary or otherwise, that Seven will do everything it can to help the AG in this matter and look forward to fully cooperating in the process, yada yada yada.

I yawn and stretch out. I take in Clif’s handsomeness as he reads, utterly absorbed by the material in front of him. His tie is off and the first two buttons of his shirt are undone. His sleeves are rolled up to his elbows and his face sports a sexy layer of dark stubble. He doesn’t notice that I am admiring him.

I yawn one last time before falling asleep.

E
ven though we
didn’t get to our hotel until one in the morning, we got up at 6am and were at the council chambers at eight.

The attorney general showed up a half hour later, dragging along a small team of assistants and a procession of news vehicles from Denver.

For our part, Clif and I did a stellar job. With our charming good looks, organized approach and credible style, we received many thanks and well-dones from the AG’s unit. We worked efficiently with all parties involved and provided timely information in a polite and cooperative manner; I was even given a business card by the AG’s top aide, saying to keep in touch and that they could certainly use my skills if I ever had any free time—networking is never a bad thing.

By the end of the day the Seven Group was absolved from any wrongdoing, and the only really incriminating evidence uncovered was a shady payment to the mayor regarding water rights and the illegal diversion of many millions of gallons of water to a nearby ranch.

But the best part was that Caddis Flats remained entirely unscathed.

“We make a pretty a good team,” Clif says as we settle into our booth at a little hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant. It is 7pm.

“Yeah, we knocked it out of the park, huh,” I say between mouthfuls of chips and salsa.

“Thanks again for essentially pulling an all-nighter, Katie. Believe me, you’ll be paid generously for your overtime efforts.”

“Just doing my job.” It’s nice to know one is appreciated.

“No, you really went above and beyond. I couldn’t have done this without you. When they asked for the financial records from the past two years, I began sweating bullets! How on earth did you know where to find them?”

Laughing, I say, “I was hoping you wouldn’t ask me that. Vince accidentally revealed the files to me my first week here while giving me a quick tour of your computer system. I just happened to remember the keystrokes needed to access them.”

“You’re amazing,” he smiles, shaking his head. And then as an afterthought, “And dangerous. If I ever see unusual activity in my bank account I’ll know who to suspect.”

“Whatever,” I roll my eyes.

We share a long glance across the table. My stomach does a flip-flop. His eyes are so amazingly gorgeous!

My thoughts and feelings are a jumbled mass of confusion.

I
can't sleep
. Because I can't stop thinking about her. I should be dog-tired considering I’ve been running on only four hours of rest.

But she was just too damn extraordinary today. Her poise, her tact, her unruffled demeanor while getting drilled by a small army of vicious suits blew me away.

I think I’m going to tell Vince to put her on retainer—it would be ludicrous to contract with anyone else; she’s got all the skills we could possibly need and then some.

I glance at the clock: 11:45pm. Rrgh! I wish I could sleep! Another problem is that I'm horny right now. I can't stop fantasizing about taking her again. I can still feel her lips pressing against mine, the softness of her body, the urgent way she held me, as if her life depended upon it. And I can remember exactly how it felt that first night, what it was like to be inside her. The way her nails dug into my back as I pressed her into the bed, her hips bucking as she took what she wanted.

How the hell am I supposed to relax when I’m all worked up like this?

I roll over for the thousandth time and push the blanket off, burning in the sheets. I wish Katie were here right now.

What would happen if I walked down the hall to her room and took her right now? I think about the passionate way she kissed me back at the office, as if the world was about to end and it was our last experience before dying. Would she stop me?

I imagine stealing into her room and stripping the covers off her, pulling her panties off before she has a chance to change her mind.

I roll out of bed and pull some shorts on. I know I'm out of my mind, but I don't care. And then I'm stalking down the dark hallway until I'm standing in front of her room.

The door's ajar.

My heart's pounding. I push it open.

Her bed's empty!

I swing the door back and step inside. Where is she? Did she go out somewhere?! The thought makes me jealous. No, I'm going to find her, no matter what it takes. No more hiding what I want—I’m going to make my feelings known.

I lightly knock on the bathroom door. “Katie,” I softly call. “You in there?”

No answer.

I walk through our little vacation rental. No sign of her.

Then I check the back porch, peering out he glass sliding doors. Ah! There she is!

She is sitting in the hot tub on the deck, staring up at the stars. Thank-fucking-God!!

I take a moment. If I go out there, I might put her off. I might fuck things up. I don't have a clue what she's thinking about, alone and gazing at the sky.

I settle back and let my heels cool. Damn, if I don't want her worse than ever!

I
thought
the water would be relaxing.

Instead, it just reminds me of that day riding horses with Clif. I take in the beautiful starry sky while thinking about that day. I feel like all my life I was working and making plans for the future, when in reality I was doing just the opposite: Not living. Not being true to myself. Not following my dreams.

How professional should I keep things with Clif? I guess we're friends at this point. But…I think I want more. I can’t believe I’m saying it.

What if we have sex? How will that change things? Between us? For my future? For his? I can tell he likes me; it’s unmistakable, even if he’s too worried about his reputation to admit it.

No no no, Katie! Now is not the time. I have a contract to fulfill, obligations to attend to. I have no idea what direction my career is going to take after this. I don’t know what’s going to happen with my father. Sure, fooling around with Clif is fun. What girl wouldn't want him? He's wealthy, gorgeous, and in bed...oh my gosh! But I simply cannot jump into something serious, not right now. Things are complicated enough.

If nothing else, at least my life is more exciting than before, definitely more engaging. I kind of like not having an idea where I’m going to be sleeping one day to the next. I almost feel guilty for having so much fun when I'm around Clif. I can't believe I jumped on him yesterday. Damn that is so unlike me!

My sex comes to life.

The whole situation with Noah is depressing. I need to move on, I know…but…it’s scary. It’s scary to have the future so wide open, without any plans, without any direction.

And here I go again with my ‘big plans’ again. Why do I feel the need to map, chart and manage my life like that? Why can’t I simply ride the wave of life and see where it takes me?

So much has changed in so little time since I've been here.

Just then I hear a noise behind me. Startled, I call out, "Who is it?! Clif?"

I turn around. Thank God it’s only him. He’s wearing nothing but boxers.

"What are you doing?"

“Couldn’t sleep.”

Settling back into the water I sigh, “Yeah. Me neither.”

I can see the reflection of the illuminated water of the hot tub rippling across his chest, every muscle in a psychedelic, undulating half-shadow.

Our eyes meet, and in that instant I know exactly what he wants. There’s a hunger in his stare, and it sends a cold shiver down my spine despite the warmth of the hot tub.

My breathing ceases. I swallow hard.

Without saying a word he gets in beside me.

S
he doesn't fight me
.

Not when I slide my fingers down her back and pull her top off. Not when I lift her face up to mine to kiss those alluring lips.

"We shouldn’t," she objects halfheartedly.

I let my tongue remind her why we
absolutely should.
My hands slide along her thighs and pull her bikini down her round, porcelain-smooth bottom, thighs and calves. The sound of her impassioned breathing makes my cock throb and swell.

I want to feel her again.

No, I
need
to feel her again.

“You’ll just make this complicated,” she whimpers, but her lips belie her words as they mash into mine.

She takes a sharp breath as I bend her over the side of the tub and enter from behind, lifting her thighs and wrapping them around my hips. We roll together, both my hands clutching her sides. The way she moans makes me want it even more, so I slide her onto the heated deck for more control, taking her hard and deep, both of us lost in primal, lustful cravings.

I struggle to restrain myself as she grinds back into me. Her delicate body glistens under the low light, and I can see the muscles in her back tense and relax in time to my thrusts.

She’s so damn perfect.

The sound of her moans brings me closer to my edge, but the need to please her outweighs my own desire. I slow my rhythm until her breath shortens into rapid heavy gasps.

Every nerve in my body is betraying me; it’s damn near impossible to hold back. My entire being is alight with a fiery electricity.

Then she explodes around my cock.

I pull out, barely in time, realizing the colossal mistake I nearly just made. "Oh, fuck," I groan, releasing every ounce of pent up frustration I have left onto the deck. I almost came insider her without a condom.

She shivers beneath me, despite us both being overheated from the water, steam, and intensity of the moment. "What?" she breathes. I watch her heave on the deck, eyes closed.

“Nothing,” I lie breathlessly. “Just so fucking good.” God I hope I didn’t come inside her.

NOTE TO SELF:
Never
let that happen again!

Leaving her prostrate on the deck I split her legs wide open and let my eyes take their fill.

She gasps.

I rake my fingers over her clit, watching her writhe. Damn, I've wanted this for so long. I can't wait to fuck her again but I can't get hard yet, not ten seconds after.

I can’t fucking believe I almost came inside. My cock twinges at the thought of blowing my entire load deep within her.

"You got what you wanted," Katie gasps. "Don't tease me."

I bury my face in her sex, tasting her. I want to explore every inch of her wicked body. And I want to feel her come with my face buried between her legs, her fingers tightly gripping my hair.

"You're going to make me come again," she squirms, arching her back.

A second later she tenses, my tongue still stroking her clit as she quivers and releases.