Lydia's Twin Temptation (4 page)

Chapter Four

Lydia’s mind urged caution as they pulled up to the inauspicious, faded building that had served as home for the last five months. Chance was there only temporarily, and she reminded herself of that as he pulled into a parking space next to Gunther who appeared rather sad with his four flat tires. She felt violated as she looked at her Karmann Ghia. Sometimes it seemed like her transportation and the earnings she made each day were all that stood between her and the wolves at the door.

Chance cut the ignition on the big pickup and jumped out of the truck. She reached for the handle but was surprised when he opened it and smiled at her.

“Mom raised us right, Lydia. Let me help you.”

His words from earlier, about having come for the sole purpose of seeing her, battled with her inner mantra that he was there temporarily. Confusion was the result as she placed her hand on his shoulder and allowed him to lift her by her waist and place her on the ground. Her heart hammered at the feel of his hands on her, and she bit her lip self-consciously.

“Careful, Chance. I don’t want you to hurt your back.”

“Baby, I routinely lift calves that weigh more than you. You’re light as a feather,” he replied, smiling as he brushed a lock of hair away that the steady, hot wind had blown in her face. His callused fingers were gentle, and she found herself mesmerized as she looked up into his eyes. Her heart hammered in her chest as she soaked up the nearness of this warm, hard-working man. It was going to hurt something fierce when she watched him drive his truck away again because she had a distinct feeling she was already past the crush stage.

A car pulled up next to the truck, and they were shaken from the moment by a motel room door shutting and the sound of laughter. Looking around, Lydia noticed the parking lot was full of cars.

“Shoot. It looks like I may be sleeping in my truck tonight.”

Making a split second decision she hoped she didn’t regret, Lydia said, “Nonsense. If there isn’t a vacancy, then you can stay with me. It’s not much, but I keep it clean.” She chuckled and said, “I’ll even let you help me move back in. Come on.” She beckoned to him as she walked past Gunther and patted his hood.

“So that’s Gunther, huh?”

“Yes. He’s never let me down.”
Today was not his fault.

“Those little VWs will run forever if you take care of them.”

“He’s living proof of that. Well, I mean, I know he’s not…Ugh. You must think I’m crazy.” She was a little punchy and needed to go to sleep.

Chance laughed and said, “Not at all, baby. I understand what you mean. Vehicles develop personalities, and you’ve become attached to him. It happens.”

Her heart swelled with appreciation for his understanding, and she gazed up at him as he matched her stride on the cracked sidewalk. His hand slid around hers, and he smiled warmly at her.

As they approached the motel office, he released her hand and opened the door, allowing her to walk in first. Unfortunately, there were no vacancies there or at any other motel in the area, according to the manager. Families were even doubling up in rooms because there was nothing else available.

As they walked out of the office, the police officer who had spoken to her at the café pulled up in his cruiser and parked on the other side of Gunther.

Officer Sepeda climbed from his vehicle and smiled at her as he took a look at Gunther. “Don’t see too many of these around here.”

“No, sir.”

“Well, Mr. Cortez confessed to it all. He was blabbering before we even had him in the cruiser to take him to be processed. I don’t know if any of it will hold. They were going to take a statement from him and we’ll see what his lawyer says. You had witnesses to what he was doing in his office and the stuff lying in boxes in the back of his truck is pretty incriminating. All he kept saying was that he didn’t want you to leave him.”

Lydia shook her head vehemently. “I was nothing to him but an employee. He knew I was trying to earn enough money to leave Fort Stockton. Did you find the money he stole from me?”

He nodded and replied, “He said he put it in the office safe. The owners of the café will be in touch with you in the morning and fully intend to return it to you since he told us it was in an envelope with your initials on it. He must’ve thought that if he could keep you here by any means necessary that you’d eventually change your mind.” Gesturing at the cruiser, he added, “I have your things in the trunk.”

Chance followed her to the police car and lifted one of her boxes from it. Lydia took the lightweight laundry basket Chance handed her and the small box that contained her toiletries.

Officer Sepeda lifted the third box from the trunk, and Chance asked, “Is this everything, baby?”

Nodding easily, Lydia said, “It is. I never accumulated very much because I knew I couldn’t take it with me.”

“Well, lead on, Ms. Webster,” the officer said. “Then I’ll shoot pictures of the damage for the report and be on my way.”

Lydia led the way up the stairs to her room and unlocked it. The door creaked open, and both men placed the boxes carefully on the worn table, treating her possessions like something precious and valuable.

The officer removed a card from his pocket and handed it to her. “If you’re in need of further assistance while you’re in Fort Stockton, don’t hesitate to call on me. I wish you luck, ma’am.” He nodded at Chance and made his exit.

She closed the door and set the thermostat to cool the room down, then began removing her meager belongings from the boxes.

Chance said, “I’ll run down and get my stuff. Are you sure you’re okay with this, Lydia? I really don’t mind sleeping in the truck. I’ve slept worse places than that.”

“I insist. You’ll have a long drive tomorrow and I’d feel terrible knowing you’re down there trying to sleep in the heat with the bugs and the wind. I won’t rest, worrying about that.”

You’re kidding yourself if you think you’re going to get any sleep either way. On top of that, you’ll have to watch him drive away tomorrow. You lose either way, girl.

A little thrill shot through her when he kissed the top of her head, patted her hip, and then left the room. Smiling, she unpacked the rest of her things and placed the three cardboard boxes by the door to take out in the morning. She looked critically around the apartment and wondered what he thought when he saw how she lived. This was a far cry from the suburban neighborhood in San Angelo she’d grown up in and certainly not how she’d planned to be living by the age of twenty-eight, but she was determined to make some changes soon.

He returned, and holding up the hangers, he asked, “Where can I put these?”

She opened her small closet, and he hung them next to her clothing. Looking around the suddenly smaller room, Lydia smiled nervously and said, “If you don’t mind, I’m going to take a shower. It’s been a really long day. The remote for the television is sitting on top of it.” She gestured to the antiquated TV in the corner. “It’s old, but it works fairly well. Thank goodness it’s bolted to that table otherwise Mr. Cortez might have stolen it, too,” she added with a grin. “Make yourself at home, okay?”

“Actually, baby, I think I’m going to step out to give you a little more privacy and check in with Clayton,” he replied, removing his phone from his pocket.

How considerate of him. “All right. I won’t be long.”

He nodded and smiled at her, and she found herself wishing she could just stare into his bright-blue eyes.

He went to the door as she slipped into the small bathroom. Sighing quietly, she leaned against the door and imagined him standing there smiling at her. She was really smitten. There was no denying it. His words from earlier came back to her again, about coming all that way to see her. He hadn’t said anything else about it, but she hoped he would leave his phone number with her so after she left Fort Stockton they might stay in touch. Maybe someday she might find herself in Divine.

After turning on the shower, she stepped in once it was warm enough. She felt like a zombie and almost moaned loudly like one as the blessedly hot water poured over her head. She stayed under the hot spray for a long time, feeling the emotional strain of the day slip away.

It was encouraging to know that her only real financial setback to deal with was Gunther’s tires and the reason he wouldn’t start. She could handle that because the light was visible at the end of the tunnel. Chance’s visit made her feel more hopeful, too.

Wearily, she worked shampoo into her hair and scrubbed herself clean, used her razor, and then lathered a small dab of the lavender-perfumed body wash he’d given to her. As always, the scent was evocative, and she fantasized about him as she smoothed her hands over her breasts and down her torso. Before today she’d only ever conversed with him and given him a very platonic hug to thank him for the last gifts.

Now she had slightly more vivid memories of him to relive. As she slid her slick hands over her hips and thighs, then between her legs, she fantasized about the feel of his hands and his careful grip as he lifted her from the truck.

She reacted to the memory of his strong, gentle arms around her as she’d laid into her boss, the way he’d calmed her with his touch. Her response now was more substantial as a throb began in her pussy at the thought of those powerful arms wrapped around her bare body and him cupping her breasts in his hands.

Her nipples peaked tightly as she slid her slick fingers over them. Her cheeks filled with heat as she slid her hand down her abdomen one more time. She leaned against the wall of the shower and slowed the descent until two fingers rested above her damp lips. Leaning her temple against her forearm, Lydia took a deep, shuddering breath as she slid two fingers between her pussy lips and stroked her sensitive clit.

The ache in her pussy intensified as she caressed with a circular motion and her fingers became drenched with her own slick moisture. Her pussy trembled at the stimulation, and she imagined that it wasn’t her fingers but his callused touch that aroused her.

Her pussy clenched as she envisioned his sexy lips pressed against hers as he brought her closer and closer to orgasm. Chance was a very generous, affectionate man, and she imagined him whispering sweet words to her as his lips trailed lower until they hovered over her pussy.

He wouldn’t rush her to orgasm. Chance would enjoy the journey as much as the destination. She imagined him taking his time, licking slowly, torturing her with each stroke of his velvety tongue.

With her heart hammering, she let her fantasy go into overdrive as Chance’s brother Clayton appeared at her side and kissed her as he stroked her breasts and her abdomen. Clayton kissed her hungrily then lavished long, slow kisses along her throat.

Lydia’s pussy clenched and she knew she was moments away from coming. In her mind’s eye, Chance looked up at her with his brilliant blue eyes and watched as she arched her back and came undone for him while he lapped hungrily at her pussy. Lydia pressed her mouth against her forearm to muffle her groan of ecstasy as her pussy spasmed with wave after wave of pleasure.

The thought of the two men both bringing her to orgasm was enough to send another shockwave through her core. She’d fantasized about them before, but this time was much stronger, probably because Chance was so close.

When she came to herself again she turned toward the spray and rinsed in an increasing daze. She was off the following morning, and she planned to take full advantage of the time and sleep as long as she could. After turning off the water she opened the shower curtain and groaned miserably.

She’d forgotten her clothes. In her twitter pated state she’d trapped herself in her bathroom with nothing but a bath towel, and a smallish-sized one at that.

“Crap,” she whispered as she dried off, wondering what to do. She cringed at the thought of putting on the clothes she’d worked in all day. She didn’t want to go to bed smelling like a french fry. Putting her ear to the door, she listened for any noise. The room seemed quiet. She cracked open the door and peeked out from behind it. “Chance?”

There was no answer. She poked her head out and heard him outside the motel room window still involved in his phone conversation.

* * * *

“My only question, Chance, is why haven’t you invited her to be
our
chef?”

Chance leaned against the balcony railing with his cell phone held to his ear and replied, “Because you know that’s not what I want. It’s not what you want either, if you’d admit to it.”

“Of course it’s not, but it would get her here, if you want her and you think she’s interested in you. It’ll take forever for her to come around to a threesome if this turns into a long-distance relationship. You’re not being dishonest. Lord knows we desperately need someone who can cook around here. I’m as useless as you in a kitchen, and I’m tired of eating out. I say
beg
if you have to.”

Chance smiled at Clayton’s words even though there was a lot of truth in what he said. Unless it came off a grill medium rare, their cooking was the pits. “Okay. I’ll talk to her about that.”

“Did you give her the jewelry and the book yet?” Chance thought he detected a note of hope in his brother’s voice.

“I haven’t yet because the time didn’t feel right, but I have them in my hands, ready to give to her. She’s showering right now.”

Clayton chuckled and said, “She’s in the shower, soapy and nekkid, and you’re talking to me on the phone?” The way his twin brother said it made him think maybe he
was
crazy for not already begging her to come back to the ranch with him. “She wants to leave Fort Stockton and find a better opportunity, right?”

“Yeah.”

“I think you’re the best opportunity out there for her.”

“But, Clayton, you—”

“But nothing. If she’ll come, then we’ll see. I bet you she’d love the chance to be a chef with her very own kitchen, rather than running her little feet off for measly tips at that café.”

Chance finished up the phone conversation with his brother, satisfied that he was doing the right thing. Tomorrow he’d see about getting tires put on her little red car, because she would still need those and for it to run, regardless of whether she agreed to his proposition tonight or not.