Perfect Match [Ménage.com 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (3 page)

“You don’t have to deal with this on your own,” Dakota argued.

Chad saw that his brother grabbed onto her hand as they were about to cross the street. He saw her try to resist, but she finally relented as Dakota all but pulled her behind him. Chad kept his hand near her hip as all three of them crossed the road.

“Fine. You can walk me over there, but I’m going to have to decline your offer for dinner. I have to hit the library before they close for the evening and then edit the book I’ve been trying to finish.”

Chad glanced down at his watch. Seeing the time, he couldn’t help but smile and be thankful that luck was on their side. “Honey, the library has already closed for the day. I guess you’ll have to wait until tomorrow, which shouldn’t be a problem since your car needs to be looked over anyway.”

Elise crinkled up her button nose again, causing her glasses to slip down. Since they had reached the sidewalk, Chad did what came naturally. He took her arm and brought her to a stop. Reaching up with both hands, he pushed her glasses back in place and saw that her blue eyes darkened into a deeper color. He couldn’t resist leaning down and brushing his lips across hers.

He heard the light gasp she emitted and then felt her right hand come to rest upon his chest. The heat from her palm soaked through the material of his cotton shirt. Chad watched as her lashes fluttered closed. Needing to really taste her, he cupped her face with his hands and tilted her head. Running the tip of his tongue across her bottom lip, he waited until she leaned her body into his. The second he felt her fingers press into his muscle, he melded his lips to hers.

Nothing had ever tasted so sweet. He dipped his tongue into the recesses of her moist mouth. Her tongue tentatively touched his. Taking the lead, he playfully glided back and forth, teasing her tip and then trying to get her to play a game of tongue tag. She tried to catch his, pressing her lips more firmly against his mouth. He relented and let her have her fill. The tightly wound little author was finally coming out of her shell. He swallowed a groan when he felt her hips rotate. She was trying to rub against the bulge in the front of his jeans. His hardened cock was about ready to explode.

* * * *

Dakota had still had a hold of Elise’s hand when Chad stopped her on the sidewalk. Seeing his brother kiss her made his dick throb. Her fingernails were now digging into the back of his hand, but he wasn’t about to complain. This little blonde bombshell was everything they had ever wanted.

Dakota remembered the day they had started plans on building their home. He and his brother had been sitting in the bar after closing time, discussing the little intricate details they would like added to their house. Somehow, the conversation had turned to the traits they desired in their future wife. She must be honest, confident, capable, intelligent, and above all have integrity. They wanted her to be independent but able to depend on them as they would with her. In a short amount of time, it was hard to believe that they had found all of those characteristics in one little pint of a woman—and he was holding her hand while his brother kissed her.

He still wasn’t sure that Chad’s little plan to keep her in town wouldn’t backfire. His brother always had the more carefree attitude, and while Dakota enjoyed life to the fullest, he always had one important rule—honesty. And what they were doing by deceiving Elise went against his moral code. But the thought of watching her drive away without ever giving them a chance would pretty much kill him. So he would follow Chad’s lead just this once and hope his little plan didn’t blow up in their faces.

Chad slowly pulled away from Elise, breaking off their heated kiss. Dakota watched as Elise opened her eyes. The passion he saw there made him want to take Chad’s place, but he saw that recognition was slowly dawning and decided to wait out his turn.

Instead of blowing up the way he had expected, Elise took a step back and brought her hand up to her lips. Without looking at either of them, Elise continued to walk down the sidewalk to where Elliot’s garage was located. He shared a look with Chad, both of them wondering why she wasn’t speaking. It was a little unnerving not to know where she stood after that. Had she enjoyed Chad’s kiss? It had certainly looked like it from where he was standing, especially the way she was grabbing his hand.

When he saw that Chad was ready to say something, Dakota quickly shook his head, indicating to let it go. When she wanted to discuss what had happened, Elise would let them know. In the meantime, they would follow her lead.

Elliot had the garage door open and was standing alongside his brother, Mitch. Where Elliot was easygoing, Mitch was anything but. He rarely spoke unless someone had pissed him off, and always kept a wide berth with the other residents. Everyone knew that Mitch had spent close to ten years in prison. Rumor had it that he had killed a man, but no one ever had the guts to ask. As for Dakota and Chad, it was none of their business. Mitch had always been civil with them and gave them no trouble at the bar. As far as they were concerned, Mitch had served his time and should now be left alone to live out the rest of his life.

“Elliot, think you could help us out?” Dakota asked, stopping a few feet from where they were standing. “Mitch, this is Elise Sinclair. Elise, this is Elliot’s brother, Mitch.”

He still had a hold of Elise’s hand, and he saw her eyes widen at the sight of Mitch. He came across as intimidating, with his 6’4” height and broad chest, but Dakota assumed there was not a lot to do in jail but work out. His dark five-o’clock shadow didn’t help either, especially smeared with grease.

Mitch nodded his head in greeting and then picked up a rag to wipe his hands. It was his way of indicating he didn’t want to shake hands. Elise didn’t seem to have a problem with that, as she just nodded in greeting.

“If it has anything to do with this pretty lady, the answer is yes.” Elliot gave Elise a wink, and while Dakota knew he was playing a part, it still rubbed him the wrong way. “It doesn’t have anything to do with that cute little red convertible outside the bar, does it?”

“Yes,” Elise finally answered, “and I don’t understand what could be wrong. I knew I would be driving a long distance, so I had my mechanic give her a tune-up. Everything was fine when I left Illinois.”

“I’m sure it’s nothing serious,” Elliot reassured her. “If you give me your keys, we’ll get to it first thing in the morning.”

Elise released Dakota’s hand and reached into her purse. She pulled out a set of keys and handed them over to Eliot. “Thank you so much. I’ll be by late morning, after I make up those flyers, if that’s all right with you?”

“Sure, darlin’.” Elliot took the offered keys and tossed them over to Mitch. He placed them in his pocket and walked off. It was a typical thing for Mitch to do, but Dakota could see Elise watching his back as he retreated to the back of the garage.

“We appreciate it, Elliot.”

Dakota knew that his friend got the true meaning of Chad’s statement. Elliot had purposely disabled Elise’s vehicle to keep her in town a little longer. They definitely owed him one.

Dakota went to hold Elise’s hand again, when she pulled away and walked ahead of both of them. Coming to a stop right outside the garage, Elise turned and placed both hands on her hips.

“I appreciate you walking me over here. And even though I can’t go to the library, I intend to use my time wisely. Enjoy your evening, and I will stop by the bar on my way out of town tomorrow. Goodnight.”

“Well, that went better than expected,” Chad said. “She didn’t say a word about that kiss.”

“You think that’s a good thing? What if she didn’t like the way you did it?”

Dakota leaned back, avoiding the playful punch that Chad would have landed on him. He turned and watched as Elise walked down the sidewalk, heading toward the only B&B in town.

“I think she doesn’t know what to make of us and is retreating to the safety of her room. I figure we should give her about thirty minutes and then head on over.”

“You going to make the call or should I?”

“You make the call,” Dakota instructed. “You’re better at all this conniving shit.”

Chad laughed as he pulled his cell phone from the front of his jeans. Chad placed a call to Kathy Goode, owner of the B&B. Dakota listened as his brother explained their situation and enlisted her help. The best thing about living in such a small, close-knit town was that everyone was willing to help out a friend. They were definitely going to be repaying favors for a long time to come.

Elise slammed the phone down. How could it not be working? She had seen Kathy, the woman who owned the B&B, talking on the phone when she walked into the foyer not ten minutes ago, so why was the one in her room not connecting to a dial tone?

She couldn’t take any more misfortunes today. She needed to get the website address from Shea, make the flyers, and drop them off at the bar. Elise knew the real reason she was so frustrated, and it had nothing to do with the phone. Chad had kissed her while she held on to Dakota’s hand. And it was like nothing she had ever felt before. The feeling that had traveled down to her pussy was indescribable. The tiny little electric shocks went everywhere, and the throbbing that ensued was maddening. Now, her body’s senses were heightened. It seemed that now, whenever anything brushed up against her skin, she couldn’t stop the immediate reaction of wanting an orgasm.

Elise gave a huff of frustration and stood up. Since she wasn’t going to get that orgasm, at least the one she wanted from Chad and Dakota, she sure as hell was going to place a call. If she had to use the one at the front desk, so be it.

Leaving her bedroom, Elise followed the staircase downstairs. What must have once been a bar with rooms on the second story had now been converted into a quaint B&B. Elise had counted eight rooms on the second story, but since two rooms had been converted into one, it left four stupendous suites with their own bathroom and kitchenettes. Seeing that Kathy was still in the foyer at the front desk, which Elise was sure was part of the original bar, she made her way across the wooden floor.

“Excuse me, Ms. Goode, but may I use your phone?” Elise asked, giving her a polite smile. “The one in my room doesn’t seem to be working.”

“Now isn’t that just a coincidence?” Kathy replied, returning her smile. She was an older woman with red hair that had to be out of a bottle. Elise guessed around early seventies, although she seemed to have more energy than she knew what to do with. “My landline just up and quit on me. I have a call into Roy over at the phone company.”

“Oh. Do you know how long it might take to fix the problem?”

“No, dear, I don’t. It’s after hours, so I’m sure I’ll hear from Roy tomorrow.”

“Do you have a cell phone I can use to place a quick call to someone back home?” Elise couldn’t believe the way her luck was going. First, she had dropped her cell phone. Then, her car wouldn’t start. And now, she wasn’t even able to use her room phone. “I’ll pay you whatever it might cost you in minutes.”

“I’m sorry, dear,” Kathy said, shaking her head. Her earrings were so big, they were swinging back and forth with the movement of her head. Elise cringed at the thought of their weight pulling against her earlobe. “At my age, there’s no reason for me to have a cell phone.”

Elise closed her eyes for a brief moment, hoping her irritation didn’t show through. It wasn’t Kathy’s fault that her day kept getting worse. She ran through her options and decided to head back to her room and take a shower. Once a hot shower relaxed her muscles, she would head back out and go to the local diner. She would just ask someone there if she could use their cell phone.

“That’s okay, Ms. Goode. I think I’ll just head to dinner later and see if I can borrow someone else’s. You have a nice evening.”

“You, too, dear.”

Elise walked back upstairs. She was heading down the hallway to her room when a dark figure came out of nowhere and shoved her against the wall. The back of her head hit the wood. Before she could scream, the man’s arm pressed against her throat, preventing any sound from escaping.

“Leave town tonight.”

Elise struggled for air. She stared into dark eyes, while the rest of his face was covered with black knit cloth. His hot, rancid breath hit her face. His arm pressed tighter against her trachea, essentially blocking all oxygen from reaching her lungs. Within seconds, black dots began floating in her vision.

“You won’t like what happens if you don’t.”

Right when Elise thought she was going to pass out and die, the man released her. She dropped like a stone. Her knees hit the carpet, and she started sucking in air. For the second time that day, tears filled her eyes as she struggled to breathe. She had no idea how long she was in that position, on her hands and knees with her head bent. Elise had always assumed that if she was attacked, she would be strong and be able to fight back. The reality of the situation was totally different and very sobering.

Elise heard footsteps running down the hallway. Afraid the man was returning, she tried to stand. Four hands stopped her, setting her gently back down. She looked up, knowing from their touch that it was Dakota and Chad, but their faces were blurred and she couldn’t get her eyes to adjust. That was when she realized her glasses must have fallen off.

“Elise, what happened?” Dakota’s voice was deep and laced with concern. Suddenly, he was clear. She realized he had placed her glasses snugly on her nose. “When we came up the stairs, you were on your hands and knees. Did you fall?”