Upper Hand (Cedar Tree Book 5) (31 page)

“Jesus, woman. That mouth of yours should come with a warning,” he softly growls as he pulls away and releases his hold on me, only to clasp my hand and pull me to the back door. “Not about to entertain an audience when I do what I mean to do to you, Bean.”

Oh, I’m game.

-

I
’m not so convinced a little later, when stripped of gum, clothes, and completely naked by Clint’s deft hands, blindfolded with a tea towel, I’m trussed up like a holiday turkey with my hands tied over my head in his bed. I’m not sure, but Clint seems intent on playing. The sounds of drawers opening and closing is slightly unnerving, and the knowledge he hasn’t removed any of his clothes makes me feel even more exposed. Especially when he lets the sleeve of his flannel slide over my skin, barely touching but there, causing goose bumps to appear. My hands clench into fists with every stroke for need of touching him.

“Honey...” I try.

“Quiet, Bean.”

A brush of stubble on the inside of my knee sends shivers through my body and the repeat, a moment later, on the underside of my breast has my nipples pucker almost painfully. “Please...” I breathe, only to feel his lips move against mine when he mumbles, “hush.”

Callused fingertips, rough from manual labor, dance over my face, down between my breasts, over the swell of my belly, lifting away just before reaching the wetness gathering between my legs. I whimper at the loss. All I hear is my own heart pounding, and the harsh intakes of breath every time I feel his touch, suspended in anticipation for the next. A rustling sound has me tilt my head in its direction. I know he is taking off his clothes. I wait for the feel of his skin over mine, having memorized the sensation. I gasp at the unexpected scrape of something hard against my skin. I can’t tell what it is, all I know is the light abrasion, that comes in sharp little scratches and long languid strokes, has every nerve in my body fully sensitized. I’m buzzing and open my mouth to plead for something, anything to end this sweet torture that has me lose any sense of time and place. But a light growl has me shut my mouth, tight. It’s then I hear the heavy breaths, and it occurs to me; he’s getting off on this as much as I am and an unexpected sense of power settles warm in my gut. I relax my arms, which have been straining against the binds, and let my legs fall open wide—giving myself over completely.

“There she is,” he whispers only a breath away from my mouth, before nipping at my lips, his tongue tracing the contours. Teasing. At the same time his tongue slides inside and takes possession, his fingers plunge inside my pussy causing my back to arch off the bed. I can’t help grinding down my hips on his hand at the sudden invasion.

“I own this pussy.” His voice is deep and low against my mouth. I don’t have it in me to argue about ownership, I’m too busy
feeling
. The slide of his fingers inside me, once, twice, has me so close to the edge, I feel their loss when he slips them from me.

“Appetizer,” his voice rumbles in my ear, as I feel the touch of his fingers, coated in my arousal, painting my lips before his mouth plunders mine again. The spicy combination of our tastes is heady and the kiss leaves me breathless. Amazing what his mouth can do to my body, just by kissing mine. Other than our lips, there is no other contact, and it’s like every cell in my body is reaching for him. When his mouth pulls away, I’m suspended once again. After the smooth wet slide of his fingers inside me and his tongue in my mouth, the abrupt scrape against the inside of my thighs is a shock to the system. No sooner has my skin adjusted to the harsh touch, it is replaced by the hot wet rasp of his tongue. Again my body shivers at the contrast, but when his mouth closes over my clit and sucks it hard inside his mouth, I’m up and over, shattering apart like particles in the wind. His mouth never leaves and with soft strong strokes of his tongue he brings me down gently.

“Could taste you all day long,” he says right before a vaguely familiar hum hits my ears. Still lapping around my clit, I feel something slide inside me, the light vibration bringing my body to life again. That’s where my BOB went.

-

-

S
he’s fucking phenomenal.

I can feel the moment she gives herself to me. The muscles that  strain under my hands go slack, her knees open wide in invitation, and her face now without tension, leaving her open and trusting. No fucking better high than that. Her skin even softer and her taste even sweeter now that all resistance has disappeared. The beautiful flush of her skin, wetness between her legs, and the hitch in her breaths the only measure of my effect on her. So responsive. Even the backscratcher Jed once gave to me on a lark, that for some reason I’d never gotten rid of over the years and had found a permanent spot in my shaving kit, came in mighty handy.

Fucking love playing with her. Bringing her to the edge before retreating, only to build her up again with a light touch. The moment I slide her own vibrator, the one I confiscated a while back from Max, between her swollen lips while biting down on her still sensitive clit, her body arcs off the bed and a guttural moan wrenches from her body. Before she has a chance to ride out her second orgasm, I’m between her legs, my hands pushing her knees up and open, sinking my aching cock into her.  It doesn’t take much and I’m right there. My mouth taking hers in a hungry kiss, I buck hard a few more times when my balls pull tight, and I shoot my cum deep inside her, as she swallows her own name from my lips.

-

-

“Y
es, he’s been moved to room 104. Mr. Flemming requested a private room.”

The nurse at the desk smiles at my confusion.

“Mr. Flemming?” I repeat, turning around to find Gus right behind me.

“Be easier to keep an eye on him that way,” he explains. “Things are heating up with the feds closing in on our man, and I’d rather not leave things up to chance.”

Makes sense, even though I can’t help but consider the lack of income coming from Mason Brothers, with neither Jed or I working right now. I should go in tomorrow to see what I can set up for next week and get in touch with the crews to check progress on the current jobs. So I tell Gus, who follows Beth and I to room 104. “Gotta go into the office tomorrow. See about the business.”

“Tell me when. One of the guys will come with.”

I stop outside Jed’s door and turn to Gus. “How long are you gonna keep up covering the three of us—four, counting Max? You’ve got Caleb and Katie with Max, that leaves you and three more guys to cover three of us. Doesn’t leave much time for anything else.”

“Like I said, Damian swears he is close and has enough to hang Jablonski the moment he can get his hands on him. He keeps me in the loop, and I’m responsible for your security. I’m also still looking for Dylan. One way or another, this will be over soon.”

“Can’t wait,” Beth voices what I’m thinking. “I need my boys back.”

I’m worried we haven’t heard anything from Dylan all this time, and I’ve seen the deep concern in Beth’s eyes, too. We haven’t talked about it much for which I’m glad, because I’d hate for her to have the suspicions I do about his fate.

“I’ll wait out here,” Gus says as I push open the door and let Beth go in first. Lingering a moment in the hallway I turn to Gus.

“Dylan?” I ask and he cottons on right away.

“Gone to ground in a way we can’t seem to dig up. Could mean one of three things: Jablonski has him, which doesn’t make sense cause he wouldn’t be after Beth. Same goes for option two; he’s dead, also doesn’t make sense because of Jablonski and besides that his body would’ve likely turned up. And three; he has help—help from someone powerful enough to bury any trace of him. I’m voting three.” His hand reaches around me for the doorknob. “Visit your brother, my friend. Let me do the worrying.” With that he gives me a light shove into the room.

I
hear the sliding door open and twist my head to see Beth walking toward me with my phone in her hand.

I’m making good headway with the tree house. The platform is mostly finished and I’m putting together the walls. They’ll have to go up separately and I’ll need someone to help me with that. The floor of the thing will be at about my eye level, which means most people would be able to stand underneath. I just didn’t want it too high. Even if kids were to fall off, I’d rather have it be six feet than twelve. Max is going to love it.

I’m just trying to finish up the frame on one side before I clean up and head back into Cortez with Beth. Jed’s doing much better and seems to have avoided any abdominal infection, which is a great relief. The past few days have really gone a long way to eradicating any lingering grudges. Life is too damn short to hang on to them; both Jed and I have been close enough to losing ours to make that really hit home.

Beth reaches me and puts her hand on my stomach, holding the phone up in the other.

“Left your phone in the kitchen. It’s some woman for you.” I reach out my hand but she presses the phone to her chest before whispering, “Says she ‘
needs
’ you, all breathy and sweet. Yuck,” she says rolling her eyes.

I fight a grin as I take the phone from her hand. She’s a nut.

“Mason.”

“Oh hi, Clint.” Sarah fucking Creemore. Should’ve figured. The woman was hard enough to shake off the first time. I lucked out when Jed ended up drawing her attention.

“What can I do for you, Ms. Creemore?”

“Please call me Sarah, Clint. No need to be so formal, after all, we did have lunch together.”

The woman really rubs me the wrong way, so I keep my eyes on Beth when I respond. “Ms. Creemore, we had a business meeting after which my brother took on the work on your house. Now what is the reason for your call?”

“That’s just it, you see? I can’t seem to get a hold of Jed, and I have a big problem.”

My turn to roll my eyes. From what Jed’s told me, the bitch is making up shit to keep him busy. I’m sure this is just another ploy for attention. Beth is listening closely, her sweater wrapped tight around her to ward off the cold chill, but her mouth is tilted up at the sides. She enjoying this, the little minx.

“Jed’s temporarily unavailable. What did you need him for?” I’m being short and borderline rude, but the woman seems unable to take a hint. She just keeps at it with what is probably supposed to be seductive with her sugar-sweet voice and silly giggles, but it only aggravates me more.

“I have a flood.”

I wait patiently for more information, but when none is forthcoming, I raise my eyes to the sky and pray for patience.

“You have a flood.”

“Yes, there must be a leak in the master bath somewhere because water is coming from the bottom of the vanity.”

I lift my hat and scratch in frustration at the light stubble that’s growing in on my head. Last I knew, Jed and his crew had finished the new master bath a week or so ago.
Dammit
.

“I have to be in Cortez later. I’ll swing by in an hour or so. Check it out.”

“Oh yay! That’s such a relief,” she titters like a teenage girl, stupid behavior for a grown ass woman. “I’ll make sure to have a pot of fresh coffee and some lunch for you.”

Oh hell, no.

“Ms. Creemore,” I say firmly. “I’ll come over to look at the leak. That’s my job. No need for fresh coffee or lunch, it’s not a social visit and I won’t take long.” Before she has a chance to respond I disconnect. That’s when Beth starts laughing, her eyes sparkling with amusement, mouth wide showing her pretty white teeth. I reach out, grab her arm and pull her hard against me. She immediately slides her arms around my waist, head tilted back looking up at me, still with the big smile on her face.

“Trouble in paradise, baby?”

“Watch it, woman,” I grunt as I lean in and kiss the smile off her face.

-

“S
o who is this?” Joe asks from the passenger seat.

I’d called Gus to let him know we were on our way to the hospital, but that I would drop Beth off and head out for a quick check on a job. He suggested Neil, who was our bodyguard for the day, would stay with Beth in the hospital. He would call Joe, who was in town anyway, checking in with the sheriff’s office, and would meet me at the hospital.