Cast the Cards

ttered words were low. His narrowed eyes told her he’d heard.

“You promised to put the past to rest.”

“Hey, I’ve seen your parents and accompanied you to all our old haunts. Don’t act like I have my word and then sat on my ass doing nothing. ”

“This is the last step. We both know it.” He countered.

She bit the inside of her cheek and looked down. How can I tell the man I’m sleeping with this is where I feel in love with his twin brother?

“Why are you so resistant to this?”

“Why are you pushing it?” Shoving the laptop in her bag she placed the strap over her head, and turned to leave. His hand shot out and he gripped the door knob, blocking her.

“Because I don’t want my brother stranded. I thought it’d be a good place for all three of us to air things out.”

“And why can’t we do that in your apartment?” Her gaze trained on the floor.

“Every time he’s in my place he’s thinking about all the things we’ve done to desecrate it.”

“Did he say that to you?” Her chest ached. She closed her eyes against the illogical feeling that she’d cheated on Clark. This is crazy—we were never even together.”

“No. But trust me I know. It’s in his eyes and the tone of his voice.”

“Why didn’t you say that?” Horror filled her. All this time we’ve been slowly torturing Clark, and he never said a word!

“I didn’t have a plan to fix it then. Will you do it?”

“Go out into the woods, sit around a fire, sing camp songs, and bond with my dead bestie and my current fling? Sounds fantastic.”

“Is that all we are to you?”

He pressed his body into hers, leaning down to brush her ear with his lips. “You make it sound so neatly packaged. It’s not, we both know it.” Wrapping his other arm around her body, he slid his hand down her waist to cup her pussy beneath the fabric of her slacks. “Right now you’re wet and aching for me. I can practically smell you. Are you going to lie and tell me it could be any other man causing this response? I’m an officer. I know when someone’s lying.”

Unable to hold it in any longer, she whimpered and rubbed against his hand like a cat in heat. He set her ablaze like no man ever had. The connection between them took off the edge, allowed her to function and sleep. This case was personal, and sludging through the murky waters of the past hurt. When things pushed her near her breaking point on a weekly basis she turned to Carey.

Wrong maybe, but in his own way he did the same. There were no whispered words of love or talks about a relationship. Still, the nameless venture was tangible.

“I don’t know. My brain is fried and my heart it bruised. What do you want from me? I’m hanging on by a thread ready to snap if any more pressure is added. This is why I stayed away from this place.”

He removed his hand, stepped back, and spun her around to face him. “This is your home.”

“No. Not anymore.” She shook her head. This hadn’t been home for a long time. A few months in town on a case wouldn’t change that.

“You think it stops being that way because you don’t want to deal with the past? I’ve got news for you, Vannah. The place you’re at now is not your home. It’s where you exist. You keep yourself apart from everything and everyone. Since you’ve been here I think I’ve heard you talk to Amy, your best friend, once, maybe twice.”

“What do you know about my life outside of this town? We don’t have deep conversations, we fuck.”

“Bullshit.” His jaw clenched. “It’s time we lay all our cards on the table because we’re not going to get another chance like this with Clark again. Why can’t we make some new memories, more pleasant ones to hold onto?” Cupping her face between his large, warm hands he pressed their foreheads together. “We can send him off knowing he’s loved and we’ll be okay. It’s the greatest gift we can give him. And for the record we do a lot more than fucking.” He moved his hand down to encircle her throat. Her pulse raced and her body shook. “I haven’t done more than touch you and you’re ready to come. You would never give you body to someone so completely unless you cared deeply.” He tightened his grip just so. “If I wanted to fuck you against this door right now, you’d let me, wouldn’t you?”

“Oh God.” Yes, I would and you know it. You bastard.

“No, he can’t help you now. I should make you pay for those sharp words. Your tongue’s like a switch blade it cuts so swift. But I’ll wait. I have other plans for you. Now we’re going to stop fighting, pack, drive to the cabin, and set things straight.” Removing his hand, he stepped back and released her. Her body screamed in protest.

“Sheriff West, silent? That’s one for the memory books.”

“Not silent—contemplative and scheming. You might want to worry.” She raked her gaze over his frame, plotting her revenge.

“I think I’d like punishment from you.” He smirked. The blood in her veins began to boil. I’ll wipe that smile off your face on the drive up.