STORY EXCERPT

She opened her eyes and glanced back over toward the reception desk to find the two sheriffs looking at her. When they began walking in her direction a shiver of apprehension raced up her spine and the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. Misha even felt the blood drain from her face and a loud roaring sounded in her ears.

“Ma’am, are you Misha Collette?”

Misha swallowed around the lump constricting her throat and nodded slowly. She could tell by the concern in the sheriff’s eyes and the tension in his jaw that he was about to impart bad news. She swayed on her feet, thankful for the wall at her back because she may have ended up falling to her ass.

“Can we have a word in private?”

Again she nodded, knowing that if she tried to speak she might end up screaming. The knot of dread in her stomach got bigger and bigger and her mind raced, but she tried to push the terrible thoughts trying to invade her brain aside.

The dark haired sheriff took hold of her elbow and guided her back down the hall. He glanced about and then drew her into an empty staff room right across from the women’s downstairs facilities.

“Please take a seat.” He pulled a chair out for her and after she sat took the one next to her. She glanced over at the other officer and tried to read his face, but he must have had a lot of practice keeping his expression stoic. She couldn’t get a read on him at all.

“I’m Sheriff Clay Wilton and this is Sheriff Spence Nelson.”

Before her parents had died in a house fire, she’d been brought up to be polite and though she found it difficult to speak, she did. “Pleased to meet you both.”

“The receptionist said you work here,” Sheriff Nelson stated.

Misha nodded her head and placed her hand over her racing heart.

“You had a friend come visit?” Sheriff Wilton asked.

“She was supposed to meet me for breakfast. When she was late I searched the whole resort and even knocked on her door. I was just about to ask the receptionist for a spare key to her room, but…”

“What’s your friend’s name?” Sheriff Nelson asked.

“Janice Judson.”

“Can you describe her for me?” Sheriff Wilton asked.

Misha cleared her throat and hoped her voice wouldn’t crack as she described Janice.

“When was the last time you saw Janice?” Nelson questioned.

“Last night, just before midnight. She’s been here all week and is supposed to head back home to New York tomorrow. We had dinner together in the restaurant and then sat in the lounge area talking.”

“Have you seen anyone watching you or Janice?” Sheriff Wilton shifted in his seat.

“No. What’s this about? What’s going on? Do you know where Janice is?” With each question she asked her voice became more strident, more panicked.

“I’m sorry to have to tell you, but your friend is dead.”

Misha had no idea how or when she moved but she found herself on her feet with the chair she’d been sitting on off to the side. She shook her head and began to back away from the two officers. She didn’t stop backing away until she bumped into the wall and couldn’t go any further. Her knees buckled and she slid down the wall until she landed on her ass on the cold hard floor.

The shivers coursing through her body intensified until she was trembling so hard her teeth were chattering. Tears welled and trickled down her face. The loud roaring returned until she couldn’t hear a thing and then she doubled over, wrapping her arms around her waist as the shock wore off and grief took hold.

The pain in her chest was so bad she could barely breathe. She ground her forehead on her upraised knees and dug her fingernails into her jeans-covered legs.

Misha cried so hard she felt ill and though she tried to stop the pain wouldn’t cease. She didn’t remember toppling to the side until her cheek rested on the floor and the tears continued until there was a small puddle beneath her cheek.

Strong warm hands gripped her shoulders and though she tried to see who lifted her from the floor, she couldn’t. Her vision was blurry and darkness encroached. She finally managed to draw in a breath and the darkness receded. Warmth surrounded her, taking away a bit of the chill and her chattering teeth slowed until only the occasional clack assailed her ears.

When the tears slowed she felt exhausted and she wanted to curl up into a ball on her bed, go to sleep and never wake up. Janice’s happy smiling face shimmered in her mind’s eye and she knew that her friend would give her hell if she gave in to the despondency threatening to consume her. Her surroundings came back into focus and when she realized she was clutching at the sheriff’s shirt with her face pressed against his chest, she was shocked and embarrassed. Shocked that he was being so caring and letting her use him to cry on, and embarrassed that he and his work colleague had witnessed her breakdown.

She tensed when she felt another hand rubbing up and down her back and though she wanted to look over her shoulder at the other sheriff, she resisted. Misha knew she would look an absolute mess with her eyes bloodshot and her cheeks red, but that wasn’t the reason she didn’t turn to meet Sheriff Spence Nelson’s gaze. She didn’t want to see his or Sheriff Clay Wilton’s pity, scared if she did she would start crying again. Now that the crying jag had subsided she hiccupped and sniffed and tried to regain control of her grief.

A large, warm, gentle hand gripped hers and carefully pried her clenched fingers open.

ADULT EXCERPT

He shifted his palms inward, one landing on her silk-covered belly and the other on her lower back. He was so fucking sexy and felt amazing beneath her fingertips. He lifted his lips from hers and swallowed loudly as he stared down at her breasts and silky purple teddy. She hoped he and Spence didn’t think she was too big up top because although her breasts were contained they were spilling out of the top. She suspected it was more than they could hold in their hands and hoped they weren’t turned off by her size.

“Geezus.” Spence moved around from behind her and walked over to stand next to Clay. “That is the sexiest fucking sight I’ve ever seen.”

Misha glanced from one to the other and back again. When she saw them both lick their lips at the same time, she had to close her eyes so she wouldn’t jump their bones.

She jolted and her eyes snapped open when a thick finger traced over the edge of her silk and the top of her breasts. Clay’s eyelids were half lowered over his blue eyes but she didn’t need to see all of those orbs to see and feel the hunger radiating from him. She glanced over to Spence and watched his Adam’s apple bob up and down as he swallowed.

“Beautiful,” Clay growled before stepping back and then he pulled his shirt up and over his head before tossing it aside. She exhaled loudly when she saw all those hard ridged muscles beneath that tanned skin and even took a step forward as she raised her hand.

“Not yet, honey,” Spence said. “Take your jeans off and lie on the bed.”

Misha’s breathing sped up again as she fumbled with the button on her jeans. She couldn’t keep her eyes off of them. Spence winked at her as he pulled his shirt off and dropped it to the floor. She finally got the button on her jeans undone and felt for the zipper tag as she watched both men toe off their boots, and then they peeled their socks off.

Spence straightened, his gaze lowering to where her fingers were still fumbling and moved closer. “Let me help you, honey.”

She nodded and held her breath as he pulled the zipper down before hooking his thumbs into the waistband of her jeans, easing them over her hips and down her legs.

“Fuck me!” Spence rasped as he took in the form fitting purple teddy.

“So fucking perfect.” Clay walked around her until he was standing behind her. When he wrapped a thick muscular arm around her waist she sighed and leaned back against him. She wasn’t ashamed of her body but she was more than a little embarrassed about being nearly naked in front of two men since she’d never been naked in front of anyone ever before.

She tensed when she felt his fingers on the clip of her bra part of her teddy brush against her fingers and held her breath when it sprang free. One of the reasons she’d brought the piece of lingerie besides being purple was because of the unique design and she was very glad she hadn’t changed her mind because of the price. Spence and Clay’s reactions when they saw it was worth every dime she’d spent.

Misha instinctively lifted her arms to cover her breasts but Spence quickly yet gently clasped hold of her wrists to stop her. Clay caressed the straps down over her shoulders and arms until they caught on Spence’s hands where he was holding her. She licked suddenly dry lips and gazed at Spence from beneath her lowered lashes. The desire she saw in those green eyes sent shivers of lust racing up and down her spine and caused goose bumps to form over her skin. She felt her areolae ruche and her nipples hardened even more in the cooler ambient air as well as reacting to those hot green orbs.

“So fucking gorgeous,” Spence rasped just before he licked his own lips.

He released her wrists and the top half of the teddy fell to her hips.

“Your nipples look like delicious ripe berries,” Spence said in a deep gravelly voice. “I have to find out…”

Whatever he was about to say got lost when he leaned forward and down and lapped at one sensitive nipple. Misha moaned and she had to lock her knees when they threatened to buckle. She groaned louder when he took that nipple into his mouth and began to suckle on it. Cream dripped onto the gusset of her already sopping crotch and she squeezed her legs together, trying to circumvent the ache in her womb and pussy.

Clay’s breath on her lower back was the only warning he’d moved, and then his fingers or thumbs hooked into the material of her teddy and tugged it down her legs. Spence’s hands landed on her waist, gripping her body to keep her steady when she wobbled and a good thing, too, because she needed to hold on to his forearms to keep herself from falling into a puddle at his feet.

She stepped out of her teddy when Clay tapped one leg first and then the other before he nudged her legs wider.

Clay’s hands caressed up and down the outside of her legs until his fingers were only a hair’s breadth away from her wet cunt. She whimpered with arousal and without conscious thought rocked her hips back toward him.

Spence released one nipple before latching on to the other and just as she shifted her hands from his forearms to his shoulders, Clay wrapped an arm around her waist and maneuvered between her spread thighs.

She cried out when his tongue licked her from bottom to top and back again, and prayed she wouldn’t make a fool of herself by falling. Her legs were shaking so much she didn’t know how much longer she’d be able to bear her own weight.