STORY EXCERPT

Natalie Newlyn parked her car in the parking garage of her condominium. She grabbed her school papers to work on over the weekend, and her purse. The elevator took her straight to the fifth floor. When she turned the corner to go to her condo, she saw two men in wrinkled suits waiting.

“Mrs. Newlyn?” the taller, red-headed man asked.

“Yes.”

“I’m Detective Castor, and this is my partner, Detective Anderson. May we come in and talk with you?”

She wrinkled her forehead. Why would two detectives want to see her? “Do you have ID?”

“Sure.” Detective Castor pulled out his picture ID then Anderson did.

“All right. Although I can’t imagine why you’d want to see me.” She unlocked the door and motioned for them to go in. Her papers and purse went on a table near the door. “Would you like a cup of coffee? It won’t take but a minute.”

“No, thanks. Please sit down,” Detective Anderson said.

Nat gave them a faint smile. “The only law I’ve broken is running a red light about two years ago. You gentlemen seem very serious.”

“Your husband is Tom Newlyn?”

“Yes, for a few more weeks. We’re getting a divorce.”

Both detectives sat back. She could almost hear them say “ah.”

“What is going on?”

“Tom Newlyn was murdered this morning around two a.m. Where were you?”

Nat grabbed her throat and blinked the tears, welling in her eyes, away. “Here, sleeping,” she said around the lump in her throat.

“Was anyone with you?”

A flash of anger bolted through her. “Are you accusing me of something? And for your information, I was alone. I had no phone calls. There’s no way to prove I was here. And I don’t know anything about Tom and what happened to him.”

Detective Anderson pulled out a small writing tablet. “We talked to his parents. They said you were angry about the affairs your husband had during your marriage. His mother said you demanded the divorce.”

“I’m not Tom’s mother, Mrs. George Newlyn, and willing to concede boys must be boys. Infidelity is not something I’d ever accept. Tom was surprised I didn’t forgive and forget.”

“You appear angry talking about his betrayals. Angry enough to kill him?” Castor asked.

Natalie stood. “Leave now. If you want to talk to me again, you may contact my lawyer. I’ll call and leave his name as soon as I have one.”

They both got up and walked toward the door. Just as they were leaving, Detective Castor turned to her. “Don’t get upset. You’re only one of our persons of interest. Albeit, the most prominent one.”

She had to stop herself from slamming the door behind them. Her body trembled with fear, and sadness for Tom. She’d never wanted anything to happen to him. Of course his mother had never liked her. It didn’t completely surprise her that Mrs. Newlyn insinuated Natalie might have killed Tom.

What to do next? She sat in the chair by the phone. It wasn’t a hard decision. Her fathers, Angus MacCloud and Tim MacCloud, had been her staunch supporters ever since she’d been born. Her mother had divorced her father when Nat was ten. Her mother had chosen Angus as her husband. She didn’t want the threesome marriages familiar in that area of the country. In Triple Dare County, South Dakota, two men had been sharing one wife since the county was first populated. Angus and Tim were cousins and close friends. They’d always planned on sharing a wife, but when Nat’s mother didn’t agree, Tim stepped back. By the time her parents divorced Nat was already Daddy’s girl. Later when her father and Tim chose a new wife, Nat had been accepted into their family. Lifting up the receiver, she dialed her father’s number.

Her older brother, Boyd, who had stayed with his father when their mother left, answered the phone. “Hi, Nat. How’s it going?”

“Not good. Is Dad around?”

“I think I hear his voice in the kitchen. I’ll get him. Is there anything I can do?”

“Maybe later. I need to talk with Dad first.” Sounds coming through her phone told her Boyd was getting close to the kitchen. She heard her father’s booming voice teasing his second wife, May.

“Hello, Natalie. Boyd said something’s wrong.”

“Oh, Dad.” Hearing his concerned voice brought the tears she’d been holding back. “Tom’s been murdered. The detectives said I’m a person of interest. I need a lawyer.”

“Whoa, wait. When was Tom murdered?”

“In the middle of the night. I was here sleeping. There’s no way to verify I didn’t go out. When they said I was their main person of interest, I told them to leave. I said I’d call with my lawyer’s name, but I don’t have one.”

“Good girl. Don’t talk to anyone until we have an attorney to represent you. I know an excellent one right there in Minneapolis . Remember Graydon Callahan? He reportedly has a large practice in criminal defense.”

Her heart dropped. Dad would think of Gray. She’d known of him. His face and name were in the papers both on the society page and on the front page for the cases he took. She’d had a crush on him when she met him during the summer she was fifteen. But by the time she’d returned at sixteen, he’d found another girlfriend. Determined to forget him, she planned her vacations with her father during times he wouldn’t be around.

“Are you there, Nat?”

“Yes, Dad. You’re sure we can’t find someone as good that’s not in the papers so much? I’d like to keep this low-key.”

“Honey, Tom was from a prominent, well-to-do family. He’s been murdered. No matter who you have, it won’t be low-key. And I’ve heard Gray is the best. I’ll call him and have him contact you.”

“All right. Thanks.”

“Once Gray says it’s all right, I want you to come to Triple Dare County. At least until this blows over.”

“I want that, too.”

“Good. Wait for Gray’s call.”

The phone went dead. Nat put the receiver down but clung to it as her only lifeline in this mixed-up world she’d been thrown into.

ADULT EXCERPT

Her pussy clenched and ached for attention. A pulse of need and want beat deep inside. Nat hurried in and got into a cold shower. She’d better cool it or her parents would know something was going on.

The bathroom door opened. Holt stepped in. He was naked. His tall, tanned, well-muscled body took her breath away. His cock pointed out toward her, full and hard. She gulped as he ripped open a condom and rolled it on his dick.

“Gray might be willing to take his time and court you, but I’ve been hard as rock since I first saw you. And I’m not a patient man.” He moved into the shower with her. She backed up against the tile wall. “Put your arms around my neck.”

She told herself to scream and order him out of her bathroom. But at the same time her arms wrapped tight around his neck. He pulled her legs up around his waist and put his mouth tight over her lips. Then Holt plunged into her tight, wet pussy. Her inner walls rippled around his cock. He pushed harder and slid in all the way. She clenched and unclenched around his wide cock sending a sizzle of electricity straight up her spine to her pleasure center.

He pulled back from her mouth and growled. “You’re mine and Gray’s, and I’m going to make love to you so often you’ll feel me when I’m not here.”

“And what if I say no?” She tried to sound defiant.

“You won’t.” He pumped into her fast and hard. She pushed down harder, trying to get even closer, and she wiggled and moved herself up and down.

“Stay still.” He held her tight and stared into her eyes. His had darkened with desire. Her pussy pulsed around him as he slowly began to move in and out, never losing eye contact. A flood of emotion started at her feet and rose until she thought she’d drown. Then he kissed her, his tongue leisurely exploring all the crevices of her mouth. She opened herself to him and spun into the breathless sparkling air. He quickly speeded his movements and followed her with a shout of victory and completion.

Neither moved. He held her as they both gasped for breath and the reality of the cold shower returned. He reached for the faucet and warmed the water cascading down their bodies. Holt let her legs down and picked up a bar of soap. Gently he washed her body. When they got out, he wrapped her in a big towel and carried her to bed.

Holt glanced at the bedside clock. “We have one hour before dinner. Plenty of time for hors d’oeuvres.”

This time he kissed her slow and deep. Then his lips explored the sensitive spot behind her ear and the place where her heart pulsed against her neck. He lowered himself to eye level with her lush breasts. She moaned when he held them in his callused hands. His teeth raked across her pebbled nipples.

Farther down, he kissed her abdomen. She shivered in response to the overload of feelings crashing through her, heat, hunger, an ache, all mixed with a quiet comfort. Confusing, yet she didn’t want him to stop. She might regret this later, but she didn’t now.

He pulled her legs wide, spread her lower lips, and sucked on her nub. Her hips rose off the bed as she screamed his name. Moisture flowed out of her pussy. He licked along her lower lips.

“Ambrosia.” His tongue darted inside her opening.

“Take me.” She held onto his thick, overlong brown hair. “I want to feel you inside me.”

He rolled her and she sat on top of him. “Then take me inside.” He handed her a condom from the top of the bedside table.

Her hands shook so much she didn’t know if she could get it on him, but she did. Then she placed the top of his cock at her opening and slid slowly down.