Circle Eight Millennium: Lazarus (9 page)

He didn’t think to ask what she liked to eat other than sandwiches, so he ordered standard picnic fare and picked up a six-pack of beer to wash it down. He wasn’t the wine drinking type and if she was, perhaps she might want something different.

Laz was certainly that. He was a man unused to emotional commitments and was stubborn as all hell. He also had treated her badly when he had been a boy. The truth was, he wasn’t a catch. Hell, he was held together with spit and duct tape most days.

Self-doubt began to creep in. What if it was a fluke and was just the after effects of incredible sex that lasted for days afterward? That was possible, wasn’t it?

He drove the now familiar path to the gun store and pulled in. Laz wasn’t nervous, but he sure as hell wasn’t as confident as he wanted to be. His life had been routine, predictable. Maybe even boring. Now it was upside down, all because of Beatrice.

To be fair, he couldn’t blame her. He could have left her at any point to continue the investigation on his own. She had charmed him, pulled him back into the land of the living. The problem was, he wasn’t sure he was ready to stay there.

The scent of fried chicken filled the car, distracting him from his mental meanderings. It was time to pick up his date, because there was no doubt about it. This was a date and the pond offered them privacy as well as a romantic setting.

He got out of the car and walked to the door, surprised to find he was nervous. His gut did a little dance and his dick urged him to be as nice as possible. The memory of Bea’s body was the stuff of dreams.

He raised his hand to knock when the door opened and Bea stood there with a tote bag, a blanket and other items sticking out. She wore a pair of cut-off shorts and a yellow T-shirt with what appeared to be a bikini top beneath it. Her spectacular breasts were literally staring him in the face. He licked his lips.

“Hi.” She raised both brows. “If you’re done looking at my tits, can you let me out?”

He snorted a laugh and stepped back. “I’m sorry. They, ah, are…”

“Magnificent?” She laughed, an earnest one from her belly, not a little tinkling, girlie one. Bea did everything with gusto, which might be why he was drawn to her life force. She was vibrant.

“Yes, they are.” He gestured with his arm to his car. “My chariot?”

He helped her into the car like a true gentleman. As his mother had taught him to. She had liked Bea, to his knowledge, although after the incident at the pond, he was certain Bea had refused to come to the Circle Eight.

Laz had a lot to make up for, and he hoped this was the first step forward. What happened after that was unknown, and a bit frightening. Laz was a ranger, however, and danger wasn’t anything to run from. He wasn’t about to give up before the real challenge began.

The ride out to the Circle Eight was a comfortable silence. The moment was broken when Bea’s stomach growled. She laughed. And shrugged at him.

“It’s your fault. That fried chicken smells like heaven. I didn’t have a snack because I was looking forward to the picnic.” She peered into the backseat. “What other culinary delights did you bring?”

“Patience, grasshopper. You will know when we get there.” He kept his tone even, although he was anxious to get to the pond. To kiss her again. Taste her passion again.

To live again.

The sun hung low in the sky, its orange rays bouncing like diamonds on the surface of the water. The pond had changed somewhat but it remained the same in other ways. The trees had grown taller, the bushes fuller, but the small beach beckoned swimmers. A warm breeze greeted them as he pulled the car to a stop at the edge of the pond.

She blinked against the brightness of the sun. “This is going to be good, right?”

He took her hand and kissed the palm. “It’s going to be better than good.”

A flash of something moved through her face, but it was gone in a moment. She smiled a bit too brightly and opened the door. “You’d better bring that food and eat when I do or you might not get any.”

He didn’t know what was going through her mind, but he did know this place held bad memories for her. Laz would not allow that to continue. He grabbed the bag of food and followed her to the beach. She was laying out a few blankets, then slipped off her flip-flops.

Laz watched with what he would call lascivious intent while she stretched, pushing her breasts forward. His dick twitched. God, she was amazingly sensual.

“Bring that food, Ranger, and I might let you see these magnificent breasts again.” She smiled and sat down cross-legged on the blankets.

They spent the next twenty minutes consuming the rich, perfectly prepared food. Bea groaned too many times for him to count. His boxers were getting tighter and tighter with each passing minute. She licked her lips, patted her belly and lay back on the blankets.

He’d barely eaten and if he had, he didn’t remember tasting it. She turned her head to look at him.

“Weren’t you hungry?”

He was ready to step off the cliff and fly. “Not for food.” He tossed the food containers behind him as he crawled toward her.

Her eyes widened, but not in fear. Excitement shone from the depths of her expression. And damned if her nipples didn’t harden.

“Do you want to go swimming?” He paused inches above her mouth, his breath gusting against her slightly parted lips. He wanted to devour her, show her infinite pleasure until she, and he, were thoroughly satiated. Then begin again.

She hesitated, no doubt remembering the last time they had been at the pond together. A dark spot in his past he needed to erase from both their memories.

“Sure.” She didn’t move.

“Let me help you.” He pulled her to her feet while she watched with a wary expression. He tried to smooth away the frown between her brows with his thumbs, and then kissed his way from her forehead to her lips. She sighed as he licked at the seam of her mouth.

“You’re seducing me.”

“I’m trying my damndest.” He tugged at the T-shirt she wore, pulling it up as he continued to tease her with his lips and tongue. Her skin tasted of sunshine and woman. He shook with the need to move faster, but he held tight to his control. This was about her.

He pulled her shorts down and helped her to balance as she stepped out of them. With a smile they walked to the pond, hand in hand. He wanted to run his hands up and down her curves and revel in the pure sensuality that was Beatrice.

They stepped to the edge until their toes were covered in the cool mud and warm water. He lifted her hand and kissed the back.

“I used to take the world for granted, and everyone in it. Including you.” He swept his arm wide. “Thank you for coming here and for giving me a chance. This pond has to be rechristened today with the sweet memories we make together.”

She blew out air through her mouth in a rush. “You’re awfully poetic for a ranger.”

He snorted. “I used a thesaurus when I was rehearsing.”

She laughed, a boisterous and beautiful activity that included her entire body. Laz had never known someone who was so genuine. She humbled him with her fresh, open approach to everything.

“Let’s go swimming, cowboy.” She dove into the water and cut across the still pond with beautiful strokes of an accomplished swimmer.

He watched her for a few moments before he jumped in after her. The water was refreshing on the hot summer’s day. He had missed the simple joy of a dip in the afternoon. There wasn’t much call for it as a ranger. Most days he worked from sunup until well past sundown.

Now he was here, off duty on time again, and he was relaxing. Doing nothing but existing and living and enjoying himself. It was liberating and terrifying. What had Bea’s influence done to him? He was turning into a regular human being.

He liked it.

Laz finally caught up to Bea as she lay on her back, swimming in lazy circles. He came up beside her and cupped her perfectly round ass.

She hooted. “Someone’s goosing me.”

“I can’t help it. Your ass inspires me to grab it.”

“It’s not magnificent, is it?” The teasing glint in her warm eyes made him laugh.

“Glorious.”

“You have been using the thesaurus.” She spread her arms as she floated, her curls dancing around her.

“God, you’re beautiful.”

Her eyes popped open wide. “What?”

Laz wanted to turn and swim away, but he wouldn’t. The last week with Beatrice had been eye opening and the best thing that ever happened to him.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more beautiful sight than you in this pond.” He kissed the edge of one breast. “I want to make love to you, Beatrice.”

She blinked, drops of water splashing down her cheeks. “Be careful, Lazarus, you’re going to make me fall in love with you.”

This time when he smiled, he fell a little in love with her too. Not that he would admit that anytime soon. It was all too new, this emotional vulnerability. He would be honest with her but he wouldn’t throw himself on his sword just yet.

But soon. If things kept going so well, he wouldn’t be able to help himself.

She turned and wrapped her legs and arms around him, pulling him against her cool curves. He cupped her ass and held her in place as his feet touched the ground. It was fairly deep there, over five feet, but not enough to hinder his moves.

He pressed his fingers between her legs until they slid beneath the bikini bottom. The sweet heat of her pussy made his dick twitch. She made a contented purr and started kissing his neck.

He slid two fingers inside her while his thumb found her clit. “Let me pleasure you.”

She sat up and he used his teeth to pull the bikini top to the side, then licked her nipple. Bea’s eyes darkened with passion as it bubbled inside her. He suckled her while his hands brought her pleasure and his cock throbbed against her thigh.

He switched to the other breast, and then slid a third finger inside her. She gripped his shoulders and rode his hand. He bit her nipple as her muscles contracted around his fingers. She moaned and whispered his name, pleasure shudders wracking her body.

Laz wanted to plunge into her and fuck her into next week, but he held back. Instead he kissed her soft skin, up her chest to her neck and face, then down the other side. Her head lolled back and she rubbed against him.

“If you keep that up, I’m gonna muss my shorts.”

She laughed and wiggled harder. “Maybe you need to.”

“Or maybe I need to slide into you.”

“Mmmm, I like that idea even better.” She reached down and wrapped her hands around him.

It was Laz’s turn to close his eyes and enjoy the ministrations of her long, talented fingers. He reached into the tiny pocket of his shorts and pulled out the condom. With shaking hands, he yanked his shorts off and slipped the rubber on. Before he knew it, she had his dick poised at the entrance to her pussy.

He sank into her depths an inch at a time, slow and easy. The water lapped at them with their movements, the coolness a contrast to their heated flesh. She was tight and slick, her inner muscles holding, tugging him deeper each time.

She scratched at his back as they danced the most ancient of dances. His release threatened but he wanted her to find another. Their mutual pleasure with no regrets. He reached between them and found her clit, pinching it through the fabric.

“Oh shit.” She tightened her legs and pulled him so deep he touched her womb. She gasped as the second orgasm rolled through her.

Then the universe exploded. He pumped into her hard and fast while the stars flew right and left, blinding him, pulling him to a place he’d forgotten existed.

It was at least a full minute before he could form a coherent thought.

“That was—”

“Magnificent. Absolutely magnificent.” She smiled and his heart flipped.

This was the woman he would have never known if he had stayed trapped in his own self-imposed prison. How the universe managed to put her in his path was a mystery.

All Laz knew was he was infinitely glad it had. Beatrice was one in a million. A woman he would never get enough of.

‡

B
eatrice stared out
the new glass windows of the store while the sun rose, sending shadows dancing across the floor. Her mood was pensive, unsure, and if she were honest with herself, hopeful.

The experience two days ago with Laz had been incredible. Amazing. Life-changing. He’d managed to show her that she was a desirable, beautiful woman, no longer Queen Bea. Her heart had become engaged for sure. The problem was, she wasn’t sure if his heart was. In fact, he hadn’t called or texted her since then.

Doubt began to creep in and she needed to beat it back with a big stick. Unfortunately, she had been battered emotionally by the break-in, the suddenness of Laz in her life, and the burgeoning romance had thrown her into a tailspin.

When the door of the shop opened, she started and stumbled backward. Laz stood in the doorway, his silhouette dark against the early morning light, but she would recognize him anywhere.

“Shit, you scared me.” She pressed her hand to her heart. “What are you doing here?”