Beautiful Burn Read online

  "We are, or I walk out that door right now and rat us out." Gwen turned with every intention of doing just that.

  "Fine! I-I just. Fine. When can we go?"

  "I am free the day after tomorrow. Kennly?"

  "I am free after five."

  "I'll pick you up at three."

  "Where are we going?" Each woman looked guiltily in the direction of the intruder. "The three of you are hiding something. It's written all over your faces. What's going on?"

  "We're talking about something," Autumn stated, her poker face only slightly better than Gwen's."

  "What?"

  "Sex."

  "Piercings."

  "It is really none of your business," Kennly stated as she popped her hand on her hip.

  After getting a different answer from each of the women, he turned to his girlfriend. "Autumn?"

  "It's a surprise. I can't tell you about it. Not until I decide if I am really going to do it or not."

  "Okay." The sound of the heavy door closing behind him had all the women breathing a sigh of relief.

  "That was too easy."

  "He didn't believe us for a second."

  "How much do you think he heard?"

  Gwen watched Autumn pace the length of the room. "I don't know, but if you are that worried about him finding out, then we really shouldn't be doing this."

  "I'm not worried about him finding out. I have every intention of telling him. As soon as we have reached the point of no return. Any sooner than that and all this will be for nothing. I cannot go back to sitting on my thumbs."

  "We'll be lucky if we'll be able to sit at all."

  "You're not helping." Gwen turned to Autumn. "Calm down. Even if he did hear everything, we didn't say anything that could incriminate us."

  "You threatened to rat us out! What reason would you have to do that if we weren't doing something dangerous?"

  "We both know they won't jump to any conclusions without all the facts, so until they are able to connect all the dots, we're in the clear." Gwen watched her friend as she visibly relaxed.

  "But they are absolutely going to corner each of us in an attempt to get us to spill. What? You can't tell me you actually believed they were just going to let us go about our merry way?" The expression on Kennly's face easily conveyed how dense she believed them to be.

  "No, you're right, but Leland showed us his hand. We know it's coming."

  "Which means the element of surprise is gone."

  Gwen looked back and forth between the other women. "Whatever you do, don't lie."

  "No, that would just make everything worse."

  Gwen felt the tension leave her body. "Just tell the truth." She held up her hand. "We aren't in any danger, and the second we think we are, we will go to them."

  "Will they accept that?"

  "I don't know, but I made a promise and I intend to stick with that promise."

  "When can we expect the questioning to start?"

  "Soon."

  "It was the cliché of fuckings. The bed bounced against the wall—the cries of passion, the slapping of skin against skin, but, fuck, it was hot."

  "So?"

  "So, what?

  "How many times did he make you come before your next round?"

  "Twice."

  "My little Gwenny is growing up!"

  "I've had sex before."

  "I know, but you were my straight and narrow, vanilla partner for a long time. It's like my little baby bird is finally leaving the nest."

  "And you're watching me plummet toward the ground?"

  Autumn scuffed. "I'm just the mama bird. It's your Dom's job to catch you now."

  Leland chuckled as he wrapped his arms around his girl. "That analogy is a bit of a stretch, princess."

  "It got the job done." She looked into the man's eyes. "Is this the part in the day where you drag me off to unknown places and question me about our secret girls' meeting?"

  "If you don't check that tongue of yours, this is going to be the part of the day where you get your ass smacked, repeatedly and vigorously."

  "How about we do other vigorous activities instead?" Leland snorted as he led her away.

  Gwen watched the couple leave the bay before she slammed the doors to the rig, deciding to get her own interrogation over with. When the search for Jensen came up empty, she went to his office and sat behind the massive desk. A smirk playing on her lips as she cracked the top drawer open. When nothing jumped out at her, she opened it the rest of the way—pens, paper, the typical desk items.

  "What are you doing in here?" Jensen questioned as he stepped through the door. When his eyes fell to the open drawer, the corners of his lips tugged up. "The stuff you're looking for is in the last one on the left."

  She eyed the drawer in question. "What, exactly, am I looking for?"

  "A way to distract me from getting to the bottom of what you girls are up to."

  "Figured you were going to corner me eventually, so I thought I would make it easier for you." She propped her feet on to the massive piece of oak, determined to enjoy her illusion of power while it lasted.

  She watched as he silently flipped the lock on his door before stalking to her, a squeal escaping when he plucked her out of his chair, only to settle her in front of him on the desk as he took his seat. As he opened the bottom left drawer just an inch, he continued his line of questioning. "Why would I need to corner you?"

  "Leland walked in on the conversation the girls and I were having. He's talking to Autumn now. I figured we might as well get it out of the way." He rolled his chair closer to the desk. "Babe, I can't spread my legs any further in these canvas pants."

  The corner of his mouth tipped as he opened the drawer another couple of inches. "Are you going to tell me what the three of you are up to?"

  She locked her eyes on his. "I want to. I really do, but I can't." He played with the button of her pants before effortlessly popping it open. "But I can promise that if I believe we are in over our heads at any time, I will call you."

  "Okay." He pulled her zipper down, exposing the edge of her panties. Running his finger under the band had his callouses catching the delicate lace.

  "Really?" She saw the drawer, fully open now, and gasped.

  "Yeah, bellissima, really. I trust you." The corner of his mouth hitched. "Now, I can't guarantee you won't get your ass paddled when I find out what you're hiding." He ran his finger over the newly exposed paddle. "But if you can tell me that you're not in any danger, I will let it go. For now." He pushed the implement aside.

  "I went into this knowing I would possibly feel your displeasure when this was all over, so I will take whatever you decide to give me." She watched him pick up the tweezer clamps. "I really don't think we are in any danger, Sir."

  "Okay, but I will keep digging." He popped the buttons on her shirt, spreading the fabric wide to reveal her bra. "They match."

  Warmth spread across her face as he pulled her from her perch, shimmying her pants past her ass and down her legs. She smiled as she stepped out of the ring of fabric. "Of course." He quirked a brow at her double answer.

  His hands glided over her soft thighs before cupping her ass, the rough handling causing her to squirm. She reached behind, unhooking her bra with a practiced ease as she rubbed her lace covered mound against his thigh and allowed her giggle to escape. "If you're not careful, you're going to end up with a zipper indentation permanently imprinted on your dick."

  "On to the desk. Lie back and spread those thighs for me. Good girl." He plucked at her nipples, all but forcing her to arch into him, searching for more pleasure. When his mouth engulfed her pebbled tip, a cry fell from her lips. "Do I need to gag you?"

  "No, Sir. I can be quiet."

  "Good." He took the other peak into the warm cavern of his mouth, flicking the bar with his tongue. She whined when he released the flesh. "Breathe through the pain."

  The words barely registered before she felt the pinch of the cla
mp as it took hold. "Fuck."

  He gave her neglected nipple a flick in retribution. "Language." She sucked in a ragged breath as his clamp took hold of the other breast. Before the sharp bite subsided, she felt his knuckle graze her sensitive bundle as he pulled her panties to the side.

  Buzzing hit her ears seconds before it hit her clit, the shock of it causing her to jump.

  "Hand." He guided her digits to the bullet. "Don't let it move. Come when you can, but do so quietly." Her shiver ran the length of her body, the possibility of getting caught heightening her arousal.

  She watched as he fumbled in his haste to get his pants undone. When his cock finally sprang free, he wasted no time in feeding it to her in one solid thrust.

  The sudden invasion combined with the continuous vibration had her arching in pleasure as her first orgasm took over. His lips covered hers, swallowing her cries.

  All it took was a slight shift in the direction of the vibrator and a dozen more thrusts before it was her turn to swallow his roar. As they caught their breaths, a smile spread across her face. "That was amazing."

  "That was quick. I intended for it to last longer, but fuck, the vibration hit my dick and I was done for."

  A shiver ran down her body. "Do you think anyone heard us?"

  "Oh yeah, baby, they heard you."

  Chapter 13

  "Where are we going?" Gwen watched the trees pass as they wound their way up the hills, the headlights casting an eerie glow.

  "Gwendolyn." The single word was growled in warning.

  "But."

  "I told you it was a surprise."

  "But."

  "And now I am telling you that if you ask again, I am going to pull this car over and spank that beautiful ass of yours." A huffed laugh passed his lips. "Your pout is doing nothing to convince me that I don't need to do just that."

  She sat silently for a few more minutes before they turned and thousands of twinkling white lights came into view as the car came to the top of a hill. "This guy puts up these lights every year and has them up from November until the snow melts."

  "It's stunning." Acres of trees were lit with the sparkling lights while the open spaces were canopied with the same artful swath. Benches and beautiful tables were scattered randomly under the lights. "It must cost a fortune."

  "He lost his wife shortly after they were married. This is his way of remembering her." Gwen turned to him as he parked the car. "We're here."

  "Here?"

  "Yeah. I figured since we had so much fun with the snowball fight, I would tempt you with a picnic in the snow."

  "Is it warm enough?"

  "It's thirty-eight degrees. What do you say?"

  The excitement that shone through in his eyes was all the encouragement she needed. "Can I pick where we have the picnic?"

  "As long as it's well lit, I'll follow your lead."

  Twenty minutes later, they were lying on a thick, wool blanket, another draped over them in the middle of the sea of lights. "This place is beautiful."

  "I thought you would like it. Make a wish."

  "A wish?"

  "Yeah. People call this place The Land of a Thousand Stars, so it's only right that you make a wish."

  She turned her face to his. "What if I can't think of a wish? What if I like things just the way they are?"

  When he rolled toward her, he took her in his arms. "Flattery will get you anything you want, bellissima."

  "In that case, I would kill for some of that hot cocoa." A squeal passed her lips as he pinned her to the blanket, her hands above her head.

  "You only want me for my cocoa."

  "No, but I figured since we were in a public place, I couldn't ask for the other."

  "Cocoa and cock. I see how it is." As he placed both her hands in one of his, his other migrated down over her chest, stopping at her ribs as an evil smirk took over his face.

  "Jensen?"

  His face fell as a laugh erupted from her chest. "First, we're sucking face at the end of their driveway; now, you have me pinned under you in the middle of a public place."

  With a pained groan, Jensen rolled onto his back, his arm thrown over his eyes. "Kill me now."

  Gwen sat up and smiled at the couple. "Mr. and Mrs. Keetes."

  "Greg and Daniella, please. What brings the two of you out here?"

  Gwen giggled as she looked to their son. "Jensen brought me out here as a surprise." She turned back to the other couple. "But this surprise is way better."

  He gave her a look full of the retribution to come before he sat up and addressed his parents. "Spread out your blanket and stay a while. I have a thermos full of spiked cocoa."

  "We are actually on our way back to the car."

  "Just decided to take a detour to embarrass your spawn, huh?"

  Daniella crouched next to her son, her hand resting on her shoulder. "Get over it, sweet boy, you have nothing to be embarrassed about. So, your parents have caught you and your girl engaged in various stages of sexual activity; you are an adult. It happens." She shot Gwen a wink, and the older woman stood and spread out the blanket she held. "I guess one cup won't hurt anyone."

  "Jensen, I can't tell if your mom just praised you or scolded you."

  He smiled and handed a tin cup to his dad. "She's good at that, to this day. I still couldn't tell you if she was happy about me playing football in high school of not."

  "Hated it," his parents announced in unison before it was his father's turn to tease his son. "Can't think of any date ideas that don't involve the poor girl freezing to death?"

  Gwen said through her laughter, "In his defense, our first date started off in a restaurant, and the snowball fight in your back yard was all my doing."

  "Laughing at my lack of imagination, bellissima?"

  "No, I was just thinking how quickly I became comfortable with your parents and how not like mine they are. It's nice."

  "Greg will have to take all the credit for that. My husband could talk to a brick wall and walk away with a friend." At her husband's snort, she continued. "You could! Prime example, Gerald Bass. He came over the other night. Do you remember how the two of you became friends?"

  "We have been friends forever."

  "No. His daughter, Baylor, got into a fight with one of our girls. He came over to see how you were going to deal with it, and thirty minutes later the two of you were sitting on the deck drinking a beer."

  "Why does that last name sound familiar?"

  "It's Kennly's last name. Must be her uncle or something."

  "No, all his family is back in Washington State. He, his wife, and their three girls are the only Bass family around here."

  "Is he a cop?"

  "Yeah, retires next year. His oldest daughter, Baylor, followed in his footsteps and became a cop in some big city. Rumor was she was coming back home."

  "Gwen, are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."

  "I, um. Sorry, I was just wondering if he was Kennly's dad."

  "I can only ever remember the one girl's name, but I know he said at one point that one of his girls was looking to be a firefighter. Maybe she finally got in."

  "Must have, Kennly told me just the other day that her father was with PD."

  "Too many coincidences for it not to be her. I'll have to give him hell for not sharing the good news."

  "All right, husband, I am officially cold. Take me home."

  "Demanding wench."

  As soon as his parents were out of sight, Jensen flopped back on the blanket and gathered Gwen in his arms with her head resting on his chest. His hand rubbed slowly down her back before he sharply pinched her ass. "A sub making fun of her Dom. Whoever heard such a thing?"

  "Ouch!" Their laughter echoed around them.

  "I love this place. My parents used to bring us here all the time growing up." At her shocked expression, he laughed. "I didn't know the two of them came up here on their own. I swear."

  Her teeth nipped at his rough jaw
line. "You really should stop stealing your dad's tricks of the trade."

  He smiled down at her before turning his face back to the covering of lights. "I will bring you up here every year for as long as you'll let me. This will be our place."

  "Our place."

  Chapter 14

  "Are you ready to tell me what you're keeping from me?"

  Gwen smiled. "I think I want to keep you guessing, Sir."

  Even over the phone, his chuckle sent a shiver down her spine. "I already know what it is, bellissima."

  The goofy smile from only a second ago slipped. "How?"

  "A man has his ways. I told you the other day that I would keep digging."

  "And I said I was ready to face the consequences when you found something."

  "It just so happens, we stumbled upon a clue last night."

  "Your dad."

  "Yeah."

  "It was Kennly's dad."

  "Yeah. It's not too late. The three of you could come home now, and we could forget all of this."

  She looked around the quiet neighborhood, to the house they were approaching. "I can't do that, Sir."

  The heavy sigh mingled with another chuckle. "All right, baby. Be safe."

  "I will, promise."

  Autumn spoke from the passenger seat as soon as she ended the call. "Do you think he knows?"

  "He knows. We ran into his parents last night. Turns out, his dad is really good friends with Kennly's dad. It took off from there."

  "What?"

  As she turned in her seat, Gwen met Kennly's eyes, and she saw an emotion she couldn't quite put her finger on filling the depths. "Yeah, turns out your dad and Jensen's dad have been friends for years."

  A harsh laugh escaped the other woman. "Really, how did I not know that?"

  As she joined the conversation, Autumn stated, "If he knows, then so does Lee.

  "And Zander." Gwen's mouth dropped open. "Oh, don't act so surprised. You saw him go all macho after Starling put his hands on me."

  "But you never said."

  "We are taking it slow," Kennly said.

  "So, you haven't?"

  "No, we have. We are taking everything else slow."

  "Has he?"