“Carter said I should be careful of the company I keep. That it’s not fun to get blamed for something someone else did. What do you think he meant?”
“He was just in jail for something he claims he didn’t do. If he thinks we had something to do with Mitzie’s death and Sean’s disappearance, he was implying the same thing could happen to you. But he’d be wrong. For one thing, all of this happened before you moved back to Devil Springs.”
“Yeah, I guess that makes sense.”
“Did he say anything else?”
“No. As soon as he realized I didn’t know what he was talking about, he left.”
We sat in silence for a few minutes before he asked, “Do you want me to go?”
“No, not really. I’m not mad or anything. I just didn’t like being caught off guard, especially about something so significant. But I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”
He moved closer and took me in his arms. “Are you ready for bed?”
“Yeah, I think so. It’s been a long day.”
“I’m going to take a shower, and then I’ll join you.”
When he returned, he got into bed beside me, and I snuggled against his chest. “Goodnight,” he said and gently kissed my lips.
I returned his kiss and threaded my fingers through his hair, needing more. Rolling me onto my back, he removed my shirt while I took off my leggings and underwear.
He raised my arms above my head and told me to keep them there. Then, he lowered his mouth to my breast and cupped the other with his hand. He alternated between my nipples until I was begging for more. “Please, Coal.”
He trailed kisses down my stomach until he reached my clit. When he flicked his tongue out and licked me, my hips bucked, and I moaned at the sensation. He slipped two fingers inside me and started slowly thrusting them in and out as his tongue moved against me. Within mere moments, he had my body shaking with an orgasm.
I was still pulsing with pleasure when he entered me. I wrapped my arms around him and clung to him while he moved, slowly at first. When he picked up the pace, the pleasure started building, and before long, I was climaxing again, bringing him over the edge with me.
“That was,” I started and tried to catch my breath. “I’ve never had two before.”
He grinned proudly. “We’ll have to try for three next time.”
I laughed. “I don’t know if I can handle three.”
“There’s only one way to find out.”
* * *
The next evening,Coal and I were watching a new reality TV show I’d recently discovered when Luke called to see if he could stop by.
He arrived a short time later and joined us in the living room. “Sydney was arrested earlier today,” he said. “We were able to connect her to three delivery sites based on evidence we found during the search of her home.”
“Who was she working for?” Coal asked.
“We don’t know yet. She lawyered up the moment she was in handcuffs.”
“Does that mean I can go home now?” I asked.
“You don’t have to sound so excited about it,” Coal teased.
“It’s not that. If I’m going to keep staying here, I need to do laundry and pick up some more clothes,” I explained. I enjoyed staying at Coal’s house, but all of my belongings were at my house, and I wanted to have access to them.
“Yes, you can go home,” Luke said. “But you have to remember to set the alarm.”
I wasn’t used to having an alarm system, and I kept forgetting to set it. But after Shane tried to break in, I knew I wouldn’t forget again. Because if Coal hadn’t been there, things could have turned out much differently. “I don’t think that will be a problem anymore,” I said.
“Good,” he said. “How are things going at the bookstore?”