Master of the Abyss

with exhaustion. Yeah, she remembered panting just like that at the lodge.

After consideration, Kallie added two bottles of Sierra Nevada Stout from the beer fridge. Only two, just for her. All three of her best friends had dated Jake, and although they tended to share almost everything, she’d never confessed to having the hots for the man since she’d first seen him in town. All long legs and broad shoulders, that hard, rough-cut face, the cleft in his chin, and eyes the color of a mountain lake. And don’t forget his large, competent hands. Oh, she remembered how those hands had slapped her bottom, stroked her pussy, pushed her down onto her hands and knees and… Well. She let out a slow breath. She sure wouldn’t be sharing details with Serena or Gina. Nope.

So with no friends to line up on her side and call him the appropriate names, she had to hold a pity party all by herself. She studied the contents of her basket. Almost all the essential food groups: salt, alcohol, grease. Missing sugar and chocolate.

Obviously she needed Ben and Jerry’s contribution to the ice cream world: chocolate fudge brownie. She dropped in the small container, hesitated, and added another. The chances that she’d feel better by tomorrow were slim. Real slim. Holy crapola, but she’d been stupid.

Setting the basket on the counter, she managed a smile for David.

He beamed at her. A bit short of six feet and stocky, he’d filled out a lot since high school, probably from hefting groceries around. She hadn’t really known him then; he’d been in the geeky crowd, and she’d hung out with the jocks, playing soccer and baseball.

Not basketball, unfortunately. When all the other kids passed her in height, she’d discovered that, no matter how fast she was, genetics ruled on the basketball court. Life really sucked sometimes.

“That’ll do it, Andrew.” David signed the electronic device for the delivery guy. “You joining us next week for poker?”

“I’ll be there.”

As the man walked away, David glanced into Kallie’s basket and gave her an odd look. What, people didn’t normally fill a basket with junk food? He took the beer out and rang it up. “I enjoyed our date last month.”

“Yeah, I did too,” she said. They’d gone out for dinner and a movie. He was a nice man. Certainly a lot nicer than Jake. But not-

“Are you available this week?”

She hesitated, thinking over her schedule. The weekend was out, since she’d invited Rebecca to join her friends at the ClaimJumper on Saturday. On Sunday, she had a women’s group booked for an overnight on Little Bear Mountain.

Earlier in the week was possible, but going out didn’t sound particularly appealing. I want Jake.

As if she’d called him, she glimpsed him crossing the street, shoulder to shoulder with Logan. Big guys. She’d heard they were ex-military, and despite their casual stride, the two men gave as deadly an impression as the Earps heading for the OK Corral.

And oh, could this day get any better? They came into the grocery.

Jake saw her. His gait hitched, and the laughter faded from his face. He said, “Morning, Kallie,” his voice as polite as if she were…a tourist. As if he’d never kissed her or been inside her or sucked on her breasts. Obviously he’d meant that “one night only.” The bastard.

After a quick frown at Jake, Logan smiled at her. “Good morning, sugar.”

The annoying lump inside Kallie’s chest made it hard to speak, but damned if she’d show how much Jake’s attitude hurt. “Hey, guys.”

When the men had entered the store, David’s face had gone expressionless, almost a match for Jake’s. The grocer greeted Logan and continued ringing up her snacks. “So what about Thursday night?” he asked her. “Mike’s having a barbecue that night.”

Kallie’s attention, despite her efforts, drifted back to the Hunts. While Logan checked over a list on notepaper, Jake was studying her pile of groceries on the counter. A frown creased his brow and lined his scar. His intense blue gaze moved to her.

Surely he didn’t know what chocolate ice cream meant. As her face heated, she turned her back. You are nothing to me. “I’d love to go out, David. What time?”

* * *

In a filthy mood, Jake carried two grocery sacks through the lodge’s back door into the kitchen and thumped them down on the counter.

“Just in time for supper.” Rebecca opened the refrigerator and started unloading a bag. “I’m going to make chocolate cake tomorrow. Did you remember to get ice cream?”

“I think so.” Hopefully. He didn’t remember picking up a carton.

“I’d love to go out, David.” He scowled at the memory of Kallie’s low voice, of the victorious smirk that Whipple had given him. Bastard. Jake headed back out, passing Logan on the way in.

Get over it. She not only had a right to date, but he wanted her to. He had welcomed the fact that she hadn’t gotten hung up on him and hadn’t expected anything after their night together. As he stepped off the porch, the heat sent a trickle of sweat down his back. Kallie had been sweating by the second time he’d taken her. He’d licked between her tiny breasts, tasting the salt on her skin, and then pushed her knees up. She’d been so wet by then that he’d entered her snug little pussy with one thrust.

A hard shove made Jake stumble. “We’ve got more groceries,” Logan said. “You planning to stand there all day?”

“Right.” Jake moved forward, shaking his head, as if that would dislodge the memories. Hadn’t yet. And now he had a serving of guilt to join them, because he couldn’t lie to himself. Maybe she would date that asshole Whipple, but Jake had seen what was in her grocery basket: chocolate ice cream. Chips and dip. Hell.

When Mimi had been sad, she’d cried. A simple solution. But he’d lived with enough women to learn the other remedies females used to feel better. Whereas an unhappy man might get roaring drunk, a woman would curl up with a bowl of ice cream. Or chips.

Kallie’s basket had contained both. It didn’t take a leap of logic to figure he was the cause. The look she’d given him as he entered the store had held pain, then anger. The stiffness of her shoulders when she’d turned her back said he’d hurt her pride as well. But although she’d been hurting, she hadn’t yelled, been rude, or cried. He admired that-she was a strong woman. No surprise there.

He sighed and hefted the forty pound sack of dog food onto his shoulder.

What he hadn’t known was how Little Miss Macho could turn so fucking female. He shouldn’t ever have played with her…because it had become more than play. The way she’d submitted, warily at first, and then, as her defenses lowered and her trust grew, with a stunned wonder that had left him humbled. And the way she’d welcomed him into her body-with such joy-had played hell with his control.

“Jake. Bro. Take the dog food in the house.”

Jake focused, saw Logan’s exasperated face. “Right. Doing just that.”

It was good that she’d moved on.

Jake entered the kitchen, opened the plastic bin where Thor’s kibble was stored. Good that she was going out with Whipple. He was relieved-happy-to know she wasn’t pining over him.

Logan punched his shoulder. Hard. “Jake. Pour the damned food into the bin.”

* * *

Kallie pulled the scrub pad out of the mouth of the oversize wooden frog and