“Nice to see her in such high spirits, isn’t it?” Galen stood in the doorway, his gaze on the stairs.
“Yep. Bet her mood would lighten even more if we could get her to open up. That father of hers made me want to flatten him.”
“Same here.” Galen came into the room, leaning heavily on his cane. The obstinate fool hadn’t used it at the reception. “Before you joined us, her father said something about Sally killing her mother.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Vance stared at him.
“Made her cringe like a kicked puppy.”
The spitfire wouldn’t react like that if she didn’t buy into the dickhead’s logic. Not good. “She’s taking a shower now. How about we grab us a clean little subbie and get some answers.”
Galen winced. “Hell of a way to end a party.”
“We have to do it, sooner or later.”
He got a slow nod from his partner. “Ayuh. But where? Not a bedroom. Don’t want an interrogation where we sleep.”
“The moon’s up. Let’s use the cabana.” Vance estimated how much time Sally had been scrubbing. “I should have enough time for a shower.”
“Best if you take the good cop role tonight.”
“Works for me.” He made a lousy emotional surgeon; he didn’t have the heart to dig deep enough to open up past traumas. But he was excellent at the recovery stage—one reason he and Galen worked so well together. “I don’t want to be the villain for this.”
Not with Sally. She already pulled at his heart. Truly hurting her would turn him inside out.
Galen’s mouth tightened. “This might not be pretty. Not from what I saw tonight.”
“Yeah.”
Galen smiled slightly. “How ’bout you start the evening by showering with our pet? Work her up a bit. Get her ready to be grilled. Then we’ll take her higher.”
Vance’s spirits lifted. He certainly couldn’t add to that excellent plan.
On second thought, he could. “She disobeyed us. I think she’d do better if we enforce the rules, even if they were in fun.”
“Maybe.” Galen rubbed his chin where his heavy beard growth was showing. “Yes. It would leave her more open for questioning—and it won’t be any hardship to beat on that sweet ass.”
“Didn’t think so.”
After pinning her hair on top of her head, Sally stood in the shower, letting the hot water roll down her body. Enjoying the feeling, letting herself relax. She loved showers—and this one was almost as wonderful as the one in Master Z and Jessica’s place.
She stroked her hand over the marbled tile walls and smiled at the space around her, more than enough for three people. Larger than the men’s own showers…
And, speaking of men, she should probably get out and tell the guys good night. What a wonderful evening she’d had. Finally graduating was satisfying, but even more splendid was to share that step with everyone. A small, sour feeling ran through her at the memory of her father but was erased by remembering Galen and Vance beside her. And how the whole Shadowlands gang had come to her party. She sighed with happiness.
The shower door opened.
Sally gasped and recognized her intruder a second before she screamed the house down. “Vance! This is my shower.”
“And this is my house.” His lazy smile creased his cheek as he pushed her back far enough that he could step in. “I need someone to wash my back.”
God, faced with that utterly confident gaze, she’d do anything. But he certainly didn’t need to know that. “Oh please, as if you haven’t been—”
“Sally.” He was so easygoing she forgot how he could jerk her power away with a mere word.
Her insides turned liquid. Even more disconcerting was the way her heart turned to soft goo.
“Well, okay then.” She clapped her hands and gave him a simpering smile. “Want me to wash your back, Master Buchanan, Sir?”
“Why yes, Sally. That would be very nice.” His cordial tone somehow didn’t negate the steady, assessing look in his eyes.
Oh man, she was in so much trouble—because that look made her want to go to her knees. She squirted his spicy-scented liquid soap on a washcloth and set to scrubbing his back. A very wide back, broad shoulders, muscles that bunched every time he moved.
“That feels good.” He turned, grasped her wrists, and set her hands on his chest. Christ on a slippery slope, but she’d never, ever get tired of touching him.
Of serving him. Of lo— She deleted that thought before it could even run.
He put a finger under her chin, eyes narrowing when she gave an involuntary shake of her head.
Her hands were flattened on his chest. She could feel his heart beating against her fingertips as his face gentled and the look in his eyes…changed.
His deep blue gaze held her, pulled her in, filled her world.
And he kissed her, slow and deep and more wonderful than any kiss she’d ever had before. He rubbed his nose along hers in a gentle caress and smiled.
“You planning to wash me, little subbie?” he murmured.
“Anything you want,” she whispered, then blinked.
He laughed and put her hands back on his chest.
So she soaped up his chest, getting mesmerized by how he had just the perfect amount of hair sprinkled across his solid pecs. The inverted triangle changed to a narrow line down to where…he had a gorgeous hard- on.
Well, that could keep her busy and her mind off…other thoughts.
He chuckled and wrapped her fingers around his erection. Thick. Long. Veins curving around the silken skin. She had the time now to look. To enjoy. She slid her hand up and down, teasing with squeezes, adding her other hand. She leaned forward so her breasts would rub on his lower chest. Oh, she definitely wanted him.
And she’d start by driving him crazy. That would be an excellent end to the evening.
But before she could go down on him, he stopped her, picked up the soap, and started to suds her breasts.
Having taken a quick shower, Galen carried his toy bag down the tiny path that angled off from the back of the house. The foliage grew thicker as he approached the lake where the cabana rested on stilts near the water’s edge. The place was perfect for housing guests who desired privacy—or it would be once they got it remodeled. Since the building had a tiny kitchenette and bathroom, he and Vance had slept here when they’d first moved into the house. But the only restoration done so far was to yank out the small window overlooking the water and put in a wall-sized one.
He stepped inside and looked around. One corner held a small fridge and stovetop with cupboards over them and a nearby tall cabinet. Twin beds were pushed against two walls. A sturdy square table and two wooden-backed chairs were close to the front door. On the wall to the left, the window showed the moon over the lake sending fingers of light across the black water.
Yes, this would do nicely. He took ropes from his bag. The table would be a fine height for play.
As Galen finished setting various implements around the room, he heard Sally’s voice outside. Not good the way it made his heart lift.
