Planning the Crime
He leaned back in the chair and cracked his knuckles right as the explosion ripped. Then he hit the button on the keyboard and played the video again. Excellent! The explosion would rock the building with the exact amount of charge to demolish only his target with no peripheral damage. Just the way he planned.
And it would damage his target all to hell. Those bastards would get what was coming to them.
"Did you see that stupid necklace he bought her? Ugliest fake pearls ever. She hasn’t worn a pearl in her life. I swear, that guy is so stupid."
The female voice behind him took him by surprise. He clicked off the page immediately, resisting the urge to turn around. No one could see the computer screen. From the corner of his eye, he watched two young women sit in the chairs next to him.
Seriously. All the open spots in the place and they had to park it right there?
"I don’t know what she sees in him. He’s, like, the biggest jerk. Always thinks he’s right, bosses her around. She could do way better."
"I don’t know," the second girl said, in one of those high-pitched voices that set his nerves on edge. "He’s kind of got this bad boy, good guy thing. Like, he can’t stop screwing up, but he’s crazy about her and has to keep proving it."
Oh, hell no. Not going to listen to two women going on about their friend and trashing some dude. Why didn’t they just move? He pulled his hoodie closer around his face. What could he do to make them move? He tensed his gut and forced out a belch.
The women stopped talking, giggled, and then resumed.
"That’s only cute for a while. It’ll get old soon. I think he’s got issues. Like, serious issues that you read about after someone goes totally crazy and shoots up the neighborhood."
Maybe a fart, but he couldn’t bring himself to go that far. He signed off the computer. Enough for one day anyway. He had all the components together and all the information he needed to set the bomb. No reason to keep looking at videos or instructions now.
"Everyone has issues. His aren’t the worst. But I think she should give him back that ring. She’s never going to actually marry him."
"Don’t say never. He could win her over. This is a good season for love, you know? All the lights, the Christmas music, the holiday cheer."
He couldn’t stop a grin as he reached down to grab his backpack. Without letting the women see his face, he got up and strode out of the place.
A good season for love. Christmas used to be his favorite time of year to share with his love. Not anymore.
Now, this was a good season for righting a wrong. For taking down those high and mighty people who thought they could do whatever they wanted. Show them they weren’t the almighty gods they thought they were and that bad people paid for doing bad things.
It was a good season for justice.
Chapter One
Atlanta, Georgia, December
"Ready for your surprise?" Lily trailed her finger along Dillon’s forearm as she took his plate off the dining room table with the other hand.
Hell, yeah, he was. Hard and ready. Dillon had waited all through dinner as Lily teased him, rubbing her hip against his shoulder as she passed by and pressing her thigh into his while they ate. When he talked to her, she’d part her lips slightly and run her tongue along them, making him forget what he was saying.
She smiled a wicked smile because she knew how well her seduction worked on him and that he was one minute away from throwing her to the floor and ripping off her clothes.
He shrugged. "Sure, whenever you’re ready." Glanced at the clock. "There might be a game on. I could watch that while you do the dishes and clean up."
Which got him a punch on the shoulder but a laugh, too, a sound he loved. He rubbed his arm when she turned away to blow out the candles. Lily’s punches packed a wallop, even when playing.
"It’s your turn to do dishes, and the cleanup can wait. I can’t." She turned back around and had somehow undone most of the buttons on her blouse to reveal a lacy bra that he’d seen glimpses of under her shirt. "How about you?" Her eyes glittered with desire and fun.
Whatever she had planned would be good.
He stood, knocking over the chair. "No. I’m done waiting." With two quick steps, he moved to her side of the table and scooped her into his arms.
She whooped with laughter and nuzzled his neck as he carried her to the living room.
"No, bedroom. Part of the surprise is in there," she said.
He changed direction and deposited her on the bed.
"Undress," she commanded, and as he did, she shimmied out of her own clothes.
Okay, no striptease tonight. That was one of his favorite surprises, watching Lily slowly reveal her delicious body. Instead, once she was naked, she rolled across the mattress and reached down to the floor.
"Shitballs."
Uh-oh.
"I left it at my place," she said.
"Left what?"
"You’ll see. I’ll be back in a flash."
She leapt off the bed and did a reverse strip, hastily putting jeans and shirt back on. "Don’t go away."
"Not likely." He fell back on the bed.
"Here." She took his hand and placed it on his stiff cock. "Keep yourself busy."
He’d rather it was her hand. Lily had strong hands and knew how to squeeze him just right. But he’d make do. She’d be back in a minute.
When he moved to Atlanta fifteen months ago to be with her and to work at Damage Avert and Rescue Team, or DART, they agreed it would be best to have separate homes. A vacancy down the hall from her apartment seemed perfect, so he moved in. The plan worked out well.
Sort of.
Lately he’d felt the annoyance of not having something he wanted while at her apartment, and watching her dash down the hall to grab something while they were at his place was inconvenient. Not that big a deal, usually.
Usually, he didn’t have a raging hard-on while he waited for her to come back.
But she hadn’t said anything to let him know she wanted to change their arrangement, so he kept quiet. Lily was an independent woman and liked her space, and so did he, though lately he’d gotten the impression she wouldn’t mind sharing a place. She’d told him they could move another dresser into the bedroom for his clothes, but there was hardly room. And more than once she’d suggested they get one of those bathroom container things for his stuff.
Which meant living together. Right?
He stroked himself slowly, not wanting to get too far ahead of Lily. How long had she been gone? Five minutes? He looked at the clock. Too long.
If they did move in together, they should definitely get a house. Both of their apartments were one-bedroom models. Too small for a couple. Rent the house to start, see what happened.
A house meant yard work, but it also meant a yard. Lily had been cooing over dogs in the park lately, every time they managed a few minutes for a walk together. They could have a dog with a house as long as they found a good sitter for times when work took them away.
Which was too often. No dog. Wouldn’t be fair. Maybe a cat, or two cats, to keep each other company. Or one of those, what were they called, ferrets. One of the women in the office brought one in, said it was affectionate, quiet, playful, easy to take care of. Looked like a weasel to him, but Lily held and cuddled the thing.
Damn it, where was she? He looked at the clock again. Ten minutes. It shouldn’t take her this long to get the whatever. He dropped his hand from his softening cock. Go after her? Call her? Doubtful she took her phone. He stood, pulled on his jeans and made it to the living room when his front door opened and Lily flew in.
"Sorry. I’m sorry. I got held up. Mrs. Davis found me in the hall and wanted to talk." She leaned against the door, her hands behind her back.
Dillon crossed his arms. "You usually hear her unlocking her five deadbolts and run. You couldn’t tell her you were busy? You had something on the stove?"
"I did. I wasn’t chatting with her all this time. I went in my place to get … the surprise, had to find batteries. They weren’t where I usually put them. Then I dropped a battery on my way out so I had to put it back in. When I heard her locks click I tried to escape, but then I dropped the Thing and it rolled away and she wanted to know what it was and I had to make up something and I’m sorry. Really."
Pink spots highlighted Lily’s cheeks, an indication she was upset or embarrassed. Probably both, given what she likely held in her hands.
"So let me see the Thing."
"It’s got carpet fuzz on it now. I have to wash it. Anyway, the surprise is ruined. I should have been prepared. This is getting tiring."
Um. This? What was this? All Dillon knew was their romantic evening was shot to hell.
"You can still do the surprise. I’ll go in the bedroom. Come in when you’re ready. I’ll be surprised."
Lily sighed. "I’m not in the mood now."
Well, hell. Irritation was killing his desire too.
A phone chirped, and they both instinctively looked around. Those should have been turned off, one of their rules when they were both off duty and on "play time."
"Mine. Sorry." He snatched it off the kitchen counter. Probably some stupid sales text.
Or not. He grunted, looking at the number.
"Who is it?"
"My niece, Jenna."
"What does she want?" Lily craned her neck to look over his shoulder.
Dillon moved the phone. "If you’ll scoot your nosy butt out of my way and let me read the text, I’ll tell you."
He scrolled through the message. "She wants me to call her, says it’s urgent."
"Oh no. You think something happened to Rachel?"
"I wouldn’t be the first person she’d contact if it did."
His sister, Rachel, lived in California. They’d been estranged for years but had recently reconnected. Slowly. Dillon had mostly forgiven her for abandoning their family when he was a teen after she told him why.
But hearing a family secret that totally changed his viewpoint of his parents and his sister took some processing. He and Rachel communicated briefly these days, trying to get back to being a family. He’d waved at Jenna on video chats, but not much more than that, since he and Rachel both worked crazy hours and they had a hard time matching schedules on opposite coasts to talk.
No reason Jenna should reach out to him for an emergency.
"So call her." Lily poked his shoulder.
"In a while. It’s still early there. I’ll call her later. We should … "
"Now." Lily poked him again. "You said you want to get more involved with her and Rachel. Jenna obviously has some reason to text you."
He opened his mouth to argue but closed it. When Lily made up her mind, there was no use arguing. And "the mood" was for sure gone by now. He tapped the phone and buzzed Jenna.
"Uncle Dillon. Hey! Thanks for calling me. You got a minute?"
"Sure." No. He wanted to get back to activities with Lily. "How are you? Everything okay?"
"Yeah, I’m good."
"Rachel’s okay? Nothing’s wrong?"
"Yeah. Oh, I guess my text got you scared, huh?"
"Not scared. Worried. What’s up?" Dillon twisted away from Lily trying to grab the phone.
She snatched it from his hand and put it on speaker. "Hello, Jenna, it’s Lily. We saw each other on a video call. Do you mind if I listen in, or is this private family stuff?"
"No, it’s fine. I’ve got a problem and I need your help. Both of you. I found a piece of paper." She paused. "Um, Mom said your phones are secure, right? No one can listen in?"
"That’s right." Lily glanced at Dillon but didn’t say anything.
"Because I only want you guys to hear this. I don’t want you to tell your FBI people."
"Jenna, if there’s criminal activity involved, we have to report it." Lily spoke in her official tone now. "You should, too."
"I don’t know if it’s criminal activity. This paper I found, it looks like a drawing for a bomb, and it’s got websites about explosives on it. I think one of the guys in the squad I belong to dropped it. I want you to help me find out which one."
"Squad?"
"It means, like, group."
"That’s criminal activity," Dillon said. "Haven’t you heard of the ‘If you see something, say something’ campaign? Turn the paper over to your local law enforcement and they’ll deal with it."
"But it could just be a prop. See, we’re in the SCA, that’s Society for Creative Anachronism, and we do battles and stuff."
"The SCA re-creates pre-seventeenth-century combat. They didn’t use bombs in the seventeenth century," Dillon said.
"The guys in the shire, that’s what our division is called, they’re interested in wars and fighting and all kinds of stuff. It could be nothing, just research."
"But you think it’s something or else you wouldn’t have contacted us," Lily said, turning worried eyes at Dillon.
"There’s a picture of a Christmas tree on the paper and another one of Santa laughing and saying ‘bang-bang.’ Pretty graphic pictures. So if it is something, I want to stop it. I want you guys to come out here. Mom’s bugging you to visit for Christmas anyway, right?"
Lily raised her eyebrows at Dillon and mouthed, She is?
Yeah, she was. Rachel had sent him several texts asking him and Lily to visit them over the holidays. Dillon turned to get out of the line of Lily’s gaze. "We don’t know what our plans are yet. Have you told Rachel about this?"
"No. And you can’t either. She’ll freak out. Please come. I really like this group, and I want them to let me stay. I know if you’re here, you’ll know what to do without anyone getting in trouble. Plus, I want to see you."
"We’ll talk about it. I’ll get back with you." He disconnected and started to walk to the living room.
"Oh, no, you’re not going anywhere." Lily grabbed his arm. "First of all, why didn’t you tell me Rachel wants us to visit?"
"Because I’m not sure I want to go. I know the two of us are trying to reconnect, but visiting family over a major holiday is a huge commitment. Not sure I’m there yet."
"Well, you’re never going to get there if you don’t make commitments. Your niece is asking for your help. Your sister wants to see you. We saw both sets of our parents last year for the holidays. You already told me your dad and his wife have company coming, and my parents are going to Italy, so they won’t have a fit if we don’t show up. You have no excuse."
Other than he didn’t have a clue how to act around his sister anymore. Their brief visit earlier that year had started weird and ended well. But a longer visit over Christmas would be a whole different level of family involvement.
"What if we have to do something about this paper Jenna found?" Dillon peeled Lily’s fingers off his arm and headed to the living room. "If it really is a bomb threat and it does belong to someone in her group, we’ll have to report it. Jenna won’t be happy."
"We’ll go and play it by ear. If we have to, we involve local law enforcement. Let them be the bad guys and make the final decision."
"What about Rachel? I don’t want to start our new relationship lying to her, but that’s what Jenna wants me to do."
"We’ll wing that too," Lily said. "Look, we can’t figure everything out this minute, and nothing from here. Once we see Jenna and talk to her and her friends, we’ll come up with a plan. We’re smart like that."
"We are."
Lily had followed him, and they both stopped next to the bookcase. She leaned against it, and he stepped close to her. "I’ll think about it."
"Think fast. Christmas is right around the corner."
He moved closer until they touched, then close enough to feel her full breasts press again his chest. His cock stirred. No bra. Sweet. "How about you save that surprise for another time and we head back to the bed?"
She cocked her head. "Really? You still want to? After me ruining our evening?"
"You didn’t ruin it. You made a delicious dinner … "
"I picked it up from the deli. "
"You picked up a delicious dinner, you wore a sexy lace bra that I know itches, and you put out an effort to make the night special." He bent and kissed her neck.
She moaned and he trailed his lips farther down. He reached his hand up to cup one of her breasts, and a quick move opened her blouse all the way so he could flick his tongue over her exposed nipple.
And just like that, "the mood" came back. He marveled at how fast Lily turned him on. So many little things about her drove him crazy, like the sound she made when excited, her sweet, citrus scent, the way she unconsciously parted her legs like she did now, inviting his touch. He dipped his hands into her jeans. She hadn’t fastened them all the way, making it easy to slide his fingers into her wet folds.
"Or better yet, how about we continue right here?" she murmured.
Lord, he loved that husky tone her voice got. Made him even harder, to the point of pain. "Right here? Next to all your favorite books? Sir Arthur Conan Doyle might be flustered."
"Pretty sure he had sex once or twice in his life." She pushed her pants over her hips and wiggled until they fell to the floor.
He grabbed her hand and put it on his cock, tensing his jaw as she squeezed him through his jeans. She knew just how much pressure he liked and could easily get him off with her strong grip, which he enjoyed immensely. But he wanted inside her. Now.
Fumbling the button and zipper on his pants, then pulling his shirt over his head, he got naked in seconds, his desire mounting as Lily did the same. Her flushed face contrasted with her pale skin, and he wanted to lick every inch of her hot body.
Later. Now he had to satisfy the urgent need consuming him. He picked her up and in one swift move drove himself into her as her legs wrapped around his waist and her arms around his shoulders. Thrusting inside her hot core, he bent his head back, groaning his pleasure, for far too short a time before he buried his cock in as far as he could and climaxed with a shout.
He rested his forehead on hers, panting, warm pleasure running through him.
"Damn mister, that was fast," Lily drawled. "You just get out of jail or something? Haven’t had a woman lately?" She slowly unwrapped her legs and slid to the floor.
"Yeah, I’ve had a woman lately. Just can’t get enough of her, that’s all." He scooped her up, loving the way her small but sturdy body fit perfectly in his arms. "And I’m going to have more, right now."
He carried her to the couch and deposited her there. He knelt on the floor and proceeded to lick, nibble and bite his way from her juicy lips down to her toes, moving slowly. Lily writhed and moaned, and when he stopped between her legs to slide his tongue deep inside her and draw circles on her clit, she tugged on his hair and directed him to go harder, faster.
But he didn’t, savoring the sensation of extending her pleasure.
Though it about killed him.
He was hard and ready again, desperate to sink back into her. But he completed his thorough exploration of her body with his mouth, and when he moved back to her center and circled her nub with his thumb, she exploded in a shuddering release.
Then he climbed onto the couch, slid back into her slick, wet, heat and, setting a slower pace, moved in and out, looking into her eyes, the love and tenderness there pushing him over the edge too fast again. When he came this time, he held her close, skin to skin.
"Good thing I fed you well tonight, because I get another turn, and you better have more energy." She kissed his throat, licking the sweat.
"Yeah, you do get another turn, and there’s plenty more energy where that came from." He tilted his head back, enjoying her wet tongue moving over him, giving him goosebumps.
He’d always have the energy to enjoy Lily. Always.
A sudden noise made him jerk his head in the direction of the door.
"What's that?"
"What?" Lily lifted up slightly.
"That noise. By the door."
"Oh." She giggled and lowered back down. "I believe that's the Thing. Guess I dropped it and all our hotness must have turned it on. Want to give it a rinse and bring it over here?"
Hell yes.
He leaned back in the chair and cracked his knuckles right as the explosion ripped. Then he hit the button on the keyboard and played the video again. Excellent! The explosion would rock the building with the exact amount of charge to demolish only his target with no peripheral damage. Just the way he planned.
And it would damage his target all to hell. Those bastards would get what was coming to them.
"Did you see that stupid necklace he bought her? Ugliest fake pearls ever. She hasn’t worn a pearl in her life. I swear, that guy is so stupid."
The female voice behind him took him by surprise. He clicked off the page immediately, resisting the urge to turn around. No one could see the computer screen. From the corner of his eye, he watched two young women sit in the chairs next to him.
Seriously. All the open spots in the place and they had to park it right there?
"I don’t know what she sees in him. He’s, like, the biggest jerk. Always thinks he’s right, bosses her around. She could do way better."
"I don’t know," the second girl said, in one of those high-pitched voices that set his nerves on edge. "He’s kind of got this bad boy, good guy thing. Like, he can’t stop screwing up, but he’s crazy about her and has to keep proving it."
Oh, hell no. Not going to listen to two women going on about their friend and trashing some dude. Why didn’t they just move? He pulled his hoodie closer around his face. What could he do to make them move? He tensed his gut and forced out a belch.
The women stopped talking, giggled, and then resumed.
"That’s only cute for a while. It’ll get old soon. I think he’s got issues. Like, serious issues that you read about after someone goes totally crazy and shoots up the neighborhood."
Maybe a fart, but he couldn’t bring himself to go that far. He signed off the computer. Enough for one day anyway. He had all the components together and all the information he needed to set the bomb. No reason to keep looking at videos or instructions now.
"Everyone has issues. His aren’t the worst. But I think she should give him back that ring. She’s never going to actually marry him."
"Don’t say never. He could win her over. This is a good season for love, you know? All the lights, the Christmas music, the holiday cheer."
He couldn’t stop a grin as he reached down to grab his backpack. Without letting the women see his face, he got up and strode out of the place.
A good season for love. Christmas used to be his favorite time of year to share with his love. Not anymore.
Now, this was a good season for righting a wrong. For taking down those high and mighty people who thought they could do whatever they wanted. Show them they weren’t the almighty gods they thought they were and that bad people paid for doing bad things.
It was a good season for justice.
Chapter One
Atlanta, Georgia, December
"Ready for your surprise?" Lily trailed her finger along Dillon’s forearm as she took his plate off the dining room table with the other hand.
Hell, yeah, he was. Hard and ready. Dillon had waited all through dinner as Lily teased him, rubbing her hip against his shoulder as she passed by and pressing her thigh into his while they ate. When he talked to her, she’d part her lips slightly and run her tongue along them, making him forget what he was saying.
She smiled a wicked smile because she knew how well her seduction worked on him and that he was one minute away from throwing her to the floor and ripping off her clothes.
He shrugged. "Sure, whenever you’re ready." Glanced at the clock. "There might be a game on. I could watch that while you do the dishes and clean up."
Which got him a punch on the shoulder but a laugh, too, a sound he loved. He rubbed his arm when she turned away to blow out the candles. Lily’s punches packed a wallop, even when playing.
"It’s your turn to do dishes, and the cleanup can wait. I can’t." She turned back around and had somehow undone most of the buttons on her blouse to reveal a lacy bra that he’d seen glimpses of under her shirt. "How about you?" Her eyes glittered with desire and fun.
Whatever she had planned would be good.
He stood, knocking over the chair. "No. I’m done waiting." With two quick steps, he moved to her side of the table and scooped her into his arms.
She whooped with laughter and nuzzled his neck as he carried her to the living room.
"No, bedroom. Part of the surprise is in there," she said.
He changed direction and deposited her on the bed.
"Undress," she commanded, and as he did, she shimmied out of her own clothes.
Okay, no striptease tonight. That was one of his favorite surprises, watching Lily slowly reveal her delicious body. Instead, once she was naked, she rolled across the mattress and reached down to the floor.
"Shitballs."
Uh-oh.
"I left it at my place," she said.
"Left what?"
"You’ll see. I’ll be back in a flash."
She leapt off the bed and did a reverse strip, hastily putting jeans and shirt back on. "Don’t go away."
"Not likely." He fell back on the bed.
"Here." She took his hand and placed it on his stiff cock. "Keep yourself busy."
He’d rather it was her hand. Lily had strong hands and knew how to squeeze him just right. But he’d make do. She’d be back in a minute.
When he moved to Atlanta fifteen months ago to be with her and to work at Damage Avert and Rescue Team, or DART, they agreed it would be best to have separate homes. A vacancy down the hall from her apartment seemed perfect, so he moved in. The plan worked out well.
Sort of.
Lately he’d felt the annoyance of not having something he wanted while at her apartment, and watching her dash down the hall to grab something while they were at his place was inconvenient. Not that big a deal, usually.
Usually, he didn’t have a raging hard-on while he waited for her to come back.
But she hadn’t said anything to let him know she wanted to change their arrangement, so he kept quiet. Lily was an independent woman and liked her space, and so did he, though lately he’d gotten the impression she wouldn’t mind sharing a place. She’d told him they could move another dresser into the bedroom for his clothes, but there was hardly room. And more than once she’d suggested they get one of those bathroom container things for his stuff.
Which meant living together. Right?
He stroked himself slowly, not wanting to get too far ahead of Lily. How long had she been gone? Five minutes? He looked at the clock. Too long.
If they did move in together, they should definitely get a house. Both of their apartments were one-bedroom models. Too small for a couple. Rent the house to start, see what happened.
A house meant yard work, but it also meant a yard. Lily had been cooing over dogs in the park lately, every time they managed a few minutes for a walk together. They could have a dog with a house as long as they found a good sitter for times when work took them away.
Which was too often. No dog. Wouldn’t be fair. Maybe a cat, or two cats, to keep each other company. Or one of those, what were they called, ferrets. One of the women in the office brought one in, said it was affectionate, quiet, playful, easy to take care of. Looked like a weasel to him, but Lily held and cuddled the thing.
Damn it, where was she? He looked at the clock again. Ten minutes. It shouldn’t take her this long to get the whatever. He dropped his hand from his softening cock. Go after her? Call her? Doubtful she took her phone. He stood, pulled on his jeans and made it to the living room when his front door opened and Lily flew in.
"Sorry. I’m sorry. I got held up. Mrs. Davis found me in the hall and wanted to talk." She leaned against the door, her hands behind her back.
Dillon crossed his arms. "You usually hear her unlocking her five deadbolts and run. You couldn’t tell her you were busy? You had something on the stove?"
"I did. I wasn’t chatting with her all this time. I went in my place to get … the surprise, had to find batteries. They weren’t where I usually put them. Then I dropped a battery on my way out so I had to put it back in. When I heard her locks click I tried to escape, but then I dropped the Thing and it rolled away and she wanted to know what it was and I had to make up something and I’m sorry. Really."
Pink spots highlighted Lily’s cheeks, an indication she was upset or embarrassed. Probably both, given what she likely held in her hands.
"So let me see the Thing."
"It’s got carpet fuzz on it now. I have to wash it. Anyway, the surprise is ruined. I should have been prepared. This is getting tiring."
Um. This? What was this? All Dillon knew was their romantic evening was shot to hell.
"You can still do the surprise. I’ll go in the bedroom. Come in when you’re ready. I’ll be surprised."
Lily sighed. "I’m not in the mood now."
Well, hell. Irritation was killing his desire too.
A phone chirped, and they both instinctively looked around. Those should have been turned off, one of their rules when they were both off duty and on "play time."
"Mine. Sorry." He snatched it off the kitchen counter. Probably some stupid sales text.
Or not. He grunted, looking at the number.
"Who is it?"
"My niece, Jenna."
"What does she want?" Lily craned her neck to look over his shoulder.
Dillon moved the phone. "If you’ll scoot your nosy butt out of my way and let me read the text, I’ll tell you."
He scrolled through the message. "She wants me to call her, says it’s urgent."
"Oh no. You think something happened to Rachel?"
"I wouldn’t be the first person she’d contact if it did."
His sister, Rachel, lived in California. They’d been estranged for years but had recently reconnected. Slowly. Dillon had mostly forgiven her for abandoning their family when he was a teen after she told him why.
But hearing a family secret that totally changed his viewpoint of his parents and his sister took some processing. He and Rachel communicated briefly these days, trying to get back to being a family. He’d waved at Jenna on video chats, but not much more than that, since he and Rachel both worked crazy hours and they had a hard time matching schedules on opposite coasts to talk.
No reason Jenna should reach out to him for an emergency.
"So call her." Lily poked his shoulder.
"In a while. It’s still early there. I’ll call her later. We should … "
"Now." Lily poked him again. "You said you want to get more involved with her and Rachel. Jenna obviously has some reason to text you."
He opened his mouth to argue but closed it. When Lily made up her mind, there was no use arguing. And "the mood" was for sure gone by now. He tapped the phone and buzzed Jenna.
"Uncle Dillon. Hey! Thanks for calling me. You got a minute?"
"Sure." No. He wanted to get back to activities with Lily. "How are you? Everything okay?"
"Yeah, I’m good."
"Rachel’s okay? Nothing’s wrong?"
"Yeah. Oh, I guess my text got you scared, huh?"
"Not scared. Worried. What’s up?" Dillon twisted away from Lily trying to grab the phone.
She snatched it from his hand and put it on speaker. "Hello, Jenna, it’s Lily. We saw each other on a video call. Do you mind if I listen in, or is this private family stuff?"
"No, it’s fine. I’ve got a problem and I need your help. Both of you. I found a piece of paper." She paused. "Um, Mom said your phones are secure, right? No one can listen in?"
"That’s right." Lily glanced at Dillon but didn’t say anything.
"Because I only want you guys to hear this. I don’t want you to tell your FBI people."
"Jenna, if there’s criminal activity involved, we have to report it." Lily spoke in her official tone now. "You should, too."
"I don’t know if it’s criminal activity. This paper I found, it looks like a drawing for a bomb, and it’s got websites about explosives on it. I think one of the guys in the squad I belong to dropped it. I want you to help me find out which one."
"Squad?"
"It means, like, group."
"That’s criminal activity," Dillon said. "Haven’t you heard of the ‘If you see something, say something’ campaign? Turn the paper over to your local law enforcement and they’ll deal with it."
"But it could just be a prop. See, we’re in the SCA, that’s Society for Creative Anachronism, and we do battles and stuff."
"The SCA re-creates pre-seventeenth-century combat. They didn’t use bombs in the seventeenth century," Dillon said.
"The guys in the shire, that’s what our division is called, they’re interested in wars and fighting and all kinds of stuff. It could be nothing, just research."
"But you think it’s something or else you wouldn’t have contacted us," Lily said, turning worried eyes at Dillon.
"There’s a picture of a Christmas tree on the paper and another one of Santa laughing and saying ‘bang-bang.’ Pretty graphic pictures. So if it is something, I want to stop it. I want you guys to come out here. Mom’s bugging you to visit for Christmas anyway, right?"
Lily raised her eyebrows at Dillon and mouthed, She is?
Yeah, she was. Rachel had sent him several texts asking him and Lily to visit them over the holidays. Dillon turned to get out of the line of Lily’s gaze. "We don’t know what our plans are yet. Have you told Rachel about this?"
"No. And you can’t either. She’ll freak out. Please come. I really like this group, and I want them to let me stay. I know if you’re here, you’ll know what to do without anyone getting in trouble. Plus, I want to see you."
"We’ll talk about it. I’ll get back with you." He disconnected and started to walk to the living room.
"Oh, no, you’re not going anywhere." Lily grabbed his arm. "First of all, why didn’t you tell me Rachel wants us to visit?"
"Because I’m not sure I want to go. I know the two of us are trying to reconnect, but visiting family over a major holiday is a huge commitment. Not sure I’m there yet."
"Well, you’re never going to get there if you don’t make commitments. Your niece is asking for your help. Your sister wants to see you. We saw both sets of our parents last year for the holidays. You already told me your dad and his wife have company coming, and my parents are going to Italy, so they won’t have a fit if we don’t show up. You have no excuse."
Other than he didn’t have a clue how to act around his sister anymore. Their brief visit earlier that year had started weird and ended well. But a longer visit over Christmas would be a whole different level of family involvement.
"What if we have to do something about this paper Jenna found?" Dillon peeled Lily’s fingers off his arm and headed to the living room. "If it really is a bomb threat and it does belong to someone in her group, we’ll have to report it. Jenna won’t be happy."
"We’ll go and play it by ear. If we have to, we involve local law enforcement. Let them be the bad guys and make the final decision."
"What about Rachel? I don’t want to start our new relationship lying to her, but that’s what Jenna wants me to do."
"We’ll wing that too," Lily said. "Look, we can’t figure everything out this minute, and nothing from here. Once we see Jenna and talk to her and her friends, we’ll come up with a plan. We’re smart like that."
"We are."
Lily had followed him, and they both stopped next to the bookcase. She leaned against it, and he stepped close to her. "I’ll think about it."
"Think fast. Christmas is right around the corner."
He moved closer until they touched, then close enough to feel her full breasts press again his chest. His cock stirred. No bra. Sweet. "How about you save that surprise for another time and we head back to the bed?"
She cocked her head. "Really? You still want to? After me ruining our evening?"
"You didn’t ruin it. You made a delicious dinner … "
"I picked it up from the deli. "
"You picked up a delicious dinner, you wore a sexy lace bra that I know itches, and you put out an effort to make the night special." He bent and kissed her neck.
She moaned and he trailed his lips farther down. He reached his hand up to cup one of her breasts, and a quick move opened her blouse all the way so he could flick his tongue over her exposed nipple.
And just like that, "the mood" came back. He marveled at how fast Lily turned him on. So many little things about her drove him crazy, like the sound she made when excited, her sweet, citrus scent, the way she unconsciously parted her legs like she did now, inviting his touch. He dipped his hands into her jeans. She hadn’t fastened them all the way, making it easy to slide his fingers into her wet folds.
"Or better yet, how about we continue right here?" she murmured.
Lord, he loved that husky tone her voice got. Made him even harder, to the point of pain. "Right here? Next to all your favorite books? Sir Arthur Conan Doyle might be flustered."
"Pretty sure he had sex once or twice in his life." She pushed her pants over her hips and wiggled until they fell to the floor.
He grabbed her hand and put it on his cock, tensing his jaw as she squeezed him through his jeans. She knew just how much pressure he liked and could easily get him off with her strong grip, which he enjoyed immensely. But he wanted inside her. Now.
Fumbling the button and zipper on his pants, then pulling his shirt over his head, he got naked in seconds, his desire mounting as Lily did the same. Her flushed face contrasted with her pale skin, and he wanted to lick every inch of her hot body.
Later. Now he had to satisfy the urgent need consuming him. He picked her up and in one swift move drove himself into her as her legs wrapped around his waist and her arms around his shoulders. Thrusting inside her hot core, he bent his head back, groaning his pleasure, for far too short a time before he buried his cock in as far as he could and climaxed with a shout.
He rested his forehead on hers, panting, warm pleasure running through him.
"Damn mister, that was fast," Lily drawled. "You just get out of jail or something? Haven’t had a woman lately?" She slowly unwrapped her legs and slid to the floor.
"Yeah, I’ve had a woman lately. Just can’t get enough of her, that’s all." He scooped her up, loving the way her small but sturdy body fit perfectly in his arms. "And I’m going to have more, right now."
He carried her to the couch and deposited her there. He knelt on the floor and proceeded to lick, nibble and bite his way from her juicy lips down to her toes, moving slowly. Lily writhed and moaned, and when he stopped between her legs to slide his tongue deep inside her and draw circles on her clit, she tugged on his hair and directed him to go harder, faster.
But he didn’t, savoring the sensation of extending her pleasure.
Though it about killed him.
He was hard and ready again, desperate to sink back into her. But he completed his thorough exploration of her body with his mouth, and when he moved back to her center and circled her nub with his thumb, she exploded in a shuddering release.
Then he climbed onto the couch, slid back into her slick, wet, heat and, setting a slower pace, moved in and out, looking into her eyes, the love and tenderness there pushing him over the edge too fast again. When he came this time, he held her close, skin to skin.
"Good thing I fed you well tonight, because I get another turn, and you better have more energy." She kissed his throat, licking the sweat.
"Yeah, you do get another turn, and there’s plenty more energy where that came from." He tilted his head back, enjoying her wet tongue moving over him, giving him goosebumps.
He’d always have the energy to enjoy Lily. Always.
A sudden noise made him jerk his head in the direction of the door.
"What's that?"
"What?" Lily lifted up slightly.
"That noise. By the door."
"Oh." She giggled and lowered back down. "I believe that's the Thing. Guess I dropped it and all our hotness must have turned it on. Want to give it a rinse and bring it over here?"
Hell yes.