All in the Timing Read online

  “Well, the sheriff is an appointed position in these parts. Unlike the mayor, he isn’t elected in. So usually, if the mayor’s out, so is the sheriff. When you win, and you will win, you can replace him with a better choice. Clean that whole department up. The deputies are hired, so you can’t fire them without grounds, but the new sheriff can definitely take things in hand and get it ship shape.”

  “I just have no idea who in the world to appoint for sheriff. I seriously don’t know much at all about politics. All that I know is that change is needed in our town. I know that I will do whatever I have to do in order to enact those changes.”

  “Well, worry about getting into office first, and then you can figure out the rest. You will figure it out, Eli. You are one hell of a smart woman, something I love about you, I should mention.” Pulling up in front of her house, he threw the truck into park. “Now, let’s get inside, out of sight from the agents, and get naked. The rest of this discussion can wait for another day.”

  “Yes, please.” She had forgotten about the agents that had been watching over her and her home. She rubbed her temples and asked, “Have there been any new developments in the case?”

  He was frowning at her when he reached over to touch her cheek. “So far, there has been nothing, but as information arises, I will tell you, Eli.”

  She smiled and took a breath. “Thank you for being here for me. It means more to me than you can possibly know. I’m also happier than heck that you did come here for me because it forced us both to face our feelings for each other.”

  Leaning over, he kissed her gently. “Inside, now,” he said. “I want you naked so I can be inside your body in the next five minutes. Go.” He pulled back and exited the truck, stalking slowly around the front of the vehicle, his eyes on her the entire time.

  She all but raced into the house, turning off the alarm and then turning to face him. “Right, naked.” She began to peel off her clothes, loving the way that he watched her. “Why are you not getting naked and finding a condom, Frank?”

  He tugged a little package from his pocket, stuck it between his teeth, and began to undress. His boots took the longest, but soon, they were buried under a pile of clothing. Quickly, he tore into the wrapper, sheathed his cock, and set the alarm before he came toward her.

  Eli met him halfway. She couldn’t help herself, not with as much as she wanted and needed him. They met and she wrapped her hands around his head and pulled him to her for a kiss. She kissed him with the desperation born of sheer happiness.

  He backed her to a wall, his hands moving to cup her ass, and lifted her off her feet. Slipping his tongue into her mouth, he teased hers while rubbing his cock through her slick folds. “Fuck, you’re so wet already. Tell me you’re ready for this, Eli. I don’t think I can wait another second.”

  “I’m so beyond ready.” She wrapped her legs tightly around his hips and pulled him close. “I need you. Fuck me, Frank. Now. Please. Hard and fast.”

  She got what she wanted a moment later, his cock slamming into her pussy. He didn’t stop moving either. After adjusting his hold, he began to fuck her up against that wall. Again and again, his cock hit her deep.

  She rocked against him, loving the way that it felt to have him inside of her body. She adjusted herself slightly and arched her neck so that she could take him deeper. “Fucking hell, yes, that feels so good.” She moaned.

  Frank nipped at her throat, scraping his teeth over her skin. Not once did his thrusting slow down. It was full throttle. His hands massaged her ass, squeezing and releasing in almost a compulsive move.

  “God, yes.” She moaned. “That feels so good. Just. Like. That!” She sobbed when he grabbed her ass tighter and thrust into her body. She loved it.

  Lifting his head, he caught her mouth in a kiss. He rubbed his tongue over hers in time with his hips, a perfect mirroring of his thrusting. Frank gave a low growl, his hands tightening even more on her ass. This time, he didn’t release her.

  She squeezed her legs around his hips and pushed against him as she did so. She sobbed, his mouth catching the sound. “More.” She bit his lower lip, demanding that he be just as rough with her as she was with him.

  She earned a slap to her ass before his hand took hold again. He lifted her higher against the wall, his hips moving like a piston between her thighs. His cock hit her deep when he bit her lip and tugged. “Play with your clit, baby.”

  She moved her hand between their bodies and began to rub at her clit. She whimpered. Holy fuck that felt good! She rocked and moved against him. She loved the feelings, the way that he was hitting her so perfectly.

  “Come for me, Elizabeth. Scream for me,” he told her. Giving her neck an open-mouthed kiss, he scraped his teeth to her flesh, nipping a little at the end. He kept thrusting, one hand moving up to cup her breast and squeezing.

  That was really all that she needed. That slight roughness, the way that he nipped her neck. It was perfect. “Frank.” She gasped his name and then screamed as she came, his name a sob torn from her throat as she exploded around him.

  Grunting, he gave another half dozen thrusts before his body stiffened against hers. A shudder worked through him a moment before he relaxed, his hold on her staying tight. “Fuck me,” he breathed out against her throat.

  Eli was gasping, but she did grin. “I think you just fucked me. So perfectly, too.” Damn, she could barely breathe. It all felt so good, the way that he had fucked her as if he was worried she would leave him, or would move and they would lose the moment.

  “Yeah, I think I did. So did you. Damn, woman,” he muttered. Lifting his head, he pressed a kiss to her lips. “You fucking can turn me inside out so I don’t know whether I’m coming or going, and I love it. I love you.”

  “That’s good because I love you, too.” She pressed a kiss to the side of his neck and rubbed her cheek to his. “And you can make me feel so good that I never want to have our bodies parted. Ever. You make me want to keep you hard and inside of me for the rest of our days.”

  “I somehow doubt that will work for your platform when running for the mayor’s position,” he said. Another kiss to her lips and then he pulled free from her body. “Let me clean up, and then we can do this again. Maybe we’ll even make it to the bed this time around, yeah?”

  “Yeah, I think that we would be able to do that.” She let him go and shivered. “Each time you leave my body, I feel like a piece of me is missing until you are inside of me again. Is it odd that I’m so needy, so desperate to have you with me?”

  “Not to my way of thinking. Go and get comfortable. I’ll join you in a couple of minutes. Do you want some water when I come up?” Stepping back, he stroked his fingers across her arm.

  “Yes, please. If you wouldn’t mind bringing me up a bottle, that would be super.” She turned to go for the stairs. “I think that you need to be sure to bring up an extra one for later. If you wouldn’t mind, that is,” she said with a saucy grin, and winked at him once more before she headed up for their bed.

  “Yes, ma’am,” she heard him say.

  Chapter Six

  “You ready to go, dear?” Theresa asked her the next day. She was standing in the doorway of the office, her purse in one hand, car keys in the other. “We really need to get a move on if we want to make it in time for your appointment.”

  She was pulling on a light jacket and slipped her phone into her back pocket. “I’m as ready as I’m going to get,” Eli told Theresa as she walked down the steps. “Frank is off doing… well, I have no idea what, so it looks like it’s just you and me today.” She grinned.

  “Of course it’s just you and me. The groom doesn’t get to see the dress before the wedding, it’s bad luck. Besides, we have those strapping lads from the DEA that will be following us around. A couple of them are damn pretty, too, if I do say so myself,” she said.

  “Oh yes, this is very true.” Eli caught the last part of Theresa’s words and grinned. “They are rather
attractive. Nowhere near as hot as Frank, but they are serious eye candy, that’s for sure.” The men were very sexy, sweet as all get out, but they weren’t her Frank, so they would never measure up.

  “So sayeth a woman madly in love,” Theresa teased with a grin. “At least you can appreciate the beauty around you. Never lose sight of that, dear. No matter how in love you are, never feel bad for taking in the sights. Now, let’s get a move on. Maybe we can get that one to walk in front of us. Sean, I think his name is. His pants always mold so nicely to his tush.”

  “Right, we’ll make sure to ask him to walk in front of us.” She shook her head. Who would have known that Theresa Carver was such a connoisseur of fine male flesh? She did have a point. Sean could work jeans like nobody’s business. If any jeans maker knew that he was giving their pants such a look, he would be rolling in the dough.

  “I knew you’d understand my point of view,” Theresa said. Hooking her arm through Eli’s, she tugged her toward the main room where the agents were waiting for them. “Hello, my dears, you are looking so fit today.”

  “Ma’am,” they all said to her.

  “Sean, would you be a darling and ensure that there are no bad guys between us and the vehicle, please?” Theresa asked in pure innocence.

  “Of course, ma’am.” Sean headed for the door.

  Theresa squeezed Eli’s arm and wiggled her eyebrows.

  Eli just laughed, she couldn’t help it. When Sean turned to give them a questioning glance, she just dissolved into giggles. She looked at Theresa and nodded. “Seriously, someone needs to write his mom and dad and give thanks for his rock hard ass.”

  “I think I should do that,” she said. “From one mother to another, or do you think that would be too creepy? It’s so hard to tell these days what might be appropriate or not.” Walking out the front door, Theresa guided Eli down the sidewalk to her car. “Are you okay for me to drive us, or would you rather?”

  “Nope, I’m perfectly okay with you driving. Besides, this way, we will get to have private time since your car is small enough that they couldn’t comfortably fit in here with us.” She was happy about that fact. This way, they would get their girl time and the men would just have to follow them, pure and simple. “Just remember what Frank said, if a light looks like they won’t make it, don’t go.”

  “Oh poo.” Theresa gave a pout, and unlocked the car. “You and my boy truly are no fun at all. It’s not like they couldn’t find us again. They do know exactly where we’re going. I know this for a fact since both Frank and Brant briefed them and gave them the building plans so they could cover all the exits. Those boys of mine are scarily efficient when they choose to be.”

  “They really are.” She wondered just what else had happened if they were being that over the top with her just going for a dress fitting. It wasn’t as if anyone other than family knew she was doing this today, so she was a little surprised by that revelation.

  Once they were on the road, Theresa looked her way. “Frank worries about you. I know that whatever is going on has him fretting. And that boy doesn’t fret. He’s never been a worrier either. As the oldest, he’s always had a self-imposed sense of responsibility. Always looked out for the younger ones, always tried to keep them out of trouble, and always made them fess up whenever they did wrong. Don’t have the foggiest idea why either. Frank Sr. and I never did anything to put that pressure on him. Personally, I think he was born with an old and very responsible soul.”

  Eli just grinned. “It’s his sense of right and wrong. He’s one of those men that always has put the word of law first and foremost. He’s incredible like that.” Eli shrugged and continued. “I think he was born with one of those old souls as well, one that’s been waiting for me. Or so I like to hope at least.”

  “He’s definitely been waiting for something, or someone. I like to believe it was you as well, and this moment in time to connect properly with you.” She slowed as a light flicked to yellow, and stopped as it turned red a moment later. “See, I’m being good,” Theresa said.

  “So I can see.” Eli just kept grinning. Good lord, Theresa Carver was a troublemaker. She never realized that about her before! “Oh, there are three spots right there. We should take the middle one so that they can park on each side of us,” she said when they got to the dress shop.

  “Good call,” Theresa said. Pulling through the light when it went green, she slid into the spot and waited for one of the trucks to park behind her. Obviously, the men had clued into what they were doing as the truck eased backward. Theresa then adjusted her car, which gave the other truck plenty of room to slip in front of them. “All right, let’s get this show on the road. We have a lot to do and not a lot of time if we’re to stay on Frank’s very tight schedule.”

  “And mine. He’s not the only one who wants to get married in a hurry, you know. I want this as well.” Eli got out of the car when Theresa cut it off. Tossing her purse onto the back seat after grabbing her credit card and ID, Eli pulled her hair back in a scrunchie and nodded. “Let’s go shopping.”

  “Tuck your purse under the seat if you’re not bringing it in, dear. Massey might be a low crime rate town, but it’s best to be safer than sorry later.” Theresa shrugged out of her jacket, and moved to toss it into her trunk. “Ready?” she asked when she joined Eli on the sidewalk.

  “Yep. I can’t wait.” Eli was nervous, but she was feeling so excited that it overrode her nerves. Just knowing that she would soon be married to the man she had loved for as long as she could remember was the best thing she could possibly think of. “Remember, nothing too over the top for the gowns, okay?”

  “We are here to get whatever you want,” she said. One of the agents pulled the door open for them to enter the shop. “Thank you, Fitz.” Smiling up at him, Theresa let Eli step into the boutique ahead of her. “Okay, let’s get this show on the road. Eloise! Get your perky self out here and help my future daughter-in-law figure out what she’s wearing to marry my eldest baby.”

  Eli had to laugh, especially when the woman came all but running from the back. Eloise Redmond was one of Theresa Carver’s book club buddies, and they had known each other since they were old enough to walk. It was actually pretty funny.

  “I didn’t hear you come in,” Eloise said with a smile.

  “If she’d turn her hearing aid up, she’d have heard us coming three blocks away,” Theresa muttered.

  “Hello, Elizabeth, it’s so wonderful to have you here. And marrying one of our town’s boys, no less. It’s great and exciting news. So, what are you looking for in a dress? Theresa said that you would want something simple, but you tell me what you are looking for so we can weed out the selections I’ve made and keep this simple.”

  “I would like a strapless, cream-colored, A-line gown. I don’t want a super poofy skirt, but I don’t want one that’s right against my legs either. I want something that’s semi-full on the bottom part, please.”

  “Okay, we can do that. Come along now into the back room. I have a whole stand of different dresses, but with your additional information, we can narrow it down a lot.” Eloise led them into the back where there were some soft chairs, a platform about eight inches high, and a couple large changing rooms down a short hallway. Eloise went right to the rack while Theresa took a seat. A couple minutes later, Eloise waved Eli into one of the dressing rooms and hung up the six dresses she’d brought. “What do you think?”

  “Oh, I love them all. I have to choose?” Eli looked at Eloise with wide eyes. “Okay, how about we try them all on and then, collectively, we will make the choice?” She pulled out the first dress, one that had what appeared to be hand stitched crystals on the bodice. “This one first.” She grinned and then waited for Eloise to leave her alone to get undressed before she started to pull the gown on.

  When she stepped out of the change room, Eli could hear Eloise and Theresa talking in the larger space. “Oh, that looks lovely on you, dear. Come over here so I can
zip you up,” Eloise said, waving her forward.

  Eli walked over and let Eloise zip her up and then put clips on the back to tighten the dress even more. Once that was accomplished, she turned and looked in the mirror. She shifted from side to side and grinned. “I like it, but I can’t say that it’s the dress. Theresa, Eloise, what do you think?”

  Theresa tipped her head to the side and shook her head. “No, it doesn’t quite suit you. It’s a gorgeous dress, but it’s not you. Let’s see you in something else, my dear.” She smiled at her.

  Eloise released the clips, and when Eli had hold of the front, she undid the zipper. “Off you go, dear.”

  “Sounds good.” Holding the dress up, Eli went off to the dressing room and pulled the dress off only to put the next one on. She looked at herself in the gown and wrinkled her nose. She didn’t like this one. At all. It felt too, well, dated. She walked out to show Theresa and Eloise all the same.

  “No,” both women said as soon as she cleared the doorway. “That one really is not you in the least, dear,” Theresa said.

  “I agree, the color is perfect, but the look is all wrong for your lovely build. Let’s skip over this one and go to the next, yes?” Eloise suggested. “Oh, I should have asked, would either of you like something to drink? We have water, tea that should be finished steeping, or even some juice if you’d like.”

  “A cup of tea sounds wonderful,” Theresa said. “I’ll go collect it while Elizabeth changes into the next one. Dear, what would you like?”

  “Tea does sound wonderful, please,” Eli said, and turned to go back to the changing room. She had just closed the door when a large hand pressed over her mouth with a cloth that tasted bad. Her vision began to waver slightly and she realized what it was on the rag. Chloroform. Her last thought before the darkness claimed her was that she hadn’t gotten the chance to walk down the aisle with Frank.