Redeemer Read online

  Since she didn’t care for dark, tight spaces, she didn’t think that would be a problem.

  “There’s a renovated mining town outside of Mountain Bend, Sophie. Take a tour sometime. It’s steeped in history,” Rachel suggested.

  “Sounds like fun. I’ll check it out.”

  When the roofs of the stable and barns came into view, the horses pranced with eagerness to cut loose again, and Ashe spoke to his chocolate stallion in a soft tone she’d never heard him use. “Okay, big boy. Ready for another run?” The pair took off without another word, Nora and Rachel laughing as they followed suit.

  Sophie eyed them with envy, not realizing she spoke aloud when she said, “I wish I had the skill and nerve to ride like that.”

  The wistfulness in Sophie’s voice coupled with the ever-present sadness lurking in her eyes cut through Adrian’s defenses with the ease of a knife slicing through softened butter. Before all the reasons why this was a bad idea could form in his head, he shuffled King right up next to Nightingale.

  “Take your feet out of the stirrups and swing your leg over when I lift you. Ready?”

  “Wait, what?”

  “One, two, three.” He chuckled as he plucked her out of the saddle and hauled her in front of him, her surprised squeal reaching the girls who whipped their heads around. Nora sent a thumbs-up, and Rachel waved. Ashe just kept going.

  She leaned against him and turned her head up, her lips parting in a smile, her face pale compared to a few seconds ago. “You could have told me what you were going to do.”

  “It was more fun that way. Straddle the pommel.” Adrian lifted her by the waist, holding her with her butt against his abdomen until she sat facing forward. He fared much better when he wasn’t subjected to those extraordinary eyes that revealed the depth of her painful loss. “This is the best, safest way for you to experience your first galloping ride. Grip my arm or the pommel and brace against me.”

  She swung her head around to look at the mare who remained at their side. “What about Nightingale? You’re not going to leave her, are you?”

  The tart disbelief in her tone amused him, and he admired her loyalty to his horse. “All our riding horses are trained to return to the ranch if saddled and riderless. She’ll follow. Here we go.”

  At his cue, King shot forward, head and neck stretching out, hooves kicking up dirt, pounding into the earth at a ground-covering run. One glance down at the bliss etched on Sophie’s now rosy face, revealed in her wide grin with her head resting against his sternum and eyes closed, made him realize how much of his everyday life he took for granted. He’d rather dwell on that flaw the last quarter mile in than on her soft buttocks gyrating against his groin or the clench of her abdominals under his arm holding her close. Her smooth hands squeezed his forearm, her nails digging in with a quick pinprick he enjoyed way too much.

  “Oh my God! That was freaking awesome!” she gasped, sitting up as soon as he slowed to a trot followed by a cooling-down walk up to the stable.

  Adrian tossed the reins to Dustin and dismounted. “Your legs will be wobbly,” he warned her. Forcing himself to do the right thing instead of walking away like he wanted to, he reached up and assisted her down. As he thought, her knees buckled, leaving him no choice but to hold her tight against him and discover he was right – her breasts were as soft as her ass.

  He could feel her shudder, her soft breath on his neck, her heart jackhammering against his chest, and wondered how much of that reaction was due to the ride, and how much to him. When he loosened his hold, and she stepped back, he saw his answer in her needy gaze.

  “Dustin and I will take care of the horses. Go up to the house.” She opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off with one word. “Now.”

  After lingering as long as he could in the stables, Adrian strode inside the house, his hopes of reaching his suite without having to converse with anyone dashed when his cousin came out of the office.

  “You’re going in to Spurs tonight?” Ashe asked.

  “That was my plan.” The last time he had visited the club, he and Ashe had gone together, setting aside their differences over their fathers’ recent transfer of power of the Coultrane holdings to him. He had hooked up with Nicole shortly after, and that night was the last time they’d enjoyed their bond as cousins who had grown up closer than brothers. He ached for a return of their easy familiarity, but Ashe’s disapproval of his marriage followed by his disgust with Adrian’s suspicions widened the chasm between them with each passing day. “What are your plans?”

  Ashe swiped his keys off the entry table and reached for his hat, his jaw clenched as he slapped it on his head. “Going out. Have fun.”

  Adrian watched him go, swearing. “Fuck.”

  Hanging up his Stetson, he raked his fingers through his hair and headed upstairs, envying the girl’s laughter coming from the kitchen. He hoped Sophie would spend more time with them tonight instead of staying isolated in her room. He hated leaving, thinking about her alone and lonely. His suspicions of his cousin and friends heaped enough guilt on him, and he sure as hell didn’t need more.

  ****

  “We’re going to use the pool before Jessie and Wyatt meet us back here. Do you want to join us?”

  Sophie smiled at Nora across the kitchen table, grateful for the invitation. She would welcome any distraction from the lingering hormone rush that sparked to life during her ride with Adrian. Surrounded by his physical strength, all those hard, bulging muscles rippling against her back and abdomen, her butt in constant movement against his thick cock – what sane woman wouldn’t swell with arousal and burn with longing by the time he held her close to keep her from collapsing under her wobbly legs? Not even his surly disposition when he released her had doused the flames licking inside her pussy.

  “Sure, and thanks.” The closing of the front door, signaling Adrian’s departure for the kink club shouldn’t bother her, but it did. Too much. “Since you two made dinner, I’ll clean up and meet you in there. The omelet was delicious. Thank you.” Rachel and Nora had paired the huge, bacon, cheese, and spinach stuffed omelets with sourdough toast and strawberries and bananas. “Maybe Adrian and Ashe should have hired you to cook their dinners.”

  Rachel stood, shaking her head. “Nope, no way would I work for either of them. I love them dearly as friends, but neither man is an easy taskmaster. I swear, I don’t know what prompted Nicole to toss aside their friendship for sex.” As if realizing what she said, she looked at Nora with remorse. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to imply…”

  Nora waved away her apology and rose. “I get it. Hooking up with Jessie is an even bigger risk than the Coultranes, but I can’t help how I feel. Trust me, I wish I could just screw him on occasion to relieve an itch then slip back into friendship as easy as you do with Wyatt, but I can’t. I love the jerk.”

  “You know I haven’t slept with Wyatt yet.” Rachel’s brown eyes filled with sadness. “He has issues. I can’t resist him when he loses his way and needs to reach out to us, those who know him best and care about him.” She picked up her plate and followed Sophie to the sink. “His dad was a drunk and abuser. He died in a drunk driving accident when Wyatt was twelve.”

  “That’s rough,” Sophie returned with sincere sympathy. “You all are such good friends. That’s nice, and rare.”

  “Yeah, most of the time,” Nora said. “Lately, not so nice dealing with Adrian’s suspicions of us. Come on, Rachel. Jessie mentioned turning the bar over to his assistant manager and leaving early, and I want a long swim before he gets here.”

  Sophie cleaned up the kitchen, trying not to imagine Adrian sexually tormenting some woman. She’d never given any consideration toward the lifestyle this group enjoyed in common, and still couldn’t imagine herself giving up total control like that. But for a blissful hour of distraction from everything else in life, and only with Adrian, she just might toss aside her misgivings and ignore all the reasons why such a thing would be a bad idea.

  Adrian’s demons and their work relationship would all but ensure that never happened, so she pushed those wayward thoughts out of her head and went upstairs to change. She pulled on a loose pair of gym shorts and sports bra to swim in, but when she entered the humid pool room and saw Nora and Rachel swimming naked, her face burned with embarrassment. They were swimming laps and didn’t notice her, so she sat down in a pool chair and waited to tell them she’d pass on joining them.

  Rachel popped up on the side, brushed her wet hair away from her face, and propped her arms on the pool ledge. “Hey, come on in. The water’s fabulous!”

  “I will in a minute. It’s nice just sitting in this steamy room.”

  “Okay. Dive in any time.”

  She wasn’t a prude but couldn’t envision herself swimming naked in front of others any more than she could participating in a ménage. Then again, it wasn’t that long ago she would have never believed she would move away from her home. The longer she watched them splashing each other, laughing and having a good time without embarrassment, the more she wished she was comfortable with her body.

  Sophie tired soon of being the odd person out and walked down the steps into the warm water. After swimming races with them then sitting in the hot tub chatting for a while, she lost track of time until the door to the outside opened, and Wyatt and Jamie entered. Conscious of her puckered nipples clinging to the wet stretchy sports bra, she stayed crouched under the water until Jessie lifted Nora out and wrapped his arm around her wet body. Wyatt gazed with longing down at Rachel, his eyes reflecting longing and lust, his jaw clenched.

  “Hey, sweetie.” Jessie grinned at Sophie. “How’s it going?”

  “Good, thanks.” She didn’t want to encourage his teasing flirtation so
left it at that.

  Wyatt held his hand down to Rachel, and Sophie noticed only a slight hesitation before she smiled and nodded, taking him up on his offer. She wondered how long the two had been dancing around each other, and watched with a twinge of envy as Wyatt hauled Rachel against him and kissed her with a thoroughness and possessive hold Sophie herself responded to.

  “It looks like we’re all going to the playroom.” He paused, and she could detect the concern on his face before he said, “But if you’re done swimming, we can put a movie on, if we can all agree on something.”

  She saw Nora’s frown and hastened to reassure him she was fine being by herself. “No, thanks. I’d like to hang out in here for a while. You guys go on.”

  “You don’t have to tell me twice.” Wyatt tossed Rachel over his shoulder, swatted her butt, and strode out. Rachel lifted her head and finger-waved, her face as pink as the spank spot on her cheek.

  Jessie did the same with Nora then glanced at Sophie as he walked by her to the door. “If you’re sure, Sophie.”

  “I am. Have fun.”

  Nora sent her a thumbs-up gesture, and she nodded in return. Squeals of laughter followed echoing, bare-flesh slaps for several seconds before Sophie heard nothing but low murmurs from down the hall. The quiet solitude in the pool room brought back the long nights alone in her apartment after Kasey’s death. Loneliness and grief pressed down on her like a weighted blanket, and she tried shaking it off by swimming again. But no amount of exercise or tiredness could stem the waves of sorrow from consuming her, and she despaired of ever learning to live with the enormity of her loss.

  Chapter Seven

  The low notes of sultry, edgy music seeped through the closed door to Spurs’ playroom when Adrian entered the foyer for the first time in over five years. He’d let his membership lapse for Nicole, ceding to her wishes because he wanted the marriage to work. Her submissiveness was one thing that had tempted him to cross the line from friendship to sex, but she had preferred smaller, more intimate gatherings as opposed to the larger and more social atmosphere of the club. He’d looked forward to reconnecting with friends tonight and selecting a willing sub to scene with, but during the drive out here, he couldn’t keep from wondering and worrying over whether Sophie would spend the evening alone.

  He opened the door and entered the cavernous space, unhappy that concern over her well-being still plagued him. Shrug it off. Easier said than done, but he tried. He didn’t recognize the young, attractive brunette who greeted him with a welcoming smile, or the second floor of private rooms on the right.

  “You must be Master Adrian. Welcome, Sir.”

  “Thank you. And you are?” he asked, signing in on the roster sitting on the podium in front of her.

  “Charlotte, Sir. I’ll be free shortly, if you’d like someone to show you the changes since you were here last. Master Shawn said it’s been about five years.”

  Hearing the interest in her voice, he eyed the full breasts clinging to her silk camisole but, while flattered, he couldn’t drum up any enthusiasm for the unspoken part of her offer.

  “Thank you, Charlotte,” he answered without committing to anything.

  Adrian strode toward the bar against the wall on his left, lifting his hand in a wave when he recognized Dakota leaning against the opposite wall, his sharp black eyes scanning the activities taking place around the room. Assigning someone to monitor for safety was a must and a job he used to enjoy taking his turn at working. He recognized the black-haired woman sitting at the bar from the picture Clayton had shown him of his wife. The slender redhead next to Skye was another new face.

  “So, what do you think of the place?” Clayton asked from behind the bar as Adrian slid onto a stool.

  “Nice. The second floor looks as if it’s always been there. Can I get a whiskey, straight?”

  “You bet.” Clayton cut his blue gaze to his wife. “Skye, Poppy, this is Master Adrian. Poppy is Dakota’s.”

  Poppy narrowed her eyes. “With all due respect, Master Clayton, I’m not his property.”

  “I’m well aware of that, sweetheart,” he returned as he poured Adrian’s drink. “But you know how I can’t resist getting a rise out of you.” He slid the glass to Adrian. “Shawn is running late due to a burglary, but you remember Ben, and of course, Randy. They’re both here, somewhere. Nick Rossi is our newest member, an ex-cop out of Cheyenne. If you need a farrier, he’s your man. That’s him with Simon.” Clayton lifted a hand, and Adrian glanced behind him to see who returned the gesture from one of the tables.

  “I do need his services, and I recognize Simon sitting with him. I’ll check with Nick tonight.” Adrian turned toward Skye and Poppy. “Nice to meet you both. Sometime, you’ll have to tell me how you snagged a couple of confirmed bachelors.”

  “Hey, last time I saw you, you were one of us, happy with remaining single,” Clayton retorted then winced as he realized the sore subject his flippant comment brought up. “Sorry, Adrian.”

  “Honestly, it’s not an issue.” He wished people wouldn’t treat his widowhood as a taboo subject or sensitive issue. The only thing painful about it was the circumstances. Then again, none of his previous acquaintances were aware his feelings had soured for his wife long before her passing. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to reacquaint myself with the place.” He downed the last swallow of alcohol and held the glass up, saying, “Thanks for the drink,” before placing it on the bar top and tipping his Stetson to the girls.

  Clayton nodded. “Come by for your second drink any time. You might find Randy outside, in the hot tub. He was headed that way a short time ago.”

  “Then that’s where I’ll go.” He’d heard about Randy’s recent marriage to the girl he’d befriended ages ago, and that infidelity had ended his first marriage, something they shared in common.

  The bondage apparatus were situated along both sides of the room with fewer on the side with the bar and a secluded alcove for semi privacy. Tables, chairs, sofas, and a dance floor filled the center space, and Adrian wound his way through that area, pausing only to visit with someone he recognized. He stopped at the chain station where Ben Wilkins, a park ranger and longtime resident of Mountain Bend, was taking sadistic pleasure in running a feather down the ticklish underside of the bound sub’s arm. He couldn’t see her eyes with the blindfold, but her caramel-colored hair reminded him of Sophie’s, only lighter.

  “Please.” She whispered the plea, arching her head back, and pushing her breasts forward, her undulating body shining with a light film of perspiration. Her soft breasts swayed with her efforts, the rigid nubs begging for attention. The silky thong hiding her sex clung to her labia with dampness, and he could see why Ben had fallen for the girl.

  “I don’t remember you turning a deaf ear to such a nicely worded plea.”

  Ben whipped around at his comment, his surprise changing to pleasure when he saw Adrian. Switching the feather to his left hand, he held out his right. “Damn, it’s good to see you again. I heard you updated your membership. What’s it been, over a year since I ran into you at the co-op?”

  “About that.” Adrian inclined his head toward Ben’s sub. “Don’t let me keep you. We can catch up later.”

  Reaching out to cup her breast, Ben thumbed her nipple, saying, “Amie’s in no hurry since she comes home with me. Adrian, meet my fiancée.”

  “How did I miss that announcement? Congratulations, both of you.” Adrian was realizing how much he had missed by giving in to Nicole when she refused to attend the club with him.

  Amie’s soft breathless, “Thank you,” was followed with a low groan as Ben tweaked her nipple.

  “Let’s catch up here shortly,” Ben said, already returning his main focus to Amie.

  “Later,” he said, respecting Ben for putting his sub’s needs first.

  Adrian couldn’t help picturing Sophie in Amie’s place as he moved on, with him being the one to bring about a similar flush to her body and face, stoking the same need Ben’s expertise had stirred. He wasn’t sure how long he would hang around tonight if he couldn’t focus on anyone except her. His cock engorged just from the mental image, that strong response a damn good reason not to engage with someone else at this time. It would be unfair to anyone he chose to scene with if he couldn’t stay focused on her and her needs.