The Falls City Five Read online

  The only thing securing the dress to the redhead’s frame was a thin strip of silver material that bordered the heart-shaped bodice and tied behind Dani’s neck. Her long red hair was pulled back into a simple, elegant French braid that swayed side to side as Max led her around the dance floor.

  The woman could see the affection in Dani’s face when she looked at Max, and she wondered how long the two had been intimate.

  A large, burly woman with a shock of bright pink hair tapped on Max’s shoulder when the slow dance ended. Max and the woman exchanged a few words, and the brunette wondered what the pair were talking about.

  A shake of Max’s head and a possessive arm around Dani’s waist made the pink-haired woman raise her hands in surrender. She extended her hand to Max, then to Dani, and walked away with a shrug.

  “Sorry I’m late,” a voice said softly into the brunette’s ear, “My relief didn’t show up on time. Have you been waiting long?”

  The brunette shook her head and smiled at the dark-skinned woman. “Not too long. I’m glad you’re here though. I’ve been watching the others dance and I was starting to get jealous of them.”

  The newcomer gave her an apologetic smile and reached across the table to take the brunette’s hand. “Let’s dance. We can get our drinks and food afterward.”

  The brunette hesitated for a moment, but allowed herself to be pulled away from the table when she saw Max and Dani return to their own. She followed her partner out onto the dance floor and twirled the woman toward the corner farthest from Max’s line of sight.

  She wanted to be able to watch the couple without being spotted, and without letting her girlfriend know that she was distracted. The last time she’d been distracted by other women, her daughter had snuck out of her bedroom window. No one had seen the teenager since.

  Her girlfriend didn’t blame her for their child’s disappearance, but she blamed herself. If she hadn’t been so caught up in spying on the neighbors through her bedroom window, she might have noticed the teen sneaking across the backyard and down the trail that led to the river.

  ***

  Oh my God, baby, these oysters are delicious. Who knew a night club could serve such decadence?

  Max slipped her tongue between the shell and the meat of the oyster in her hand. She met Dani’s eyes and winked as she curled her tongue around the tender morsel and tipped the shell. Dani smiled as Max swallowed the delectable appetizer and licked her lips.

  “It’s a gay night club, honey. Were you really expecting something as simple as french fries and chicken wings?”

  Dani shrugged and shifted in her seat, extending her leg under the table to tease Max’s calf. I don’t know what I was expecting from the club, but I know what I’m expecting from you.

  Max sucked in a breath as the flicker of arousal she’d been suppressing all night, flared to life. “Damn,” she whispered, “I knew oysters were considered an aphrodisiac, but I thought it was just a myth.” Thank God for the long table cloth, or this could get embarrassing.

  Dani tipped her head back and laughed heartily. This has nothing to do with the oysters, she signed, her eyes darkening with desire, this is about setting the pace for the next three-hundred-sixty-five days of our marriage.

  Max shivered as Dani’s foot inched past her knee and onto the inside of her thigh. “Let’s go,” she said, closing her eyes as she willed down the need burning in her loins.

  Dani’s foot mercifully stopped it’s slow teasing and Max’s head instantly cleared. She raised her hand to flag down the waitress, quickly settling their tab before taking Dani’s hand and pulling her toward the exit.

  The hotel they were staying in was only three blocks from the club, and the couple covered the distance quickly. They stumbled past the doorman, giggling like a pair of teenagers, and stepped into the waiting elevator.

  Because of the security camera in the corner, they kept their hands to themselves. The fifteen-floor ascent was excruciatingly long, and the couple passed the time by tossing lustful looks at each other.

  When the doors finally opened, Dani gripped Max by the front of her white silk blouse and dragged the taller woman to the second door on the left. Max grunted when Dani spun her around and pressed her firmly against the door.

  “Open it,” she commanded, her hands groping Max’s breasts.

  Max moaned softly and reached into her purse for the card-key. She jammed the card into the slot, cursing as her breath hitched. Dani’s fingers had found the buttons of her shirt and were releasing them in rapid succession.

  “Baby, slow down,” she breathed, stilling Dani’s hands with her own, “As much as I want you, I don’t want to be naked in the hallway of a luxury hotel.”

  Dani growled and reluctantly dropped her hands. Max leaned forward and pressed their lips together in a deep, promising kiss.

  “I love you,” she said, turning to unlock the door with a little more patience. The light on the slot turned green and Max pushed the door open.

  As soon as the door closed behind her, Dani grabbed Max’s hand and whipped her around. Max was slightly surprised by the smaller woman’s aggression, but found herself enjoying the eagerness. Dani’s hands worked with expedience, deftly ridding Max of her shirt.

  Dani let out a groan of excitement and cupped Max’s breasts, massaging them gently through her bra. “I’ve been waiting all day to do this,” she muttered, reverently stroking Max’s nipples through the thin lace.

  Max moaned and arched her back. She was at war with herself, a battle raging between her desire to take and her need to be taken. She had planned to use this night away to drive Dani to the brink of insanity through pleasure, but her body was overruling her with its need to let her wife send her over the edge of ecstasy.

  Dani purred deep in her throat as her hands released Max’s breasts from their confinement. She flicked her tongue over a stiff peak and a grin of satisfaction spread across her face when Max’s balance faltered. “Bed,” she commanded, “now.”

  Max whimpered when Dani’s teeth squeezed her nipple. Dani slipped her arms around Max, dragging her nails lightly down the woman’s sinewy back as she steered them toward the massive king-sized bed in the center of the room. Max’s knees buckled when they met the side of the bed and she dropped onto her back on the duvet.

  “You’re so beautiful, Max,” Dani whispered, her eyes devouring every inch of her wife’s exposed body. She crawled onto the bed, placing hungry kisses up Max’s torso as she worked her way up to straddle the taller woman’s hips.

  Max’s reply was quieted when fervent lips met hers. Dani’s tongue prodded gently until Max opened for her. Max’s hands danced up the outside of Dani’s satin-covered thighs to rest on her hips. Moans and whimpers danced on the air as the couple used their mouths to taste, nibble, and tease each other.

  “Dani,” Max groaned when Dani sat upright, “don’t stop now. Please?”

  Dani pulled the ear plugs from her ears and tossed them on the nightstand beside the bed. She eased herself from Max’s hips and stood on the floor between the woman’s knees. “I’m not stopping, sweetheart,” she promised, her voice low and seductive, “I’m just getting started.”

  Max’s eyes bulged when Dani reached up and tugged at the ties holding her dress in place. She watched intently as the dress slid slowly down Dani’s body, the thin material caressing the woman’s skin as it exposed her. “Wow,” she breathed.

  Dani stepped out of the dress and reclaimed her place on Max’s hips. Max’s breathing quickened as her eyes settled on Dani’s firm, round breasts.

  The only imperfection on the redhead’s flawless skin was the bruise Max had left on her the night before. She reached up and traced a finger delicately over the mark, her eyes locking on to Dani’s.

  The hurricane of emotions swirling in Dani’s sapphire eyes ignited something in Max. Her mind replayed the moment she’d clamped her teeth over Dani’s flesh, and the all-encompassing orgasm that had ro
cked them both.

  It wasn’t the first time the couple had reached climax together, but it was the most intense. A new desire began churning within Max as the couple stared silently into each other’s eyes.

  Max needed to relive that moment with Dani. She longed to hear Dani scream her name with the same passion and reverence; like Max was the sole reason for Dani’s happiness in life.

  Max reached up and grabbed hold of Dani’s braid at the base of her neck. She tugged Dani down and claimed her lips as she reversed their positions. Instead of straddling Dani, Max nestled herself between the woman’s legs and pressed her belly against Dani’s scorching center.

  Surprise widened Dani’s eyes, but she smiled at the change. “Hey,” she protested, “I was having fun.”

  Max saw the challenge in Dani’s eyes and tightened her grip on her wife’s hair. “Trust me, baby,” she growled softly, leaning down to nibble Dani’s ear, “you’re going to enjoy this.”

  Dani’s thighs tightened around Max and she moaned in anticipation. She knew that look in Max’s eyes. It was the look she yearned for whenever they were alone, the look that made her insides scream for Max’s attention.

  Max started slow; tasting, teasing, and nipping the places she knew would drive Dani wild. Dani’s moans and whimpers of excitement grew louder as Max worked her wife into a veritable frenzy of passion. Her nimble fingers touched and stroked the sensitive skin of Dani’s inner thighs, and Dani’s body arched in desperate offering.

  “Please, Max,” Dani panted as she dug her nails into the sheet, “I need you.”

  Max let Dani’s small nipple pull from her lips and kissed Dani gently. “What do you need, Dani?” she whispered against her wife’s plump lips.

  Dani whimpered and rocked her pelvis against Max’s. “Inside,” she begged, her eyes pleading with Max to release her from the sweet torment of foreplay.

  Max kissed her again and yanked roughly on the thin silk barrier that covered Dani’s need. The material tore away, filling the air with the scent of passion. Max looked down at the sensitive pink flesh and sucked in a breath at the swollen evidence of Dani’s desire.

  “Max, please,” Dani whined, the cool air of the room wreaking havoc on her overheated flesh.

  Max pulled away and stood, her eyes never leaving Dani’s pulsating apex as she rid herself of the rest of her clothing. She reclaimed her place between Dani’s legs, torturing the woman as she slid her body over the redhead’s center in one long, firm stroke.

  Dani cried out as the pressure against her throbbing clit threatened to consume her. Max smirked and slid a hand between them, her fingers teasing Dani’s wetness. She watched Dani’s face as she slid two fingers deep inside, her heart overflowing with love at the look of bliss on her wife’s face.

  Long minutes passed as Max pushed her wife toward oblivion. Moans and pants and whimpers mingled with the sounds of Max’s efforts, broken occasionally by Dani’s pleas for more. Max was unhurried in her endeavor, and took the time to memorize every expression that contorted Dani’s face.

  “Fuck, Max,” Dani begged, “I’m so close.”

  Max’s own need for release was becoming uncomfortable and she growled as she pumped her fingers harder into Dani. When Dani’s muscles began to constrict, Max levered herself onto her knees and braced her hand on the headboard for support.

  “Now, baby,” she urged, her hand working swiftly to push Dani over the brink.

  Dani’s eyes riveted to Max’s and a deep moan turned into a high-pitched scream as Dani’s orgasm tore through her. Every muscle in her body tightened and her hips bucked to take Max deeper. Max growled loudly when Dani’s arms encircled her, and sharp nails dug a trench down her back.

  “Oh God, Dani!” Max cried as her own body stiffened in release.

  When the shouts of ecstasy subsided, Max eased herself onto her side and pulled Dani close. Neither said a word as their bodies trembled with the aftermath of love making, each content to stroke her lover’s sweat-slicked skin in silence.

  “Happy Anniversary,” Dani finally said, pressing a soft kiss to Max’s breast when her breathing returned to normal.

  Max smiled and took Dani’s left hand, kissing the diamond on her finger. “Happy Anniversary,” she replied, “but it’s not over yet, you know.”

  Dani smiled and rolled onto her back, stretching her limp muscles. “I hope it’s never over.”

  Max raised onto her elbow and trailed one finger between Dani’s breasts and down her belly. “It never will be, Dani. I swear on everything I hold dear that it will never be over.”

  Goosebumps prickled Dani’s skin in the wake of Max’s touch, and her heart swelled with love at the vehemence of Max’s promise.

  “I meant tonight, honey,” she said, noting the look of concern on Max’s face. She brought her hand up and rested it on Max’s cheek, “I hope tonight never ends.”

  Max smiled and kissed Dani gently. “I know what you meant. I just want you to know that my love for you will never change. Every day, for the rest of my life, I will do my best to show you that my feelings for you will never end.”

  “I know that, Max,” Dani replied, pressing her forehead to Max’s, “I feel the same way about you. Knowing how much you love me, and that I don’t have to worry about that love changing, is the best gift I could ever receive. Today marks the end of our first year as wives. I can’t wait to spend a hundred more with you.”

  Max’s heart clenched, and tears welled in her eyes. She hadn’t expected Dani’s words to move her so much, but knowing that her wife felt so strongly was almost more than the woman’s heart could bear. Afraid to ruin the moment by crying, Max smiled and slipped her hand between Dani’s legs.

  “I have a present for you,” she said, nibbling a path from Dani’s shoulder to her ear, “It’s in my duffel. Why don’t you go get it and we can really celebrate what tonight signifies?”

  Dani moaned softly as Max’s fingers worked to rile her up again. “You didn’t have to get me anything, Max. I haven’t had the chance to get you a gift.”

  Max smiled lasciviously and claimed Dani’s lips. “Trust me, babe, you will give me everything I need after you open your present. And, you’ll do it over and over and over. It’s good that you can sign, because you’ll be too hoarse to speak by tomorrow.”

  Dani’s eyebrow quirked, and she stared curiously at her wife. Max’s eyes held a world of promise and Dani was eager to be shown those promises.

  With a chuckle, she crawled over Max and moved to the closet that held the duffel. A moment later, she returned to the bed with the box in tow.

  “You do know that I’ve never used one of these before, right?” she asked cautiously, laying the box on the bed beside Max.

  Max sat up and nodded. “Yes,” she replied, opening the box and removing the contents, “but I have, and I am very good at it.”

  Dani eyed the gift hesitantly, but the look of confidence on Max’s face eased her anxiety. “Be careful with me, Max.”

  Max’s eyes narrowed, and her confident smile faltered. “Honey, when have I ever not been careful? I have never hurt you before, and I never will.”

  Dani’s brow arched, and she pointed to the bruise on her chest. Max snorted, climbing off the bed to put the gift in place.

  “That didn’t hurt, and you know it,” she said, bending to place a kiss on the mark, “Besides, it’s not like you were begging me to stop.”

  Dani giggled and glanced at Max’s crotch. She knew Max would never intentionally cause her physical pain, but she still had her reservations about the gift. Max could see the uncertainty lingering in her wife’s eyes and moved to assuage it.

  “If you don’t like it, we won’t use it,” she promised, taking Dani’s hands and easing her onto the bed, “all you have to do is speak up.”

  Dani stared up at Max and caught her bottom lip between her teeth. She wasn’t sure how much use the gift would get in the future, but the look of desire bu
rning in Max’s eyes eased some of her hesitation. With a nod, she reached for Max’s hand and pulled the woman on top of her.

  Chapter 10

  “What?” Max grumbled into her phone.

  “Max, you and Dani need to get back to Falls City, now. We think you’ve been compromised.”

  Max bolted upright in the bed, startling Dani. “What’s wrong?” she asked groggily. Max held up a finger and shook her head.

  “What do you mean, Frost? Compromised how?” Max glanced at her wife and saw Dani’s eyes widen with disbelief.

  “Just get back as soon as possible. Act pissed when you get here, there are cops all over the property.”

  Agent Frost ended the call, and Max stared at her phone. “We have to go,” she said to Dani as she glanced at the clock, “Frost thinks our cover has been compromised.”

  “How?” Dani asked as she climbed gingerly out of the bed.

  Max shrugged and pulled her duffel from the closet. She rummaged inside and handed Dani clean clothes. “Frost didn’t say,” she replied, dressing quickly, “she just said to get back to town.”

  The couple hastily packed their belongings and checked out of the hotel. Max’s foot kept the accelerator on the floor as the couple shot toward Falls City. The almost two-hour drive passed quickly. In no time, Max was easing off the gas to abide the 20 mile-per-hour speed limit. When she turned right off Bridge Street onto Parry Road, Max slowed the car even more.

  Police cars lined the street leading to their driveway, and Max and Dani prepared to dazzle the neighbors with their acting ability.

  “What the hell are you all doing on my property?” Max bellowed as she and Dani stepped out of the car. Max stormed up the drive toward the house with Dani, looking every bit the scared teenager, hot on her heels.

  “Ms. Mackenzie Willows?” Cordy Weston asked loudly, holding up her hand to stop the woman’s forward progress.

  “Yes,” Max snapped, “What’s going on? What happened to my house?”

  “Ma’am, someone vandalized your home last night. Can you think of anyone who would do this?”