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Doc
So was he, apparently, especially since Tina had been moving and shifting against him all night. His body didn’t care that she was dealing with life-altering issues. It only remembered what it felt like to be deep inside her and wanted desperately to do so again.
Thankfully, his big head held more sway over what happened than his little one. “Get dressed.”
“Why?”
“Because if I’m going to be functional at this hour, I’m going to need some of Sam’s crack coffee.”
“I should get back to town.”
“Not without breakfast,” he said firmly. “It’s still early. You have time.”
He turned and went back into the bedroom area, fully intending to get dressed and do exactly that—namely, head over to the dining room, get some coffee and breakfast, and then do whatever Tina needed him to do.
What he was not going to do was bend her over the bed and fuck her into orgasmic bliss.
The sneak attack from behind came without warning. One second, Doc was willing himself to calm down and consider Tina’s emotional needs above his physical ones. The next, she was launching herself onto his back.
The unexpected blow caught him off guard, the forward momentum making him stumble until his legs hit the bed and his upper body went down on top of it. Her thighs settled on either side of his waist, and it was then he realized that at some point, she’d gone commando.
His noble intentions fled instantly in a mass exodus of epic proportions.
“What if I counteroffer with an alternate eye-opener?” she asked, her mouth close to his ear.
He used his training and his bigger, stronger body to execute a swift, smooth move, one that put her beneath him. He was forced to question the wisdom of such a move when the maneuver placed his now-granite cock against her panty-less sex and only the thin layer of his cotton pajama pants between them.
“What did you have in mind?”
She reached between them and slid her hand into his waistband. She wrapped her fingers around him and did a pulling, stroking move that made his balls ache and his eyes cross. The woman simply had to touch him, and he was walking a razor’s edge.
“You’re not making it easy to do the honorable thing here.”
“Honorable thing?”
She kept stroking, which required him to pull upon the same self-discipline that had gotten him through BUD/s all those years ago.
“I don’t want to take advantage of you when you’re feeling vulnerable.”
Her wicked smile sharpened the ache. “Last night, I was feeling vulnerable. This morning, I’m feeling something entirely different.”
“What’s that?” he said through clenched teeth.
She reached down further between his legs, cupped his balls, and fondled him while gazing into his eyes. “Empty.”
He muttered several curses. He was a strong man, but he had no defense for this. He withdrew only long enough to shuck his bottoms and wrap his cock. Checking her readiness, he slid his fingers along her folds, finding her wet and oh-so ready.
Before long, he was pushing into her, savoring the feel of her tight sheath taking all of him, pausing only when his balls rested against her. “Okay?” he asked.
“Perfect,” she whispered.
He began to move, impaling her with slow, thorough strokes. She arched up, countering his movements with a rhythmic clench and release while gripping his ass and curling her nails into his skin.
They’d had sex before, but this felt different. As if she was inviting him into more than just her body.
Afterward, as they lay in each other’s arms, Tina placed her hands around his face and kissed him tenderly. “Thank you. Now, I’m ready for coffee.”
* * *
It felt natural to be walking into the dining room hand in hand with Tina. He was going to see about getting a coffeemaker though for those occasions when one early morning eye-opener wasn’t enough. Because there would be more of them.
“Something smells fantastic,” Tina said.
“Sam’s making muffins, most likely,” Doc told her. “They’re almost as addictive as her coffee.”
Smoke was sitting in his usual spot and looked up when they entered.
“Morning,” he said, which Doc knew was for Tina’s benefit. Had it just been him, Smoke would have offered a brisk nod, if that.
“Good morning,” Tina responded.
Doc got them both coffee, but it was still early enough that a hot breakfast wasn’t yet available. Instead of sitting down at the table, Tina asked if she could go into the kitchen and see if Sam needed or wanted help.
“How’s she doing?” Smoke asked when Tina disappeared into the kitchen.
“She was pretty pissed off last night, but I think the gravity of the situation is sinking in,” Doc answered.
“How much does she know?”
“She knows the farm is deep in debt. She’s also now aware that her brothers have been dealing in illegal weapons, thanks to the cache she discovered in the family’s root cellars.”
Smoke’s eyebrows rose. “They admitted it?”
“Not in so many words. Rick said he was—” Doc made quotes with his fingers “—holding them for a friend.”
Smoke snorted.
“Yeah, Tina didn’t buy it either, though she believes that Luther and Gunther are behind everything. But she doesn’t know the full scope of the operation. I don’t think Rick does either, honestly. He believes it’s a lucrative side hustle Gunther and Renninger came up with, one that caters to a niche market of survivalist groups, and they pulled him along for the ride.”
Smoke snorted again. He had a low tolerance for idiots. “He didn’t happen to provide a good origin story, did he?”
“As a matter of fact, he did.” Doc shared what Tina had told him about Dwayne Freed’s prison buddy contact and how he bailed when things started getting out of hand, leaving them to find a new supplier.
“It’s pretty sad when a convicted felon dealing in illegal arms has a higher moral code than a pair of local boys,” Smoke said, shaking his head.
“It also explains how they managed to get in over their heads. Chances are, if they hadn’t gotten greedy, they wouldn’t be in the mess they’re in now. Rick basically came right out and told her that losing the farm was preferable to what’ll happen if they don’t come up with the money to pay off some of those debts.”
Smoke chewed on that for a moment and then said, “You do realize that she’s got a target on her back now, too, right?”
Doc did realize that, and it scared the hell out of him.
“As long as she’s here, she’s safe.”
The problem was keeping her there. She was determined to keep the orchards running for as long as possible, as well as her mill.
“And when she’s not?”
“I’m still working on that part.”
“We’ve got your six, which means we’ve got hers, too.”
A sense of relief washed over him. He hadn’t thought it would be any other way, but it was nice to have Smoke’s confirmation just the same.
Sam and Tina came out of the kitchen, rolling a cart with trays of fresh muffins and thermal carafes, presumably filled with Sam’s secret coffee blend. Just in time, too, because Doc’s mug was empty.
They brought one of each over to the table and sat down.
Doc snatched a muffin for himself and offered one to Tina.
She waved him off. “I’ve already had six.”
Sam laughed. “It’s true. She did.”
“I can’t help it. They’re even better than the ones you used to make at Santori’s.”
“That’s because I use better ingredients,” Sam said matter-of-factly. “Straight from The Mill in fact.”
Tina smiled, but Doc was watching her closely and saw the sadness in her eyes.
“Do you have any idea what’s going to happen?”
Clearly, Tina had shared at least some of what had happened with Sam.
Tina shook her head. “No. I guess that depends on who the buyer is and how fast they tear down the orchards. If there’s something you’re particularly fond of, let me know, and it’s yours.”
“I don’t think you realize what you’re offering,” Doc said with a smile.
“Yes, I do. The Mill is still mine—for now at least—and once word gets out, I imagine we’ll sell out quickly. I’d much rather give it away to people who have supported me over the years than make a few bucks. Even if I sold everything, it wouldn’t make a dent in what we owe.”
Doc hated the undercurrent of defeat in her voice.
“Have you told anyone yet?” asked Sam.
Tina shook her head. “Not officially, no. I keep thinking there has to be a way out of this, but if there is, I haven’t found it. In any event, I need to head back this morning and talk to my crew, so they can prepare. Some of them have families and might want to start looking for other jobs. That’s the least I can do.”
She looked at the cheap but functional watch on her left wrist. “In fact, I should go. Thanks for the coffee and the muffins.”
“Anytime.”
“Want company?” Doc asked as they walked back to his trailer.
“Thanks for the offer, but no. It would complicate things.”
He understood, but he didn’t have to like it. “Will you come back here afterward?”
“I don’t know. Let’s see how the day goes and take it from there.”
* * *
Doc watched her drive away, fighting the powerful urge to jump in his Jeep and follow her. He got as far as extracting the keys from his pocket before Heff’s disembodied voice called out from somewhere off to his left.
“Don’t do it.”
Doc sighed and shook his head. He wondered how long Heff had been eavesdropping.
“Seriously, don’t do it,” Heff told him, stepping out of the woods. “You’ll lose your sensitive, supportive guy cred and, more importantly, you’ll piss her off.”
“And you know this because?”
“Because I know women. Tina isn’t some fragile flower. She’s a strong, independent female, capable of taking care of herself, and if you go in there, trying to fight her battles for her, she’ll resent you for it.”
“So, what am I supposed to do? Sit back and wait for her to ask for help?”
“That’s exactly what you’re supposed to do. Stand on the sidelines and let her know you’re ready to step in at a moment’s notice, but it’s got to be her call, feel me?”
“Is that what you did with Sandy?”
“Yes, and it damn near killed me,” Heff said cheerfully. “But it all worked out in the end, so it was worth every agonizing moment. It’ll work out for you, too. I’ve seen the way she looks at you.”
“Yeah? How does she look at me?”
“Like you’re the cream to her peaches. The whoopie to her pie. The—”
“Enough,” Doc said, holding back a laugh.
Once Heff got on a roll, he kept going, and the last thing Doc wanted to do was encourage him.
Heff did have a point though. And while Doc would never feed the guy’s ego by admitting it, Heff did know a lot about the fairer sex.
Doc changed topics. “Is there a reason you’re skulking around my trailer? Besides channeling your inner love guru, I mean?”
“As a matter of fact, yes. We’re doing a conference call with the Callaghans, and Smoke said you had some info to share with the rest of the class.”
“You could’ve just texted me.”
“I did.”
Doc reached into his pocket and realized he didn’t have his phone on him. “I must have left it in the trailer when we went for breakfast this morning.”
“Good sex will do that to you,” Heff said with a knowing smirk. “Shorts the circuits. It’s how you know you’ve found the right one.”
Doc chose not to respond to that, but he agreed wholeheartedly. He and Tina fit in every way that mattered.
“When is this meeting?”
“As soon as everyone gets there. Cage and Mad Dog are on their way.”
The two men started walking toward the main building when Heff shook his head and muttered, “After we get you situated, we need to get Church a woman.”
“Why’s that?”
“So he stops calling these early morning meetings. Some of us have better ways to start the day, if you know what I mean.”
Doc laughed. Yeah, he knew, especially since his day had started off pretty damn good.
* * *
Once they were all assembled in the war room, Cage started a video call.
Doc shared what Tina had told him, feeling only a slight pang of guilt. Tina hadn’t explicitly asked him not to say anything, but she probably assumed confidentiality was implicit. However, he couldn’t exactly ask for her permission, not without explaining why he wanted to share and with whom.
He rationalized his decision by reminding himself that Tina had no idea how dangerous the men were that Renninger and her brothers were involved with. Sure, Tina was angry with them for what they’d done, but he didn’t think she’d want to see them made an example of by international cartel assassins.
“Renninger is in hiding,” Ian confirmed. “But we’ll find him. We’ve got flags on all of his accounts, and we’re combing through his list of contacts. If he so much as sticks his nose out from beneath whatever rock he’s crawled under, we’ll know it.”
His eyes found Doc. “How’s your woman holding up? She seemed pretty pissed off when she showed up at Renninger’s office in town yesterday.”
“How did you know about that?” Doc asked.
Ian’s grin was devilish. “Renninger’s office is under twenty-four-hour surveillance.”
Translation: Ian had hacked the feed.
“She’s got a colorful vocabulary,” Jake chimed in. “She’d get along well with my wife.”
“It sucks that she got sucked up in this,” Ian said, becoming serious once again. “If there’s anything we can do to help, let us know.”
“Thanks. I’m not sure what anyone can do at this point.”
Ian’s gaze turned thoughtful. “You might want to talk to Maggie.”
Doc remembered an earlier meeting where they’d mentioned something similar happening to one of their own. He didn’t know if that would help, but he filed it away for later.
“In the meantime, try to keep her as far removed from the situation as possible,” said Jake. “It’s not going to be long before people notice Renninger’s absence, and when they do, they’re going to start looking at who he was doing business with.”