I used to lead my heartaches away on the chase
When you get stung with the heart of a little child
Rattle Snake Smile ~ Christian Kane
xoxoxo
"You're a nympho." Eliot grinned. "I lost track…how many times is this in the last twenty-four hours?"
"Are you complaining? I'm making up for the time we wasted in New Jersey being mad at each other. Besides, there is something I haven't done yet." She bent over to turn on the water in the shower. He grabbed her hips pressing his cock against her backside.
"There are a lot of things we haven't done yet but we don't have time to do them all right now," he moaned. This woman was making him crazy. Usually he'd lose interest in a woman after a few nights if it was even more than a one night stand. And the sex became more physical urges that real desire. But with Katie, each time the burning desire made him forget everything else for awhile. It was both dangerous and erotic at the same time. As much as he hated losing any control, the thrill it gave him to have someone who caused him to surrender to the feelings was intoxicating.
He allowed her to pull him into the shower, where he backed her under the shower head with a grin. As she washed her hair, he grabbed the soap and began washing her body, his fingers sliding up and down her slippery skin easily. Her nipples hardened under his touch. The water ran down her body, rinsing off the soap and he sucked her nipple into his mouth, biting gently. Katie moaned. His hands reached back and grabbed her ass jerking her to him as soon as she rinsed her hair out.
xoxox
Katie slid past him and pushed him lightly back to let the water wet his hair then she took the shampoo and began massaging it into his hair. He continued distracting her with his mouth on her breasts.
"You're making it very hard to do this," she giggled, continuing to wash his hair.
"You're making me very hard."
"And I'm the nympho?" she grinned. When he put his head back to rinse out the shampoo she took the time to admire him. He was perfection, a walking wet dream, and he was hers…at least for now. Deep down she knew he could be gone tomorrow but knowing he loved her made it worth the risk.
She simply stared at him. His scars made him even more perfect to her, because it made him much more human. Her gaze drifted down him hotly, getting more and more turned on as she did. She loved the way his arms bulged with the simplest movement, his rock hard abs that flexed underneath the tiniest bit of love handles, and his muscular thighs, as well as the tribal tattoos on his calves. She remembered when he got those after high school, forcing John to get a tattoo with him. 'Course back then Eliot wasn't nearly as built as he was and now the tattoos were even sexier. Now…
"What?" he asked and she looked up surprised.
"I was just thinking…dayum!" She grinned and wrapped her arms around his waist pulling him to her, his hard cock pressing against her stomach. "You've got a killer body babe."
"You're making me feel like a piece of meat," he grinned, obviously not offended. He pinched her nipples as the water cascaded over his shoulder, running down both of them.
"You're my piece of meat though. And I want it hot and well done," she giggled before kissing him. "I'll need you to get a tattoo that says USDA Approved on your ass."
Eliot groaned at her lame joke and shook his head. She raised her hand to tangle in his curly wet hair, pulling him down to kiss her. As their kiss went from playful to passionate, he quickly lifted her into his arms, turning to rest her back against the tile.
xoxox
Pulling her arms over her head, he pressed them against the tile as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Her eyes full of a mix of mischief and desire, she tilted herself pelvis towards his cock and he thrust deep inside her, pinning her against the shower wall. It was quick and rough, but she was as aggressive as he was. When she came, he thought she was going to rip his back apart with her nails and he was pretty sure she broke skin when her teeth bit down his shoulder to muffle a scream.
She finally caught her breath and whispered, "No, not like this."
He stopped moving and lowered her, thinking she wanted it from behind but then he groaned loudly when she sank to her knees. "Sweet Jesus," he whispered as she devoured his cock in her hot mouth, her hands constantly stroking him.
Eliot knew they didn't have long. Dammit, he really wanted to prolong this but he could hear the others up and about. And the way Katie was sucking him, he was surprised he hadn't come already. For someone who just learned how to do this, she had an amazing technique. Her tongue moved constantly and she would suck harder when she pulled him out of her mouth, the counter action feeling agonizingly incredible. He pressed in more, careful not to go too far. Resting his forehead on his arm, he leaned against the wall thrusting slowly into her mouth, watching her every move.
God damn, this was like heaven and hell at the same time. He knew his thoughts didn't make sense but his brain seemed scrambled.
"Katie…" he whispered, as he grasped the back of her neck, trying to slow her down so he could regain some control.
Removing him from her mouth, she glanced up at him, running her tongue up his cock and circling the head. When she sucked him even deeper into her mouth and sped up her movements, it totally shredded the rest of his control. He tried to withdraw but she held him firmly. His hands clenched into fists and he let out a mix of a growl and a moan then exploded in her mouth. Katie swallowed rapidly so she didn't choke but didn't let a drop escape her lips.
"You're trying to kill me, aren't you?" he muttered with a grin when she grabbed the soap and washed him off.
Standing up she smiled, "Killing you with kindness perhaps." When she went to kiss him, he pulled back with a laugh.
"No, I don't think so. You're the one who wanted a taste, not me."
"What a double standard." Getting out of the shower, she grabbed a towel and threw one to him. "Let's go get this over with so you can return the favor later."
"That might be all I can do. I think you wore my cock out for good," he moaned but smiled.
"Aww, poor baby. You have such a hard life," she retorted, rolling her eyes. "How do you think I feel? I hurt in places deep inside me where I didn't even know I had muscles! And look at all these damn bruises."
xoxox
Hardison, Katie and Parker were quiet in the van. Alec parked a block away and waited for Nate to pull the car into the parking lot of the lawyer's office. Katie had begged to be given a com and Nate had finally relented, although Eliot warned Parker to make sure Katie didn't fly out of the van, if she heard something that freaked her out.
As soon as Eliot got out of the car, he felt eyes on him; unfriendly eyes. He pretended to help Sophie out of the car as he scanned the parking lot. Sophie's eyes met his and, after a moment, she followed Nate into the building.
"Let's take the stairs. I don't want an ambush," Eliot whispered and Nate went into the stairwell. On the third floor, they all stopped and waited, listening for anything unusual before Eliot opened the door.
The lawyer's office was in a very old, plush building. Considering his client list consisted of the old money families, it wasn't a surprise. Nate stepped in first, followed by Sophie, then Eliot, who continued to glance around subtly.
"Drew?" the receptionist asked. "I can't believe it's you! Everyone thought you'd run off for good. You look incredible!" The young woman rushed around the desk and hugged him tightly. Eliot's eyes drifted to her name plate – 'Jessica Vane'.
"Jessica Vane, what a surprise." he exclaimed, having no idea who she was.
"She was a couple of years older than me. She had a huge crush on John all through high school. I heard she lost about fifty pounds since graduation." Katie's voice was amused.
"You look great," he smiled gently. "Have you lost weight?"
"Darling, you never ask about a woman's age or weight," Sophie said with a smile. "I'm Elisabeth, Elisabeth Winchester." She clung to Eliot's arm possessively, causing the other woman to take a few steps back.
"I was just saying how lovely she looks, sweetheart," Eliot shot her a warning look. "We go way back, don't we, Jess?"
Jessica blushed profusely before looking at Sophie, a little timidly. "Congratulations on your marriage. I'm very sorry you had to come here under such circumstances. It was a devastating loss for us all."
"Thank you," Eliot looked down for a moment. "It was quite a shock when I heard."
"I'm surprised you hadn't already heard about the scandal." Leaning closer to him, Jessica continued, "With his death and all, I guess Katie took it a little harder than we all realized. She burned down the house after she was forced to sell all the horses. Her ex-fiancé is just devastated because she's missing. He drops by to see Mr. Smithfield regularly to see if there is any news."
"I'm Robert Benton, Mr. Winchester's attorney." Nate held out his hand which she shook firmly. "And has there been any news about her whereabouts?"
Jessica glanced towards the office door before lowering her voice. "Personally, I think she's running from more than just the law. There have been rumors that she was in the family way. Apparently she got knocked up by one of the farmhands who helped her burn the house down and they fled town. Can you believe she spent all that money her family left her? Simply tragic. I'm just grateful John isn't here to see how far she's fallen from grace, God rest his soul."
"That little bitch!" Katie snapped in his ear before Hardison shushed her.
"Pregnant? Well, that will complicate the estate further if it's true," Nate leaned forward. "What does Mr. Smithfield think of this whole affair?"
"Oh, he'd be very upset with me if he heard me speak ill of Katie. He's an old family friend and still thinks the sun rises and sets on her, just like John did, and her father before him." Jessica shook her head.
"Small town gossip is always the juiciest," Sophie patted Jessica on her hand, in a very condescending way. She had adopted a New York accent and dressed in clothing that was obviously knock-offs of some designer label, looking every bit the part of someone who wanted to appear cultured and well off, but missing the mark. "She couldn't possibly be all that bad for everyone to be so completely fooled by her."
"Katie was always…a little headstrong and wild. I can imagine that if she couldn't have the ranch she'd make sure that no one else had it either," Jessica looked at Sophie and added. "She never had the class of her mother and John. Born with a silver spoon in her mouth, but she was always more into drinking beer and partying than worrying about polite society. Not that the men in her life ever saw her for what she truly was."
Eliot bit back a smile when Katie started using words that would make a sailor blush. "Oh, I don't know. I think she had a good head on her shoulders."
"Aww, you're still so sweet. Considering all she's done and you're defending her? But you and she never…" Jessica gave him a look. "I mean I know she dated a lot of men but I didn't think she'd date John's friends."
"A lot of men? Someone needs to punch her!" Seething over the com, Katie had to be shushed by Hardison again.
"Ms Vane." An elderly man stood in the inner office doorway studying his receptionist with a very disapproving look. "You didn't tell me my appointment had arrived."
"Oh forgive me," Jessica began stammering before she rushed back behind her desk. "I was just catching up with Drew here. He and I go way back."
"Mr. Benton, Mr. and Mrs. Winchester, I'm Alan Smithfield," the man greeted them pleasantly, yet very stiff and formal. "Why don't you come in the conference room where we can speak privately?"
Eliot heard him reprimand Jessica in a low voice before he joined them. Shutting the door, he added, "I must apologize for Ms. Vane behaving inappropriately."
"She was merely telling us about this scandal involving your client's sister," Nate commented then sat back, waiting for the lawyer to elaborate.
"Indeed. I'll have a word with her about that later," his voice was tight. Finally he turned to Eliot. "I'm sorry if she said any unpleasant things about Miss Stanton-Williams. I know you were rather close to the family. I'm sure this must all come as a shock to you."
"It's all simply tragic," Sophie said, turning to Eliot with a sympathetic gaze. "My poor husband has been devastated by this news and to hear such vile things about Katherine. Tell me Mr. Smithfield, are the rumors true?"
The attorney paused for a moment before raising his eyes to Eliot's. "I don't believe them. I still remember the day Miss Stanton-Williams was born, her first birthday, her first communion, her high school graduation, even her graduation from Vanderbilt. She was her father's pride and joy as well as her brother's. I find it hard to believe that she is capable of the things she's been accused of."
Eliot studied the man for a moment, seeing complete honesty in his eyes. So Katie did have one ally left in this town at least. "What is this about the fire at the ranch?" he asked, curiously. "Was it arson?"
"Yes but…" the lawyer paused before straightening. "It's still under investigation. I'm certain that they'll find whoever did it."
"So you don't believe Miss Stanton-Williams set the fire?" Nate raised his brows in interest. "Who stood to benefit from the fire?"
"I'm afraid attorney's privilege prevents me from saying more about Miss Stanton-Williams. She is still my client." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card. "But if you're interested to know more, I'm sure the insurance man could fill in the blanks for you. He's been here in town the last few days doing some fact checking. I'm sure he'd meet with you, Mr. Winchester."
"About the estate…" Nate sensed the lawyer becoming uncomfortable about the conversation and wanted to steer it back to why they came. Eliot pocketed Sterling's card and even managed to not growl when seeing his name.
"I'm afraid the estate can't be settled as long as there is an open arson investigation. But with Mr. Winchester here, the rest of the property will be frozen until the arson investigation is settled. Then he will receive fifteen percent of the money. Plus a deed is already in process for him on twenty acres in the back along Winding River Lane. It's a good distance from the house and stables. I think Mr. Stanton-Williams wanted to assure you had privacy if you decided to build a house there. It's a nice parcel of land," the lawyer handed Eliot same paper work and some pictures. "We did try to contact you for the reading of the will but Miss Stanton-Williams couldn't find a way to get in touch with you."
"Yes, we were in London to get married and then on to Paris for our honeymoon," Sophie smiled and rubbed Eliot's arm affectionately.
"Mr. Benton, I must insist you read the stipulations set forth in the will. John Williams Senior and Mrs. Stanton-Williams, Katie and John's parents, continued a long standing tradition that has been carried out throughout the generations of the Stanton family and it was repeated in John and Katie's wills," the attorney handed Nate a file folder. "For Mr. Winchester to receive his property and finalize the deed, he must agree to the terms set forth."
Eliot studied the pictures. The property was perfect and twenty acres was more than enough to have a small... He shook his head. What was he thinking? That he'd settle down and building a country house to retire in? Still…it was beautiful property. "What are the terms?" he asked, laying the pictures aside to read the paperwork.
The attorney's gaze wandered to Sophie before returning to Eliot. "The Stanton family was concerned the land would be divided due to any dispute, so their wills all include the same terms. If you and your wife should have children, then they would inherit the land, but not your wife. If there are no direct heirs, the property reverts back to the Stanton family or the trust set forth in the case of their deaths without an heir."
"So, I wouldn't receive anything?" Sophie looked crushed.
"No, ma'am. The Stanton family was very strict about this. Only blood relations could ever sell any of the property. If Mr. Winchester chooses not to claim his inheritance, the land would revert back to Miss Stanton-Williams for a fair price."
Sophie sat back in her chair, her hand no longer lingering on Eliot's arm. "And the money?"
"It would only pass on to Mr. Winchester's descendents if he had any or revert back to the trust. But Mr. Winchester is a young man, I'm sure he'll have an heir. Since you're not a blood relation of the Stanton family, you could, of course, petition the courts if you decide to handle your inheritance any way other than set forth in these papers. But it was set up that way to prevent people from taking advantage of the family due to an…unfortunate marriage." The look at the lawyer's face was priceless as he cut his eyes in Sophie's direction.
"Other than the land, nothing can really be done until the arson investigation is closed and Miss Stanton-Williams returns to finalize the estate," the attorney watched him closely and Eliot felt like he was looking for a sign that he wasn't only after the money.
"I'm sorry that this Katie character has chosen to put Drew in such an awkward situation," Sophie said with a huff.
Mr. Smithfield looked at Sophie with barely concealed contempt. "The fact that John and Katie added Andrew to their wills is an honor. He's not a blood relation. Therefore, they owe him nothing. But they both made it clear that he was part of the family none-the-less."
Eliot could tell the man really wanted to look out for the family's interests. It reassured him that Katie would have someone to lean on, at least legally. He was touched that John had been so generous to him. Feeling uncomfortable continuing this charade, he signaled Nate that the meeting was over.
"We'll review the documents and get back to you, Mr. Smithfield," Eliot said, rising from his chair. "I'm sure that Katie will return to settle these matters soon. Despite the rumors and speculation, she's a good person and I know she'll do the right thing." He glared at Sophie, pretending to chastise her with his eyes. "Would it be alright for me to go look at the property?"
"It should be fine. There are some employees still working to keep the property up. Your plot isn't for sale so it is marked by the surveyor and I think it's being maintained as well." The attorney rose and extended a hand to him. "I'm truly sorry for your loss, Mr. Winchester. The Stanton-Williams family was dear friends and they have had more than their share of tragedy, as you know. I'll contact Mr. Benton when Miss Stanton-Williams returns or the arson investigation is cleared up. Until then, the property will remain intact," Mr. Smithfield barely glanced at Sophie before adding. "Don't worry Mrs. Winchester. I'm certain that this matter will be resolved soon."
After he walked them out, Nate muttered under his breath, "I think that we can rule him off the list of being involved. Hard to believe but he seems like an honest attorney. He certainly didn't like the implication that your 'wife' might get her gold digging claws into the Stanton-Williams property."
Katie couldn't help the giggle that escaped her lips. "Yeah Sophie. Just back off the land, sister! I always liked Mr. Smithfield. It's good to know that he's not in on this."
"All his financials check out," Hardison added over the coms. "He seems completely legit. The accountant, however, not so much. But…umm…hey guys, we got company."