He tried to picture knocking on her door. She’d answer, but the stubborn half would appear. “I’ll give her a week. Then I’m going in.”
#
“Tell me everything.” Chelsea sat on Liz’s bed and handed her another tissue.
She’d gone through almost a half box already. “The last few days have been wonderful.” She held up a hand. “Being at the shipyard and seeing Couch scared the crap out of me, but with the bulletproof glass, I was safe.”
“You said the sex was wonderful.”
“Amazing. Both men really seemed to know what I wanted and needed.”
Chelsea looked almost dreamy eyed. “What was it like being tied up and totally at their mercy?”
Wonderful, divine, sexier than anything she’d ever done in her life. “It’s not like I can even describe how they made me feel. I will tell you that when Trax takes control, and I mean really takes control, I’m transported to a new place.”
“I want to be tied up, spanked, and almost tortured by a bunch of hunky men.”
“Do you have a fantasy of getting gang raped or something?”
Chelsea’s brows pinched. “No, I only want two men. And I want them to be so desperate that they tear off my clothes and fuck me hard and fast.”
Her friend’s comment finally got her to chuckle. “You are a piece of work.”
“You even said you liked being blindfolded and having a plug in your ass all night.”
“I did.” Only because the plug was the means to a very good end.
“So why the hell are you here and not getting laid?”
She didn’t know if she could put it into words. “Having the men take you is only good if there is total trust. Now there is none.”
“What you’re saying is that you are willing to give up on two of the hottest men in the world because they broke your trust?”
“Yes.”
“I see. Tell me this. Are you questioning their devotion?”
“Yes.” She didn’t see where Chelsea was going with this.
“Your belief is based on the fact they lied to you.”
“That’s right.” Her friend finally seemed to understand. “They even said I was the one for them. Their lack of honesty about something this important proves I’m not.”
“Then let me ask you this. When did you expect them to tell you? When they had you tied up and they were licking your pussy?”
“No.” Chelsea was being ridiculous.
“When they were trying to catch the bad guy for you?”
Heat slowly warmed her face. “No.”
“What would you have said if they told you the first night they were werewolves?”
Her friend was taking this too far. “I would have freaked.” Just like she did when Trax shifted.
Chelsea nodded. “They probably anticipated your reaction and were waiting until you fell for them before they told you.”
“That doesn’t change anything.”
Chelsea picked up Liz’s hand and ran a thumb over the top. “Unless they told you they were werewolves when Trax came up behind you in the alley, you would have said they should have told you sooner.”
“I suppose.”
“So it all comes down to timing. Just because their timing was off doesn’t mean they don’t love you.”
Now she was more confused than before. “I don’t know.”
“Here’s the bottom line. Do you love them?”
She removed her hand from her friend’s grasp and blew her nose. “Maybe.”
“Maybe yes or maybe no?”
“I don’t know. I’m so damned confused.”
“Think about this. Perhaps they withheld the truth to save you some trauma. After all, your first impression of werewolves wasn’t a good one. Don’t be so quick to judge.” Chelsea slid off the bed. “I need to get home. Think about what I said.”
Liz looked up and wiped the tears off her cheeks. “Thanks. Maybe I’ll see you at work tomorrow?”
“You bet.” Chelsea hugged her goodbye and left.
Liz got off the bed and made sure her drapes were drawn and her doors locked. If Couch really was going to come after her, she didn’t want to make it easy on him.
What she really needed was a good soak in the tub with piles of bubbles, soft music, and a glass or two of wine. She wanted to forget about Harvey Couch, and she wanted to forget about the fact that the men she’d fallen for were animals in disguise.
She ran the bath water and poured her wine. After she stripped, she sunk into the foam, leaned her head back, and relaxed for the first time in what seemed like forever. The scabs on her knees had healed, and she almost had full use of her hand. The palm was a little tender. In a couple of days she’d see about getting the stitches removed.