“Don’t you look wonderful?” Kari beamed at her. “Sorry for bringing up the rear, but I got stuck talking to my mom on the phone. Zane’s giving her trouble. Oh, and Rainie and Uzuri called to say that they were stuck working late today, but to give you hugs from them,” Kari said, putting action to words. “I’m so happy you’ve graduated.”
“Me too.” Sally rolled her eyes. “Even though I didn’t have classes at UCF every day, the commute from Tampa was killing me.”
“Do you have any idea what you want to do now?”
“I’m looking for a job in a police station.”
Kari grimaced. “That should be interesting.”
“The work really is. But ugly sometimes. I saw a murdered guy; my stomach was doing rollercoaster flips for a couple of days.” And longer.
Kim turned from where she stood beside Raoul and gave Sally a worried look. “Those images don’t really go away, you know.” As a former slave, she’d probably seen more than her share.
“So I’m finding.” And yeah, she should never have hacked into the New York police station database. The pictures of that murdered New York police officer… God. Rather than counting sheep at night, she was counting bodies. “But I don’t leave the station very often, so it’s probably not a problem.” She wouldn’t let that be a problem.
“That’s good.” Kari glanced over at the huddle of law types, which her husband had joined. “Dan says you’re living with the two Fed hunks. How’s it going?”
“They’re nicer than I thought,” Sally admitted. “It’s not serious. I mean, hey, they’re players and there are two of them, so I’m totally not wanting long-term. But for right now, it’s like indulging in Halloween candy. I’ll enjoy it until the sweets run out.”
“That sounds smart.” After a sip, Kim frowned at her glass. “Wine might be healthy, but it’s so boring at a party. Maybe I should try that Orgasm drink of yours. What about you, Kari?”
She hesitated, then shook her head. “Probably not a good idea. But I could use some water.”
“In that case, ladies, follow me.” Sally led the way to the bar.
The lanky bartender grinned at the three. “What can I get you?”
Kim set down her wineglass and glanced over her shoulder at her Master, where he was illustrating something on a napkin while Nolan and Sam looked on.
“He’s too busy to worry about what you drink,” Sally said. “Besides, orgasms are healthy, aren’t they?” Perhaps not up to Master Raoul’s standards.
Sally looked around and grinned. Oh gee, my Feebies are awfully occupied too. Wasn’t that too bad? She emptied her glass in two gulps and set it with a thump in front of the bartender. “I need another one as well.”
“You’re going to get in trouble with those big doofuses, you know. But I’m in.” Kim told the tall bartender, “Two Screaming Orgasms, please.”
“Coming right up.”
Sally grinned at Kari. “And you?”
Kari shook her head. “No. I haven’t had anything stronger than a glass of wine since Jessica’s bachelorette party.”
Guess ordering one for her wasn’t a good idea. “Hard to drink much with a baby at home.”
“Actually, my mom took Zane home with her for the night.” Kari wistfully watched the bartender making the drinks.
“So are you and Dan gonna party at home tonight?” Kim put her arm around her friend.
“Doubtful,” Kari said under her breath.
Sally frowned. New baby. Dan was working too many long hours. Unhappy look in Kari’s eyes. Sounded like problems in the Sawyer household. “Make a drink for my friend here too,” she told the bartender.
“Hey!” Kari said. “No.”
“If we’re going to get in trouble, so are you.” Sally smirked. “I bet Dan hasn’t had a good reason to spank you in ages.”
The bartender stared, mouth open.
Kari turned red. “I’m going back to the others.” She got two steps before turning to scowl at Sally. “And bring me that drink.” After a glance at the bartender, she added, “If he ever makes it.”
“Huh?” The bartender looked down. “Shit!” Most of the glass was filled with Kahlua.
Oh God. Sally put her hand over her mouth to try to smother her snickers.
Kim, the bitch, had no control and was laughing her fool head off.
The guy pushed the bad drink aside and started making a new one, carefully not looking at them.
As the bartender’s face kept getting redder, Sally couldn’t stop. Giggles broke out so hard she had to hold her stomach. And when she noticed Galen watching, her attempt to stop laughing almost blew her brains out. A horrible snort escaped instead.
“God, stop. I’m going to wet my pants.” Shaking, Kim leaned against her.
“Shit,” the bartender muttered and set them both off again.
Composure finally regained, Sally straightened and wiped her eyes.
Lips still quivering, Kim picked up her drink from the table, sipped, and told the bartender solemnly, “Thank you. It’s very good.”
“Good to hear.” He offered Sally her drink.
When Sally reached for it, he held on to the glass. “So, you like spanking?” he tried to say casually.
“Ah—”
“She does.” Galen’s dark voice sounded a second before his arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her back against his rock-hard body. “But my hand is the only one that gets applied to her pretty ass.”
The bartender released her glass so quickly she almost dropped it.
Galen turned her and guided her back to the group. “Enjoy your third drink, pet. Because I’m going to enjoy punishing you for it.” He rubbed her bottom, and she could feel the hardness of his palm through her silky dress before he left her beside Kim and Kari.
* * * *
Leaving Galen to check the mailbox at the end of the drive, Vance held open the front door for Sally.
In the entry, Glock was sprawled out like roadkill on the tile floor. He opened his eyes and obviously decided his humans didn’t require more effort than an ear swivel.
Sally detoured around him; Vance stepped over.
The reception had lasted past midnight, and Sally had sobered up somewhat, but she was still in a chatty, cheerful mood. As she whirled around in the center of the room, her hair fanned out around her. “I had so much fun.”
Fuck, she was a cutie.
Glock scooted out of her way, retreating with an indignant tail flick into the game room.
“Thank you so much for coming to my party.” Sally spun again. This time, her ankle gave out, sending her staggering back.
Grinning, Vance caught her before she landed on her ass. He bent and took himself a long, slow kiss, gathering her against him. Full breasts, lush butt, all that hair like silk over his arm. Oh yeah.
And she melted into him, returning his kiss with enthusiasm.
“You’re living with us. Why wouldn’t we come to your party?” He stepped back, telling his cock to ease down.
“Well.” When she shrugged, he could almost see her reason: that her own father hadn’t wanted to attend, so why would her casual lovers?
“We enjoyed ourselves.” He’d have done a whole lot more to see her so happy. Smiling, he patted her ass. “Why don’t you get comfortable? Go take a nice shower. We’ll be in the kitchen.”
“Okay.” She danced through the foyer and up the winding stairs, one steadying hand on the wrought-iron railing.
“Nice to see her in such high spirits, isn’t it?” Galen stood in the doorway, his gaze on the stairs.
“Yep. Bet her mood would lighten even more if we could get her to open up. That father of hers made me want to flatten him.”
“Same here.” Galen came into the room, leaning heavily on his cane. The obstinate fool hadn’t used it at the reception. “Before you joined us, her father said something about Sally killing her mother.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Vance stared at him.
“Made her cringe like a kicked puppy.”
The spitfire wouldn’t react like that if she didn’t buy into the dickhead’s logic. Not good. “She’s taking a shower now. How about we grab us a clean little subbie and get some answers.”
Galen winced. “Hell of a way to end a party.”
“We have to do it, sooner or later.”
He got a slow nod from his partner. “Ayuh. But where? Not a bedroom. Don’t want an interrogation where we sleep.”
“The moon’s up. Let’s use the cabana.” Vance estimated how much time Sally had been scrubbing. “I should have enough time for a shower.”
“Best if you take the good cop role tonight.”
“Works for me.” He made a lousy emotional surgeon; he didn’t have the heart to dig deep enough to open up past traumas. But he was excellent at the recovery stage—one reason he and Galen worked so well together. “I don’t want to be the villain for this.”
Not with Sally. She already pulled at his heart. Truly hurting her would turn him inside out.