A Touch of Murder Read online

  She saw Mika park the van in front of the diner. Just before Mika entered, Leah changed Mika’s black slacks to tight jeans and her priest clothes to a neatly pressed light-blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up almost to her elbows. The top two buttons on the shirt were open, just for Leah’s benefit. Her Italian loafers became boots.

  “Lawdy, ain't you tall, blonde, and edible.” The big bleached blonde behind the counter raked her eyes over Mika's body.

  Mika blushed from head to toe as she realized she was suddenly wearing tight jeans and boots, courtesy of her wife.

  “What can I do you for?” The brash woman grinned broadly.

  Mika quickly glanced around the room as if searching for a place to hide. “My wife has already ordered for me.” She smiled slightly as she headed for the brunette beauty in the corner booth.

  “Of course she has, sweetie.” The faux-blonde grinned. She gave the priest time to settle her shapely figure into the booth then started toward the couple with menus. The waitress hesitated as Mika leaned over the table and kissed the woman. “Y’all having breakfast or early lunch?” she crowed as she slid the menus in front of them.

  “Please give us a minute.” The woman smiled a beautiful smile, all white teeth and red lips.

  “Sure thing. Name's Lucile, just give me a holler when you are ready to order.”

  “Thank you, Lucile.” The woman smiled again.

  Lucile couldn't decide who was more beautiful, the brunette or the blonde. She watched them as they talked and laughed. The brunette was strikingly beautiful, dark and sensuous. The blonde was devastatingly gorgeous, and very fit.

  Lucile decided she liked the couple. They appeared to be made for each other. She couldn’t stop watching them. Obviously, they were married, but the brunette was flirting with her wife mercilessly.

  Mika’s eyes twinkled as she thought about kissing the tiny dimples that played at the corner of her wife’s lips. “You can be so bad sometimes.” Mika’s smile told Leah she thought her stunt was funny.

  “I wanted you to fit in, darling.” Leah grinned. “You do look so sexy in tight-fitting jeans.”

  “What looks good?” Mika said, opening her menu.

  “Besides my wife,” Leah quipped, “it looks like they have a good chicken salad. You can have it on a bed of lettuce or in a sandwich.” She placed her hand on top of Mika’s and played with her fingers.

  Mika bolted upright when Leah ran the toe of her high heel down the calf of her leg. Leah tilted her head to one side slightly and said, “What would you like?”

  Lucile could tell she was about to lose two customers to lust, so she moved quickly to the table. “You folks decide yet?” she demanded.

  “The chicken salad on toasted rye,” the brunette answered. “My wife wants fries, but none for me.”

  “You two are new here, aren’t you?” Lucile commented as she wrote down their order.

  Mika nodded, never taking her eyes off her wife.

  “Honeymooners?” Lucile was certain they were newlyweds. It was obvious by the way they couldn’t keep their hands off each other.

  Leah nodded. “Our life together has only just begun.” She smiled.

  Lucile grinned her all-knowing grin and headed to the kitchen to prepare their lunch.

  “I think we should let Regina and Matt pick up the Jeep and the pickup.” Mika grinned. “I just want to get you back in my arms.”

  “That is an excellent idea, darling.” With her fingertips, Leah slowly drew small circles in the palm of Mika’s hand. A shiver went through Mika’s body.

  The door to the diner flew open and a lean, muscular man filled the doorway. “Your foreman told me I might find you here.” He grinned gregariously at Mika.

  Mika looked questioningly at the man. “Do I know you?”

  “Where are my manners?” The man held out his hand. “Lucas. Lucas Omen. “I own the ranch next to yours.”

  Mika stood and shook his hand. “My wife, Leah. Honey, this is the gentleman who owns the horses I wanted you to see.”

  “Ma’am.” Lucas bowed slightly to her. “I didn’t mean to interrupt your meal. I just want to be certain I have corralled the type of horse you want.”

  “Please join us, Mr. Omen.” Leah surveyed the rancher. He was young, possibly late twenties or early thirties. He was clean-shaven with a stylish haircut. He was extremely handsome. He brushed back the tuft of blond hair that insisted on resting on his forehead and sat down next to Mika.

  “I don’t think you want work horses,” he continued. “I have some very nice pleasure horses for you to ride. Are you still coming to look at them this afternoon?”

  “Yes.” Leah smiled. “As soon as we finish lunch we’ll be at your ranch.”

  “We’ll be there in a couple of hours.” Mika nodded. She stood. “It was nice to meet you, Lucas.”

  Lucas Omen was no fool. He knew he had been dismissed.

  “You friends of Lucas?” Lucile asked as she placed their order on the table. “He seems like a nice young man. Shame about his father, though.”

  “What do you mean?” Leah inquired.

  “The old man ranched all his life. He died about a week ago. Heart attack. Lucas moved back home, from somewhere up north. None of us even knew the old man had a son. Lucas was a Wall Street fellow. You know, investments, stocks, that sort of thing. Very successful, I understand. He arrived just in time to keep the county from confiscating his father’s ranch for back taxes. No one even knew Mr. Omen’s last name. We just knew him as Rusty. He had let the place run down. That kid has worked night and day to get it back into shape. He’s a hell of a worker. I have never seen anything like it.”

  “I am sorry to hear that,” Leah said, frowning.

  “Say, if you own the ranch next to him, you must own the Lazy Brazos Ranch.” Lucile raised an impressed eyebrow. “You folks really keep to yourselves, don’t you? I bought this place five years ago. Never seen you before.”

  “We just moved back.” Leah smiled. “We have been out of the country.” Leah thought about last night and how Mika had taken her out of this world and into other galaxies.

  “It’s good to meet you.” Lucile gave them a toothy grin. “So, you’re not newlyweds?”

  They both shook their head no, then started eating their lunch.

  Lucile studied Leah, then a light went on. “Are you Leah Redman?”

  “Who?” Leah’s puzzled expression convinced Lucile she didn’t know the name.

  “You know, that actress that plays the lead on Marked for Murder, my all-time favorite series.”

  “As my wife said, we’ve been out of the country,” Mika reiterated.

  ##

  “We should have bought a pickup first.” Leah laughed as Mika dodged ruts in the road. “You know a quarter horse would have been just fine for me.”

  “The way you sit a warhorse?” Mika grinned. “No way would I reduce you to a cow pony.”

  They topped a rise in the pasture and were pleasantly surprised to see a home that rivaled their own.

  “This is beautiful,” Leah exhaled. “Not quite as large as ours, but then not everyone has fourteen children.”

  Mika squeezed the hand she was holding. “Not everyone is as blessed as we are.”

  “Look, there’s Lucas waving us toward the stables.” A tone of excitement filled Leah’s voice. She loved horses.

  “I hope the road didn’t give you any problems.” Lucas smiled. “I have a road grader coming the last of the week, so I can fix it.”

  “We were sorry to hear about your father,” Mika said.

  “Is there anything we can do?” Leah asked sincerely.

  “Just tell me his breeding program is headed the right direction.” Lucas smiled. “He started raising Friesians, Baroque Friesians, he called them. I don’ know much about the breed, but I am reading everything I can get my hands on to learn.”

  As the three rounded the corner of the stables, a huge black st
allion reared and trumpeted. The wind whipped his mane and the feathers on his front feet. He was magnificent. You’re going to be mine, Leah thought.

  “I want him!” Leah squinted her eyes against the sun, surveying every inch of the powerful animal.

  “No offense, ma’am,” Lucas said, “but he may be too much horse for you. No one can ride him. Hell, we can’t even get a saddle on him.”

  Leah opened the gate into the round pen that confined the horse.

  “Please, Mika, stop her.” Lucas was distressed. “He’s a killer.”

  “She can handle him,” Mika answered confidently.

  Lucas moved to the rifle leaning against the stable wall. He would kill the horse if he struck out at the petite woman.

  Leah stood motionless, watching the great black beast as he snorted and pawed the earth. He tossed his head from side to side as if refusing to do something that was being asked of him. He held his head high, arrogantly refusing to look the woman in the eye. Leah finally locked her eyes with his and held out her hand. The stallion slowly lowered his perfect head and hesitantly moved toward her. She spoke softly, encouraging the horse to touch her hand. “Just let me touch you,” she said sweetly, “and you will belong to me.”

  Yes, if she touches you, you will never want to leave her. Just like me, Mika thought.

  The horse swung his chiseled head toward Mika and held her gaze for several seconds. He slowly shuffled to Leah and nuzzled her shoulder. She placed her arms around his neck. He was hers.

  “Mika, darling, please saddle him for me,” Leah instructed her wife.

  Lucas pointed toward a tack room. “The black tack fits him,” the rancher said without taking his eyes off the woman and the horse.

  As Mika approached, Leah continued to stroke the stallion’s nose and talk to him in low, soothing tones. She easily slid the reins over the animal’s ears and buckled the headset. Mika took the end of the reins and laid them over the saddle horn. Mika effortlessly lifted her wife into the saddle. Mika adjusted the left stirrup then ducked under the horse’s neck to adjust the right stirrup. The stallion never moved.

  “You are good to go.” She smiled up at Leah, who bent down to kiss Mika’s lips.

  “I don’t think she should…” Lucas went silent as he watched her rear the beast, whirl around, and set off across the pasture in a gentle, easy trot. She sat the horse beautifully, posting until he reached the rolling, prancing canter for which Friesians are famous.

  Lucas leaned the rifle back against the stable wall. “Your wife has quite a way with horses,” he commented.

  “Yes.” Mika smiled distractedly. “I have honestly never seen anyone who can ride like my wife.”

  “You want a stallion too?” Lucas hoped the woman would say no. He hated to sell anyone two horses that might battle one another for dominance.

  “No.” Mika grinned. “I better get a mare. They will get along better together.”

  Lucas nodded. It was obvious no one was battling for dominance in this marriage either. “I have his sister,” Lucas commented.

  Lucas led out a gorgeous, gentle-tempered mare. Like Leah’s mount, she stood seventeen hands. Her beautifully shaped head was held high, but not arrogantly like her brother. “Definitely more my style.” Mika laughed.

  As Mika swung into the saddle, Leah rode to meet her. She stopped her horse a few feet from Lucas and surveyed Mika’s animal.

  “She’s beautiful!” she exclaimed. “They are a matched pair.”

  “They are brother and sister,” Lucas informed her.

  “What are their names?” Leah gently stroked the neck of her great stallion, who stood silently waiting her command.

  “Hera and Zeus.” Lucas smiled.

  “Perfect.” She turned Zeus and galloped away. Mika caught up with her and they rode for over an hour.

  When they returned, Mika informed Lucas that his father’s breeding program was an excellent one. “We will take Hera and Zeus. Just give the bill of sale to the ranch foreman. He’ll write you a check.”

  “I would like to give Zeus to Mrs. Cross as a housewarming gift.” Lucas smiled shyly.

  “We can’t let you do that,” Leah insisted as she dismounted.

  “Yes,” Lucas said. “I was going to put him down tomorrow. None of us could do anything with him. You saved his life.”

  Leah nodded graciously. “Thank you.”

  “Sometimes a stallion just needs the touch of the right woman.” Mika smiled mischievously at her wife.

  ##

  “Hera and Zeus are just perfect.” Leah snuggled to Mika on the sofa. “I can’t wait to ride around our ranch on them. How big is our ranch, anyway?”

  “Three thousand acres,” Mika said softly as her lips met Leah’s. “It’s a working cattle ranch. It supports itself. Years ago, gas was discovered on it and we have several gas wells. They produce a tremendous amount of income which is managed by our fund manager.”

  “How many days would it take us to ride the entire ranch?” Leah moved to lay her head in Mika’s lap and traced her breast lightly with her fingers.

  “Longer than we have on this trip.” Mika chuckled as Leah slid her hand firmly down Mika’s side.

  ##

  They made love all night. Leah lay awake beside Mika, memorizing every inch of her profile. She recalled Mika’s hands on her, strumming her flesh like a finely tuned instrument, building their lovemaking to a blinding crescendo. She had to touch Mika. She slowly, but firmly moved her hand up Mika’s thigh, lingering at the spot where her thigh met her taut abdomen. Mika moaned and moved slightly. She continued up Mika’s stomach and through the valley of her breasts. She propped herself up on one elbow to look at Mika’s face. She moved her fingers to Mika’s cheek then noticed the congealed blood on her lower lip. She moved to pull Mika’s lip gently into her mouth and lick the blood from it.

  Mika slid her hand under Leah’s hips then pulled Leah on top of her in one gentle movement. Leah straddled Mika and discovered Mika wanted her as much as she wanted Mika. Leah positioned herself above Mika and gasped as she guided Mika’s fingers into her. Mika remained amazingly calm, letting Leah set the pace for their renewed lovemaking. Leah moved slowly on Mika, eliciting a moan from deep within her.

  Mika’s hand moved up Leah’s legs, tightening on them and coming to rest on her hips. Mika gripped Leah’s hips tightly and began to move her as if she were weightless. Like a driving piston, Mika used Leah to satisfy her need. Leah threw back her head and cried out as Mika pulled Leah hard against her, arching her back to give Leah everything she was begging for.

  Mika quickly flipped them, and Leah found Mika leaning above her, blood dripping from her lip. Leah strained to kiss Mika, to taste the sweet, copper taste of her on her tongue. Mika pulled away from her. Leah cried out at the loss of her and begged her to return. “Soon, darling,” Mika whispered into her ear.

  Mika sucked and caressed her breasts to the point of madness. “Please, baby,” Leah begged as she wrapped her legs around Mika’s waist and lifted herself toward the blonde. “Please, don’t tease me?”

  Mika kissed her way up Leah’s throat and captured her lips. Mika’s hands slid under Leah and up her back, palms up, to grip her shoulders. Mika’s arms engulfed Leah so she was one with Mika’s body. Leah kissed Mika, sucking her lip. Mika was so close. So close to where Leah needed her to be. Leah felt so many sensations at once. Mika’s mouth pressed down hard on hers. Mika’s tongue captured hers. Mika’s hands gripped her shoulders tighter. Mika’s arms lifted Leah to her as she sank into her, using her hands to drive Leah to her at the same time. Leah’s cries ripped the night. She bit Mika’s lip harder, desperate to share the ecstasy. Her brain seemed to stop functioning. All she knew, all she wanted, was more of Mika. Mika buried her face in Leah’s hair, gasping for air, gripping Leah, plunging deeper and faster into her. Leah bit Mika’s shoulder like an injured person would bite down on something to dissipate the pain. Only it wasn�
�t pain, it was unbearable pleasure. It was all-consuming, and all she wanted was more. “Use me, Mika,” she murmured into her ear. “Use me to please yourself. I’m yours. I will always be yours.”

  Leah raked her nails down Mika’s back, spurring her on. Demanding more from Mika, more ecstasy and more passion. Leah demanded more of Mika and wanted Mika to demand more of her. Leah wanted to give Mika more, so much more. Leah loved Mika when she was like this. Mika’s need for Leah was uncontrollable. Mika was like a wild, mating animal that only Leah could tame.

  Hours later, they lay in a tangle of limbs, lips slightly touching. Mika moved to pull from her, but Leah clenched her tighter. “Not yet,” she whispered. “Not yet.” They fell asleep.

  ##

  “Do you know what day it is?” Leah snuggled deeper into Mika’s arms.

  “No, and I don’t care.” Mika kissed her hair. “You are in my arms. We’re on vacation. That’s all that matters.”

  “Umm,” she hummed against Mika’s arm. Leah nuzzled her nose into Mika’s breast. Leah loved how soft Mika was. Mika’s face was so smooth and soft. “One of the perks of being an angel,” Mika told her. “Or a woman,” she had said with a laugh.

  “Would you like a glass of water?” Mika asked softly.

  “Yes.” Leah sighed.

  Mika gently untangled herself from Leah and went to the kitchen to get a cold bottle of water for each of them. When Mika returned Leah was sitting up, looking at their bed. It looked like a battle zone. The sheets were covered in blood and the duvet was on the floor. Mika stared at Leah in horror then realized she was unscathed. Mika was the one that looked like a pride of lions had played keep-away with her.

  “Oh, darling.” Leah covered her face with her hands.

  Mika looked at herself in the mirror. Her lip was bitten and badly swollen. She had deep teeth marks all over her neck. Her breasts looked as if she had been the main course for a pack of wolves. Bite marks covered her arms, and her back looked like she had been flayed for treason.

  “I got a little carried away.” Leah smiled coyly.

  Mika sat down beside Leah on the bed. “I hope it happens again.” She grinned. “You can fix me in the shower.”