Buck Naked (2 page)

Quinn smirked. Evan didn’t flinch. He continued to measure Sabine. He took in her sable coloring and her mink-like body. She was a pleasure to look at, that was for sure. He’d never seen a woman of her beauty in the flesh before. Women like her were on glossy pages of magazines, and red carpets at Hollywood premieres. Not in his town.

He knew the type, though. Seductive, manipulative, a pleasure you would have only once. She could intoxicate with a glance, and overcome with a kiss. She would invade and conquer you, then leave you in ruins.

* * *

Sabine stared him down. He was different. She never met a man that she couldn’t seduce. Men usually begged at her feet for her affection. This one would not be so humble. She looked him over. He was all male. Hard sharp features. Firm and muscular body. Cropped blond hair and trim mustache. He reminded her of an army drill sergeant. She quivered at the thought of him commanding her.

Quinn looked from one to the other. They were oblivious to his presence.

“Um, do you want me to fill it up with gas?”

Sabine turned to him. She shook her head to clear it. “What?”

“The bike? Do you still want it?”

She grinned, breaking the spell. “Sure. That would be great, Quinn.”

He went out the door to attend to the bike.

Sabine went to her car and unlocked the truck and took her two duffel bags out. She carried them to the door.

“Well, so long, Evan Brady. It was a real pleasure to meet you.”

She could tell he watched her walk, her shorts molding her round ass seductively.

“Are you in town long?” he asked when he finally found his voice.

She turned back and smiled. “Why, do you want to take me out?”

“No. I’m not a masochist.”

“Sure you are, honey. You just don’t know it yet.” She winked, then walked toward Quinn and the motorcycle.

Sabine strapped her two bags onto the back of the bike. Luckily, she didn’t pack a lot. She glanced behind her and smiled at Quinn.

He was perched on a chair in the shade, drinking a soda. He looked very relaxed as he stretched his legs out in front of him. He smiled back and toasted her with his bottle.

Evan stood beside him, unsmiling.

She put on the helmet and tucked her hair up underneath, then swung her leg over and mounted the bike. She started the engine and revved it aggressively.

Quinn’s smile broadened as he watched her on his bike. “A woman with a powerful machine between her legs always brings a flutter to my groin.”

Evan grunted his ascent.

Sabine released the clutch and slowly coasted out of the lot. She turned briefly and blew Quinn a kiss.

“Nice doing business with you, Mr. O’Neil. Maybe we can finish off where we were so rudely interrupted.” Her eyes drilled holes into Evan.

“It would be my pleasure, Ms. Laurent.”

They watched her coast out of the lot and down the road.

Quinn looked up at his friend. “Evan, I’ve never seen you so smooth with the ladies before.”

“That one is a whole lot of trouble.”

Quinn stood up and patted his friend on the shoulder. “As far as I can tell, you’ve never been in trouble before, have you?”

He went back into the service bay, leaving Evan grinding his teeth and staring down the empty street.

Chapter Two

The drive to the hotel was a short one. Down the only road in town, and over a small bridge. Houses of various shapes and sizes were on either side of the road. Some were large, log estates, and others were four aging walls and a roof. All had a boat of some sort in their yards. That was the life in a lakeside town.

To Sabine’s delight and surprise, the hotel was quite lovely. It was two stories of white wood with lovely blue trim. Flowers bloomed vibrantly from various planters situated around the courtyard and up on the second floor deck that wrapped around the length of the hotel. Two sets of chairs with matching tables sat in the courtyard and a top the deck on the second floor, inviting guests to sit and watch the sunset. It had a spa, and a miniature golf course. It was situated right on the lake with its own beach, and boat dock for visiting cabin dwellers. The place had a Victorian look and feel to it.

Sabine parked the bike around back, where other hotel guests' vehicles were located. She went into the cramped but cozy reception office. A middle-aged woman sat behind the old wooden desk. She smiled as Sabine entered.

“Good afternoon. What can I do for you?”

“I need a room for the night.”

“Certainly.” She slid a form in front of Sabine. “If you can just fill this out.”

Sabine rested her hip against the worn desk as she filled out the form, being extra cautious about what information she provided. Her caution had kept her out of jail.

“How are you paying?”

“Cash.” Sabine took out the money and gave it to the woman just as a pale, rake-thin girl bounced into the office. Her long white-blond hair swirled around her as a soft, warm breeze blew through the open door.

“Kathy, I need some more change.”

The girl handed Kathy two twenties. She smiled at Sabine, her blueberry eyes crinkling with delight.

“Hello.”

Sabine smiled back as she took her room key. “Hello.”

“Are you from Montreal?”

Sabine nodded.

“Oh, I’ve always wanted to go there. It must be so pretty. I heard the buildings there are so old and beautiful.”

“They are.”

Kathy handed the girl her change. “Don’t bother the guests, Nicki.”

“I’m not bothering, I’m just curious. You’re not offended, are you?”

Sabine laughed, taken with the youth. “Of course not.”

They walked out of the office together.

The girl stuck out her bony hand. “I’m Nicki.”

Sabine shook it. “Sabine.”

“Sabine. That’s such a pretty name. Are you a model?”

“No.”

“Well, you should be. I’d kill to look like you.”

“There are models out there that would kill to look like you. To be tall and thin like you.”

“Really?”

Sabine nodded.

Nicki smiled. “Are you staying here at the hotel?”

“Yes, my car broke down on the highway. Quinn is going to fix it.”

“He’s a good mechanic. Nice to look at, too.”

“I noticed.”

“You should come down to the spa later. I can give you a treatment.”

“You work at the spa?”

“Yeah, I’m the masseuse.”

She wriggled her long fingers in the air. Sabine admired the daintiness in them, wondering how strong they could be.

“I might do that.”

“OK, see you later.”

Nicki sprang down the pathway to the open door of the spa. Sabine watched her go, a chuckle in her throat. The girl was like the Energizer bunny.

Her room was clean, quaint, and smelled of jasmine. She unzipped her bag and laid out her clothes. She took out her toiletries and an assortment of sex toys. She dumped them on the bed; a dildo, a vibrator, and 'the tongue'…technology’s gift to the single girl.

Sabine took the vibrator and unscrewed the top. She tilted it. A long line of diamonds slid out into her hand. She tossed the vibrator onto the bed, and held the necklace up to the light.

It sparkled like a million stars. Or at least one hundred and fifty thousand, she hoped.

Sabine smiled smugly as she slid the necklace into the vibrator and screwed on the top. No one would ever think to check inside her fuck toy. It was a perfect hiding spot. She chuckled softly at her own genius.

Stealing it had been relatively easy. Fencing it was always the hard part. That was where most thieves got caught. They planned the heist enough times to do it in their sleep, but never took the time to really plan out the transporting and selling of the items.

That was why Sabine had never even been close to capture in the past five years. She was an expert planner. She had had this trip all planned out too. Damn car! She had it checked thoroughly before leaving. Jean was a top-notch mechanic and a useful ally. He would never miss something wrong with her car.

 
Not unless he was no longer an ally.

Sabine tucked her toys back in her suitcase and zipped it up. She rummaged in her purse, and came up with her cell phone. She’d have to phone him. Maybe there was an explanation. She would be able to tell in his voice immediately if she’d been compromised.

She opened the phone. No tone. She opened her door and walked out onto the balcony. She dialed the number, looking down at the picturesque courtyard below as her phone rang.

She nearly swallowed her tongue as she gazed into a pair of icy blue eyes. It wasn’t the blue eyes that were the problem, however, it was that body of his. It was wrapped tightly into a Royal Canadian Mounted Police uniform.

There was two of them, talking casually to Nicki one floor down. The other was a small, pretty Asian woman. She also was looking up at her.

Merde!
Major problem. Time to disappear. Sabine turned to go back into her room just as Jean answered the phone.

“
Allo
.”

“Do I have a problem?”

“Monique?”

“Do I?”

“
Non, c’est impossible
.”

She could hear a tremor in his voice.

“I’m very busy right now, Monique. Give me your number. I will call you back.”

She flipped the phone closed. Something was wrong. Jean never used her name on line before. Thank goodness, she used an alias. He never wanted her number before either. In the past, he had insisted that she call him. He had definitely talked. To whom she couldn’t be sure. But she knew her fence location had been compromised.

She shoved her phone back in her purse, and sat down on the bed. She’d have to phone Mr. Smith and rearrange their plans. She smiled and fell backward onto the bed. Thank goodness her car broke down. No one would think to look for her in the middle of the Alberta prairies in the small town of Buck Lake. Except possibly one RCMP officer. Was it possible he knew about her? Could there be a warrant for her arrest? Or at least to be brought in for questioning?

She didn’t think so. She had been meticulous in the robbery. No one could place her at the scene of the crime, and she confided in no one of her plans. Thief rule number one: always do jobs alone. Rule number two: never get too close to anyone, there’s always a chance of exposure.

She sat up and grabbed her room key. She had to find out if the RCMP officers were asking about her. She’d have to pump Nicki for that information.

Sabine went down the winding wooden stairs to the main floor, wandered down the wooden promenade to the spa, passing quaint wooden benches, and potted plants along the way. The door was wide open. She went in and looked around. The waiting room was cozy and warm with two wicker chairs and matching table. The table was stacked with fashion magazines, and in the corner was a water cooler. A radio was propped up on the little front counter, twangy country music playing. No one was there. She stepped back out and looked across the courtyard. She could see the tall, blond girl sitting on a picnic table, licking an ice cream cone.

Nicki spotted her and waved her over.

“Were you looking for me?” she asked eagerly.

“Yes, I was.” Sabine sat down on the table beside her.

“Did you want that massage?”

“Sure. When you’re done your ice cream.”

“Did you want one? They make the best ice cream.”

Sabine watched as Nicki’s tongue snaked out and gathered the cold cream on the pink tip. An ice cream would be quite enjoyable on the hot day. Sweat dribbled down her neck and snaked its way down between her breasts. It continued its path down her sternum and tickled her belly button. Sabine squirmed on the table as need swelled inside. Yes, an ice cream would do nicely. Too bad, she couldn’t slather it where she needed it most.

“I’d love one.”

Nicki got up and went into the little mobile ice cream shack. She scooped ice cream into a cone and handed it to Sabine.

“I got you strawberry. You look like a strawberry girl.”

Sabine smiled. “I am. Thanks.” She dragged her tongue across the icy treat. It felt divine. She wondered if anyone would notice if she 'accidentally' dropped the whole thing into her halter-top. Her nipples were rock-hard and aching. They needed to be attended to. She wondered if the RCMP officer liked strawberry.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I was talking about you to Evan and Suki.”

“Evan and Suki?”

“Our local RCMP, Evan Brady and Suki Tanaka. I told them you were a supermodel. I know you said you weren’t but you sure look like one, so I didn’t think you'd mind.”

“What did they say?”

“I don’t think they believed me until you stepped out onto the balcony.”

“Impressed, were they?”

“Suki wasn’t. Nothing impresses her. Everyone calls her Frosty, because she’s really you know…cold and...” she put her hand up to her mouth so no one could over hear, “frigid.”

“What about Evan?”

“Oh, he pretended to not care, but he noticed you, that’s for sure. He’s a man, isn’t he?”

Evan was definitely all man, Sabine thought. Sabine’s hormones raged when she saw him again. Even from a distance, she could feel his inner fire. The flames had shot up and licked at her most sensitive spot.

“Is he married?” Sabine gave herself a mental slap in the head. What was she thinking? That wasn’t the question she was going to ask.

“Divorced. Going on five years now. Don’t think he’s had a girlfriend since.”

Nicki finished the last of her ice cream.

“You sure know a lot about him.”

“It’s a small town. Everyone knows everyone’s business.” She got up and adjusted her sweaty shorts. “Besides, he’s my cousin.”

Sabine mentally slapped herself in the head again. She’d have to watch what she said to the girl. Who knew what she’d tell her cousin?

“How ‘bout that massage?” Nicki asked.

Sabine smiled. “Sure.”

They walked back to the spa. Sabine tossed her unfinished cone into the trash.

“Did Evan ask anything about me?”

“No. Why, are you interested? I could set you two up.”

They went into a small but homey massage room. Nicki shut and locked the door. The long white massage table took up most of the room. Surrounding it, along the walls, were slender white tables, with flowered cloth coverings and flower vases full of sweet-smelling wildflowers. Sabine smiled at the dainty decor. It was a lot like Nicki.

“No, no, don’t do that. I was just wondering. Besides, I just broke up with someone and I’m not looking for a replacement,” she lied. Sabine hadn’t had a boyfriend in over four years. Too many problems. Too messy. She didn’t like messy.

Nicki busied herself with oils and towels. “Well, my Aunty Sue always said the best way to get over a man is to get under another one.”

Sabine laughed heartily. “She sounds like my kind of girl.”

Nicki laughed. “Yeah, she’s a lot of fun. Except she’s on her fourth husband, so I try and not take relationship advice from her.”

Nicki handed Sabine a towel. “You can get changed over there.” She pointed to the corner where a curtain hung.

“I’m not shy.” She slipped off her halter-top. She was braless. Her breasts were perky and firm. Her nipples pebbled with delight at the freedom.

Nicki quickly averted her eyes. “Um, you have really nice boobs.”

Sabine smiled and looked down at herself. “I’ll cover up if it bothers you.”

“No, it’s all right. I’m just not used to seeing another woman naked.”

Sabine undid her shorts and peeled them down her sweaty legs. “But you work in a spa. Surely, everyone is naked. What about when you do bikini waxes?”

“The customers wear underwear. I wax around it.”

Sabine laughed. “What about a Brazilian?”

“I don’t even know what that is.”

Sabine pulled her panties off. She kicked them in the corner with her shorts. “It’s this.”