Unbridled and Unjustified [The Double Rider Men's Club 11] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) by Elle Saint James

your hair and dyeing it black so you wouldn’t be recognized locally. That’s all. Troy is particularly fond of the color of your hair. He was in a foul mood at the suggestion we change it.”
    She stared at him unblinking, like her mind was at war with her heart. Eventually, she nodded slightly. “Okay. Fine. I believe you. Now what?” She glanced at the police car with unease.
    “Kiss me.” Declan didn’t wait or give any further instructions. He leaned forward, grabbed her shoulders gently, and kissed her. She didn’t fight him, thankfully.
    They continued kissing until the sheriff’s door opened with a squeak. He stood at the open door and called out. “You folks doing all right?”
    Declan released her, forced a grin in place, and replied, “We’re fine.” He desperately searched his mind for a reasonable explanation of why they were out on the side of the highway and not in the SUV. They’d been out to dinner? Sounded lame, and besides, where had they been? He didn’t know of any all-night restaurants nearby. He certainly didn’t want to say they’d been at a bar. A field sobriety test along the side of this deserted highway would just be the cherry on the cream puff of his day.
    Fuck . Say something!
    Declan took a step closer to Ava and said, “We were on our way back from a friend’s house, and…well, something flew out of the car window by accident. We were just looking for it.”
    “Is that so?” The sheriff drilled a look his way. “What’d you all lose?”
    Declan’s mind went completely blank again. Initially he’d been ready to say that a very important business paper had flown out the window. But it sounded so lame that he didn’t want to repeat it.
    Usually he was good at coming up with explanations on the fly. Being within Ava’s sensory range apparently made him stupid. He glanced down into her beautiful face and then put his arm around her shoulders to buy some time to think. He took it as a positive sign that she didn’t stiffen or try to pull away from him.
    After a very long silence, Ava said rather dejectedly, “My engagement ring.”
    The sheriff tilted his head to one side. “How’d you lose that?”
    She shook her head and chuckled. “Well, sir, the truth is, I lost my temper and flung it out the window.”
    “Is that so?” the sheriff said once more. Did he believe them or not? Hard to tell.
    “Yes, sir. I got very angry when my fiancé told me my mama couldn’t move in with us after the wedding.”
    Brilliant .
    Declan put a sheepish expression on his face and chanced a look at the sheriff. It was obvious he bought the story because he lowered his head and laughed quietly.
    Nodding toward the SUV, he said, “Is that a rental?”
    “Yes.” Time to go. Declan added, “Actually, we’d just decided to come back and look in the daylight when you pulled up. Can’t see anything out here right now anyway.”
    The sheriff nodded. “That’d probably be best.”
    “Thanks for stopping.” Declan grabbed her hand, turned away from the sheriff, and led her several steps toward the SUV. She didn’t hesitate or balk.
    “Where are you folks staying for the night?” the sheriff asked.
    Declan’s mind froze, but luckily his feet kept moving. He didn’t want to get caught in a lie too fast, but he also didn’t want to reveal where they were staying. Clay was sending a friend with a new car to the hotel where Troy still waited. They really needed to ditch the SUV. Now more than ever, with the sheriff getting his fill looking at it and no doubt memorizing the plate number.
    Plus, once the sheriff got back to the station, it was conceivable he’d discover the warrant. Yet another reason to keep from telling him where they were staying. Declan pretended not to hear the question and kept moving forward.
    “Are you at the Starlight Motel over yonder?” he asked in an overloud voice.
    Without warning, Ava called out over her shoulder, “Oh, yes. That’s where we’re