Constructed Pleasure: The Chasers, #4

By Tanya Sands

Gerald ‘Pac’ Sutton owns his own construction/renovation company. Through his group of friends, he meets Syun Alvarez. His attraction is instant. He seems to be getting some celestial assistance in recognizing her as his future when hints from his past come to light.
Syun Alvarez has successfully run her landscaping business, Syun to Grow for years. She’s not actively looking for a relationship, but the moment she meets Pac it seems as if the stars are aligned. He is everything she could hope for in a man. When an issue with a relative comes up she hopes it won’t make him want to end things with her.
Find out how Pac’s past and present work to show Pac and Syun that their love was heaven made.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tanya Sands
• Release date: Jul 4, 2016
• ISBN: 9781386876861

Tanya Sands

Tanya Sands is the pseudonym of a stay-at-home mom who, having written but not published short stories for years, finally took the leap and published her passion. When she’s not writing she’s raising her 2 young boys and 3 furbabies while her husband supports them all by driving all over the country as a long haul truck driver. She is the youngest of 6 and a proud vet of the US Air Force.

Book preview

Chapter One

I’m sorry, I would love to come in, but uh, I have an early morning tomorrow. I had a great time. I’ll call you, okay?

Gerald Pac Sutton walked down the sidewalk to his black F-150. He’d felt kind of weird taking her in the truck on a date, but since he had no other vehicle, he didn’t really have a choice. Beth? No, Bess didn’t seem to mind, but Pac had to admit to himself that for the first time in a long time he’d wished he’d had a second vehicle. Oh well, he probably wouldn’t be calling her, he just didn’t get that ‘oh wow’ feeling when they met.

Bess Patterson. She was an attractive lady. She was on the tall side, probably five feet eight or so, and slender. Yeah, attractive, and real nice, but there was just something missing. She was a teller at his bank he used. She had asked him out to dinner many times, and he’d turned her down repeatedly. Finally, he asked her out expecting her to turn him down. There had been a woman he’d been interested in, but he never got the vibe from her that the feeling was reciprocated. His loneliness won out and Bess was interested. It was the first date he’d been on since Carla’s death.

His wife Carla had died a few years ago and he’d had no interest in dating until recently. And that recently was goaded on by three of his friends getting married. Chase and Jack to Randa, and Sam to Josie. Lucky bastards. He wasn’t looking for a mother for Ryan, but lately he’d been itching for someone to come home to. Someone other than his fifteen-year old son. He loved Ryan and all, but Pac was still a healthy man, young enough to have his dick almost talking to him saying it needed company.

Pac acquired the name from his ability to repurpose things, leading his friends to nickname him after a pack rat. He had made a huge custom BBQ grill for Chase, which was used often. He was a fit guy, had to be with the business he owned. While he didn’t always work at the sites, it was ingrained in him to stay fit. His father had been a very active man, courtesy of the military and believed it was very important. Pac even stuck to the workout his dad helped him with when he was a teen. It was something he now performed without even thinking about it. Most of his friends were taller than him but at his almost five feet, ten inches he was pretty confident that they were each pretty evenly stacked. That and his just over two hundred pounds seemed to draw attention from women. Hell, his workers looked like they were in better shape, but he could still work circles around them.

On the ride home, he was on autopilot. He could make this trip home with his eyes closed. Up ahead he saw a car swerve, stop briefly, and then drive off. As his truck got closer, he saw something in the road. The jackass that took off must have hit an animal, probably a small wild animal, and then just left it to die. He pulled off to the side of the road and parked. The furry shape in the road wasn’t a wild animal, it was a dog.

Cautiously he stepped closer and the dog looked up at him in pain. Its front right leg looked mangled and the dog was panicking trying to get up. When he got closer, it showed a bit of fire by growling at him. Phone out of his pocket, Pac called Chase, one of his friends that happened to be a vet, to ask him what he should do. All he knew was that he couldn’t just drive off, the poor thing would suffer.

Hey Chase buddy, before you say anything I got an animal emergency. Short story, dog hit by car, front leg fucked up. Do you think he can be moved? There were pauses before Pac responded to his friend, What? Yeah, I’m wearing a belt...Okay...Who’s going to meet...They are? Okay, can you call and let her know I’m on my way? Thanks, buddy.

With the belt as a tourniquet and a blanket to fight shock, Pac drove as fast as he safely could to Haven, the animal hospital Chase worked at. Hopefully the poor pup wouldn’t decide to bite him or die on him. He glanced down at the poor thing, relieved to see the dog had passed out. Luckily, Haven wasn’t too far from where he was. The whole time he was driving he talked to the dog, telling it to stay with him. Pac was wishing for a dark alley, heavy bat and the asshole that hurt the dog.

***

Syun was standing behind the other ladies watching as, between Randa and her surrogate, Vanessa, they opened the mounds of gifts in front of them. Kitty was making a list of who gave what so that thank you notes could be sent out.

Syun was so happy for her friend, but deep down was a bit jealous. Her mama was constantly asking her when she was going to settle down and make babies. Between her Vietnamese mother and her paternal Mexican grandmother, the demand for babies was incessant. By the time either woman was her age they’d had a litter. There was still time, though, so she wasn’t too worried. She wasn’t looking to have kids just for the sake of having them. She wanted the father involved from start to finish. To share in their triumphs and their mistakes. Most of all she wanted someone to have that connection with.

I’m so glad you found out the sex of the babies, Randa. Luna was sipping a beer and munching on the pastries Kitty brought. It definitely took the guessing out of what kind of outfits to get you.

Luna! Who cares what the sex is, there are tons of cute outfits to choose from that are unisex. Kitty swatted at Luna who ducked away with a laugh.

Don’t worry about it, Kitty, she’s right. But with a boy and a girl coming, the cute outfits can be equal. Randa laughed and grabbed another pastry, moaning at the taste.

I didn’t care about the sex of the babies. Josie sat with a dreamy look in her eyes. "We’re gonna have babies to spoil, ladies. That is all that matters."

So far, out of the small group of friends, Randa and Josie were the only ones married, and recently so. Randa was the one ‘expecting’ through Vanessa, a young surrogate. The twins would have two fathers since Randa was in a threesome relationship. What a great family they will be with Randa’s older boys fully supporting their mother.

Josie is newly married and ‘collared’. A rather intense ‘courtship’ with a BDSM sadist. The group of friends knew she was in the lifestyle with her eyes open, even if none of them could understand it. For Syun, it was the day of her wedding/marking that made things clear. There had to be such love and trust, and well, faith to allow someone to take a hot piece of metal and permanently mark you. Syun still didn’t understand the submissive nature of Josie, nor the need for such pain, but she believed her friend when she said that she was happy.

Vanessa was sitting next to Randa looking rather uncomfortable. She was squirming a little and Syun had a feeling that a trip to the bathroom was probably in order. Syun walked to her and asked her quietly if she needed the restroom. When she received a quick nod, Syun held out her hands and offered to help her stand. Vanessa, five months along and since she was carrying twins, was bigger than a single baby pregnancy. Her waddle was very pronounced as the young woman took off as fast as her belly would let her.

When they returned, she saw Josie on the phone. From the urgency in her voice and the talk of a dog, Syun and the others came to the conclusion that it was an animal emergency. Josie put her phone away and told them all that the call was from Chase letting her know Pac would be there shortly. Syun remembered him from Josie’s uh, interesting wedding. Her skin heated and her heart sped up.

Dios mío, she thought, dame fuerza. Oh yeah she would definitely need strength to get through this. Chaos broke out, but Randa took charge. All the gifts were moved out of the way, since they had set the baby shower up in the lobby of Haven. Just as the last of the packages were moved, the door swung open and in walked a huge man.

***

Pac pushed the door open with his wide shoulders and hurried to the counter where he could see Josie. She was all business, directing him to a room in the back which he assumed was an operating room. Not too long after he laid the dog on the table, Jack came in pulling on a scrub top. Randa came in, grabbed Pac’s forearm and pulled him out of the room.

Pac, come on, let them do what they need to do. They’ll come out as soon as they can.

Pac followed Randa back into the lobby and took a seat. He looked down and saw blood from the dog all over the front of his shirt and suit jacket. Damn, that’ll never come out. To hell with it, if the dog lived, he wouldn’t care. Poor thing. He wished the driver of the other car were here right now, he’d make sure he or she took responsibility for their actions. He’d be tempted to do some damage.

Do you ladies need some help with all of that stuff?

He wasn’t the type of man to not step in and offer to carry things for ladies. But when Randa and Kitty looked at him he got the sense they worried he’d transfer the blood coating his clothes onto the packages. Well, despite the way they looked at him, he certainly would at least offer. If they chose to turn him down, then so be it.

Uh, thanks, Pac. No, you just sit there and wait for Josie and Jack. We got this, Kitty said tactfully.

Hell, he thought, I wouldn’t want me to touch the stuff either. He did, however, help the young pregnant woman out to the taxi that would be taking her home. When he returned, he sat back down and continued to wait. He stared as a very attractive, oh yeah, very curvy, woman helped Randa and Kitty load everything in the vehicle outside. Her body moved gracefully and there was not an inch of her that didn’t call out to him for some reason. With Josie’s Wrangler packed with almost all of the gifts, the women sat in the lobby with him and they played the waiting game.

***

Syun was trying not to be obvious as she checked out the only man in the room. He was big, and his graying hair was cut close to his head. He wasn’t a pretty boy, no, that was more Randa’s men or even the other friend, Iain. His classically rugged looks and his build screamed either a construction worker or professional wrestler, which had always been a weakness for her. He had a goatee and some scruff of facial hair and she blushed thinking about feeling it between her thighs. But it was his eyes that sucked her in. Even at a distance, and despite his fast paced walk, she caught the blue in them. So piercing and yet they had a gentle quality to them. She’d been interested in him months ago when they both attended the threesome ceremony, and again at Josie and Sam’s wedding. But she’d never been one to chase a man, so when he showed no interest, she moved on. Well, if you call not dating, not wanting to date, moving on.

She’d dated men with muscular and average builds. She’d been thrown over for a tinier, slenderer woman. Syun held no bad feelings for such women, it just wasn’t her. She was average height, considered full figured since she was a size eighteen. No fat on her, just muscle. She’d been lucky to inherit a big frame from her father’s side of the family. She had never played sports in school, but had been very active in the family business. Her father had a pretty busy landscaping business however her mom had made him retire because of heart trouble. So, since her brothers were not able to do it—Mateo owning his own tattoo shop and Phang being a cop—it was the natural order of things for Syun to take over her dad’s business.

***

Pac sat in a chair not meant to be sat in for so long and held his head in his hands. A part of him was mocking himself for being so concerned for a dog that wasn’t his. Then the good guy part of him clearly punched the other part in the face and told him to shut up. Of course he was concerned for the animal. It had just been hit by a car and was in pain. He was just grateful that Josie and Jack were the ones working on the poor thing, as they were the best. He made the decision, right then, that he would adopt the dog, well, as long as there wasn’t an owner out there.

As he was thinking very bad thoughts about the possible owners of the dog, Jack came out with a grim look on his face. Pac felt his heart pick up speed then drop to somewhere in the vicinity of his stomach and he swallowed reflexively to tamp down the dinner he’d had. Please, no, he thought, don’t tell me that the dog is dead.

Please, Jack. Please don’t tell me the pup is gone, Pac’s voice broke.

No, buddy, he’s not. But with no collar and the scan coming up empty for a microchip, we have no way of finding the owner in the time frame necessary, if he even has one.

Hell, I didn’t even know it was a ‘he’. How bad is he? Will he make it?

Pac, I’m not going to lie to you. What needs to be done is very expensive, very extensive for the dog, and to wait for a possible owner or a rescue group to assume responsibility for the dog’s treatment would make it too late to save him. If his leg doesn’t get amputated right now, then we’ll have to put him down.

What? No fuckin’ way, man. That dog looked me in the eye and that look said he trusted me to make things right, ya know? Pac looked down at his hands and after clearing his throat a couple of times looked back up at his friend. I’ll pay the bills. You and Josie do what you need to save him and I’ll pay for it. If you need a name for your records, his name is Jonesy.

What are you going to do if the rightful owner steps forward? Jack looked at him with sympathy in his eyes.

I’ll cross that bridge when and if I come to it. But by the looks of him, I don’t think he has an owner. Did you see him, though? He looks like he hasn’t eaten in a while and by his nails alone, it doesn’t look like he has been groomed in quite some time. Just the thought of a possible abandonment rankled on Pac’s nerves.

You are probably right, but we do have to wait to see if he owner shows up. I’m sorry, man, but it’s mandatory.

Pac nodded his head once. Just do whatever you need to do to help him out.

The look on Jack’s face was surprise then he nodded and rushed out of the room back to Josie and Jonesy and to prepare for surgery.

Pac hadn’t noticed Syun hanging back in the shadows. He gazed at nothing in particular, not really seeing anything. The only thing on his mind was the poor dog in the other room. He heard nothing, didn’t really see anything since he focused on nothing. It wasn’t until he heard someone clear their throat that he looked over and saw her sitting next to him.

Pac?  I’m not sure you remember me? I’m Syun Alvarez, one of Randa’s friends?

Pac couldn’t think straight after what Jack had just told him. He was so out of it he hadn’t seen or heard anyone come over and sit next to him. His mind was on that poor dog in the other room about to lose a leg. But when the soft voice cut through the layers of worry, he lifted his head and, with eyes not yet focused, looked at the woman sitting next to him. Her eyes were the first he zeroed in on. They were a mesmerizing shade of green. Almost like freshly mown grass. He sat there for the longest time, until he realized that she had said something to him.

I’m sorry, what did you say? I’m sorry, I wasn’t intentionally ignoring you. Oh yeah, Syun, was it? I do remember you. You weren’t at the BBQ, but I recall you were at the wedding and at the ‘beat me’ ceremony.

A choked laugh came from Syun. The sound made him suck in a breath, it was so beautiful. His eyes drifted to her lips and the need to kiss her came over him. He literally had to clench his hands to stop himself from rising up and doing just that. Then he realized she was talking to him again and he shook his head to clear it.

Uh, yeah I had something to take care of the day of the BBQ, and I wouldn’t have missed Randa and her guys’ ceremonies for anything. She hesitated slightly. Now the thing at that club for Josie and her man? While the first part was very touching, I still cringe when I think of what Sam did to Josie at the S&M thing. But then again, she knew what she was getting into and she’s an adult, so it’s her business.

Pac could not take his eyes off the woman. She was so different from the woman he couldn’t get away from fast enough earlier. He was confused about her heritage and it was on the tip of his tongue to ask her, but didn’t want to be rude. Her hair was chestnut brown, and if it hadn’t been in a ponytail, he knew it would fall to the middle of her ass. Her almond shaped eyes hinted at Asian, but he didn’t know enough to even guess which nationality. Her angular face could pass for Hispanic, as if her last name weren’t hint enough. She looked like she could walk in both worlds and be comfortable. But again, he wasn’t going to sound like a douche and ask her. Shit, she could be adopted for all he knew.

So, uh, how’s your dog? Will it be okay?

What? Oh, he’s not mine, I saw a car hit him and brought him to be treated, he explained. Then it occurred to him that he had taken Jonesy on as his own. "Nope, wait, he is my dog. I’ll be paying for his care. So, he’s mine. Well, unless an owner comes forward."

Can I ask where the name Jonesy came from? What made you think of it?

Huh? Oh, my mother’s maiden name was Jones. He looked at Syun and gave her a small smile. I even had a cat growing up with the name.

How sweet. I bet he’ll be a good dog. The injured ones seem to have a lot of personality.

I suppose. I know my son— Shit, I need to call Ryan and let him know where I am. He stood and then looked down at her. Excuse me, please?

***

Syun sat back a little stunned, and watched as the big man stepped away to make his phone call. She had thought all of Chase and Jack’s friends were single. How could she have not known that one of the group was married? Damn it, to meet a man she was truly interested in after so long and to find out he’s taken? Feeling a bit uncomfortable, she got up to go into the break room where the others had congregated, and grabbed a drink. No need to be too disappointed, she thought, just keep looking, girl, he’s out there.

Chapter Two

Pac watched her walk away and immediately felt a sense of loss. He had been amazed at the calmness he felt by just being in her company and the sound of her voice. He hadn’t had that kind of reaction since he’d met and fell in love with Carla all those years ago. Carla. His heart twisted in his chest at the thought of her name. She had been his life for so many years. If it hadn’t been for their son, Ryan, who was twelve at the time, Pac would have given up altogether. Making sure Carla carried on through their son was more important to him than anything else.

What seemed like hours later, Josie and Jack came out into the lobby to sit with Pac. The exhausted looks on their faces gave nothing away. For all Pac knew, they could have worked their asses off and the dog might well have not survived. The longer the silence, the more Pac wanted to get up and put his fist through a wall. Finally, he couldn’t take anymore.

Come on already! Is he okay?

Pac... Josie began to talk, but Jack interrupted her with a look.

Josie, go grab a cup of coffee. Let me handle the big guy here. With a nod, she got up and left the two men.

Pac, buddy. We had to amputate the leg. It was touch and go for a bit because there was just so much damage, but the good thing was all of it was contained to below the hock, or ankle of the back left leg. So, he will have a bit of a stump, from the hock up to the thigh. He’s not completely out of the woods. The next twenty-four to forty-eight hours will tell a lot. Within seventy-two hours we’ll know for absolute sure. But I gotta tell you, man, that dog is a fighter. We lost him twice and he fought back. So you keep positive, okay?

It was amazing the effect just words had on a person. Pac’s whole body seemed to liquefy and he would have fallen from his seat if Jack hadn’t