Hang Tough (21 page)

“Just one.”

She lifted her head and looked at him. “Really?”

He grinned. “Nope. Got another one in my wallet.”

“Boy Scout,” she teased.

“Optimistic,” he volleyed back. “As much as I'd love to spend the night over you, under you, behind you, seeing how many times I can make you come, it'd kill the mood to see you wincing.”

“Has that happened before?”

Even as he wondered how honest he should be, Jade said, “Truth between us always, Tobin.”

“All right. I've had a few women only want me for my cock; that never lasted long. But one time I stripped down and the chick I was with looked at my groin with complete horror and told me to get my ‘meat club' the hell away from her.”

“Meat club? Seriously?”

“Yeah.”

“Meat club,” Jade repeated. Then she started to giggle.

He loved to hear her giggle; it might've been one of the happiest sounds in the entire world.

“Sorry, I shouldn't be laughing,” she said, still laughing. “I'll pipe down before you club me with your—”

Tobin put his hand over her mouth. “Don't even
think
about sayin' it.”

She snickered off and on for the next little bit. Then she yawned.

“Want me to shut off the light?”

“Mmm. But come right back where you were. I'm so comfy like this.”

Once they were twined together in the darkness, Jade said, “This didn't happen because I wanted a wild cowboy sex tale to brag about to my friends in New York. It didn't happen because I was bored and lonely—I live with that every day so that's nothing new. It happened because something about you sucked me in, Tobin. The more time I spend with you, the more I like you.”

He kissed the top of her head. “Thanks.”

As he drifted off she whispered, “And now I'm pretty fond of your meat club too.”

“Now you're in for it.” Tobin tickled her until she shrieked.

Then he kissed her until she twined herself around him again.

Sleep didn't come as easily the second time when she said, “How will we explain this to GG? Or is this something we keep to ourselves for a little longer?”

“I don't know, darlin'. I truly don't. Can we talk about it in the morning?”

“I suppose. But I'm not really tired anymore.”

“Me neither.”

“Do you want to watch TV?”

“We haven't done that, have we?”

“That's because we're not allowed in the same room.” Jade snickered.

“We're definitely breaking all the rules tonight.”

After a bit, Jade murmured, “Being here with you like this? The ultimate pixie dust night.”

Tobin fell more than a little in love with her right
then.

J
ade woke up alone the next morning.

She stretched and smiled, feeling so well . . . rested. And deliciously sore in all the right places.

Man. Tobin definitely knew how to use that rocket in his pocket. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had two orgasms in one night. Two and a half orgasms if she counted that mini O when he'd sucked her nipples. Guys overlooked her breasts since they weren't big, bouncing mounds, but her breasts were so sensitive that she could get off just from a hungry mouth and clever hands. And the sexy cowboy had both of those.

As she dreamily relived everything that happened last night, she realized being in bed with Tobin had been fun. And intense. And adventurous. She definitely wanted more of him—of this—but where did they go from here?

The door clicked, the knob turned and Tobin walked in, balancing two cups of coffee on a tray in one hand and a plastic bag draped around his other wrist. He smiled at her. “Mornin', tiger.”

“Good morning, slick.”

“Here I went out and got us coffee and a few toiletries and I can tell by your eyes that you thought I'd bailed on you first thing.”

She blushed. “Busted.” She scooted up and held out her hand for the coffee, sending the sheet sliding down to her hips. “I am happy you didn't take off.”

Tobin leaned over and kissed her lips, then bent down even more and brushed his mouth across her exposed nipple. “Drink your coffee and get dressed before I ditch my clothes and crawl back in with you.”

“That condom burning a hole in your pocket?”

“Yep.” He handed her a cardboard cup, but his eyes were on her chest. “Maybe I've got time for a little taste of you.”

“Go. I'm getting dressed.”

Tobin ducked into the bathroom.

Jade found her clothes—she'd be doing the walk of shame into GG's house. She snagged her purse off the floor and fished out her brush. After a few detangling passes, she pulled her hair into a low ponytail at the base of her neck.

Sipping her coffee, she looked around the room. Pretty basic. Strange to think this had been the first time she'd checked into a hotel with a guy for the express reason to have sex.

Don't forget watching TV.
Which she'd loved. Snuggled up to Tobin's big body. He constantly had to be touching her and she could easily become addicted to it.

The bathroom door opened and Tobin stepped out, that clean soap scent trailing behind him. “I got you a toothbrush.”

“Thanks. What about hair spray?”

Those beautiful eyes of his sparkled. “Sorry, babe. I bought some but I used it all. Takes a ton of product to make my hair look this damn good every morning.”

She smiled. “I like your hair. As if you couldn't tell by how many times I pulled it last night.”

“No complaints from me about that.”

“My turn.” Teeth brushed, face washed, she left the bathroom to find Tobin frowning at his phone. “Something wrong?”

“Did you get a text from Miz G about both of us bein' on a conference call with her at eleven this morning?”

“I haven't looked at my phone since last night.” She dug it out of her purse and punched in the access code. “I got the same message.” Jade looked at Tobin. “Maybe someone saw us racing off to the motel last night and tattled on us.”

“Could be.”

“If that is the case, what are we going to tell her?”

“You regret what happened?”

“Not at all. Do you?”

“Not a single moment. So if I had my way? I'd sit Miz G down and tell her that we're involved.”

“That's it?”

Tobin smirked behind his coffee cup. “I might warn her to buy earplugs since you're loud in bed.”

“Tobin!”

“Well, babe. You are. And it's hot as hell so I'd never tell you to pipe down.”

“Great. Now I'll never be able to have sex in GG's house.”

He raised an eyebrow.

She didn't buy that lame argument either. She changed the subject. “Do you have to go into the Split Rock today?”

“Ike is filling in for me. So we're goin' grocery shopping before we head back to Muddy Gap.”

Jade groaned. “I went shopping yesterday and just remembered I left a carton of yogurt in my car.”

“We'll have to swing by and pick up your car after the store.”

“Why can't you go to the store without me?”

“I always go to the store by myself.” He tugged her against him. “It's
lonely, it sucks and if I have a chance for a hot woman to be strolling beside me? I'm takin' it.”

She studied his handsome face.

“What?”

“How is it that a man who looks like you is still single?”

Tobin blushed. “Jade. You're sweet. But I'm not exactly a guy that turns women's heads.”

“You turned mine.” She stood on tiptoe, letting the stubble on his chin abrade her lips because she loved how it felt. “So I'll go to the store with you because I know how much it sucks to shop for one. But know what's worse? Eating out by yourself every night.”

His eyes softened. “You end up doin' that a lot, sweetheart?”

“Honestly? Yes. More than I liked. My roommate had a boyfriend and I never wanted to be one of those people that always tags along. I have other friends, but again, I felt weird calling up and saying ‘Hey, wanna hit the soba noodle joint on East Twenty-third because I'm tired of eating takeout in front of the TV?'”

He pressed his lips to her forehead. “Loneliness is loneliness regardless if you're in a city surrounded by millions of people or out in the middle of nowhere surrounded by tumbleweeds and cows.”

So how did she explain she felt less lonely in the few weeks that she'd been here than in the past two years at home?

“Can I say something totally sappy?” he murmured in her hair.

“Sure.”

“I like you even more now that I know you understand that.”

Her arms snaked around his neck, allowing her to maneuver his head so she could get at his mouth.

Tobin hadn't soothed her with sweet and gentle kisses. No, the man utterly seduced her, feeding her long, deep soul kisses that stirred something inside her she hadn't felt for a very long time.

Hope.

Being Tobin's lover meant he treated her differently in public. He held her hand as they crossed the grocery store parking lot. He touched her frequently—not in an overtly sexual way, though. But she did catch him watching her with that dark look of desire in his eyes. Then he'd blink and that intensity would be gone. Clearly she'd merely scratched the surface with him in the weeks they'd known each other, and she couldn't wait to dig a little deeper to see what else she'd discover about him.

He pushed the cart and seemed to have a set path in his head.

“Did GG give you a grocery list?” she finally asked him.

“She doesn't need to anymore.”

“Why? It's the same every week?”

Tobin shook his head. “It rotates every three weeks. This is the list she gave me the first week I moved in.”

“It's on your phone or something?”

“Nope. I memorized it.”

Jade peered into the cart. There were already fifty items in there. “How many—”

“One hundred and twelve items this week. Make that one hundred and thirteen if we buy lube here. But I'm leaning toward stopping at the drugstore so I can buy a case of condoms too.”

Her head whipped around. “A case?”

He crowded her against the shelves of crushed tomatoes. “A case to start with and we'll go from there.”

“Tobin, you're intimidating me.”

He bent down and placed an openmouthed kiss on the pulse point on her neck. “No I'm not. You're as excited about our sex-fest as I am.”

“Sex-fest?”

“Yep.” His lips traveled up to her ear. “Hot, sweaty, dirty, sweet, fast, slow, quiet, loud, raunchy, fun . . . I want to try it all with you. And when
I look in your eyes, tiger, I see the same curiosity and longing I know you see in mine.”

“It should annoy me that you read me so well.”

He chuckled. “But you're already compiling a list of things you wanna try, aren't you?”

“Here's a dash of cold water. We're living with my grandmother. It'd be embarrassing for all of us if she waltzed into the kitchen and found you on your knees licking—”

“Tobin?”

He straightened up and offered her a devilish smile before turning around.

“Celia! Lady, I haven't seen you in forever.”

Jade took two steps away and immediately Tobin's arm came around her shoulder.

The blond woman flicked a quick glance at them before spinning around to say, “Brianna Lawson. Get back here right now.”

A pigtailed little girl of about five raced back, her shoes sending out bright pink flashes of light with every footstep.

“Mama! Up!” a girl with curly, dark hair strapped into the shopping cart yelled, and lifted her arms into the air.

“Nice try, but you're locked in for a reason.” She pointed at the little girl. “Hands on the cart.”

“Okay, Aunt Celia.”

The woman looked at Tobin and stepped around her niece. “It has been a while. I don't get out as much as I used to. Seems my husband's goal in life is to keep me knocked up.”

Tobin acknowledged her baby bump with a chin dip. “How you feelin'?”

“Happy.”

That answer surprised Jade. She'd only heard pregnant women complain.

“Last week when I saw Kyle he mentioned . . . twins?”

She smiled. “Oh yes. Two for the price of one this time. Holt is starting on the addition next week so it's done before calving starts. What a zoo that'll be.” Then she focused on Jade. “I'm sorry; I'm usually not so rude.” She offered her hand. “I'm Celia Gilchrist. This hooligan is my niece Brianna and this is my daughter, Ashlyn.”

“Jade Evans. Nice to meet you.”

Celia cocked her head and her long braid swung to the side. “Evans. Garnet's granddaughter?”

“Yes.”

“I heard—”

A loud stomp sounded out followed by an equally loud, “Hey!”

Jade glanced down at the freckle-faced, pigtailed girl who studied her suspiciously. “Hello, there.”

She said, “
Hola
.” When Jade didn't respond right away, she sighed. “You look kinda like her but you don't talk like her.”

This ought to be interesting.
“Who?”

“Dora the Explorer. She's on TV. She speaks
Español
.”

“Sorry to disappoint you, Brianna, but even though I am Hispanic and Asian I don't speak Spanish or Chinese. I was adopted as a baby so I just speak English.”

“I could teach you
Español
,” she offered.

“How kind of you to offer. Thank you.” Jade looked at the girl's aunt, but her focus winged between Tobin and Jade.

“So . . . what's goin' on with you two? Did I see PDA in the grocery store?”

Tobin grinned. “Yes, you did. We're new at this couple thing. In fact we haven't told Miz G yet, so is there a chance you can keep it on the down low?”

“I can, but Kyle gossips like the Mud Lilies and there's no way I'm keeping something this juicy from him.” She smirked. “'Bout damn time you got a woman of your own, Tobin.”

Jade saw Tobin blush again.

“Just keep Kyle from telling Sherry, until me'n Jade get this squared away, okay?”

“Okay. But you know Mr. Romantic will be grilling you at the Split Rock first thing Monday mornin'.”

“I figured.”

Just then the little girl let out a bloodcurdling scream and started kicking her legs against the shopping cart.

“That's my cue to go,” Celia said.

“Can you handle all this by yourself?” Tobin asked. “Do you need help with loading the groceries or the kids in your truck?”