Loving You (Love Wanted in Texas) (13 page)

“Oh, Taylor, most of this stuff is from when you were in college. Honey, didn’t you go and buy anything new when you moved into your apartment?”

Amanda was trying to break down a box while Taylor wiped her forehead. “Let me do that,” I said reaching for the box.

“My pleasure. I hate moving. I hate anything to do with moving.”

Taylor giggled. “That must be where I get it from. That’s probably why I didn’t have that much stuff and I never really unpacked.”

“Well, I think as soon as you get settled in we need to go shopping and make this place a little more . . .”

Both women looked around while scrunching up their noses. “Feminine,” they both said at once.

“I think it looks nice in here.”

Taylor gave me a
really
look while her mother chuckled.

“Where do you live Jase?”

“I’ve been staying with my parents. Their house is about the size of Scott’s, so I practically have the whole upstairs to myself. We have a cabin on our ranch as well that I was going to start staying in. I think my mother would rather not hear me coming and going.”

Amanda smiled. “I don’t blame her. Is your place just as . . . drab?”

“Mom! This is a cute little cabin. I love it and think it’s perfect!”

“Mine is a bit smaller, but I’m actually getting ready to have a house designed to be built.”

Amanda and Taylor stopped what they were doing and looked at me. “What? Where?” Taylor asked surprised.

Taking another box they emptied, I started to break it down. “Um . . . my parents went in with their best friends and business partners and bought the ranch next to us. They split up the land between the four kids.”

Amanda smiled. “Oh, how nice of them!”

I nodded. “Yes, it was.”

“That’s kind of cool. How much land did y’all get?”

I didn’t really want to keep talking and sound like I was bragging. “A good piece. And I’ve been working for my father since I swear I was old enough to walk. I’ve been putting away money since I was about thirteen, so I have a nice nest egg built up.”

The look on Amanda’s face was hard to read. “I have to tell you, Jase. That is such a breath of fresh air to hear you say you’ve had the common sense to save up like that. I take it you’re doing this all on your own?”

“Yes, ma’am. My sister, Liza, and her husband, Walker, are using their place now to raise their own cattle.”

“Impressive.”

Taylor walked up and kissed me quickly on the lips before turning back to her mother. “Now you can go back and tell Daddy that Jase is a responsible young man with a clear head on his shoulders.”

I let out a gruff laugh and sat down on the couch. “I don’t know about that. I just didn’t want to live with my parents forever. It’s kind of awkward bringing home a date with Mom and Dad watching a movie in the living room.”

Amanda laughed when Taylor hit me on the chest.

“At any rate, I’m glad you have a plan. It’s important to have a plan.”

I couldn’t help but notice Amanda looking at Taylor. “I have one, Mom. I’m going to learn this new business I’m starting in, I’m going to learn to garden, and someday I’ll get married and push out a few kids. The last one will come much later.”

My stomach dropped when Taylor mentioned kids.

With a slight chuckle, Amanda nodded. “I hope so. I’m perfectly happy with the two grandbabies I have now.”

Taylor stole a glance my way and smiled nervously as I gave her a reassuring nod. I was still pissed at myself for being so careless today with both of our futures.

“Jase, will you be heading back to Llano soon?”

“Mom! Please don’t go there.”

Amanda rolled her eyes. “You may be an adult, Taylor, but I still would rather live in my own little bubble.”

Taylor hugged her mother and kissed her on the cheek. “Thank you for helping. Tell Dad I love him.”

“He’s going to want to talk to you.”

“Well, not tonight. Jase is taking me out to dinner.”

With a look my way, Amanda smiled. “Well, it’s getting late so be careful driving.”

“Yes ma’am, always. Let me take you back up to the main house.”

Giving me a hug and a kiss on the cheek, Amanda gave me a grin and said, “That would be great.”

Giving Taylor a wave, she headed to the door. “Why don’t you and Jase come by for dinner this weekend? It will give your father a chance to get to know Jase a bit more.”

Holding the door open for her mother, Taylor nodded. “Maybe, we’ll see. Today has been a whirlwind day and I honestly can’t think about next weekend.”

Amanda smiled lovingly. “I’m sure. Okay, we’ll talk later. Bye, sweetheart. Love you.”

“Bye, Mom, I love you too.”

I opened the door for Amanda and helped her up into the truck. “Thank you, Jase,” she said with a wink. “If you’re buttering me up . . . save it for Brad. I’m afraid he’s the one you have to win over.”

With a light-hearted chuckle, I replied, “I’ll remember that.”

Of course when I pulled up to the house, Brad, Scott, and Jessie were all sitting on the back porch.

“Do I dare get out or should I just floor it and flee?”

Amanda laughed as she looked over at me. “Jase, I know the two of you have been through a lot. I have to be honest, I haven’t seen Taylor with this much life in her eyes in a long time. Not to mention the smile she’s wearing.”

“I want you to know if I could go back and do it again, I wouldn’t be so stupid. The last thing I ever want to do is hurt her. I love her, Mrs. At . . . I mean . . . Amanda.”

“Life is all about mistakes. It’s how we learn from them that matters. Now come on, let’s risk it, shall we?”

My heart stopped as I pushed the door open and got out of the safety of my truck. Swallowing hard, I followed Amanda up to everyone.

“Mr. Reynolds, I have to tell you your ranch is beautiful.”

Scott grinned as Brad looked away and mumbled, “Kiss ass.”

“Stop it, Brad,” Amanda whispered while hitting him lightly on the stomach.

Clearing his throat, Brad glared at me. “So. You helped my daughter move her stuff; are you heading to your own house now?”

Glancing over my shoulder to my truck quickly, I stumbled on my words as I faced Brad again. “Well . . . um . . . she’s kind of expecting me to come back.”

“I see.”

Stepping between Brad and me, Scott winked at me. “Jessie made a casserole for Taylor. Why don’t you take it to her and y’all can have it for a late dinner?”

“I figured she won’t make it to the store for a few days, so will you please let her know she can join us for breakfast tomorrow?”

With a smile, I replied, “Yes ma’am, I’ll let her know.”

Jessie moaned, “Please call me Jessie, Jase. You don’t have to be so formal. Now, follow me in and I’ll get that casserole.”

“Yes ma’am. I mean, Jessie.” Walking up to Brad, I extended my hand. “It was a pleasure meeting you, sir.”

With the look he was giving me, I should have been down on the ground laid out dead. Gripping my hand tightly again, he pulled me closer to him. “I know people who will bust your knee caps and make it so you don’t walk for months.”

“Ah . . . that’s good to know, sir.”

Lifting his eyebrows, he slowly nodded. “Yes, it is good to know. That means if you hurt her ever again . . . you’ll be hurting a lot worse than her.”

“May I be honest with you, sir?”

“Yes. I expect it always.”

My eyes drifted over to Scott who was attempting to hold back his smile. Placing my attention back on Brad, I fought for my mouth to form words to speak. “You scare the hell out of me.”

I don’t think I’d ever seen anyone smile like how Brad was. “Good. That means I’ve done my job.”

Amanda walked up and pulled Brad back. “All right, that’s enough, Rocky. Don’t pay any attention to him, Jase. He’s trying to scare you.”

“He certainly succeeded,” I mumbled under my breath.

Taylor

Standing in the middle of my new little place I smiled. “What a day,” I whispered.

Pulling my phone out, I sent a text to Meagan.

Me: So I took the job. I’m now in the breeding business.

Meg: OMG! And the cabin?

Me: Standing in it as I type!

Meg: I’m so glad you will be closer to me and the twins.

Me: Same here. Oh. Jase and I got together today.

I stared at my phone waiting for her to respond. When my phone rang in my hand, I screamed.

“Hey. That was fast.”

“What? Jase? Back together? How? Why? When? Where?”

Laughing, I dropped onto the couch. “Well, if you would stop asking one-word questions, I’ll tell you.”

“Taylor, this is huge. What do you mean by together? Do you mean bumping uglies together or dating together?”

Rolling my eyes, I shook my head. “God. Why are you and Grace so . . . ugh?”

“It’s called keeping it real and start talking! Wait! Do Mom and Dad know?”

I couldn’t hold in how happy I was. All those years dreaming of being in Jase’s arms. Wondering what life would be like if we were together. My heart felt as if it was about to burst. “Yep. And they’ve already met him and that was not planned. Really, nothing today was planned and that’s okay because it was the best day of my life!” I said with a giggle.

Meagan tittered. “Okay, spill it and start from the beginning.”

After I told her everything there was silence on the phone. “Meg?”

“Wow. That’s all I can say right now. I mean . . . I won’t argue and say fate certainly had a hand in all of that, but Taylor are you sure you should have run back into his arms? I mean, I know how sad you’ve been and I want to make sure you weren’t reacting with your heart only.”

I closed my eyes and pulled in a deep breath before speaking again. “Do I think Jase and I rushed into things? Yes, and I’m sure he does too, but it felt so right, Meg. The moment he held me in his arms and told me how sorry he was and I told him about Clark—”

“You told him about Clark! Why?”

With a shrug, I replied, “Why not? I don’t want anything to be between us and the reason I even slept with Clark was because I was angry with Jase.”

“I don’t understand you two. You’re not dating yet you both tell each other when you’ve slept with other people . . . as if you were cheating. So weird.”

“It doesn’t matter . . . we spent the most amazing afternoon together. It was magical.”

I heard rustling and then Meagan mumbled something to Grayson. “Hold on, Tay, let me go on the back porch.”

A few moments later, I heard the screen door open and close. “Okay . . . I want details. How was it? It had to have been better than the first time.”

I could feel my cheeks burning as I pulled my knees up to my chest. “Meagan . . . oh my gosh. It was beyond amazing. He is so . . . good!”

Meagan let out a roar of laughter before finally saying, “That’s good! How many times? Does the boy have stamina?”

Peeking out the window, I didn’t see Jase coming. “I feel funny talking about it.”

“What? Nonsense. Get used to it because tomorrow we are all meeting for lunch and talking about it. You’re the last of the group to fully have your cherry popped. Clark doesn’t count. From this day forward we never mention him again.”

“Done,” I mumbled.

“So? How many times.”

“Twice. And the second time was . . . very different.”

Meagan was silent for a few moments before she said, “Okay, new ground rules. I don’t want to hear any kinky shit like you are preparing for anal or anything.”

“What?” I gasped. “I just finally got used to sex in my vajayjay and you’re talking anal? Can I at least graduate from regular sex before you have me starring in porn flicks?”

“Well, you were the one who said it was different.”

“It was! It was in the kitchen and we . . . well, he was different.”

I could hear Meagan chuckling. “He fucked you?”

The lights to Jase’s truck flashed through the window.

“Jase just pulled up from dropping Mom off. I’ve got to go.”

Meagan screamed. “No! You can’t tell me he fucked you and then leave it at that? Did you like it like that? Was he gentle at least? What did Dad do when he met Jase? Ohmygawd! The questions I have!”

“Will have to wait until tomorrow.” Jase walked in carrying a casserole dish and my stomach decided to make itself known I was in need of food. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“Wait!” Meagan called out as I hit End and tossed my phone on the sofa.

Inhaling a deep breath, I let the aroma of the food engulf me as I let out a low moan. “That smells so good!”

With a huge grin, Jase brought it over to the stove. “Yeah, it does. Jessie made it and said you’re more than welcome to join them for breakfast tomorrow.”

The idea of Jase leaving and not staying with me was unsettling. “Do you have to work early tomorrow?” I asked as I lifted the foil and smelled the chicken enchilada casserole, which was one of my favorites from Jessie. “Mmm, Jessie made my favorite.”

“Nope. I already called my father and told him I was staying with you tonight since it was your first night alone here.”

Turning, I leaned against the counter and took in Jase. He was so handsome. That dark-brown hair made his blue eyes pop. His smile was one of my favorite things about him. It always had been. He had so many different ones. The playful crooked smile that made my stomach drop. And the serious heartfelt smile that made my chest tighten, and then you had Jase’s wicked smile with those sexy dimples. Oh how it filled my head with naughty thoughts.