“But you couldn’t do it, because…”
“Because I’m in love with you. I don’t think I ever stopped loving you, even when you left.”
He pulls back to meet my gaze, and his sapphire eyes are fiery and hooded. He is lust and desire and emotion swirling and I’m drunk on being so close to him right now.
“Say it again.” He growls the words. “Tell me.”
The emotion is too much. My words crack. “I love you, Tucker. I’ve always loved you.”
He’s finished with words, now. His hand pulls me forward and his mouth crashes down on mine. I claw at his shoulders, desperate to get closer as his tongue breaches my lips. He slides his palms down and grabs my ass, pulling me up, and I wrap my legs around his waist.
He backs me up against the living room wall and the space between my thighs is on fire as he grinds against me, hard as a steel rod through his jeans. His mouth moves to my neck, then my ear as he keeps me pinned, his body pressed against mine.
“You’re mine, Gretchen. You always were. I’m done apologizing for what happened back then.” He moves his lips to mine and kisses me, hard. “Instead, I’m gonna spend my time and energy showing you that I love you…that I can deserve another chance with you.”
I press my palm to his jaw and nod. He lets me down, but my feet don’t find the floor for long. He scoops me up and carries me to the room that’s now my studio, depositing me on my old twin bed.
“What are you doing? I’ve got a big bed in my room,” I say through a nervous chuckle as he kisses my neck.
“I know.” He pulls my foot up, pulling off one of my Chucks, then the other, tossing them to the floor. “But I can’t think of a better place to finish what we started, can you?”
I smile because I know. This is how things were meant to be. Tucker and me, right here.
He tosses his ball cap onto the desk and peels his t-shirt off and even having seen him naked before, I’m blown away by how anyone can be so perfect. I rake my teeth across my bottom lip.
“Fuck, Gretchen, if you’re doing that to look even sexier, to make me harder, I don’t think it’s possible.”
I feel the blush rise up in my cheeks as a grin creeps across my face. I’ve never once felt sexy in my whole life—not except when I’ve been with Tucker.
He reaches down and tugs at the hem of my blouse. “You’re behind.”
I nod and unbutton my blouse, then shimmy out of my jeans, tossing them to the pile on the floor as he stands to take his own jeans off.
He pauses, his brows dipping as he pulls his finger across his lips. The way his eyes drag up and down my body makes me feel completely exposed. “Damn. I lied. It might be possible for me to get harder after all.”
We are a tangle of lips and touches, heat and desperation.
He slides his shorts down and seeing the pre-cum at the tip of his swollen cock makes me wetter than I thought possible. I reach behind me and unhook my bra, my nipples pebbling as soon as the air hits them.
He doesn’t waste any time. He’s on top of me and lavishing the attention I crave on one breast and then the other. As he kisses and sucks, I rake my fingers through his hair, and he slides against the damp cotton between my legs.
He leans up and kisses me, his tongue gliding against mine, slowly, deeply and when I can’t help but moan into our kiss, he gently pulls his lips from mine and cradles my face in his palm.
“Please tell me you want me, baby. Tell me you want this as much as I do.”
I slide my leg around his back and press against him. “I want you, Tucker. I have for so long.”
He nods, a faint smile flashing across his lips, but his eyes are still dark and hooded with desire.
He stands and takes a condom from his pocket, but before he comes back to the bed, he turns and locks the bedroom door.
“No repeats.” He says with a wink, and I laugh out loud.
Stacked together on my old twin bed, he leans back and slides down my panties. For a moment, all I feel is his palm on the inside of my thigh. I look down, and he’s just staring at me, one hand wrapped around his cock as he strokes, slowly up and down. His eyes are fixed on the place between my legs.
“I just…you’re so fucking beautiful. I feel like we’ve been waiting for this forever.”
“Then don’t make me wait anymore.” I lock my gaze on his. Impulsively, I let my hands move to cup my breasts.
He sheathes his cock and slides his hand up and down my seam. He’s practically panting when he leans forward to kiss me again, and the way he’s stroking me, his fingers sliding up and down, caressing my most sensitive spot, I’m breathless myself.
He pulls his lips from mine. “You ready for me, baby?”
I nod and put my arms on his shoulders, resting my hands on the back of his neck.
He presses my legs apart with his hip. “Wider, Gretchen. That’s it.” I feel him press against my seam. He slides is cock up and down my sex, making it slick.
“I want you to keep your eyes on mine, okay? I need to be sure I’m not hurting you too much. If you want me to stop, just say stop. We’re not in any hurry.”
I nod, and lean forward, pressing my lips to his. “I’m ready.”
He gives me a soft smile, then reaches down and pulls my hips forward. He puts one hand down to guide himself, and I feel him there, at my opening.
I nod again, and he moves. His thrust is quick, and I try my best to keep my eyes open, like he asked. I feel tightness, then pressure, and it feels like it’s going to overwhelm me when the pain grips me. My mouth falls open, and Tucker puts his hand up to the side of my face, stroking my cheek.
“Are you okay, baby? Talk to me.”
I nod. “I am. I’m okay. Could you just…” Before I can get the words out, he knows exactly what I need. He moves, slowly stroking in and out. He’s not going too deep but letting me adjust. The moment of pain is forgotten when I feel the soothing pleasure of him moving inside me.
“Better, sweetheart?”
“Yes…it’s…so good. You?”
He smiles and lets out a deep breath. “Fuck, Gretchen. I’m…I might be dead because being inside of you…this is Heaven.”
I smile wide, and pull his face to mine, kissing him desperately. When I do, he pulls at my hip again, pressing my legs further apart and he slides deeper inside me and the sensation is overwhelming. I’m stunned by the intensity of it. He kisses me deeply as he continues to glide in and out, slowly, deliberately.
He moves faster, and I know he must be close. I’m not really sure what to expect, but I know most women don’t orgasm their first time, and even though this feels amazing, I’m not quite there.
It’s like he can read my mind because he gives me a devilish grin, then runs his hand down my body, pushing away enough to move it between us.
I look down, and soon realize, he’s pressing two fingers against my clit, swirling and strumming as he gradually quickens his pace.
It doesn’t take long for me to start the ascent. When my head relaxes back against the pillow, I move my body to meet his thrusts.
“That’s it. Fuck yes.” He growls the words. “Tell me you’re close.”
“I’m…right there.”
When I dig my nails into his back and my body clenches, he slides both hands up and braces himself, moving faster until we’re both panting.
“Look at me, Gretchen.”
I do, and when I meet his eyes, he’s as crazed with hunger and pleasure as I feel. We tip over the edge, and soon his stomach is clenching with his release as I tremble beneath him.
He collapses on top of me, resting his weight on his forearms so I can breathe. He deposits soft, sweet kisses on my neck, cheeks and lips. I’m a little surprised when he doesn’t pull out right away, but it feels good to still be connected with him this way.
After a moment, he softly kisses my lips and tells me he’ll be right back, then he steps out to the bathroom and returns a moment later with
a towel and a glass of water.
He puts the glass on the bedside table and flips the small light on. He then looks between my thighs as he gently pats my sex and the inside of my thighs with the warm, dampened end of the towel before drying me with the other side.
I take sip of the water while he climbs over me, putting his back toward the wall as he lays next to me as best he can on the twin bed. He’s like Gulliver trying to fit with me on the narrow mattress. He presses his palm to my belly as he looks down at me.
“You okay? It didn’t hurt too bad?”
“I’m good. It only hurt for a minute. Then it was…” I roll my eyes back and forth and chuckle. “The best!”
He laughs and his lips caress mine so sweetly. “I’m glad. I didn’t want to hurt you but once I started, I knew I’d have a hard time stopping. It felt too incredible, being with you.”
I roll onto my side and he pulls me back against his chest. As we lay there, I can’t help but let a giggle escape.
“What’s that about?” He pinches playfully at my bare hip.
“I was just wonderin’ how soon we can do it again.”
He nips at my neck with his lips and I let out a squeal.
“Well, how about you let a guy refuel, first? Why don’t you hop in the shower and I’ll rinse off too, then we can go get some food?”
“Are you…did you plan on spending the night?”
“Night, week, month…forever.” He winks. “I’ve got a little time before I have to figure out my schedule.” He strokes the backs of his fingertips lightly up and down my side. “If you want me here, though, I’ll stay as long as I can. We can work out the rest as it comes.”
I nod and tear myself out of the arms of the sexiest man on the planet. My legs are a little wobbly when I stand, and in the shower, the hot water makes me realize I’m a little tender down there, but it’s not bad and the experience itself was so much better than I ever expected.
When I throw on some clean jeans and a top and walk out of my bedroom, Tucker has already rinsed off in the shower in the hallway. I find him in the laundry room and realize he has already put the towel and comforter in the wash.
“Was it bad?” I ask as I gingerly touch his back to lean around and peer into the washing machine. I didn’t even think to check and see if there was blood, let alone how much. I didn’t notice much in the shower.
“Not at all.” He turns to face me and takes my hips in his hands. “You sure you’re okay? Not too sore or anything?”
“I’m fantastic.” I put my palms on his shoulders and he presses a soft kiss to my lips. “Just insanely hungry, all of a sudden.”
“Well, let’s fix that.” He brushes a soft kiss to my lips, and we head out in search of sustenance to fuel us for what I expect will be a very long night.
Thirty-Seven
I really oughta go to church more.
Seriously, there must be some force in the universe looking out for me because a few days ago, I felt like my whole life was in the shitter, and now I feel like the luckiest guy on the planet.
I look across the table at the petite woman facing me as she opens her jaw impossibly wide to take another bite of cheeseburger. She uses the pad of her thumb to wipe the mayo from the edge of her lips and sucks it clean and the sight of her, ravenous because we just fucked, might be the biggest turn-on in the history of sex.
She reaches over and grabs a fry off my plate, having already polished hers off. She drags it through my ketchup, pops it in her mouth, and winks.
It’s so damn hot, we might not make it out of the parking lot at this rate.
She takes the last bite of burger and slurps down her soda before throwing her head back. “That was so good! This was such a good idea.”
“Nothing like a dive bar for good burgers.” I see the waitress walking back toward us. “You want anything else? Milkshake for the road?”
She stands and looks around until she sees the sign for the bathroom. “Yes! If they have it…”
“You want a chocolate malt.”
She furrows her brow for a moment, then smiles.
“I told you. I never forgot a thing about you—about us.”
She leans down and kisses my cheek, then suddenly straightens and looks around. “Shit! Was that okay? I mean, I don’t know who saw that.”
I grab her wrist and bring her hand up, kissing the back of it. “It was perfect, and I give zero fucks who saw that.”
She smiles and bounces off toward the ladies’ room. When she hears me order a strawberry shake and tell the waitress my girlfriend wants a chocolate malt, I see her look back over her shoulder with the widest grin, and I’m the happiest man alive, knowing it was me who put it there.
We put the windows down on her truck as I pull out of the bar parking lot.
I turn to the beauty strapped in beside me. “Wanna take the long way back?”
“Always do.” She grins up at me and takes another sip from her shake.
We crank up the radio and drive along the dark, quiet, country roads of home. I could’ve stepped into a time machine because right now, this moment could be five years ago. I might never have left Shiner and my life might not have gotten all twisted up in fame and money and all the studio politics that go along with celebrity.
Now it’s all falling into place, though. I’ve got my girl beside me and I’m going to have more control over my work life, too.
I hear a sound I dread: a buzzing cell phone. This time, it’s hers, not mine. She digs it out of her bag.
“Maisie. She wants to know if you kidnapped me.”
“That’s harsh. Maybe you kidnapped me.” I shrug.
She laughs. “You’re a foot taller than me. What am I gonna do to overpower you if I wanna kidnap you?”
She blinks up at me all innocent and I roll my eyes. “Yeah, you look real powerless, alright.”
She purses her lips and smirks.
Back at her place she settles down into the sofa to finish off her milkshake. When I sit beside her, she relaxes into the crook of my arm and I love how natural it feels, being with her like this.
Looking at the time, I take a deep breath and say what I’ve been dreading.
“The interview is about to start. Do you want to see it for yourself?”
She looks thoughtful for a moment. “You don’t mind? You said you don’t watch yourself on TV.”
“This is different. It’s not acting. It’s one of the rare times I’m on television and it’s just me.”
She switches on the television and the blue ribbons of the NBS logo move across the screen with an image of the globe behind them.
“Good evening, America, I’m Barbara Banner. Tonight, I have a very special interview for you. Tucker Kane is one of the hottest stars in Hollywood. He’s talented, sexy, and stars in the highest-rated drama in television history.”
Gretchen’s eyes go wide, questioning as she looks over at me. I shrug and nod. She replies with a grin, shaking her head from side to side and returns her attention to the show.
“Tucker took us to his hometown of Shiner, Texas to see where he grew up, alongside his best friend, Jared Berringer. We’ll also hear from his sexy co-star, Marissa Benoit.”
Barbara Banner turns to her co-host at the NBS desk, Hunter Kincaid.
“Now Barbara, I understand that, during your interview, you learned some things about Tucker, especially as it relates to his co-star, Marissa, that might surprise our viewers.”
“Hunter, I think you’ll be as surprised as I was to learn what’s really been going on between them. Stay tuned.”
The show cuts to a commercial and Gretchen gets up to throw away her empty cup and grab her phone. When she sits back down, she scrolls through missed text messages.
She has one from her Mama checking on her and asking if she’s planning to watch the show tonight. She replies explaining that I’m here, we’re watching together, and we’re talking.
“Talking?” I li
ft a brow and grin.
“What am I supposed to say? ‘Yeah, Mama, I’m good. He gave me a mind-blowing orgasm the first time I ever had sex and I’m basically putty now.”
My head tips back a little, my eyes wide. “Wait, really? You really had an orgasm? I knew you were enjoying it, but I didn’t think you could come the first time.”
She lifts one shoulder, the corner of her lips playing up in a grin that betrays a dirty little secret. “What can I say? I did.”
I’m grinning like an idiot because getting her to take me back, to want me, is enough of a miracle on its own. Knowing I made her first time so satisfying, though, has me feeling like a bona fide god.
“Maisie texted too to see if we were watching. She says the whole town is tuned in. Apparently, they have it on up at Ranger’s instead of the ball game.” She gives me a coy, wide-eyed look.
It’s a big deal for Shiner to be on a national TV show like this. Ranger’s is the local bar at the edge of town and I’ve never walked into the place that some sort of game wasn’t on the ancient TV sets behind the bar, so having this on instead is a testament to how excited people are.
The program resumes and the shots that pan around a misty, early morning downtown with Gretchen’s diner prominently on display in the middle of the shot make her giggle. I squeeze her tighter, pressing a soft kiss to her temple. I have to admit, the production crew did a great job.
They show the clips of me and Barbara talking on my parents’ back porch. Then they show the shots of Marissa, Jared and me walking around by the football stadium, and in the truck down at the railroad tracks.
I feel Gretchen’s palm on my leg and realize I’m tensing all over when Jared comes on screen. Her big eyes look up at me, so soft and sweet.
“I’m so sorry, Tucker. I shouldn’t have kissed him. I promise it didn’t mean anything at all. Can you forgive me for that?”
My brows knit together, and I press my palm to her cheek. “Sweetheart, there’s nothing for me to forgive. You didn’t do anything wrong.” I press my lips to hers.
The Last Virgin in Texas Page 21
