When he lifted her legs over his shoulders and pressed on her stomach, guiding her back to the mattress, she closed her eyes. He pinned her legs wide open with his strong hands, and the first touch of his tongue to the apex of her sex sent rockets of desire shooting through her. His tongue circled her clit until she was moaning and writhing, rocking her hips in an effort to get his mouth where she needed it most. When he finally gave in, he licked and sucked and teased that bundle of nerves until she was hanging on to her sanity by a thread. Then he plunged his fingers inside her and she was so ready, so hyper sensitive, she cried out, slapping her hand over her mouth so as not to wake Hail. But he didn’t relent. He stroked over that swollen, magical spot until lights burst behind her closed lids, and she bucked and quaked with the force of her climax. Just as her head started to clear, he shifted his efforts, bringing his mouth to her sex and his hands above, taking her right over the edge again. She was lost in a sea of sensations, and she never wanted to be rescued. That didn’t seem to be a problem, as he teased her up to the clouds again, and when she finally came, she felt like she was free-falling into a world of pleasure she’d never known.
She closed her eyes as the last of her orgasm rolled through her and felt Jed climbing onto the bed beside her. He drew her into his arms, bringing her up toward the pillows.
“Need a rest, sweetheart?” He brushed her hair from her face, kissing her softly.
“No. That was…wow,” she said dizzily.
He guided her hand to his erection and kissed her again, deeper this time. Their kisses quickly turned fervent, and he moved over her. He laced their hands together beside her head and used his hips to guide his cock to her entrance.
“If ever I’m too rough, or cross a line, you have to tell me.”
“I would.” She lifted her hips and said, “But you won’t. I trust you with all of myself.”
As their bodies came together, he filled her perfectly, held her possessively, and then he loved her so completely, she never wanted him to let her go.
THEY LAY TANGLED up in each other for a long while afterward, the time ticking by. This was the best and worst part of the night. Jed knew she had to be up early, and she wouldn’t want Hail finding him in her bed, but he hated leaving her. He wanted to eke out every minute he could.
She ran her fingers over his stomach and said, “What do you say we sneak into the kitchen and eat some of those broken pieces?”
“Every time you open your mouth I fall harder for you.” He pressed his lips to hers.
She pushed to her feet with a wicked glint in her eyes and said, “You mean when I open my mouth and let you put a certain something in it.”
“That was fucking hot.” He pulled her into his arms and said, “But I’d fall for you even without that. Hell, I fell hard for you all those years ago and you didn’t do it that night.” He picked up his shirt and slipped it over her head. It fell to the middle of her thighs, but man she was sexy. As he put on his jeans and she pulled on her panties, he said, “I love being with you, Jojo. It’s not all about sex.”
“If I didn’t know that, I wouldn’t be with you.” She went up on her toes and kissed him.
She put her finger over her lips, reminding him to be quiet, and he followed her into the hall. They peeked into Hail’s bedroom, and he was still fast asleep, clutching his stuffed rabbit. His chest felt full knowing they were both safe. He trusted Scott to watch over them, but it was getting harder to leave them each night. He wanted to be the one protecting them, the first person they saw in the morning, the one earning their sleepy smiles and soothing their anxious tears. But he knew family time was important for them, and he didn’t want to force himself into her life too fast.
Or rather, he wanted to rush her, but he knew it was important that he try not to.
In the kitchen, he lifted Josie onto the counter beside the container of extra pieces of gingerbread and stood between her legs as they fed each other pieces of the sweet treats.
“So, my girl secretly wants to be a baker?” He fed her a piece of gingerbread.
“I set that dream on a shelf a long time ago. What about you, Moon? Do you have dreams of doing something different, or do you like working at the shop and the bar?”
“I like them both for different reasons. Working on cars gives me a sense of accomplishment. I like working with the guys, and I love working with my hands.”
“Mm. You are good with your hands,” she said with a waggle of her brows, and popped a piece of gingerbread into his mouth. “And the bar?”
He leaned forward and kissed her. “The bar is an entirely different world. It’s where the brotherhood hangs out, and I love being around Bullet and the guys and Izzy and Finlay. Red is cutting back her waitressing hours, but she and Biggs come in a lot.”
“So, it’s about having a sense of family?”
“I’ve never really picked it apart like this before, but yeah, that’s right. They’ve been so good to me and Crystal. Hell, babe, they’re good to everyone. I have memories of when my family was close, before my father lost his job and we moved out of Peaceful Harbor. But it’s been so long that they’re fading. Honestly, I’d pretty much given up on the real meaning of family until they came into my life.”
She ran her fingers through his hair with a sweet expression. “I’m glad you didn’t give up altogether.”
“Me too. I’m glad you didn’t, after all you went through with your parents.”
“You can’t choose your parents, but you can choose what kind of parent you will be,” she said.
“Ain’t that the truth. We had a teenager come into the bar for lunch today and he tried to take off without paying his bill. I caught him in the parking lot.”
“What did you do? Call the police?”
“Nah. He’s just a kid. He was hungry, scared. My guess is he’s been in trouble with the law before. His father’s in prison, and his mother’s working two jobs. I’ve been there, you know? Without a father and with a mother who couldn’t make ends meet. If what he said was true, then at least his mother cares and is doing what she can for him, unlike mine. But I really wanted to help him, you know? Calling the cops wouldn’t help him see why ditching school wasn’t the right thing to do.”
She pulled him closer and kissed him. “My big-hearted Moon.”
“I can’t stop thinking about him. What if that were Hail? If he got off on a bad path one day? If we weren’t around to guide him, we’d want someone to do the right thing.”
Her face went serious. “I hope I’m always around for him.”
“I know, babe, and now he has me and your family and all the Whiskeys. He’ll never have to worry about not having people around who love him and will look out for him. I didn’t mean to scare you. I just meant…Cops wouldn’t have fixed the problems this kid Ricardo has. Hell, I can’t fix them. But I wanted to teach him something, give him some hope, a way to see he has a choice in how his life ends up. I brought him into the back of the bar and had him wash dishes to work off his bill. Then I realized, if he left with nothing in his pocket he’d be in the same position tomorrow. So I gave him a choice—stay and wash dishes for another hour and earn ten bucks, or take off. He stayed, and I drove him home afterward.”
“I love that. You used your past to make a difference. That’s a beautiful thing. Did he appreciate it?”
“I think so. He’s seventeen. He lives in an apartment on the outskirts of town, not far from the bar. Finlay gave him a cupcake, and he took half of it and half his sandwich home, I assume for his mother. I told him that if he went to school and came to the bar afterward I’d pay him to wash dishes. He didn’t say much on the way home, didn’t tell me if he’d come in again. But I feel better knowing that I tried.”
She yawned, and he gathered her in his arms. “I hate leaving you, but you have to be up early. You should get some sleep.” She groaned, and he pressed his lips to hers. “I’m working at the shop tomorrow. I’ll come by after.
I promised Hail we’d go to the library and get some new books. Is there anything he doesn’t know about trucks?”
“He’s never worked on an engine,” she said as he lifted her off the counter and set her feet on the floor.
“Babe, you just gave me a great idea.” He put on his jacket as they walked to the door, and then he kissed her deeply. “Saying goodbye sucks.”
“You’ve had your fair share of sucking tonight.”
He grabbed her ass and said, “You are a wicked woman. How am I supposed to drive home thinking about that?”
“The same way I’m supposed to sleep thinking about all those naughty things you did to me tonight, only my bed still smells like you, so it’ll be harder for me.”
“I’m always hard for you, baby.” After many more scorching-hot kisses, he walked out the door and said, “Better lock it up or I’ll come right back in.”
“Promises, promises…”
Chapter Thirteen
IT HAD TAKEN Josie forever to fall asleep after Jed left last night, and she’d gotten up at five thirty to finish making the gingerbread cups before work. She should be flat-out exhausted, but as she walked into Luscious Licks, she was wired. She’d been nervous about showing Penny the things she’d baked, but when she’d climbed into her car, she’d found a rock on the driver’s seat with I believe in you etched into it. How did Jed know she’d need a little extra confidence this morning?
Penny was standing on a ladder behind the counter writing today’s specials on the chalkboard—Peppermint Hail Storm Sundaes. Her hair was pinned up in a bun, and she wore a mint-green sweatshirt, the front of which Josie knew had WANT A LICK? emblazoned across her chest in dark green with a big ice cream cone and LUSCIOUS LICKS beneath it.
“Hey, girl,” Penny said as she climbed down the ladder. “Check it out. Your boy’s ice cream is on special today.”
“He’ll love that. I have to take a picture to show him.” She pulled out her phone, and Penny threw her arms up, smiling as Josie took the picture.
“Send that to me. I have to get it up on social media.”
Penny was awesome at social media. The ice cream store had more than twenty thousand followers. Josie didn’t even have any social media accounts. She couldn’t imagine what people shared or why, but Penny made every picture seem like it was an event. Her posts got hundreds of comments, and people were always coming in saying they saw something on Instagram or Facebook.
She texted the picture to Penny and slipped her phone into her pocket. “Don’t hate me, but I had an idea last night about things you could offer over the winter.”
“Why would I hate you?” Penny asked as she came around the counter. “I love new ideas.”
“I just don’t want you to think I have any crazy notions about telling you how to run your business.”
Penny laughed. “Please, if you have ideas, lay them on me.”
“Okay, well…” She hadn’t carried anything in, just in case they were busy or Penny wasn’t interested. “They’re in the back of my car.” She pointed through the glass doors to her car parked against the curb.
“Now you’ve piqued my curiosity,” Penny said. She grabbed her coat and followed her outside.
Josie opened the hatchback. She hadn’t really thought about how many she’d made until now, seeing them all laid out before her. There were dozens of goodies, and there were more in the passenger seat and the back seat.
“It’s all gingerbread, except the cones; they’re gingersnap, because gingerbread doesn’t hold up. I got a little carried away, but—”
“Holy moly, Josie! You made all of these?” Penny leaned in to inspect the cups she’d finished making that morning. “Are these cups? Can we fill them with ice cream?”
“Yes, and I used caramel to glue the handles on. I figured we could even make gingerbread ice cream if you wanted, or gingerbread-peach ice cream, which would be so yummy. Helen—Brian’s grandma—and I used to make it from scratch. The bowls came out better than I’d hoped, and I have other ideas, too,” she said as Penny pulled out her phone and started taking pictures.
Josie told her about her idea for clown ice cream cones. “And over the holidays we can make them into elves with gingerbread ears. For parties we can decorate ice cream cakes with gingerbread, too. Maybe even do a winter wonderland theme with a gingerbread train and scoops of ice cream in the cars?”
“Holy crap. Finlay’s going to lose her mind when she hears you can do this. I’m texting her pictures.”
Josie’s stomach clenched. “Why? Does she make gingerbread? Shoot! I don’t mean to—”
“No! She doesn’t do anything with gingerbread, like, ever! She’ll be excited.” Penny picked up a cone and bit into it. “Oh my God.” She closed her eyes as she chewed. “Mm.” Her eyes flew open, and she said, “You’re brilliant! We have to get these inside so we can fix some up and take pictures. Let’s get them on social media today and see how they sell. We’re really not supposed to do this, but these are too good not to share. Let’s test them out.”
“Social media? Really?”
“Yes. This could be big, Josie. If they sell well, we can add them to the menu, or—oh! I know! We can have an annual gingerbread week. Can you make summer things, too? Maybe gingerbread balloons on sticks for the spring?”
“I can make just about anything.” Josie told her about Brian’s grandmother and how she’d been tinkering with recipes and ideas for years.
Penny’s phone rang. “It’s Fin.” She answered the phone and said, “Did you see the pictures? Josie made them. It’s gingerbread. I’m putting you on speakerphone.”
“Wow, Josie!” Finlay exclaimed. “Save me a bowl. I’m coming over as soon as the lunch shift is over. Do you have any idea how amazing this is? It’s a niche no one around here has touched.”
Josie was unable to hide her astonishment as Finlay and Penny went on about how they’d missed the Peaceful Harbor Winterfest, but they could take part in the spring festival.
“Can I hire you to help when I cater events?” Finlay asked.
“Really?” Josie was too excited to hold back. “Yes! I mean, if Penny doesn’t mind. I could really use the extra cash.”
“Absolutely. Girl, this is going to be huge for you,” Penny said as Sarah came around the corner across the street, heading for the salon. “Sarah!” Penny called out. “You didn’t tell me Josie was the gingerbread whisperer!”
As Sarah came across the street Finlay said, “I have to go, but I’m sending these pictures to Cassie and to Gemma and Crystal. I’ll show them to Izzy, too. Love you guys.”
Penny ended the call and was navigating on her phone again when Sarah joined them. “Your sister is going to be the next big thing around here.”
Josie hugged Sarah. “Don’t listen to her. She’s on a sugar high or something.”
“Oh, please. Look what your sister made,” Penny exclaimed. “Gingerbread cups, bowls, cookies, gingersnap cones. Cones, Sarah. She even dipped them in chocolate and put sprinkles on them. I’d marry her if I swung that way.”
“You made all this, Josie?” Sarah’s eyes widened with surprise as she gazed into the back of the car.
“Mm-hm. I’m pretty good at all things gingerbread. Brian’s grandmother taught me to make it.”
Penny handed Sarah a gingerbread cookie and said, “We’re going to take some tantalizing pictures and put them on social media to see how they sell. I’m saving a bowl for Finlay.” Her phone vibrated, and she quickly read the text. “Crystal and Gemma are coming over on their lunch break. Finlay sent them pictures.”
“I have to get to work,” Sarah said. “But can I buy a couple of cookies for the kids?”
“My sister is not buying cookies from me. Hold on. Let me get a bag.” Josie ran inside, and when she returned she put several cookies in the bag and handed it to Sarah. “Do you want to get together this weekend with the kids?”
“Yeah. I’d really like that.” Sarah
hugged her. “Come over for dinner. The kids can play, and we can hang out.”
As Sarah walked across the street to the salon, Penny said, “Help me carry these inside. I can’t wait to hear your other ideas.” Her phone vibrated again. She set the box on a table inside the shop and read the message. “Cassie said she’s coming over with Finlay later and wants to talk to you.”
“Oh boy. She’s the baker, right? I’m not stepping on her toes, am I?”
Penny rolled her eyes. “First of all, no. Second of all, there is no stepping on toes with stuff like this. We all want the same thing—to make delicious treats. We’re not competing with each other. None of us are like that.” As they walked outside to get more boxes, Penny said, “Fin and Cassie bake a lot of the same things, but even they work together on big catering jobs. If this stuff sells as well as I think it’s going to, you’ll find yourself doing the same thing.”
Josie picked up a box and said, “I’ve lived in a world of three—me, Brian, and Hail—for so long, having this many friends to support everything we do feels like a dream.”
“Get used to it, Josie. Living in Peaceful Harbor means you’ll have everyone up in your business all the time. When you fall, there are lots of hands to help you up, and when you celebrate, everyone is right there cheering you on. It’s pretty awesome.”
Quincy drove by and honked as they walked into the shop.
“Speaking of up in your business,” Josie said, eyeing the blush on Penny’s cheeks. “Quincy comes by all the time. He’s totally into you, so…? When are you going to give him more than just a taste of your ice cream?”
Penny laughed. “You too? Maybe I need to rethink hating you.”
“Forget I said anything. I’m just on such a high right now. I thought it would be fun if you went out with him. We could double date.”
Mad About Moon Page 18
