by LuAnn McLane
Jason squeezed the weathered handle of the hammer that his grandfather had given him. He had newer, fancier tools, but something about knowing that his grandfather had pounded nails with this old tool gave him a feeling of comfort and satisfaction while he worked. Oh, he had earned a business degree to please his mother, but there was never any question in his mind that he would be wearing boots and a tool belt rather than a suit and tie. He sat there quietly and looked out over the auditorium, hoping that Noah Falcon would bring in a packed house. Although the small businesses and the outlying farming community were no strangers to lean times, the summer tourism had always given them the extra boost they needed to stay afloat. But with the entire country struggling to climb out of this recession, tourism had dropped off sharply. With another sigh, Jason thought about the pressure on Madison to produce a hit play and then shook his head. Of course his thoughts never strayed far from her.
Jason closed his eyes and inhaled a deep breath. Oh, boy … He could almost smell her perfume, he thought, and then smiled when he realized that she was sneaking up behind him. He sat still and let her think she was surprising him even though he wanted to turn around and grab her.
She knelt down next to him and put cool hands over his eyes. “Guess who.”
“Give me a clue. Are you blond or brunette?”
“Blond …” She drew out the word in a low, sexy tone.
Jason rubbed his chin. “Hmmm, I know lots of blondes. Straight or curly?”
“Natural blond, natural curls.”
“Natural blond?” Jason questioned in an amused, skeptical voice. “Don’t think I know any of those.”
She groaned. “Okay, I highlight a tiny bit.”
“Narrows it down just a little,” he teased to get her going. Getting Madison riled up was one of life’s pleasures. “Give me something more to go on.”
She gave him a sharp nudge with her knee. “Like what?”
“Ouch!” Jason chuckled. “Well, that was a pretty good clue. But give me something tangible. Swing around and let me touch something. How about your … mouth?”
“All right, but keep your eyes closed.”
“Not a problem.” Jason swung his feet up and swiveled around on the stage floor but parted his legs so she could kneel between them. “Okay, help me out.”
“Let’s see.” She braced one hand on his knee and then took his hand in hers and brought his index finger to her mouth and slowly traced her top lip and then her bottom one. “Anything?” she asked in a breathless voice that made him want to pull her against his chest and kiss her senseless.
“Hmmm.” Jason shrugged slowly and then tilted his head to the side as if in contemplation. She touched the tip of his finger with her tongue and he almost groaned. “I need more.”
“Okay, now keep those eyes shut.” She leaned in so close that her silky curls brushed against his cheek. God, she smelled good. “See if this helps,” she whispered hotly in his ear and then eased away from him.
What was she doing? Jason waited with anticipation, barely resisting the urge to open his eyes.
“Keep them closed!” she warned, making him grin.
Jason expected a kiss, but instead she took his hand and—Oh, God—curved his palm around her smooth warm breast. “You took your shirt off?” His eyelids fluttered, wanting to open, but she blocked his vision with her hands.
“Yes. The doors are locked and we are all alone,” she softly assured him. “Who am I, Jason? Do you know yet?”
“Ummm …” He cupped his hand around her firmly and then circled his thumb over her nipple until she sighed and arched into his touch. “Let me think… . You do feel familiar.” He inhaled a deep breath. “And you smell amazing.” He frowned and then leaned forward and found her other breast. “Now, let me see how you taste,” he said and took one breast into his mouth. He swirled his tongue over the perky nipple, and when she groaned he sucked until she gripped his shoulders for support and then straddled his legs. He reached up and threaded his fingers through her thick curls while feasting on one breast and then moving to the other.
“Do you give up?” Madison asked and then gasped when he nipped her lightly.
“I have a pretty good guess. Just let me try one more thing… .” He pulled her head down for a long, sweet kiss. When she sank into his embrace, Jason wrapped his arms around her and splayed his hands over her bare back. He loved the silky texture of her skin and the delicate, sensual feel of her nestled against his chest. The thought went through his head that no other woman had ever felt so right in his arms and damned if he couldn’t just stay like this forever. When he finally pulled his mouth from hers, he kept his eyes closed and leaned his forehead against hers. “I’m going to go out on a limb, but I think perhaps you could be Madison Robinson?”
“The one and only.”
“No truer words were ever spoken.” Jason chuckled softly. “Maddie, just for the record, I’d know your touch, your taste, your scent anywhere.” He opened his eyes and gently brushed her hair from her face. “But I sure do love lookin’ at you.”
“Really?” Her shy smile tugged at his heart. She put up this big, confident front, but he saw right though her. Jason wanted her to lean on him.
“Absolutely.”
“I can’t believe I took my shirt off.” She covered her breasts with her hands and then pressed her lips together. “I tend to get caught up in the moment.”
“I’m caught up in every moment I’m with you,” Jason admitted and was confused when she turned her head away. “Hey,” he said and gently turned her back toward him. “I’m not some fancy dude spittin’ some game at you. I’m just a country boy puttin’ myself out there. The only thing I know how to be is real. You know that, right?”
She nodded.
“Maddie, you might call it getting caught up in the moment, but I think you’re just being yourself. You can do that with me.” When he saw the uncertainty in her eyes, he rubbed his thumb over her bottom lip. “Always.”
“Thank you,” she said and her smile trembled at the corners. “My mother taught me to be strong, and I love her for it. But sometimes,” she began, but paused when her voice cracked, then finished, “it’s hard.”
“God … come here, baby.” When Jason wrapped his arms around her, she laid her head on his shoulder and gave him a shaky sigh. “My parents have had their differences over the years, but they have a strong marriage. I can’t begin to imagine how tough bein’ a single parent must have been for your mom, especially at such a young age. I guess she had to be tough or crack.”
Madison nodded into his shoulder and sniffed. “Mom’s parents are wealthy. I refuse to call them my grandparents because I’ve never even met them. But my mother gave up a life of privilege for me.”
Jason thought of his own loving grandparents and his heart ached for her. “Maddie, that’s all just … stuff. Your mother didn’t give up nothin’ that was important.” He tilted her head up to look into her eyes. “But just the same, remind me to thank her.”
“I will.” She smiled and then laughed softly.
“What’s so funny?”
“I came here to bring you lunch from the diner, but I got sidetracked by our little game.” She angled her head toward a shopping bag. “We have ham and Swiss on wheat, potato salad, and fresh fruit. I made it myself.”
“Really?”
“Well, not the potato salad. Aunt Myra’s red skin potato salad is the best on the planet.”
“But you made the sandwiches with your own two hands?”
“Only for you, baby.”
“I am impressed.”
She wrinkled her nose and gave him a shove. “Hey, it’s a start. My mother keeps bugging me to learn how to cook. So, do you want to dig in?”
“I’m just teasin’.” Jason nodded. “Sure I do,” he replied, but then peeled her hands away from her breasts, replacing them with his own. “But I’d like my dessert first, if it’s all the same to you.”
Her face fell. “Oh, I didn’t bring dessert, unless you count the fruit. There was apple pie. Oh, I should have brought—”
He silenced her with a fingertip to her lips. “You are my dessert, sweet cheeks.”
“I like the way you think, Jason Craig,” Madison said and began unbuttoning his shirt. “As a matter of fact, I truly am in the mood for something hot and”—she leaned forward and licked the exposed skin—“decadent. Mmm, just what I had in mind.”
Jason leaned back on his elbows and let her go to town. Her hands felt cool, but her mouth was warm, and when she nibbled on his neck a silky shiver slid down his spine. “How do I taste?”
“Sinfully delicious.” She licked his earlobe, making him groan. “And calorie-free. I just love win-win situations. Don’t you?”
“Yeah, baby.”
When she reached for his belt buckle Jason sucked in a breath and then chuckled.
“What?”
“I was just thinking that working on Sunday isn’t so bad after all,” he replied and then watched her tuck her bottom lip between her teeth while she slid the leather from the loop. She did this whenever she concentrated and he thought it was incredibly cute. When she was nervous she nibbled on her left thumbnail. God, and when she was about to climax, she raised her hands above her head. It seemed as if he learned something new about her every day, and he hoped it would always be that way.
“Just what are you looking at?”
“The prettiest girl in the whole damned world.”
“Oh, stop,” she chided, but he tucked a finger beneath her chin and tilted her head up. “I’m a geek.”
“Okay, the prettiest geek in the whole damned world.”
Their eyes met and she licked her lips … a sure sign that she was getting emotional. Jason swallowed, tried to keep from saying it but he just couldn’t. “I love you.”
“Oh, Jason …” She blinked rapidly and then pressed her forehead to his, but he tilted her head up again.
“You don’t have to say it back or worry about stayin’ in Cricket Creek or anything at all. I just had to let you know.” Of course, that was all a big, fat lie. He wanted her to throw her arms around him and say it back. And he wanted her to live here permanently. At least the worry part was true. But now he was adding to her worry. “I’m sorry, Maddie. I shouldn’t have laid that one on you.”
“Telling someone that you love them isn’t something you apologize for,” she replied with a smile, but it wobbled at the corners. “Jason, I—” she began, but he silenced her with a kiss. He wanted her to say it when she was ready, and he could tell that she wasn’t. He also knew that when she said it she would mean it. And yet she threaded her fingers through his hair and kissed him with a deep desperation that told him she wanted him. She needed him. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. It would have to do for now …
Maddie’s mouth felt so warm, so pliable and so very soft. Her tongue felt dainty and feminine against his, and yet she kissed with such passion that it seemed to be an extension of her personality—sweet as honey but hotter than an August night. She moved against him with sensual grace, her breasts against his chest while the kiss went on and on. Then, unable to stand it, his hands found her zipper. He tugged her jeans over her hips and groaned when he located a delicate little wisp of silk and lace. “You wear the sexiest damn underthings.”
“For you,” she whispered in his ear.
“All I can say is thank you, baby.”
“My pleasure,” she replied with a throaty laugh.
“Your pleasure? Oh, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet,” he warned her, then slipped his finger beneath the lace, toying and teasing until she gasped.
“Well, then, let’s see it!” Maddie laughed and seconds later she was tossing articles of clothing into the air while urging him to do the same thing and so he joined her. “That’s what I’m talking about!” Madison shouted when his boxers went sailing off the stage. Making love to Madison was always an adventure. Just like she did with her kisses, she poured her whole self into the experience, never just going through the motions. She had gone on birth control a while ago just for him so they could be spontaneous and not worry.
Jason lifted her onto his lap to straddle him and then pulled her head down for a long, sweet kiss that quickly heated up. He splayed his hands across her back, loving the feel of her smooth, warm skin. “I don’t think there is anything on this earth softer than your body.”
“And nothing harder than yours.”
“Ah, babe, you got that right,” he answered with a strained chuckle.
“Oh, Jason, I’ve thought about you all morning long,” Madison confessed, and he was so relieved to hear her admission. So it wasn’t just him …
“Me too,” Jason said and gave her a smile. Madison moved intimately against him, slow and easy, driving him crazy with wanting her, but he prolonged the moment. He cupped her breasts and then took one into his mouth, licking and sucking until she moaned. Finally, unable to wait any longer, he spanned her waist and lifted her upward.
“Oh, Jason …” Madison gripped his shoulders and sank back down onto his erection. “You feel so amazing,” she breathed into his ear, and then moved slowly back up to her knees. She started a leisurely rhythm, as if savoring each stroke, but then allowed him to guide her harder, faster. Her breasts rubbed against his chest and her hair swung forward, lightly brushing against his skin. “God!” She closed her eyes, but Jason watched the play of emotion on her face, thinking that he had never seen anything so erotic or beautiful. Unable to hold back, he thrust upward and climaxed in a hot rush that lasted longer than he thought possible. With a throaty cry, she raised her hands above her head and arched her back. “Oh!”
Jason moaned while her sweet, sexy body squeezed every drop of pleasure from him. When she fell forward with a long sigh, he wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. For a few moments neither of them spoke but simply lay there breathing shakily. Serious thoughts simmered beneath the surface. He could almost hear what she was thinking, and he knew that this was not the time for her to worry about anything. He could kick his own ass for dropping the L word, but he decided that bringing it up again would only complicate matters, so he decided to keep things light. Finally, he kissed the top of her head and said, “I’ve worked up an appetite. How about you?”
She nodded against his chest. “You ready for your sandwich?”
Jason threaded his fingers through her thick curls and tilted her head up. “Mmm, I was thinking along the lines of dessert.”
“You already had dessert.”
“But I can never get enough,” he said and captured her mouth in a lingering kiss. She wrapped her sweet little body around him and he made love to her slow and easy, thinking that there was nothing in the world better than this.
7
Thinking Outside the Bun
Olivia glared at the clothes in her closet as if they had somehow sneaked onto the hangers while she was sleeping and kidnapped her other, more stylish wardrobe. Pressing her lips together, she pushed through the khaki pants and cotton blouses with a little extra force and then groaned. “Someone needs to send me on What Not to Wear for a major makeover,” she grumbled. She could imagine Stacy clucking her tongue and Clinton shaking his head and both of them making snarky remarks while they tossed her drab clothes into the trash. Then they would fly her off to New York City and hand her the five grand and she would follow all the rules and return to Cricket Creek for her big reveal! Myra, Madison, and even Jessica would get teary-eyed when they witnessed her amazing transformation, and best of all, Noah would be blown away by her beauty.
“Oh, stop dreaming and start doing,” Olivia scolded herself in a stern voice. She often talked to herself. It was a habit formed during her childhood. Being an only child without a mother meant talking to yourself or to your stuffed animals. “There has to be something in here worth wearing!” She thought of a recent segment on Good Mor
ning America where a fashion expert insisted that you could shop in your own closet and combine clothing in inventive ways to create a whole new wardrobe. “Yeah, right,” she groused. “Match boring with boring and you get …” She paused and raised her arms upward. “Boring!” In college she had always wanted to look like other theater and art students who wore flowing bohemian skirts and chunky jewelry. She even bought a beret at a flea market but never had the nerve to wear it. Back then she wore jeans and sweater sets, and now all she owned was practical, comfortable clothing. She had a plain black sheath for funerals, several suits for conferences, and dress slacks and silk blouses for special occasions. And yes, she had a themed sweater for each and every holiday. Loungewear consisted of baggy sweats and hoodies.
Nothing cute. Nothing sexy.
“Damn,” she muttered and then slapped her palm over her mouth. She never cursed! She fisted her hands on her hips and shook her head. “Noah Falcon, this is your fault.” The man had her turned all topsy-turvy. Kissing on the street in broad daylight! Poking him! And now cursing? What was wrong with her? And yet she hadn’t felt this alive in, well … She tapped her index finger against her cheek. “Ever.” Olivia looked down at her watch and then smacked her palms against her cheeks. Noah would be here in just a little while with pizza. She couldn’t answer the door in her underwear! She simply had to put something on and just go with it. After all, she was tutoring him, not seducing him. And yet … “Oh, stop!”
Olivia pushed past her Dockers and found a pair of faded jeans that she gardened in. They were tattered and torn from real work and not ripped in some factory, but they looked pretty cool, like something her students might wear. Could she rock the tattered jeans? Olivia tossed them onto the bed and looked at them for a long moment. “I don’t think so.” With a groan she turned back to her closet, but then a flash of pink jammed between her gray sweatpants caught her eye. “Oh … yeah.” She reached for the pink sweat suit that Madison had bought her for her birthday. It was a medium, though she would have bought a large, but when she modeled it Madison had insisted it was a perfect fit and made her promise not to take it back for a bigger size. Madison was forever telling her to stop hiding her banging body behind baggy clothes.
