Kissin' Tell: Rough Riders, Book 13

by Lorelei James

Jessie giggled. “I have a hard enough time getting out of a chair, say nothin’ of getting down on my knees.”

  “And with that…we’re sending you home to your husband.”

  They followed her back to the house—still weird to think of it as Brandt and Jessie’s place. After Casper sobered up, he’d announced he wasn’t returning to live in Sundance and handed over his house to Brandt and Jessie. They’d hired Chet and Remy West for a complete remodel. Happy as he’d been for his brother and sister-in-law to have the family homestead, the place he’d grown up in wasn’t his home any longer.

  On the way to drop Dalton off, Tell asked, “Is it poker week?”

  “Got postponed since everyone is scattered. Cam and Domini took their kids to Disney World. Colby is testing new stock at Cash Big Crow’s, which means Cord and Colt are swamped. Kane and Kade are checking out a bull sale in Montana. Quinn and Libby and their kids are in Arizona at Gavin’s, which means Ben’s up to his ass. Keely and Jack are on some tropical vacation.”

  “Won’t be long before the poker games end altogether.”

  “You’re probably right.” Dalton tipped his hat back. “You think Ben told anyone in the family about our card skills?”

  “I doubt it. I will say that it does suck, pretending that we’re lousy players.”

  “I remember someone talking about us havin’ bad poker faces.” Dalton laughed. “I wanted to prove them wrong, until I realized I was proving them wrong and they didn’t have a clue.”

  “You never said if you won or lost in Deadwood.”

  Dalton cocked his head. “I didn’t, did I?”

  And he didn’t intend to, either. “Asshole. Looks like you’re gonna get that nap after all since we’re done early.”

  “Thank God. What are you gonna do with yourself?”

  “Make sure the baler is working. Ben said something last week about double-checking every piece of equipment before we get to haying. So I might swing by his place after lunch to see what he needs help with, since I doubt Brandt will remember to do it.”

  Dalton peered over the tops of his sunglasses. “Word of caution—never just drop by Ben and Ainsley’s house.”

  Tell frowned. “Why? Because they’re newlyweds?”

  He emitted a strangled laugh. “Yeah, that’s it.”

  Weird.

  “Later.”

  Chapter Six

  Georgia looked forward to her date with Tell, hoping that tonight he’d put his bold declaration that they’d be lovers into action.

  She’d tried to work after he dropped her off yesterday, but her thoughts kept drifting to back to him. Starting with when she’d seen him in the park on Saturday. She’d watched him for a while before approaching, hesitant to interrupt the fun time he’d been having with Landon.

  But Tell’s happy demeanor changed when his father entered the picture. Tension rolled off him so thickly Georgia felt it on the other side of the park. She’d left soon after; she wouldn’t want Tell to witness a dustup between her and her family.

  As the afternoon had worn on and she hadn’t accomplished a damn thing, she’d dug out her high school yearbooks.

  Georgia had no interest in seeing pictures of her size-two self, not because of the twenty extra pounds she carried, but because when she saw at pictures of that young girl, her gut twisted thinking about all the losses facing her. The disappointments to come. Shaking off the morbid thoughts, she scanned the index for mentions of McKay.

  There were tons of entries for Chase McKay and Keely McKay. A couple for his brother Brandt. Three listings for Tell. He’d kept a low profile their sophomore year. Then again, Georgia remembered both Chase and Keely had ruled the school that year—easy to be overlooked even if your last name was McKay.

  She thumbed back through the pages. The first shot was of Tell in the lunchroom, mugging for the camera with his buddies Thurman and Ned—the trio called themselves TNT. The second pic was of rodeo club—not surprising he wasn’t standing by Deck, but he wasn’t next to his cousin Chase, either, who was front and center. The last entry was Tell’s sophomore class picture. The kid in the pic was scrawny. His dark hair was brutally short and no hint of smile lingered on his lips or brightened his eyes. She honestly didn’t remember this somber version of Tell at all.

  Georgia flipped open the next yearbook. Five mentions of Tell during their junior year. A picture of him at the first football game of the season. One of him in the buckin’ chute as he got ready to ride. Another picture of him in rodeo club. A shot of him filling balloons for the junior/senior prom. And his junior class picture. At least he’d smiled in that one.

  Guilt rolled over her, seeing the picture of Tell standing beside the helium tank. After being assigned the tedious task by Denille, the head cheerleader, she’d asked Tell to help. He’d made her laugh all the time in English class, so she figured he’d make even a crappy chore fun. But when Deck had found out who she’d asked to help her, he’d told her dad. And her father refused to let her spend time alone, unsupervised, with a godless, wild McKay boy. She’d been too mortified to explain why she had to back out, and poor Tell had gotten stuck doing all the work.

  Come to think of it, that had happened more than once over their high school years.

  If Tell was the vengeful type, agreeing to take her to the reunion and then standing her up would be a perfect way to get back at her.

  The beautiful evening was impossible to resist, and Georgia sat on the front steps, basking in the sun’s last rays as she waited for Tell to pick her up. She’d probably overdressed in capris, a sleeveless yellow shirt patterned with tiny daisies, and wedge sandals, given the fact they’d played basketball on their first date.

  Her heart skipped a beat as she watched Tell saunter up the sidewalk. He wore that sexy grin and his usual cowboy finery that made him look smokin’ hot, so she was glad she’d taken extra time with her appearance.

  “You make such a damn pretty picture, sittin’ out here with the sun shining on your hair, making it look like black gold.”

  “Listen to you, Tell McKay, talking so sweet.”

  As soon as she was upright, he tugged her into his arms. Then his mouth was on hers, reminding her that he knew how to kiss. Georgia’s head was pleasantly muzzy by the time he pulled away.

  “I like hearing that happy little hum when I kiss you. Gets me all kinds of curious about what other noises you make when you’re turned on.”

  Georgia laughed softly. “Don’t get my hopes up that you’ll find out tonight.”

  Tell frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Nothing. Where we going?”

  “To Bill’s Burger Shack in Hulett. Best burgers around. Been there yet?”

  “No. But first ice cream? And now burgers? You’d better have a plan to help me work off these extra calories, Tell McKay.”

  “I do.”

  “Which is…?” Should she mention sex burned a lot of calories?

  “If I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise.”

  “I don’t like surprises.”

  “So I gathered. Come on. Let’s go.”

  The drive was beautiful. The years away from this area had allowed her to forget just how spectacular the scenery was. Had she ever really appreciated it?

  They scored the last table in the burger joint. Between bites of an oversized burger, Tell asked about scheduling for upcoming rodeos. She responded as best as she could, but each event had different parameters and she hadn’t memorized the details.

  That didn’t make him happy. She knew he was anxious to get scheduled to judge, but he’d brought it up on the drive back to her house after the trip to DQ too. Was that all he cared about?

  Did he think she only cared about the reunion?

  Maybe. To prove she had interest in his life, Georgia asked about his day. He mumbled about Dalton being hungover, his sister-in-law Jessie having a short fuse and broken fences that don’t fix themselves.

  Then he
clammed up and this slid into awkward date territory.

  Tell didn’t talk to her but he sure didn’t have a problem talking to anyone else—or everyone else that stopped by their table. When Tell introduced her, a few people remembered her; mostly they remembered her brother RJ.

  While Tell chatted with yet another person she didn’t know, she was reminded of her biggest mistake after moving to Sundance the beginning of her sophomore year: letting her high school boyfriend become her everything.

  Deck’s interests, activities and friends took priority over hers. Cheerleading was the one activity she could claim as her own. Being back here was a harsh reminder that she’d spent her high school years as arm candy. Virginal arm candy. Silent, virginal arm candy. A girl so sweet and demure sugar wouldn’t melt in her mouth. A girl whose opinions were considered as fluffy as a bag of cotton candy. She snorted. There was a past persona to be proud of.

  So as proud as she was that she’d grown a spine and left Deck, she knew few people would see the new and improved Georgia Hotchkiss—because no one had really known the old Georgia.

  Tell leaned forward to capture her attention. “Sorry about that. Tim, from my dart team, tends to go on and on.”

  Georgia bit back her smart response, I hadn’t noticed.

  “He’s one of those guys who believes we oughta have a strategy for winning the league. When most of us are just there to bullshit and drink beer.”

  “That’d be the only draw for me.”

  “Speaking of… Would you come to Ziggy’s tomorrow night and watch the match?”

  Nothing she disliked more than being a spectator at a guys’ sporting event—she’d done that more times than she could count. But if she wanted to spend time with Tell, hopefully naked time, she’d have to take one for the team first. “What time?”

  “League starts at seven. It’s usually done by nine.”

  “I could show up for a little while.”

  He grinned. “Good. As far as tonight… Are you a fan of John Wayne movies?”

  “I’ve only seen a couple, so I don’t know if that qualifies me as a fan. Why?” Please say we’re going back to your place to watch movies. In your bed.

  “The Sundance Arts Council plays movies in the park every Monday night in the summer. They have a big projection screen by the band shell. You interested in checking it out?”

  Tell wore such an earnest look she couldn’t say no. “Sure, as long as it doesn’t run past my bedtime.”

  “When’s that?”

  “Whenever you decide it’s time to take me to bed,” she purred. Then she stood, adding an extra wiggle as she dumped her empty cup in the trash.

  Tell was a lot friendlier on the drive back to Sundance.

  At the park, he spread out a blanket on the grass, away from the families with small children. She looked around, feeling so far out of her element she might as well be on Mars.

  Then Tell’s hand gently touched her face. “Georgia? Something wrong?”

  I don’t fit in here. I never have. “Just lethargic after eating.”

  He scooted back, stretching his legs into a V. “You can use me as a pillow.”

  Georgia crawled toward him. That bad-boy grin with smirking dimples was impossible to resist. She nestled her backside into his crotch, wiggling to get comfortable. Rolling her spine against his chest, she releasing a tiny sigh. Tell was so warm and firm. She turned her head to kiss the bottom of his jaw, getting a noseful of his pine-scented aftershave. “You are kinda hard for a pillow.”

  “And getting harder in some places.” He set his chin on top of her head. “You feel good on me.”

  “You’d feel good in me.”

  He chuckled. “You never give up, do you?”

  “Nope. So be prepared to be worn down by my feminine wiles, cowboy. Because not only do I talk dirty, I can act out all the dirty suggestions. Wanna see?”

  “Maybe later.”

  The movie started and she blocked out all sounds, concentrating on the steady beat of Tell’s heart and the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest. Onscreen, John Wayne was shooting at an outlaw. She tried to focus on the action, but her eyelids kept slipping shut. It wouldn’t hurt to rest her eyes. Just for a couple of minutes.

  A rough hand skated up her arm and she jumped.

  “Relax. You conked out for the first half.”

  “It’s not over?”

  “Intermission gives the local kids’ groups a chance to sell popcorn, candy, soda. The rodeo club is scheduled to work the concession next month.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “I’m an advisor to the club. Some of these kids need direction. Plus, it’s fun.”

  That surprised her. “What else do you do for fun in your free time?”

  “I hang out at the trap club. My cousins Colt and Kane roped me into refereeing at Little Buddies/Big Buddies flag football and basketball games. I shoot pool with Thurman, Warner and Ned.” He shrugged. “I’d rather do just about anything than stay home by myself. That ain’t fun.”

  “That’s completely the opposite of the way I am. I’d hole up in my condo in Dallas all the time, if I could.”

  “You love your place that much?”

  No. I just don’t have anywhere else to go.

  Tell kissed her forehead. “Well, I aim to change your antisocial ways now that you’re back here in the Wild West.”

  “And force me to have fun.”

  He grinned. “Yep. By any means necessary.”

  They wandered to the concession stand hand in hand. Tell struck up a conversation with the couple ahead of them in line.

  The woman kept sneaking looks at her, until Georgia finally asked, “I’m sorry. Do we know each other?”

  “I doubt you’d remember me. I graduated the year after you. We had gym together and Mr. Larkin partnered us for—”

  “Tennis,” Georgia finished. “We got second place. I remember that. You’re Allison.”

  “Yes. And I was friends with RJ.” She smiled sadly. “Then again, everyone was friends with RJ.”

  “My brother did have a knack for knowing everyone when he walked into a room.” Kind of like Tell.

  “RJ was a great guy.”

  That pang of sadness surfaced. “Yeah. He was.”

  Tell squeezed her hand.

  But the encounter was a pointed and poignant reminder to her that this small-town stuff didn’t appeal to her. Where everyone knew her sad family history. Where everyone paid attention to her purchases in the local grocery store, gossiping that she’d bought magnum condoms and a raunchy romance novel. She’d rather be anonymous in a big city than infamous in a small town.

  She looked around the park. Everything seemed too perfect. Almost as if it’d been staged. Happy moms and dads resting on heirloom quilts while their kiddos ran wild. Friends laughing together. Reliving the types of memories she’d rather forget.

  You don’t belong here.

  Georgia had such a sense of disquiet she abruptly let go of Tell’s hand.

  Tell frowned. “You okay?”

  “Ah, yeah, I’m just going to use the facilities.”

  And she fled.

  Maybe this hadn’t been the best idea.

  Georgia had been skittish all night. When she wasn’t ignoring everything and everyone around her.

  It bothered him that she hadn’t joined in the conversations at the burger joint. Not that she’d been rude. She’d just seemed uninterested and entirely focused on her food.

  Maybe she’s shy.

  That jarred him.

  Georgia Hotchkiss…shy?

  No way. She’d always spoken her mind.

  Hadn’t she?

  No. If he remembered correctly, the only time she’d voiced her opinions was when Deck hadn’t been around. Like in history class. The rest of the time she’d kept quiet. So she wasn’t aloof or stuck-up, as most people—including him—had assumed.

  As much time as Tell had spent watchi
ng her in high school, how had he not noticed that she was actually shy?

  Because you were a teenage boy too busy imagining fucking her.

  Seemed he, too, had seen only what he’d wanted to see.

  When Georgia returned from the bathroom, her face was even more pale.

  He was by her side in an instant. “What’s wrong?”

  “I’m ready to go. If you want to stay and watch the end of the movie, it’s not that far to my place. I’ll walk.”

  “Like hell you will.” He loomed over her. “Stay here. I’ll grab the blanket and be right back.”

  They didn’t speak on the short ride to her house. After he’d parked in her driveway, he said, “You wanna tell me what’s really wrong?”

  She continued staring out the window for another minute before she faced him. “Now that I’m back in Sundance I see a lot of mistakes I made.”

  “Like what?”

  “Like I didn’t make much effort in high school to make new friends.”

  “Why’s that? Because you’re a little shy?”

  Georgia looked at him sharply. “How’d you know?

  “Lucky guess.” He kissed the back of her hand. “Go on.”

  “I’m not painfully shy or anything. I was just raised in a God-fearing home where men were masters of their domain. My mom was a foreigner and introverted, so I ended up like her, where RJ took after my dad and was outgoing. Took me a long time to figure out most people thought I was stuck-up because I wasn’t like RJ.”

  “With the last name McKay, I’ve dealt with a lot of those preconceived ideas too. It sucks.”

  She nodded. “But mostly I didn’t try to find a best friend because I already had one.”

  “Deck?”

  She shook her head. “RJ. Whenever we moved to a new town, I didn’t worry about fitting in because I had him. Then he took to Sundance like he was born here and he kind of left me in the dust, which is probably why I clung to Deck so much. Everybody knew RJ. Everybody liked him.” She looked away. “I miss him. I know it’s been almost nine years and it should be easier, but it still hurts. And being here makes me face it every day.”

  “Hey.” Tell leaned across the seat, gently encouraging her to look at him. “I know how that feels. I still expect my brother Luke to barrel up when we’re out fixin’ fence. Course, he’d tell me I was doin’ something wrong. That part I don’t miss.” He smiled. “But I miss him. Not the Luke who was a shitty husband to Jessie or the Luke who was Dad’s favorite kid as well as his favorite whipping post. I miss Luke, my brother. The guy he was when it was just the four of us. Not trying to impress the ladies, or trying to piss Dad off, or trying to make Mom laugh when she was so damn miserable. But the guy who taught me stuff. The guy who listened when I talked. He’s been gone almost five years and I still miss him every day. I know I’m lucky that I’ve got two other brothers. But neither of them replaces Luke.”