It Had to Be Him

by Tamra Baumann

  When Casey’s back was turned, Meg grabbed her phone. Toby always returned her texts immediately. Something that would probably irritate both her sister and Josh.

  Where are you? Casey’s about to blow a gasket. You have a charter in ten minutes!!!!

  After about thirty seconds, her screen lit up with Jeez I forgot. On my way, babe.

  Meg put her phone back and helped finish up the last of the boat prep while Casey muttered under her breath all the ways she’d like to kill Toby.

  He finally showed up with a wrinkled T-shirt, tousled hair, and a smug “just got laid” grin. He lost it as soon as he spotted Casey’s scowl.

  Meg took the opportunity to slip off the boat while the dressing down took place. Casey would be quick and to the point. She’d never let the guests see her in a temper, and they were already on the end of the dock, excitement lighting their faces in anticipation of their picnic.

  Meg greeted them and helped fit them into their life jackets. When Toby joined them, he thanked her and took over.

  She caught up with Casey as she marched back to the hotel. “So it all worked out, right?”

  Her sister sighed. “Sorry. I was mad at Toby, not you. Thanks for the help.”

  “You’re welcome.” Probably as good a time as any to ask. “But now I need your help with something.”

  “Excuse me?” Casey pulled up short. “Is the apocalypse happening and I missed the memo?”

  It had taken all her might to ask, and her sister was making light of it? Meg was tempted to tell her sister to forget it. She’d figure it out on her own. But she really needed Casey’s help. Ignoring her sarcasm, Meg sucked in a deep breath and told Casey about her conversations with Amber and then Walt.

  Casey’s smirk quickly vanished. “Let’s go to my office. Too many ears out here.” Casey led the way down the hall. She closed the door behind them and then sat behind her desk. “Beau told me he wasn’t sure he’d be able to fit a job as big as yours into his schedule.”

  Settling into a guest chair, Meg said, “He told me that too, but he said he’d think about it. Can you help me convince him to take on my job? At a reasonable rate? Amber is determined to see me fail. But I can do this if I can get Beau to help.”

  Casey’s lips tilted as she nodded. “Beau has been after me to go away with him for a long weekend before the boys get back from France. I’ve been putting him off because I thought people would put two and two together if we did that. But I just told him I’d go before I went to pack the boat, so he should still be in a good mood. Let’s see.” She picked up her cell and tapped out a text.

  Relief whooshed through Meg as her sister finished her text to Beau asking for his help. “Thanks, Casey. I owe you one.”

  “You owe the bank for your loan, you don’t owe your sister for a favor. And see? Trusting me enough to tell me your problem and then asking for help wasn’t so bad, was it?”

  “I guess.” Meg owed her sister the truth about Josh too. “You’ll probably be mad at me for this, but I told Josh I’d give our relationship another try.” Meg braced for her sister’s fury. Casey had warned her about handing her heart to Josh. But she hadn’t given it to him all the way. Just enough to test out the waters.

  Casey nodded. “I figured as much—” Her ringing cell cut her off. “It’s Beau.” She picked up the phone. “Hello?”

  Meg scooted to the edge of her seat.

  Please let him say yes.

  Casey’s face turned all soft and mushy. Doodling little curlicues on her paper as she listened, she finally said, “Yes, I think we could include some of that as well.” She was quiet for a minute before she said, “Mmmmm, yeah. That too.”

  Meg stood to give them some privacy, but Casey lifted a finger and shook her head.

  “’Kay. See you later, then.” When Casey hung up, her expression quickly slipped back to normal, but Meg was pretty certain her cheeks were still fifty shades of pink.

  “So? Was that a yes?”

  “Yep. He said the numbers you talked about were close enough, he’d send a formal bid and a crew to start tomorrow, and that I was going to owe him big-time.” Casey sent her a quick eyebrow hitch. “I’m looking forward to paying him back. But you’ll be interested to know, Amber offered to sleep with Beau if he refused to do the work for you.”

  “Well, it’s lucky for me you’re such a wild woman in the sack then, right? He might’ve caved if you weren’t keeping him so . . . satisfied.”

  A magazine flew at Meg’s head, but she dodged it. She headed for the door before objects more solid began to fly. “Thank you, Casey. You’re still my favorite half sister.”

  “And you’re still a brat!”

  Finished with rigging up the trigger device on Meg’s old car, Josh decided to take a break. “Zeke, I need to run a little errand. Be back in a bit, okay?”

  The old man nodded and went back to the carburetor he was rebuilding.

  After Josh had called Meg and confirmed she was at the lodge and that Haley was napping with Meg’s grandmother, he jumped into his truck.

  Their time in the shower earlier still tortured him. Nothing helped. Reciting box scores, the periodic table, and even the alphabet backward couldn’t redirect his thoughts.

  He pulled up to the lodge and then circled around back. Meg wore big safety glasses as she swung a sledgehammer that had to weigh half as much as she did against one of the deck’s main support posts. Apparently the whole thing was coming down.

  Later.

  And he’d do it for her. It could be dangerous.

  He moved into her line of sight. She stopped mid-swing and smiled. “Hi. What are you doing here?”

  “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since this morning.” He took the sledgehammer from her hands, slid her safety glasses off, then picked her up and kissed her.

  When they came up for air, she stared into his eyes. “Me too. I planned to take you somewhere nice later—”

  He cut her off with another kiss.

  When she moaned and wrapped her legs around his waist, snuggling her soft chest against his, he wasn’t sure they’d make it all the way to the bedroom.

  He started for the back door, reluctant to break their kiss, but he needed to see where he was going. “Let’s go finish what we started this morning.”

  “I’m all hot and sweaty.” She leaned back and smiled. “But okay. If you insist.”

  “I do.”

  As he carried her inside she nibbled on his ear, then whispered, “You’re bossier than you used to be.”

  He kicked the master bedroom door open all the way before he dumped her on the bed and covered her curvy little body with his. “I’ve been taking lessons from you.”

  He laid his lips softly on hers, surprised at how much he suddenly wanted to please her. Show her how much he’d missed her. How much he loved her. As urgent as his desire had been before, he wanted to go slow. To savor their first time together again.

  But Meg wasn’t having any of that. As usual.

  She writhed beneath him as she stripped down to her underwear. “You next.” She grabbed the hem of his shirt and yanked it off. Then she went for the zipper on his jeans.

  After she’d tossed all his clothes aside, he grabbed her busy hands and lifted them above her head, trapping them against the sheets. “We’re doing it my way this time.”

  Meg grunted. “See? Bossy.”

  “We’re always in such a hurry. Let’s slow down and enjoy it. And each other. Or are you afraid you’ll be in so deep you’ll let your defenses down, forget to hide that secret gooey center you guard so fiercely with your sarcasm?”

  Her eyes narrowed. “Maybe I just like sex the way I like it. Using both of my hands.”

  He shifted her wrists into one hand, freeing up his other. “You’re afraid to give up control. Be totally vulnerable. Admit it.”

  Meg never backed down from a direct challenge. She’d do it.

  “Fine.” She r
olled her eyes. “I’ll just lie here like a limp noodle, the blood draining from my hands while you do whatever you’d like. Wake me up when you’re done.” She yawned for effect.

  He nibbled on her cute little earlobe and got a shiver out of her. “Liked that, huh?”

  “Been three long years, Dr. Freud. Not gonna take much.”

  He loved how a woman who just barely passed the height restrictions to board most roller coasters could put up such a big front. He’d have her begging in no time.

  Starting from her shapely calf, he ran his hand up her smooth leg, slowly trailing his fingers up her side, raising goose bumps in his fingers’ wake. When he finally reached her breasts, he gently kneaded and squeezed, taking the time to please both of them before he unlatched the front clasp of her lacy bra and parted it.

  He took a moment to just look. To appreciate her beautiful body.

  Meg huffed out an impatient breath.

  He ran slow kisses across her jaw, her soft neck, and after he laid a light kiss just in front of her ear, whispered, “Am I annoying you?”

  “Yes! You’re driving me nuts!”

  He laughed, then kissed her pouting lips again. He’d missed her smart mouth as much as her sweet kisses. He’d kiss her for the next five minutes straight, just to drive her really crazy. Meg used to love that.

  It wasn’t long until her body finally softened under his, and she let out a quiet sigh.

  Progress.

  Still kissing her, he slowly slid his hand lower, his fingers caressing her smooth belly. Only her skimpy panties remained.

  When he slipped his hand under the soft material, he found her wet and ready for him. He stroked and teased her until she moaned against his mouth. “Now?”

  “Not yet.”

  He moved to her chest, exploring her breasts with his mouth. Sucking, teasing, until Meg moaned. “Josh . . . for the love of . . .”

  He trailed lazy soft kisses lower, past her belly, to her shapely thighs. Using his teeth and a thumb, he slipped her panties off, then lapped up her moisture. Her hips jerked before she threw her head back.

  Meg’s breathy gasps hardened him like steel.

  He wasn’t sure how much more he could take. He wanted to go slow, but maybe he’d have to save that for the next time.

  When her hips rocked in time with her need, he almost lost it. But he wanted her blind with passion for him first, so he slid two fingers inside her.

  Her back arched as she called out his name.

  Meg just wanted to touch him. To run her hands all over his sexy, hard body . . . but he still held her wrists prisoner over her head.

  He was killing her . . . in such a good way. Who knew how incredible letting him have his way could be?

  She was about to go over the top without him, when suddenly her hands were free. He’d leaned over to grab a condom. Thank God.

  She loved how Josh stared hungrily into her eyes as he slowly slipped inside of her. Filling her with long, slow thrusts that felt so familiar.

  So good.

  Her hands wandered over his hard back muscles, then ended up tangled in his soft hair, pulling him closer as he groaned with pleasure.

  She’d missed the way he looked at her, his eyes filled with fierce desire as he strained to hold back.

  For her.

  She closed her eyes, opened her heart, and let his intensity wash over her, through her. The pure, raw desire for him stole her breath. It was heaven to just savor, enjoy, and let go completely. To lose all control.

  For him.

  The years without his touch, the pent-up desires and needs, slammed into her all at the same time. She gasped as overwhelming pleasure swept her up and threw her to the top, like riding the perfect wave. Her body convulsed around his in hard, pounding contractions. She opened her eyes and stared into Josh’s intense ones again as he matched the frenzied pace of her hips. Then she gave in to it, and to Josh, and let go.

  He smiled before he closed his eyes and joined her.

  Josh’s heavy weight suddenly pinned her to the bed, and he sighed. “That was incredible.”

  “Ummm hummm.” She slowly ran her fingers through his hair while they both caught their breath. She hated to admit it, but his way was pretty great. She felt so relaxed, sated, and . . . happy, even if it was only for a few more minutes before she’d draw her defenses back up.

  When Josh rolled halfway off her, she could finally take a full breath again. He snuggled his face on the pillow beside her. Instead of whispering, “I told you so,” like she’d expected, his lips brushed her ear as he said, “I saw it in your eyes. You love me too.”

  Her heart used to be filled with such naïve joy and love for him. Not unlike what she’d just allowed herself to experience a few moments ago. But was she ready to take that leap of faith?

  She stared into his eyes, struggling with what to say.

  “I . . . can’t yet.”

  “Okay.” Josh nodded and closed his eyes.

  She wished she could tell him she loved him, but it was just too soon for her.

  Snuggling against his side, she laid her palm on his cheek and whispered, “I don’t mean to hurt you, by not saying it.”

  When he opened his eyes and met her gaze, she worked up a smile. “I will admit this, though. Your way was a lot more fun.”

  She expected a smug grin, but he just stared into her eyes in that unnerving way of his. Waiting for her to address the situation instead of avoiding it.

  “Oh, all right.” Propping her head up on her hand, she returned his steady stare. “You were right when you said earlier that I’m afraid to be totally vulnerable. To allow myself the possibility of being hurt again. So if I say I love you, that’s when you’ll know I’m ready.”

  “Fair enough.” He slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer. “I shouldn’t have put you on the spot like that. Won’t happen again, okay?”

  She nodded while swallowing back the emotion clogging her throat. “’Kay.”

  His lips stretched into a grin and the fun Josh returned. “Told you so about slowing it all down though, right?”

  And they were back to normal.

  She poked his shoulder before she rolled out of bed. “I already admitted you were right, so go away. I have a deck to demolish.”

  “How about I pick up a pizza for dinner, then after we eat, I’ll tear down the deck?”

  Meg tugged her clothes back on. “Pizza sounds great, but I can do the deck on my own.”

  “I know you’re capable, but what if you get hurt while you’re all alone out here? Promise you’ll let me do it, Meg.”

  “Whatever.” That she could give him.

  He quirked a brow. “So was that a yes?”

  “Yes!” She leaned down and laid a hard kiss on his lips. “And for bringing me pizza, I may just let you have your way with me again after Haley goes to sleep tonight.”

  Then she’d see if it was as mind-blowing the second time. Because really, after so long, any sex would have probably been great. Maybe it was just what she needed so her heart would finally know what to do.

  “Sex for a pizza delivery. Works every time.” Josh rolled out of bed and scooped up his jeans.

  “Yep. A total win-win. I’ve trained you well.”

  She laughed at the befuddled look on his face as he tried to work out who had just achieved the upper hand on that one.

  Almost the whole town stood behind Zeke’s garage to watch Meg’s car get blown to bits. Josh smiled at the turnout, hoping it’d give people a chance to see he wasn’t the villain he’d been made out to be.

  The volunteer fire department moved into position, ready for the drill, while the whole police force helped corral the people behind the barriers Josh had set up. Because most of the police were also volunteer firefighters, that made a total of six guys.

  He’d give the people a good show, but he’d made sure the explosion would be controlled and burn out quickly. He’d just finished
removing the last tire when he glanced up and caught Meg’s brother Ryan watching closely, with a suspicious gleam in his eyes. Ryan would get proof his sharp instincts were right soon enough.

  Meg strolled up with Haley on her hip. “Hey.”

  “Hey, back. How are my two favorite girls?”

  “Good.” Meg shot him a smile that smoldered with heat. They’d been enjoying making up for lost time in bed the last couple of days. “But I guess this is goodbye to my poor old car. May she rest in peace.” She gave him a quick hug.

  In front of the townspeople. More progress.

  And it spoke volumes that Meg would allow him to take Haley to the ranch later, albeit reluctantly. When they got back, she was even going to let him babysit while Meg went to her girls’ thing.

  He’d made a point of giving Meg a break every day and taking Haley on little outings, getting ice cream at the diner, going to the toy store, or just playing in the park, but he hadn’t had her alone more than a few hours at a time.

  He loved spending time with Haley and listening to the funny things that came out of her mouth. Especially stories about Meg that he’d teased her about later. Apparently no family secrets were safe with a two-and-a-half-year-old around.

  He’d told Meg he could handle the longer day, but he hoped to God he’d know what to do with a little girl for that many hours straight.

  “Hi, Daddy.” Haley reached her arms out for him to take her.

  As Meg handed Haley over, she asked, “So what’s with the little slips of paper in the sack going around?”

  “Ever heard of Zozobra?”

  Meg nodded. “The fifty-foot-tall ugly puppet guy they burn to the ground every year in Santa Fe. You calling my car ugly?”

  “Absolutely. But Zozobra embodies gloom. So anyone with worries can write them down and we’ll put them all inside the car, like they do the puppet. By destroying their worries in the flames, people can feel free to move on. Might even help someone forget the past and give a guy another chance. Wanna try it?” He handed her the piece of paper and pen in his pocket he’d put there just for her.

  “Thank you, Mr. Subtle.” She sent him a smirk. “But I suppose it couldn’t hurt. Turn around, I need your back to write on.”