I shrugged my shoulders but decided to torture him a little further. “You really like those shorts, huh?”
He didn’t give me a response because his answer was pretty obvious. So I continued, “Well, that night, with those shorts...” I got up on my toes and whispered in his ear, “I didn’t have on any underwear.”
His expression turned pained and then flashed to serious. “Good thing we’re headed to the apartment, Babe. Can’t say shit like that where I can’t fuck you.” He took my hand and pushed it against the front of his pants to emphasize his point.
He opened the door, threw my bags into the truck, and then lifted me by my ass and shoved me in. I guess he was in a hurry.
********
My legs wrapped around his waist, my arms around his shoulders, and his hard length inside me, my head fell back against the wall of the shower and I moaned, “God, Tuck.”
And then I came. Hard. I shattered into a million pieces and my body turned into jello. My mind blanked except for the heat spreading deep and strong throughout my body from my orgasm.
We had sex in the bed first and then got in the shower to rinse off and ended up fucking again. There was absolutely nothing hotter than Tuck’s naked body. And evidently, all the talk of me in those shorts without underwear had gotten him quite worked up.
As we were coming down I realized we hadn’t used a condom the second time. I started to say something when Tuck spoke. “Best I ever had.”
“What?”
“You, Babe. You’re the best I ever had. Everything about you.”
I melted into his body and whispered into his chest, “Me too, Tuck.”
He squeezed me tight and I remembered I had something important to say. “Tuck, Baby. We didn’t use a-”
“I know, Talie. It’s ok. You turn up pregnant, I reckon that’ll be the best thing to ever happen to me too.”
That was really sweet, but I wasn’t ready for babies yet! We just got together! “But I’m not ready for-”
He cut me off again. He knew exactly what I was feeling. “I know, Babe. I want more time with you too. We’ll be more careful from now on, I promise. But if you are pregnant, I swear I won’t let anythin’ happen to either of you.”
I shook my head because it was like he knew more than he was letting on. “What do you mean let anything happen to us?”
Tuck held me tight and whispered, “Babe. I know your life is more complicated than you just wanderin’ here and stayin’. I told you that. We’re gonna talk about that later when we get home.”
Great. Something to look forward to. I had averted my eyes, but he grabbed my chin and brought them back to pierce me with his beautiful blue-green ones as he finished talking. “But I promise you, Talie. Whatever it is, I’m gonna stick by you. And if whatever it is catches up to you, I’m gonna protect you from it. And if it turns out that way, I’ll protect both of you.”
I shook my head and fought against the tears trying to make their way out of my eyes. “But you just met me.”
“Maybe. But I feel like you’ve been mine all my life.”
I was thinking maybe I felt the same way.
********
We were back at the farm and Tuck was taking me around to meet all of the horses. So far I had met ten of them, including Hatch and Sonny (Mikey, Peg, Cisco, Dusty, Cajun, Jake, Howie, and Gus). He had taken me to meet all of the boys first and now were headed to see the pregnant ladies. He kept them separated with a pasture in between so that they wouldn’t get into any fights or try to get busy with one another. As we walked I thought about what had happened before I went into the pharmacy earlier.
“Hey, um, Tuck.”
“Yeah, Babe?”
“There’s something I want to talk to you about.”
He shook his head and smirked. “I’m gettin’ that, Talie. How ‘bout you spit it out?”
Oh, right. “Okay, well before I went in the store earlier to buy my truck load of stuff I saw Ruthie and Bobby on the street.” I paused, but he just stared at me so I kept talking. “They were fighting. Well, actually Ruthie was just taking it. Bobby was yelling at her and-”
“You didn’t get involved did you?”
“Well, no-”
“Good.”
Huh? “How is that good? Ruthie is our friend.” I was starting to get pissed. This was not the same guy who I was used to. What was with the passive act?
“Yeah, Babe. She is. Love Ruth to death. But gotta tell you, I care about you more.”
Okay, that was really awesome, but I didn’t see what that had to do with anything. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“Talie, you got involved and Bobby got in your face, or worse, laid a hand on you, I’d have to get involved.”
But wouldn’t he feel the same way about Ruthie? The Tuck I knew definitely would. “Wouldn’t you feel the same way about him getting in Ruthie’s face or him laying a hand on her?”
“Of course I don’t want that for her. She’s like a sister to me. But her relationship isn’t my business. You are my business.”
Holy shit. I was understanding this now. He didn’t want Ruthie to leave like his sister did. He had gotten so burned by getting involved in his sister’s relationship that he was gun shy. I didn’t hesitate in diving right in. It was time to start working on fixing this.
“What is your sister’s name?”
His face registered shock, probably that number one I even knew about his sister and number two that I had figured him out. I watched him struggle and then give in. “I used to call her Winniekins.”
I raised a brow in question, but he waved me off with his hand.
“It doesn’t matter. I don’t call her anything anymore because I haven’t talked to her in years.”
He seemed so sad about that, that it surprised me he wasn’t doing more about it.
“You’re obviously upset about that and miss her, so why don’t you just reach out? I’m sure she would be receptive when she saw how sincere you were.”
His jaw hardened and a muscle ticked in his cheek. “Because I can’t. We had a fight before she left. A stupid fuckin’ fight because I didn’t trust her guy, and I haven’t heard from her since. Don’t even know where she went. I been lookin’ for her for years, but it’s a big fuckin’ world, with a lotta places to look when you don’t have any clue where to start.”
I think I might have heard the sound of my heart breaking for him. I started to go to him, when I thought of something.
“Is that where you go when you go out of town?”
He just nodded.
“The tattoo?”
He nodded his head once, again. “I won’t finish it until I find her.”
“Okay. Then we’ll find her, Tuck. I’ll help you.”
He smiled a sad smile at me and shook his head. “Not that easy, Babe. I’ve been looking for her for years and haven’t even found a trace of her. She wasn’t even here for our parents’ funeral. And if she hasn’t reached out by now, I don’t think she’s ever gonna.”
I started to pretend to be surprised about his parents, but he cut me off. “Obviously, someone’s been runnin’ their mouth so you know the whole story. You know my parent’s were killed.”
“What happened, Baby?”
He looked like he was about to close down so I pushed on. “You said we were going to talk today. We’re talking. We’ll get to me in a little while.”
At my reminder that this was his idea, he relented. “My parents were in love still. Together for 31 years. When my sister left it dampened their spirits but never their connection to each other.”
He paused and I could see the despair churning on his face. I reached out and put my hands on his hips, hooking my thumbs through his belt loops.
“Everything was normal, or as normal as it had been since Winnie left, until one Friday a little over four years ago. My dad came to the apartment and told me he was takin’ mom to Nashville for a romantic weeken
d last minute, asked me if I could take care’a the farm. He seemed excited about somethin’, I guess spendin’ time with my mom, so I told him it sounded like a good idea.”
Jesus. Don’t tell me he’d been blaming himself for his parents too. “Tuck, don’t take that stuff on yourself. Your sister chose to leave and your parents chose to go to Nashville.”
“But if Winnie didn’t blame me for the way things went, why the fuck would she break all communication with me? I just don’t understand it!”
“Sometimes there are good reasons behind horrible actions. You just never know, Tuck.”
He was angry, I could see it in his face, but we might as well get this out of the way now. I couldn’t tell him everything, but if he couldn’t get past me not talking to my own family, it would be better if we found out now.
“No.” He shook his head vehemently, still not agreeing with me so I just put it all out there.
“Tuck, I don’t talk to my family.”
His face was still hard, but his eyes pierced mine with undivided attention so I kept going. “Sometimes the reasons aren’t obvious, but they’re there all the same.”
“What are your reasons, Talie?”
I shook my head and tears started to fall down my face. God, this the last thing I wanted to relive or talk about with this man. I didn’t want any of my past life to touch this, but I guess I at least owed him some sort of explanation.
Tuck’s face softened, he stepped forward and cupped my face, and whispered, “Please don’t cry, Talie.”
I had to get this out so I slowly shook my head. Just enough so he would get my point but soft enough that I wouldn’t lose his hands. They were comforting.
As I spoke he wiped the tears with his thumbs as they fell. “I’m protecting them.” My voice cracked, but I kept speaking. “You know how I reacted the other night?” He nodded. “Well, I lived with a monster for about a year. I did so in order to keep that monster away from the people I loved. And in order to ensure that, I had to cut them out completely.”
Tuck whispered, “Oh, Natalie. They don’t know you’re here?”
I shook my head and admitted, “They think I’m dead. Everyone does.”
Tuck started to ask so I talked over him. “I can’t tell you any more than that. Please.”
He looked at me closely, maybe searching for some kind of indication that he should keep pushing, and then nodded.
“Thank you. Now, you know that it’s not always cut and dry. I hope to God your sister’s reasons are nowhere near the same as mine. But you see, there may be reasons.”
Tuck gave me what I needed and nodded again. “I’ll understand if you can’t be with someone with such a dark cloud over them-”
He placed his finger over my lips to silence me and whispered, “Nothin’ big enough, Talie. Nothin’ big enough to make it so I don’t want you in my life, Babe.”
God, I had needed to hear that more than I had known. I was turning into a desperate woman. But only for one thing. Tuck.
Not being able to stand it any longer, I jumped into action. I threw my arms around his neck and smashed my mouth to his.
Tuck returned my passion full force, grabbing my ass and lifting me as I wrapped my legs around his waist.
Once again he carried me to the house, into it, and up to his bedroom. What we did when we got there could only be described as making love.
Tuck’s work callused hands moved over my entire body with a gentleness and reverence I had never known. He absolutely worshipped me and I returned the favor. He kissed and licked every inch of my body, and I returned that favor too. We spent hours in the bedroom, showing each other all of the feelings that we had yet to declare out loud to one another. With our secrets at least mostly shared, our connection was that much deeper.
Chapter 17
Shorts
The next two weeks passed quickly and without much change.
I went to work while Tuck either worked on the farm or worked around town doing odds and ends for other people. We did make more time for each other though. That was an absolute priority and we both cut back to make it happen. We had sex at least once a day, usually more, and it kept getting better and better every time, and I had finally gone to the doctor to take care of the birth control situation (I wasn’t pregnant). We ate dinner together every night whether we did it at home or Tuck came to the diner to eat with me on a break.
Tonight was no different. Tuck had come to the diner to eat dinner with me and explained that we had plans for the night.
“Goin’ out tonight, Babe. Ruthie’s orders. Apparently, she’s not seein’ enough of her ‘Bestie’- her word, not mine- now that we’re together.” He even lifted his fingers and made air quotes around the word ‘Bestie’.
I rolled my eyes, smiled and said, “Okay. She only sees me pretty much daily at work.” I laughed and then continued, “You good with going out? I’m sure the whole town will be there.”
He nodded. “Yeah, they will. That’s ok, though. I’m hopin’ to get a few drinks in you and make use of your inebriated state later tonight.” And then he winked.
God, he was so sexy when he winked. What was it with winks that made you want to melt into a puddle? I mean all it is, is the ability to close one eye without closing the other. But, Jesus, if it didn’t make me tingle between my legs when Tuck did it, I’d swear it was the apocalypse.
This actually worked out perfectly, and gave me an idea. Now I just had to make it happen.
“Hey, Babe, is it alright with you if I get ready with Ruthie and meet you there?”
He gave me a suspicious look. I really was not good at bullshitting him. Everyone else, yes. Him, no. I really had to cut back on slipping in endearments. I always laid it on thicker than usual when I was trying to swindle him.
“I just figured it would be good to get in some extra girl time since she’s complaining that she isn’t getting enough of me.”
He still looked suspicious but gave in anyway, “Ok, Babe. I’ll meet you there. But after, you’re all mine.”
I smiled huge and said, “Wouldn’t have it any other way.”
********
Ruthie had agreed to getting ready together whole-heartedly, so that’s what we were doing in her townhouse. She had the music blasting and we were dancing around like a couple of teenagers. I hadn’t actually gotten ready with friends like this before, but I had heard this is what girls did. No wonder. It was fucking fun.
She was in the bathroom straightening her hair when I asked her, “I need to ask you a favor. Can I borrow those shorts that I wore when we went out the first time?”
Her lips started to turn up until I finished, “And actually. I’m probably going to need to keep them after tonight.”
Her smile that had been forming turned into a grimace. “Ew, gross.” She paused for a minute and then said, “But, yeah! They’re all yours!”
I beamed. “Thanks, girl!”
She walked into her closet, pulled them out, and threw them at me. She was already dressed in a black miniskirt, a pink scoop neck shirt, and thick-strapped black espadrilles.
I was more of a do my full hair and makeup and then get dressed kinda girl. I guess that was a stupid thing to do if your shirt had a tight collar, but that had always been my routine.
I pulled the white shorts on sans underwear, again. This was getting pretty ridiculous, but at least there was a point tonight. I then added a lavender top I had gotten with a sequined front that was the same lavender color as the rest of the shirt. It was dressy, but the sequins being the same color toned it down a little bit. Not to mention, we were going to an 80’s bar in Joplin. It probably didn’t matter.
I sat down on the bed and strapped on my Mary Janes. Maybe one day I would get some different heals, but these did the trick. My life also didn’t have much use for heals these days.
Finally, I was ready to go, and as I looked up, I saw that Ruthie was too.
********
<
br /> When we walked into the bar and Tuck saw me, I thought maybe I hadn’t thought this all the way through.
I knew this was the case when before I had even made it ten feet inside the Lizard, Tuck was there, grabbed my hand, and started dragging me to the back of the bar. I didn’t know where he was taking me, but I didn’t have to wait long to find out. When we came to a storage room in the back hall he opened the door, pulled me inside, slammed the door shut, and pushed me up against it.
“Knew you were up to somethin’, Babe.” He wasted absolutely no time and started kissing my neck and then running his fingers along the very short hem of my shorts. “You goin’ commando again?” I didn’t even start to talk before he had his fingers skimming up my leg, inside the hem, to find out for himself. His fingers ran up my inner thigh and I expected them to go right to the already wet juncture between my legs, but instead they stayed along my bikini line following it all the way up.
Both of us were breathing raggedly at this point, but he kept going. Slowly he moved his fingers back down the bikini line and around all of the good stuff to the other side. He traced that bikini line too and then came back to the center, but he still avoided all the major players. He just kept skating all around the outside driving me out of my mind. I couldn’t even speak because my mind was so jumbled from his merciless teasing. Apparently, Tuck still held the ability to talk.
“Come on, Baby. Get fuckin’ wet for me. I want you to come harder than you have ever come in your whole fuckin’ life.”
Shit. I think I might come without him even touching me.
His other hand went into my shorts behind, down my bare ass, and then joined his other hand teasing me.
I whimpered. That was all I had in me. I didn’t even know how I was standing anymore.
“You want me to touch you, Baby?”
I moaned and he got even closer but still didn’t touch me. I pushed with all I had and got one word past my throat. “Please.”
He moved his finger, finally touched me, and I fucking lost it. “Tuck, Baby, God. Fuck.”
His voice was so rough when he spoke, it was like he was talking around gravel. “Fuck, Talie. Wanna fuck you so bad, but I’m gonna have to settle for finger fuckin’ you. If somebody comes in here they are not gonna get an eyeful of you. That’s mine. You are mine.”
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