Feelings of guilt stayed with her daily at her inability to be there more for Jenny and at missing some of her daughter’s fleeting childhood.
She braced her elbow on the breakfast bar, her chin in her hand. This had not been her dream, growing up. Instead of following a path using her creative writing talents, she’d ended up in an administrative position with a loan company and now running her family’s restaurant.
With a mental shrug she pushed away from the breakfast bar. She had a good life and for the most part, she was happy. Eventually the restaurant would really pick up and she could work fewer hours and see Jenny more.
Right now that time seemed like a long way off and she wasn’t sure what to do about it. What could she do about it? If she looked for another job, her mother would go nuts. Plus, finding something that met all of her needs was bound to be an impossibility.
For the time being she just needed to hang tight and hope that everything would work out.
For some reason her thoughts turned to Gage and she sighed. Truth be told, she wanted to go out with him, but she was afraid. Afraid she might fall for him and that he would up and leave and move on to the next woman who interested him.
She frowned as she thought about Harvey. This morning she’d agreed to go out with him for a drink tomorrow night because he seemed so non-threatening and she needed a no-pressure night out. Maybe she shouldn’t have agreed to it. She didn’t want to encourage his advances. Yeah, she’d probably been too rash.
But then again, maybe she was over-analyzing it all. Just show up and enjoy the company, she thought.
As she slipped her hands into her back pockets, she wandered toward Jenny’s room to read her a bedtime story, too tired to worry about men anymore.
Chapter 4
It was early Saturday evening by the time Gage finished working on the current well he was drilling and headed home. He’d been up before the sun rose and the well had been a real bitch.
He was tired as hell, but the thought of going into town and possibly seeing Tess at the bar gave him a sense of renewed energy. Sometimes she worked Saturday nights, but there was no telling for sure.
That she refused to go out with him was puzzling. It was clear by the way she responded to him and the way she would blush that she was attracted to him. But she still said no. The fact that her husband had died only a few years ago might have been the reason. She had made it clear how much she loved him and maybe she was having a hard time dating someone again.
Tess was special. There was something about her that drew him to her. She wasn’t like other women. She was smart, funny, and she was easy to talk with, even if she did keep putting him off. He found himself wanting to talk to her about real things and not superficial date chatter.
Being consistently rejected by someone who was clearly interested in him was something he wasn’t used to. Guess he’d just have to work a little harder to win her over.
His thoughts turned to earlier today. He’d been in town this morning to get a part for his old work truck at the auto parts store when he thought he’d caught a glimpse of someone he hadn’t expected to see for a very long time.
Harvey Norton… The man Gage had thought he’d recognized had gone to prison three years ago for embezzling from Gage’s business along with being found guilty of other counts of defrauding various individuals.
Was Harvey already out?
Gage was usually a good judge of character, but Harvey had pulled one over on him and just about every other person they knew.
Harvey had been something of a ladies’ man before being locked away. He’d always had a friendly good ol’ boy way about him and people had found him easy to talk to. Gage guessed that was what had made him such a good thief.
By the time he reached his home, Gage had blocked Harvey Norton out of his thoughts. The bastard wasn’t worth thinking about.
Instead, he fixed his thoughts on Tess and figuring her out. There had to be a way to get her to say yes to going out with him.
In his bedroom, he stripped out of his dirty clothing then walked into the master bath and stepped into the shower, washing away the dirt and grime of the day as he thought about the things Tess had said to him—that he was a cowboy with a girl in every town.
That was the last thing he happened to be. He wasn’t a love ’em and leave ’em kind of guy despite the reputation he appeared to have. He didn’t jump into bed with just anyone, although he’d enjoyed his share of sexual relationships. But since his breakup with Valerie all those years ago he kept his distance from anything permanent. He hadn’t wanted to go down that path again…or at least he hadn’t…until Tess.
He tilted his face to the spray. He wasn’t sure why, but women he dated tended to get attached to him in spite of his efforts to avoid serious relationships. He hadn’t wanted to get tied down, but a part of him wanted to find that special woman.
And he had a feeling Tess was that woman.
Something about her caused him to forget about every other woman he’d ever met. When he was around her, all he knew was that he wanted her in ways he’d never wanted a woman before.
In the past, Tess had hardly given him the time of day and he’d only seen her on rare occasions when she was tending bar. Lately he’d seen her more often and he’d enjoyed their flirting and he was sure she had, too. He hadn’t dated anyone in some time thanks to seeing more of Tess at the bar—and he’d had no desire to be with another woman.
He finished soaping his body and rinsing the suds away before climbing out and toweling off. He grinned to himself as he thought about how he’d managed to get her out for pizza Thursday night with the girls. Not only had he had a damned good time, he was sure Tess had, too.
Thinking about her not only kicked his libido into overdrive, but also gave him renewed energy. Hell, he might as well head into town and see if this time he could get her phone number, if nothing else.
It didn’t take him long to put on a clean pair of jeans and a western shirt. He grabbed his black Stetson from the top shelf of his closet, where he kept his western hats, and pushed it down on his head. He headed out to his truck and climbed in.
The trip into town only took fifteen minutes and he headed straight for Nectars. He found himself humming a country tune on the drive, his mood elevated at the thought of seeing Tess.
Gage walked into the place and saw that Megan, his brother’s fiancée and Tess’s sister, was working behind the bar tonight with a man he didn’t recognize. The place was busy and it was crowded along the bar. He managed to find a stool and caught Megan’s attention when she was finished with a customer.
“Hi, Megan.” He smiled at her as she came near. He liked his brother’s fiancée and was glad to have her joining the family.
The thought of Tess becoming a real part of the family, too, gave him pause. He hadn’t thought about another woman that way since Valerie, and that had been one hell of a long time ago.
“Hey there, Gage.” Megan greeted him with a smile. Other than their great smiles, Tess and Megan looked nothing alike. “Haven’t seen you for a while.”
“That’s because you’re never in here.” Gage gave her a quick grin. Megan was a graphic designer and rarely in the bar. “I take it you’re filling in tonight?”
“Yep.” She had to raise her voice because the bar was so noisy. “We hired someone new who came down sick. Tess is off on a date at Jo-Jo’s, so Mom called me in and I told her I’d help out.”
At Megan’s words, heat crept up the back of Gage’s neck. Tess was on a date? He kept his appearance calm but inside his gut tightened.
“What would you like to drink?” Megan asked.
He had the desire to head down to Jo-Jo’s now and get a look at the man Tess was with. But instead he said, “I’ll take whatever you’ve got on tap.”
“You’ve got it.” Megan moved away and grabbed a big beer mug.
The jealousy rising up in Gage surprised him. He’d never felt this
way about a woman, and hell, they weren’t even dating. But that sure didn’t matter. He wanted Tess and he didn’t want any other man having her. Was this man the reason why she’d turned him down so many times?
Megan returned with the beer and moved on to take care of other customers. Gage had a hard time keeping from scowling as he sucked his beer down.
He was used to women hitting on him and tonight was no exception. Three different women of varying ages approached him during the hour he was at the bar. He could have taken up with any one of them, but he had no interest in going out with another woman. He wanted Tess.
Giving each of them a smile as they came up in turn, he said he was waiting for someone then turned back to his drink once they’d left.
Damn it. Tess was ruining him for other women and he couldn’t even get her to go out with him. And tonight she was out with another man.
What was the matter with him? He’d never obsessed over a woman. If a woman he found intriguing was interested in another man, he just moved on.
To hell with it. He set his mug on the bar with a hard thump then under the mug he stuck a bill large enough to cover the beer and a generous tip.
He couldn’t help himself if he tried. He had to see what kind of man Tess was out with.
Gage got up from the bar and headed for Jo-Jo’s.
Chapter 5
Tess laughed as she and Harvey sat at a high top in Everlast, a local bar, as he described a flight from Houston to Phoenix and how the four-year-old in the seat behind him kept kicking his chair and singing, “I’m sexy and I know it.”
They’d decided to go to Everlast instead of Jo-Jo’s because it wasn’t as trendy as Jo-Jo’s and a little quieter.
Harvey was good company. The problem was the way he would look at her every now and then…as more than a friend. She liked Harvey, but not in that way.
And that made her wonder why not. He seemed to be charming, considerate, and steady.
Unlike Gage McBride. A flirt, a little wild, and unpredictable.
She wanted to bury her face in her hands. She couldn’t stop thinking about Gage. Damn it.
“You look beautiful.” Harvey studied her. “That dress—wow.”
She felt a bit off kilter because of the way he was looking at her. She didn’t get a chance to dress up very often and had chosen a simple blue dress, the blue a complement to her eyes. But maybe she shouldn’t have indulged herself by wearing something that might be considered sexy, not to mention the high heels she was wearing. Truth be told, she’d been thinking about Gage when she dressed up, not Harvey.
What was wrong with her?
“How do you like living in Prescott?” He pronounced it Press-kit, like one of the locals. Out-of-towners pronounced the town name Press-scott.
“I’ve really grown to like it.” Tess held the stem of her appletini. “It took awhile—it’s so different from Albuquerque.”
He settled in his high-backed chair. “Are you happy here?”
Tess tilted her head to the side as she considered his question. Then she smiled. “Yes. Yes, I am.”
He took a drink of his beer before setting it down. “Do you think you’d ever move back to New Mexico?”
She thought about it a moment. “No. My family is here and as I said, I like it.” She found herself feeling a little uncomfortable from the way he was looking at her. “We haven’t ever talked much about you. Where are you from? Have you been in Prescott long?”
“I lived here for several years,” he said. “I’ve been away for a time but now I’m back. Maybe to stay.”
She tilted her head to the side. “Why don’t you tell me about the business you’re here for?”
He shrugged. “It’s not much. Not worth interrupting a great evening with a beautiful lady.”
“Oh, stop.” She shook her head. “I want to hear.”
“I’d rather talk about you.” He reached across the table and put his hand on hers. “What do you do beside work in the family restaurant and bar?”
She extracted her hand from beneath his and he gave her a little smile. She cleared her throat. “I jog, hike with friends, and spend as much time with Jenny as I can.” With a sigh she pushed a curl behind her ear. “But it seems that I’m at work most of the time. There’s always something going on that demands my attention. Nothing like running a family business.”
They talked a little while longer before Tess said, “I’d better get home and check in on Jenny.” Tess worked to give Harvey a smile that would appear genuine. “Getting together for drinks has been fun. I don’t get out too often.”
Harvey raised an eyebrow as if to say, “So soon?” But instead he said, “Thanks for meeting me. Why don’t we do this again next weekend?”
“I need to check my schedule.” She tucked another curl behind her ear in an almost nervous movement.
He nodded and signaled to the server for the check. It wasn’t much longer before they were out of the bar and into the night, headed for their vehicles.
Gage came to mind and she had the strangest feeling, like she’d been going out on him when they weren’t even dating to begin with. But Gage had asked her out and she’d said she wasn’t dating…yet here she was with Harvey. And she found she wasn’t sure she wanted to be with him at all.
She unlocked her car door then turned and faced him. “I enjoyed myself tonight. Thank you for asking me.” Before he could ask her out again, she continued. “I’m so tired. It’s been a long week and I’m going straight home to bed.”
“Thanks again for agreeing to meet with me tonight, Tess.” He stepped in close and she knew he wanted to kiss her.
She took a step back. “I’ll see you next time you’re in for breakfast.”
He nodded and didn’t step any closer to her. “Monday morning, bright and early.”
She smiled then slid into her car, shut the door behind her, and started the vehicle. A streetlight illuminated his face and she gave him a little wave before she pulled her car away from the curb and headed home.
As she drove, she thought about her evening with Harvey. She’d enjoyed herself…it was more the pleasure of getting out for an evening than it was being out specifically with him. She’d agreed to meet him for drinks because she wasn’t interested in him and there was no danger of anyone breaking her heart.
The difference from going out with Gage was she knew her heart could so easily get involved with him and she just didn’t want that to happen.
Chapter 6
Harvey stayed in the shadows as he watched Tess Grady’s house from down the street where he’d parked. He’d followed her home after their evening out. If he couldn’t have her in his bed yet, he wanted to find other ways to be close to her.
She was still playing at being friends, but he knew he’d get her to change her mind and have her for his own.
When there were no cars passing and no sign of anyone in the darkened area, he crossed the street and walked up to Tess’s home. He checked to make sure no neighbors were watching, then walked around the small one-story house. The first window he came to was dark and he could see nothing.
He moved on to the next window where light spilled through a space in the curtains. The curtains were parted just enough to see that it was the kitchen. He could see Tess’s lower half as she moved around in that sexy dress she’d worn just for him tonight. Then she came fully into view and his heart pounded as he let his gaze drift over her form and the clinging blue material.
She flipped off a light switch and the kitchen went dark. He stayed put for a moment and then saw light illuminate a window around the corner of the house. He eased down until he reached the window.
Silently he positioned himself so that he could look into the window and smiled when he saw that it was a bedroom with a large bed, a bureau, and a chair with clothes draped over it.
He waited, his heart thumping, anxious to see Tess. But time passed by with no sign of her. Twenty minutes, thirty, thir
ty-five.
And then Tess stood in the doorway, unzipping her dress as she walked into the bedroom. She let the dress fall to the floor, leaving her in only her dark blue bra, matching panties, and high heels. Damn, but she had a nice ass. Her bra showed the curve of her breasts and nice cleavage, and her nipples poked at the lace.
His dick was so hard it was almost painful and he rubbed it through his jeans and adjusted himself. He hadn’t been a peeping Tom since high school when he was sixteen and used to sneak over to the Pratt’s house and watch their eighteen-year-old daughter get ready for bed every night. He’d masturbate as he watched her. Almost got caught a couple of times but that hadn’t stopped him.
Tonight he wanted to see the prize he intended to win. He needed to touch himself. He unzipped his jeans and pulled out his hard dick. He slowly stroked himself as Tess kicked off her heels.
“That’s it, baby,” he murmured as he moved his hand up and down his dick, his pace increasing. “Take it all off.”
She reached behind her to unfasten her bra but then moved out of view. He couldn’t see jack shit. When she returned and he could see her again, she was wearing an oversized T-shirt. Moments later she turned out the light and he couldn’t see a damned thing.
He stared in through the curtains until his eyes adjusted to the darkness. He could see her bed and her form as she curled up beneath a quilt.
His strokes came harder and faster as he imagined fucking her brains out.
With a shudder he climaxed, his come shooting out onto the grass beneath her window. When he could think clearly again, he smiled. It was like he’d just marked his territory. He tucked himself back into his jeans and zipped up.
He grinned as he moved away from the window and slipped through the darkness, his thoughts consumed with Tess. He wanted that woman and soon she’d belong to him.
Chapter 7
Fencing You In Page 3
