by Kaylee Ryan
“You said y’all,” I point out. “Your country is showing.”
“You’re damn right,” Aaron says, pulling her into his chest and placing a kiss on the top of her head. “This is where you belong,” he murmurs.
“I think we’re just going to drive around, maybe hang out at his place, watch a movie or something.”
“Well, the offer is there. Make yourself at home.”
“Thanks. I need to get moving. He’ll be here in fifteen minutes.” I rush inside, pull off my boots and race up the stairs, freshening up as quickly as I can. I’m still in my yoga pants and sweater and decide that will have to do. It’s comfortable, and we’re just hanging out at his place. I added that part about the drive for Whit and Aaron. Why, I don’t know.
I hear a truck pull up and know it’s him. With one last look in the mirror, I rush back down the steps, slide into my knee-high boots, and grab my coat and phone before meeting him on the porch.
“Have fun!” Whit yells from the living room just as I’m closing the door. I don’t yell back because Mike’s standing there, hand in the air ready to knock.
“Hey.” He smiles.
“Hi.”
“I guess you’re ready to go?”
“Yeah, I, uh….” Shit, now I look too damn eager. I mean, I am, but I don’t want him to know that. Shit. “I was just ready to give them some time, you know?” I say, trying to cover up my desire to spend some time with just him tonight.
“Well we better get going, then.” He offers me his arm and guides me to the passenger side of his truck.
“What is it with you country boys and your big trucks?” I ask as he places his hands on my hips and lifts me into his big-ass truck.
He laughs. “Not just country boys drive trucks, darlin.’ This is a man’s truck,” he explains. “It also gives me an excuse to get my hands on you,” he says with a smirk.
“I remember Whit giving me a similar story and explanation about Aaron and his truck. I’m sticking with my theory that it’s only you country boys.”
“If you say so,” he says before shutting my door.
I watch him as he walks around the truck and climbs in on the other side. He really is the epitome of the phrase “tall, dark, and handsome.”
“Do you work on the farms much?” I ask, because he’s built just like the others.
“I help out from time to time. Why do you ask?”
Luckily it’s dark out and he can’t see my blush. “You, uh, just seem to be in good shape. I wondered if you stayed that way like Aaron, Evan, and David.”
“Checking me out, are you?” He reaches over and rests his hand on my knee.
“It’s kind of hard to miss, Michael.”
“I run and try to get to the gym as many times a week as possible.”
“Yeah, like all the days that end in Y.”
He chuckles. “Actually, here lately it has been every day of the week. Working out and the bar are pretty much my life. I keep telling my sister that she needs to put Dave out of his misery and marry him, give me some nieces and nephews to spoil. My parents are also on board with that plan.”
“Wait, aren’t you the oldest?”
“Yeah, but I’m currently… unattached,” he says hesitantly.
“Are you sure about that?”
“Yeah, but there’s this city girl I’m kind of digging. If I could convince her to be my girl, that status could change.”
“City girl, huh? She must be some kind of special,” I say, flirting with him. It’s fun. Everything with him is fun. It’s exactly as I remember that weekend, except this time there’s touching. Something I hope there’s more of. Of course, I leave tomorrow, so I don’t have much time to make that happen.
“Oh she is. You should see her. My heart skips a beat just being near her.” He looks over quickly before putting his eyes back on the road.
He can’t see me except for the gentle glow of the dashboard lights. Not enough to tell that my face is tomato red from his praise. We’re flirting, joking around, but those words and his sweet southern drawl are intoxicating.
“Say you and this city girl you speak of hit it off. You see happily ever after in your future? Kids?” I bite my bottom lip. I can’t believe I just threw that question out there like that. I mean, this is only the third time I’ve laid eyes on him. Not sure we’re at the point of deep conversation. “Sorry, I shouldn’t pry like that,” I backpedal .
“It’s fine.” He gives my knee a gentle squeeze. “If the right girl were to come along, yes, I’d be down for all of it: kids, dog, white picket fence.”
“The happily ever after,” I say, my voice barely a whisper. I can’t help but think about Whitney and the life she’s built here with Aaron. Even Kinley and Evan have their happily ever afters.
“Here we are,” he says.
We’re stopped in front of a brick ranch-style home. It’s neatly landscaped and has green shutters, plus a two-car attached garage. “Will this thing fit in there?” I ask him.
He laughs. “Nope. I park in the detached.” He points out my window. Sure enough, there’s a large building with three tall garage doors. “That’s where this beauty is parked—and all the rest of the toys, of course.”
“Toys?”
“Yeah, the side-by-side, four wheelers, the fun stuff.”
“Okay,” I chuckle. “So what’s in there.” I point in front of us to the two-car attached garage.
“Lawn mower.” I can see his grin from the soft glow of the pole light beside the house. “Sit tight,” he says, grabbing his keys and climbing out of the truck. He runs around the front and stops at my door. “Watch your step,” he says, offering me his hand.
“Does it really need to be this tall?” I ask him, staring at the ground from my perch on the seat.
“Yes.” He grins again. It’s infectious. “It helps my game.” He steps up next to me. “If it were closer to the ground, I couldn’t do this,” he murmurs as his hands land on my hips and he effortlessly lifts me from the truck. He lets my body slide against his as he slowly lowers me to the ground.
“I see,” I say, breathless. Don’t judge me. You would be too if you’d just slid down the hotness that is Michael Alan Wallace.
He takes my hand, laces his fingers through mine and leads me in through the garage. “Can I take your coat?” he asks once we’re in the kitchen.
“Sure.” I go to slide my arms out and he’s already there. He drapes it over one of the stools at the island.
“Are you hungry? I thought we could order pizza or sandwiches.”
“That’s perfect. Do they deliver?”
“Yes, ma’am.” He winks. “What do you want?” he asks, handing me a menu.
I push it back at him. “Pizza. I’m not picky as far as toppings go.”
“Meat lovers?”
“Sure.”
He pulls his phone from his back pocket and places our order. “Why don’t we sit in the living room until they get here. You want something to drink?”
“I’m good. I think I’ll wait until the food gets here. Thank you.” I follow him into the living room. It’s a nice open space, with a big-screen TV and a huge sectional couch in the middle. We settle on the couch, Mike sitting close but not too close.
I want him closer.
“Favorite color?” he asks out of nowhere.
“Blue,” I say, looking into his ocean-blue eyes. “Yours?”
Reaching out, he runs his index finger down my cheek. “Green,” he whispers.
My skin burns from his touch. “Music?” I croak out.
Mike, seemingly unaffected by our contact, drops his arm behind me on the couch and turns to face me. “Country. But I like a lot of other genres too. Country’s just my go-to,” he explains. “You?”
“I like country too. I also really like old-school rock, like Journey and REO Speedwagon. I can listen to most anything though.”
“I didn’t peg you for a classics kind of gi
rl.”
“Well don’t be so quick to judge, mister.” A knock sounds at the door before he can reply, and I watch as he jumps from the couch and rushes to the door. “Can I help?”
“No, ma’am. You get comfortable. What would you like to drink?”
“Water’s fine with me.”
“Got it. I’ll be there in just a minute.” He disappears into the kitchen and I return to my seat on the couch.
When I return to the living room Jamie’s boots are on the floor beside her, her legs crossed with a pillow on her lap. She’s just as beautiful as I remember from that night. More so, in fact.
“That smells so good,” she says.
“It is. Best in town.” I set the pizza box on the table along with the paper plates and a roll of paper towels. I pull a water bottle out of each pocket and hand her one.
“That’s inventive,” she laughs.
“You have to know how to utilize all of your resources.”
“Yeah, like me offering to help you?”
I love that sound. “You’re my guest. Besides, I had it under control.”
“I see that.”
Opening the box, I add two pieces to a plate and hand it to her. Tearing off a couple of paper towels, I give her one and set the other on the edge of the couch where I’ll be sitting. Filling my plate with three slices before settling next to her, I watch as she takes her first bite, moaning her appreciation. I can’t take my eyes off her.
“What?” she asks when she notices I’m staring at her.
“Good?” I shift my position to allow room for my inflated cock.
“So good.”
“Favorite food?” I need to keep my mind from straying to the fact that I want to be the one to cause her to make those sounds.
“Pizza.” She grins before taking another big bite. “Yours?” she asks after she’s swallowed, causing me to take notice of the long slender column of her neck. I want my lips there. “Mike?”
Shit. “Pasta, any kind.”
“Oh me too. Honestly, I’m a carb junkie. Hell on the figure, but oh so good.”
I take my time looking her over. “Nothing wrong with your figure, darlin.’”
She blushes. It’s fucking sweet and sexy all at the same time. Neither of us says anything else as we finish eating, but it’s a comfortable silence.
“Let me help you clean this up.” She starts to stand.
I place my hand on her arm to stop her. “No, I’ll get it later. I’m not going to waste my time with you cleaning up.” She settles back onto the couch. “Movie?” I ask.
“Sure, what do you have in mind?”
“Honestly, as long as you’re here, I couldn’t care less what we watch. You pick.” I hand her the remote.
“I get to pick? Anything off-limits?”
“Nope, whatever you want. As long as you’re on this couch with me I’m good.” What I don’t tell her is that I doubt I’ll even be able to pay attention to the damn movie with her here. She leaves tomorrow, so I need to memorize her features, memorize every moment before she leaves again. With her living so far away, I know we won’t be able to explore this connection, but I still want tonight, and I want to remember every fucking detail of my time with her.
She’s that girl, the one you long for and cherish any sliver of time you can get with.
“So I can pick a sappy chick flick and you’d be good with it?” she challenges.
“Are you going to be on this couch beside me? Let me hold you?” What is it about her that has me spouting poetic?
“Is that what you want?”
“More than anything.”
“Yes.”
“Pick a movie, James,” I say softly as I reach over and run my fingers through her silky blonde hair.
“Romantic, yet funny.” She sets the remote down.
“What did you decide?”
“Are you not looking at the screen?” She turns to look at me.
“I don’t see anything but you.”
Clearing her throat, her cheeks pink from her blush. “Because I Said So.”
“Because you said what, darlin’?”
She giggles and I want to pull my phone out and record her just so I can have it to listen to later, when she’s gone. “The movie. I picked Because I Said So.”
I nod. Reaching over, I grab the ceiling fan remote and turn the lights off. The house is dark except for the glow of the television.
“Your lights are on a remote?” she asks.
“Bachelor pad.” I grin. “Nothing worse than falling asleep on the couch and deciding you’re too tired to go to bed, then realizing you have to get up to turn the lights off.”
She smiles and it lights up her face. “Good point.”
“You need anything?”
She shakes her head.
Standing, I offer her my hand. She places hers in mind and I guide her to stand with me.
“What are you doing?” she asks.
“I want to hold you.” Without releasing her hand, I lie down on the couch. “Your turn,” I tell her. She doesn’t hesitate as she takes her place in front of me, her back to my front. “Much better,” I whisper in her ear. I feel her shoulders relax. Then all too quickly she’s sitting up. “What are you doing?” I can almost hear the panic in my voice. Is this too much for her? She let me hold her last night, so I just thought…
“This.” She holds up the remote and I instantly relax. What the hell is happening to me?
Jamie takes her spot in front of me and this time, I wrap my arms around her, not giving her the opportunity to leave me again so easily. I bury my face in her neck and breathe her in. “Push Play, darlin,’” I whisper. She does as told and sets the remote on the floor.
“Can you see?” she asks me.
“Don’t need to,” I tell her honestly.
“What do you mean? I can move.” She tries to pull away.
“I don’t need to see anything but you.” I slide my hand under her shirt and rest it there, just like last night. She surprises me when she places her soft, tiny hand over mine and laces our fingers together. And that’s how we spend the next hour and a half—cuddled together on my couch, fingers entwined.
When the credits start to roll, I realize that she’s probably going to want to go back to Aaron and Whit’s. I don’t want her to go. We can stay right here all night. Just like this.
“You awake?” I ask, my lips next to her ear.
“Mmhmm,” she says softly.
“Stay,” I say before I can think about it. “I’ll be a perfect gentleman, I promise. I’m just not ready to let you go yet.”
“I’ll need to call Whit. I don’t want her to worry.”
Reluctantly, I slide our hands out from under her shirt. Bringing our combined hands to my lips, I kiss her knuckles. Reaching into my back pocket, I pull out my phone, hit Aaron’s contact and place the phone next to my ear.
“Hey,” Aaron says in greeting.
“Hey, just wanted to let y’all know that Jamie’s staying here tonight. We’re both tired and there’s no sense in going out this late.”
“I see,” Aaron says. I can hear the smile in his voice.
“Jamie leaves tomorrow, so she’ll be there early to see Whit before she has to leave.” This is an assumption on my part, but I know the girls will want more time together before she leaves. Hell, I want that too.
“All right, man. See you in the morning.”
I don’t bother to reply as we end the call. “There, Aaron knows. Let’s get you to bed.”
She stands and this time offers me her hand to help me from the couch. I don’t ask her if it’s okay that she sleeps in my bed with me. That’s where I want her, and I’m pretty sure that’s where she wants to be too.
Grabbing the remote, I turn the TV off, which plunges us into nothing but darkness. Placing my hands on her hips, I pull her in front of me. “I got you,” I say before slowly guiding her through my darkened house.
Once we reach my room, I walk her to stand by the bed, then head to the bathroom to turn on the light. “Here.” I pull my T-shirt over my head. “You can sleep in this. There’s an extra toothbrush in the cabinet and towels in the closet. Take whatever you need.”
“Thank you,” she says softly. Gripping my shirt to her chest, she disappears behind the closed bathroom door.
I strip down to my boxer briefs and pace the bedroom, waiting for her. When the door finally opens, my breath catches. She’s stunning. I stare at her, committing this to memory. “It’s all yours,” she says quietly.
I wish you were all mine. “I’ll be quick.” When I pass her to get to the bathroom, I snake my arm out and pull her into me for a hug. I want to devour her, but I can’t; I promised I would be a gentleman, and I never break a promise.
I make quick work of brushing my teeth, in a hurry to get to her. When I exit the bathroom, she’s sitting on the edge of the bed. Flipping the light switch bathes us once again in complete darkness. I walk blindly to the opposite side of the bed and climb in under the covers. “It’s cold under here without you, James.” My voice rings through the silence of the room.
She takes that as her invitation and slides under the covers.
“Closer,” I say, moving to the middle of my king-size bed. Lifting the covers, she slides closer until I can snake my arm around her and pull her into me. We lie there chest to chest, nothing between us but my shirt she’s wearing. Pushing my hand under said shirt, I slowly run my fingers over her spine. She shivers at the contact.
“Favorite ice cream,” she says, her voice barely a whisper.
“Vanilla.”
“Really? Nothing fancy like cookies and cream?”
“Nope, I like to keep things simple. What about you?”
“Chocolate. Did you always want to take over the bar?”
“I did. I loved going to work with Dad when I was younger. There’s an aspect of pride to know it’s been in the family for three generations now.”
“Do you love it?”
“I do. I just wish Liv would be more involved.”
“Have you talked to her about it?”
“Yeah, just this week I really made her sit and listen. It was never just me that I pictured running the place—it was always us, you know? It’s just as much her legacy as it is mine.”
