by Gary, Codi
She let go of his hand and crawled off the bed. “I’ll be back then.”
He watched her leave the room and cursed his weakened state. Since this whole thing started he’d been in a fight twice, and sicker than a dog. What else could go wrong?
Scout suddenly shifted on his chest and a deep, terrible sound started to make the small body convulse. Before he could throw the cat off, the evil little vermin retched a hairball inches from his nose.
He cursed and threw the blanket to the floor, the cat hitching a ride. When the little shit landed on it’s feet and gave him a smug twitch of her tail, he started to sit up to go after her. He felt the room spin with the fast movement and growled, “You’re going to be coyote bait, cat.”
The fluffy short tail jerked back and forth at him before she trotted out the door, whining down the hall. He heard Rand’s voice as she scolded, “Your dish is full, you crazy cat!”
He smiled at her tone and heard her pad into the room behind him. “Alright, got your rice with a little butter.” She sat next to him and handed him the lap tray with a Gatorade and a bowl of rice. “Eat up.”
“Your cat hacked a hairball on me.” He stirred the rice and took a small bite, sighing at the warm, buttery taste.
She looked down at the blanket and grimaced. “I’ll go wash it. She’s done that to me before. It’s a paralyzing sound.”
He laughed and took another bite. “Pretty much.”
She patted his knee before getting up and bending over to pick up the discarded blanket.
And the sight of Rand’s beautiful rear end pointed at him let his body know two things.
One, he was on the mend.
Two, he couldn’t wait to get her naked again.
Rand tiptoed into her room, trying not to make a sound as she changed into her pajamas. Jake had been sleeping soundly for several hours while she had cleaned up and done her chores. It was so strange how comfortable she felt having him there, in her bed. Maybe it was just because he had been her best friend for so long, but she didn’t think so.
She brushed her teeth and made her way to the other side of the bed. In the dim light, she could see Jake was sprawled out on his back, taking up a lot of room and she almost laughed. When they’d been kids and she would crawl in through his window, she would often find him sleeping like that. Funny how some things never changed.
Lifting the quilt, she crawled beneath, pushing his limbs over gently. He grumbled and rolled, giving her plenty of room to curl up on her side with her back to him.
She closed her eyes, trying to count sheep but it was nearly impossible to think of anything but Jake. As if he sensed her restlessness, his warmth was suddenly surrounding her, his hard arm wrapped around her waist.
“Hey, you okay,” he murmured against her hair sleepily.
At once, her body relaxed into him. “Yeah, I was just thinking.”
“Bout what,” he asked.
“Stuff.”
His hand drifted over her stomach, caressing it lightly. “Like wedding stuff?”
“No, just things. Why, do you want to back out? Because if you do-”
“I don’t want to back out.” He sounded gruff and irritated.
“Okay.”
“In fact, when do you want to do it? I guarantee you we’re not getting into this thing with just a trip to the courthouse, not if my mother has anything to say about it,” he teased.
“I don’t want a lot of pomp and fuss.” The last thing she needed was to have the whole town showing up to goggle at her.
“Fine. What if we did a small ceremony at the church and held the reception here,” he asked.
Covering his hand with hers, she smiled. “That’s great.”
“Do you want to do it this weekend?”
She caught her breath as her heart skipped and stumbled. “So fast?”
A deep chuckle ruffled her hair. “Were you wanting to hold out for a better offer?”
“No.” She whispered softly. “There’s nobody better than you.”
Silence stretched between them and she felt his lips brush against the back of her neck. “Miranda Coleman, that was downright romantic.”
Normally, she would have told him to shut up, but for the first time in her life, her trademark waspishness failed her. “I was just stating the facts.”
Jake stroked Rand’s side, listening to the soft snores emitting from her lips and trying to fight the warm glow her words had caused.
There’s nobody better than you.
Rand had always had his back, but she was never the type to be overly affectionate, yet in the last few weeks, he’d watched her soften. She’d really started to open up and blossom and though he was happy to be a part of it, it also sent a part of him into panic mode. The last thing he wanted to do was let Rand down.
Jake woke up Monday morning and checked his phone. His mother had called a couple times and if he knew her, she was ready to call the police.
Heading into the bathroom, he called his assistant manager, and asked her to open for him before he called his mom. He definitely felt better, but he wasn’t quite ready to work a ten hour day.
As he dialed his mom’s number, he wasn’t surprised when she picked up on the second ring shrieking. “Dead! I thought you were dead!”
“Believe me, there were a few times I thought I was dying,” he said.
“What happened? Were you in an accident? Why didn’t they call me?”
“I was sick, Mom. Rand’s been taking care of me out at her place. And besides all that, you do know I’m a grown ass man?”
“Of course I do! Doesn’t mean I won’t kick your ass up one side and down the other if you ever scare me like that again!”
Jake chuckled. “Alright mom, I won’t. Is that all you called for?”
“No, your brother called me yesterday. He’s coming home.”
Jake’s stomach dropped out and he gripped the cell to his ear. “When?”
“He’s driving out today.” There was a pregnant pause on the line. “He’s bringing his son with him.”
Jake sucked in his breath. “When did that happen? Last time you talked to him he was in the middle of the fucking desert.”
“Watch your language. I guess he met a girl before his last tour and they had a fling. She sent him a letter months later with a picture and since then, she’s kept him updated and he’s spent his leaves with them. When he came back the last time and said he was getting out, he moved them in with him on base and was going to marry her, but she took off and left her son with Dustin.”
“Is he even sure he’s his?” Jake asked.
“If your brother says he’s his and he’s claiming him, I’m not putting any doubt on him or that little boy and neither will you,” his mother said firmly.
“Rand and I were going to get married this weekend,” Jake said tiredly.
His mother’s joyful cry about busted his eardrums. “Lord be praised! Wait this weekend? That’s not nearly enough time to organize a proper reception.”
“Mom, we just want to keep it simple and small. Nothing crazy.”
“Well, it’s you that’s plum loco if you think I’m letting my baby get married without having any say in the planning.”
“Really, it’s more like a business arrangement than a real marriage,” Jake said.
His mother scoffed on the other end. “If I really believed that, Jacob Hansen, I’d be putting my foot down, but I know better.”
The trouble was, Jake did too. His friendship with Rand felt deeper than anything he’d ever experienced with another woman, but he wasn’t ready to admit what that might mean.
“Like I said, we want simple and intimate,” he said.
“Oh, you don’t know what you want. Better make it next weekend though. Just leave everything to me. It will be perfect.”
Rand woke up alone and heard the shower going. Slipping out of bed and getting dressed, she cursed herself for being a sentimental fool and went
out to feed the animals. It was frustrating as hell that she’d let her mouth run away with her.
You’re just afraid to be vulnerable.
Well, hell, who wouldn’t be? Red was right about one thing; Jake’s affections weren’t the most reliable and she was crazy is she didn’t remember that. Unless she wanted to be left broken hearted when Jake said good-bye.
She was brushing her horse Sun when she heard the barn door creek open. She glanced over to find a still pale Jake leaning against the stall door.
“Good morning,” he said, grinning at her and she tried to quiet the stomach flipping joy that seemed to be constant whenever he was near.
“Morning. You feeling better?”
“Yeah. Going to take the day off and head back in tomorrow. Talked to my mom this morning.”
She stopped currying Sun’s side long enough to ask, “What happened?”
“Well, she’s thrilled about the wedding, so whatever you wanted to have, you should probably voice now or forever hold your peace.”
She finished brushing Sun down and dropped the brush into the bucket, mulling over his words. “Why do I get the feeling you’re trying to tell me to be afraid?”
“I am. Very afraid.”
She came out of the stall silently, heading for the tack room with him trailing behind her. She hung the bucket on one of the wall hooks and went to wash her hands in the sink. As she dried them off, she turned to find him right behind her and his arms came around her waist.
“Thank you. You took really good care of me this weekend.”
Her hands rested on his arms, and felt them flex under his plaid shirt. For some reason, his close proximity helped her relax and she teased, “Hey, I need you healthy. At least for the next year. After that, you might just be on your own.”
“Might, huh?” He leaned down and his mouth found her bare neck, nuzzling the skin below her jawline. “Are you thinking about keeping me?”
Rand caught her breath. He had no idea how close to home his joke hit and she started to pull away. “I didn’t say that.”
“Hmmm.” His mouth moved up to the shell of her ear, and when he ran his tongue along the edge, she held on for dear life as her knees turned to grits.
He slid his big hands down and grabbed her butt, lifting her against him so she could feel how much better he was, if the hard length of his cock was any indication. She couldn’t stop the moan that escaped from her lips as she arched closer, her hands slipping up, over his shoulders to rest behind his neck.
“Ehem.” Someone cleared their throat and Rand stilled, her gaze shifting to find Andy standing in the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest.
“Sorry to interrupt, but we were supposed to go look at that tractor today.”
Rand pulled away from Jake and ran a hand over her braid. “Right. I’ll just grab my keys from the house and we’ll head out.”
Andy nodded and turned to leave. Jake chuckled behind her and she whirled around with a scowl. “It’s not funny!”
“Kinda was. Could have been worse. The way I was headed, your shirt could have been halfway across the room when he walked in.”
She started to stomp away but he caught her arm and reeled her back in, holding her tight against him. “Don’t I get a kiss good-bye?”
“I need to go,” she snapped, avoiding his seeking lips until she was squealing with laughter. “Stop it, you obnoxious man.”
“Give me a kiss and I’ll let you go.” He promised.
She pursed her lips tightly and he laughed. “Now that’s just mean.”
When she opened her mouth to give him hell, he took the opportunity to kiss her stupid, thrusting his tongue inside as he cradled the back of her head with his hand. Her mouth softened as she returned his kiss, unable to stop herself from wrapping her arms around his waist and leaning into him. When he finally broke the kiss, his dropped his forehead to hers and she fought a smile as she listened to his uneven breathing. The fact that she seemed to affect him the same way he did her only made her fall harder.
“Have a good day, honey,” he whispered, giving her one more peck before letting go of her neck. He started walking towards the door, pausing in the doorway with a smile. “See you tonight?”
Words failed her, so she simply nodded. Before she knew it a huge grin threatened to split her face in half and she left the tack room to meet Andy, happiness putting a bounce in her steep like nothing she’d ever felt before.
Chapter Thirteen
Rand came in from feeding that night to the phone ringing shrilly.
“Hello,” she said, tucking the phone into the crook of her neck.
“Congratulations!” Two feminine voices screamed in her ear, causing her to drop the phone.
Cursing at the deafness in her ear, she picked up the phone and put it up to the other one. “Who is this?”
“It’s Tabby and Jamie! Red told me you were getting married! And to Jake! Girl, you have got good freaking taste. He is definitely hot.”
Rand shook her head. Red and his damn mouth. “Well, thank you.”
“So, when’s the bachelorette party?”
“What? I’m not having one of those.”
“Um…yeah, you are, and a bridal shower. Jake’s mom is planning that, but we are going to throw you one hell of a last night of freedom. Let’s start with shopping! You need lingerie! How bout we pick you up tomorrow at ten?”
“I’ve got stuff to do tomorrow.” Rand was in no mood for an all day shopping trip, especially for things she didn’t even need. “And I have plenty of underwear and stuff.”
“I’m not talking granny panties, sweetie! Besides, I need to know sizes to tell all the girls! Oh! I know a girl in Longview who does Naughty Girl Parties! I’m going to call her! See you tomorrow!”
Before Rand could protest, they had hung up and only one thought had a film of cold sweat covering her entire body.
What in the heck was a naughty girl party?
Jake sat in the middle of his mother’s living room, playing with his grandma’s ring. He hadn’t been expecting it, especially since this was a marriage of convenience, but his mother had insisted.
“Rand deserves all the pomp, fuss, and respect you can give her, you understand?”
“She’s my best friend, mom.”
“She’s going to be your wife in a little over a week and things are going to change, even if you don’t mean for them to. That first year with your daddy was tough, but we stuck with it.”
You stuck with it, not him.
“I don’t really think your marriage is a good example of what Rand and I should strive for,” Jake said bluntly, regretting his words instantly. His mother’s cheery face blanched and her eyes filled with pain.
“Mom, I’m-”
“Just because your father left, doesn’t negate the good years we had. That’s what I like to focus on, is the good years.” She poured herself a glass of red wine, and looked up at him with a watery smile. “That doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t kick his ass if we ever crossed paths again, but I’ve made my peace with it. I suggest you do the same.”
How could she be so casual about it? Make his peace with it? The man had destroyed them.
It wasn’t the first time his mother had said it to him, and it probably wouldn’t be the last, but there was no way in hell he would ever forget those years after his dad left; listening to his mother cry, mowing lawns to help pay bills until he turned fifteen and started working at the feed store. His brother had done his part until he’d abandoned them for the Marines. Not that he wasn’t proud of Dustin, but they had needed him home more than his country had needed him.
His brother’s return was another reason he was feeling agitated. He hadn’t seen Dustin in over three years, and he had no idea what to say to him. And his kid. Would he call Jake uncle? Did he have to bond with him or should he just avoid him?
His phone chirped and a text from Rand helped uncoil the apprehension that had tighten
ed every muscle in his body.
Making chicken fried venison steak and taters. Want some?
“I need to get going, Mom. Rand’s holding dinner for me.”
Jake stood up and his mother gave him a big hug. “I’ll call you when your brother gets here.”
Jake didn’t have anything to say, just hugged her back and walked out the door, texting as he went.
I’m on my way.
Rand heard Jake’s truck pull up outside and butterflies exploded inside her, fluttering up and around her heart before falling back down to hit the walls of her stomach.
She pulled their plates out of the oven and set them on the table just as the front door opened and Jake’s long legged frame ambled inside, taking off his ball cap and running a hand through his messy hair. Rand had the crazy urge to run her own fingers through the sandy strands and attempt to tame them, but she still felt awkward, like all of this was a dream she would wake up from at any minute.
She sat down heavily in her chair as he walked over, passing his plate and chair to lean over her. She tilted her face up to meet his gaze and his smile was pure masculine satisfaction.
“I have been thinking about you all day.”
Her heart stopped at his words, only to come back in a full force river dance when he kissed her, sliding his tongue into her mouth and cupping the back of her head.
Swirls of color formed behind her closed eyelids as she kissed him back, her arms reaching up behind his neck to hold on tight. Suddenly, his hands were cupping her arms and lifting her to her feet, pressing her body against the length of his. She melted into him, returning his kiss urgently, wanting to get as close as she could to his body. Her hands slipped up and under his plaid shirt and jacket, his skin warm and inviting against her palm.
He released her, shrugging out of his jacket and her fingers moved to the buttons of his shirt, slipping one out after another until she could peel the shirt back to stare at what lay beneath.
Honey colored skin stretched across the defined pecks with a sprinkling of golden hair as cover. The hair traveled in a line, over the bumps of his abdomen and disappeared into his jeans.
