ONCE IN A BLUE MOON (BLUEBONNET, TEXAS Book 2)

by Stuart, Amie

  Ty locked the door after him, then we snuggled up on the couch together and watched the video.

  "We could have watched this later." I patted his leg, watching him from the corner of my eye.

  His lips thinned in what I now knew was anger. At Zander. "Shhh, this is my favorite part. Where’s the popcorn?"

  I giggled, enjoying this new side to my husband. "Fine."

  We watched the sonogram twice, oohing and ahhing and pointing out new stuff to each other and pausing and rewinding our favorite parts again and again.

  "What was that about me wearing the disc out?" Ty teased.

  "But you got to watch it one more time than me." I curled up against his side, resting my head on his shoulder. I felt nauseatingly happy and scared all at the same time.

  Surely, the gods wouldn’t snatch my happiness from me.

  As he leaned over to kiss me there was a knock at the door. "I’ll get it," I groaned, slipping out of his arms.

  I opened the door to discover Tim, Zack and Zander on my porch. Apparently our quiet afternoon was over.

  Zack and Zander looked remarkably alike with their red hair and freckles, except Zander’s eyes were a deep blue like Delaney’s and he had the slender build of a runner or swimmer while stocky, barrel-chested Zack was the exact opposite.

  In unison the trio chimed, "Can Ty come out to play?"

  I managed to squeeze a frown at Zack past the grin on my face. He winked. Despite the teasing tone, Zander didn’t seem near as warm or easy-going as his brothers.

  "Just a minute." I closed the door halfway and in my best dramatic stage whisper said, "Baby, your friends are here and they want to know if you can play. What should I tell them?"

  From outside the door I heard snickers.

  "Tell them only for a hour." Ty grabbed his coat off the rack.

  Looked like I’d just have to be a good girl and share, as much as I resented the hell out of it.

  I yanked the door back open. "Only for an hour, then he has to come home."

  "Yes, ma’am." Tim saluted me. I wanted to slug him.

  Ty’s kiss earned us more snickers from the brothers who ended up with the door slammed in their face. "Will you be okay?" he murmured against my lips.

  "Certainly. Maybe I’ll walk over and see how Delaney’s doing. Or stay here and do laundry."

  "I won't be gone long."

  "What time should we bring him home?" Zander yelled.

  Ty rolled his eyes and I grinned. "He’s a big boy. He can bring himself home when he’s ready." I wiggled my fingers at him and shoed him out the door with one last kiss, then headed for the kitchen to check on my pies.

  According to the timer, they had about ten minutes or so to go. I sighed and stared at the oven. I already missed him.

  On impulse, I picked up the phone and dialed Angi’s number, wanting to tell her about the sonogram. Okay, so she probably wouldn’t care, but it was a good excuse to call her. Since I wouldn’t see her tomorrow. I still couldn’t get over that one.

  "Yo!"

  "Ang?" I settled in at the table, resisting the urge to shout over the music in the background.

  "Yeah?"

  "What are you doin’?"

  "Getting ready to go to my dad’s, why?"

  "Angelina?!" I shouted. No I did not hear her right! How could she?

  "Shit! Bettina." Then a muffled, "Turn down the music!"

  My whole body went numb and the bottom fell out of my heart.

  "I didn’t think you’d care, seeing as how you had plans."

  "That you were going to Daddy’s?" I swiped at the tears that appeared from nowhere and rolled down my cheeks, nearly choking on my words. "You told me—"

  To hell with her.

  "That’s fine, Angelina."

  After getting the pies out of the oven, I shut off the phone, tired of the constant ringing.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  REAL MAN

  Zander was still an arrogant ass.

  A few hours and a few beers later Ty headed home, a few sheets to the wind. He chuckled in the dark. For as much time as he spent at the dancehall, he had the alcohol tolerance of a kid.

  It was bad, very bad.

  At first Ty had thought he was the only one who’d noticed. He’d wanted to reach out and clear the smirk from Zander’s face more than once. Instead, he quietly puffed on his cigar.

  Even his good news about the baby being a girl and Daddy’s cigars hadn’t helped. And then there was Jessa who you could always count on for brash honesty. She’d given Zander a once over and called him a troublemaker. Never mind that he was more than a foot taller than her.

  But after Zander finished insulting everyone and called it a night, Ty had learned otherwise. Only his father’s plea to keep the peace for their mother’s sake kept Ty, Tim and Zack in check. That and Jessa’s comment about how bloodthirsty they all were.

  He shrugged out of his coat and hung it up, then locked the front door behind him. The house was warm and dark and smelled like pumpkin and spices. She must have finished the pies. He shouldn’t have stayed gone so long. Maybe she’s still awake.

  She wasn’t. But a few minutes later he was snuggling against her warm backside.

  What an armful.

  Bettina murmured in her sleep and rolled over, sprawling across his chest and pinning one of his legs beneath hers. He studied her face in the dim light from the bathroom. Her lips rolled slightly, making them look pouty even in sleep and her eyes were tilted upward at the corners.

  His fingers gently tangled themselves in her hair. He loved the feel of her soft curls and chuckled as he lay there playing with them.

  "Having a good time?" she murmured, stretching against him.

  His chuckles only increased as he stretched out a long spiral and released it, watching it spring back into place. "Yeah."

  "And just how many beers did you have?"

  "Not too many?" He pulled on another and tickled her nose with it.

  She raised up on one elbow and pinned him to the pillow with her sexy, sleep-filled eyes. "How many is not too many?"

  "Not too many to keep me from doing this." Ty rolled her over and pinned her beneath him, his tongue slipping between her parted lips for a blood-warming kiss that made him ache. "I want you, Bee," he hissed.

  "I can tell." They kissed again, this time a slow deep exploration that caused a chain reaction he felt low in his groin. He was already hard for her.

  Ty slipped off her panties, then sat back and eyed her. Something wasn’t right. But what? She didn’t seem like her usual playful self. He sat her up and slid her nightshirt—one of his old t-shirt—over her head, smiling as her nipples puckered in the cool air.

  "I want you," he murmured against her skin, his face nearly level with her breasts. He didn’t just want her, he wanted to possess her, soothe her. To erase the sadness in her eyes.

  He eased back and tried to focus on more than her naked and spread out under him. She was tense. He could see it in the set of her shoulders. Feel the hum that echoed off her body. He didn’t like seeing her unhappy. "Bee."

  Her eyes flew open and focused on him.

  "Do you really want me...this?"

  "More than you know," she murmured. "Make love to me...please."

  "What’s wrong?" Ty leaned over her and gently smoothed back the hair at her temples.

  "Just make love to me...I need you." Her voice was hoarse. Had she been crying?

  She closed her eyes and did as he asked, her lower lip caught between her teeth. He hovered above her, kissing her damp eyelids, her face. She cried and sighed and kneaded his shoulders, slowly relaxing, but his destination was much lower. Caressing her with his lips, lightly teasing each nipple, barely touching her skin, he spread her legs and leisurely wandered across her belly as her fingers stroking his back or lightly ruffling his hair.

  He wanted to taste her again.

  Ty never took his eyes off her face as he settled betw
een her thighs, parting her damp, swollen lips and gently stroking her. She was so wet. Her lower lip caught between her teeth, she moaned long and low in the back of her throat. She hadn’t lied, and he moaned too, in anticipation.

  Her thighs shook as he brushed his lips across her tender skin, enjoying her reaction, her scent. Her hips shimmied while her fingers fisted his hair, squealing when he flicked his tongue across her clitoris.

  Perfect. Ty dipped his head and caught the swollen nub between his lips, suckling gently. Bettina’s hips bucked beneath him as her nails dug into Ty’s shoulders.

  Her need pushed him. Her excitement aroused him.

  The fact that he was the cause of it nearly drove him over the edge. He wanted her. His cock throbbed with it. His balls were heavy with it.

  He nibbled and sucked and stroked and licked, wanting to feel her come like she had last night. They found a rhythm as he fucked her with his mouth and fingers.

  Above him, she made little hiccupping sounds. She was so close. He sensed it, like a storm on the horizon. He dug deeper, pushed harder, forced her higher until she screamed his name. The sense of triumph was almost enough to make him come and his sac drew up tight in anticipation.

  Ty hovered over her, careful not to rest his weight on her, and teased her tight puckered nipples, nibbling and rolling them between his lips. He loved the feel of them in his mouth, against his tongue.

  "Ty, please!"

  He released the nipple he’d been playing with and looked at her. Would she? He swallowed and licked his lips, unable to hold back a sudden attack of nerves he felt low in his belly. "Would you get on your knees?"

  "Anything you want," she murmured, rolling over and doing as he’d requested.

  If anything, he grew harder at the sight of her spread out in front of him. Ty positioned himself behind her as she rested her head on the pillows, her eyes closed in anticipation.

  He slid home with a long low groan and a shiver ran up his spine. She fit him like a glove. Custom made. He watched their hips move in sync, watched himself repeatedly sink deep inside her, thankful he’d left the bathroom light on.

  The more he watched himself slide in and out of her hot silky depths, the more turned on he became. Bettina had a fist in her mouth and clutched the headboard with her other hand, a frown of intense concentration on her face.

  He leaned over her and pushed her hair out of his way, wrapping his hands around hers. She panted, her eyes rolled back in her head while he danced, and stroked, and fucked her, nibbling on her shoulder as he watched her every reaction, searching for what would push her over the edge again.

  He wanted to feel her come on his cock.

  In return she crooned to him, her words music to his ears. She told him how good he felt. How he filled her. How close she was. She wore away that last inch of restraint and he thrust harder and deeper, spurred on by her encouraging cries and her hips bucking against his. She was so close he could taste victory.

  "Yes."

  Just a little further.

  "Yes, Ty!"

  A little more.

  "Like that...more."

  There! Sweet Jesus! She gripped him like a vise as her own orgasm hit, dragging him down with her. "Yes, Bee!"

  She moaned something almost indecipherable into the pillow and shook with sobs beneath him.

  He shuddered, trying to shake off the fog of his orgasm while he silently eased over onto his side, taking her with him. Warmth pooled in his chest and spread outward. He thought she’d said she loved him, but maybe it was the beer. Or maybe she regretted her words.

  Her sobs turned to sniffles, and he propped himself on one elbow and smoothed her hair back from her face.

  "Bee, you okay, baby?"

  "I’m fine." She gave him a smile that he didn’t buy for a minute.

  He pressed a soft kiss on her shoulder. She wasn’t fine. Before he could probe deeper, sleep claimed him.

  * * *

  Bee woke him again in the middle of the night and they made love again. But there was nothing gentle about their second encounter.

  Then the alarm roused him at five. Ty fumbled around until he slapped the snooze button. As much as he didn’t want to, he had to get up. If he didn’t, Tim would come hunt him down.

  He threw on his clothes, brushed his teeth—twice—and took something for his headache, refusing to call it the hangover it obviously was.

  Outside, the early morning chill slipped beneath his coat and raised a shiver down his spine. He met Tim at the barn and after exchanging mumbled greetings they silently fed the stock. Frankly, Tim didn’t look any better than Ty felt. By the time the sun made its appearance they’d finished up and were headed to Ty’s to cook breakfast—Tim had forgotten to buy groceries again. As they crossed the back yard, they waved at Momma who smiled and shook a metal spoon at them.

  "We’ll just leave Zander to Rene’s cooking," Ty said as they passed Tim’s place.

  "Hah!"

  They slipped inside Ty’s darkened house and kicked off their work boots at the front door.

  "What the hell is all that?" Tim asked, pointing to a pile of women’s shoes.

  "Apparently, Bee has a really bad habit..."

  "I’ll say."

  In the kitchen, Ty put on fresh coffee and set to work scrambling eggs while Tim made toast.

  "How’s things going?" Tim asked from his position in front of the toaster. "Any better?"

  "Yeah. Things are good." He knew Tim was referring to their last early-morning talk. But now he needed to vent and needed advice.

  The toaster popped. "Just good?"

  Ty thoughtfully pushed the egg mixture around the skillet so it wouldn’t burn. Tim would at least be straight up. Ty just didn’t want Bettina waking up and hearing them talk about her. He leaned against the stove, keeping one eye on the eggs and another on his brother. "She said she loved me, I-I think."

  Tim turned around and eyed him, his expression solemn.

  "We were...um, you know." The sudden heat in Ty’s face had nothing to do with the stove.

  "Making love?" Tim asked softly, his expression serious.

  Ty slid the frying pan to a cold burner and dished up their breakfast. "I’m not even sure I heard her right after all that beer last night...but I love her," he softly added.

  "Is that necessarily a bad thing, Ty?"

  "I didn’t mean to sound like it was...but I dunno. Is it too soon?" The only other woman he’d ever loved had done her best to prove what a poor judge of character he was.

  With a sigh, Tim threw buttered toast on both their plates. "Maybe you should just say a silent ‘thank you’ that this time you’ve got someone to love you the way you deserve."

  "To love me? You think she meant it?"

  "Well, in my vast and superior experience, that’s not a time made for lying—even to yourself." Tim’s grin returned as he grabbed forks from a nearby drawer and handed Ty one. "Call it what you will, but you have feelings for her. You love her. Stop and think for a minute. Betti’s not the type to act on a whim, so why did she marry you?"

  Ty nearly overfilled his coffee cup, then set the pot down with a ‘thunk’ and a sigh. He’d never even stopped to consider why Bee had married him.

  "What?"

  "A year ago I never would have imagined being here, like this." So maybe she did love him. But he still had to tell her about the abuse. The thought of that discussion made him consider skipping breakfast, but it couldn’t be put off much longer.

  "I suppose it all comes down to one thing." Tim nudged him out of the way and filled his own cup.

  "What?" While he waited for Tim to continue, Ty added his usual three spoonfuls of sugar to his overfull cup. His eyes tracked the grains as they slipped off the spoon. As if sweetening his coffee were life altering.

  "Are you happy?"

  He didn’t even hesitate. "You know, what I had with Rhea—" he waved the thought away with his hand, "—fuck that. With Bee, we can t
alk. She makes me feel...like I’m...everything," he finished softly, frowning up at his brother. "I can’t explain it. I just know it."

  "She ain’t Rhea." Tim nudged him and they took their breakfast to the table.

  "Absolutely not."

  * * *

  "Who the hell’s that?" Ty and Tim stood on the front porch watching a red sports car zip up the road.

  "Friend of Zanders?" Stepping off the porch, Tim re-covering his sleep-mangled hair.

  "Did he mention bringing anyone for Thanksgiving?" Ty followed, wrapping his arms around himself and wishing he’d grabbed a jacket. The little car pulled even with them and the window lowered. Jet-black curls, a snug red turtleneck, pouty red lips and green bedroom eyes that almost made Ty laugh. The eyes clinched it. She had to be Angelina.

  "I’m looking for my sister."

  Her voice was even similar. How two sisters could look so different but so alike was beyond him. "She’s still asleep."

  "You’re Ty Boudreaux, ain’t you?"

  "You learn to talk like that in college?" he teased. She didn’t look amused. "Park it and I’ll wake her up."

  Ty and Tim said their good-bye’s while she maneuvered her Eclipse behind Bettina’s Mustang. Ty watched her climb out, smiling at her worn jeans and crepe soled shit-kicker boots.

  Definitely not his ultra-feminine, paisley-loving Bettina.

  He turned toward the house, pulling up short at the sight of his wife standing at the front door, one of his flannel shirts thrown over her nightgown. Judging by the frown on her pale face, she wasn’t a happy camper.

  "What the hell do you want, Angi?"

  "To talk."

  "Coffee’s less than an hour old," Ty threw out, hoping to distract the two very unhappy looking ladies. He was literally caught in the middle with Bettina at the door and Angelina behind him.

  "I could use some. I haven’t slept all night." Angelina drew even with him on the sidewalk.

  "Must have been that party I heard when I called you," Bettina snapped.

  "I knew you’d act like this! Should’a saved my damn gas!"

  Ty silently climbed the steps and hugged Bettina. "Why don’t you bring her in the house and y'all can talk where it’s warm."