by Elle James
Was he selfish to think he was the one for her, and that they should make a life together?
Leslie had picked Randy. If she chose to be with Tag, he would always be her second choice. Would that be good enough for her? Would that be enough for him?
He drank another swallow of whiskey and stared into a fireplace he rarely used.
She’d kissed him tonight.
And run.
What did that mean?
Had he scared her off because of his whole-hearted response?
Tag buried his head in his hands.
Had he spooked her?
What happened to his plan to take it slowly? He raised his head and pushed back his shoulders. He had to get back on track, back to the slow, steady advance on her senses. If that meant backing off, so be it. He was in this pursuit for the long haul.
But if, at any time, Leslie showed signs of withdrawal, discomfort and anything else that indicated she wasn’t that into him, he’d step away.
He downed the last of his drink, rose, stripped and stepped into the shower to cool off. Every time he thought of Leslie, he burned with desire. And after their kiss, he knew the fire would continue long into the night.
He had to get his lust under control or risk losing her forever. It would be difficult to keep his feelings to himself, but Leslie Lamb was worth the effort.
Tag showered and went to bed. The cool spray did little to douse the flames burning inside. He lay naked on the sheets, staring up at the high ceilings, wishing he already had her in bed beside him.
If he played his cards right, and made her fall in love with him, his wish would come true.
He groaned, turned on his side and punched his pillow.
Playing his cards right was a big if.
He lay for a long time, thinking about calling her. After she’d run into her house, she probably didn’t want to talk to him. He could log on to his computer and strike up an email conversation with her as his alter-ago Joe. Part of him thought any contact was better than none. What if she fell in love with Joe? Would she be disappointed when she discovered Joe was him?
Tag flopped onto his back again and shoved a hand through his hair, second-guessing his second identity on BODS. What had he been thinking? She might think he’d been leading her on and stop trusting her.
He sat up, reached for the phone and dialed her number.
After five rings, he ended the call without leaving a message.
What would he say? I’m sorry I kissed you back? Oh, hell no. He wasn’t the least bit sorry. For him, the kiss had been everything he’d hoped for and so much more. He’d felt the electricity and the connection from where their lips touched all the way to the tips of his toes. Since he’d realized he loved her, he’d dreamed of kissing her, wondering what it would be like. Would he like it? Would she?
Well, he knew now. He loved it and wanted to do it again and again.
* * *
After hitting the snooze on her alarm clock five times, Leslie finally woke. Sleep hadn’t come easy the night before. Kissing Tag seemed to have shaken everything loose inside her. She hadn’t been able to pull herself together before she’d laid in her bed to sleep.
Not once during that kiss had she thought of Randy. The kiss had been all Tag and her. No one else existed in that moment. God, she wanted to do it all over again.
All night long, she lay alone in her bed, wishing Tag was lying beside her. She hadn’t gone to sleep until well after three in the morning. Thus, the rounds of slamming her hand on the snooze button.
She flung aside the comforter and swung her legs out of the bed, her first thoughts of Tag, wondering how he had slept the night before. Had he stayed awake all night, thinking about kissing her?
Leslie padded to the bathroom in her bare feet and stared into the mirror at the dark circles beneath her eyes. She splashed water on her face, hoping the coolness would help to revive her.
As she walked back through the bedroom, she spied her laptop on the nightstand. She picked it up and carried it into the kitchen. After getting the coffeemaker going, she popped a slice of bread into the toaster and sat at the table. Opening her laptop, she checked her emails.
Thankfully, she didn’t have any from clients complaining that the BODS system was down. She logged onto her own account where she found a message from Herman Lansing, aka Bachelor Number Two. And nothing from Joe Fox.
With less enthusiasm than she had for a visit to the dentist, she opened the message from Herman.
Ms. Lamb,
I hope to make our date an adventure. Let’s meet at Enchanted Rock. Wear hiking shoes. See you there on Sunday at 10:00 am.
Herman
Leslie sighed. Another date.
She wished she hadn’t signed up on BODS. And she didn’t want to go to Enchanted Rock, out in the middle of nowhere, by herself with a stranger. She needed to call Tag but couldn’t bring herself to do it. Not after she’d kissed him and run the night before.
Her phone rang, saving her from making that decision. The caller ID indicated it was Tag. She pressed the talk button, her heart hammering against her ribs.
“Good morning, sunshine,” Tag’s voice came through, sending a rush of heat through her body.
“Hi,” she said, sounding breathless. She swallowed hard, squared her shoulders and started over. “Good morning, Tag.” She cringed at how formal that sounded to her own ears. “I hope you slept well.”
“Like a baby,” he said, so cheerful she wanted to throw something at him.
“Me, too,” she lied. “I had an email from my second candidate. He wants to meet at Enchanted Rock, Sunday at 10:00 am. I’m supposed to bring hiking shoes.”
“Sounds like fun. I’ll let Chrissy know to bring something to hike in. We’ll be there at 10:00 as well.” He paused. “Are you ready for today?”
No. She wasn’t. Facing him after that kiss…she wasn’t ready. “Absolutely. I can’t wait.”
“Good. I’ll be by to pick you up in an hour. I understand Emma wanted her bridesmaids there three hours early. I can’t imagine how it takes three hours to get dressed for a wedding.”
Leslie forced a laugh, trying for lighthearted when she was more downhearted. “She has a couple of cosmetologists coming in to do hair and makeup for her and the bridesmaids.”
“Meanwhile, I’ll be in charge of keeping the groom sober and making sure he gets to the front of the chapel on time.” He sighed.
“How hard can that be?” she asked.
Tag chuckled. “You don’t know the guys when they get bored.”
“I believe the groom’s room is equipped with a rather large television screen. Surely, you’ll find a game playing,” Leslie said, feeling a little less self-conscious after talking nonsense with Tag. He always made her feel better, even when she was confused. If he could act as though the kiss never happened, so could she.
Her chest tightened. At least, she hoped she could. Frankly, the kiss had rocked her world in a way she hadn’t thought possible. The resulting desire and longing warred with guilt concerning her dead husband.
As Ava had mentioned, four years was long enough to grieve for someone you loved. Moving on didn’t mean she’d ever forget Randy. He would always be a part of her, even if she found someone else to love. She had enough love in her heart to love again.
But was the love for Tag?
Her breath caught and held in her throat. Up until that moment, she hadn’t paired Tag with the “L” word. Could she be in love with Tag? Or was she clinging to him because he was someone familiar? Someone who made her feel safe? After all, dating strangers was hard and scary. Especially when they wanted to take you out into the wilderness hiking. Anything could happen. She was glad Tag would be there…just in case she was dating a serial killer. Not to mention the stress of having to make conversation with someone she might have nothing in common with.
But BODS had matched her with Herman. Surely, they’d have a lot in common. After
meeting Otis, she was beginning to think she should have narrowed her preferences a little more. Otis was very nice but into things she wasn’t all that interested in.
Leslie dressed in comfortable jeans, a soft white, short-sleeve shirt and ballet flats, knowing that once she reached the wedding venue, she’d strip down to her panties and strapless bra and put on the silk robe Emma had gifted to all of her bridesmaids. Her long gown and shoes were waiting for her there. All she had to do was show up sans makeup. The beauticians would be there for hair and makeup.
Normally, she wouldn’t be at all self-conscious in front of Tag. He’d seen her without makeup and her hair pulled back in a ponytail more times than she could count. He’d come over often when Randy was alive to watch the Aggies football games and grill steaks.
Something about the kiss the night before set Leslie on edge. She felt like she needed to look her best around him.
For heaven’s sake, it was Tag. Her best friend.
Her potential lover…
That thought hit her square in the gut. The man who’d been her friend since forever. And she was thinking about getting naked with him and…and…
She pressed a hand to her belly, her core so hot she might have to take a cold shower before Tag arrived to collect her for the wedding.
Too keyed up to relax, she put on her athletic shoes and went for a walk around the neighborhood. After a mile, she’d calmed enough to return to her house.
Tag arrived shortly afterward.
Leslie had been watching through the window and didn’t wait for him to come to the door. As soon as he pulled into the driveway, she left her house, locked the door and hurried toward his truck.
He saw her coming and got out to open her door. “Hey,” he said, a crooked smile on his lips.
“Hey.” Leslie ducked her head and climbed in, careful not to touch him, afraid the sparks would set off an inferno inside her. She had a wedding to get through. Now wasn’t the time to get all hot and steamy about her best friend.
Once she was in her seat, Tag closed the door, rounded the front of the truck and climbed into the driver’s seat. He sat for a minute, hesitating before starting the engine.
Leslie clenched her hands in her lap.
Please, don’t say anything, just drive.
Then he glanced at her. “Look, Leslie, about last night—”
“Don’t.” She raised her hand. “Please. Let’s not discuss last night. Today is Emma and Coop’s wedding. I want to focus on them.”
He opened his mouth as if to say more. A moment later, he shut it and nodded. “Okay.” He started the engine, backed out of her driveway and headed for the little chapel in Hellfire where the wedding would take place.
Leslie sat silent, staring out the front windshield, afraid that if Tag spoke to her, she’d blurt out something she wasn’t ready to say. She felt as if she sat on pins and needles, her entire being on edge and ready to erupt into…something. What, she wasn’t sure. But it all had to do with Tag…and that kiss.
* * *
Several times along the drive out to the wedding venue, Tag nearly pulled to the side of the road to have it out with Leslie. He was past ready to declare his feelings and get them out into the open. He’d held back for so long he didn’t think he could do it for much longer.
However, the longer she sat on her side of the truck without saying a word, the harder it became to strike up a conversation, especially when all he wanted to say was, I love you, dammit!
When they arrived at the wedding venue, Tag parked in the shade of an oak tree. Before he could get out of the truck, Leslie shoved open her door and slid out.
She disappeared into the manor house where the ladies would prepare for the wedding. The men would be in the carriage house on the other side of the chapel.
Tag wanted to go after her, grab her arm and force her to look at him. But she was gone before he could. He grabbed the tux hanging in the back seat and headed for the carriage house.
Coop, Gage, Moose and Sean were inside, along with Emma’s brothers Ace, Dillon, Brand and Colton. They were arguing over the remote control in Coop’s hand.
The poor man was still dressed in his jeans and a T-shirt, his hair standing on end, and his eyes a little wild.
“About time you showed up, Tag,” Sean said. “We were just having a friendly little discussion about what game to watch on the big screen television.”
Tag’s brow wrinkled. “What discussion? The Aggies are playing. End of discussion.”
“So are the Longhorns,” Ace said. “The Aggies don’t know what a football is, much less how to play.”
Coop shook his head. “I didn’t know I was marrying into a family of Longhorns. This could be a deal-breaker.”
“Perhaps we should get Emma over here to settle this,” Colton said. “Does she know you’d rather watch an Aggies game over a Longhorn game?”
Coop gave him a wry grin. “I don’t think the subject ever came up. But now that it has…” He glanced toward the door. “I’m not sure we can be married if that’s the way the ball bounces.” Coop started for the door. “Maybe we need to call this whole thing off.”
Ace, Brand, Colton and Dillon lined up in front of the door, arms crossed over their chests.
Coop cocked an eyebrow. “What? You won’t let me call it off over a football game?”
All four of Emma’s brothers shook their heads as one, their jaws firm, eyes narrowed.
“You aren’t walking out on our little sister,” Ace said. “She’s had her heart broken once. It’s not going to happen again.”
“Then we’re watching the Aggies game while we wait…?” Coop said, holding up the remote.
“We don’t have to argue about this when we can accommodate both games on this set.” Tag grabbed the remote from him, hit the menu button and selected the option to split the screen. He brought up both games and set the remote on the mantel. “We can watch both while we get ready for the wedding.” He looked at the all eight men and grinned. “Are you happy now? The wedding’s still on, and Coop isn’t going to be lynched.”
“I guess we can watch it this way,” Coop said grudgingly. “But you’re going to have to show me how to do that on my home screen. I don’t want to get a divorce over what football game we’ll watch.”
“You’ll watch whatever Emma wants you to watch.” Moose pounded Coop on the back. “A happy wife makes a happy life.”
“That’s right, Coop. You’re getting married, today,” Gage said. “The first of us to walk down the aisle. How does it feel to be standing on the cusp of bachelorhood, about to launch into married life?”
Coop drew in a deep breath and patted his chest. “I thought I’d be sad to say goodbye to my single days.” He shook his head and grinned. “But I’m not. I’m marrying the best girl in the world.” His grin twisted. “Well, with the exception of being a Longhorn fan. But nobody’s perfect.”
“You’re lucky we’ll let you slide on that one,” Brand said. “If our sister wasn’t so darned happy, we might have had to run you out of town.”
Gage popped the top on a bottle of beer and handed it to Coop. “Make that one last. It’s the only one you’re getting until you say I do.”
“Can’t wait until you guys go through this. I promise, I’ll make you just as miserable,” Coop said and took a slow swallow of his beer, closing his eyes as the cool liquid went down his throat. He opened his eyes, a frown denting his forehead. “Speaking of which, when are you getting hitched, Moose, Sean, Gage? You might as well do it on the same day and get ’er done.”
“No way,” Moose said. “I want Jane coming down that aisle all by herself. We’ll set a date soon. I don’t want to wait too long. She might change her mind.” Moose sighed. “I can’t believe she fell for me.”
“You’re not the only one who can’t believe it,” Sean said, elbowing the big ex-football player in the side.
“What about you, Sean?” Moose asked. “When are y
ou, Ava and Mica gonna make it legal?”
“The sooner the better. I told Ava I’d fly her and Mica to Vegas and get it done.”
“Better charter an entire plane,” Tag said. “You’re not getting married without the rest of us.”
“As for us, Fiona’s about got horseback riding mastered.” Moose grinned. “She said she’d schedule our wedding as soon as she could get married on horseback.”
Tag chuckled. “That should be an interesting wedding.” He popped the top off another bottle of beer.
“She knows how much I love riding and wants us to ride off into the sunset.” Gage grinned. “I like the idea. I just wonder if the horses will behave through an entire ceremony.”
“Which leaves the rest of you,” Coop said, his gaze moving from Tag to Emma’s four brothers. “Tag, at least, is in the process of finding Mrs. Right. What about the rest of you?”
Ace held up his hands. “I don’t need help finding a woman.”
“Neither do I,” Brand said.
Colton shrugged. “I don’t know. That matchmaking program that got you guys hooked up with your gals has me thinkin’.”
“Me, too,” Dillon said. “Can’t imagine living with you boneheads for the rest of my life.”
“Yeah,” Colton said. “I would kinda like to have a wife to come home to, instead of a bunch of guys who smell like something the cat dragged in.”
Tag grinned. “I’ll have Leslie schedule you guys to sign up on her dating service. You won’t regret it.”
“Speaking of regrets,” Coop said. “What’s happening with you and your dates, Tag? Any luck?”
Tag nodded. “I’m working on it. I was matched with three lovely ladies. I’ve been on one date already. I see the second lady tomorrow.”
“I hear the first one was all into Comic Con and Dr. Who,” Sean said. He shook his head. “I’m not picturing you at one of those conventions.”
Tag grinned. “We went to one.”
His eyebrows rose. “And you liked it?”
He liked being with Leslie. “It was fun.” With Leslie.