Love Me Like I Love You

by Willow Winters

  “You have a new shipment coming in later today?”

  “Yep. I’ll have it all unpacked and displayed when we open up on Wednesday.”

  “All right, dear. I’ll see you then. Enjoy your evening.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Fitzgerald. You too.” I gave her a small wave as she left the store.

  One down. Two more to go.

  I turned back to face the trio lingering and chatting at the cashier counter. I walked around to the opposite side of the counter from them, working efficiently to close things down, hoping they took the subtle hint. When they didn’t, I gave Leighton the look, shifting my eyes from her to Billy. I wanted alone time with my man, and if she didn’t catch that this time, I was going to have to get blunt. Like I said, I had needs. And I was desperate to take advantage of this unexpected visit from Billy.

  Unfortunately for me, Wes was the one to catch on to the look before Leighton. When I saw the evil grin slither on his face, I knew it was going to be bad.

  “Little Miller, I think city here wants us to leave. And trust me when I say it’s in our best interest to get out of here. When things get kinky with that one”—he pointed a thumb toward me, lowering his voice—“you want to be out of target range.”

  Leighton’s brows pinched together. “What in God’s name are you talking about, Wes?”

  “Nothing!” I sneered, glaring at him.

  Wes laughed, putting his arm around Leighton’s shoulders, moving her toward the door. I didn’t know whether to love him or hate him in that moment.

  He held the door open, his hand moving to the small of her back to allow her to step out first. With a final wink over his shoulder he yelled at the top of his lungs, “Puking rally!”

  Yep. I seriously hated that man.

  I dropped my face into my palms, unable to look at Billy.

  “Han?” I heard the humor in his voice. “You told Wes, of all people? Are you nuts?”

  I lifted my head. “No, I was drunk. And trust me, I know it was the dumbest thing I could ever do.”

  He reached for my hand, leading me around the counter to stand in front of him. His hands cupped my face, his mouth brushing a gentle kiss to my lips, pulling away far too soon for my liking. “I don’t think you have too much to worry about. The fact that he hasn’t spilled the details to the whole town means you’re probably safe to assume he won’t.”

  I wasn’t so sure I agreed, but Billy knew Wes better than I did. “What are you doing here?” I looped my arms around his waist, staring up into those big brown eyes I could drown in.

  “Beau and Wes let me go early today. We’re on schedule if not slightly ahead, so they said to enjoy the night off. Figured there was only one place I wanted to be.”

  “Does that make this date two?” I bounced my eyebrows.

  He shook his head in amusement, a low laugh rolling through his chest. “Trying to get in my pants already, blondie?”

  “Can’t blame a girl, when you look that good in them.”

  Leaning forward, he dropped his head to mine, his hands coasting down my shoulders, tickling and teasing the need inside me. “How about some dinner?”

  I frowned, jerking my head back. “Really? You’re determined to see this date rule through?”

  “Dead serious. Trust me, it’s not easy on me either.” He thrusted his hips against me and I could feel his erection through his jeans.

  If he thought that would help matters, he was wrong. I wanted more than ever to strip the man naked and take him in my hands. Using every bit of restraint I had, I resisted the urge.

  “I can’t leave just yet. I’m waiting for Lottie’s shipment to get here. It’ll be at least a couple more hours.”

  “I’ll grab us a few burgers and shakes up the street. What flavor do you want?”

  “Vanilla.”

  “Took you to be a little more adventurous than that, blondie.”

  “Fine, surprise me.” I grinned.

  “You’re asking for surprises now?”

  “What can I say, you’re good at them.”

  He kissed my lips, then stepped back. “Be right back.”

  He’d better be, because I had a little surprise of my own up my sleeve.

  Making sure the decorative curtains were drawn across the storefront with the closed sign flipped over, I turned off the track lights, leaving only the chandeliers on, creating a soft glow in the store. I got into position, hoisting myself up on the counter, making sure the girls were perky and ready to impress. I crossed my legs, leaning back on my hands, wearing nothing but a matching black lace underwear set I’d snatched from the lingerie table, paired with the heels I’d been wearing all day. Luckily, the shipment showed up early, a few minutes after Billy had left, giving me plenty of time to usher the delivery guy along and prepare for Billy’s return.

  My body froze and my chest raced at the sound of the front door opening. When Billy came into view, his hands filled with our dinner, my body relaxed, my smile growing as I watched his eyes sweep over me, his own body rooted to the floor just inside the entrance.

  “Holy shit, Han.” His voice was all grit as he fought an internal battle of desire.

  “Lock the door, cowboy,” I demanded.

  Without hesitation, he did as he was told. I sat forward as he walked back toward me with a powerful, dominant stride. My whole body came to attention for the man in front of me. Gentle and strong. Giving and greedy. A man who would take what he wanted, when and wherever he wanted, but never made me feel powerless as he did.

  I dealt him a hand and now it was up to him whether he wanted to play or fold. From the look in his eyes, the prowl in his gait, he was all in. It made me question if maybe I’d overplayed my own hand. Maybe I wasn’t ready for this man to take me, love me, tear me up inside once again.

  He set the food to the side, freeing his hands to caress my already tingling skin. Wedged between my legs, his hands wrapped around my calves, slowly gliding upward to the underside of my bent knees.

  “What the hell are you trying to do to me, Hannah? Anybody could have walked in here and seen you like this.”

  “I was willing to take my chances,” I gasped, burying my fingers in his hair as the tip of his nose brushed along my collarbone and up my neck, his hot breath fanning over my flesh.

  He growled with a slight jerk, pulling me closer, his teeth nipping at my ear. “Not sure I like you as the risk taker.”

  “Not sure I believe you,” I rasped as I felt the ripple of need tremble through him.

  “This isn’t how I wanted this to play out, Han. Not here.” A groan with a mixture of restraint and lust resonated in his chest as he kept trying to fight what we both wanted.

  “I think you’re done calling the shots.”

  “Wrong,” he grated.

  I squealed as his hands suddenly lifted me into the air, my legs and arms wrapping around him as I held on tight. I kissed down his throat as he carried me to one of the dressing rooms.

  Pressing my back to the wall, he pulled the curtain closed behind us. He unhooked my legs from his hips, guiding me to a standing position. His mouth at my ear, he growled, “I’m not fucking you here, Hannah.”

  A small whimper escaped from my lips, a heaviness pooling between my legs as his lips burned a trail down my body. He looped his fingers inside the waistband of my panties, slowly dragging them down my legs, leaving them in a puddle at my heels as he shifted back to his knees.

  “Billy.” My plea hit the air, my fist opening and closing against the wall as I struggled for something to grasp to stay upright.

  His massive hands wrapped around my thighs, spreading them apart as he kissed in between them.

  “Don’t worry, baby. I’m gonna take care of you.”

  My head fell back with a thump against the wall as I tried to control my breathing. His tongue darted out, licking at my heat. I moaned, pulling greedily at strands of his hair, begging for more. Chills rippled, streaking across my skin
. A flash of heat rose quickly through my body as I felt my knees begin to weaken.

  Lick and suction.

  His mouth was magnificent. A gift from the gods.

  As the sensations assaulted me, I arched my back, thrusting my hips forward and pulling his head deeper. Desperate, I clung to the man, needing him in more ways than one.

  He palmed the bare cheeks of my ass, his hot tongue continuing to slide against me.

  “Billy…I’m close…so close,” I panted.

  Just a little more, it’s all I needed. A little more time. A little more of him. A little more of us.

  His head pulled back as he slipped his fingers inside me, pumping and rubbing out that last little bit of pleasure from me. My body tensed and clenched before letting go. Billy’s arm hooked around my waist, keeping me from falling to a heap on the floor as he brushed kisses along my belly. I stroked my hand through his hair, each touch laced with a tenderness.

  Staring down at Billy on his knees before me, a grin on his lips, a wobbly smile on mine, I knew there was no way I wasn’t falling hard for this man. I knew I shouldn’t, but it didn’t matter what was right or wrong, all I wanted to do was crawl up in this man’s lap and stay there forever.

  Chapter 11

  BILLY

  Holding Hannah’s half-naked body in my arms, I kissed along her neck and shoulder as she worked to tame her breathing. Having her this way once again, sated and content, I knew it was going to hurt ten times worse letting her leave me this time around. The woman was so responsive to my touch, like she was made to be mine. And hell, if I didn’t want that to be true.

  “Let’s get you dressed and home.” I kissed the top of her head.

  She lifted it with a sigh. “Um, yeah. About that, I can’t go home quite yet. Wes has company this evening.”

  With her hand wrapped around mine, I pulled her to her feet. “That’s good, because when I said home, I meant my place not Wes’s.” I hitched up a grin, adding, “Oh, and you’ll be staying with me your last few days here. I’ve already picked up your stuff from his place.”

  Wes and I had agreed this afternoon it was best if she stayed with me. Not that I needed his approval. She only had a couple of days left in town, and I planned to spend what little time I could with her for those last few days. With it being harvest season, that didn’t leave me much time.

  She stood there still naked from the bottom down, hands on hips, full of confidence and a little bit of that sass I loved. “You did what?”

  “You heard me, blondie. You’re staying at my place the rest of the time you’re here.”

  Her nostrils flared with the exhale from her nose. “How caveman of you.” She plucked her underwear from the floor, huffing as she wiggled her little ass back into them. “You and Wes don’t just get to decide where I stay. That’s my decision.”

  I snatched her wrist as she tried to step around me, spinning her back into my arms. Her breath hitched as she landed against my chest, her expression startled but her eyes still narrowed with a rebellious challenge.

  “Cool your panties, princess. I wasn’t trying to piss you off. I thought you’d prefer to stay with me over him.”

  “That’s not the point, Billy.”

  I nodded. “All right. I get it. I’m sorry. Next time, I’ll talk to you first. You want me to take you to a hotel, I’ll take you to a hotel.”

  Her body relaxed as she shot me a playful smile. “Take me to a hotel, huh?”

  “If that’s what you want.”

  “Okay. That’s what I want,” she deadpanned.

  “No way.”

  She gawked. “But you just said—”

  “Yeah and I lied, the same way you just did.”

  “Billy Miller!”

  “Don’t give me that look. We both know you called my bluff and now I’m calling yours.”

  She bit her bottom lip, unable to tell another white lie.

  “That’s what I thought.” I spun her under and out of my arms, smacking her on that cute ass before sending her on her way. “Get dressed. I’ll grab the food.”

  Unlocking the door to my one-bedroom apartment, I stepped aside so Hannah could enter. With an eager smile on her lips, she stepped over the threshold, stopping just inside the small entryway. I set her suitcase against the wall, then closed and locked the door behind us, tossing my keys to the left on the small entry table. The clatter of metal hitting wood echoed off the bare walls.

  Her eyes scanned over the mostly empty living room and all the half-packed boxes that littered the space. I gripped the back of my neck, rubbing it raw, wondering where the hell all the nerves wracking my body came from.

  I cleared my throat. “I’m, uh, sorry it’s not very homey at the moment. I’m in the middle of packing, so I can move out to the Monroes’ place when it’s ready.”

  It hadn’t been much to look at even before I started packing. I’d always kept it pretty bare bones, with only the essentials. I never had the desire nor the time to make it into anything more.

  She looked over her shoulder, a tender smile on her face. “It’s perfect.”

  I nodded once, overcome with an emotion I didn’t want to analyze. Having her in my place was twisting me up inside. Needing to control my craziness, I walked to the kitchen located just off the small living room, finding a couple of paper plates in the cabinet for our lukewarm dinner.

  Pulling the burgers and fries from the bag, I felt her presence behind me. I placed each one on a plate, looking over my shoulder. She leaned casually against the framed opening, her arms crossed as she watched me. She’d slipped off her heels, making herself at home. I couldn’t help but think about what it’d be like coming home to her like this every night.

  “You want me to reheat these?”

  She shook her head with a small smile. “I’m not that hungry anymore.”

  I picked up the plates, walking them to the tiny kitchenette table. “You need to eat, Han.” I set one at each chair before going back to drag her into the room to sit with me. “Besides, you still need to try your surprise milk shake.”

  “Ooh…I almost forgot. What did you get me?”

  “Take a drink, and you’ll find out.”

  She lifted the Styrofoam cup, wrapping those soft, full lips around the red straw as she took her first sip. Her eyes rolled shut as she moaned in satisfaction. “Oh my god, Billy. This is heaven.”

  I chuckled, leaning my forearms on the table to pick up my burger. “Figured you might like that one.”

  “You know I’m a sucker for anything chocolate. Especially chocolate chip mint.” She set her cup down, looking over at mine. “What did you get?”

  “Vanilla,” I teased before taking a bite of my burger.

  “Liar.”

  I shoved my cup toward her. She picked it up, taking another taste, her lips and tongue doing things to that straw I wish she was doing to me. With a hard swallow, I tried not to choke on my food. She sat back in her chair, tapping a finger to her lips as she contemplated the flavor.

  “It’s familiar…reminds me of the candies my grandma used to keep in a crystal bowl at her house.”

  “Butterscotch,” I supplied her the answer she was looking for.

  “Yes! That’s it! Oh my gosh, I haven’t had one of those in years.” She picked up a fry, popping it into her mouth. “Wow, that really takes me back to a different time.”

  “Yeah?”

  She nodded, the lightness in her expression turning to a more somber one. “We were close. I spent a lot of time with her growing up. She kept me after school every day until my parents got off work. Used to make me grilled cheddar cheese sandwiches while I worked through my studies. She always had those candies sitting in the middle of the kitchen table for us to grab and eat.”

  “You were close?” I asked, unsure if they had a falling out or worse.

  “She passed away a couple years ago.” She glanced down at the silver band on her finger, the one I’d noticed s
he always had on.

  “She give you that?” I nodded my head toward where she was now fiddling with it.

  She nodded again. “For my college graduation. She was so proud… It was hers, and I’d always admired it as a little girl. It’s one of the last things she ever gave me.”

  I slid my hand over hers, rubbing the top of it with the pad of my thumb. “I’m sorry, Han. Always sucks losing someone.”

  With a half-hearted smile on her face, she shook the somber mood away. “Enough. I don’t want to talk about it right now.”

  She picked up her burger to take a bite, and I did the same. Her eyes roamed through the open floor plan as we ate in silence.

  “When are you moving?”

  “Soon. Tucker should be able to finish the place in a couple weeks or less when he gets back. He was gonna have his guys wrap it up while on his honeymoon, but I didn’t want him to have to worry about it. I’m in no hurry. My lease isn’t up for another month.”

  She nodded, nibbling on another fry. “Can I ask you something?”

  “Anything.”

  “Why are you moving out there?”

  I shrugged, leaning back in my seat, crossing my arms. “A number of reasons, I guess. Free rent, less of a commute.”

  “Sounds like the dream job and location.”

  “Sure. I guess so, for some.”

  She tilted her head to the side. “Not for you?”

  “Did I dream of being a ranch hand? No. I think we both know what my dream was before.”

  She leaned in, resting her arms on the table. “And what is it now?”

  You.

  With the thought, I scratched at the back of my head, then roughed my hand over the top, knowing there was no way in hell I was saying that outloud. “I guess building a place on the land I took you to. Something simple. A small one, but big enough for a family, someday.”

  “Someday,” she repeated, a slow smile building.

  “Yeah.” I smiled. “Someday.”

  “Sounds perfect.”

  If she were a part of it, it very well could be.