The buzzards completed another circle, adding to the nervousness Jim already had to contend with. “Next thing, you’ll be telling me to sleep with her. Aren’t brothers supposed to be protective of their sisters?”
“Protect her from what? You’d marry her in a heartbeat if you thought she’d agree to it. Give her a reason to say yes.” Beau chuckled as he turned toward the sedan. “And if she wants to sleep with you, make her glad she did, if you know what I mean.”
“I’m not talking to you about having sex with your sister. That’s weird.”
“Weird or not, you both deserve to be happy, and I think you’d be good for each other.” Beau climbed into the driver’s seat. “My brothers may not be as hands-off as I’m trying to be, so you better make your move pretty soon if you don’t want them butting in. Because they will tell her after they see you together at the picnic.”
Jim cupped his hand in front of his mouth, exhaled, and then quickly inhaled. The minty scent of toothpaste still lingered from the quick brushing before he’d left the house.
Fingers crossed I get to kiss her.
As he climbed out of the pickup, he stowed his keys in his pocket and willed his racing pulse to slow. He hadn’t been this nervous since waiting to hear back about the acceptance or rejection of his environmental engineering program application seventeen years ago. At least his attire—ironed khakis, mostly clean hiking boots, and a freshly washed Big Jim’s Itty Bitty Pig Farm long-sleeved t-shirt—might make up for the redneck impression he’d surely conveyed earlier in the week.
Clean truck, flowers delivered, and on time.
The service door swung open as he approached the rear entrance of The Homegrown Café, revealing the only woman who’d ever sent his heart into a tailspin.
Tate’s smile lit up her whole face and sent his pulse hop-skip-jumping again. “Hi, Jim. Thank you for the lovely planters. Did you see them out front? I’ve gotten compliments all day.”
“You’re welcome. Glad you like them. I figured they’d last a lot longer than a bunch of cut flowers in a vase.” He stopped an arm’s length from her, wishing he could greet her with a kiss. Maybe next time? God, I hope there’s a next time.
Her ponytail swayed above her jeans-clad butt when she turned to lock the door. “They will, won’t they? Anyway, they’re beautiful and it was very thoughtful of you.”
Will she think I’m crazy if I ask her to marry me right this minute?
Probably.
Definitely.
He offered his hand as she put her keys in the tote hanging from her fingers. “Want me to carry that for you?”
“Thanks, but it’s not heavy. Just my purse and a fleece jacket, in case I get cold later. The temperature drops pretty fast this time of year once the sun sets.”
“Sure does. There’s plenty of room on the seat or the floor for your bag.” He led her to the passenger side of the truck and held the door open, grateful for a chance to make a good second impression.
“Thanks.” Leaning in to scoot her tote to the base of the center console, she gave him another look at her astounding backside.
His dick stirred behind his zipper, but lust wasn’t its only motive.
She lifted her foot to the running board, pulling the denim tighter across her hips. “That’s a big step.”
“Here, let me help.” As he reached to give her leverage at the elbow, she grabbed for the panic handle and his hand closed over her breast.
And there’s her nipple.
He jerked away, hoping she didn’t think he’d groped her on purpose. Her gasp became a squeak a second before she tumbled backward off the running board straight at him.
“I gotcha!” He braced for the impact, but momentum carried them both to the ground. Pain stabbed through his partial erection and his head clunked against the pavement. “Ouch.”
Rolling sideways, she pressed her breasts into his bicep and tugged her trapped arm free. “Oh my gosh! Are you hurt?”
No headache or blurred vision. Dick hurts like hell. Gotta check for bleeding, if I can sit up without being sick. “Maybe?”
However, no amount of blood, sloshed brain, or broken penis would ever erase the spectacular imprint of her body on his.
Chapter 5
Tate eased sideways, trying her damnedest not to dig her hip into the sizable lump directly beneath her. She’d probably already done enough damage to permanently knock Jim out of the running as the father of her child. Sperm donor, not lover, boyfriend, or husband. “Crap. I’m so sorry. I should’ve been more careful.”
“Not your fault.” He whimpered as she managed to extricate her legs from his and roll off of him.
Grateful she hadn’t rendered him unconscious, she pushed to her knees to survey the damage, gasping at the shooting pain in her kneecap from the pressure. “Are you okay?”
Although his breathing was a bit erratic and he’d curled into a ball, his color seemed almost normal and he was alert. “I just need… Fudge on a stick. Maybe a minute. Or two.”
Please let him be okay. “Is anything broken? Can I get you some ice? Or a towel? Are you bleeding?”
He lifted a hand to his hair, wincing when he touched the back of his head. “I don’t think so. Little bit of a goose egg, but I’ve gotten worse playing flag football.”
“What about…” She gestured toward his waist. “I’m no lightweight, and I landed on you pretty hard. I, um… You’re not…broken, are you?”
“I don’t know. It got bent funny and a little squished. Not that you weigh a lot. Bad angle. And landing between you and the ground.” After another shaky exhale, he grimaced. “You’re not hurt, are you? Did I break your fall?”
“I’m fine, thanks to you.” The bruise on her knee would heal, as would the minor twisted ankle, and telling him wouldn’t make it happen any sooner. Thankfully, the weave mostly hid the scuffmark on her jeans. She eased her fingers through his thick curls, finding the lump but no broken skin or oozing blood. “You’re right. There’s no bleeding, but you could still have a concussion. How’s your vision? Do you feel dizzy or nauseous?”
“Just the normal hit-in-the-groin kind of sick feeling. No spots or stars.” His eyes drifted closed and his respiration steadied. A low hum accompanied his sigh. “That feels nice.”
Yeah, it does. “Can you sit up?” She eased her arm under his shoulders, hoping to gain some leverage for him.
He rose several inches from the pavement before shaking his head and letting gravity pull him back down. “Still too much pressure. I’ll be okay in a few minutes.”
“Are you sure you don’t want some ice? Or I have ibuprofen in my purse, if you think that’ll help.” Guilt guided her fingers away from the lump hiding in his thick hair, but she didn’t dare go exploring below his belt to see how badly she’d injured him. Why couldn’t I have fallen on Haydon like that? It’s not like he needed his dick for anything but cheating.
“Yeah, ibuprofen. I’m not good at swallowing pills. Need a drink.”
“Okay. Don’t move. I’ll run inside for some water.” She brushed her lips against Jim’s head injury before she stood, not noticing the carryover from her teaching days until she reached into the truck for her tote. His mashed penis deserved a make-it-all-better kiss too—and more.
A mini earthquake rippled through her lower belly with that thought, and she grabbed the seat to steady herself. How could she think about giving the poor man a blow job when he couldn’t even move without intense pain?
Gotta ask Riley for vibrator recommendations. Seriously.
Or ask Jim to accidentally feel me up again.
She clutched the pill bottle and hurried to the service door, trying her damnedest not to limp. The last thing she needed was to make him feel worse about something that was entirely her fault. Three years without sex had turned her into a jumpy prude with no sense of balance. Her first date in forever and a considerable attraction to him didn’t help.
When she return
ed with a mug of water no more than two minutes later, his position hadn’t changed. She gritted her teeth as she knelt beside him, careful not to put any weight on her sore knee. Eyes on his face. “I have your water and ibuprofen. Do you want me to help you sit up?”
He shifted onto his back and a euphoric smile spread across his face. “The sun’s giving you a halo around all that pretty red hair. You must be an angel.”
“I hate to tell you, Jim, but you’re delirious. My hair’s probably a mess from our scuffle, and I would’ve thought you’d know more about concussions after playing football for so long.” She set the mug and bottle aside and grasped both of his hands. “Come on. We need to get you upright to swallow the pills.”
Without so much as a tug on her fingers, he sat up. “No concussion. Just a bump.”
“And your…other injury? Will you be able to walk? Drive? Go to the cookout without feeling miserable?”
“I think I’ll be okay, although things need some adjusting down there. That is, if you don’t mind me running inside to the restroom before we go.”
“Of course not.” She dumped two tablets into her open palm. “Here you go.”
“I usually have to take three. Sometimes four. I’m kind of a big guy.” Matching patches of pink bloomed on his cheeks. “I didn’t mean… Well, I am, but that’s not…”
Big Jim all over, huh? Her nipples tightened against her bra and she barely stifled a groan. Maybe Riley had the right idea after all. Having sex with him might kill two birds with one stone, and spending more time with him had somehow claimed the top spot on her priority list since their collision.
“Tate?”
She shook her head to clear the wayward thoughts. Acquiring a boyfriend wasn’t on her to-do list, no matter how much she liked him. “Hm?
“Were you going to get more ibuprofen? Or do you want me to?” The first two pills had vanished, along with half of the water.
“Oh, um, I can get them.” She popped the lid from the bottle and shook out two more. “Here you go.”
“Thanks.” A grimace and a shudder followed his gulp of water. “I’d rather have a shot than take pills. They always try to stick in my throat, even when they’re coated.”
“I bet a piece of chocolate éclair cake will help.”
“Dessert fixes almost everything.”
“That it does.” She offered him a hand as she stood and then tucked it behind her back. “On second thought, you should get up by yourself. I’ll probably fall on top of you again.”
“Better than a two-hundred-thirty-pound lineman. I’d still be laying in a fetal position.” He pushed to his feet and brushed the dirt from his pants like she hadn’t caused him the ultimate man-pain less than ten minutes ago. “Auggie’s bringing an extra cake for me, but I’ll share it with you if you promise not to tell your brothers what happened.”
“Deal.” She led him through the service entrance, unable to keep from imagining Beau’s or her other siblings’ comments about their mishap. They would have a field day teasing Jim and her if they knew she’d fallen out of his truck and onto him. Much to her consternation, they’d never had any qualms about picking on her where boys or men were concerned. So what if they’d been right about her asshole of an ex-husband? “Employee restroom is to the left, next to my office. I’ll put the mug in the sink while you take care of that…adjustment.”
“Back in a minute.”
“I’ll be right here.” As hard as she tried, she couldn’t prevent a backward glance to watch him lumber into the employee restroom. Curiosity wasn’t usually one of her weaknesses, but the feel of his body against hers had reignited an interest that had all but gone into hibernation when she’d discovered her ex-husband’s betrayal.
A splash of cool water on her cheeks after she placed the mug in the sink returned her to the here and now. Maybe Riley was right.
“Ask and you shall receive.” Am I brave enough? What if I want more?
Heavy footsteps approached her from behind. “Whew! Much better.”
Although he didn’t sound like a man with a sperm-threatening injury, she’d learned the hard way not to make assumptions. “Nothing, um, broken? Or damaged?”
“Nope.” He leaned against the counter next to her, not crowding her by any means, but his presence warmed her from the inside out once again. “Ready?”
“If you are.” She tossed the damp towel over the edge of the hamper and pulled her keys from her pocket. “I’ll be more careful climbing in the truck this time. I swear I’m not usually such a klutz.”
“It was my fault. You were doing fine, and I messed up by trying to help.” With color creeping across his face, he looked toward the ground as she locked the service door. “You’re not mad at me for grabbing your you-know-what, are you? It really was an accident.”
A giggle escaped before she could stop it. Another tumbled out after it, and then another. She gulped in a lungful of air and swiped at her teary eyes, but his sad-puppy expression only made it worse. Aiming the best she could, she wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his chest. “I’m…sorry. I’m not…laughing at…you. The whole thing is just so…funny. I’m not mad or upset or offended. You’re the sweetest man I’ve ever met.”
His heart thumped in her ear, beating a little faster than hers, but not by much. Then his palm closed over her lower back, pushing it up another notch.
Hoo, boy! Is he feeling the chemistry too? And those muscles…
He cleared his throat and the low rumble vibrated through her. “That’s me, the nice guy. Um, we should get going. The cooking and serving crews are there and everybody knows to grab something to drink and get comfortable, but I probably shouldn’t be late to my own party.”
“Okay.” She raised her head to look up at him, unprepared for the frown that greeted her. “Hey, why the sad face? Being the nice guy is a good thing. I wish there were more men like you in the world.”
A sudden smile reached his eyes, possibly because the noticeable bulge pressing into her lower belly meant she hadn’t rendered him impotent.
Impotent? Ha! Sweet smile, sweeter man, and amazing muscles. That’s one potent combination. It sparked an achy feeling she hadn’t experienced in a long time.
She rose on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek and, unable to resist, took a detour toward his mouth at the last second. Maybe it wasn’t the smartest decision, but she wanted to prolong the desire building inside her, to enjoy the freedom of expressing herself without caring what anyone else thought.
The first brush of her lips on his sent her back for more. They were warm and soft and sensual. He stiffened for a fraction of a second and then sighed as he tightened his hold on her. His mouth softened against hers, but his uninjured parts didn’t.
Holy moly, this is nice.
She parted her lips, eager to take the kiss a step further. A taste of him would make the best belated-birthday gift—better than brownies or the cake he’d promised to share.
Better late than never.
A tentative lick along the seam of his lips sparked a moan and then his tongue glided across hers, triggering a rush of heat through her body. His hand slid from her lower back to her bottom, adding to the sensations pulsing through her long-neglected female parts. Her heart hammered in her chest as he slow-danced his way into her mouth. Each gentle stroke swept her farther from the fact that he was her little brother’s best friend and had finished fifth grade when she graduated from high school.
Who cares? The man is a grownup and he knows how to kiss.
He groaned and took a giant backward step, breaking their connection far too soon. Had she misread his interest? “Sorry. I don’t usually do stuff like that on the first date. Touching there, I mean. It’s just… I guess I’ve known you so long, it doesn’t feel like a first date.”
A shaky breath did little to restore her equilibrium. “You already copped a feel of my breast anyway, so no worries.”
Regret stru
ck the instant his cheeks reddened again. “I swear it was an acc—”
“Aw, I was joking, Jim. It’s okay. Really.” She grasped his hand and headed for the truck, suddenly aware of how his big calloused palm and fingers engulfed hers—a testament to what she’d felt against her hip and belly. Really okay. “Come on. I don’t want you to be late.”
“No worries. The crew has everything under control. I’m just the host of Big Jim’s Annual Hog Roast.”
You’re not “just” anything, and I’m in big trouble.
Chapter 6
I touched her butt.
And her breast.
Jim willed his dick to calm down, not that his heart was cooperating any better. He wasn’t a second-base-on-the-first-date kind of guy, but that kiss had knocked him for a loop—still, after the painfully quiet fifteen-minute drive. It hadn’t fallen short of his expectations in the least, even though he’d spent most of his life dreaming of that exact moment.
Thirty years. Definitely worth the wait.
Tate reached for the tote at her feet as he flipped on his signal for the turn into the lane leading to the house. “How’s your head?”
Fairly certain she meant what she’d said about everything being okay, he shrugged. “It’s hard.”
Her choked snort broke a long moment of silence at the same time a cold sweat broke out on his neck and chest.
Hard? Smooth move, dude. Would he ever stop putting his foot in his mouth?
Relying on muscle memory, he made the turn. “I mean… It’s fine. I’ll just shut up now.”
“It was my mischievous mind at work.” She pulled her phone from the bag and tapped on the screen several times. “I like talking to you, and I’m glad you invited me to the hog roast. I haven’t socialized much since I moved back, other than seeing my family sometimes and people at the café and the book club Riley and I started, so this is nice. Better than nice, actually.”
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