by Cat Johnson
“What friend?”
“One I met at the bull rides.”
“And this friend’s name is?” Jackie sounded a bit too interested.
“Aaron.” Jill braced herself for her sister’s reaction.
Jackie didn’t disappoint as she squealed into the phone. “You’re staying with a bull rider?”
“Uh, yeah, he’s a bull rider.”
“You had sex with him.”
“What?” How in the world could Jackie know that? She couldn’t. It was obviously just a shot in the dark. “I never said that.”
“You didn’t have to. I can hear it in your voice.”
“You can not.”
“Go ahead. Deny it. Tell me you haven’t.”
“I can’t.” Jill scrunched up her face. This was a no-win situation. She hated the idea of admitting it to her sister even more than she hated lying to her.
There was another high-pitched squeal. “Tell me everything.”
“I will not.” Jill glanced at the door of the guest room.
Jill had spent the better part of the day either naked or in Aaron’s T-shirt, but he had finally left her alone long enough for her to sift through her luggage and find something to wear for dinner. That didn’t mean he wasn’t within earshot. The last thing she wanted him to overhear was her telling Jackie about their sex.
“Come on. Give me something here so I can live vicariously through you. Is he cute?”
“Yes. Very.”
“Details. Eyes. Hair. Height. Penis size.”
“Jackie!” Jill couldn’t help but laugh.
“Come on. Spill.”
The truth was she was dying to talk to somebody about Aaron, so her sister didn’t have to push too hard.
“Okay. He’s got these gorgeous eyes. I can’t even describe the color. It’s so blue that it’s almost indigo. And his hair is really dark so it sets off the color of his eyes and makes them look even bluer, and he’s tall and, oh my God, he’s in such good shape. All the bull riders are. I mean they have to be.”
Jill realized she was babbling and stopped. It took a second or two, but finally Jackie said, “Wow. You really like this guy.”
“Well, yeah. I mean he’s nice and he’s sweet enough to let me stay here until I can get a flight home that won’t cost me an arm and a leg.” Jill realized she hadn’t gotten around to booking a flight today. She’d have to do that before they left for dinner. Funny, she wasn’t in such a hurry to get home to California as she had been.
“You know, since you’re looking for a new job anyway, why don’t you look on the East Coast? You could be closer to home. Closer to me and Mom and Dad. Closer to your hottie bull rider…”
“Let’s not jump the gun on that last part.” Jill was very aware the kind of life Aaron lived. She’d seen it firsthand.
He’d gone from being in bed with CeCe to being in bed with Jill the next night. She wasn’t naïve enough to think that kind of thing was an oddity for him.
There were females who hunted professional cowboys like it was a sport. And Aaron, with as good as he looked and as well as he ranked, would be a prized trophy for many.
It was all too much to think about. Best to just enjoy this time. Take it for what it was and no more.
Jill realized her sister was being very quiet. “Jackie, you there?”
“Yeah, I’m here. I’m just waiting for you to get over it and let yourself like a guy for once instead of running away.”
“I don’t do that.”
“Yeah, you do.”
“Look, I have to get moving. We’re having dinner at his sister’s house.”
“You’re having dinner with his family?” Jackie’s shock was clear.
“Don’t get excited about that either. It’s not like I’m meeting his parents. His sister is married to one of the bull riders I know. It’s no big deal.”
“Uh, huh.” Jackie’s comment was ripe with skepticism.
Jill sighed. “Okay, enough. Think whatever you want. I need to get changed. Just do me a favor? Don’t tell Mom and Dad I got fired. I don’t want them to worry. I’ll tell them, but not yet. I’d like to have something else lined up before I do.”
“All right. I won’t tell, if you promise to at least look for jobs near here. If you won’t do it for your love life, do it for me. I miss you.”
“I miss you too. And I promise.”
“Okay. Then I’ll let you go get ready for your date with the cowboy and his family. Talk tomorrow. Bye.”
“It’s not a date.” Jill’s protest came too late as her sister disconnected. She tossed the phone down and turned to her suitcase. “It’s not a date.” She repeated it aloud to remind herself of that fact.
This was all just fun. She needed to remember that. She was leaving, and he was going back on the circuit. That was it. Just this.
A stupid, ill-advised hope niggled at the back of her brain that this might be more. Thinking like that was a good way to get hurt.
Mad at herself for letting Jackie make her start thinking things she shouldn’t, Jill tossed clothes aside.
It was just dinner with Aaron and Garret, Silver and their baby. No big deal.
Yeah, right.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Aaron cracked open the bottle of beer and drew in a long swallow as Garret watched him. “You not talking? Again?”
High flames licking over the burgers on the barbecue caught Aaron’s attention. He tipped a chin toward the grill. “I think you’d better move those to the upper rack before they burn.”
“Don’t change the subject.” Metal spatula in hand, Garret glanced back at Aaron as he transferred the meat patties one by one.
It seemed as if the only thing Garret did lately was interrogate Aaron for information about his sex life. He must really be bored, even though it seemed as if the baby kept both parents running twenty-four seven.
“Nothing to talk about, dude.”
“That’s what you said last time. Right before CeCe Cole had you hiding rather than being her bitch.”
“I was never CeCe Cole’s bitch.” As he said them, the words rang hollow in Aaron’s ears.
With all the meat safely away from the flames, Garret put the spatula down and turned to face Aaron. “All right, let’s move away from that subject and on to the current girl in your life.”
Aaron glanced at the house to make sure his sister and Jill were still in the kitchen and not anywhere where they could hear this conversation. “Will you stop. You know as well as I do why Jill is staying at my place.”
“Yup.” Garret nodded. “The jealous bunny boiler fired her because of you.”
With friends like Garret, Aaron didn’t need enemies. And he was ready to kill Mustang for telling Garret about that damn bunny-killer movie too.
“Listen up, because I’m gonna say this one time and one time only.” Aaron paused, and when Garret looked as if he might actually keep quiet and listen, he continued. “She’s going back to California as soon as she can find a cheap flight. Until then, she’s crashing at my place where you know very well I have a guest bed since you’ve slept there yourself.”
All of that was true. He did have a guest bed, even if Jill had spent half the night and the day in Aaron’s bed with him.
“And after she flies home to California, then what?”
“Then she’ll look for a new job, I guess.” Aaron shrugged, but the guilt over the unintentional part he’d played in Jill’s firing twisted his gut.
“I’m not talking about her job. I’m asking if you two are going to keep in touch.”
“I don’t know. Why do we have to talk about this?” Aaron shot another look in the direction of the backdoor.
“Because judging by the way the two of you keep staring at each other, I’m think
ing that you like her and she likes you.”
“I like lots of people. You used to be one of them.” Joking seemed Aaron’s best defense against this subject he didn’t want to discuss.
“That’s not what I mean, and you know it.”
“And we’re not in middle school where I have to ask you to pass a note to her in study hall to see who likes who.”
“You sure about that?” Garret cocked a brow.
“Very sure. And don’t burn my burger. You know I like it bloody in the middle.”
“No can do. Silver says no more rare burgers. It’s too dangerous. Medium to well done only.”
Aaron widened his eyes. “I don’t give a fuck what my sister says.”
Garret clucked his tongue. “No more cussing either. Silver doesn’t want the baby to hear those kinds of words.”
“Are you kidding?”
“Nope.”
“The baby can’t even crawl yet, forget about talk.”
Garret shrugged. “That’s what she wants, so that’s what we do.”
What the hell had happened to his leather-wearing Harley-riding sister to make her turn a complete one-eighty? Aaron knew the answer to that. The baby had happened.
And Garret—the guy who’d used to party as hard as anyone—had done a complete turnaround right along with her.
If this was what marriage did to people, changed them beyond recognition, then they could have it. Aaron was happy being single.
“So after the break, the next event is in California…” Garret starred at the rapidly cooking burgers as he let that suggestive tidbit hang in the air.
“Yeah?” Aaron played dumb when he knew very well what Garret was trying to hint at. That he could see Jill while he was there. He wasn’t about to give Garret that satisfaction, even if the thought had crossed his mind.
And if he did visit her? Then what? Get attached to someone who lived thousands of miles away? Become domesticated like Garret had?
The back door opened and out stepped Jill and his sister, with the baby on her hip.
Garret grinned and moved to give the baby a kiss on the cheek and then Silver one on the mouth. “Almost done here, baby.”
“Good. Table’s all set and the salad made.” Silver looked as happy as Garret did, just over some barbecued meat. Though Aaron knew their bliss came from more than the hamburgers Garret was ruining.
Aaron’s gaze shot to Jill. She was smiling as she watched Garret tickle the baby in Silver’s arms. Maybe domesticated life wasn’t so horrible after all.
Jill turned to Aaron, and he had to pretend that he hadn’t been staring at her. He raised his beer to his mouth and took a swallow, acting casual as she walked toward him.
“So good news.”
“Yeah? What?” he asked.
“Silver told me about this website that sells last-minute plane tickets for really cheap. I guess the airlines would rather discount fares than fly with empty seats. Anyway, I used her computer and I got a ticket for a great price.”
“Really? Great. So when you flying?”
“Tomorrow. Isn’t that crazy? It was less than the tickets I was looking at for next week.”
Tomorrow. Aaron had to wrap his head around that. More than twelve straight hours of sex with this woman and he still hadn’t had his fill of her, if the disappointment that flooded him at the thought of her leaving was any indication.
It seemed as if they were just starting to get to know each other better and she was flying away.
“Wow. What time? I’ll drive you to the airport.”
“It’s kind of early, I’m afraid. It’s a nine a.m. flight, so I need to get there and check my bag by eight, I figure.”
“A’ight. That’s fine. I can take you.”
“Thank you. I really appreciate it.”
“No problem at all. My pleasure.” That last part was a lie. Aaron realized he’d rather do just about anything than help Jill leave.
Damn.
Chapter Twenty-Four
It was full dark by the time they walked into Aaron’s apartment after dinner.
“I’d better go pack.” Jill hooked a thumb toward the door to the guestroom. “I want everything ready to go tonight since we’re leaving for the airport early in the morning.”
“A’ight. Good idea.” Aaron nodded even though he thought a far better idea would be Jill in his bed.
She turned and headed through the doorway, leaving Aaron frowning in the hall, unhappy she was leaving so soon. And really unhappy that she wasn’t spending her last night in his bed.
Packing. Pfft. He spent half his life on the road traveling to venues. He knew damn well what it took. All she had to do was toss her stuff in her bag and zip it up.
As he went to the bathroom to brush and floss his teeth, his mind raced. Was she going to get done what she needed to do and then come to him? He took his time getting ready for bed, stalling while hoping she’d make an appearance.
He’d already taken off the clothes he’d worn to dinner and pulled on boxer shorts to sleep in, but she still hadn’t come looking for him. Aaron lost his patience.
Waiting around for something to happen wasn’t for him. Taking action was.
He strode down the hall, barefoot and shirtless. After all they’d done, he didn’t worry about being undressed in front of his houseguest. When a man had had his hands and mouth on every inch of a woman, walking around in boxers was no longer a concern.
Her door was open. He could see her inside. He stopped in the hallway and watched her. Wearing nothing but a long T-shirt, she stood in front of her suitcase and stared at the neatly folded clothes.
“All done?” he asked. At his question, she glanced up.
“I think so. My clothes for tomorrow are laid out. I’ll just throw what I’m wearing now and my toiletry bag in the suitcase in the morning. I even plugged in my phone and tablet and computer, so they’ll all be fully charged for the plane ride.” She laughed but it sounded sad. “Not that I have any work to do. Maybe I can brush up my resume. Or hell, I might even read a book and relax.”
Jill had said she was done packing, so he didn’t feel at all guilty as he took the few steps to cover the distance between them. He drew her into his arms. She looked as if she needed it.
“I think that all sounds like a very good idea.” He pulled her closer against him. “For tomorrow. For tonight, I have a few ideas of my own.”
“Yeah?” She looked up at him.
“Yeah.” Aaron dipped his head and covered her mouth with his. He wasn’t taking any chances by allowing her an opportunity to talk. She might come up with some bullshit excuse why they shouldn’t do this.
A couple of reasons why he shouldn’t kiss her now careened into his head as he worked her mouth with his… They should both get a good night’s sleep. They probably shouldn’t get any more involved with each other since she was leaving.
But he kept kissing her anyway, confident she wouldn’t ask him to stop. He staked his claim, sliding his tongue against hers while moving his hands down to clamp her body tightly against his.
His need overtook his patience and he broke the kiss. “Come to my room.”
Eyes heavily lidded as she opened them to look up at him, Jill nodded. “Okay.”
That was all Aaron needed to hear. He crashed his mouth against hers for one more quick, hard kiss before he grabbed her hand. He pulled her down the hall to his room.
“Are you sure we sh—”
“Yes.” He interrupted her. This was no time for doubt. They were counting the time until she left in hours now, not days.
This time tomorrow, she’d be at her place and he’d be at his, and there would be no chance to make up for regrets. Aaron had no intention of lying in his bed alone tomorrow night and wishing they’d spent one last night t
ogether. She was here now. He wasn’t going to squander this time.
One glance at Jill’s expression told Aaron she was rethinking being with him tonight.
Fuck that. They could both second-guess this in the morning, but he’d be damned if he let her worry about it now. Not when it was so easy to distract her. Aaron ran one hand beneath the bottom of her T-shirt and connected with the bare skin of her thigh. He moved up from there, traveling until he hit where he wanted to be.
He slid one finger into the warmth at the juncture of her thighs and groaned. He stayed there for a moment, circling the tight bundle of nerves. Watching as a frown creased her brow even as she closed her eyes, he had a feeling she was still thinking. He could stop that.
Increasing the speed with which he worked her had her breath quickening. He braced his free hand on her lower back as she started to shake. He wanted to kiss her, but he wanted something else more. To hear her come and to watch her face as she did.
It was worth the wait when Jill finally let go, clinging to his shoulders with both hands. Her eyes squeezed shut tightly while she cried out. Any other day, he would have gentled his touch and brought her down slowly. Today, he was too damn worked up and, yes, needy from knowing she’d be gone soon.
He lifted her and tossed her onto the mattress. She landed with a squeal and a bounce as he strode around the bed to the nightstand. After sliding on a condom with record-breaking speed, he was back to Jill. He wasted no time getting where he needed to be. Inside her.
She was more than ready for him. He slid into her slick heat easily. One push had him fully seated inside her and surrounded by her heat. He didn’t play any games to make it last longer like he had during their first time together.
This time, a feral urge had him needing to finish this. Like it would mark her as his. It was crazy, he knew that, but when he felt his body nearing completion, he sped up. He pounded into Jill until he came with a force that had him shaking with aftershocks even after it was done and he collapsed over her.
Aaron was surrounded by the combined sounds of their breathing and the pounding of her heart beneath him as he lay on her breast. He opened his eyes and lazily ran a thumb over her nipple. He watched it tighten and pucker beneath his touch. “Sleep in here tonight…please?”