She brushed her mouth against the corner of his lips. “You know you want to.”
“Like you wouldn’t believe. But we’re gonna do this the right way. We’ll spend time together before we slip between the sheets.”
Her eyebrows knitted. “I don’t understand. Aren’t we trying to convince them we’re lovers?”
“If we want people to believe we’re really a couple, then we need to be out and about doin’ couple things, not just banging each other behind closed doors.” Tell put his lips by her ear. “Once I get you nekkid—and trust me, sweetness, that will happen sooner rather than later—we’ll be there for a while. A good long while.”
Georgia shivered.
When the band switched to a fast tune, he led her off the dance floor and purposely sat across from her in the booth.
“What now?”
“You’ll go home. I’ll stick around here for another hour or so. Then we’ll meet tomorrow.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Let’s get one thing straight. If we’re a couple, then I expect you to only be with me.”
He bristled. “You think the second you’re out the door I’ll take some other woman home with me? Wrong.”
“You sure? Because you admitted earlier that you have a reputation as a player. I’ve seen the glances other women are throwing your way.”
“I’ve got no control over who looks at me, Georgia. You either trust me or you don’t.”
She was clearly torn, wanting more assurances, but Tell offered her none. Finally a faint smile touched her lips. “Obviously I have some trust issues that aren’t your concern. So what are we doing tomorrow?”
Tell brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. “We’re gonna have some fun. Because I get the feelin’ you don’t have near enough fun in your life, hot lips.”
“Tell. You don’t have to—”
“Get you to loosen up? Yes, I do. ’Cause that’s one of the things I do best.”
“What’s the other thing?”
He raised a brow at her and smirked.
“You’re such a guy.”
“And proud of it. Mark my words, I’m gonna make you have fun tomorrow even if it pisses you off.”
Georgia laughed. “What fun thing do you have in mind?”
“I’m takin’ you out for ice cream. But first we’ll meet in the park at the basketball court. Wear something casual and sporty, because sweetness, I’m gonna make you work for that very first lick.”
Casual and sporty, he’d said.
Georgia checked her reflection in the bathroom mirror for the fourteenth time before she muttered, “Screw it,” and sailed out the door. On the walk, she gave herself a pep talk.
Don’t overanalyze everything. Have fun. Be sexy. Be flirty. In other words, act nothing like yourself.
No pressure.
By the time she reached the park, she’d calmed herself down.
Then she got a gander at Tell McKay and her heart rate zoomed into the danger zone again.
Uh, yeah. No mistaking him for a teenage boy now.
Tell wore black basketball shorts that hung above his knees and a sleeveless gray top that molded to his upper body. Over the years he’d bulked up, making his chest appear broader than she’d remembered. And yeah, baby, check out those well-defined arms. His skin was startlingly white from the ball of his shoulder to his muscled biceps, and from that point down, the length of his arm was a caramel brown. Even a farmer’s tan looked good on him.
He noticed her and jogged over, holding a basketball. “I’m glad you came.” His gaze moved over her body from her orange Lycra tank top to her gray cotton capris to her black athletic shoes. “You look great.”
“You too.” Without a cowboy hat covering his dark hair, she saw the ends held a slight curl. Such a tempting man, with his banging body, piercing blue eyes and those deep dimples. She wanted to lick him up one side and down the other. And that was a totally foreign feeling to her. She defined reserved in all matters of her life, especially in relationships with the opposite sex.
“You ready to play?”
“I thought we were going out for ice cream?”
“After.” He dribbled the ball around her. Stopped and took a shot at the basket. Naturally, he sank it. He chased after the ball and bounced it as he returned.
“You’re good. Why didn’t you play in high school?”
“It conflicted with rodeo season. I like shooting hoops for fun. Not everything has to be about competition.”
Her eyes met his in direct challenge. “So we’re not havin’ us a little contest?”
Tell laughed. “You mimic me pretty well, sweetness. Yes, we’re havin’ us a little contest.”
“I can’t go one-on-one with you, Tell. You’re too big.”
He eyes smoldered. “I’ve no doubt you could take me. Take all of me just fine.”
Wasn’t he just pouring on sexual innuendo today? And didn’t she get a secret thrill out of it? When was the last time any man had cajoled her into having fun while making her think of hot skin, cool sheets, and a night without end? Never, probably.
“We’re playing for ice cream?”
He shook his head slowly, gifting her with a sexy, sly grin. “If you win, you get to pick the place on your body I kiss. If I win, I get to pick the place on your body to kiss.”
Her mind automatically compiled a list of spots, adding stars and hearts to her favorites.
“Earth to Georgia.”
Her gaze zoomed back to him to see a sinful grin on his handsome face. “That sounds like a heckuva good deal for me. What do you get out of it?”
He loomed over, all hard-bodied man. “I finally get to put my mouth on you wherever I want.”
“So confident you’re gonna win?”
“I’ve already won.” Tell pressed his lips to hers and let the kiss linger. No tongue, just the warm tease of his mouth. “I trust you know how to play horse?” he murmured between soft smooches.
“Yes. But I get to shoot first because you’re going down.”
“Or I’m goin’ down on you.” Grinning wickedly, he handed her the ball. “Show me whatcha got, hot lips.”
Georgia had always hated that nickname, but coming from Tell in that husky male rasp…made it sound sexy. Standing on the right side of the basket, she shot and the ball bounced off the glass to the other side.
“Tough break. My turn.” Tell performed some fancy dribbling maneuver around her. Stopping beneath the basket, he took the shot.
Nothing but net.
“And the crowd goes wild.” Tell spun a circle, pumped his fist into the air, then passed her the ball.
Okay. She could do this. No sweat. She lobbed the ball at the basket and it dropped in. She must’ve had a surprised look because Tell laughed when he high-fived her.
He snatched the ball and lined up at the free throw mark. He bounced the ball four times and then let it fly.
Swish.
Dammit. She’d never make that shot. Georgia felt Tell move in behind her at the free throw line; his breath tickled her ear. “Don’t forget. It was four bounces before the shot. If you don’t do it exactly right, you’ll earn a penalty.”
She faced him. “That’s not in the rules.”
“There’s one thing you oughta know about me, sweetness. I make up my own rules.”
Tempting to break the rules just to see what he’d do. But Tell probably expected that. She dribbled four times and sent the ball into the air, only to watch it bounce off the rim.
“And she earns an ‘H’. Better luck next time.”
For the next two shots, Tell remained in the same place at the free throw line. He aced both baskets, which added an “O” and an “R” to her score when she missed both hers.
Tell slam-dunked the next one.
“Now that, Tell McKay, is just plain mean. I’m short. I need a ladder to make that shot.”
“Or some help.” He handed her the ball. “Hold on.”
“What?” barely squeaked from her mouth before Tell wrapped his arms around her thighs and hoisted her up. “Omigod, I weigh too much for you to be lifting me.”
“Bullshit. Now dunk that ball in the basket.”
Using both hands, she slammed it in the hoop. She released a loud whoop and kept her eyes on Tell’s as he allowed her to slide down his body slowly enough that every hard inch of his upper torso pressed into her thighs, belly and chest.
When they were eye to eye, Tell muttered, “You’re just so goddamn tempting I can’t help myself,” and snared her mouth in a kiss.
Tell McKay kissed the daylights out of her. Even after he finally let her feet touch the ground, Georgia still had that floating sensation.
“I could get used to seein’ that dazed look every time I kiss you.”
“I could get used to you kissing me like that,” she shot back. “But I know what you’re doing.”
“What?”
“Cheating. Trying to keep me off-balance.”
“Yep.” He flashed an unapologetic grin. “And I’m even gonna let you take the next shot.”
“Only because you believe I won’t make it.”
He walked backward with his hands out. “So prove me wrong.”
As Georgia scooped up the ball, she had a brilliant idea. She dribbled the ball until she reached the free throw line. Then she turned around.
“Georgia, what are you doin’? You’re facing the wrong way.”
“I know.” With her back to the basket and her feet spread wide apart, she swung the ball between her knees and threw it over her head. She spun quickly, watching the ball hit the backboard, sloppily rimming the bucket before it dropped in. “Yes! Yes! Yes!” She skipped toward Tell, taunting, “In your face, McKay.”
“You think I can’t do it granny style, hot lips?”
“I’m sure you can. Just as I’m sure you’ll make a crack about preferring to do it doggie style.”
“Guess you’ll find out, won’t you?”
Georgia cooed, “I’m game for that right now.”
Tell let the ball drop. He stalked her, but it wasn’t like she tried to get away. He bent down and slapped his hands on her ass. “Jump up and wrap your legs around my waist.”
“But—”
“Do. It. Now.”
That bit of bossiness coming from him was hot. Soon as she moved, he lifted her, keeping a firm grip on her ass. Georgia emitted a little yelp, clutching his shoulders as he walked her backward until her upper body rested against the steel post.
His intense blue eyes were riveted on hers before he dipped his head. She expected fire the instant their lips touched, but Tell kissed her without hurry. Keeping the kiss soft, sweet and slow. As if he had all the time in the world to explore her mouth, to tease her tongue with little sucks and bites. To drive her to the edge of lust and hold her there for as long as he damn well pleased.
She tangled her fingers in his hair, drifting into a fuzzy state of pleasure. She couldn’t blame the heat building between them on the sun. Just this man.
They only broke the kiss because someone whistled.
Tell’s forehead met hers. “Damn.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
“What are we gonna do about this, sweetness?”
“I have a couple of ideas. Explicit ideas.”
“So if I said, ‘Georgia, let’s hotfoot it to my place right now and get nekkid’…?”
“I’d race you to your truck. And I’d probably win.”
He laughed. “Guess that settles my question.”
“Which was?”
Tell studied her. “If you’re shy when that bedroom door closes.”
“No. But I’m not bossy, either.”
“Good to know. Because I am bossy.”
She expected him to laugh and say just kidding, but apparently he was serious. Very serious. She swallowed hard.
“Did you know I had a hard-on every damn day in history class?”
“Ah-hah!” Georgia poked him in the chest. “I knew studying the War Between the States got you all hot and bothered.”
“Funny girl. You got me all hot and bothered. Every time your hair brushed across my knuckles, I imagined those soft strands teasing my dick. I’d stare at the back of your head and daydream.”
“About my hair?”
He grinned. “No. Mostly about sex stuff that I had no experience with, but your cherry-scented hair played a big part in every one of those horny teen dreams. And I wasn’t the only guy in our school who got hard just from lookin’ at you. I hoped my boner would be gone by the time the bell rang. So you wouldn’t notice.”
A sudden feeling of guilt caused her to blurt, “What does that say about me, Tell? That I didn’t notice?”
“It says you were a seventeen-year-old girl immersed in her own dramas. It also says for bein’ the hottest girl in school, you were unaware of your appeal. I didn’t bring it up to make you feel bad, Georgia. I only said it because I’m hard right now.”
“I figured that out on my own.”
He laughed. “See? You’re much more observant now.”
“So how long do you plan to keep me pressed up against this pole?”
“Until my flagpole impression goes away. Just give me a minute to…catch my bearings, because we still need to finish our game,” Tell murmured in her ear.
“Huh-uh. I forfeit. You win. Now can we get ice cream?”
Tell kissed her and gently set her back on her feet. He picked up the basketball and held out his hand. “Where you thinking? Dairy Queen? Or the drive-in? Wherever we go, you cannot order a cone. No way can I hide an erection in these shorts if I watch that tongue of yours licking.”
“Too bad. I’m definitely picking that.” She yelped when he swatted her butt.
After piling in Tell’s pickup, he patted the center of the bench seat and grinned at her.
Georgia rolled her eyes, but she scooted over.
The DQ parking lot was full on a Sunday afternoon.
Tell kept his hands on her shoulders and his body tucked in close behind hers as they waited in line. He read every item on the menu to her, and made every item sound dirty.
When she turned to warn him to knock it off or else she was ordering a chocolate-covered frozen banana, he kissed her. Not a quick peck either.
“Eww, Tell. I think I saw your tongue,” a young male voice complained.
They broke the lip-lock and looked at the boy. Dark hair, blue eyes, wearing camo shorts and an orange Toby Keith T-shirt.
“Hey, Ky. Guess you haven’t kissed a girl yet if you’re still grossed out by it.”
The kid blushed. “I coulda kissed a girl if I wanted to, but who’d want to?” Ky’s gaze landed on Georgia. “Who’re you?”
“Georgia Hotchkiss. Who are you?”
“Ky McKay. Tell is kinda my uncle.” He threw back his thin shoulders, rising to his full height. “You’re kinda short. I’m almost taller than you.”
“And you’re about to get extra chores for bein’ rude, Kyler.”
The man who’d spoken stood behind Ky with another dark-haired boy of about two resting on his hip. She’d never met him, and he was probably a dozen years older than Tell, but he was obviously a McKay.
“Aw, Dad, I was just kiddin’,” Ky complained.
The man thrust out his hand and smiled. “I’m Cord McKay. Tell’s cousin.”
“Nice to meet you, Cord. Who’s the little guy?”
Cord glanced down as the boy hid his face. “Beau. It’s past his naptime and he’s steppin’ on his mama’s last nerve today.”
Another dark-haired boy, around age four, barreled up and head-butted Ky in the stomach. “You stole my toy!”
Ky looked innocent. “What? I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about, Foster. You probably lost it.”
“Give it back!”
“Don’t be such a baby. It’s just a stupid toy.”
Foster growl
ed and charged Ky again, but was handily stopped by his father. “Knock it off. Both of you.”
A pregnant blonde stopped next to Cord, and Beau tried to jump out of his father’s arms into hers. When Cord kept that from happening, Beau wailed.
Cord passed off the crying Beau to Ky and handed him a set of keys. “Take your brothers to the truck. But don’t even think about starting it,” he warned.
The boys raced out.
Cord put his hand on the woman’s lower back and kissed her temple.
But the pretty blonde wasn’t looking at her husband. She was looking at Georgia.
Tell said, “This is Cord’s wife, AJ. AJ, this is Georgia—”
“I know who she is,” AJ replied coolly. “We went to school together.”
Georgia didn’t remember this woman at all and she started to get that panicked feeling like she should know her.
“But she doesn’t know me since I didn’t have time to go to football games, dances and such. I was too busy working on the ranch.”
“And that experience came in mighty handy when you married a rancher, didn’t it?” Cord kissed her temple again. “Come on, baby doll, let’s get you home.”
Georgia said, “Nice to meet you.” Cord nodded, but AJ didn’t say anything.
Another snub.
“AJ’s usually really sweet, but you wouldn’t know it today. Sorry about that.”
“Looks like she has her hands full.” She smiled, trying to act like it didn’t bother her. “I’ve decided on an Oreo Blizzard.”
They finished their ice cream in Tell’s pickup. Then Tell eased the seat back and patted his thighs. “You’re lookin’ a little cold. I’ll warm you up.”
She put her knees by his hips, facing him as she sat on his lap. “Checking out my nipples, were you?”
That bold observation seemed to shock him. “What? No. I saw you shiver.”
“Uh-huh. Maybe I shivered because I saw you eyeballing my chest, Tell McKay.”
He placed his cold lips on the hollow of her throat. “It’s been distracting me all damn day because I know you ain’t wearin’ a bra.”
Georgia rested her elbows on his shoulders. “Would I have had a chance at winning the basketball game today if you’d known I’m not wearing panties?”
Kissin' Tell: Rough Riders, Book 13 Page 5