Kissin' Tell: Rough Riders, Book 13
Page 13
Tell sat up a little straighter. Could that be the issue with Brandt? Some unnamed fear and he felt he had no one to talk to about it?
“It’ll cause problems if you don’t talk to Jack about what’s holding you back as far as planning a nursery and picking baby names. Trust me on this. Brandt is holding something back from me and it’s frustrating. So I imagine Jack might feel the same way.”
Keely snickered. “GQ practically shoved me out the door to meet the newest McKay. I think he’s hoping new-baby pheromones give my biological clock a good swift kick.” She glanced down at the bundle in her arms and her nose wrinkled. “He just filled his diaper.”
“Hand him over. Will you get the diapers and stuff over by the window?”
Brandt walked in, his gaze firmly on Jessie’s face. “What’s goin’ on?”
“Diaper change.”
“Oh.”
Tell watched his brother standing there, just watching Keely help out, not offering to do anything.
Enough.
He grabbed the bottle and clapped Brandt on the back. “Come on. I could use some fresh air.”
“Keely’s gonna stick around for a bit, so I’ll be fine,” Jessie said.
Tell sent Jessie a reassuring glance before following Brandt out the door. He headed to his pickup and dropped the tailgate. He took a seat and watched Brandt pace. “Let’s make a toast to your son.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why? You figure we’re gonna get arrested? If Cam’s on duty, we won’t even get a warning for open container.”
“Fine. Gimme the damn thing.”
“Huh-uh. I get the honors.” Tell twisted the cap off. “Welcome to the world, Tucker McKay.” Then he handed Brandt the bottle.
Brandt took a long swallow and passed it back to Tell.
After Tell drank, he said, “Your turn to make a toast.”
“To Jessie. The best woman in the whole damn world.”
By about the fifth toast, they’d knocked back a third of the bottle. Finally, Brandt stopped pacing and hopped up on the tailgate.
“Sharing a bottle takes me back. Remember that time Luke dragged all of us to the lake to go fishin’?”
Tell nodded. “We never even dropped a line on the water, bein’s he stole a bottle of Dad’s cheap whiskey.”
“First time Dalton ever got drunk.”
“First time I ever got drunk,” Tell reminded him.
“Man. Dad whupped Luke but good. Gave him the punishment for all of us because as the oldest, Luke shoulda known better.”
The liquid in the bottle sloshed as Tell helped himself to another swig.
“I miss him.”
“I do too.”
“I still expect him to show up where we’re workin’. Skidding to a stop in his truck, the tires spraying us with dust, and then him saying, ‘If ya ain’t dirty, you ain’t workin’ hard enough’.”
Tell chuckled.
“I can’t really talk to Jess about it,” Brandt said softly. “Not like I used to.”
“I don’t imagine you can. But you can talk to me, Brandt. Both me and Dalton. Neither of us wants to forget Luke like he never was.”
Brandt didn’t respond.
“Are you talkin’ to Jess about anything? And before you deny it, it’s obvious something ain’t right. You wanna tell me what’s goin’ on?”
He sighed. “It’s been goin’ on a while. Since Jess miscarried. She just fell apart, convinced she’d never take a baby to term. We were shocked to find out she was pregnant so soon after. When she got past the six-month mark, that’s when she began to breathe a little easier. But me? I couldn’t breathe at all.”
Tell tipped the bottle and drank.
“I worried about every damn thing. Her health. Money. The baby’s health. Each month her belly got bigger, so did my fears.”
“Is there one fear that’s bigger than all the rest?”
Brandt looked away.
“Come on. It’s me. This is eatin’ you alive, bro. And that ain’t good.”
He scrubbed his hands over his face. “What if I turn out to be the same kind of father as Dad?”
Tell’s stomach dropped.
“Don’t tell me that it won’t happen. To hear Dad’s brothers talk, he wasn’t always a total dick either.”
“Did the uncles say when Dad changed?”
“Yep. After he and mom started havin’ kids.”
Jesus. No wonder Brandt was freaked out. Especially when their dad had always claimed Brandt was more like him than any of his sons.
But his brother wasn’t an idiot. Couldn’t he see that by closing himself off from his wife and his brothers that he was falling prey to that mindset and becoming like their father? That maybe he’d already slipped into that cycle?
This was totally fucked up. Tell mentally flipped his dad the bird. But he wouldn’t stand by and watch that bullshit destroy any more lives, especially not the great life Brandt finally had with the woman he loved more than anything.
Brandt closed his eyes. “So now that I have a kid of my own, I need you to do something for me.”
“Anything.”
“Keep me from turning into Dad. I understand it ain’t your responsibility, but you know the signs, Tell. I can’t rely on Jessie in this. You will see when I’ve stepped too far over that line and you will need to jerk me back to the right place.”
“Since you brought it up, you have stepped over the line in the last few months.”
“Shit.”
Tell waggled the bottle at Brandt but he shook his head. “You need to talk to Jessie. Yeah, some stuff can be between us. But the big stuff? She needs to know. She ain’t gonna judge you. And without stepping in it too deep, Jess is afraid you regret havin’ Tucker.”
Brandt’s mouth fell open in shock. “Why would she think that?”
“No idea. But you’d better figure it out fast. Tonight, before you’re overwhelmed with visitors tomorrow.”
“Jesus. Fine.” Brandt sighed. “Uh, thanks for saving my ass with the flowers.”
“No problem.”
“I’ve gotta stop walking around in a fog, so damn…scared I’m gonna break Tucker if I hold him. He’s so freakin’ little.” He scrubbed his hands over his face. “God. How can Jess think I don’t want him?”
“No clue, but I expect you’ll fix that issue right away or I will kick your ass until you’re a broken heap on the floor. Then I’ll turn Dalton loose on you. You ain’t Dad. None of us are. None of us ever hafta be.”
“What if I don’t know how to do this?”
“Cut yourself some slack. The kid is a few hours old! And you know more than you think you do. You’ve watched our cousins become fathers. They all seem to be doin’ pretty well. I’m bettin’ every single one of them felt the way you do at first.”
“Even Cord?”
“Nah. He’s perfect. He’s never fucked up anything in his life.”
Brandt laughed. “Asshole.”
Dalton’s pickup zipped into the parking lot, music blaring. He trotted over like an eager pup and jerked Brandt into a big hug. “Congrats, bro! How’s it feel to be a daddy?”
“Scary as shit.”
“No doubt. Luckily you’ve got me and Tell to keep you on the straight and narrow in not turning into Dad. ’Cause I gotta be honest, B. The way you’ve acted a couple times in the last few months really reminded me of him.”
Leave it to Dalton to cut to the chase.
Dalton spied the bottle. “Really? You guys started celebrating Tucker’s arrival before I got here? For shame. I’m just gonna hafta catch up.” He raised the bottle and drank.
“I’m done,” Brandt said. “I wonder if Jess will let me hold our son with booze on my breath.”
“You ain’t had nearly as much as me.” The shots seemed to hit Tell all at once.
“I’ll hold off on any more then,” Dalton said to Tell. “So I can get you home.”
“Over where?” Brandt asked.
“To Hot Lips’ place.” Dalton took another drink.
Brandt looked confused. “Who’s Hot Lips?”
“Jesus, Brandt. Get with the program. Georgia Hotchkiss. The chick Tell has been hangin’ out with all week. Everyone in the whole damn McKay family knows about her.”
Great. But it bothered Tell that his older brother hadn’t been paying attention to things going on in his life. Then again, Brandt hadn’t been paying attention to anything.
You cut him too much slack.
Dalton smirked at him. “Didja finally get into her pants?”
After several belts, Tell didn’t have the tact to deal with his younger brother, so he ignored him and slid off the tailgate. He looked at Brandt. “I know you’ll get a handle on this. Call me if you need anything.”
Chapter Twelve
Georgia was mighty shocked to see Tell on her doorstep.
“Tell? What are you doing here?”
“I was at the hospital to meet my nephew. Brandt and I knocked back a few celebratory shots, and I realized I oughten be drivin’, so I walked over to see if you’d be interested in goin’ out for supper with me.”
“That’s thoughtful, but I just finished cooking.”
He took a step back. “I probably shoulda called first. No big deal. I’ll go.”
She grabbed a fistful of his T-shirt, holding him in place. “Not so fast. I have plenty of food if you’d like stay and eat with me.”
Tell curled his hand around her cheek. “You’re so damn sweet. Thank you. I’d like that. A lot.”
Just the simple stroke of his thumb made her belly flip. “I hope you like curry.”
“Don’t know that I’ve ever had it.”
Georgia stood on tiptoe to press her mouth to his. “So come in and try it.”
He let her lead him into the kitchen after protesting that he needed to remove his boots. She gently shoved him into a chair and grabbed another plate from the cupboard. “Tea would be better for you than beer.”
“Yeah. I ain’t drunk, but I’m definitely feeling the shots.”
“How is the newest McKay?”
“Perfect, strapping, eight-pound baby boy.”
“And your sister-in-law?”
“She’s doin’ great.” He frowned and traced the edges of the place mat.
Between Tell showing up unannounced and the uncertainty surrounding him, Georgia knew something was up. If he wanted to talk about it, he would, but she wouldn’t pry. She dished up two plates of basmati rice and poured coconut chicken curry over the top.
“Georgia, darlin’, this smells awesome.”
“It’s a little spicy.” She filled two glasses of iced tea and sat across from him. “Dig in. Don’t be shy.”
Tell stirred his food before taking a bite.
Georgia waited to see if he made a face. She remembered from living with her dad and Deck that cowboys weren’t adventurous eaters.
He swallowed and immediately scooped up another forkful. “Hey. This is tasty.” After a few more bites, he reached for his tea and sputtered. “Is there sugar in here?”
“Yes.”
Tell shook his head. “Iced tea ain’t supposed to be sweet.”
“Sweet tea is the norm where I’m from in Texas.”
“So you ain’t claiming Wyoming as your home at all?”
She shrugged. “We moved a lot before we ended up in Sundance. I might’ve considered it home if I’d stayed married to Deck.”
He dumped his tea in the sink and refilled the glass with water. “You’ve never talked about your life before you moved here.”
“It’s not that exciting. Me and RJ were born at Fort Bragg. My dad was stationed at two different army bases before he got out of the service. After that we moved to Nebraska. When Granddad died, my dad and his brother sold the farm, split the money and went their separate ways. My dad had always wanted to live in Wyoming, so he bought a small ranch and cattle operation.”
“Your mom didn’t mind movin’?”
“If she did, she didn’t say anything.” Georgia swirled her fork through the mixture, thinking back on those years. When everything thing had been somewhat normal in their family.
Startled by the rough fingertips caressing her hand, she looked up into Tell’s beautiful blue eyes. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
His concern touched her, because she hadn’t expected it. “You didn’t. It was just a reminder that Sundance will never be my home.” She managed a smile. “So what do you think of the curry?”
“I really like it.”
“You want the recipe?”
“I’m not really much of a cook.”
It amazed her how many bachelors were clueless in the kitchen. “So what do you eat?”
“I stick to the basics. Meat. Potatoes. Chili. Eggs. Sandwiches. Frozen dinners. Or I eat out.”
“I’ll bet lots of ladies offer to fix you a home-cooked meal.”
“I usually take them up on it too.” He gave her a sly smile. “But none of those vittles have ever been as good as this.”
Georgia rolled her eyes.
“I’d offer to whip something up for you, but now that I’ve admitted I’m a lousy cook…”
“I’ll take you up on the offer, McKay, if for no other reason than to watch you squirm.”
His gaze settled on her chest. “I know a thing or two about making you squirm, don’t I?”
He laughed when she blushed.
After they finished eating, Tell insisted on doing the dishes. She wandered out the back door onto the patio.
The backyard was enclosed on three sides by a six-foot wooden fence with no trees obstructing the view of the sky. She’d even planted a vegetable garden, something she hadn’t done since living at the ranch. The lush green grass was soft beneath her bare feet. She spent most nights out here. Gazing at the stars. Listening to the night noises that were absent in a big city.
The screen door banged. Then Tell’s arms were around her. “I wondered where you’d gone off to.” He kissed the top of her head. “I checked your bedroom first.”
“Were you disappointed not to find me there?”
“Nope.”
Georgia spun around and faced him. “It’s peaceful out here.”
His eyes were so serious. “Is that what you’re lookin’ for? Peace?”
“I don’t know,” she answered honestly.
“That makes two of us.” Tell spread out the blanket from the porch swing on the grass. He’d taken off his boots and his socks. And did he ever look sexy: dark stubble on his lean cheeks, wearing a tight T-shirt and low-slung jeans, his feet bare. He dropped onto the blanket with a deep sigh.
And Georgia continued staring at him.
“Something wrong?”
“No. You’re just so easy on the eyes, Tell McKay.”
“You’re just sweet-talkin’ me, hoping it’ll get you laid.”
“Is it working?”
Smirking, Tell crooked his finger at her. “Gotta come closer, my sweet, to find out.”
She straddled his groin, pinning his arms above his head. “Whatcha gonna do now, cowboy?”
“Remind you that what goes around comes around.”
Angling across his body, she smashed her breasts into his chest, taking one teeny nibble of his bottom lip. “That sounds intriguing. What does that mean?”
“That means…restraining me now gives me the right to do the same to you in the future.”
“Just like this? Just my hands?”
He shook his head.
Wow. Tell’s dark look of challenge unfurled a long lick of want inside her. Imagining her arms tied behind her back. Or in front of her. Or above her head. Or tied to a four-poster bed.
“Sweetness, gazing at me all wide-eyed like that is bound to get you…bound in all s
orts of interesting ways.”
“Promise?” she whispered against his lips.
Tell made a low growling sound and took her mouth in a savage kiss. Swamping her body with a wave of heat. His tongue swirled around hers aggressively as he cranked her lust higher.
Georgia returned his passion, rolling her hips against his pelvis and across the hard ridge in his jeans.
He dragged an openmouthed kiss down the center of her throat, commanding, “Shirt off. I want your nipples in my mouth.”
She released his hands long enough to yank off her shirt and pop the clasp on her bra. She expected him to gather her breasts in his hands, feeling that delicious shock of wet heat as his mouth enclosed the tip.
But Tell’s arms remained above his head. His gaze hooked hers. “Bring them to me.”
She scooted up, bracing one hand on the ground as she leaned closer to his open mouth, intending to tease his lips with the hardened tip, then pulling away when his wicked tongue popped out to lick.
He had other ideas. He arched his neck and sucked the tight point, closing his eyes as he attempted to work more of her into his mouth.
Gooseflesh broke out, starting at her nape, inching down her spine a vertebra at a time with every rhythmic pull.
He bit down harder than she was expecting and she jerked back, which allowed him to shift oral focus to her other breast. “Stay. Still.”
She tried, but her body was twitchy.
He’d latch his suctioning mouth to the hard point and then back off, teasing with little whips of his tongue. Blowing a stream of air on the wetness. Rubbing his face over the center of her breasts, scraping the bristly five o’clock shadow across the puckered tips until they ached. She ached. Everywhere. She wanted more.
She shifted, putting both hands on the ground, and began to grind on him.
Tell released her nipple. “You can grind on me all you want, but you don’t get to come.”
“Why not?”
“’Cause I said so.”
Georgia glanced at him. The ferocity in his eyes was a little scary, until she remembered this was Tell. Laid-back Tell. Tell with the sexy, dimpled grin. Tell with the dancing eyes. Tell with the silver-tongued sweetness. Fun-loving Tell who teased her.