Law of Attraction (Tangled in Texas)

by Alison Bliss

  I nodded my agreement but sucked in a breath as he lowered his head and brushed his lips lightly against mine. Having been deprived of a man’s affections for far too long, I held myself still, unable to react. But within moments, my lips began to move.

  The touch of his lips against mine reminded me of what I’d been missing for five long years, and I sighed against his mouth, expressing my appreciation. That single vocal gesture must’ve stirred up something inside him because he suddenly ratcheted me up into his arms and extended the kiss.

  Naked desire rolled off his tongue as he slid it into my mouth, reaching inside of me for something more…a primitive ache I’d buried deep inside a long time ago. But as he feasted hungrily, attacking my mouth from every angle, a throbbing sensation surfaced and enveloped my entire body.

  A long, hard ridge in his jeans suddenly prodded into my abdomen in the most delicious way imaginable. Well, well, what do we have here? Rough, insistent hands maneuvered downward, grasping and massaging my ass, as he lifted slightly and ground himself against me through our clothes. I released a small, unintentional moan. I hadn’t even realized we had moved until my back pressed firmly into the cold metal of a nearby tailgate.

  One at a time, his hands moved to the top of the tailgate, gripping the metal railing and effectively caging me in as he pressed me farther into the truck than my body could physically go. Unable to get enough of him, I moved my hips insistently against his as if the barrier of clothing between us would magically disappear just from friction alone.

  My fingers dove into his short tufts of black hair and the erotic sound passing my lips pleaded for more. He obliged by quickly peeling the strap of my halter top halfway down my shoulder, while his skillful mouth paid careful attention to every inch he exposed by alternating different variations. Short, sweet kisses. Light, teasing nibbles. Long swipes of tongue that promised fulfillment. Without a doubt, the man knew what the hell he was doing.

  When his rough, calloused hands slid under my shirt, trailed methodically up my abdomen, and neared my breasts, I arched under him, offering him complete access. But for some strange reason, his hands came to an unexpected halt. He tore himself away from me, leaving me panting against the tailgate. What the hell?

  “Time to stop,” he said, blowing out a slow, ragged breath. “Otherwise, I’m going to have you bent over that tailgate with your sweet ass in the air and some part of my anatomy shoved deep inside you.”

  Holy hell. When he puts it like that…

  I must’ve been wearing a so what? expression because he grinned and shook his head. “You don’t want that, darlin’,” he said, sounding quite sure of himself.

  Boy, was he fucking wrong.

  He adjusted himself with a groan and turned to leave, but stopped at the last minute and glanced back at me. A sexy little smirk crossed his lips as he gave me a quick wink. “Good night.”

  Good night? Was he joking?

  He pivoted on his heels and made his way across the parking lot without looking back. I wanted to run after him and find out why he’d stopped. But a group of people I knew exited the building, reminding me that we were in a very public place. I watched as the sexy, mysterious stranger faded slowly into the darkness.

  In an attempt to pull myself together, I stood there on shaky legs, adjusting my clothes and breathing like I’d run a damn marathon. It was frustrating to think I was ready and willing to take this guy home only for him to bail on me like he had. But as much as I wanted to, I couldn’t be mad.

  I’d longed to feel a man’s desire and remember what it felt like to be wanted.

  God, I needed that.

  Chapter Two

  The next morning, I sat on my rickety front porch looking out over the twenty sprawling acres of weeds situated around my run-down farmhouse. The area closest to the house I mowed regularly to deter snakes and other uninvited creatures from hanging out.

  Not only did it give my son a safe area to play in, but it also granted our hens—the girls, as I like to call them—a nice place to scratch around in their quest for insects. But sooner or later, I would need to tackle more of the property and get the weeds and underbrush under control. Something I wasn’t looking forward to.

  The former chicken farm had stood abandoned for almost twenty years before I’d discovered and acquired it earlier last year at a real estate auction. The ramshackle home and decrepit barn had required so much work that I’d purchased the place for next to nothing, but the home improvement loan I’d tacked on to the mortgage had only covered the larger costs for the home, such as structural damage, new plumbing and electrical work, most of the drywall and insulation, and a new roof.

  Every room inside the old house had been gutted completely during demolition and although most of it had been replaced already, I’d run out of money before the job could be completed.

  Sure, I could wield a paint brush or crank up the rusty old riding lawn mower that Jake’s uncle Hank had repaired and sold to me for next to nothing. But I didn’t know anything about finishing drywall, cutting trim, building cabinets, refinishing scarred hardwood floors, or restoring old wooden staircases. There was just still so much more to do.

  Especially if I was going to turn this place into the kind of home I wanted my son to grow up in, much less make it suitable for paying guests. The idea to turn the big farmhouse into a bed and breakfast had been a great one. That was until I realized that the funds for the improvements would eventually run out. Now my expectations to turn this place into an actual business were as low as my budget.

  No matter what I did, there was never enough money to pay someone else to finish each necessary project that I was unable to do myself. It was a huge problem, but one that I’d finally found a solution to. Even if I wasn’t happy about it.

  I released a depressed sigh and sniffed the warm mug of coffee in my hand, letting the hazelnut aroma soothe me from the inside out. Before my mind could fully wrap around what today would bring, Jake’s blue Chevy turned onto the driveway, bouncing through the potholes the last rain had caused.

  With a quick bark, Romeo jumped up and ran out to greet my guests with his tail wagging. The brown stray mutt had showed up on our porch six months ago and started out as one of those uninvited creatures I didn’t want hanging around. But within days, he had quickly become my son’s best friend and the newest member of our family. Whether I needed another mouth to feed or not.

  The truck barely came to a complete stop in front of the farmhouse when Emily barreled out of the passenger seat and stomped onto the wobbly porch while breathing heavily. “You’re not dead?”

  Confusion swept over me. “Was I supposed to be?”

  “Yes! You didn’t text me last night like you said you would. At first, I figured it was because you were otherwise occupied with the guy from the rodeo. But when I called your cell phone this morning, it went straight to voicemail. You scared the crap out of me. I thought Zeus had killed you!” Emily breathed a sigh of relief and glared at me. “But, since he didn’t, I may have to strangle you myself.”

  I started to laugh but stifled it. She was standing there with her arms crossed, waiting for me to explain myself about last night. “Um, I’m sorry if I made you worry about me. I didn’t even think to text you last night because…well, it didn’t go as planned.” I set my mug of coffee down on the wicker table next to me. “I also forgot to charge my phone after I got home. The battery must be dead.”

  “Well, better the phone than you.” Jake rounded the front bumper of his truck and climbed the stairs at a much calmer pace than Emily had, but the displeased look on his face told me that he was no happier about the situation than his wife was. “What the hell were you thinking, Bobbie Jo? It’s not safe to take some random stranger home with you.”

  My gaze darted back to Emily, and my eyes widened. “You told him?”

  She shrugged. “It’s not like you left me much of a choice. I thought I was going to find a crime scene wh
en I got here. Since Jake’s in the FBI, he’s obviously better equipped to deal with dead bodies than I am. Besides, I didn’t want to come by myself in case your killer was still here.”

  “God, Emily. What were you thinking? You know he’s got a big mouth.”

  “Hey,” Jake said.

  “You know what I mean. Now you’re going to run and blab to Cowboy, Ox, and Judd.” I shook my head at Emily. “You know how overprotective they all are. The last thing I need is to be lectured by the peanut gallery.”

  “Don’t be upset with her,” Jake said, shaking his head. “You should’ve told me yourself. I could’ve at least run a background check on the guy for you.”

  “Oh, I’m sure that would’ve gone over great. So I was supposed to walk over to this guy and say, ‘Hey, handsome. I’d like to take you somewhere a little more private…but first, let me see some identification, and while you’re at it, fill out this form.’” I rolled my eyes. “Yeah right, Jake. I would’ve sounded like a paranoid idiot.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Any man who would’ve bailed on a woman for trying to keep herself safe isn’t one I would trust to be alone with you, anyway. And just for the record, I would’ve done it a little more under the radar than that. I could’ve lifted his fingerprints from an empty beer bottle and ran them. I do know how to be discreet. Remember that next time.”

  “You don’t have to worry about it. There won’t be a next time. I’m done with men for good. End of story.”

  Emily sat down in the chair next to me. “Jeez. Was Zeus that bad in bed?”

  “I wouldn’t know. I didn’t have sex with him. Before I got anywhere near him, I had another run-in with Jeremy.”

  Emily released a hard breath. “Figures. He could turn any woman off men forever. But that sucks that you didn’t even get to make out with Zeus. He was channeling all that intense sexual energy your way. I bet he would have been an incredible kisser.”

  I smirked. “I never said I didn’t kiss him.”

  “What? No way.” Emily’s eyes widened. “Why are you holding out on me, then? Tell me what happened.”

  I shook my head. “I don’t want to talk about it right now.”

  “Why not?”

  Without saying a word, my eyes shifted to Jake.

  He got the message loud and clear. “Okay, okay. I’ll go hang out inside and let you two talk. I’m hungry anyway. What do you have to eat?”

  “Uh, there’s some leftover spice cake on the counter. Help yourself.”

  “Thanks.” Jake headed for the screen door and let it slap shut behind him as he stepped inside.

  “Okay, now talk,” Emily said, leaning in.

  I filled Emily in on last night’s events in great detail while she sat there patiently listening to me ramble on. I’d never seen her so still or quiet for any length of time. But when I got to the end of the story, her mouth formed a perfect O. “What do you mean he said good night?”

  I held both of my hands palm up. “I know. Weird, right?”

  “It doesn’t make any sense. From what you’re telling me, it sounds like he probably could’ve had his way with you right there in the parking lot. Why the hell would he follow you outside, give you a toe-curling kiss, and then not try to take it any further? Is he mental?”

  “Well, it wasn’t like I had a chance to ask him. He left before I could.” I leaned back in my chair and sighed. “Maybe that’s a good thing, though. I’m a little out of practice, if you know what I mean.”

  Emily giggled. “I don’t think sex is something you can be out of practice on.”

  “Maybe not, but five years is a long time to go without it.”

  “I still can’t believe you haven’t had someone of the opposite sex in your bed for that long.”

  “Well, that’s not entirely true. Technically I had a male in my bed last week. But with him, I had to assure him there weren’t any monsters in his closet and sing him back to sleep.” I grinned at the memory of my son crawling into my bed in the middle of the night. “Austin had a nightmare.”

  Emily’s eyes softened. “Poor little guy.”

  Jake’s voice, muffled by the cake he was stuffing in his mouth, wafted through the screen door. “Did you tell Austin that Uncle Jake shoots monsters for a living?”

  We glanced up to see his silhouette through the screen of the door, and Emily screeched, “Jake! You aren’t supposed to be standing there eavesdropping. We’re having girl talk.”

  “Sorry,” he said, chuckling. “But I can hear you all the way in the kitchen. So whether I’m standing here or in there, it doesn’t really matter.”

  “Well, go back to the kitchen anyway. We’re still talking. I was just about to ask Bobbie Jo who she was going to ask out now.”

  I shook my head. “He doesn’t have to leave for that. It’s an easy answer. No one.”

  “What? You can’t give up. There’s no reason to throw in the towel yet.”

  I leveled a disbelieving gaze at her. “Did you forget all about my crappy dating history?”

  “Hey,” Jake said again, clearly offended.

  “Oops. Sorry,” I said with a giggle. I peered at him through the screen door but could barely make out his shadowy face. “If it makes you feel any better, I wasn’t including you in that.”

  “Better not be.”

  “Of course not.” I smiled. “Jake, you will always hold a special place in my heart, but we were never meant to be. I’m glad you found Emily and that she makes you happy. It’s all I ever wanted for you.”

  He nodded. “It’s what I want for you, too, ya know? You’re a good woman, Bobbie Jo, and you’ll find the right guy. He’s out there somewhere.”

  “Yeah, but where? That’s the question.”

  “Maybe you’re looking for the wrong kind of man,” Emily suggested. “You’re clearly drawn to guys with a certain characteristic. Ones who aren’t really all that safe to fall for.”

  “Do you two have to keep insulting me?” Jake shouted.

  Emily grinned. “Sorry. I was just pointing out that she tends to go for males with an edge to them. First you, and then Jeremy. It’s a pattern with her.”

  “You’re right,” I said, nodding. “That is what I used to go for. But the moment I had Austin, I made a conscious decision not to date men who would be gone before the wet spot had even dried on the sheets.”

  Jake sucked in a hard breath. “I never did that to you.”

  I glanced back at him. “No, you didn’t. Don’t take it personally. I already told you that I wasn’t including you in any of this.”

  His upper lip curled. “Well, it’s kind of hard to ignore when you’re sitting here talking shit about your exes and my own wife is comparing me to Jeremy of all people. I’m nothing like that bastard.”

  “No, you’re not, Jake. But Emily is right about one thing. Before Austin came along, I always went for guys who were emotionally unavailable. The type of men who got me into bed, looked deep into my eyes, and wondered what the hell my name was.”

  He scowled. “Okay, that’s it. I’m going back inside. I don’t want to hear any more of this,” he said, turning tail and marching toward the kitchen of the old farmhouse.

  “I’m not talking about you,” I called out after him.

  Without looking back, he waved a hand in the air in a yeah, whatever motion and kept moving toward the sunlit kitchen.

  I laughed and shook my head. “Who knew he was so sensitive?”

  Emily laughed. “I did, but don’t worry, he’ll get over it.”

  “Well, I really wasn’t talking about him. Jake treated me very well for the time that we were together. And even when we broke up, we did so on good terms. It’s part of why I think so highly of him. You know that.”

  “He knows that, too, Bobbie Jo. And he looks at you the same way. Breakups are never easy, but you two managed to stay best friends afterward. That doesn’t happen often.”

  “Jake’s always been a good guy. But
you’re right about one thing. He does have that certain dangerous edge that I’m attracted to in guys. But I can’t go for a man like that anymore. After Austin came along, I promised myself that I would find a nice, normal guy to settle down with and those are the only ones I’ve dated ever since. But that hasn’t worked out in my favor, either.”

  “Why?” Emily asked. “What is it about these guys that you don’t like?”

  I shrugged. “Different things, I guess. For a short time, I dated that nerdy accountant named Elmer. He was very sweet, but he had such severe allergies that his nose was as clogged as a public toilet. It wasn’t the least bit sexy.”

  “He must’ve been allergic to love,” Emily said, making me laugh at her stupid joke. “Well, what about that construction guy, Henry? He was cute. What was wrong with him?”

  “Yeah, Henry was good-looking, but he was also really immature. The closest we ever came to getting intimate was him honking my boob once like it was a clown horn. He even made this ridiculous hur-hur sound when he did it.”

  A male chuckle echoed from inside the house, and Emily and I shook our heads. Of course Jake would think that’s funny. Men. Ugh.

  Emily put her hand over mine. “Don’t give up yet. I know you’re wary of being with the wrong guy, but just give it some time. I’m sure the right one will come along soon.”

  Her heartfelt advice was sweet, but it was also very unlike her. After all, this was the same girl who was encouraging me to bed a complete stranger only the night before. Either way, though, I’d waited long enough. “No, like I said, I think I’m through with all of it. Dating, men, the whole shebang. Trying to find a decent guy is like being on an emotional roller-coaster that never ends. It’s not worth the mental and physical frustration anymore. So I’m jumping off the ride and finding some stable ground to keep my feet firmly planted on.”

  “Bobbie,” Emily said in a tone obviously meant to convey her disappointment.