The Difference a Day Makes (Perfect, Indiana: Book Two)

by Longley, Barbara

  “I’m so glad you like it, darlin’. I have plans for that backseat, and I’m going to need your help.”

  Gah! Her brain turned to mush, and she had to fight the urge to turn his air-conditioning on. “Oh, yeah?” Oh. Yeah. Geez, is that the best you can do? Under the circumstances, yes. Those two words were all she could manage.

  They pulled into his parking spot.

  “I’m all for leaving at ten, if not earlier.” He winked.

  Oh, man. She really loved when he did that.

  “Ted and I are working on specs for an entertainment center I’ve designed to go along with the coffee table. It shouldn’t take too long to finish. What do you have left to do before the sample sale next week?”

  “Everything is set. I’m going to update the website and social media this morning and then research a few more outlets for future ads.” She climbed out of the truck. “Come get me when you’re ready.”

  His eyes smoldered into hers. “I’m ready right now, Paige.”

  Lord, so am I. He caught her looking at the fly of his jeans, and she stumbled on the uneven pavement leading to the door. “Stop it.”

  “Stop what, sweetheart?”

  “Stop looking like you do, and stop being so damned”—her gaze drifted to the bulge in his jeans again—“ready.” She straightened her posture and headed into the building. Thoughts of what they could do in the backseat danced through her mind. The two of them naked and sweaty, with her on top…Ryan’s laughter made her knees go weak.

  Ted stood at his workstation with a partially assembled crib before him and wood glue in his hand. He raised his head when they entered, looked between them, and shook his head. “Morning, Ted.” Ryan gestured toward the crib. “Are you going to have time to work on the specs before we leave?”

  “Probably not. This crib, an armoire, and a changing table all have to be shipped on Monday, along with a couple of orders Noah is working on.” He bent back to his task. “Once we have everything crated, we can spend the rest of Monday working on the new projects.” Ted spared her a glance. “There’s a check on the counter in the front. It’s your first paycheck, including the commission for the stuff you sold.”

  A thrill bubbled up. “My very first commission check from L&L,” she crowed. “I’ll have some spending money for the weekend.”

  “Good.” Ryan cocked an eyebrow. “You can help with gas.”

  “And…There it goes.” She shrugged. “Are you sure you don’t want to take my Mini? It costs under thirty dollars to fill her up.”

  “Hmmm. Not much of a backseat, though, is there?” He shot her a hot look.

  “There is that.” She sighed. “The truck it is, and I’ll kiss my spending money good-bye.”

  “Jeez, you two.” Ted grumbled. “Take it somewhere else. I’m trying to get some work done here.”

  Her face flamed, and she squelched the laugh that wanted to burst out. “Right. Let’s get to work.” One more sneak peek at Ryan, and she headed to the kitchen area to make a fresh pot of coffee. She wanted the good stuff this morning. After all, her first official paycheck was cause for celebration. She hummed one of her favorite songs while she got the coffee going.

  “I like the sound of that, darlin’.”

  Ryan’s voice startled her, and she looked at him over her shoulder. “What are you talking about?”

  “You were humming.” He reached around her for a mug. “It does my heart good to see you happy.”

  “Maybe I’ll hum all the way to Pennsylvania,” she teased. “By the time we hit Ohio, it’ll drive you nuts.”

  “Oh, I’ll make sure you hum, darlin’.” He put his arm around her waist and pulled her against his chest. “You can count on that, and you already drive me nuts.”

  “I’m still here,” Ted called from the back. “And I still don’t want to listen to that shit.”

  “Sorry.” Paige laughed and left Ryan waiting for the coffeepot to fill. Deep satisfaction filled her as she entered the storefront. Splashes of color drew the eye to each nursery suite. The unmistakable hallmark of excellence branded each piece of handcrafted furniture. L&L really was an amazing enterprise. Pride in what the three men were building here in this small town swelled in her chest.

  The challenge would be managing growth while maintaining their commitment to artisanship. It could be done, but it would take finesse and the right person. A twinge of regret stole her breath. Someone else would have that pleasure.

  Shrugging off the twinge, she booted up her computer and went to their website to check for orders and perform updates. No doubt about it, Ryan’s new line would expand their market exponentially. How would they handle the increase in orders with just the three of them? She had some ideas, and if she did somehow manage to get the John Deere job, she’d share them with the guys before she left.

  Hopping off her stool, Paige went to the printer to pick up the new orders and brought them to the in-basket nailed to the wall in production. She arranged them by date so that the first order placed would be the first order filled. “New orders,” she announced.

  “Great. Thanks.” Ted straightened. “You two can go. I know you’re both chomping at the bit.”

  Ryan shut off his computer, put his drafting tools and sketch pad away, and stood by the back doors. “You don’t have to twist my arm.”

  “I’ll go shut the front down.” Paige hurried to the storefront, stopping to fill a cup with the good coffee first. One more look around, and she shut off her desktop, grabbed her purse, and walked toward the back door. She’d never been quite this excited about a long drive before.

  At some point, she had to tell Ryan about her upcoming interview with John Deere, but not right now. Not while everything felt so right between them. “Road trip.” She grinned as she climbed into his truck and set her coffee in the holder. “Are you going to let me drive some of the way?”

  “Do you know how to operate a stick shift?” Ryan backed out of his space and drove down the alley.

  “No, but it can’t be too hard.”

  He grunted. “When we get back, I’ll teach you on a back road. Once I’m confident you can handle it, I’ll let you drive my truck.” He shot her a grin. “I’ll do the driving for now.”

  “Fair enough.” She picked up the Google map. “I’ll navigate.”

  “When it gets close to lunchtime, keep your eye out for signs pointing to a state or regional park.” He pulled onto the highway and shifted into fourth, the muscles in his forearm rippling with his movements. “We can have a picnic—and check out that backseat.”

  Images of their tangled, naked bodies writhing together in his backseat sent scorching heat through her. Time to steer the conversation in another direction, at least until they were safely parked. “How did your first session go with Dr. Bernard?”

  “It was difficult, but good. He’s a veteran of hard combat himself—a marine. That helps.”

  Paige studied him, reaching out and running her hand over his shoulder. “You sure have gone through some changes lately. Remember the night I burst into your apartment?”

  “How could I forget?” He waggled his eyebrows. “You couldn’t keep your eyes off me.”

  “It’s not every night a girl smacks into a naked man like that.” She laughed. “I didn’t know what to think. You looked like a wild homeless guy with a gun, and look at you now. Clean-shaven, a great haircut, and you’re making a huge difference at L&L.” Her breath caught. “Seeing you so happy does my heart good too, Ryan.”

  He reached for her hand, and his Adam’s apple bobbed. She twined her fingers with his and held on. “I’ve got a ways to go, Paige. A long ways to go.”

  “It’s funny, isn’t it?”

  “What is?”

  “The difference a day can make in a person’s life.” She continued to study the changes she saw in him. “If Noah hadn’t made that call, you’d still be in Texas with your wild hair and beard, drinking and playing a game of chance with yo
ur life. If I hadn’t handed Anthony the Meyer’s bid that day, I wouldn’t have been fired. We wouldn’t have met when we did.”

  “Speaking of Anthony, would you like to pay him a visit on this trip?” He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, his mouth set in a straight line. “I’d like to have a few words with the creep.”

  “No. I’m equally to blame for what happened.” Paige shook her head. “What goes around comes around. Eventually, he’ll run into someone who will play him the way he played me.” She blew out a breath. “Besides, I understand why he did what he did. I got his office with the window, and I was handed the Meyer account—because of my dad, not because I earned it. Anthony resented me.”

  “All right. If that’s the way you feel, I’ll let it go. But, Paige, Anthony was just one guy. Can you imagine the resentment you’d face at Langford Plumbing Supplies? Is it possible your dad won’t hand it over because he wants to protect you?”

  “Of course it’s possible,” she snapped. “In fact, I’m sure you’re right. That’s why I need to toughen up at some other company first.”

  “That’s what you want?” He scrutinized her for a few seconds. “You want to ‘toughen up,’ become hard, cynical, and distrustful, for the sake of LPS?”

  “Yes.” She moved her hand away from his and fiddled with their driving directions. “Do we have to talk about this?”

  “Nope.” He put both hands on the wheel. “We don’t. I hope you know I just want you to be happy.”

  “Same here.” Her attention shifted to the road ahead of them. “Our exit is coming up. We want Interstate 70 east.”

  For the next couple of hours, she napped, listened to music, and daydreamed. The ride of silence had gone on for far too long, and she ached for the easy, relaxed way they’d interacted before. “It’s getting close to noon. I’m hungry.” Hungry for you. Starving for the closeness they’d shared earlier.

  “I could eat. Start looking for a park.”

  “We should’ve brought an atlas.” She searched the highway for signs pointing to a park.

  “There’s an atlas under your seat.” Ryan reached over and popped the glove compartment open. “I stashed a few maps in here too. I bought one for each state we’re driving through. You won’t find what we’re looking for in the atlas.”

  “You thought of everything.” She accepted the map he handed her. “Where are we? I haven’t been paying any attention.”

  “We’re on I-70, just inside Ohio.”

  Paige opened the map and started searching. “You’re going to have to get off the interstate at Highway 503 and head south. There’s a regional park on the Twin River.” She peered out the windshield. “We didn’t pass it already, did we?”

  “I don’t recall seeing 503. We just crossed the border.”

  “It’s about fifteen miles from the state line.”

  “Paige…” His tone was hesitant, unsure.

  “I know. I’m sorry. I get defensive when it comes to the whole LPS thing. Can’t we just forget about that for the weekend?” She bit her lower lip. “We were having such a great time until the subject came up.”

  The smile he turned her way melted her heart. “I was going to say the same thing.”

  “Good. It’s a deal.” She glanced at him. “Besides, we have that backseat to check out, and I know exactly how we’re going to do it.”

  He laughed and reached for her hand. “Been givin’ it a lot of thought, have you?”

  “Maybe a little.” She grinned. “Like, since you brought the truck home.”

  “Sweet. There’s the sign for 503.”

  They almost missed the park. Tree branches obscured the small wooden sign. Ryan turned on the gravel road. The park consisted of a handful of picnic tables, a concrete outhouse-style restroom with a padlock on the doors and sign that said it would open on Memorial Day, a few trash cans, and an old swing set. A small river rushed by, and the leaf buds on the trees were just beginning to open in the early-April warmth. She and Ryan were the only two there, although, if the beer cans littering the ground around the trash cans were any indication, this was the place to be if you were a teenager looking for a party.

  He pulled the truck between a couple of pine trees and shut off the engine. “What’d you bring to feed me, woman? I’m hungry.”

  “I brought smoked-turkey-and-swiss-cheese sandwiches, fresh sliced pears, and chips. Gotta have fruit or a vegetable with every meal, Auntie Paige,” she said, impersonating her niece’s refrain.

  Ryan laughed. “Noah and Ceejay sure do have a couple of great kids.” He got out and headed for the tailgate.

  “I know, huh? They’re lucky.”

  “You’d be a great mom, Paige.” His brilliant blues snared her with an intense look. “Do you want a family someday?”

  “I do.” She busied herself with the cooler while her pulse raced. “I didn’t realize just how much until this extended stay with my brother’s family. They have something so special, and I’m glad for Noah.” She risked a glance at him, and the tenderness she glimpsed in his eyes stole her breath. “How about you?”

  “Hmmm.” He hopped up to sit on the tailgate, unscrewed the cap of a bottle of water, and handed it to her. “A family of my own is something I’ve always wanted. After Theresa’s death, I figured I’d lost my one and only chance.” He turned to stare into the woods and murmured, “Lately…Lately, I’ve begun to hope again.”

  Her insides shifted, and a fierce longing settled in between her racing heart and fluttering stomach. Paige pushed off from the truck and came to stand between Ryan’s knees. “Let’s forget about lunch for now.” She snaked her arms around his waist, snuggled into him, and laid her cheek against his chest. His heart pounded against her ear. “You want to know what I’ve worked out for that backseat?” She lifted her head and drank him in with her eyes.

  He tossed his sandwich back into the cooler and slid off the truck. Taking her face between his palms, he kissed her so deeply she melted into him like butter on a hot potato.

  “Tell me, darlin’.” He nibbled his way down her neck while unbuttoning her shirt. “What do you want?”

  “I was thinking we’d fold the passenger seat down, and…Oh, that feels good.” Somehow, he’d managed to unfasten her bra, and his magic fingers sent tiny shock waves of pleasure through her. “Me on top, straddling…”

  “Yeah? Go on. You have my attention.” He lifted her, and she wrapped her legs around him as he moved them toward the cab.”

  “Naked.” She tugged at his denim jacket. “You and me naked and touching.”

  “Touching is good.” He set her down just long enough to open the door, flip the front seat down, and move it forward as far as it would go.

  Paige took advantage of their separation, unbuckling her belt and pulling off her shirt. “Where’s the condom?” Her voice came out a breathless rasp.

  “In my back pocket.”

  She snatched it out. “I like a man who thinks ahead.”

  “Are you going to spend all our time talking?” He tossed his jacket in the driver’s seat and stripped out of his clothing.

  Laughing, she kicked off her shoes and did her own stripdown. “A minute ago, you were asking me to talk. Now you want me to stop?”

  “Yeah. We’re done talking.”

  They faced each other, naked as the day they were born. She studied every inch of his war-torn body and swallowed hard. Already hot and slick for him, and they’d barely even begun. “Ground’s cold, cowboy. In the truck now so I can have my way with you.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” he gritted out, climbed into the backseat, and shoved their baggage down on the floor behind the driver’s seat. She started in after him. He caught her around the waist and pulled her onto his lap. “What was that you said about being on top?”

  “I want to straddle you.”

  “Let’s do a little exploring first.” He leaned her back, supporting her with an arm, and took a nipple into his mouth
, circling it with his tongue.

  Electric heat streaked through her, and she opened her thighs, aching for his touch.

  “Oh, yeah.” He chuckled low in his throat. “That’s my girl.”

  His hand slid over her, settling between her legs. He touched her in all the right places with just the right amount of pressure. Lost. She was lost to the world and completely centered on his magic touch. “Oh, you…You do that so well.” Her knees came together, and her hips rose against him to increase the sensation. Oh, God. Her toes were actually curling. That had never happened before.

  “You’re so beautiful, Paige—absolutely gorgeous when you’re hot, wanting me, and all laid out in my arms like this.” He raised her up to plunge his tongue into her mouth, their chests pressed together while he brought her to climax with his wonderful, wonderful fingers.

  While she drifted back to earth, he lifted her and draped her over his lap. While he kissed her, he ran his hands all over her superheated body. His skin against hers wasn’t nearly close enough. She wrapped her arms around his neck and tried to get closer, sliding herself over his shaft until the pressure began a delicious swell again.

  Breathless, she pulled back. “I…I dropped the condom somewhere.” Searching the floor and the seat, she didn’t see it anywhere. “Let me find it.” She slid off of him and knelt on the floor. Pushing his legs apart, she ran her hands along his inner thighs and stroked his scrotum, working her way up his erection. He sucked in a breath and went taut.

  “Not here.” Running her hands behind him while pressing herself against his groin, she continued to search. “Got it.” She placed the packet in his hand. “I have a little exploring to do too.”

  “Do tell.” He ran his fingers through her hair, watching her with molten eyes that sent heat pooling in her sex.

  “Yeah, like here.” She swirled her tongue around the head and cupped him.

  “I like that,” he croaked out.

  “Do you? How about this?” She took him into her mouth and sucked, sliding her hands over his torso and chest.