Wanting You: A Cowboy Romance (Texas Hill Country Romance Book 2)

by Mae Martini

  She turned her head and met his lips. The kiss was light and sweet, but only for a moment. Jake opened his mouth, shot his tongue out and demanded hers.

  While kissing, she turned her upper body to him and as she did so, he placed his hands on her ass and picked her up and turned her around. She straddled his legs.

  “Aw, damn it, Gia. I really am sorry… It seems I’m always saying that.” Jake leaned his forehead against hers.

  She closed her eyes and just savored his touch. His hands absently stroked her waist up and down, gently. She leaned into him enjoying the feel of his chest against her breasts.

  He brought his head down and slowly licked and kissed her neck, then made his way to the soft fleshy parts of her mounds, thinking about how responsive she still was to him. Yet, he knew they needed to talk.

  He felt her soft hands on his shoulders and heard a sexy moan escape her lips.

  “hahahaha, you two still going at it, eh?”

  Jake quickly picked his head up and Gia’s eyes flew open while at the same time, she put her hands on the sides of his head to pick it up.

  She moved off of Jake and sat next to him.

  Jake looked to the intruder. “Tomas without the h, right?”

  “Nice, you remembered, brah.” He stuck his hand out and Jake shook it.

  “You really have to stop sneaking up on people, Tomas,” Gia said.

  “Hahahaha, you two make it too easy.”

  Gia laughed as she shook her head.

  “Let’s go tear it up, kiddies. Hahahaha.”

  Gia looked to Jake. “Wanna get wet?” She giggled.

  “If by getting wet, you mean do I want to surf, then yeah, let’s get wet.” He rose and pulled her up as he chuckled. He gave her a sexy grin and he knew she knew he had another picture in his mind.

  When Jake picked up a board, Gia gave him a puzzled look. She recognized the board as her father’s.

  “I stopped by your dad’s place before. Incidentally, we have to talk later.”

  She nodded her head.

  “Duck dive! Duck dive!” Tomas yelled over the sound of the surf after he saw Jake struggling to get out onto the other side of the crashing waves with his board.

  Once out on the other side, the three of them sat, straddled on their boards, checking out the conditions.

  Gia introduced Jake to Loki and Samantha, who had paddled over, and Gia and her friends offered Jake pointers and told him some wild surfing stories.

  The morning turned into the afternoon and Jake improved his style. Loki and Tomas taught Jake a few maneuvers and as the afternoon wore on, the waves grew a little bigger. Jake rode a wave all the way to shore, then got out and brought his board further up on the sand and ran back into the water and swam out to Gia. He climbed up on her board and brought her up close to him and kissed her.

  “Having fun?” she asked after they broke the kiss.

  “Much, but I want you so bad I can’t think of anything else.”

  “You want to get out of here?”

  “Hell yeah.”

  As they made their way up the steps to the porch of her father’s house, they smelled something delicious. Gia opened the barbeque and saw three pieces of salmon with herbs on top, sitting on cedar planks. The glass door opened behind them.

  “You two, hungry?” Luke asked as he was balancing a pot in one hand and a butler’s caddy with all sorts of table settings in the other.

  “Starving.” Gia said. She looked to Jake, who quickly went to Luke and grabbed the caddy.

  “That smells amazing. I can definitely eat. Surfing makes you hungry, huh?”

  The three of them sat at the umbrellaed table on Luke’s porch, drinking a beer as they finished their salmon and the string beans that were in the pot. Jake had asked and Luke told him of some surfing adventures he’d been on over the years.

  The sun was setting and the talk turned to marketing. Gia’s back was facing the beach and Jake looked beyond her to see people gathering and someone had lit a fire.

  “What’s going on down there?”

  Gia turned to see as Luke replied. “The neighbors are getting together for a clam bake. We do it once a year. Gia, are you still coming?” He looked between her and Jake. “And of course you, Jake. My other children will be here too.” And as if on cue, a young man came walking up the steps of the porch.

  “Hey, Dad.” The young man addressed his father as he put a bag of liquor down on the table. He gave Gia a kiss and stuck out his hand to Jake. “I’m Marco.”

  Jake shook his hand. “Jake.”

  “Pleased to meet you, Jake.”

  “Likewise.”

  At that point, Gia’s sister, Lola, her husband Neil and their two boys, Neil Jr., who was four, and Lucas who just turned two came up the stairs. Everyone was introduced and Gia cleared the table of their dishes and went inside to clean up. She knew she left Jake alone with her family, but he looked relaxed and was even charming with her nephews.

  They all headed down with beach chairs and joined the ever growing crowd.

  Jake was introduced to so many people, he couldn’t keep track, but every one of them was warm and friendly except for Donavan, Gia’s ex, who happened to have been there.

  When a friend of Gia’s got her attention, Jake looked around and spotted Donavan looking his way. Donavan waved him over and Jake got up without Gia even knowing.

  “You’re wasting your time, you know.” Donavan said when Jake got near.

  Jake just looked at him and turned to walk back. It was dumb of him to even give this guy the time of day.

  “She’ll run away from you. She does it all the time.”

  Jake paused, taking into account what Donavan had told him, but he didn’t even answer. He just walked back toward Gia, but stopped by her brother and nephews, who had been building a fort in the sand, and helped.

  Jake and Gia slurped down raw clams with a dollop of spicy cocktail sauce and lemon, and washed them down with beer. They walked over to where a few big pots full of lobsters were boiling on a fire and were handed a plate with a lobster and some drawn butter on it, and lots of napkins. After they ate the lobsters, they walked to the water and rinsed their hands and she playfully kicked up water at him. He picked her up and made like he was going to throw her into the water. She screamed and giggled at the same time.

  When they got back to their chairs, he began a conversation with her brother, Marco and brother-in-law, Neil. Her nephews climbed up on Jake’s lap. Gia was about to tell them to get down, but Jake put a hand on hers and smiled at her, then he turned his attention back to her brother and brother-in-law. Neil Jr. tried to grab his cowboy hat and Jake made it real easy for him by dipping his head forward.

  When Neil Jr. put the hat on, he moved up and down on Jake’s lap and said “ride em cowboy!”

  Jake, Marco and Neil cracked up. Jake looked over to Gia, who was biting her lower lip.

  “He loves rodeos,” Neil said.

  “Yeah?” He said to Neil, then turned his attention back to Neil Jr. “Do you know who Shane McCreedy is?” he asked with a chuckle.

  Neil Sr., Jr. and Gia all said yes at the same time.

  “He’s currently number one on the circuit right now,” Neil Sr. added. “You know him?”

  “Yep. When the rodeo comes your way or if you’re ever in Texas when it happens to be there or anywhere else for that matter, let Gia know, I’ll get you tickets with back stage passes to meet him.”

  Gia gave him a puzzled look.

  “He’s Cord’s brother,” he said to her.

  “Oh. How come you never told me?” she asked more quietly.

  “I guess it never came up.” And again it occurred to him that they still didn’t know each other well, yet.

  The boys were getting wild on Jake’s lap and their father scooped them up. “That’s enough boys. Neil, give Jake back his hat.”

  Jr. reluctantly gave Jake back his hat.

  “Sorry
.” Senior said, shaking his head and walking away toward his wife.

  “No. It’s all right.”

  Jake turned to Gia and they shared a quick smile before Gia heard her father groan. She turned to him and saw him looking off to the side. Gia’s eyes followed.

  Walking up to the circle of friends was his soon to be ex, looking all done up in a sexy number with dramatic makeup on, and she had her hand around a man’s arm, a much older man.

  Jake caught sight of it too. “Who’s that?”

  “That… is Donavan’s father,” Gia replied

  “He looks like he could be his grandfather.”

  “Donavan is his fifth and youngest child with his fourth wife. Or is it fourth child with his fifth wife,” she snickered. “He also owns that house over there.” Gia pointed to a large, glass house, three doors down from where her father lived.

  “Gold-digging bitch,” Gia mumbled. “Daddy, you all right?”

  Luke turned to her and softly smiled as he put a hand on hers. “Better him than me. She’s his problem now. Boy, I need to get away… Oh, incidentally.” He looked at Jake. “I’m going to be in Austin on Friday for a meeting. I was thinking of staying that night at your place. Gia tells me it’s beautiful and she said the town is quite lovely. I’d like to check it out. We could go over some marketing strategies if you’re available.”

  “Absolutely, that would be great, sir. Thank you.”

  “Great, my meeting is in the morning, then I’ll be free the rest of the day and all day Saturday, so whatever time works for you.”

  “Friday afternoon should work for me.”

  “Fine. How’s two o’clock sound?”

  Jake nodded his head. “Yeah, that’s good. I’ll have Lauren, one of my employees, arrange a lunch and if it’s all right with you, I’d like to have my partner, Annie McCreedy, there also.”

  “Of course.”

  “Thank you.”

  Gia felt like she was watching a ping pong match.

  Jake looked to her and could only imagine what was going through her head. They still needed to talk. “You want to get out of here?”

  Gia slowly breathed in through her nose and let it out. “Yes,” she said as she nodded her head. “Just let me say goodbye to a few people.”

  Jake nodded his head and rose when she did. Her family came by and said their goodbyes to him while Gia worked the crowd.

  It was quiet in the car, too quiet. Jake kept shifting his eyes from the road to Gia, trying to read her expression.

  He had been driving, having suggested that he drive his rental to her house and the next afternoon, he would drive her back to her father’s to pick up her car before he headed to the airport. At the time he suggested it and she agreed, he felt good about them, but things seemed to be strained now.

  “I can’t believe how fast the day went.”

  It took a moment and he felt she wasn’t going to say anything.

  She turned to look at him. “Yeah.”

  Feeling her watching him, he turned to her. “I had fun.”

  “Me, too.”

  Jake sighed and turned his head back to the road, uncomfortable, feeling the elephant in the car.

  “Your family is ni-”

  “Is she still living at your place?” Gia asked almost in a whisper, cutting him off.

  “No.”

  He watched her nod her head slowly. “Her parents wouldn’t let her come home. She’s living at my mom’s for the time being,” he said just as quietly.

  “Turn left.”

  “Here?”

  “Yes.”

  And so nothing more was said until they got to Gia’s home.

  Jake followed her through the door and dropped his duffle bag, He grabbed her arm at the same time he locked the door.

  “Gia?”

  She turned around to see his beautiful blue eyes. She wanted to swim in their depths, to melt into him.

  He kissed her and to his relief, she didn’t pull away, on the contrary, she opened up to him, but just like that she pulled away.

  “Where do we stand, Jake?”

  “I was hoping you’d tell me… I, um, I want us to work. My stomach has been in knots since last Sunday. I want us to work, Gia. Tell me what you want.”

  “I want us to work too.”

  “But…” He could feel it coming even if she didn’t add it.

  She hesitated. “But, I live twelve hundred miles away and she is, what? Less than ten?”

  He didn’t answer her, he just stared.

  “What if… I don’t know… What if you two get back together and-” She put her head down. “-I am the last to know.”

  “Oh, Gia,” he began softly. He placed a hand under her chin and gently lifted her head. “No matter how close she is to me, we will never get back together. I told you that before. What I didn’t tell you, because it hurt, is that she cheated on me with Treemont, behind my back, and she tells me, because she had reservations she said, that I should get checked out because she had contracted Chlamydia. That’s a chance I am not willing to take again. When I look at her I see betrayal, lies, deception. I could go on and on, but when I see you, my heart races, I get a silly schoolboy grin on my face. And when you’re not around, all I do is think about you. I relive the times we spent together, and it’s way too short, by the way. Gia… You take my breath away. You-” he turned up the corners of his mouth, “-move me.”

  Jake watched Gia’s sad expression change to a smile and her eyes sparkled.

  “Jake,” she whispered. She threw her arms around his neck and he wrapped her in his. They kissed long and deep until they heard a knock on her door.

  They pulled apart and Gia looked at her watch, noting it was 10:00 pm. She shrugged as she moved past Jake to look through the peephole. She unlocked the door and gave Jake a quick smile as Jamie pushed in.

  “Where is he, girl? Did I just see your hunky cowboy walk in with you?” He hadn’t seen Jake yet. He was standing behind the door.

  Gia let out a nervous giggle.

  “You did see her hunky cowboy walk in, Jamie,” Jake said with a grin as he stretched out his hand. “How are you?”

  Jamie shook his hand. He looked from Jake to Gia then back to Jake. “You’re keeping my girl happy?”

  “I’m trying, Jamie. I’m trying.”

  “Did Gia tell you?” Jamie turned from him to Gia. “Did you tell him yet?”

  “Tell me what?”

  “Jamie and-”

  “Me and Tyler are getting married.” In his excitement he cut Gia off. He thrust his hand in Jake’s face, and on his ring finger was an onyx stone, set in a white gold band.

  Gia giggled while shaking her head.

  “He wasn’t cheating on me. He was buying my ring that night.”

  “Congratulations,” Jake said.

  “Thank you.” He walked to the couch and sat down, and he looked to Gia, who had her head tilted to the side and a tight smile on her face. Then he looked to Jake, who only had eyes for Gia.

  “Oh. Would you look at the time?” He rose up and shuffled to the door. He gave Gia a quick kiss. “Have fun, you two. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” He stuck his hand out and shook Jake’s, then went out the door.

  “What the hell was that?” Jake asked with a charming grin.

  “Hurricane Jamie.” Gia laughed.

  After they had a good laugh, they looked at each other and Jake sighed. “Mind if I take a quick shower to get the salt and sand off me?” He did take a shower at her father’s outdoor facility before the beach party, but he wanted to be thorough.

  “Sure. Make yourself comfortable.”

  Jake picked up his duffle bag and walked to her bedroom, stopping to pet Cookie in the hallway, who quickly plopped down, and stretched and exposed her belly so Jake could pet her stomach.

  “Shameless hussy,” Gia said as she snickered.

  She heard Jake chuckle as he rose up and continued walking to her room,
now with Cookie in tow.

  When Gia finished her shower, she walked into the living room and saw Jake sitting on the couch in a pair of sweat-shorts and a black ribbed tank, watching ‘The Fast and The Furious’ on the TV. A piece of paper that looked to have been folded at one point sat on the coffee table.

  Gia wore a purple T-shirt, that just barely covered her upper thighs. Her hair was damp and wavy and he could smell her shampoo, or was it his hair he smelled. He did use her soaps and shampoo in the shower, but the scent was more prevalent when she walked in.

  She sat down next to him. “What’s that?” she asked, pointing to the paper.

  Jake picked it up and handed it to her. “It’s my clean bill of health.”

  Gia took the paper and looked to Jake then back to the paper.

  “I did get checked out by a doctor after Jennie so kindly warned me,” he said sarcastically. “And everything checked out good, but I still had him treat me for precautions. This, however, is a newer report, note the date.”

  She did, it was three days ago.

  Gia placed the paper down and got up off the couch. As she walked into the kitchen, she said, “I was at the doctor’s just about three weeks ago for another shot and I was checked out. I had actually called my doctor on Sunday morning while waiting for you, and asked her to mail me a report.” She came walking back into the living room with an envelope.

  “Sunday?”

  “She’s a personal friend of mine.” She ripped the envelope open.

  When it had originally come, she had just tossed it on the pile of mail she kept in the corner of the kitchen counter.

  She didn’t even read it, she just handed it to Jake.

  He quickly scanned it and set it down on the table. He leaned back and shared a look with her.

  “I want you so bad, it hurts.” His lips curled up. And she couldn’t help but notice the bulge in his shorts.

  She smiled and rose up with the clicker in her hand. “Do you want to finish watching this or go to bed?”

  He chuckled. “Are you kidding me? What do you think?”