by Cat Johnson
He stood and adjusted the visible bulge in his jeans. “You won’t mind driving with me back to my house and then coming back here on your own?”
She’d never been in this town before and had no idea where she was going, and she’d never driven a truck before. But if he was okay with it, she supposed she had to be. “Um, no. It’s fine.”
“A’ight.” He stood and hovered by the door, and she guessed it was time they got going.
“Just let me put on some shoes and grab my room key and my bag with my driver’s license.” She was babbling to cover her shock.
He stood and watched her rush around the room. He was leaving all right, and anxious to get moving apparently, just moments after he’d kissed her lips swollen. Was it really because of his mother? Was there something else he didn’t want to tell her? And was that really just his friend on the phone?
There was only one thing she was sure of, and that was that she’d have lots to think about tonight.
Make that lots to obsess over.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Justin didn’t know whether to pat himself on the back or kick his own ass for the amazing kiss and amazingly stupid feat of dragging himself away from Phoenix.
He sat behind the wheel of his truck, driving back to his house while she rode in the passenger seat. That part was familiar at least.
“So it’s basically one main road with just one turn to get to my house. When I get out and you’re headed back, just turn back onto the main road and drive until you see the hotel.” The least he could do was make sure she didn’t get lost after driving him home.
“Okay,” she agreed, even if she did look a bit concerned about it.
“You sure you’ll be okay? I can call a friend to come pick me up if you’re worried.”
“No, I’ll be fine.”
He glanced at her. When he decided she would be all right, he moved on to the next subject. “So, tomorrow . . .”
She turned to look at him when he let the sentence trail off. “Yeah?”
“What are your plans?”
“I don’t know.”
“You’ll have the truck, and there are plenty of places right near the hotel for you to grab something to eat.” They both knew she was worried about more than eating, but he said it anyway.
She smiled. “You don’t have to keep trying to feed me.”
“I know.” It had become a habit, he guessed. “I’ll be heading over to Rohn’s early. Right after sunrise for morning chores.”
“Okay.”
“Bonnie’s been sleeping over at Rohn’s because there hasn’t been much furniture in her and her mother’s house. But now that the trailer’s there, I figure they’ll both head over to start unpacking.”
He glanced over and saw her biting her lip. She raised her eyes to meet his. “So you think I should go over there to meet her?”
Meet seemed like too mild a word for the situation. For what Phoenix was about to do.
“Maybe. Hell, I don’t know.” He shrugged.
“I don’t know either.” She sounded torn between being relieved to have company in her confusion and frustrated he didn’t have any answers for her.
They’d almost reached the turn to his home. He felt the pressure to get everything settled before he cut her loose for the night. “When I get inside, I’ll text you the address of the house Bonnie and her momma own. Let me know what you’re planning on doing when you figure it out. Okay?”
“I will.”
“And text when you get back to the hotel so I know you made it a’ight,” he added.
“Okay.”
He nodded and flipped on the blinker. Back to the directions. “So here’s the turn. When you come out of my house and get to the corner, you’re going to turn left to get back on the main road.”
“That’s easy enough. I think I’ll be able to handle it. I’m just glad this didn’t turn out to be some sort of huge monster truck. I was a little worried.”
“Sorry. I should have told you what to expect. I wouldn’t have offered if it was—” He glanced over and saw her smiling.
“I’m just teasing you. I’m fine.” She sounded confident enough that he finally believed her.
“Okay. So this is it. Home sweet home.” He slowed and pulled along the curb, threw the truck in reverse, and backed into the drive so she only had to drive straight out.
He put it in Park but left the engine running. It was too tempting to sneak her into his room and make out with her the way he used to when he was a teen. But this was a different time, and his mother a different person. “Be sure to let me know when you get to the hotel.”
“I will.”
He got out and stood by the open driver’s window while she hopped from the passenger to the driver’s seat.
“The adjustment for the seat is right under there.” He watched as she moved the seat up until she could reach the pedals. “You good?”
“Good.” She nodded, her hands on the steering wheel. “Thank you again for the loan of the truck.”
“No problem. Don’t wreck it.”
“I won’t.” She hesitated before continuing, “Have a good night. I hope things are all good with your mom.”
He dismissed her concern with a wave of his hand. “Yeah. It’s all good. I’ve just been away for a while, you know?”
“I know.” She nodded. “Okay, so I guess I should get back before it’s dark.”
“Oh, yeah. The lights are right here on the dash. And the high beams are on the directional.” He waited while she looked where he indicated to be sure she could find everything.
Damn, everything would be so different if he didn’t have responsibilities. He’d be deep in this woman by now, doing exactly as the hotel clerk assumed they’d be doing. Instead, he was sending her away, alone, and in his truck no less.
He pushed off the truck and took a step back. “Okay. You get going. Good night.”
“’Night, Justin.” She concentrated on shifting into Drive and then, with a wave, flipped on the blinker to turn out of his driveway.
He stood and watched until his truck was out of sight before he sighed and turned back toward the house.
He’d never gotten to eat, so that was first on the agenda. He cut off a nice-sized slab of the leftover lasagna and used a fork to lift it onto a plate. He put that in the microwave and let it heat while he went to the fridge to get something to drink. He grabbed a bottle of water even though after walking away from Phoenix he really needed a beer.
As the microwave chugged, heating the pasta, sauce, and cheese into a molten mass that had the kitchen smelling so good his mouth began to water, he heard his mother’s bedroom door open.
Shortly after, she was standing in the kitchen doorway. “That smells good.”
As if he was dealing with one of the horses at work, he didn’t jump on her comment, though that’s exactly what he wanted to do.
His mother being hungry, and taking the initiative not only to get out of bed but come into the kitchen felt so monumental, it was all he could do not to shove her into the kitchen chair with a plate and fork in front of her.
“I know. I love Aunt Phoebe’s lasagna.” He didn’t ask her if she wanted any. If he did, she might say no.
Instead, he simply took the steaming, laden plate out of the microwave when it dinged and then reached into the cabinet for another plate. He cut the one slice into two and put half onto the second plate. After grabbing two forks from the drawer, he carried both dishes to the table and set them down.
Ignoring his mother as best he could, he dug into his own dish and worked to restrain himself when she sat in the chair opposite him and pulled the dish and fork closer to her. She took first one bite and then another.
He hid his smile behind a forkful of lasagna. Maybe things were going to be okay after all. He tamped down the hope, knowing she had good days and bad. If he expected nothing, he couldn’t be disappointed. But for now, she was up and eating
and that was a good thing.
The phone in his jeans rang for the second time in the past hour. Thinking it could be Phoenix, Justin stood and wrestled it out of his pocket to glance at the readout. He groaned when he saw the name Colton.
He glanced up to find his mother watching him. He tossed the phone onto the table unanswered. “Sorry about that. It’s just one of the guys from work. Probably wanting me to go out tonight.”
“You should go. You hardly go out with your friends at all anymore.”
“But I just got home after being away. I thought I’d spend the night here with you.”
She waved his offer away with the flick of one hand. “Don’t be silly. There’s a new episode of my favorite show on tonight and I missed the last one, so I figured I’d catch up and watch that before the new one airs.”
“Yeah? What show?”
“You know the one set in England at the turn of the century?”
He smothered the groan that threatened to emerge. He hated that show.
“Yeah, I know the one you’re talking about. Good show.” His attempt to sound enthusiastic came out sounding less than stellar.
His mother actually smiled. The expression was so rare, it threw him, and he didn’t know what to do or say next.
“Go out, Justin. Otherwise you’re going to have to sit in the living room with me and watch two hours of a show I know will put you to sleep.”
If he was lucky it would put him to sleep. That was the best-case scenario. Worst case, he’d actually stay awake and have to watch the show. That would require more endurance than he thought he had.
Still, he was reluctant to leave her, even in a good state. He lived in fear daily that he’d come home and find her curled up in a ball in her dark room. He always wondered if he could have prevented the downward slide in her mood if he had been here.
“I think I’ll stay home with you.”
“Justin.” She put her fork down and leveled her gaze on him. She looked so much like her old self he couldn’t help but hope there was light at the end of the tunnel. “Go out with your friend. Have fun. Act your age for once, instead of like an old man.”
“Hey, I don’t act like an old man.” He feigned insult.
His phone beeped once. A text message. He glanced down and saw it come across the screen.
At the hotel. Safe and sound. I’m sure that new dent will come right out.
She’d signed it with a smiley face.
His heart sped. He wasn’t in the mood to go out with Colton, but he sure was in the mood to see Phoenix.
“Your friend?” his mother asked.
Justin nodded. It wasn’t a lie. After all the time they’d spent together, all she’d shared with him, it felt as if Phoenix was a friend. Of course, he’d like to make that friends with benefits.
He glanced across the table. “You sure you don’t mind if I go out?”
“No. Now text back right now and tell them you’re coming.”
He smiled. “Yes, ma’am. I will.” He picked up the phone.
Feel like company? I could come over to check out that dent.
He signed it with a smiley face himself, which was so unlike him, he nearly laughed.
The reply came back so fast it had him almost shaking with anticipation.
I’d love company.
He had to finish eating and set a good example for his mother. Then shower and grab clean clothes. But then . . .
Yeah, he couldn’t think about then. He’d end up getting a hard-on right there in the kitchen. He punched in the text.
Be right over.
Putting the phone down, he picked up his fork. “So next time, you think you can convince Aunt Phoebe to make some meatballs, too?”
“Mmm, meatballs would be good. I’ll do my best.” His mother swallowed another mouth of food and Justin’s mood soared. She was talking. Eating. Smiling.
The light at the end of the long dark tunnel seemed even brighter.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Justin was nervous, which was crazy. He wasn’t eighteen. Far from it. He was almost twenty-eight and he’d been with more girls than he could count on two hands, and yet as he drove Jeremy’s truck toward Phoenix’s hotel, his stomach was jittery, his mind spinning.
He shouldn’t start something with her when she was leaving so soon. He also shouldn’t start something with her if she could be Bonnie’s long-lost daughter, a secret Bonnie had possibly kept from Rohn for the past twenty-five years.
Complicated didn’t even begin to describe this situation, or Phoenix, and yet Justin pushed his brother’s truck past the speed limit to get to her.
With any luck, they’d both have a little fun and then he’d get her out of his system.
Of course maybe she’d just want to watch movies on television.
That might be better for everyone involved. It was insane to keep thinking and wondering and planning when he had no clue what she wanted.
Even if he had barreled into her room like a bull out of the chute and kissed her before, that didn’t mean anything. He’d taken her by surprise. She’d had lots of time to think about it since that happened. Time to change her mind about inviting him back into her bed once he’d been dumb enough to leave it.
All because of that phone call. He sighed and realized he’d never gotten back to Colton.
Oh, well. He’d just tell him he came back from the road trip and fell asleep. Claim he was exhausted from the three days on the road, and that he hadn’t heard the phone.
One more lie added to the pile he’d have to tell if Phoenix didn’t get over her trepidation and confront Bonnie about the adoption sooner rather than later.
Before he knew it, he was at the corner before the turn into the hotel.
The sun was beginning to set behind the building, painting the sky with a splash of color as he flipped on his directional signal and turned into the parking lot.
He smiled when he saw where she’d parked his truck. She’d pulled all the way to the end of the lot, into a corner spot under a security light. This must be her city girl effort to protect his truck from dings or thievery.
Maybe it hadn’t been as crazy or rash a decision to lend her his vehicle while she was in town. She was treating it with more care than he did on most days. He was still smiling about that when he knocked at her room.
She opened the door almost immediately after he knocked. Since he’d texted, he knew she’d been expecting him, so the speed with which she answered didn’t surprise him. What was unexpected, and what he found very interesting, was that she’d changed into her nightclothes.
They’d spent the night in the same room yesterday, so he’d seen her in sleeping clothes already, but that had been unavoidable because they had been sharing a room.
Today was a different story, yet apparently she had no qualms about getting comfortable with him. He liked that idea. A lot.
“Hey.” Phoenix stepped back from the door to let him in.
“Hey.” He echoed her greeting.
Too late, he thought how he should have picked up something on his way over. Beer. Food. Something.
Arriving empty-handed seemed rude, but as she raised her gaze to his and he saw the heat in her eyes, he had to think his hands wouldn’t be empty long. They could be filled with Phoenix’s soft curves. He’d be more than happy with that.
“I’m glad you came back.” She bit her lip as she visibly struggled to maintain eye contact.
“So am I.” He took a step forward and rested his hands on the spot where her narrow waist flared out to the hourglass-shaped curve of her hips. She took a step closer in response. “Very glad.”
He lowered his head toward hers, intent on getting back to where they’d left off, when she said, “Can you stay for longer this time?”
“Do you want me to stay?”
“Yes.” She bit her lip after saying it.
“Then I’ll try my best to stay.” It sure as shit would take a lot to
make him leave.
“Just your best?” She shot him a doubt-filled look as she teased, but Justin knew behind every joke was an ounce of truth. He couldn’t blame her if she was insecure because he’d left before, but he knew one way he could reassure her.
“Mmm-hmm. Now hush up so I can kiss you.” There were better uses for both of their mouths.
The crease of doubt and concern disappeared from her forehead as she leaned just a bit closer. “Okay.”
That was easy. He leaned in and closed the final distance between them, covering her lips with his as he ran his hands down lower.
The feel of the soft fabric of her shorts sliding over the bare skin of her buttocks sent a thrill through him, and he was happy she’d changed.
He breathed in the scent of her. She smelled clean and fresh, like bar soap and scented lotion. She must have taken advantage of the selection of tiny bottles that came with every hotel room, even cheap ones.
Tangling one hand in her silky tresses, he cradled her head as he kissed her deeper, all while he used his other hand to hold her tight against him.
She pulled back, looking temptingly aroused and breathless. She raised her gaze to his. “We can get into bed if you want to.”
If he wanted to? Was she kidding? She couldn’t seriously have any doubt. Not with the rigid length of his raging hard-on pressing into her stomach.
“Yeah, I want to.” He lifted her easily and she squealed with surprise.
He carried her to the mattress and laid her on top of the covers. Since this time he had no intention of leaving, he sat in the chair by the bed and pulled off his boots. He let them drop, the heavy leather falling to the floor with two thuds before he stood.
She made a hell of a fine sight, leaning against the pillows, watching him move toward her. They’d been in this situation already once today. He still couldn’t believe he’d had the strength to leave her then. He wasn’t sure he would now.