by Cat Johnson
“I’ve wanted you since Texas.”
She smiled. “Really?”
“Yup.” He planted one knee on the edge of the bed.
“Then why didn’t you say anything?” she asked.
“I was stupid.” He crawled onto the mattress.
He drew in a deep breath through his nose and let out a groan as he moved over her. Straddling her legs while kneeling, he ran his hands down her body, from her waist, over her hips, pausing at her thighs. “Man, I love these shorts.”
A crinkle formed between her brows. “They’re old and ratty.”
Not ratty, as she called them, but they were old and soft, worn so thin he could see the outline of her perfectly through the fabric. All the parts he wanted to get his hands on were just beneath this cotton.
He held her hips in his hands, using his thumbs to trace small circles over the fabric covering her warm body.
“I like them, but if you don’t, I’d be happy to take them off for you.” He cocked one brow and watched her face.
“Okay.” She breathed the answer, her voice full of need.
His mouth watering at the thought of what lay beneath, he didn’t waste any time. Hooking his fingers beneath the stretched-out elastic waistband, he slid the shorts slowly down, over her hip bones and then lower.
She lifted her hips to give him the access he needed. His focus narrowed to one thing and one thing only—Phoenix and how he wanted to please her.
Tossing the shorts to the floor, he moved back and spread her legs wider. She drew in a sharp breath. Lowering his head, he got the reaction he’d been seeking when his mouth connected with her core.
He could do this all night if she’d let him. But he had a feeling they both had a few other activities in mind.
She drew in a staggering breath as he spread her with his thumbs and worked her with his tongue. Sliding two fingers inside her, he doubled his efforts as she raised her hips.
When she cried out the first time, he wondered if there was anyone in the neighboring room. That concern didn’t make him ease up on her, though. In fact, the sound of her cries only intensified his motion.
By the time he felt her muscles convulse around his fingers, he couldn’t care less how loud she was or who heard them.
She’d barely stopped coming when he was up and off the bed. Phoenix’s eyes flew wide.
Breathless, she asked, “You’re going?”
“Hell no.” He reached down and began unbuckling his belt. He wasn’t nearly done yet, but he paused with one hand on the button of his jeans. “Unless you want me to.”
“No.” She said it with such force he had to laugh.
“Good.”
That would have been more than uncomfortable, driving home while he was harder than a sack of nickels. The denim containing him was torture. He felt sweet relief as he lowered the zipper of his fly.
She watched every move he made. He felt as if he was in some sort of strip show—a really bad one—as he shoved his jeans down his legs. The jeans caught on his socks. He kicked his feet free of the denim while reaching for the hem of his T-shirt.
With her eyes still on him, he pulled the shirt over his head and tossed it to the floor. That left him standing before her in nothing but slightly dingy white socks and navy blue briefs.
The socks had to go. He tried tugging them off while standing, hopping on one foot, and almost toppled over. He didn’t miss the smile on Phoenix’s lips as he sat—nearly fell—into the chair. He pulled the offending pieces of clothing off and tossed them.
Then there was nothing to prevent him from closing in on the bed, where he intended to show her that although he might have looked like a klutz getting undressed, he could be pretty damn smooth once he got horizontal.
Lying on his side on the bed next to her, he propped his head on one hand and rested the other on her stomach. She rested her hand on top of his and he felt the warmth of her palm against his skin.
She was still wearing her T-shirt. He’d dispense with that soon enough.
First he wanted—no, needed—to kiss her. He leaned low and brushed his lips against hers before sinking deeper into the kiss, thrusting his tongue against hers.
He couldn’t kiss this woman without wanting more of her. He slid his hand up, pushing her shirt higher and feeling the silky smooth skin beneath it. He reached the plump flesh of her breast.
Brushing a thumb across her peaked nipple, he felt a shiver run through her.
That was before she started to do some exploring of her own. She moved her hand to the bare skin of his stomach and then slid beneath the elastic band of his underwear.
His breath caught in his throat when she made contact with the tip of his hard length. She moved lower, stoking his already burning-hot desire. It had been too long since anyone but he had touched his cock.
He should have been very happy as she held him in her hand and stroked him, but he didn’t want foreplay. He wanted her. All of her.
Groaning, he threw one leg over hers. He pulled his mouth away only long enough to wrestle her shirt over her head. He wanted them skin to skin. She must have shared his desire. She shoved at his briefs, pushing them down as far as she could reach.
Smiling, he decided that even as hot as it was to have her stripping him bare with her own hands, it would speed things along if he helped. He wiggled his legs out of the briefs and then there was nothing separating them.
He kissed her mouth before moving to tug her earlobe between his teeth. “Want you.”
She hissed in a breath. “Want you, too.”
That was all he needed to hear. In a move that was worthy of an Olympic gymnast, Justin managed to twist his torso and reach back with one arm to grab his jeans off the floor, all while his lower half stayed happily pressed against Phoenix.
Once the pants were on the bed with him, he felt inside the pocket, pulling out a condom.
Her brows rose as her eyes zeroed in on the small square packet he held between his fingers. “You carry those around, do you?”
Uh-oh.
Snarky questions such as that, at this stage of the game, were like a penalty flag on the field. It put an immediate stop to his forward momentum.
“No. Not usually. I put it in my pocket when you texted that I could come back over. Wishful thinking, I guess.” He was scrambling to find a way to fix the mess he’d made, simply by being prepared. Then he noticed the corners of her lips tip up in a smile, confusing him more.
“Justin, relax. I’m only teasing you.” She grabbed the packet from his hand and pushed him onto his back. He landed on the mattress with a bounce.
This woman was real good at keeping him on his toes. She continually surprised him. The changes and revelations were enough to give a man whiplash, but he couldn’t be upset by that. Not with her straddling him, naked.
Justin wouldn’t have been able to tear his gaze away from her even if he’d wanted to as Phoenix tore into the wrapper with her teeth.
She covered him with the latex sheath. When she lowered herself over him, her warmth engulfing him slowly, completely, he threw his head back, pressing into the pillow.
Eyes closed, he basked in the sensation of being surrounded by her. He settled his hands on her hips as she set the pace. He could get into letting her be in control. He usually liked to be the one running the show, but letting her lead was damned nice. It almost made him forget what a stupid decision it was to do this with her.
Almost, but not quite.
As he opened his eyes and her gaze captured his, all the reasons they shouldn’t be doing this fled. He couldn’t think of a single one.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Justin was still breathless. His chest, slightly damp with sweat, rose and fell beneath Phoenix’s cheek when he said, “I really hope you’re not Bonnie’s daughter.”
Surprised by that comment, Phoenix lifted her head from where she rested it against him so she could see his face. “You do?”
&n
bsp; “Yeah.” Justin cringed. “That sounded really selfish and I’m sorry. But it’s true.”
“I’ll forgive you, but only if you tell me why you feel like that.”
“Besides how it would be more than a little awkward that I just had sex with the secret daughter of my boss’s fiancé, you mean?”
She couldn’t help but smile at his joking as she lay back down on his bare chest. “Yeah, besides that.”
Justin lifted one shoulder beneath her head. “I’m afraid of what it will do to Bonnie and Rohn’s relationship. He was alone and lonely for so long.”
“Why?” she asked.
“He was married for a long time. Like fifteen, maybe closer to twenty years, I think. But he hadn’t even really dated anyone since his wife died of cancer five years ago.”
“Wow. Five years is a long time. I mean for a man who was used to having a woman in his life for decades. Being alone for that long must have been hard.”
“I know. And I understand his needing time to heal.” Justin let out a breath. “Believe me, I understand, but it was more than that. It seemed as if he was like a . . . shadow during that time. I mean, he was there but not really. Like he was going through the motions but not really living. You know?”
“Yeah.” It was easy to understand what Justin was talking about. He spoke with such emotion. Such empathy for the loss Rohn had experienced.
Justin was a surprise. She knew he ran deeper than he let on, but he liked to hide that part of himself. Hearing him talk about Rohn’s loss, she felt as if she could see inside him. She saw at least hints of the parts he usually hid.
“But what the hell do I know?” He lifted one shoulder. “I only know it made me feel good to see that he came out of it. And I don’t want to see him go back into the shadows again.”
Phoenix’s heart broke for the man, even if she had yet to meet him. Hearing Justin talk about him with such concern and conviction made it feel more personal, more pertinent to her. And if Bonnie turned out to be her mother, and she married Rohn, they’d be connected.
She could only imagine what it would feel like to lose someone she’d dedicated her whole life to. How her father would feel if he lost her mother. Though he wasn’t the kind to gush romance, she knew he and her mother were tied together. They were partners for a lifetime and either one would feel the loss of the other keenly.
“But you said he’s better now?” she asked, needing the reassurance that Rohn was okay.
“Oh, yeah. From almost the moment Bonnie came back to town. All of a sudden he’s like a new person. He redecorated the house. For the first time in a long time he seems . . . happy. And now they’re engaged and going out on dates. It’s like he’s a teenager again.”
“That’s great.”
“Yeah, it is. But if she didn’t want him to know about the baby, I mean about you, but he finds out, what then? That is if she’s your mother at all, which she might not be.” He drew in a deep breath and let it out. “Damn, this shit is confusing.”
“Pfft. Tell me about it.” Phoenix lifted up on one elbow so she could see him when she said, “But I can’t leave without at least meeting her.”
“I know. And I want you to meet her. I just hope it all works out for everyone when you do.”
“So do I. Believe me, so do I.” She blew out a breath. “As long as we’ve suddenly gotten so serious . . .”
He frowned. “Uh-oh. That doesn’t sound good. What’s up?”
She smacked his chest with one hand. “Don’t look like that. I just wanted to say, I know this was a one-time thing, so I don’t want you to worry, or get freaked out and avoid me.”
“Nuh-uh. I wouldn’t do that . . . I can’t. You’ve got my truck.” He grinned, earning him another smack.
“Don’t kid. You’re the only person I know in town and I have a feeling when I go to meet Bonnie, no matter how it works out, I’m going to need a friend. I don’t want to think I’ve lost your friendship because of this one time.”
He frowned deep. “I’m a little concerned.”
“About this?”
“I really don’t like how you keep repeating that one-time business. Because looking at that clock over there, I see that I’ve got time for at least one more time. Possibly two.”
Phoenix rolled her eyes. “Can’t you be serious for even a minute?”
He’d flipped her over onto her back before she knew what had happened. He hovered above her, his face close, his weight pressing her into the mattress.
“I’m gonna be there for you, Phoenix. I promise. I’m too invested in this to abandon you.”
His words had her heart thundering. “You are?”
“Yeah. Rohn, Bonnie, you, me. Like it or not, we’re all tied together now. That happened the moment I told you where to find Bonnie and agreed to drive you here. Your confiding your secret to me only sealed the deal.”
“Oh.” She did her best to hide her disappointment when she realized Justin wasn’t invested in her, just in the mess of her life that she’d unfairly involved him in.
“Stop frowning.” He focused on her forehead and brushed his thumb across what were no doubt some unattractive wrinkles. “And stop worrying.”
“I’ll try.” Sex changed things. She knew that. But if he wasn’t worried about it, she’d try not to be.
“Try harder.” Smiling, he lowered his heard toward hers. “I’ll help you.”
He closed the final distance and pressed his mouth over hers. He kissed her thoroughly enough to take away some of the worry.
By the time he’d eased his hand down her body and between her legs, she couldn’t remember what she’d been concerned about in the first place.
Chapter Twenty-Six
It had been a long time since Justin had woken up next to a woman. A very long time. So long, it took him a few seconds to figure out what that warm, soft body was doing pressed up against him in the dark.
He might have been confused at first, but he sure as hell wasn’t unhappy about the situation. In fact, parts of him were very, very happy indeed. One part in particular was perfectly satisfied being pressed against Phoenix’s backside.
Damn, he missed waking up like this.
He didn’t bring girls back to his mother’s place, and he’d been living with her since Jeremy’s death.
On the road, the few times he let himself take an overnight trip with the boys to the rodeo, it would have been a bit awkward while sharing a room. Besides, he wasn’t really into buckle bunnies. He was too old for the eighteen-and nineteen-year-olds who dressed up to scoop a cowboy.
But this, right here, was very nice.
Sex with a friend. He hadn’t done that in—the more he thought about it, the more Justin realized he’d never done that.
He’d had girlfriends, but they’d been just that, girlfriends, not friends. But he and Phoenix had moved into the friend territory.
Friends with benefits, actually.
Very, very nice benefits, which he wouldn’t mind partaking of some more now.
He nuzzled her hair as he drew her closer to him. They were so close together their heads were on one pillow. His arm was around her as his legs tucked in behind her bent knees.
They’d been spooning in their sleep. He’d never been a spooner in the past. But it seemed that even in his sleep he hadn’t wanted to be too far from the warmth of Phoenix’s body.
Actually, that shouldn’t be a surprise. After two bouts of some damn good sex last night, it was no wonder he’d woken up raring to go and seeking out her warmth again.
He wondered what time it was. He should leave, go home and check on his mother.
Maybe checking his phone would be good enough.
Crap, being interested in a girl was turning him into a bad son. Probably one reason he’d avoided serious relationships these past couple of years.
But friends with benefits could be a different situation. At least while Phoenix was still around. If he could drag himsel
f away from her long enough to check on Momma and get to work.
Not quite yet, though.
He compromised with himself. He’d check his phone and look at the time, and if it was as early as he thought it was, and if there were no messages from his mother, he’d start this day off right with a little help from his friend.
Grinning at his idea, he angled to reach back for the nightstand, trying not to disturb Phoenix in the process.
Swiping his hand blindly across the surface of the side table, he finally felt his phone. He closed his fingers around it and pulled it to him. In the dark, he hit the button and the screen lit, making his little section of the room bright as day.
He cringed, hoping the light wouldn’t wake Phoenix up as he checked for a text. The screen was blank.
He chose to take that as a good sign. No news was good news. He’d check in with his mother later, but for now, he needed something else more than he needed reassurance. He saw the clock readout. There would be time for one more taste of her. Smiling, he reached back and replaced the phone.
Ironically, he hadn’t wanted to wake her with the glaring light from the cell, but he had no problem nudging her awake with the tip of his morning hard-on. Sometimes a man had to make a choice. Besides, he’d never mind being awoken for sex, no matter how late or how early it was.
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer, smiling when he heard the soft, sleepy groan rumble through her and vibrate against him.
“What time is it?” she asked.
“Very. Early.” He reinforced each word with a kiss against her ear.
“Then why are you awake?” There was a smile in her voice as she asked the question.
“I can’t help it. A situation arose.” He gave his hips a tiny thrust forward and felt the laugh vibrate through her. He grinned as he teased her further. “Circumstances beyond my control.”
“Yes, I see.” She snuggled more closely against him. “You’re awfully chipper for the crack of dawn.”
“Actually, the crack of dawn is still about an hour away. Which is very lucky, because when the sun comes up I’ll have to leave and get to work.”