Catch of a Lifetime: A Cricket Creek Novel

by LuAnn McLane

  “Thanks. I will,” Ty promised. Mitch Monroe was going to come to town for opening day, but his investment in the venture was going to be kept a secret. Ty wasn’t quite sure why, but he and Noah were told to keep it on the down low. “I admit that I can’t wait for the season to begin.”

  “Me too.” Jessica moved her hand back and forth over his chest, and he had to swallow a groan. Her touch wasn’t meant to be sexual, but comforting, and damn if it didn’t make it all the more enticing. She could be a little spitfire, but Jessica was a loving, caring woman. Ty wondered if she knew what her gentle touch was doing to him.

  “Will you go away with me when the season is over? The beach . . . or anywhere you want to go. Hell, I don’t care as long as you’re with me.” When her eyes widened slightly, Ty could have kicked himself in the ass. He was going too damned fast!

  “I would love that,” she floored him by saying. “Madison has been bugging me to get out of the kitchen more often and to stop hovering over the staff. It’s hard for me to do, but I’m determined to try.”

  “Smart girl,” Ty said causally, even though his heart was pounding. “And she loves you. That goes without question. But even better, Madison appreciates and respects you. That tells me again that you’ve been an amazing mother.”

  “There might have been some divine intervention, because I sure prayed for help. Like I said, I was terrified!” Jessica shook her head slowly. “Aunt Myra had never had children either, and we both found out that babies don’t come with instructions.”

  Although Jessica smiled, she couldn’t hide the pain in her amber eyes. “I’m surprised your parents didn’t come after you and drag you back home,” Ty said.

  “Ha!” Jessica chuckled without real mirth. “My father was glad to be ride of his shameful daughter, and my mother was afraid to stand up for me.”

  “Oh, baby, I’m so sorry.”

  “Thank you,” Jessica said with a little catch in her voice. “I gave up hope that my mother would one day just show up on my doorstep. We haven’t spoken since the day I called to tell them I was moving in with Aunt Myra.”

  “Such a sad loss for everyone.” Ty traced a fingertip over her bare shoulder. “So, I’m guessing that your father and Myra don’t speak?”

  Jessica nodded. “Aunt Myra said that they had grown up poor and that my father was always obsessed with making money. They lost their own parents in a car accident, so you would think that my father would want to remain close to his only sister. But he didn’t approve of Aunt Myra. And when Aunt Myra and my mother became close, my father suddenly cut all ties with her. But I always remembered her visits, and I just knew that she would take me in.”

  Ty could feel the tension in her shoulder and gave her a reassuring squeeze.

  “At any rate, Madison was raised on love and determination by a town full of people who watched over her while I worked in the diner. I told her that the saying It takes a village was coined for her. I think she still believes it.”

  Ty leaned back against the pillows and laughed. “Like I said, Madison lights up a room. I understand why Jason fell head over heels for your daughter. Even though, I have to say, that boy has his hands full.”

  “Ya think?” Jessica asked with raised eyebrows, and then chuckled softly. “So does poor Owen with Aunt Myra.”

  “Believe me, I don’t think either of them minds one bit. And they’re both good, hard workers. The landscaping at the stadium is amazing, and Jason sure has some talent.” Ty could tell she was getting emotional and wanted to change the subject. Still, he was so glad that she had opened up and shared some of her past with him.

  “Oh, I know. And they work well together. The patio at the diner is going to be gorgeous.” She glanced at the digital clock on the nightstand. “I’d better get over there soon.” She put her fingertips back to her cheeks. “I’m going to have to sneak up the back way to my apartment over the diner. Oh, the walk of shame . . .”

  While her tone was teasing, Ty had to ask, “Are you worried about that?”

  Jessica scooted up to a sitting position and lifted one shoulder slightly, a shoulder that he wanted to lean over and kiss. “It’s a small town, so you have to get used to everyone knowing your business,” she said, but Ty suddenly understood. She had learned to weather guilt and shame at a tender age. The wound might have healed, but there were still deep scars. “I just hate gossip.”

  “Believe me, I know what you mean.”

  “Really?” She angled her head in question. “Care to elaborate?”

  “Actually, I do. Listen, do you have a little while so we can share a pot of coffee and maybe some breakfast?”

  “I’m not really needed for the breakfast crowd. I have a capable cook for that,” she admitted.

  “Hot damn!” Ty leaned over and gave her a high five. “Now, was that so hard?”

  “No.” Jessica nibbled on the inside of her lip. “Maybe a little,” she acknowledged, and then her eyebrows shot up. “Hey, so are you doing the cooking?”

  Ty winced. “I’m a little intimidated to prepare a meal for you, but, yeah, I’ll do the cooking and clean up too. How’s that?”

  “You keep making me offers I can’t refuse.”

  “Good. And I intend to continue doing it.”

  “Wow! See, there you go again.” She laughed, and her smile was suddenly back.

  And he fully intended to keep it there.

  Ty scooted from the bed before he ended up pulling her into his arms again. He reached down and tugged on his sweatpants. “I’ll go get breakfast started. You’re welcome to shower or whatever you want to do.”

  “Thanks.” The smile remained, but rosy color blossomed in her cheeks.

  “You’re more than welcome to anything you need.” Ty reminded himself that she was unsure, vulnerable, and he should tread softly, but, damn, it was difficult, especially seeing her sleep tousled and tangled in his bedsheets. He took a deep breath and paused at the doorway. “Oh, and if you want to lounge in one of my shirts, feel free to grab anything you want.”

  “Grab anything I want? Those offers just keep right on coming,” she said, and gave him a throaty giggle. “I can’t believe I just said that.” She put a hand over her mouth and shook her head slowly. Her cheeks flushed a deeper rose, making Ty take long strides back to the bed.

  He sat down on the mattress and gently pulled her hand from her mouth. “Quit hiding your beautiful face from me.”

  “You’re bringing out a side of me I never knew I possessed. Maybe there is more of Aunt Myra in me than I ever realized.”

  “Whatever you’re afraid of that’s making you hold back . . . let it go and set yourself free.”

  “It’s not easy, but I’m trying.”

  “That’s all I can ask.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek and then stood up. “Do you have any special requests for breakfast?”

  “Eggs Benedict?”

  “You’ve got to me kidding me,” he said in a low voice.

  “Yeah, I was. How about cooking some good, old-fashioned scrambled eggs?”

  He pointed at her and snapped his fingers. “Now you’re talking. Scrambling eggs and grilling are about the extent of my abilities.”

  “Maybe you need some lessons.”

  “I would love that.”

  “Good. I can teach both you and Madison. . . . Oh, my goodness.” She looked at him with a big smile and bright eyes. “Cooking classes at the diner. Wine tasting too! This could be so much fun in the dead winter season.”

  “Excellent idea!” He shook his head. “You are amazing.” His eyes met hers and locked. He didn’t know how much longer he could keep from telling her how much he loved her. He swallowed the words on his tongue. “Okay, I’m off to scramble eggs.”

  “Don’t overcook them!” she called after him. “And make the coffee strong!”

  “Oh, God. The pressure is on!” He smiled when he heard her laughter, but then had to pause at the kitchen counter
to catch his breath. He could really get used to waking up to Jessica in his bed, but more important, in his life.

  17

  Fair Game

  Jessica caught her bottom lip between her teeth as she scooted from the bed. It suddenly felt deliciously wicked to be naked, but for some reason she felt the need to tiptoe over to his walk-in closet. She flipped on the light and then put her fingertips to her lips when she spotted the rack of neckties. “Oh, my God,” she whispered in a high-pitched squeak. Had she really tied the man to his bed? When that vision popped into Jessica’s head, a delicious, hot shiver snaked down her spine. Yes, she certainly had! She stared at the ties and tilted her head. “And guess what. I loved it,” she whispered with a sense of wonder.

  Jessica stood there for a long moment, but then she smiled. For such a long time, she had suppressed her true self. Her father’s stern disapproval and her mother’s nervous fear had sucked her personality right out of her body, leaving her an empty shell. As an adult, she had come to the realization that sex at such a young age had been her way of seeking love and attention, and an act of rebellion. But the hot shame of the pregnancy had been crushing, causing Jessica to walk a straight line from that day forward, never giving anyone the least little reason to attach any kind of scandal or gossip to her name.

  And she was sick and tired of walking on eggshells. Ty was right. She needed to let go—give herself the freedom to live, love, and laugh! “It’s about damned time,” she said, and then looked around the big closet for a T-shirt. She tugged a black baseball-cut shirt from a hanger and smiled at the Cougars logo in the center. She thought about searching for her bra and panties, but shook her head. “Who needs ’em?” she said brazenly, and when the soft cotton shirt slid against her bare skin, she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. The masculine scent of leather, starched shirts, and spicy aftershave filled her head and curled her toes. She suddenly wanted a long, hot kiss but first she needed to brush her teeth.

  “Oh, my God!” Jessica muttered when she viewed her reflection in the mirror. Her usual, carefully brushed hair was in wild disarray around her shoulders. Except for a trace of smudged mascara, her makeup was gone, and yet there was a glow in her cheeks and a sparkle in her eyes. She smiled and knew the reason why.

  She was happy.

  With the smile intact, she tamed her hair with Ty’s brush and then located a toothbrush still in the package. A few minutes later, her face was scrubbed and her breath was fresh. Now she was ready to claim a kiss from the cook.

  Jessica padded on bare feet down the hallway and almost groaned at the aroma of brewing coffee. But when she stepped into the doorway of the kitchen, her newfound bravery took a hike and she swallowed hard. She stood there uncertainly and was considering heading back to the bedroom for her own clothes, but watching Ty putter around in the kitchen captured her attention, and she was suddenly rooted to the spot.

  Since when was cracking eggs into a bowl so very sexy?

  Right. Since it’s Ty McKenna doing the cracking. The act of whisking was even better. Muscles bunched and flexed, and when he reached up into the upper cabinet for plates,his low-slung sweatpants slid even farther down on his hips. One little tug and she could have them at his ankles, press him up against the counter, and . . .

  Ty turned around. “Hey, there you are! Hungry?”

  “Oh, you have no idea.”

  “I . . . uh . . .” His mouth opened and closed at her comment. “C-coffee?”

  “Yes, but go back to what you’re doing. I can help myself. Do you have cream?”

  Instead of answering, he simply blinked at her.

  “Ty?”

  “Y-Yes?”

  “Do you have cream?” Jessica asked slowly.

  “Cream?”

  “For my coffee.” She pointed to the coffeemaker, but his gaze remained on her.

  He gave her a lopsided grin. “I’m sorry. I’m trying to focus, but I can’t get past you standing there in my shirt. I swear, I think it is the sexiest damn thing I’ve ever seen. . . .”

  The intensity of his gaze made her melt like hot fudge sliding down a scoop of vanilla ice cream. She no longer cared about coffee or scrambled eggs. All she could think about was her hands on his bare skin. And the evidence of his desire for her made her feel sexy and bold. “Come here,” he requested in a whiskey-rough voice that had her legs moving before her brain had a chance to react. His gaze was like a magnet drawing her forward, and she was powerless to resist. Or perhaps it was because her resistance was gone and she was embracing feelings that were growing stronger every minute she spent with him.

  Ty leaned against the counter in open invitation, and Jessica understood. He needed her to make this move. He wanted her to show him that her walls were coming down . . . and so she did. Jessica walked toward him without hesitation, but slowly. Deliberately. When she stood before him, he didn’t move or say a word, but the look in his eyes was enough. Jessica reached up and put her hands on his bare chest. The feel of his warm, smooth skin over hard muscle made her breath catch. The steady beat of his heart thudding beneath her palm made this seem so real and solid.

  Lasting.

  And yet Jessica stood very still and waited for the fear, the uncertainty, to chase away the happiness blossoming in her heart. But all she felt was love radiating between them. Jessica wanted to tell him how she felt, but she held back, oddly feeling that saying the words would somehow shatter the foundation that had been building for the past year. Saying those three little words might bring back the fear that had haunted her childhood like ghosts, and she wanted those demons to be gone forever.

  Jessica felt it, strong and sturdy like the beat of Ty’s heart, but she wouldn’t say it until she was ready to do so without reservation or hesitation. She could tell by his white-knuckled grip on the edge of the countertop that he wanted to touch her, and she smoothed her hands down his chest and reached for his hands. After rubbing her fingers gently over his, she leaned in and placed a tender kiss in the middle of his chest. She felt his quick intake of breath and was amazed that a single kiss could bring this big, strong athlete to his knees.

  This must be love. It had to be love.

  Finally! Jessica soaked up the feeling like a plant needing water, but she couldn’t raise her head, for fear that he would certainly see the stark reality shining in her eyes. And so she leaned her forehead against his chest, wanting his strong arms around her and him telling her it would be okay.

  But the fear that she had chased away suddenly sensed her weakness and pounced. She felt the sharp talons digging in and clawing away her happiness. “I can’t do this,” she whispered, but when she would have backed away, Ty put his arms around her. “Let me go!” She pushed at his chest.

  “No!” He held her tightly, as if he understood her erratic behavior. She was embarrassed and wished the floor would swallow her up. “I won’t let you go.”

  “Yes, damn you!” She pushed harder, but she was no match for his strength. She kicked at his shin and connected. He grunted but didn’t release her. She felt like a child having a temper tantrum, and yet she couldn’t control her emotions. “Let me go,” she croaked.

  “Not in this lifetime.” His hold was strong but gentle, and when he kissed the top of her head, she started to cry. Fear and anger that had been bottled up for years spilled down her cheeks. “I’m so s-sorry. Just let . . . m-me go.”

  “Shhh!”

  “I don’t want this!”

  “Bullshit!”

  She titled her face upward. “It’s not b-bullshit. I hate this feeling of . . . weakness. That’s what love does. Hurts! Release me.”

  “Say it again, Jessica.”

  “It hurts.”

  “What hurts?”

  She had fallen into his trap and would not say it.

  “Love,” he prodded softly.

  She tried to push away, but he wouldn’t allow it. “If you don’t let me go, I’m going to bite your . . . your nippl
e off!”

  “Go ahead. Do it.”

  Jessica pushed, but his arms were like steel bands. “I’m serious,” she growled.

  “So am I. I’m not going to let you go. Ever.”

  “Then say good-bye to your nipple.”

  “You’re not going to hurt me.” He released his hold just enough to give her access to do whatever damage she wanted to inflict.

  “I’m giving you one last chance to keep your nipple at-tached to your body.” Of course, her threat was laughable, but he didn’t chuckle. He didn’t plead, and simply stood there trusting her. Well, I’ll show him! Love and trust were going to make him a one-nipple man.

  “This is gonna hurt!”

  “Go for it.”

  “Don’t say I didn’t warn you!” Jessica stalled, but when he stood firm, she put her mouth over his nipple. Dear God, she tried to ignore her traitorous body’s reaction. She clamped her teeth on him and waited for his muscles to tense up, but he stood there all relaxed and confident. She bit down a little just to scare him and to prove her point, but he didn’t even flinch! Jessica ordered her brain to bite harder, but her mouth wouldn’t obey. Damn! She didn’t want to draw blood, but she wanted to prove the very valid point that you can’t trust anyone with your heart or you’ll be so very sorry.

  But she simply could not cause the man any real pain.

  She opened her mouth and let go. “You win,” she said gruffly.

  “This isn’t about winning or losing. I knew you wouldn’t hurt me. Even though my shin might be bruised.”

  “Right. It was my bare foot. And, yeah, well, I didn’t want your stupid nipple hanging out of my mouth, so you got lucky. Ew.”

  “You’re a crappy liar.”

  “And this is the craziest conversation I’ve ever had. We both know I wasn’t going to bite your nipple off! Just let me go. Ty, I’ve tried to let my guard down. I want to. I simply can’t.”

  “Can’t?”

  “Oh, don’t go all Madison on me!”

  “What?”