“Shit,” he panted between frantic kisses. “Tell me if it’s too much. Do you want me to stop?”
I was too worked up to answer. Needing friction, I shifted slightly, grinding my pelvis against his.
He growled.
“I’m serious, Mackenna. Fuck,” he whispered, moving his mouth down to my neck. “What are you doing to me?”
“Kissing you?” It came out sounding like a question.
“No.” He shook his head. “I’ve kissed girls. It never felt like this before.”
“Violating you against the side of your grandma’s house?”
He laughed against my collarbone. “That’s definitely a first for me.”
Sliding his hand down my thigh, he released the hold he had on my body. Once my feet were back on solid ground, a wave of embarrassment hit me.
I just attacked Jimmy in broad daylight. In his grandma’s yard. We had neighbors, and anyone could’ve gotten an eyeful. I bet the old lady gossip chain was going right now. Landlines all over town were probably occupied.
“Oh, no you don’t,” Jimmy said, pointing at my face. “You don’t get to regret what we just did.”
I wanted to respond, but all I could think about was the way his lips felt against mine. He must have taken my silence as a bad thing.
He frowned. “Do you, though? Regret it, I mean.”
“No. I want to do it again,” I told him before reaching out to feel his chest.
He jumped away. “Keep touching me like that and I’m gonna need a cold shower.”
Getting an idea, I grinned and picked up the nearby garden hose.
“I can help you out with that,” I said, squeezing the nozzle.
A powerful jet of water shot out, spraying Jimmy’s stomach. The look of shock on his face was so hilarious, I couldn’t stop the giggles coming out of my mouth. Without saying a word, he stalked toward me.
“Jimmy,” I warned through another fit of giggles. “I’ll spray you again.”
He gave me an evil grin.
I backed up until there was no length left on the hose, then I really let him have it. He didn’t even flinch as I soaked his skin and shorts.
When he reached me, I let out a squeak and abandoned ship. Dropping the hose, I turned to run.
“I don’t think so, baby.” Jimmy laughed as he hooked an arm around my waist. Pulling my back against his wet front, I felt a hard bulge against my lower back. He lowered his head until his mouth was right by my ear. “The cold shower didn’t work.”
He pressed his lips to the side of my neck and I shivered.
“What are the chances you aren’t going to retaliate with the hose?” I squirmed in his hold.
“Zero,” he replied before spraying the top of my head.
Screeching, I spun away from him. Then I realized my mistake when all it did was give him better access to spray me.
The best solution I could come up with was to launch myself at him. He had no choice but to drop the hose and catch me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist.
We were both breathless and laughing as we stared at each other for several long seconds.
I was still smiling when I brought my lips to his. This time, there was no hesitation to the kiss. Open-mouthed, tangling tongues. Hunger. Desperation. Passion.
It was all-consuming, and the rest of the world fell away along with any concern I had about the neighbors watching. The magic of the moment chipped away at my self-consciousness, and in its place I gained a sense of freedom.
I nipped at Jimmy’s bottom lip, then gave him one last peck. When we parted, our foreheads rested together and his fingers flexed on my thighs.
“What are you doing to me?” he asked for the second time.
I didn’t overthink my answer. “The same thing you’re doing to me?”
He nodded, his nose rubbing against my cheek before he placed a kiss over my dimple. “I sure as hell hope so.”
My phone vibrated with a text and I looked down into my lap to read it.
Krista: Did you take any more pics of Hot Guy for me?
Smiling at her across the table, I rolled my eyes.
Me: No. Get your mind out of the gutter.
The gutter is exactly where my mind went when I thought about what happened earlier today.
My first kiss with Jimmy. It was so different than anything I’d experienced before—so much better—that it almost felt like my first kiss ever.
When I got home after painting, I barely recognized the girl looking back at me in the mirror. Bright eyes, flushed cheeks, and swollen lips.
My body was covered in sage green smears and handprints left behind by Jimmy. I liked seeing the evidence of his hands on me. As I ran my fingers over the streaks on the side of my neck, I refused to think of the last time a man left his mark there. Because these marks were different. They were done with affection and gentleness. They were wanted.
Another text interrupted my daydreaming.
Krista: Are you staying the whole night?
“No phones at the dinner table, girls,” my dad cut in before taking a sip of his iced tea.
“Pookie started it,” I goaded, using the nickname I gave her when she was a little kid, which I knew for a fact she hated.
She let out a huff before taking a bite of her steak.
I changed her name in my phone to Pookie, then took a screen shot. Snickering, I sent it to her. Krista’s brown eyes glared at me.
“Phones,” Dad reminded with a wave of his fork.
“Ryan,” Mom said under her breath, shooting him a look. “Let the girls have their fun. It’s been a long time since Mackenna’s been home.”
Reluctantly he agreed, and Krista and I went back to having text wars under the table.
Me: Yep.
Pookie: Squeeeee!
Me: What is that? Squeee??
Pookie: It means I’m excited, Butt Face.
Me: Whatever you say, Pookie.
She sent an angry-looking emoji and I snorted.
Pookie: Will you stay in my room tonight? Just like we used to?
Since my parents moved to the new house, I’d only spent one night here. They had a simple guest room set up for me with a twin-size bed. Krista and I were probably too old for sleepovers but I had to admit that sleeping on her queen mattress sounded better, even if she did steal the covers.
She was growing up too fast. The long light brown hair she used to tie into braids was now a shoulder-length bob. I still remembered the day she came home from the hospital, all tiny, pink, and bald. It was love at first sight. And when she got a little bigger, I used to carry her around and call her my sack of sugar.
Me: As long as we can braid each other’s hair and talk about boys.
Pookie: Obviously.
After dinner, Krista went outside with Dad to water the garden and I helped Mom rinse off the dishes.
She wasn’t going to take the news about Jaxon well.
Part of me wanted to keep it from her because I didn’t want her to worry. But years ago, I made a promise to myself and to my family that I would never let someone like Jaxon keep me silent ever again.
“Mom,” I started, passing her a plate. “Jaxon is out.”
Startled, she dropped the plate and it landed in the dishwasher with a loud clatter.
“What do you mean, he’s out? Out of jail?” she asked. Clearly horrified, her blue eyes held so much fear behind the thick fringe of her dark bangs.
Continuing to rinse out some cups, I nodded.
“He left a note at my house. I reported it to the police but I’m not sure how much they can do about it.” I glanced over to find an expression of pure fear on her face. “I’m not telling you this to scare you. I just wanted to let you know. Communication is important—”
“I’m glad you told me,” she cut in, placing her hand on my arm. “Really. Thank you for telling me.”
“I want to be honest with you. I’m scared,”
I admitted. “According to public records he’s been out for almost a month, and I didn’t even know it.”
“Honey, if you want to move home you’re always welcome here.”
“You know I have the means to protect myself,” I told her, referring to the gun I owned. Then I added, “And I have nice neighbors. Maybe I could even get a dog.”
The gun wasn’t the only defense on my side—and I didn’t mean Jimmy either. While it was nice to have a big, strong guy looking out for me, I was capable of taking on an attacker. Not only was I trained in self-defense, but I’d also spent a lot of time practicing at the shooting range down in Tennessee.
Three years ago, I couldn’t hit a bullseye from five feet away. That wasn’t true anymore.
“We knew this was going to happen someday. It’s a little sooner than I expected, but I’ll be okay.” Handing my mom another plate, I gave her a reassuring smile.
She smiled back. “Something’s different.”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know what’s changed, but it’s something. You just seem… alive,” she tried to explain.
“I am alive,” I said defensively.
“I know.” She sounded choked up, and I suspected she was about to cry. “Years ago, I lost my little girl. I don’t mean you simply grew up—I mean, something in you stopped existing when you dated that boy. You used to smile all the time. You loved life. And that all stopped when…”
Before she could get too emotional, I hugged her. “Mom, I’m still here.”
“You haven’t been the same since then,” she whispered shakily. “But something is different today. You look happy. I don’t know the reason for it, but whatever it is, I’m thankful.”
The last of the dirty silverware made it into the dishwasher. With a loving pat to my cheek, Mom tossed the dish towel over the side of the sink and left the kitchen.
I didn’t have to think very hard about what had changed. I’d always thought of myself as the type of girl who didn’t need a guy to be happy, and I still believed that was true.
But it wasn’t just any guy who’d made the difference.
It was Jimmy.
Damn it. Maybe kissing Mackenna had been a mistake.
No. That wasn’t true at all.
It was the best thing ever. That kiss was everything.
I hadn’t expected her to respond to me that way. Feeling her mouth open for me. Listening to that quiet moan of satisfaction. Watching her melt under my touch.
It put me on a high that was better than being drunk, more fun than any party, and more intense than the adrenaline rush I got after a fight.
And when she begged me to kiss her again? In that moment she totally owned me, and I loved every second of it.
Problem was, now that I’d had a taste I wanted more. A lot more.
I thought having a night apart might be a good idea. Knowing Mackenna was safe at her parents’ house gave me peace of mind, and it gave us some distance to think about the past several days.
But I wasn’t used to this feeling—missing someone so much it made me restless—and I didn’t like it.
“What are you brooding about over there?” Grandma’s question cut into my thoughts. “Wedding Crashers is supposed to be funny. You look downright depressed.”
“I’m not brooding,” I lied. “My favorite part is coming up.”
“Ah, the motorboatin’ quotes. Those are the best. Vince Vaughn is a fine piece of ass. I’ll spare you the details of my fantasies about that man.”
Cringing, I laughed. “You’re not right in the head, you know that?”
She pointed a finger at me. “But I got you to laugh. Does this have to do with a certain next door neighbor?”
There was no point in trying to deny it.
“Yeah,” I sighed.
“Why aren’t you spending the night over there tonight?” she asked, and my eyes widened at being called out. I thought I’d been sneaky enough that she wouldn’t notice my absence the past couple nights. “Oh, you thought I didn’t know? I might be old but I’m not senile. I made your bed two days ago. Can’t help noticing it’s still the way I left it.”
“How do you know I didn’t make it?”
She shot me a look. “Jimmy, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but your bed-making skills are absolute shit.”
I barked out a laugh and held up my hands. “Alright. Yeah, I’ve been staying over there but I’ve got a good reason for it.”
“You don’t need my permission to spend the night elsewhere. You’re an adult and I’m a lousy babysitter anyhow. Things certainly moved fast with you two—not that I’m judging.”
“It’s not what you’re thinking,” I told her, then paused. “How much do you know about what happened to Mackenna a few years ago? With her ex?”
“This is Tolson. I know everything.”
“I thought so. Why didn’t you tell me?”
She shrugged. “Figured that’s Mackenna’s story to tell. Besides, a first-hand account is a lot different than rumors or news reports.”
I nodded in agreement. “Well, her ex recently got out of jail. He left a threatening letter at her house. She’s pretty shaken up about it and I’m worried about her.”
“Ah, the knight in shining armor.” She smiled. “If that’s not a way to get a girl to fall for you, I don’t know what is.”
“It’s not even about that. I just want to be there for her,” I explained before admitting my true feelings. “I care about her. A lot.”
Grandma beamed. “Even better.”
When I got into bed, I looked at the clock on my phone. It wasn’t even 10:00 yet. As I scrolled through my contacts, I brought up Mackenna’s number and fought the urge to hear her voice.
For some reason, the thought of calling her made me nervous. What if she didn’t pick up? What if I was coming on too strong?
Never in my life had I second-guessed calling a girl. If I was being honest, they usually contacted me first. Like a chicken-shit, I opted for sending her a text instead.
I typed out ‘Hey beautiful’ then immediately deleted it.
Way too lame.
Then I typed out ‘Hi’, but changed my mind again.
Way too short.
I thought about earlier when I walked her home. I bet she had no clue about how disheveled she’d looked.
I grinned as my fingers flew over the keys.
Me: How long did it take you to scrub off my handprints today?
I stared at my phone for a minute before setting it down on the nightstand. I told myself to play it cool. But as soon as that ping sounded, I snatched my phone with lightning speed.
Mack: A while. Next time it will be your responsibility to clean it off
Images of her in the shower flashed through my mind. All soaped up and naked. Part of me hoped she meant it, while the other half wanted her to stop saying shit like that. My willpower was hanging by a thread.
Me: I might take you up on that challenge. There’s always tomorrow.
Mack: ;)
A fucking wink face. What I wouldn’t give to see her wink at me for real.
Me: I want to see you. Send a pic.
Mack: I don’t think you want that right now. My sister and I are doing the whole girl sleepover thing.
Me: What’s the definition of that exactly?
Mack: Braided hair, painted nails, and face masks.
Me: Now you definitely have to send a pic.
About a minute later, a picture of Mackenna and her sister came through. I grinned. Their faces were covered with green goop, and messy pigtails stuck out at weird angles.
She was gorgeous.
Me: Hideous.
Mack: Hey! You were warned.
Me: I’m just kidding. You’re beautiful, even when you look like an alien.
Mack: Thanks, I think.
Me: So what else is on the agenda tonight?
Mack: Probably sleep soon. I’m having a great time
. I think I needed this.
Me: I’m glad. That makes missing you a little bit easier.
I wondered if I was being too honest, but fuck it. I was done playing games. Holding my breath, I waited as I saw those dots appear. Then they stopped. Then they started again.
Mack: You miss me?
Me: Like crazy.
Mack: Good. Because I miss you too.
Her confession caused a grin to pull at my lips.
Me: I’ll let you get back to your sis. I can’t wait to see you tomorrow.
Mack: Looking forward to it. Goodnight Jimmy.
Me: Night Mack.
I stared at the picture she sent for longer than I should have. I loved seeing her happy, seeing her having fun with her sister.
It made me miss my brother. This was the first summer of my life we weren’t spending together. As if he could read my thoughts from two states away, a text from him appeared.
Ezra: Hey. How many laws did you and Grandma break this week? Do I even want to know?
I laughed.
Me: I’ve been keeping her in line. I was just about to text you. What are you up to this weekend?
Ezra: Went to a graduation party tonight.
Me: Oh that’s fun.
Ezra: Eh. Not really.
Me: Did something happen?
Concern caused my heartrate to pick up. It wasn’t like Ezra to go to a party in the first place. When he didn’t respond right away, I lost patience and called him instead.
He answered on the second ring. “Hey.”
“What’s wrong? Did someone fuck with you?” I didn’t waste any time getting straight to the point.
Ezra sighed. “No. It wasn’t anything like that. It was just lame and, well, I’m sort of confused about something that happened.”
The Good Guys Box Set: TRUCKER, DANCER, DROPOUT, and A Trucker Wedding Page 61