by Cat Johnson
Parts of Tara tingled, remembering what had happened with Jace. She should have assumed he’d be good. He’d run through enough buckle bunnies when he’d been younger to learn a thing or two. After dating one woman for so long, he’d probably reached a whole other level of familiarity with a woman’s body. He was like some kind of savant . . . or an orgasm whisperer.
The memory of the warmth of his breath against her ear as he told her to come right before her body exploded with sensations she could have never imagined sent a shiver down Tara’s spine. He was annoying and obnoxious and so many other infuriating things, she couldn’t even list them all, but she had to admit, Jace was good with his hands. Probably with his hips, too. She’d watched him ride tonight. She’d seen how his body reacted to every move the bull made. If he was that good on top of a bucking bull, how good would he be on top of her?
A twisting low in her belly told Tara she needed to find out. Strange, since she’d hated him for so long—or at least had enjoyed thinking she did. But the evidence was indisputable. On a physical level, she was attracted to him. Their bodies were compatible even if their personalities were not. That fact made Jace the perfect man to take her virginity. To teach her everything she would ever need to know about making love to a man. About how to catch a man and hold on to him. She could learn it all with no fear of getting hurt because it was Jace. Chances of developing feelings for him and getting hurt were nil.
Add to that the convenient detail that they already shared a room and it was the perfect plan. All she had to do was convince him, which could be the difficult part. Tara eyed the closed door, knowing he was still sitting in the truck on the other side. She hadn’t missed his hard-on against her as they’d kissed. He’d felt the attraction too. He’d wanted her. She would have to make sure he gave in to it.
How hard could that be?
The sound of the door lock opening had Tara looking up. Finally. Jace must be over whatever that little self-imposed timeout had been about.
He came in and closed the door behind him. The expression on his face as he glanced at her and then yanked his gaze away told her he wasn’t in a better mood quite yet. That was fine. She could wait. They had hours alone together in the truck tomorrow while they drove to the next venue. Locked in a speeding vehicle, he wouldn’t be able to run away from the conversation.
Now, however, was a different story. He strode directly to the bathroom, closed and even locked the door before the sound of the water in the shower began. Yup, he could run and hide behind closed doors here, but tomorrow would be another ball game entirely. Tara smiled at the thought.
The sound of the water in the shower quieted and a few moments later the bathroom door swung open. Jace appeared wearing nothing but a towel and an expression of misery. He glanced at Tara where she sat on the bed, and then away.
“Forgot to bring in my shorts.” He mumbled that explanation as he pawed through his duffle bag of clothes and avoided eye contact.
He’d tossed the bag on his bed when they’d first checked in. Before the event. Before they’d made out against the wall. Before he’d shown her a glimpse of what sex could feel like and made her crave more.
Looking at the muscles of his bare chest glistening under droplets of water, Tara turned molten inside thinking about her plan. Maybe it might be easier to talk him into continuing a physical relationship while he was naked and in nothing but a towel. If she could get to him before he disappeared into the bathroom again to cover up with the shorts he slept in . . .
As he headed back toward the bathroom with his clothes balled in one fist, Tara jumped at the opportunity. “Jace.”
“What?” His tone was not real receptive as he paused in the doorway.
“Can we talk?”
“Nope.” He stepped into the bathroom and slammed the door between them.
What they’d done was really bothering him, but that could be a good thing. It could mean he was thinking about doing it again. If it had been a one time thing, they’d talk about it and then move on. Yup, Jace was probably in the bathroom thinking about the same thing Tara was thinking about in the bedroom—the possibility of a repeat.
The ringing of her phone for the first time in days had her frowning and searching for where she’d put it. Finally, she located the cell under her bag. She read the display and hit the button to answer. “About time you called me. Real nice, big brother. I could have been dead or kidnapped for all you knew.”
Tuck let out a laugh. “I knew nothing bad happened and nothing’s going to.”
“Oh, really? And how do you know that? Your crystal ball?”
“I know because you’re with Jace.”
“And because you told him to protect me?” Anger over just the thought had her pulse speeding. Though Tuck telling Jace to protect her would explain his caveman act, and his beating himself up, it still pissed Tara off.
“No, I did no such thing, so get rid of that attitude I hear in your tone, missy. I didn’t have to tell Jace anything. Traveling partners take care of each other. Pure and simple.”
So that hadn’t been a line of bullshit Jace had thrown her way. Hmm. She’d have to think more about that. “Anyway, still nice if you call and check in once in a while.”
“That’s what I’m doing. Though mostly I called to see how you two were getting along. I figured by now the fur should be flying.”
The bathroom door opened and Jace stepped out, dressed in shorts and a T-shirt.
“Jace and I are getting on fine, thank-you-very-much. Sorry to disappoint you.”
His eyes widened and he stopped dead in the middle of the room when he realized she was on the phone. He whispered, “Who is that?”
Tara mouthed back silently, Tuck.
Jace scrubbed his hands over his face. She shook her head at him. What was he so worried about? As if Tuck could know what had happened between them. Ridiculous.
“Anyway,” Tuck continued. “When you coming back this way?”
“Not for a couple more weeks. Why?”
“Uh, nothing. Just wondering. Jace bringing you to Stillwater? Or are you going to have him take you home or to college?”
This was more interest than Tuck had shown in her plans ever and it made Tara suspicious. “I’m not sure of my plans yet. Again, why do you wanna know?”
“Just wondering. Maybe you could uh, come here. We could hang out for the night, and then I could drive you home the next day.”
Tuck wanted to hang out with her? That was a first. Why?
A horrible thought hit Tara. Tuck must want her to go to Stillwater so he could break it to her about Emma being knocked up. He probably wanted to make sure she didn’t do something crazy. Logan could have told Tuck about how she’d shown up at his parents’ house the day of his wedding and begged him not to marry Emma. Lovely. In fact, Logan had probably asked Tuck to keep her in control.
Tara’s stomach knotted. She felt ill just thinking about being sat down by her brother for the big revelation. That was it. She was done with the phone call. “Look, Tuck. I gotta go now.”
“But what about—”
“Really, gotta run. Talk soon. Bye.” Her heart pounding, Tara disconnected the call.
She tossed the cell onto the bed, then reached for it again. She picked it up and glared at the phone’s display to make sure the call was ended. Tossing it down again, she scrubbed her hands over her face.
“What’s wrong?” Jace had stayed where he’d stopped midway across the room and was watching her.
She’d been so engrossed in worrying about avoiding Tuck telling her the baby news, Tara had momentarily forgotten Jace was there. “Nothing. Relax. It’s not about you.”
“Thank God for small favors.” Jace blew out a loud breath. Still watching her, he moved a step closer and glanced at the phone. “Something Tuck said got you going. What was it?”
Jace stood at the edge of the bed so Tara had to look up to talk to him. “Tuck’s trying to ge
t me to go to his place when the internship’s done.”
“All right.” Jace dipped his head in a nod. “What’s so bad about a visit with your brother?”
“Jace. Come on. You know as well as I do that’s not like him. I think—” As her stomach roiled, Tara had to take a breath and start over. “I think he wants to break the news to me.”
“News?” Jace’s brows drew low.
“Yes, the news.” Tara opened her eyes wide and stared at Jace, not believing he couldn’t figure out what news would have her so upset. “About Emma.”
“Oh.” He cringed. “Yeah, she’s probably starting to show and they’re telling people. You might be right.”
“Yeah, I think I am, and I’m not ready to hear it. Not from Tuck. Not with Logan and his new bride right there in town acting all happy together.” She shook her head. “I’m not going back there so he can sit me down like a child and break the big news to me. I’m not gonna do it, Jace. I’m not.”
“All right. Then you don’t have to.”
She brought her gaze up to meet his. “Really?”
“Really. I’m sure as hell not gonna make you if you don’t want to. I’ll drop you wherever you want.”
She’d figured once the internship was done Jace would dump her at Tuck’s with no way to get home, but Tara believed him when he said he wouldn’t. “Okay. Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me.” Jace turned toward his own bed with a laugh. “I’m avoiding Stillwater as much as you. Remember? The only thing that’s changed is now I have two reasons to not go back instead of one. I get to hide from Jacqueline and Tuck. I sure as hell am no more anxious to talk to your brother right now than you are.”
Tara had had no idea men thought so damn much about things like kissing—just like girls did. She had always figured Jace was the kind to have sex with a girl, walk away, and never think about it again. At least it had seemed that way back when she was young and Jace and Tuck were on the road together. Before they both settled down.
But Jace was obviously still obsessing over their kiss.
Post-relationship Jace was very different from the younger, pre-monogamous man-whore Tara remembered. Even though he had never married Jacqueline, he might as well have, the way she still had a hold over him.
“You know, you don’t have to tell Tuck what happened. I’m not going to, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“Oh, don’t worry. I have no intention of telling him.” Jace whipped back the corner of the sheet and sat. When he noticed her watching him, he broke eye contact and reached out and flipped off the light. “Good night.”
Just because she couldn’t see him didn’t mean she was done talking. “Jace.”
She heard his sigh through the darkness. “Yes, Tara.”
“It’s no big deal. It’s okay, what you and I did.”
He snorted out a laugh. “No, it’s definitely not okay.”
Tara scowled. “Well, you better get over this stupid guilt of yours and fast. Okay?”
“And why is that?” Jace sounded half miserable, half amused.
“Because we’re going to do it again.” In fact, if she hadn’t gotten so upset over Tuck’s phone call, and Jace hadn’t been acting like such a woozy-woo over the whole thing, Tara had been planning to get busy with him again tonight.
“Uh no, Tara. We’re not.”
“We’ll see about that.”
Tara smiled when he didn’t contradict her again.
“You know, if you’re tired, I can take a turn driving.” Tara glanced at Jace from across the cab.
“You. Drive my truck? Nah, don’t think so.” Jace was tired, all right, but not so exhausted—or delusional—he’d willingly let Tara drive his vehicle. Not even after a mostly sleepless night when he’d alternated between beating himself up and considering if he should head to the bathroom and beat himself off.
Memories of what they’d done had him hard and throbbing and up, in more ways than one, all night long. It had been torturous. And it had been all his own fault for touching her in the first place. Temporary insanity, he supposed.
“Why can’t I drive it?” Her voice sounded so much like when she’d been twelve and begging Tuck to take her to the rodeo with them, Jace felt even worse.
“Because this right here is too much truck for you to handle.”
Tuck had told him too many horror stories about Tara’s driving lessons the year she got her permit. Besides, he was too antsy to sit in the passenger seat and do nothing. At least driving gave him something to concentrate on.
She turned in the seat to glare at him. “It is not too much truck for me.”
“Oh, yeah it is. You know, you can’t just hop on up into something this powerful.” Taunting Tara put Jace back in his comfort zone. She probably could handle the truck on a flat straightaway like they were on if she stuck to the speed limit, but he wasn’t about to admit that.
“That’s the best way to learn, isn’t it?” Her voice dropped low and the tone changed, sounding almost seductive. It was enough to make him take his eyes off the road and look at her as she said, “Sometimes, I think it’s best to jump right in and do it.”
He got the impression they weren’t talking about trucks anymore, that what she was picturing jumping on was him. Time to dissuade the girl. Make her forget any outlandish ideas she’d gotten into her head about the two of them repeating last night. He had to before he got crazy enough to give in to her.
“Nope. Never a good idea to just jump into anything. That’s a good way to get yourself into trouble. You need to take your time. Move nice and slow.”
“Nice and slow is good, too.”
Yup, definitely not talking about her driving the truck anymore. Tara smirked and had him staring at her lips, remembering the feel of them beneath his.
He swallowed hard. “Anyway, I’m not too tired to drive, so don’t worry about it.”
“That’s good. Then you won’t need to take a nap when we get to our room. Then again, maybe heading to bed early isn’t such a bad idea.” She eyed him.
Jace had seen that expression before. Usually it was on a buckle bunny or the naked model spread across the glossy pages of a magazine. But the woman sending him that look wasn’t a stranger at a rodeo, and she sure as hell wasn’t in any damn two-dimensional photo he could toss aside and forget about. It was Tara looking at him as if she wanted to eat him alive . . . and he’d be sharing a room with her tonight and for the next couple of weeks.
He calculated how many nights his prize money from the last event could buy him if he booked Tara a separate room. But then she’d be unsupervised and could sneak out in the middle of the night.
It was an impossible situation. One he’d caused himself by getting it in his head that it was a good idea to kiss her in the first place.
Jace wished they lived in the dark ages and he could slap a chastity belt on her and be done with it. While he was at it, he should get one for himself, too, since he seemed incapable of making a smart decision when it came to women.
He glanced up to find a small cocky smile bowing her lips as she watched him. Probably waiting for a response or at least a reaction to her never-too-early-to-go-to-bed comment. He had nothing to say about that, so he yanked his focus back to the road. He’d have to eventually address the issue of his having turned Tara into a virgin vixen, but at the moment, procrastination seemed like a good idea.
“You know, Jace—” The ringing of Tara’s cell phone cut off whatever new and horrifying suggestion she’d been about to make.
Saved by the bell. Thank God for small favors. He didn’t want to hear whatever came after the words he’d begun to dread. You know, Jace . . . In her current mood, he knew nothing he’d like could follow.
Tara pulled the phone out of her pocket and glanced at the screen. “It’s Tuck.”
The phone continued to ring, loud and annoying. “So answer it.”
“I don’t want to.”
&
nbsp; What could Jace say to that? As a man who’d taken to leaving his phone powered off the past week to avoid his own issues, he was in no position to criticize. He and she weren’t all that different.
He glanced at her and held out his hand. “Give me.”
Her eyes widened. “What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to answer it.”
“Don’t tell him we’ll come to Stillwater. Please.”
A please from Tara. She truly didn’t want to go there.
Jace could sympathize. “Don’t worry. Trust me.”
Finally, she relinquished the phone to him. He hit CONNECT and pressed it to his ear. “Hey, Tuck.”
“Jace? You’ve got Tara’s phone?”
“Seems like.” Out of the corner of his eye he saw Tara watching him. “What’s up?”
“I was just wondering if you’d be coming back to Stillwater during the break in the schedule after this next event.”
“There’s a break in the schedule?” Jace was very familiar with the schedule, but didn’t consider two rather than just one day between events a break. There was no need for Tuck to know that.
Next to him, Tara’s head shaking drew Jace’s attention. He mouthed a silent, shh to her. He could handle Tuck. He’d been doing it for years.
“Yup, you’ve got two days. I’ve got the event schedule up on the computer now.”
Tuck. On a computer. This was serious. The man avoided technology like the plague. Maybe Tara wasn’t overreacting, after all. Her brother was trying to get her back to Stillwater for some reason.
Luckily, Jace was in the driver’s seat, and he had reasons of his own for not going back. “Nope. I hadn’t planned on it. We’re just gonna stay on the road until her internship is done.”
Tuck’s hesitation spoke volumes. Then he asked, “Is Tara nearby?”
Jace decided it was time to lie. “Nope. We pulled over to take a break. Grab some grub. Stretch our legs. She’s off in the restroom now.” He realized the radio was playing loud enough Tuck might hear and added, “I’m waiting for her in the truck.”