Her breath came in pants and gasps. “You. I . . . oh.”
“Tell me.” His thumb dipped well below her panty line.
“Please, Jed. I’ve needed you for so long.”
He pulled back and took her in. Her lily-white skin, unmarked by the ink of a tattoo needle. Her beautiful, beautiful heart, there in her eyes as she gazed back at him.
He stepped away from her as reality came crashing in like a bucket of knives. He could not live with himself if he hurt her. And he would if he let this nonsense go any further.
He trailed his hand down the soft skin of her stomach. “I’m sorry, Muffet, but I think things have gotten a little out of control here.” He bent to retrieve her T-shirt and handed it to her.
She grabbed it and held it to her breast, hurt clear in her eyes.
“It’s not you . . .” he started to say.
She jumped off the table and yanked her shirt back on. “Save it, Jed. ‘It’s not you, it’s me?’ Really? What? Are we in middle school? Why don’t you just say you’re not interested?”
He ran a hand across his face. “I’m not interested?” He indicated the table and his hard-on. “Are you deaf, dumb, and blind?”
“Then what? Please enlighten me because I’m thoroughly confused.”
He didn’t know what to say. How could he explain that he was doing it for her own good? To the detriment of his own blue balls. He shifted to relieve the pressure in his jeans. “We’d never work out.” He looked down. “I don’t want to lead you on.”
“Well, next time you don’t want to lead me on, why don’t you do us both a favor and finish what you start?”
Chapter 17
Kyle woke early and watched the sun rise from the deck with a mug of coffee steaming in her hands and confusing thoughts swirling through her mind. She’d stormed off to bed after making out with Jed, all but begging him to make love to her, right there on the dining room table. And she’d called him out for having the wherewithal to stop the madness. Where was her head? The problem was, when he was around, she had no sense of reason. Raging hormones took over and all sensible thought was out the window. God, he must think she’s an idiot. Or a whore. She wasn’t sure which was worse.
She turned as the sliding glass door opened. She could play it cool. She sipped her coffee and turned back to the view of the lake.
He sat next to her with a yawn. “Mornin’,” he said, his voice gravelly and all together too sexy for this early in the day.
“Good morning. There’s coffee inside if you want some and I made muffins.”
He nodded. “I saw. Thanks.” But he didn’t move to get anything. He leaned back in the reclining chair and closed his eyes.
Man, she wished he’d say something. Anything to let her know where she stood with him after their little foray in the kitchen.
He didn’t move, but he finally spoke, startling her. “So, will you be ready to go in about half an hour?”
“Go?”
He lifted his head and looked at her. The rising sun bounced off the water, sparking brightly in his blue eyes. “Fishing. I booked us on a guided fishing trip this morning. You still wanna go, don’t you? Are you still pissed at me about last night?”
She took a breath. “No, I’m not pissed at you.” Hurt, maybe. Hot and bothered for sure.
“So we’re still on?”
She set down her mug and stood. “Sure. I’ll go get changed.”
He smiled. “Cool.”
Kyle wasn’t sure what she expected from a Texas Hill Country fishing guide service, but Em-N-Em’s Fishing Guide Service wasn’t it. They were fairly large and upscale with a new building and what looked to be a huge brand new boat sitting down at the dock.
Jed led her inside the storefront and they were met at the front desk by a lovely blond woman whose embroidered shirt read Irene. When she turned, her obviously pregnant belly bumped the counter and she grimaced.
“Good morning, folks.” Irene smiled. “Welcome to Em’s. How can I help you?”
Jed stepped forward. “Hi. We’re booked this morning under the name Gentry.”
Irene scrolled around on a computer screen and clicked a couple of times. “Ah, yes. Here you are.” She smiled at Jed. “Sorry about yesterday. Booked solid. It’s a busy time of year.” She turned back to logging them into the computer as she chatted them up and explained about their new building and boat since Jed had been there last.
“I thought it looked different,” Jed commented with a glance around the lobby.
“Yeah, well, there are perks when the owner marries a famous author.” Irene handed Jed back his credit card with a grin.
“Famous author?” Kyle had to jump in and ask.
Irene nodded and inclined her head to some book covers framed on the wall beside them. “Vance Canton?”
Kyle studied the covers. “Vance Canton? Oh, wow! Is he here? I’d love to meet him.” She turned with a grin.
Jed looked at her like she’d grown another head.
“Don’t you read?”
“Some,” he said defensively. “But last time I was here I went out with an older male guide? I don’t remember any famous authors,” he said snidely.
Irene giggled. “That’s Emmitt Reed. He’s retired now. His daughter, Em, runs things. Vance, the writer, is her hubby.”
Kyle ignored Jed and gave Irene her full attention. “A Time to Live was fabulous. It made me cry.”
Irene nodded. “The next one, A Time to Lie, is coming out next month.” She glanced out the large windows. “I’m sure he’s around here somewhere. He helps Em a lot when he’s not writing.” She turned back with a smile. “I’m sure we can wrangle you an autograph or something if you’re interested.”
Kyle grinned. “I would love that.” She glanced down as a little girl with golden ringlets toddled into the room and Irene hefted her up into her arms.
Irene planted a kiss to the girl’s chubby cheek. “This is my daughter, Savannah.”
“She’s beautiful.” Kyle smiled at the little girl and reached across the counter to admire the stuffed animal the toddler was offering. She ran her fingers across the soft fabric and felt a tug on her heart. She turned to see what Jed thought of the child, but he had already paced to the door. Apparently he wasn’t a kid person.
Irene must’ve sensed this, too. She put Savannah back on her feet. “Go back to Daddy, baby.” She shooed her back to an adjoining room. Once the little girl was out of sight, she rounded the counter. “Shall I walk you to the dock, then?”
Jed looked relieved. “Sure.”
They followed Irene out a side door, across a large covered deck, and down some wooden stairs toward a footpath that led to the dock. Kyle glanced over at Jed. He had slipped his Oakleys back on so she couldn’t see his eyes. He strode with purposeful steps, his feet crunching and eating up the gravel with large bites. She had to hurry to keep up, even with a pregnant woman leading them.
“All right, this is as far as I go.” Irene stopped just short of the dock and patted her protruding belly. “The lake smells don’t agree with me.” She pointed. “There’s Em, your guide, over there. And I think I caught sight of Vance going below deck. Have a good time.” And with that, she turned on her heel and left them.
“Let’s go.” Jed started walking in the direction of their guide without a backward glance to see if she was following. This could prove to be a long day if he didn’t lighten up.
With a sigh, Kyle stepped up onto the deck and paused a moment to look around. It was beyond beautiful. The lake water rippled gently and lapped against the dock beams with quiet insistence. Several hundred yards across the lake, a sheer limestone cliff rose hundreds of feet in the air creating a wall of sorts between the lake and the sky. A hawk circled above sea
rching for prey. The breeze ruffled her ponytail as it kissed her skin and she closed her eyes a moment to soak it all in.
“You coming, Muffet?” Jed obviously didn’t appreciate nature in quite the same way.
She heaved an irritated breath. “Yeah, yeah. I’m coming.” She readjusted the bag on her shoulder and started toward him. She smiled at the guide who had already approached him.
“Hi.” The small, curly-haired woman held out her hand. “I’m Em. I’ll be your guide today. I hear you two are from Austin?”
Kyle nodded.
“Well, you didn’t have far to go.” She laughed. “But I still hope you have a good time and can relax. My mini-yacht, as I like to think of her, Bubbles II, has all the amenities you could want, pretty much. Just let me know what you need to be comfortable.”
Jed’s hand migrated to the small of Kyle’s back. “We will. Thank you.”
Kyle shot him a glare and shook his hand off. One minute he was hot, one minute he was cold. Jerk.
“Follow me, then.” The guide moved to lead the way.
They boarded the boat behind their guide and a few other guests and she pointed out where they might want to sit for the best view.
“Vance, honey,” she called down below the deck, “we’re T-minus five minutes until I’m leaving.” She turned back to Jed and Kyle with an embarrassed grimace. “I never could get the man over his seasickness, nor could I teach him to fish. He’s hopeless.” She looked over as he appeared. “Aren’t you, sweetheart?”
Holy . . . Elvis?
A taller, thinner, better-looking version of the King came strolling over with a baby perched on his hip. The resemblance was uncanny. “I’m what?” he asked with a smile.
Em popped up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek before grabbing the baby from him. “You’re the most wonderful husband and father in the whole, wide world.” She razzled her daughter’s tummy. “Isn’t he, Lisa Marie?”
Jed and Kyle exchanged a look. What the . . .?
Vance seemed to realize what they were thinking. He reached for the baby. “Em, give me Lis before these nice people think we’re crazy, and I’ll go back to the house and get some work done while she naps.” He shrugged apologetically and whispered, “The name was her idea.”
Em made the introductions and Kyle tried not to gush. But she really did love the man’s work.
Jed laughed softly, murmuring something under his breath that sounded an awful lot like: “This is the hill country, not Hollywood, Muffet,” as he moved to lean on the railing of the boat while their guide saw her husband and daughter off a few minutes later.
Kyle joined him and glanced at him from the corner of her eye, unsure of what to say. Unsure of what she was feeling. Last night she’d done plenty of thinking as she tossed and turned in her empty bed. She’d been hurt when he turned her away. But it was more than that. Somehow, someway, feelings for Jed had begun to germinate deep within her and they were growing at an astounding rate. And it was scaring the holy hell out of her.
She reached out and brushed the back of his hand.
He pulled back like he’d been branded.
Was he toying with her when he’d touched her last night? It felt so real. Her heart ached knowing he would never return any of her newfound feelings. They were miles, no, worlds, apart and their separation could never be bridged.
“If everyone will take a seat, we can go over some preliminary information, then be on our way.” Em interrupted her painful thoughts. All the better. They were here to relax and so she could get some work done. A relationship with Jed was nowhere in the cards.
They took their seats and he wouldn’t even look in her direction.
Their guide went over the safety rules and made sure everyone had a fishing license. Kyle glanced over as Jed produced one for each of them from his pocket. Then Em got behind the boat’s wheel, started the engine, and they were off.
As the lovely views slipped by, Kyle relaxed a little bit and let her mind wander.
After several minutes of silence between them, Jed surprised her by reaching over and taking her hand. He leaned in, his breath brushing the skin of her neck as he spoke into her ear. “It’s not you, Muffet.”
What the heck was that supposed to mean? She gripped his fingers tightly when he tried to pull his hand away. She leaned over and pressed her lips to his. “I wish it was,” she confessed. It would make things so much easier. She could change herself. Maybe. But he was as immovable as a boulder.
He gave a curt nod and relaxed back in his seat. He didn’t try to let go of her hand again. Instead, he intertwined their fingers and squeezed as he turned his gaze back to the lake.
“So, Muffet,” Jed asked with a tip of his beer in her direction, “did you enjoy fishing today? You did pretty darn good, after I baited your hook.”
Kyle sipped on her second margarita of the night. She was parched after their day out on the water. And she was fairly certain this Mexican restaurant was skimping on the tequila because she wasn’t feeling any of the warm fuzzies she usually did when she had a drink. And she always stopped at one. She knew her limits and she was a lightweight. “I had a good time. Did you?”
He munched a chip loaded down with salsa. “I would’ve had a better time if you hadn’t caught the bigger fish,” he said with a grin.
“Such a man.”
“You know it.”
Yes, she did know it. That was the problem. She sipped her drink. The waiter served their food on sizzling platters, giving Kyle a welcome diversion from her wandering, hormonal thoughts.
Next to them, two couples were seated. It might’ve been the liquor, or maybe her burgeoning feelings for Jed, but immediately Kyle heard the tittering and whispers of the women as they looked over. She nibbled on a chip and ignored them.
Jed dug into his food, totally unaware.
One woman laughed and Kyle glanced over. They looked away. Bitches.
“So, Muffet,” Jed spoke between bites, “What do you do for fun?” He looked up at her with a smile in his electric blue eyes. “Other than fish?”
“Fun?” she echoed.
“Yeah. Surely you do something besides crunch numbers.”
Did she? Zip. A tingle ran through her body as the tequila finally hit her brain. And as if she suddenly developed supersonic hearing, she could hear the women still making fun of Jed at the next table. Didn’t he notice? Or maybe he was used to it. She turned and shot daggers with her eyes.
She looked back at him. “How can you stand it?”
He shrugged. “Small town. Small minds. I really don’t give a shit, Kyle.”
So he did notice.
He reached out and grabbed her hand. “And neither should you. What do you do besides accounting?” he asked, trying to get her focused on him.
She pulled in a deep breath as the idiots at the next table were served their drinks. That should keep ‘em quiet for a while. Okay. Let’s see. What did she do besides accounting and lusting after a man she couldn’t have?
“I like to read. I like movies. Yoga.” She took a bite of her enchilada. “I’m pretty boring, I guess.” She glanced back up at him. “But I can make a mean meringue and you bet your ass I can fold a fitted sheet. Bet you can’t do that,” she joked.
He shook his head and took a sip of beer. “Not boring at all. I’m impressed. You can fold a fitted sheet?” He whistled through his teeth. “Hot damn.”
She laughed.
He tilted his head, suddenly serious. “What kind of movies? This could be a deal breaker. Please, no Steel Magnolias or some bullshit like that.”
She forked her rice. “Truth?”
“I can handle it.”
“Let’s put it this way, I’m waiting for Jason Statham to come sweep me off my
feet and propose marriage.”
He barked out a laugh. “Good luck with that.”
She laughed, too.
They finished their meal with grins on their faces. Kyle sipped the last remnants of her margarita, slurping the remaining bits of her tequila high straight to her brain. She stood as Jed paid the bill, just in time to hear one of the men next to them mutter something that sounded an awful lot like ‘freak.’
She’d had enough. She rounded on them like a snake coiled and ready to strike.
Jed grabbed her arm. “Let it go,” he murmured under his breath.
She pulled from his grasp and shot him a glare over her shoulder. “No. You are not a freak. And you don’t deserve to be treated this way.”
The plea in his eyes silently entreated her to remain cool. But the liquor had created a monster and she was going to stand up for her man. Whether he wanted it or not.
She snapped back to the table and the four pairs of eyes watching her. She stepped in their direction and slapped her hands down on the table, rattling their water glasses. “Do we have a problem here?” she demanded.
“Uh . . .” one of the men stammered.
The other man stared at her, slack-jawed. One woman crossed her arms defiantly under her huge breasts, and refused to speak. But the one closest to her, the one who had been most vocal during the entire meal, spoke up. “Yes, I suppose we do.”
Kyle rounded on her. “And what exactly is that?”
Jed sighed behind her. “Kyle, let’s just go.”
She ignored him.
The woman glanced over Kyle’s shoulder then back into her face. “We live in a nice, respectable town. With nice, respectable folks. And I have a problem with just anyone coming in with their disgusting freaky ways and dirtying up my town,” she shot back with a sneer.
Kyle straightened. “Well, lucky for you, we’re leaving. But let me tell you something. This disgusting, freaky man—” She pointed behind her.“—is one of the kindest, best men I know. It’s your loss if you’re too small-minded to see beyond his appearance.” She reached for his hand. “Which I happen to find very sexy. Let’s go, Jed.” She pulled him out of the restaurant and toward the car.
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