Tangled Up in You

by Samantha Chase

  “Are you kidding?” she laughed. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with all that free time!”

  Anna hugged her close. “I’m living vicariously through you, so sleep late, eat doughnuts in bed, and watch a good chick flick without any interruptions.”

  “Wow. You’ve really put some thought into this, huh?”

  “You have no idea.” Then she turned Teagan toward the front door and gave her a gentle nudge. “Go. Have a good night and we’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Thanks again,” she said as she made her way to the door.

  Out in the driveway, she was relieved to find that her car was no longer blocked in. She held her breath as she waited to see if Bobby was going to come out of the yard and pounce. In the distance, she heard a round of laughter and could detect his voice among the others. She let out her breath and shook her head. Maybe this really wasn’t meant to be. Hearing her cousins all egging him on about one-night stands made her sick to her stomach. If she did this—if she allowed him to come home with her and spend the night—she was no better than the faceless women everyone was just talking about.

  And that definitely wasn’t who she wanted to be.

  That answered that. She’d text him and tell him she’d changed her mind and would see him around.

  Climbing into her car, she quickly typed out the text before turning her phone on silent for the drive home. Better to do it sooner rather than later. She was out of the driveway and about to put the car in drive when Bobby jogged up to her. There was no way to pretend she didn’t see him, so she stopped.

  He held up his phone to her. “What the hell?”

  Don’t cave, she warned herself. Stand firm. “I changed my mind,” she said, but couldn’t make herself look him in the eye.

  “Bullshit,” he said, bending down so they were face to face. “What’s going on, Teagan?”

  She let out a huff of annoyance. “Seriously?”

  He nodded.

  “Let’s just say I was on the fence about this to begin with. And after listening to that whole conversation back there, I realized I didn’t feel like being one of your hookups. After hearing the way everyone talked about it, I realized I couldn’t. It’s not what I want, and I certainly wouldn’t ever want anyone talking about me that way.”

  His expression was hard and she could tell he was angry, and she tried to tell herself she didn’t care.

  But she did.

  More than anything, she wanted to be carefree and not let the gossip bother her. But she was a practical and responsible woman, and that was hard to just push aside and forget—no matter how badly she wanted to. Casual wasn’t her thing, no matter how much she tried to tell herself otherwise.

  “I still think we should talk,” he finally said.

  Shaking her head, she replied, “It won’t change anything. I’m not someone who fits in your world, Bobby. And honestly, I’m not ready for this.”

  “Okay, maybe not now,” he said, his voice calm, gentle.

  But she shook her head again and looked at him sadly. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be.” Glancing toward the house, she saw Aidan and Zoe coming around from the side gate. “I should go.”

  He nodded, straightened, and took a step back. And didn’t say a word.

  Before she could change her mind, she pulled away. A glance in the rearview mirror showed him still standing in the middle of the street. She wondered what Aidan and Zoe would say when they saw him there and then realized she was better off not knowing.

  The drive home was short, and once she was inside, she kicked off her sandals and collapsed on the sofa. Bad idea. Images of what she and Bobby had done earlier surrounded her.

  “Nope. Not going there,” she muttered, jumping to her feet. Walking into the kitchen, she went to pour herself a glass of wine but found she didn’t have any in the house. Ready to bang her head on the wall, she said, “I just cannot catch a break tonight.”

  It was early enough that she could run to the store to get a bottle, but that required more of an effort than she was willing to put in right now.

  “Maybe I should just crawl into bed and try to forget this day ever happened.” Easier said than done. “But first I should have ice cream. Lots and lots of ice cream.”

  Reaching into the freezer, she pulled out a container of chocolate ice cream, one of cookies and cream, and one of butter pecan, followed by raiding the cupboards for all of her favorite toppings—chocolate syrup, sprinkles, and whipped cream—and made herself one massive sundae. Once everything was put away, she looked at the bowl and tried to make herself feel bad about it, but she couldn’t.

  “Tonight’s special is the pity-party sundae. Enough ice cream for three people, but only served to one.” Dipping her spoon in, Teagan took a giant bite and instantly regretted it. “Brain freeze! Dammit!”

  Tossing the spoon down, she held her head and gave herself a minute to let the pain pass. Then she let out a long breath, picked up her bowl, and walked into her bedroom. If she wasn’t going to get any pleasure from a man in bed tonight, she’d have to settle for getting it from food.

  “Crappy substitute,” she mumbled, crawling onto her bed and reaching for the TV remote. Channel surfing was the only thing that accomplished, nothing catching her eye. If anything, it was as if every show had been specifically chosen to annoy her. “I should have gotten the wine. And maybe a hotel room on the beach with a big bathtub.”

  She was three bites in when there was a loud knock on her door.

  It didn’t take a genius to figure out who it was.

  “Seriously cannot catch a break,” she sighed, putting the ice cream down on the kitchen island as she walked by. Nervously, she smoothed her hair and her top before she even attempted to open the door. And when she did, all the air rushed out of her lungs.

  Bobby was standing with both hands braced on the doorframe. His hair was a mess and there was a fire in his eyes that she was coming to recognize was there whenever he looked at her. She whispered his name, but she barely heard herself.

  “Did it ever occur to you that the way people perceive me isn’t who I really am?” he asked instead of greeting her. “I can’t change the way people think, or what they think they know. Did I date a lot when I lived here? Yes. I was young and a little wild and a whole lot stupid. But I haven’t been that guy in years and no one seems to realize it. I moved away because I wanted to change. I needed to change. And my reasons were… Well, they’re not important right now.”

  “Bobby—”

  He held up a hand to stop her. “I’m not going to lie to you, I never had to work hard before to win over a woman, but I was always respectful. And the fact that you’re different—not blatantly throwing yourself at me—is something I’ve never experienced before.”

  “So maybe that’s all this is to you,” she said, feeling a little defensive. “I’m a challenge. But what happens if you get me, Bobby? You’ll walk away once the challenge is gone. And you know what? I don’t want to play that game. It’s insulting to us both.”

  He hadn’t moved from his position bracketing the doorway. “You’re right. It would be insulting. And it’s not why I’m here. It’s not why I’m attracted to you, Teagan.”

  “Please don’t,” she said. “Don’t stand here and make excuses. We’re adults and we should at least be honest with each other.”

  “That’s what I’m trying to be! Dammit, you still don’t get it, do you?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “You know what first attracted me to you?”

  She shook her head.

  “The fact that Quinn annoyed you. I had never met anyone who seemed as genuinely annoyed by him as I was.”

  “That’s not—”

  “It is and it was,” he countered. “Then it was the way you talked to me at the barbecue. I was pissed off at the world and everyone was tr
ying to coddle me and tell me I shouldn’t be upset or I shouldn’t feel the way I was feeling. You were the first person—the only person—who seemed to understand how I felt.”

  She remembered the look on his face when she’d told him that.

  “Don’t let anyone get to you. You’re entitled to feel the way you feel.”

  “I watched you with Lucas, I listened to the things you said, and more than anything, I thought ‘this is a woman I want to get to know.’ This isn’t about looking for a hookup or a way to pass the time, I genuinely like you,” he explained. “I like your honesty, and the way you don’t mince words. I’m in awe of your parenting skills and the way you love your son. But even more than that, I look at you and I just…I feel better. You’re like this incredible breath of fresh air in my life.”

  Wow. She hadn’t expected that.

  “All of your cousins? They’re married and settling down and sickeningly happy—one of them to my sister! I look at them and I see everything I want. And as much as everyone talks about me playing the field, what no one realizes is…it’s mostly because no one wanted anything more from me. It wasn’t only me who didn’t do commitments. None of the women I dated wanted one from me.”

  Then he hung his head and muttered a curse. “Probably should have left that part out. Not the best endorsement when I’m trying to convince you to take a chance on me.” He dropped his arms and he took a step back. When he looked at her, his expression was bleak. Defeated. “I’m sorry. I—I should go.”

  It took her a minute to understand he was really leaving.

  She called out to him and stepped onto the front porch. “Wait!” she cried when he didn’t turn around. The only option was to chase after him.

  Barefoot, she caught up to him on the driveway. When he finally looked at her, Teagan had no idea what to say. Staring at him, she wished she could convey what she was feeling.

  Reaching up, she cupped her hand around the nape of his neck and pulled him down until her lips touched his. She kissed him and poured everything—every thought, every feeling, all that she had—into it. It took less than a second for Bobby to wrap his arms around her and pull her close, effectively taking control of the kiss.

  Control she gladly gave to him.

  It was madness. They were standing in her driveway where anyone could see them, and she didn’t care. All that mattered was getting closer to him, touching him, loving him.

  Bobby was the first to break the kiss. His breath was ragged and his eyes tortured. “Teagan,” he said quietly, “I can’t do this again. I can’t start this and have you send me away one more time.” Slowly, he took a step back. “So it’s… I mean, I should go.”

  Was he serious? Panic had her by the throat. Could she really let him walk away? Who knew relationships could be this much of an emotional roller coaster? When Bobby turned to open the truck door, she frantically reached for his hand.

  “No!” she cried and almost smiled at the shocked look on his face. “Don’t go.”

  “We’ve been here before, and it was wrong for me to push.” His look was borderline pitiful. “I never should have done it.”

  “You didn’t push me—”

  “But when you’re ready, I’ll be waiting, okay? I want you to know that. You mean that much to me. I think about you all the time and—and I think we could have something special.” He paused and let out a long breath. “That’s why I can wait. Because I know we’ll be worth it.”

  She studied him for a moment. “And when I’m ready, you’ll be waiting?”

  He nodded.

  “And…what would I have to do—or say—to let you know I’m ready?”

  One hand rose to caress her cheek, but he lowered it before he could actually touch her. “You just have to call and tell me you need me,” he said, his voice a gruff whisper. “And I’ll be there. Wherever you want me.”

  Nodding, she cocked her head to the side. “Wait, did you hear something?”

  He looked at her oddly. “Hear what?”

  “I think it’s my phone,” she said, looking toward the house and then back to him. “Can you just give me a minute? It could be about Lucas.”

  “Go,” he said quickly. “I’ll wait here.”

  She ran into the house, pulled her phone out of her purse, and smiled. It never rang, she hadn’t heard a thing. She pulled up Bobby’s number and hit Send. As it rang, she was practically bouncing on her toes.

  “Hello?” he asked hesitantly.

  “I need you,” she said softly and—hopefully—seductively.

  She heard him chuckle. The sound was deep and rich and husky and made her tingle from head to toe.

  Then he was standing in her entryway looking both vulnerable and sexy, and everything she could ask for in a man.

  “Where do you want me?” he asked.

  Confidence sparked up in Teagan, more than she had ever felt in her entire life. Walking toward him, she reached around him, shut the front door, and locked it. Then she looked up at him and gave him the sexiest smile she could.

  “Everywhere, Bobby. I want you everywhere.”

  * * *

  Mind. Blown.

  That was the only way to describe the feeling that coursed through him at Teagan’s words. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that he should have left after admitting everything he had. Never in a million years would he have predicted that she would turn the tables on him like this.

  But damn. He was glad she did.

  There were so many things he wanted to say, but the thought of waiting any longer to touch her was too much.

  Later, he told himself. There’d be plenty of time to talk later.

  Right now, all he wanted to do was move them from the entryway to—well, anyplace else. His hands ran up and down her back before settling on her bottom and gently squeezing. She hummed her approval and pressed closer.

  “Wrap your legs around me,” he growled against her lips as he lifted her. She did as he asked, mouth hot against his jaw as he walked them toward the couch. When she realized where he was going, Teagan shook her head.

  “Bedroom,” she said breathlessly. “Please.”

  This girl, he thought with a grin.

  Taking the few extra steps to get them to her bedroom, he gently set her down on the bed. As much as he hated to break the contact, he just needed to look at her for a minute. Her dark hair fanned out against the soft, dove-gray comforter that covered the queen-size bed. For a moment, he pictured her sprawled out on his bed back home. The king bed was larger, his decor a lot more masculine, but the image of her there was so vivid he knew he’d find a way to make it a reality.

  Part of him was ready to go for it, but the rational part of him, the one that had showed up earlier and was prepared to leave, held him back.

  “This isn’t right,” he said, hating how heavily his conscience was weighing on him.

  Teagan propped herself up on her elbows and looked at him with confusion. “What do you mean?”

  “I should have asked you out on a proper date,” he said, shaking his head. “We could have gone to dinner or…or a movie. But what do I do instead? I come here and carry you to bed. Don’t you see how wrong that is?”

  Tilting her head, she stared at him for a solid minute. He had no idea what she was thinking. Was she going to ask him to leave? Suggest they go somewhere and talk? Although…she had been the one to invite him in, and she was the one who’d pulled him in for one hell of a kiss. Why was he overthinking this so damn much? And why now? He was so close to having everything he wanted. Why would he open his mouth and ruin it?

  Okay, ruin wasn’t the right word. He’d only spoken the truth. He should have taken her out on a date. Several dates. And instead he’d skipped the whole getting-to-know-you phase of a relationship and jumped to the physical.

  I loathe
myself.

  “So, you’re saying you don’t want to do this,” Teagan said, as if trying to get a better grasp on the situation. “And you’d rather take me out on a date.”

  He nodded.

  “Can I ask you something?”

  He nodded again.

  “Would going out for breakfast count as a date?”

  When he met her gaze, he saw the sassy grin on her face and the twinkle in her eyes. He might just be the luckiest man alive. Trying to hide his amusement, he responded, “I believe it would.”

  “Hmm…” she hummed, rising to her knees on the bed. Then she reached for him. “How about we try that tomorrow. You know, after we both wake up?”

  Bobby almost sagged with relief. Banding an arm around her waist, he pulled her flush against him. “Sweetheart, I’ll buy you the biggest breakfast we can find. That’s a promise.”

  “I’m going to hold you to it,” she said against his lips. And then she kissed him.

  He pulled back to look at her face, taking in her impish smile and the way her eyes were practically dancing. “As long as I get to hold you all night, then I’m good.”

  Then they were done talking.

  Guiding them both gently back down to the mattress, he claimed her lips with his. Teagan’s silky limbs slowly wrapped back around him as he settled between her thighs. This was so much better than how it had been earlier in the day. Now he knew why—they were done running. They were both in this together, and after tonight, everything was going to be different.

  Better.

  More.

  They kissed each other like they were each other’s lifeline. As much as he loved the way her lips felt, the way her tongue danced against his, he wanted more. He wanted to feel her skin beneath his hands, wanted to kiss every inch of her. And after that… His thoughts immediately veered in X-rated directions.

  Rising up, he broke their kiss and disentangled Teagan to work at gently sliding her capris down her legs. He laughed as she kicked them away instead. He slid his hands under her top and pushed it over her head before tossing it away over his shoulder.