The Right Man

by Mankin, Michelle

  “Rush?” She peered up at me.

  I didn’t get a read on her intention until she turned around to face me, straddled me, and hiked up her dress.

  “I’m not wearing any panties.” She put her palms on my chest, and my heart sped up until it was pounding in anticipation.

  Incredulous, I stared at her. “You’ve been walking around all day like that?”

  “Yes.” The corners of her wide, pretty mouth tipped up.

  “Naughty girl.”

  I lowered my head and took her lips, gliding my hands up her creamy thighs under her dress. Heading directly for the center of her, I swiped my thumb over her pussy, and then her clit when I reached it.

  “You’re wet, baby,” I said softly against her lips.

  “I’m that way whenever you put your hands on me.”

  I hissed as her hands skimmed me, lowering the zipper on my jeans. I circled her again with my thumb, sliding her wetness over it. When she tugged at my hips, I lifted my ass so she could pull my jeans and my boxers down. Thinking quickly, I arranged her skirt to cover what we were about to do, thankful it was so long and wide.

  “Condom,” I said gruffly.

  “I have one.” She fumbled under the makeshift tent of her skirt, and I twitched under her fingers as she rolled it on me.

  “Oh, babe.”

  I groaned and grabbed her sexy ass. One delectable globe in each hand, I lifted, positioned, and brought her down on my cock. She put her hands on my shoulders for balance, and I lifted my hips off the ground to go deeper.

  Up, I thrust into her.

  Down, she plunged.

  Anyone who drove up the road to the museum and saw our movements would know what we were doing.

  “So good, Rush.”

  Sunlight streaking through her hair, she stared at me, her eyes bright. Her lips parted and her breath caught as I thrust again inside her.

  “You’re so pretty.” I gripped her ass tighter, thrust into her harder, and she accommodated me beautifully.

  “I’m so close . . .” Her fingers dug into my skin as she ground her pussy onto me.

  “Give me whatever you got, babe.”

  I lifted, and she lowered to meet me. Crashing together, our connection was electric. Our rhythm sped up, but our breathing was ragged.

  “Jewel.” My pulse scattered. Her name was an impending storm.

  “Rush . . .” She moaned, throwing her head back. The storm had arrived for her as well. It swept away both of us. “Oh, Rush.”

  I watched in awe as her release hit her, feeling her spasm around my cock, and then mine slammed into me too. “I love you, baby.”

  It burst over me, the knowledge like a fountain. My heart overflowing with love for her, I hammered into her. Again and again, no holding back.

  • • •

  Jewel

  He put his lips on my neck, pressing them to where my pulse was still racing.

  My soul soaring on his words, I came again. He took my mouth with his to cover and swallow my cries.

  “Rush.” I framed his face with my hands as I came tumbling back to earth.

  Still gripping my ass under my skirt, he stared at me, his expression as possessive as his hold on me.

  “You’re not leaving.” His gaze was fierce. “Do you understand me?”

  Unable to deny him, I nodded. “I’m not leaving.”

  After all, where would I go? Wherever I went, wherever I was . . . with him or without him, I would always be his.

  Chapter 35

  * * *

  Rush

  On the patio beside me in our usual evening position, Jewel stood at her easel, prattling on excitedly about the museum. I was on the lounger with my guitar, still tinkering with the melody that felt huge. Not just because it was good, but because it was about her. She was staying.

  “Aren’t you going to let me see what you’re doing?” I’d been listening to her speak, but I really didn’t understand half the technique and brushstroke shit she was talking about.

  “Stop pestering me. It’s a present for you. I told you already, you’ll see it when it’s done.” She shifted her weight from one shapely leg to the other, barely visible beneath the large canvas on the easel. “But it’s not like the ones we saw today. I’ve never had any formal training.”

  “You’re making it for me, so I’ll love it. The way I love you.”

  We hadn’t discussed my declaration, and she hadn’t reciprocated it. Notably, but that was okay. She was staying, so I had time to convince her. Apparently, I needed every bit of that time.

  How long would she agree to remain if she didn’t feel the same way?

  “Rush.” She stepped out from behind the mystery painting just as my cell rang.

  “Hold on.” I held up a finger, glancing at the display with a sigh. “It’s my brother.” Holding the phone to my ear, I said, “Yeah?”

  “They’re taking Mom to the hospital.”

  “What?” Ice water flooded my veins. “Why?”

  “She had a dizzy spell and hit her head. She was still woozy when the neighbors checked in on her, so they called an ambulance, then they called me. I’m trying to get back stateside, flying standby. We were scheduled for tomorrow. Since you’re closer to her, can you—”

  “Yes.” Instantly setting my animosity aside, I would have agreed to anything. After all, this was our mother. “If I have to get in my car and drive to her, I’ll do it. I’ll call you back as soon as I figure out the best way to get there. Text me the neighbor’s number.”

  “Already have.”

  My phone bleeped.

  “Safe travels,” I told him.

  “You too.” He rang off.

  “What’s going on? You’re shaking.” Looking worried, Jewel sank down on the lounger beside me.

  “My mom’s on her way to the hospital.”

  “Oh no.” Her eyes wide, Jewel curled her fingers around my hand.

  I swallowed, focusing for a second on her, on her sweet gesture of comfort. It helped me to harness the panic galloping through my veins. “I’m calling Brad.”

  “Hello?” My manager picked up immediately. “What’s going on?”

  “My mom’s in an ambulance. I need to get home to Indiana. Fast.”

  “Oh no. Is she okay?”

  “I don’t know, man. Just get me there, all right?”

  “I will.”

  “I gotta call the neighbor. See if they can tell me what happened.”

  “It’ll be okay, Rush.”

  I wasn’t so sure. It hadn’t been for my father.

  “Hang in there,” Brad said. “I’ll call you back when I switch your flight, and I’ll meet you in Indy as soon as I can. You okay to drive a rental after you land?”

  Before I could respond, Jewel covered our joined hands and stroked the side of my palm with her thumb.

  “Can I come with you?” she whispered. “I won’t intrude. But I can drive if you need me.”

  My gaze locked with hers, I hit Jewel with the raw force of that need. I needed her now more desperately than ever.

  “God, yes. I need you.”

  • • •

  Jewel

  Since the phone call, everything felt wrong. Rush was understandably distracted, and I was worried for him.

  It only got worse after we landed in Indianapolis. Every bit of news he received along the way was more upsetting than the last. His mother’s status had gone from “we’re keeping her overnight for observation” to “we need to talk to the family” after the first test results came back.

  I insisted on driving when we got our rental car, and Rush didn’t argue. Clutching his phone like a lifeline, he slumped in the passenger seat staring out the window, but there was nothing to see except dark, empty fields in the distance. With his uncertain expression, he barely resembled the confident man I’d come to know over the last several days. Proof of how far I’d fallen for him, I now considered endearing what I’d first v
iewed as arrogance.

  “Get off here?” I asked as we passed the city limit sign. He knew the way. It had pretty much been a straight shot along the interstate since the airport. But I couldn’t remember the street for the hospital.

  “Yes.” He nodded, his features strained. “There’s a visitors’ parking lot up ahead.” His voice quavered. He wasn’t just worried; he was barely holding it together.

  “It’ll be okay.” I reached for his hand as soon as I parked the car and cut the engine.

  “It wasn’t with my dad.” He stared at the brightly lit four-story county hospital. “By the time I got to the hospital, he was already gone.”

  I felt his pain. I never got to say good-bye to my grandmother. “You talked to your mom on the phone. You said she sounded good.”

  “Yes, but that’s her, Jewel. She’s always been the strong one in the family. You’ll see how she is shortly.”

  He opened his door and got out. I did the same and locked the car, then handed him the keys as we threaded our way between the rows of cars.

  When we reached the revolving-door entrance to the hospital, he stopped short, and I looked at him in confusion.

  A tremble ran through him. “She’ll need me to be strong.”

  In deference to the climate, he was wearing jeans and his black leather jacket with a long-sleeved shirt. I wore my freshly washed jeans and art T-shirt plus an Indianapolis-emblazoned hoodie he’d bought for me at an airport gift shop. It was cold outside, but more worrisome to me than the chill was the tension I could feel in him from our clasped hands.

  “I’ve watched you being strong. You’ve been coordinating information between everyone for hours. You can do this.”

  He nodded to me, moved his hand to my back, and we walked in together.

  • • •

  Rush

  My gaze went to her as soon as I entered her room. It was like a punch to the chest to see my mom looking so pale, lying helpless in a hospital bed, tethered to blinking, beeping equipment.

  “Rush.” When she breathed out my name, her eyes filled with tears, turning her gray eyes silver.

  “Mom.” My throat tight, I blinked hard as my eyes burned like hell.

  Tiny, barely five one, she appeared even smaller to me somehow. Her brown hair had turned mostly gray since the last time I saw her, and it didn’t escape my notice that she’d lost a significant amount of weight.

  She reached out to me with her left hand, since the right one was hooked to an IV.

  My heart pounding, my chest tight, I moved straight to her. The words I hadn’t been able to speak to my father before he passed had been lodged inside my throat for hours, and now they burst free.

  “I love you, Mom.” I bent and pressed a kiss to her soft cheek, and she took my hand.

  “I love you too, sweetie.”

  We stared at each other, not acknowledging the wetness on our faces.

  “It’s going to be okay,” I told her firmly. It had to be. “I’m sorry I’ve been away so much. After we get you through this, I’ll fix that. I’ll make a break in the upcoming tour schedule to spend time with you.” I’d make Mary Timmons understand. If she didn’t, I’d get another label.

  Mom gave me a quavering smile. “I’d like that.”

  “Done.”

  “Who’s the pretty young lady with you?” She peered around me. “Is this Jewel?”

  “Hi, Mrs. McMahon.” Jewel gave her a little wave and stepped forward. “I’m sorry you’re not feeling well, sorry to intrude. Rush was just so worried about you. I didn’t want him to be alone.”

  “Moira. Call me Moira.” Mom returned her gaze to me. “She’s worried about you. She came all this way to support you. Don’t let this one get away.” Her words were as firm as mine had been about her getting better.

  “I don’t plan to.”

  “Good.” She closed her eyes. “I didn’t think . . . What I mean is . . .” She opened her eyes, her gaze no longer glittering with emotion, but determined. “We need to talk to the doctor.”

  “I know. I was hoping we could wait for Randy and Brenda.”

  “They mentioned an operation in the morning.”

  “Yes.” I didn’t know they had already told her.

  “I’d like to talk to the doctor now, if you don’t mind.”

  “All right. I wanted to spend some time with you first, but I can go find him.” I started to slip my hand from hers.

  “I’ll get him,” Jewel said, her eyes bright. “Just tell me his name again. You stay.”

  So supportive. So sweet. If I hadn’t already been certain, the way she’d been so solid at my side since I got the news would have sealed it.

  “Dr. Shannon, dear,” my mom said softly before her eyes pinched shut.

  “Are you in pain?” I asked.

  “A little.”

  Jewel and I exchanged a glance. “A little” coming from my mom meant she was hurting an awful lot.

  “I’ll hurry,” Jewel said, seeming to read my mind.

  As soon as she left the room, my mom spoke again. “I like her.”

  “I like her too.”

  “Only like?” Mom opened her eyes. Even in pain, she hit me with her interrogating expression, the one that always made me cave.

  My throat tight, I swallowed. “I love her.”

  “Does she know?”

  “Yes.”

  “But?”

  “But what, Mom?”

  “Your dad proposed to me after two dates.”

  “You want me to propose to Jewel?”

  She nodded.

  “I can’t. It’s complicated.”

  I didn’t notice at first that Jewel had returned with Dr. Shannon. My eyes met hers, and they seemed troubled. She glanced away.

  At the time, her response reinforced my impression that I had to proceed slowly with her. The key to the condo I wanted to give her as a Christmas present needed to wait until she gave me the words I had given her.

  Later, too much later, I would realize my mistake.

  • • •

  Jewel

  He loved me, just not that way. A woman with a past like mine? Of course I could never be marriage material.

  Don’t be greedy, Jewel. Just be what he needs.

  My eyes stinging, I said, “I’ll wait in the hall.”

  Dr. Shannon gave me a nod. “That might be best.”

  I slipped out. But before the door shut, I heard the diagnosis.

  A cerebral aneurysm.

  I didn’t hear the prognosis or the statistics following surgery. Rush explained it all to me later, so emotionless and withdrawn, as if he were a million miles away rather than right beside me.

  It wasn’t encouraging news.

  Chapter 36

  * * *

  Jewel

  “No. It’s okay. You should stay here with her overnight.” I gnawed on my lip. “I’ll get a hotel room.”

  Rush frowned. “You’re not staying in a hotel by yourself.”

  “Why not?”

  “You’ll stay at the house.”

  “But—”

  “Stop giving me grief,” he snapped. “Can’t you see I have enough stress right now?”

  “Yes, of course.”

  He’d been harsh, but I understood. When I got the news about my gran, I hadn’t been able to even think straight on the bus out to see her. So worried. So alone. Then arriving too late.

  I reached for Rush’s face to comfort him, wanting to let him know he wasn’t alone.

  “There you are,” a booming voice announced.

  My hands fell to my sides, and I turned my head.

  A tall blond with an authoritative manner strode toward us. “How is she?” His ice-blue eyes swept over me quickly before he focused on Rush.

  “She’s putting on a brave front.”

  “Typical Moira.”

  “Doc Shannon says it’s a large aneurysm that has to be treated surgically. They’re bringing i
n a specialist from Indianapolis to perform the surgery. He’s supposed to be the best, but I want better odds than they’re giving me.”

  “I’m sorry.” The blond put his hand on Rush’s shoulder. Both men were equally matched in height. Both drew the attention of the mostly female nursing staff in the corridor. “What can I do to help?”

  “I’m staying at the hospital. There’s a pullout single in her room. Can you take Jewel to the farmhouse, and stay with her until Randy and Brenda arrive?”

  I wanted to stay with Rush, but I suppressed my hurt feelings. If my being somewhere else was what he preferred, it was what I would do.

  “I’m sure they can drive her back in the morning,” the blond said. “But if they can’t, I’ll do it.”

  “Thanks, man.”

  “No problem.” The blond man turned to me. “Jewel, hey. I’m Brad, Rush’s manager.”

  I knew he was more, but he didn’t add that he was also a close friend. The omission added to the sense of isolation I couldn’t help but feel.

  “You sure you don’t need anything?” I asked Rush. “You haven’t eaten since the plane.” And he’d only had something then because I refused to put food in my mouth if he didn’t.

  “You’re sweet to worry about me, baby.” He moved close. “Get some sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow. I love you.” Hands cupping my face, he lowered his head and kissed me.

  It was a good kiss. One that told his friend that I was his and how he felt about me. When he ended it, I wanted to say the words back.

  I wanted to—it was the way I felt—but I didn’t. Not here. It wouldn’t be right.

  No, the first time I said those words to Rush, it needed to be private. Memorable. Like when he had told me.

  I would never forget how it felt with him inside me, telling me he loved me.

  • • •

  “You’re pretty,” Brad said, but there was a twist to his lips that made it less than a compliment.