Count on Me (Petal, Georgia) (14 page)

“Since you like being on top, I’m going to stay with that theme.” He flopped onto his back and tore the packet open, rolling it over his totally revived dick.

She hopped over him, adding a little wiggle just to see the way his attention shot straight to her boobs.

Slowly—ever so slowly—she took him into her body. She wanted it hard and fast. Wanted him to maybe even leave a mark. But that first time she knew they were learning one another. Drawing closer and more intimate. It was hot without a doubt. But also tender, which she liked.

He hissed when she had him inside her fully. She sat, letting her body stretch around him. It had been a while and he…well he was pretty talented in the size game.

“Yeah, this is the fuckin’ way to spend a Sunday. Hands down. You’re so hot and tight I’m having to do math to keep this from ending before it even starts.”

She laughed, bending down to kiss him. “I’ll take this over brunch at my grandparents’ any day.”

He growled a little, all protective and stuff, and it sent a shiver of delight through her. No one had growled over her before.

And she found herself on her back, Royal looming over her as he stretched her legs, putting her heels at his shoulders.

“I like that you’re very flexible.”

She wasn’t in a place where she could form too many words. But she sure did like this being-overpowered thing. She liked the way he put her how he wanted, but even though it was a little rough and abrupt, he didn’t hurt her—not in a bad way anyway—as he did.

He was big inside her. Big and thick as he slid in deep over and over. As he thrust, he petted covetous hands all over her skin, every part he could reach.

“I’m torn. I want to come so bad I can feel it in my teeth.” He used those teeth, turning his head to give her ankle a nip. “But this. Caro, this is so good I never want it to end.”

“We can do it again, you know,” she managed to get the words out before he made her writhe once more.

“We can. And we will. I suppose now would be an important time to let you know how much I like sex.”

She tightened herself around him. “Good. I like it too. So get to it.”

He laughed, and slowly but surely, the force and depth of his strokes intensified until her boobs bounced. Not much else, given the way he had her positioned, but it left her open to his touch, which he provided.

He walked up her thigh with his fingers and circled her clit with just the right pressure. Slow but not so slow it frustrated. No, this was a seduction. A tease of what was to come. Of what
he’d
give her.

As he got closer, he brought her along, playing her body like a sex genius or something. And when she flew apart, arching, her eyes sliding closed as she rode her orgasm, her body tightening and convulsing around his, she heard his muffled curse and knew he was right there with her.

Long moments later he put her back on the mattress gently before disappearing and returning quickly.

He jumped into the bed beside her, pulling her close, and she was too relaxed and swamped with feel-good chemicals to protest at all. She nuzzled his throat, her nose buried there in all that muscle.

“Will you sleep over? I get up early, but then again, I bet you do as well. I’ll even make you breakfast.”

It wasn’t like she had the muscle control to drive a car just then anyway.

“Yeah. I need to be up at five thirty. I like to use the treadmill as I warm up for my day.”

“You can ride me instead.”

Laughing, she flopped onto her back, still in the circle of his arms. “That sounds way more fun.”

Chapter Ten

“You should come out to my place tonight after work.”

“I should?” She smiled even though he wouldn’t be able to see her expression over the phone.

“You totally should. I’ve been marinating these ribs all day. They’re going to be really good and I think you need that in your life today. With me.”

“You’re right. I’ll bring something sweet and beer.”

“Perfect.”

She paused and then forged ahead. “So I was thinking of leaving for the day.” She’d been planning on something like a manicure, several glossy fashion magazines and some time in her bathtub. But she’d far rather spend the time with him.

“I’m going to ride out and check some crops. Want to come along with me?”

“Yeah! I’ll go home to change and get beer and cake. Or maybe a pie. I’m not sure which way I’m swinging right now. I’ll know when I see it.”

“The way you view baked goods makes me hot.”

“That’s good as it’s an essential part of my makeup as a human being.” She saved and closed the document she’d been working on. “I should be there within an hour.”

“I’ll meet you at my house in an hour.”

She hung up and got her tail out of there before anything else hit her desk and needed her attention right then.

At her apartment she also packed a quick overnight bag. She’d leave it in the car just in case spending the night wasn’t looking like a reality.

The beer she already had so she put it in her trunk along with her overnight bag and a file she’d need if she was running late and headed straight to court rather than being in the office early. She had every intention of being at work early, but stuff happened and it paid to cover all your bases.

At the Honey Bear she waved at Maryellen Proffit. Since Caroline and Melissa had built their friendship, Mrs. Proffit was warmer, happy to see her. The Honey Bear, over the three weeks she’d been working at Chase and Chase, had become a safe spot for her, and she often took some of her work down in the afternoons after the lunch rush, to grab a booth and work while she had some coffee or tea and a snack.

It was a trophy of sorts. Her first official Caroline spot. Back in Seattle she’d had many of them. But each small inch of ground she gained in Petal was ridiculously hard fought. It meant a lot that she could come in and feel like they were happy to see her.

After making all her choices, Caroline paid and Maryellen bagged her order up. With a wink, she filled a little white bakery box with chocolate chip cookies. “With walnuts.”

“You’re a bad influence! I love that about you.”

Maryellen blushed. “Oh you. Now go on and have a nice time with Royal. If you see Melissa before I do, give her a hug from me.”

Caroline squeezed Maryellen’s hand before scooping her bag up. “See you soon, Mrs. Proffit.”

Maryellen had told her to call her Maryellen instead of Mrs. Proffit but Caroline hadn’t been able to do it regularly yet.

As Caroline pushed her way out, Beth and Anne stood just outside.

Beth smiled and Anne’s mouth faked one but didn’t bother to hide the lack of genuine feeling behind it.

“Hey there.”

“You here getting an afternoon snack?” Beth asked.

“Yeah and for after dinner too.” She could have said what exactly she was getting it for, but this tension between her and Anne was so stupid and such a big time-suck she just didn’t.

She wanted things to be civil with Anne. It made Royal upset otherwise. Angry and sort of embarrassed, and Caroline hated that Anne was making him feel that way. But at the same time she knew how much Royal cared for Anne and her family. She liked him way too much to not at least try to fit into his world with his friends, and it was clear that even though they liked Caroline they would line up with Anne.

And she understood it. But it sucked and it made her tired.

“You?” Caroline asked, meaning hey, now you share this personal thing about your life and that’s how you make friends.

“Joe has a late night at the garage and I need to go grocery shopping so I figured I’d just come in here and get him and Buck something to eat instead.”

“Buck’s the dog, right?”

Beth warmed, her smile sitting more naturally on her face. “Yes. He could come home with me and hang out and wait for his dad to get off work. But he believes he’s an integral part of the repair process.”

“Ah. So he’s Joe’s spirit animal?”

Even Anne thought that was funny.

“That’s exactly it. I’m going to have to share that one with Joe.”

Caroline stepped away from the door. “Sorry for blocking your way. I’ll see y’all around.”

“Wow, that y’all sounded almost southern,” Anne said.

Beth gave Anne a look and pushed her sister inside. “I’d say it
totally
sounded southern. I guess it’s like riding a bike. Before long you’re going to start saying
bless your heart
when you’re being insulting.”

“Is that when my transformation is complete?”

Beth snorted. “Georgia is like the mafia. You can’t ever really leave.” She winked. “Have a good afternoon off.”

“Thanks.” Caroline waved before she headed to her car.

Caroline and Royal had been dating three weeks. Long enough for Caroline to be even more certain she really liked Royal Watson in her life. She
could
be the better woman and step aside to give Anne one last crack at Royal. But fuck that. Royal would have gone after Anne if that’s what he’d wanted.

That should have settled it and everyone could move on.

But damn, she hated feeling like everyone around them was just waiting for Anne to get the hell over her pissy behavior so they could open up to Caroline fully.

Which was bullshit. She
wanted
to get to know his friends better. They’d gone out on group things a time or two. But she knew they hung out regularly, and other than those few times they all went out, there had been no real movement toward her by any of them.

She never wanted Royal to feel like he had to choose. But if they kept closed off to her, she and Royal probably wouldn’t last. She wasn’t interested in being made to feel like an outsider as entertainment for other people.

She headed out of town, toward his house and tried to put it all away.

He waited for her on his porch, sitting on a rocker, one booted foot on the railing. But when she got out, he was up and moving to her, taking the bags from her arms before leaning down to kiss her.

“Mmm. You taste good.”

“If you think I taste like maybe I ate one or two of the chocolate chip walnut cookies, you’d be totally lying. To yourself.”

He grinned. “Sugar, you can eat all the cookies you want.” He then noted her overnight bag. “Yeah? You want to stay over?”

“I mean if you want me to. Don’t feel obligated. I wanted to be prepared. Just in case.”

“Do you want to stay over?” he repeated.

She nodded, and he kissed her on his way to grab the handles on her bag and hefted it from the trunk.

“We’ll put this in the house and then head out.”

She followed him in.

He handed her the bag. “Put it in the bedroom and meet me back out here.”

Spike didn’t do much more than open an eye to be sure she wasn’t a serial killer before he went back to napping in a patch of afternoon sun slanting across the bed. She dropped her bag next to what she thought of as her side of the bed and turned to leave.

Spike made a huffed sound. Outraged she didn’t pause to pet him.

She shook her head, moving to obey the demand in that feline gaze. “Sorry. I thought you were sleeping and didn’t want to disturb you.”

He snorted, getting some snot on her and then giving her a look that said she deserved said treatment.

“You’re a rogue, Spike.” She gave him one last scratch before she headed into the bathroom to scrub cat snot off her arm and hand.

When she came back out she stared at Royal for long moments. He was on his phone. One hand on the glass, the other holding the phone to his ear. His gaze was far off. Probably thinking in numbers as he apparently tended to do like the crazy smart man he was.

He spoke a while and then turned to her after he hung up. “Sorry about that.”

“You’re working. It’s fine.”

“Good.” He plunked a cowboy hat on her head. “You need to have some protection from the elements. Rain, sun, whatever. Also you look really sexy wearing a cowboy hat.”

Reaching out, she grabbed him by the belt and the waist of his jeans and pulled him close. “How can I argue when I happen to think
you
look really sexy in a cowboy hat too? Also, I am a big fan of the new trend in facial hair.”

“You mentioned last week that you liked facial hair on a man.” He shrugged.

“It’s bone-meltingly hot.” Both the way it made him look and that he’d done it for her. She kissed a spot where he had some gray. “I can’t even tell you how many truly dirty things you make me feel when I look at this salt and pepper.”

He tipped her head back and her hat fell as he moved in for a kiss. He caught it, gripping the hat against her butt.

He held her fast against his body, sending a thrill through her. His mouth wandered from her lips to her ear until she hissed at how good it was and tugged his hair.

“Okay, okay. Come on.” He groaned as he broke away from the kiss. “I need to do this, and after I’m done it’ll be just me and you.”