Make Me Crazy (Loco, Texas) (19 page)

He paused outside her room for a minute, before she heard his footsteps retreat back to her granddaddy’s room. She tried to tell herself she wasn’t disappointed that he hadn’t even tried.

Her brain believed her but her heart didn’t. She rolled away from the door and cried herself into a fitful sleep.

Jake and Rand fell into a routine of avoidance, him leaving early and getting home late. She made sure to get in bed when she heard his truck pull up and didn’t get out of bed until she heard him leave.

She missed him, and the whole situation wasn’t working. It didn’t make her love go away, it just made her heart ache worse. She had been reduced to one of those whimpering simpletons that cried at everything and buried their sorrows in junk food after a break up. She used to laugh at those characters on sitcoms and movies, and the girls in town were worse.

Oh, how the mocking had fallen.

 
On Friday, Jamie and Tabitha showed up on her porch at six and Tabitha yelled, “Surprise! We’re kidnapping you!”

The last thing Rand wanted to do was hang out with anyone, and she said, tiredly, “Sorry guys, I’m not really in the mood.”

Jamie, decked out in a school girl skirt and a black tank top shook her head. “Too bad, you’re coming. You need to get out of this house and have a little fun. No one has seen you in a week.”

“I’m hibernating.” Her growl matched the statement.

Tabitha pushed past her, ignoring her intimidation attempt. “You are not going to mope because Jake is an idiot.”

Jamie passed her and handed her a white pastry bag. Okay, so maybe they could come in for a minute. “What makes you think Jake did something?”

Tabitha snorted. “Because he’s a man, and men are stupid.”

Jamie chimed in as she dropped the bags on the couch. “And she heard Red tearing his ear off on the phone for being an asshole.”

Rand stuffed a bite of pastry in her mouth to hide her smile. She loved the big loyal ox.

Tabitha started rummaging through the bags. “So we’re going to give him something to be really sorry about. Aha!”

She pulled out a red halter and grinned, “Nothing gets a man to heal faster than other men sniffing around his woman.”

“That looks cold.” Rand swallowed the last bite and shook her head, “And besides, I don’t want to bring him to heal. I don’t want anything from him.”

The other women looked at each other and Jamie said, “I kind of got the feeling you loved Jake.”

Rand grimaced. “What made you think something so stupid?”

Tabitha laughed. “Cause for a while there you were fun to be around. Mellow and even nice. Only love can make you want to be better.”

Rand scowled. “If I’m so intolerable, then why are you guys here?”

Tabitha pulled out a short jean skirt and shoved them at her. “Cause the three of us have something in common to bitch about. Men.”

Jamie grabbed her arm and added, “And despite your best efforts to be ornery, we like you.”

Rand let her drag her down to her bedroom and Tabitha ordered, “Go take a shower, and be sure to shave your legs.”

“Where are you taking me,” Rand asked as she was pushed towards her bathroom. “And you are freaking nuts if you think I’m wearing this!”

She caught Tabitha and Jamie’s evil grins and swallowed. Hard.

Jake sat at the same table he always did with Rand and Red, drinking his beer and trying to wind down. He couldn’t relax though, when both his friends were missing.

Red had given him an earful yesterday and called him every name under the sun before hanging up on him. And he hadn’t seen hide nor hair of Rand since their little talk at her truck. He’d managed to stay away long enough so he wouldn’t see her standing in the kitchen, her pony tail swaying as she made dinner. He’d been able to avoid having to smell the steam from her shower, the aroma of peaches enough to make him say to hell with her wishes and storm her defenses. And he’d even resisted the urge to knock on her door and beg her to let him in.

An idiot he might be, but he wasn’t so stupid he didn’t realize what had happened. He’d fallen in love with Rand.

He never thought he’d feel this way about being with a woman, but with Rand it had been easy. And the thought of spending the next eleven months in the same house with her and never touching her again was looking more impossible by the day.

Red sat down across from him with a beer in his hand. “Hey ya, buddy.”

Jake lifted his brow. “Hey, thought you weren’t talking to me?”

Red shrugged and replied, “What’s the point in being mad at you for being you?”

Jake glared at Red. “Thanks. Appreciate it.”

Red took a long pull of his beer and asked, “So you wanna grab a twelve pack and head over to the ranch, watch a movie.”

Jake looked at his watch and shook his head. “Rand doesn’t go to bed for another hour.”

Red scoffed, “So? She’s not home anyway.”

Unease settled over Jake as he asked, “How do you know that?”

“Ran into Tabitha as she was leaving. Jamie and she were going to take her out for a girl’s night.”

Jake snorted, “Yeah, cause Rand’s going to be into that.”

“You never know. Maybe she wants to avoid you just as badly as you want to avoid her.”

Jake snapped, “I don’t want to avoid her, but I’m not going to pretend we’re just friends or roommates living together and sit around talking about bills and the weather.”

Red’s face was blank as he asked, “Well, what do you want to talk about?”

Jake glared at him and snapped, “None of your damn business.”

Red grinned at him. “Now doesn’t that sound just like your wife? It’s too bad you guys hit such a rough patch, cause if I know Tabby, she’s probably going to drag Rand out to a club in a tube top.”

Jake’s body heated with rage at the picture in his mind of his wife dancing with a bunch of groping, grinding, handsy… “Can you call your sister and find out where they are?”

Red grinned as he whipped out his phone. “I was hoping you’d ask.”

Chapter Nineteen

“Ugh, Red is calling me again.” Tabitha groaned over the blare of the music.

Rand watched the bartender set three glasses of Red-bull and pour shots of some kind of dark liquor and said, “Answer it and find out what he wants.”

Jamie giggled, already tipsy. “He is probably with Jake, and Jake wants to know where you are.”

Tabitha picked up the phone and snapped, “What?”

Rand tried not to listen to the one sided conversation, but she couldn’t stop her smile as Tabitha said, “It’s none of your damn business where we are. Is Jake with you? I don’t care if he’s her husband; he is a jackass.”

Jamie yelled, “Yeah, Jake the Jackass.”

Rand covered her mouth to hide her laugh. Drinking with men was different than drinking with women that was for sure. So far she’d had three jaeger bombs and they’d managed to get her out on the floor of the club to dance with them. It had been awkward at first but once the second drink had hit her, she just started to relax and have a good time.

Jamie paid for their drinks and Tabitha said, “Look Red, I’ve gotta go do my shot. Tell Jake if he wants to grovel for forgiveness, he can wait until we bring her home. Tomorrow!”

She hung up the phone and with a grin picked up her glass. “To us!”

Rand and Jamie raised their glasses and they all chugged the dark drinks. Rand kind of liked the sweet taste, but the licorice aftertaste made her grimace and shake.

Jamie grabbed her hand and yelled, “Let’s dance again!”

Rand let Jamie and Tabitha drag her back onto the floor. She’d figured out that Jamie and Tabitha had no problem being all touchy feely. They held hands, danced together and had even managed to drag Rand in with them.

Rand didn’t feel awkward anymore. For the first time in weeks, she hadn’t been stuck in her own head or heart. She’d laughed and been stupid, and no one had cared.

A tall skinny guy in painted on jeans and a black western shirt said something to Tabitha and she nodded. Before too long they were glued together on the dance floor, Tabitha rolling her hips against his and her black tube top staying in place despite her quick moves.

Jamie leaned over and yelled, “Oh man, I think we’ve lost her!”

Rand’s eyes flicked to the two and her eyes widened as Tabitha started kissing him. “Does she know him?”

Jamie shook her head. “When she drinks, she gets kinda crazy.”

Rand and Jamie danced together, Jamie’s multi colored hair like a neon sign in the flashing lights. Jamie swayed down low and back up and Rand couldn’t understand how she moved like that in a skirt. The short jean mini they had tricked Rand into had black bike shorts under it and she still felt naked.

A guy with spiky hair and a lip piercing came up behind Jamie and said something with a smile. Jamie looked to Rand. “He wants to dance. Will you be okay?”

Rand caught the guy saying something about joining them but if it was going to turn out like Tabitha and Skinny guy, she’d pass. “Thanks, I’m gonna go rest my feet.”

Jamie nodded and said she’d be there in a bit. Rand made her way over to an empty table and sat down, wishing she could kick off her boots and rub her feet. She settled for flexing the aching muscles and noticed someone sit down across from her.

A good looking guy in his early thirties grinned at her. “Hey Beautiful, what’s your name?”

Rand had to fight the urge to tell the guy to go away. Something about him rubbed her wrong. “Rand.”

“Brick.” He leaned over the table and asked, “Can I get you a drink?”

Rand shook her head. “No thanks, I just had one with my friends.”

He looked around the dance floor and asked, “So where are your girls?”

Rand looked for them too and found only Jamie dancing with Mr. Piercing. “There’s one.”

 “So I guess that means you’re stuck with me.” His smile was smarmy and made her skin crawl.

Rand got up. “Actually, it means I get to go to the ladies room.”

She started to walk away but he reached out to grab her arm. She opened her mouth to give him a great big piece of her mind, but he spun her to him and she fell against him, unbalanced by the alcohol and motion.

She glared up at him once she got her bearings. “Let go of me.”

He held her tighter and said cheerfully, “I don’t think I will.”

 
She twisted in his arms, trying to get enough space to knee him in the balls, but he moved his body to the side, as if he could read her mind. “Now, now. Be nice.”

“Let go of me! I’m married.”

He laughed. “Oh yeah, then where’s your hubby?”

“He’s on his way, he just got held up.”

He gave her a look that said he didn’t believe her. “Sure.”

He started moving her towards the darkened hallway with the green exit sign above it. They kept bumping into couple after couple and no one was paying attention. Either they were too drunk or stupid to realize they weren’t just dancing.

 She began struggling in earnest when he leaned down and breathed against her ear, “Let’s take a little walk, honey.”

Taking advantage of him stopping, she slammed her heel down on his insole and wanted to laugh when she realized the idiot was wearing sneakers instead of boots. He dropped at her feet with a howl and she moved away from him yelling, “You sick bastard, I should stomp your balls too!”

She felt a hand on her arm and turned to find a big, burly guy in a shirt that read Security frowning down at her.

Red’s cell phone chirped as they parked in front of The Jukebox. Tabitha had already texted Red an hour ago to let him know where they were and Jake was anxious to get out and find Rand.

Red looked down at his phone and cursed. “We should probably hurry up. Apparently, Rand just assaulted someone.”

Jake grinned for the first time in a week. “That’s my girl.”

Jake and Red made it past the bouncer and Jake searched the place for any sign of Rand and found her smiling up at some no neck security guard. Tabitha and Jamie stood behind her with two guys and another security guy was holding some angry guy by his arm.

Jake felt his whole body stiffen at the sight of the weasely bastard glaring at Rand and knew he’d been the man she’d assaulted. He started toward them and watched no neck say something to the guard that held weasel. Weasel looked like he was protesting as the guard dragged him out of the club and Jake was tempted to go after him, but watching the way no neck was eyeballing his wife made Jake’s teeth set on edge. Weasel man would have to keep.

Jake pushed through the crowd with Red at his back and when Rand caught sight of him, her face brightened for a half a second before it snapped into a scowl. “What are you doing here?”

No neck’s look wasn’t friendly when he asked, “Who’s this guy?”

“I’m her husband.” Jake snarled.

No neck turned to Rand and asked, “You gonna be okay?”

The smile she flashed no neck was too friendly to suit Jake. “Thanks for your help J.R.”

“Anytime darlin’. You got a problem, you come see me.” No neck shot Jake an unfriendly look as he passed and Jake took a good look at his Rand in a skin tight red halter top, short jean skirt and cowboy boots and exploded, “What the hell are you wearing?!”

Rand ignored him and smiled at Red. “Hey Red! Would you like to dance with me?”

Jake caught Red’s grin and Jake growled, “So help me Red…”

Red shook his head. ”Better not Rand. Jake’s in a pretty foul mood.”

Rand shrugged and turned her back on them. Jake wasn’t about to let her get away that easy and followed her, grabbing her hand to stop her retreat. “Come on, Rand, you can dance with me.”

He pulled her against his chest and she snapped, “I don’t want to dance with you.”

The feel of her curves fitted against him molded so perfectly he lost some of his irritation. He slipped his thigh between hers and said, “One dance won’t kill you.”

“No but I might kill you!” Her eyes were flashing with anger but she wasn’t fighting him. He let go of her hand to wrap his arms around her waist and started moving with her to the music. He rubbed his thigh between her legs and her lips parted.

He was hard as a stump and aching like a sore tooth watching the way her eyes darkened every time his thigh rubbed against her. He felt her hands run up his arms to his shoulders and he bent his head down to hers and she didn’t resist him when he kissed her. God, he’d missed her mouth, and the way she kissed him back like he was the last drop in a pot of honey.

She yanked away from him and yelled, “Damn you, Jake! Damn you!”

She pushed through the crowd and Jake yelled her name, taking off after her.

Rand ignored Jake’s confused shout and ran. She didn’t know where she was going but she needed to get away from him. Had to get away.

Damn it, why did he have to kiss her? Why did he have to remind her of all the pain and confusion that came along with loving him?

She dashed at her eyes as she finally burst outside and started walking up the sidewalk. There was no way in hell she was going to give in again.

“Rand, will you stop running and listen to me?”

She kept walking, listening to his boots eating up the distance between them, and when he grabbed her arm, she spun in the gravel and shoved him. “What? What could you possibly have to say to make this any better?”

He felt his mouth open and close like a fish and she threw her hands up with an “ARGH! What is the matter with you? You come out here after me and then you just stand there like a dummy!”

A week of pent up anger, frustration, and broken-hearted agony bubbled up and erupted. So he had nothing to say? Well, good thing she didn’t have that issue.

Rand kept screaming at him in the middle of the honky tonk’s parking lot and every time he thought he could break in and tell her how he felt, she revved up again.

He needed to think. He needed quiet
.
He needed to shut her the hell up.

He grabbed her and slammed his mouth down over hers, kissing her until she went limp and pliable and he pulled back to look down into her dazed face. “I came out here to tell you…you make me crazy.”

She blinked at him. Several times.

Then she exploded again. “I make you crazy? I make you crazy? No, you make me crazy! You with your mixed signals and commitment issues and-“

He kissed her again, stopping the overflow of words. When he thought he had her pliable enough, he pulled away and said, “Make me crazy. Make me nuts! I don’t care as long as you’re here. With me. Letting me love you for the rest of our lives because I don’t want anyone else. If you want babies, I’ll give you a hundred and be there for each and every one.” He sucked in a deep breath before continuing,  “You make me crazy, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. I love you, Rand. I love your orneriness and you strength and your beauty and your sweetness and your pass-“

 
Abruptly she threw herself against him and he lost his balance, falling backwards with her hitching a ride. His head and back hit the gravel hard and he wheezed in pain, the world spinning.

“Jake? Jake are you okay?” He tried to focus on Rand’s voice but there seemed to be two of her floating in front of him.

“Ow. Why the hell did you jump me like that?” His voice sounded far away to him but he caught a smile on the twin floating faces.

“I’m sorry. I was excited. I never thought you’d love me, not in a million years, especially after-”

“You decided it would be a good idea to give me a concussion?” He asked.

“No, but now it’s my turn again and I’ve got a lot to say.”

He couldn’t wait to hear this one. “Yeah, what’s that?”

She gave him that smile, the one that was pure mischief and sweetness, the one he remembered her flashing at him when they were kids and she was about to throw him a curve ball.

“I love you too. I love you so much that the thought of being without you for a minute breaks my heart. I don’t think I’ve gone more than an hour all week without crying my guts out, and I never want to feel that again. I want you with me always. You were my first hero, my first friend, my first kiss, and my first love. And I hope you’ll be the one I share the rest of my firsts with; because there is no one else I could ever love as much as I love you.”

He slipped his hands through her hair and said, “Well, damn. If it means that much to you.”

She started to open her mouth but he sat up suddenly, ignoring the spinning world, and kissed her instead. He kissed her again, and again until the sound of booted feet crunched beside them and a dark shadow fell over them.

“Seriously? Are y’all going to do this the whole way home, because honestly, I don’t think I could stomach it?”

Red’s voice was filled with irritation and Jake looked up at his best friend with a grin. “It was her fault. She knocked me down. I think I have a concussion and she just kept taking advantage.”