Quite the Catch (9 page)

Truth or lie?
He debated for a long moment. It
would be easier to lie and say he had suffered a chill but he hadn’t. He burned
with desire, hotter than summer pavement. She might not want to hear the truth
but he chose it. “I, uh, want you.”

Her
eyes doubled in size. “What?”

“I
want you,” he said. Damn it, she couldn’t be so thick-headed she failed to
understand his meaning. On cue, his dick
stiffened,
something she surely couldn’t miss.

Tina’s
frown faded as she glanced down. “Do you want me to stop?”

He
should say he did and offer to finish applying the witch hazel. But Joshua
didn’t.

“No.”

She
paused with one hand in midair. “I can, if you’d rather I did.”

Then
she dabbed the cotton ball over the bruises on his chest and side, moving
dangerously close to his nipples. Her hand brushed the right one in passing and
he smothered a moan. Joshua’s fingers captured hers and held them still. “Maybe
you don’t get it,” he said. “I want you. I’m about ten seconds from tossing you
onto the bed in the other room, then fucking you until you scream.”

Something
shifted in her eyes and he figured he’d made her angry. Next she’d screech like
a panther and scold him, remind him she’d opened her house to him out of
kindness. Joshua wished he’d said nothing or lied, certain he’d put his foot
into it until Tina spoke. “So, why wait?”

Common
sense vanished faster than smoke in the wind. He jerked the cotton ball from her
fingers and tossed it, then lowered his mouth onto hers with the fierce precision
of a snapping turtle. Her soft lips melted against his fiery attack and yielded
as Joshua pulled her against his nude body and wrapped one arm around her back
to hold her there. Her mouth gave back what he took and he savored her taste,
sweeter and richer than chocolate. He didn’t know if she’d really scream, but
he intended to find out and fast.

Chapter
Nine

After
Joshua kissed her for the third time, Tina latched onto him and held on tight. From
the first kiss until now, desire had smoldered between them, as potent as
bootleg moonshine and heavier than wood smoke on the wind. As a nurse, she
thought she could treat his bruises and wounded side with the same clinical detachment
she’d displayed before, but she failed. The sight of his nude body evoked
immediate appreciation, and desire curled in her belly. Tina tried to remain
aloof but working and touching his skin inches away from her made it
impossible.

When
he shuddered, she thought it was genuine but the way he acted, she knew it
wasn’t. His stiff cock delighted her and she flirted with him, shameless as a
street
hoochie
. Tina couldn’t resist and his
responses were priceless. When he said he wanted her, she played dumb until he
revealed the truth and the moment he spoke, she knew what would happen.

His
heat was contagious, a fever he spread to her via his mouth. Within seconds of
impact, Joshua kindled her need into flame. He kissed her until she thought
she’d pass out from lack of oxygen, but the sensations flooding her were too
delicious to protest. Joshua pulled away long enough to gaze into her eyes.
“Bedroom,” he said with a gasp.
“Now.”

Tina
nodded, too breathless for words as he grasped her hand and led her there. He
stripped away the comforter and they fell onto the sheets together. Facing him,
Tina stroked his skin, careful to avoid the wound she’d just doctored, and
grinned when goose bumps spread beneath her touch. Joshua caressed her too, his
hands fondling her breasts and fingers rubbing her nipples with slow, gentle
motions. She savored the sensation, titillating, yet bordering on the edge of
torture. When he fastened his mouth onto a nipple and suckled, an erotic shiver
rippled through Tina.

To
give back, she ran one finger down his chest and belly, taking her time until
she reached his crotch. Tina seized his cock in her hand and squeezed, then ran
her hand up and down it until he groaned. “You
tryin
’
to kill me or what?” he muttered as he flipped her onto her back. “Get ready.”

“For what?”

Joshua
grinned.
“To scream, honey, to scream.”

Before
Tina had time to think, he mounted her hard, slamming into her pussy with force,
but she welcomed him. She whimpered as he slid into place, her walls tight around
him, and she clung to him to drive him deeper. Joshua filled her to capacity
and with each
stroke,
every thrust he delivered
brought pleasure. Tension built as her body craved more, as they strained
together toward climax. Tina, though she hadn’t believed she would, did cry
out, a hoarse, wordless noise. Her hands clawed the sheets beneath her and then
clung to him.

Vision
vanished but her other senses heightened until she doubted she could bear much
more without losing either her mind or consciousness. Her ears echoed with his
roar and her noise until everything else faded. Nothing mattered but his body
and hers, the heat between them so potent and so strong she thought they might
explode into flames. The world shrank to them, nothing more, and still Tina
locked her legs around his torso to keep her place. If she didn’t, she might
fly into oblivion.

At
last, teetering on the brink of madness, her body tense with need, urgency
triumphed. Joshua withdrew all but the tip of his cock and then re-entered with
force. His impact set off waves of pleasure and her body
spasmed
with orgasmic wonder. He took time to kiss her and at the utmost instant, they
came together in a glorious rush, mouths connected as tight as their bodies.

He
collapsed onto her and she put her arms around him, cradling him close. As her
breathing gradually slowed and returned to a normal rate, Tina could feel his
heartbeat against her breasts. Once he caught his breath, Joshua rolled to the
side and shot a grin in her direction.

“Oh,
honey,” he said.

With
more composure than she felt, Tina said, “You did it.”

“What?”

“I
screamed like a peacock.”

“Yeah,
I noticed.”

Tina
traced his smile with one finger and grinned back. He caught it and kissed it.
“I thought I might pass out for a few minutes there, but I managed to hang
tough.”

A
flicker of alarm invaded her contentment. “Oh Joshua, you’re serious?”

“I
am.
but
it’s all right, honey. I didn’t.”

She
managed to wrap her fingers around his wrist. His pulse beat ran steady and at
the proper pace so she relaxed. “You probably shouldn’t have exerted yourself
so much,” she said and smiled. “But I’m glad you did. Are you okay?”

His
lip curled. “I’m worn out and a little woozy but I think that’s from the
loving. A little sleep, I’ll be good.”

She
noted he called it ‘loving’ and not sex. Tina liked that, very much. “Sleep’s
my prescription for you but we need to finish with the witch hazel and
comfrey.”

Joshua
touched his side and lifted fingers stained brown. “I think you’ll have to
re-do it.”

The
herb paste hadn’t had time to dry. Deep brown comfrey smears marred the sheets
and comforter. So did a little blood. “Damn,” Tina said. “I’ll have to strip
the bed and remake it, I guess. Or we can sleep in my bed upstairs.”

She’d
done the deed in Gramps’ bed but she didn’t mind. The old man would’ve liked
it, she thought. Her grandfather had an earthy side and hadn’t been afraid to
show it.

With
a groan, Joshua raised up on one elbow. “You’re
gonna
’
make me climb stairs?
A teasing note lightened his voice. “Yes.”

“Then
all right, I’m game.”

An
hour later, with his wound covered with comfrey, then gauze, and the bruises
treated with witch hazel, they settled into her bed. Joshua’s eyes drooped with
fatigue but his spirits remained high, and Tina decided their intimacy hadn’t
derailed his recovery. She’d worried for a little while that it might have. She
lay tucked against his right side with his arm around her, content.

Tina
basked, comfortable as a cat lying on a sunlit windowsill. She’d never been
loved with such intensity combined with tenderness. Her free hand stroked his
chest, mindful to be cautious of the bruises. “Are you good?”

The
slight shake of his head was almost imperceptible. “Uh-huh,” he murmured. “I’m
fantastic, never better.”

“No
pain?”

“What?
Oh, yeah, some but not worth
talkin
’ about. I’m damn
sleepy, though.”

“So
sleep.”

“I
think I will. Staying with me?”

She
snuggled closer. “I am.”

Within
minutes, his body relaxed and breathing shifted. Tina used her free hand to pull
the quilt over them both. She savored his closeness, very aware she’d never
slept with a man after sex until now. Her partners had always dressed and
departed—or she had. The lingering closeness pleased her and the idea she might
love Joshua flitted through her mind, elusive but real. In her cozy state, Tina
soon slept too and dreamed.

Sunlight filtered through the
trees, green and full with leaves. She walked across the emerald grass,
inhaling the succulent aroma of honeysuckle on the light wind. Joshua met her
and kissed her, his mouth sweeter than honey. His heat rivaled the summer
temperatures and she ran her hands down his shirtless torso. No bruises
remained and his side had healed.

“I love you,” he told her.

Happiness bubbled up from deep
within as Tina laughed with delight. She loved him too and opened her mouth to
tell him so.

Noise
roused her and shattered the dream with reality. Tina opened her eyes,
disoriented and clueless for a moment.
The
phone,
she thought,
it’s the damn
telephone.
She switched on the bedside lamp and groped to answer, unaware
of the time. “Hello.”

Her
cousin’s voice rang loud. “Tina? Were you asleep?”

“Uh,
yeah, I think so.” Her thickheaded brain struggled to function. “What time is
it?”

It
had to be late, midnight or past, but Charley debunked her theory. “It’s about
nine thirty, that’s all. I didn’t figure I’d wake you up and I’m sorry but I
need to talk to you.”

Something
in his sharp tone warned her. “What’s the matter?”

“I
told you he’d be trouble,” Charley said, smug.

“Who?”

“I’m
talking about your catch of the day.”

“Joshua?”
As if there were anyone else it could be.

On
cue, he stirred beside her and sat up. “Tina, what’s up?”

Charley
heard and swore. “Shit! Don’t tell me you’re in bed with him? You are, aren’t
you?”

“That’s
none of your business,
cuz
.”

“Maybe,
maybe not, but you’ll want to know what I do.”

“What?”

“Two
guys showed up over here, nosing around the truck and boat,” Charley said. “I
went out to see what in hell they wanted and they hedged around the questions,
finally said they were looking for a friend. They described your friend to a
T
. I said I’d never seen anyone like
that and they said they were looking all along the river. I got a bad feeling
about them, Tina, and if your buddy’s associated with them…”

“He’s
not,” she said. “And his name’s Joshua.”

“How
do you know he’s not? They looked pretty shady to me. I think the law might be
after them or something and if he’s their friend, then Johnny Law’s probably
looking for him too.”

Joshua
nudged her. “What is it?”

With
one hand over the phone, Tina said, “It’s my cousin Charley. Two guys were over
at his place on the river, asking questions and looking for their friend. They
described you and he thinks you’re some kind of outlaw or something. Can I tell
him you’re not?”

He
shook his head and stretched his hand out for the phone. “No, let me.”

Tina
surrendered it. “Okay, but put it on speaker. I need to hear this.”

“This
is United States Marshal Joshua Jenkins,” he said as she listened. “If you’ve
got information I need to hear, spit it out.”

“Fuck
me running!” Charley said. Tina repressed a snicker, amused at his shock.
“You’re a fed?”

“Yeah.”

“Damn,
I would’ve pegged you for a…”

“Criminal?”
Joshua’s tone emerged dry as drought.
“Or maybe a dirty Injun
on the run?”

Charley’s
voice harshened.
“Hell, no.
I wouldn’t have guessed
you were a federal marshal, though. I just thought you were a friend of
Tina’s.”

“I
am.”

Joshua’s
terse words and tense manner contrasted against the sweet man she’d come to
know. This, she realized, was the lawman, the tougher side of him, and although
she preferred her Joshua, she liked this one too.