Tyler (22 page)

“Doesn’t look like it fits too well,” Jolene said.

Emily looked first at Jolene, then at the woman’s left hand. Jo was right; it was too big.

“Tyler surprised me with the ring the other day when we met in town.” The woman’s voice escalated with her irritation.

“I’ll just bet,” Gwen drawled.

The blonde glared at Gwen. “He’s been working so many hours he didn’t have time to have it sized.” She was loud enough to be heard over the crowd.

“Why didn’t he just wait to give it to you?” Jolene asked the question Emily didn’t want to know the answer to but needed to hear. She wanted to believe in trust alone, but what with Linda Lee showing up again, and Tyler having been seen in town with her, she was working hard to go on faith.

“We just couldn’t wait to tell everyone that we’re getting married.” The woman’s screech echoed as the song ended and the house lights flicked on.

Tyler stalked over to where the women were standing. “What kind of lies are you spreading now, Linda Lee?”

At the sound of his voice, the blonde’s acid turned to sugar. “Why nothing, honey, just showing off the engagement ring you gave me the other day when we met at the Tasty Freeze.”

The look Linda Lee gave Tyler was odd. Emily thought it looked like a challenge. Something was definitely going on here and from the look in Tyler’s chocolate-brown eyes, he was fit to be tied. His words confirmed her suspicion. He looked right at Emily when he said, “We’re not engaged.”

“But Tyler, don’t you want to know what Dylan and Jesse had to say about it?”

He stiffened, turned back toward the blonde, shoved the hat to the back of his head, and waited, not answering.

“They can’t wait for me to move in.”

Emily’s heart faltered, even though she knew the bitch was lying. She’d been out to the ranch and spent a morning working alongside the Garahan brothers. They struck her as being the type to work until their fingers bled and would go to the wall for one another. “Funny,” Emily drawled, “neither Dylan nor Jesse mentioned your name when I was out riding fences with them the other day.”

Emily had the satisfaction of seeing Linda Lee’s jaw go slack and her eyes glaze over. When the look of shock was replaced with a harder, meaner look, she knew the woman was deliberately trying to destroy what Emily and Tyler shared.

“Tyler made a special trip into town during the day just to pop the question. It was so sweet, we were sharing a butter pecan ice cream cone—”

“That’s not what happened and you know it, Linda Lee,” Tyler said, drawing Emily’s attention away from the annoying blonde. “Go on home.” He turned toward Emily again. “It’s not what you think.”

She looked from Tyler to the busty blonde. Emily might not have a whole lot of luck picking the perfect man until she’d met Tyler Garahan, but she’d always been adept at reading body language. The way the blonde was standing, arms crossed beneath her breasts and her gaze flicking back and forth between Tyler and Emily, told Emily the blonde was worried. From the way the bimbo with the double Ds kept looking at her, Emily just knew the woman was waiting for a reaction.

The bitch was definitely lying!

“I can explain.”

Tyler’s pleading look wasn’t what swayed her; it was the cat-waiting-to-pounce-on-its-prey look on the bimbo’s face as she said, “Just like you explained to your brothers about working here?” Linda Lee all but purred.

“Is there a problem here, miss?”

Emily spun around. One of the sheriff’s deputies was walking toward her. Judging by the grim look on his face, he was either uncomfortable being inside the club or had had a run in with the busty bimbo before.

She had a hunch who called. A look toward Jennifer and Natalie confirmed it. When they waved at her, she waved back, grateful that they’d called in reinforcements. Emily pushed a lock of hair out of her eyes. “Absolutely. That woman over there,” she pointed as she spoke.

“What’s the problem?”

“She was asked to leave and refused.” Emily didn’t care how the woman left, as long as she didn’t have to look at her smug smile anymore.

“Are you Jolene Langley?” he asked.

“No. Jolene’s standing over there.”

“Obliged, ma’am.” He tipped his hat and walked into the fray.

Tyler was easy to spot, standing head and shoulders above the average female in the crowd. At first glance, he appeared to be relaxing while he conversed with the lawman. The longer she looked, the more she saw. Tyler was angry and looked ready to do serious damage to the blonde who’d tried to stake her claim in Emily’s territory.

Lovers like Tyler Garahan came along once in a lifetime. Emily would be damned before she let some two-timing bitch on wheels take away her man. But it wasn’t just his handsome face or killer body or the long nights of loving they’d shared. They’d connected on a deep level, sharing parts of themselves that would cement their relationship, building something solid that would keep their growing love strong and healthy. Tyler and the deputy were talking quietly. It was weird, but when Tyler stepped in to protect the blonde, it only added to his appeal. His innate need to protect was just one more facet to his personality that she loved.

It was time she told Tyler all that her heart held. She loved the man to distraction. There was no reason to keep it all to herself. Love was meant to be celebrated, shared.

Emily Langley loved the tall, dark Irishman… even the part that annoyed the crap out of her—his overprotective streak—but she’d work on not letting it bother her. The rest of the package fit, and she was smart enough to know that men like Tyler Garahan didn’t walk into her life more than once in a lifetime. Deciding it was time to prove to the blonde, and anybody else in the room with ideas that involved tying a short rope around the tall, dark Texas cowboy, that he was spoken for, Emily walked toward Tyler.

He looked up and their eyes met. She smiled and ran the tip of her tongue along her top lip. Her man’s eyes darkened as desire burned bright in his gaze.
Oh yeah
. He was worth the fight and then some. She pushed through the crowd to stand beside Tyler and stared at the angry blonde until she knew she had the woman’s full attention.

Tyler looked down at her. “I can explain about the other day—”

“I’m listening.”

“Hell, Em,” he said, taking off his hat and raking his fingers through his hair. “I thought I could bribe her with ice cream to keep her out of my life.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Hell, darlin’,” he said, “I can’t hardly think straight when you’re around.”

She hooked her arms around Tyler’s neck. With a look and a tug, he was hers for the asking. When she had his lips right where she wanted them, she brushed hers across his, a tantalizing, teasing taste of the man she would continue to fight for… dirty if she had to… because she wasn’t going to lose her man over a blonde bimbo and a misunderstanding.

“I’d have to be dumb as dirt to let you walk out of my life, Tyler.”

Desire shimmered and an emotion she hoped to see shone back at her. “You’re one smart woman, Emily Langley.”

“Loco maybe,” she admitted, “but my mamma raised me to use my wits.”

“Lucky for me, you paid attention.” Tyler bent his head and took her lips in a soul-searing kiss that branded her as his in front of everyone.

When he tucked her in at his side, Emily couldn’t resist the verbal jab, “Langley women don’t back down from a fight.”

“You bitch!” Claws out, jaw clenched, Linda Lee launched herself at Emily.

She braced herself.
This is gonna hurt!

But the expected impact never happened. Tyler anticipated his ex’s move, curled his body protectively around Emily, and spun so his back took the brunt of the vindictive woman’s body slam.

Before Emily could react, the lawman had the blonde cuffed. “You have the right to remain silent—”

She didn’t need to hear the rest to know that disaster had been averted. She would have stood proud and tall, and taken her lumps, but Tyler had taken that decision out of her hands.

“Thanks,” she rasped. “I owe you.”

His grin was positively wicked. “I’m sure I can think of some way to even things out. We can talk about it later.” His smile turned her inside out.

“I think that can be arranged.” Lord, she didn’t just love this man; she needed him. “Have I showed you what you can do with a mug of hot coffee and a cup of ice?” she whispered.

He looked thoughtful, bent down so only she could hear, “Who gets to drink the coffee?”

She smiled and burrowed deeper into his embrace. “I do.”

His eyes darkened with desire. “What’s the ice for?”

“For me to cool you off after I heat you up.”

Tyler’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. “It sounds like I’d probably die from ecstasy, but I was wondering if you’d want to finish up your other fantasy before we tackle a new one.”

Emily’s smile could have been her silent answer, but it was too important to him. He had to ask, had to be sure. “I need you to tell me, Emily. I want to make sure we’re both on the same page, and you’re just as willing as I am to take our intimacy to the next level.”

“Tyler, I’m so in love with you, it scares me.”

He hugged her tight to his heart, and she could feel him trembling. “I was afraid to hope, scared you’d be mad that I took Linda Lee out, even if it was to try to talk sense into her to tell her it was over between us. I just got too distracted by your charms and forgot to tell you.” He paused, “God, I’m so glad you love me, Em, because I love you too.”

He leaned back and locked gazes with her. “Does this mean you’re ready to share that gooey sweetness with me?”

“A smart man like you got it in one.” When his eyes narrowed at her, she tugged on his arm. “Yes. Yes and yes!”

She turned around to look for Jolene and noticed her standing by the front entryway talking to Jake. “Hey, Jolene!”

Her cousin looked up, saw the two of them, and smiled. “You punching out now?”

Emily looked up at Tyler and nodded.

“See you in the morning.”

Tyler wrapped his arm around Emily and started hauling ass toward the staircase. “Can’t you walk faster?”

Caught up in his urgency, knowing the reason for it, she shook her head.

“I can fix that.” Tyler swept her into his arms and took the stairs two at a time.

“I guess you’re not as tired as I thought you’d be.”

He grinned but didn’t take his eyes off the stairs. “It isn’t easy hauling a woman upstairs after spending the day ripping out and planting new fence posts, and then working my butt off on stage in front of a raucous crowd, but I aim to please.”

Emily turned her face against his broad chest and breathed in his scent… outdoors… clean with just a hint of whatever spicy soap he’d used before coming to work. “I’ll see if I can take your mind off your rough work schedule, Tyler.”

His arms tightened around her as he strode through the doorway at the top of the stairs and turned toward her bedroom. “I’ve got a lot on my mind,” he rumbled.

“I don’t mind working hard to get what I want,” she purred.

From the way his eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared, she knew he was ready, willing, and able for action.

He hadn’t put her down yet, but she couldn’t say that she minded. His strength was another thing she really loved about her man. “Impatient?”

“Hell yeah.” Setting her down in the middle of the bed, he stepped back and started to unbutton his shirt.

“What about the coffee and ice cubes?”

He tossed his shirt aside and reached for the hem of her tank top. “That fantasy will have to wait,” he murmured, pressing his lips to her bared cleavage. “I’ve gotta hankering to taste you again.”

More than willing to help him get what he wanted… what they both wanted… she reached around behind her and unhooked her bra. Her breasts spilled into his waiting hands. His grin sent a thrill all the way down to her toes. He pushed her back against the bed, unbuttoned then unzipped her jeans, and dipped his tongue in her belly button. Slowly sliding it up, he licked his way north, then abruptly turned left before he reached her breastbone.

His lips nipped and his tongue flicked across the flesh on the underside of her breast, circling ever closer to the peak that ached for his touch, tormenting her until she writhed and arched toward him, offering herself.

He pulled back and ran his hands from her waist up to her ribs letting his thumbs brush across her nipples. They hardened at his touch.

Words formed in her brain and exploded into tiny particles of fractured thought as his mouth replaced his hands.

“God, you’re responsive.”

Speech still beyond her, Emily managed a throaty rumble.

“The thought of how sweet you’re going to taste when you trust me enough to love you this way has been driving me quietly crazy. ”

“But you never said anything.”

“What was there to say? You needed to trust me and wanted to wait. I can be patient if I have to be.”

Emily wanted to respond, but he’d moved his attention to the side of her neck, pressing moist kisses on a tantalizing path stretching from beneath her ear to her shoulder.

“The wait’s been driving me crazy.”

She shuddered in surrender and opened her heart and her body.

***

Tyler’s gut clenched at the sight of Emily in the throes of passion. She was a goddess! Fiery waves spilled over her shoulders, cupping her breasts, brushing against his jaw as he dipped his head to taste, to sup from her lush well of generosity. Switching to her other shoulder, he worked his way up to that sensitive spot at the base of her neck.

She moaned, thrashing beneath him.

He pushed her shoulders back against the bed and swept his hands beneath her, lifting her hips, sweeping her jeans and the tiny scrap of lace off of her, freeing her. Awed by the beauty of her, he shook his head.
She was his for the asking
. He’d already tasted her cherry-sweet lips and the bounty of her buttercream skin, time to get to the honey-sweet center.

Cupping her taut backside, he lifted her to his mouth and let his tongue and lips show her what he held in his heart.

Her fingers bit into his shoulders, her thighs tightened against him as she raised herself up, allowing him to touch the very heart of her.

He devoured her, feasting until she cried out his name.

“Hold on, darlin’,” he rasped. “Trust me, you’ll enjoy the ride.”

He straightened up, reached into his pocket, and pulled out the foil packet he’d need to protect her.

“Need any help?”

He shucked his jeans, smoothed on the condom, and leaned over her. “Nope. I’m good.” He lifted her hips again and slid home.

Her hands cupped his butt, then clenched hard when he tried to pull out. “Easy,” he rumbled. “I’m not leaving… just getting down to business.” He thrust forward, and she lifted her hips to receive him again and again, building toward what they both wanted.

He drove into her, arching his back, holding her hips flush against him, calling her name as he came in a blinding flash. Gasping, he held her to his heart and traced the letters
TG
on her sweat-slickened back.