Count on Me (Petal, Georgia) (10 page)

“But I’ll have to stop kissing you to move.” He nibbled the lobe of her ear and she sighed.

“Make it quick.” She yanked her head away from his mouth and he managed to get up on the couch. Which was even better when she spun, straddling his lap to face him.

“Damn, girl, you’re trouble. I like it.”

Her laugh made him shiver. Low and throaty and full of all sorts of dirty plans, he liked it. “Looks like I have you exactly where I want you.”

“I shouldn’t tell you because then you’ll know how easy I am for you, but you can put me wherever you like and have me any way you want me. I’m game for whatever you have in mind.”

One corner of her delicious fucking mouth tipped up. “Did you take your vitamins this morning?”

He grabbed that sweet behind of hers and pulled her close. “I think I can manage to muddle through.”

“I’ll be bringing my A game.”

“That might kill me. But I’ll die with a smile on my mouth.”

She undulated then, brushing the heat of her center against the line of his cock, and he groaned, his fingers digging into the ass in his grip.

Her hands slid into his hair, and she held his head as she kissed him, taking over, and damn he let her because she was sweet and hot and on fire in his lap.

It had been at least ten years since Caroline had just kissed and kissed a man for hours. The memory of it paled in comparison to how Royal made her feel. This long slow seduction was new for her. She wasn’t one to delay when she felt a sexual attraction to someone.

But he was different. This whatever-it-was between them was different, and despite her horror over the situation earlier that evening at the Tonk, letting him draw her in at such a delightful pace was thrilling.

His hands slid up to her waist, heating her skin through the material of her shirt, and she willed them higher and higher. But the vibrating coming from his pocket kept interrupting.

Finally with an annoyed groan, he broke the kiss. “I’m sorry. I can’t tell if it’s texts or a call.”

She snuck a look at the clock as he pulled the phone out of his pocket. It was two in the morning. Who was texting him that late? She chided herself for that. It wasn’t her business, and sometimes her friends texted her late too.

He mumbled something and typed quickly before he slid the phone back into his pocket.

“Everything all right?”

He kissed her again and sighed happily. “Yes. It was just Anne texting. She heard about what happened and was asking about it.”

“Oh.” She said this with what she considered her court face. No real emotion, just a recitation of a word.

She must have failed though because he blushed. “There’s no reason to be jealous.”

That made her laugh, and then she poked his side extra hard, his yelp making her feel better. “I’m not jealous, Royal. I don’t have cause to be. We’ve gone on two dates. I’ve been in your life for what? A few weeks?”

“Anne Murphy is one of my best friends. That’s it.”

Caroline rolled her eyes. “That’s stunningly male.
That’s it
. There’s no
that’s it
when it comes to a best friend. And certainly not when it comes to a best friend you used to love in a romantic sense. But as I said, it’s fine.”

It totally wasn’t but she’d look like a clingy psycho otherwise. It didn’t take a genius to see what Anne was doing, and right then she looked like one of those exes who didn’t really want the guy but didn’t want anyone else to have him.

Which was probably totally unfair to think because if he liked her, and everyone else seemed to, Anne was probably a nice person. But it was internal dialog so she could be as catty and unfair as she wanted to be.

He opened his mouth to argue, she could tell he was going to, so she leaned down to kiss him and he grinned and let her, meeting her mouth with his own.

“Now that I’ve satisfied my need to smooch you for the moment, let’s revisit this whole thing about Anne.”

She groaned and got up. “Ugh, let’s not. It’s over. Why are you trying to revive it?”

He unfolded himself to stand—damn he was tall—and headed to her. “There’s no such thing as
fine
with a women. It’s fine means
I’ll kill you in your sleep
.”

“Ha. No it doesn’t.” Not that time anyway. She sighed. “Look, this is not a winning conversation for me. I’m not mad, I promise.”

He looked her over carefully and then pulled her close. She tiptoed up to kiss him and he bent his knees to meet her halfway.

She wanted him. Pretty badly, but if they had sex right then she’d be thinking of Anne the whole time. Well, not the whole time. Clearly that was an exaggeration because whatever he was bringing to the table behind his zipper was more than enough to get her total attention.

She pulled back and smiled. “I want to be the only woman in the room when we fuck.”

He paused and sucked in a breath. “You got some mouth on you, Caroline. It’s sexy. I like that you say what you feel and don’t play around. But there’s no one here but me and you. And trust me, when we fuck? It’ll be me and you. For hours.”

“Oh, I know.” She grabbed his cock through his jeans, squeezing lightly. “You wouldn’t be here in my living room if that weren’t the case.”

“I am not holding feelings for Anne.”

Caroline wasn’t sure if she believed that. But it didn’t matter. She didn’t have the right either way. “That’s not what I mean. I mean, we have some sizzling hot potential between us. It’ll happen, yes it will.” And when it did, she would be the only woman in the room or there’d be no sex at all.

“But it’s late and I just stopped kissing you to take a text from another woman and even though we’re not together anymore and haven’t been for a year and a half, it’s weird and she’s here between us no matter what.”

“You’re really smart as well as sexy.”

He sighed. “I have to work tomorrow. A long, long day. I’d ask you over or out to do something but I’ll be busy until like eleven or so and then I’m passing out.
But,
I take Sundays off, my one day a week where I sleep in and have breakfast out and play all day. What are you doing?”

“I’m having brunch with my grandparents and siblings after church. I mean after they go. I’m a Quaker and my grandmother informed me that was just pretend faith. So I’m sleeping in and having a bloody mary before I meet them over at their house. Want to come?”

He looked panicked and she laughed. “Teasing. I promise. I wouldn’t do that to someone I hated, much less someone I liked.”

“Come over Sunday when you finish up with them. I’m going to stay in and have a fire, read and watch movies. I’ll leave my door unlocked. Next week will be hectic. I’ve got a harvest and then a new planting will start. I may not be around much. Why don’t you go on and agree so I won’t have to be a whole week without seeing you.”

“You’re going to get tired of me and then what?”

He laughed, but it was quiet and thoughtful. “I’m not sure that’s possible. And it sure isn’t right now. Come over Sunday. Bring a bag if you want to give me a trial run.” He brushed his lips over hers and she followed him to the door.

“I don’t know how long it’s going to take.”

“Like I said. I’m sleeping in until at least noon. Then I’m staying in my pajama bottoms and a T-shirt and hanging out all day. Come when you can. I’ll be there for any sort of stress release you might need after several hours with your grandparents.”

He went onto the small landing outside her door. She leaned against it and called out softly. “Hey, Royal?”

“Hm?”

“Thanks for defending my honor tonight. At the Tonk I mean.”

He shook his head. “Of course I did. See you Sunday, Caro. Sweet dreams.”

Two days later, Caroline stood on her grandparents’ front porch and knocked. Shep answered with a grin and then he pulled her into a hug. “Hiya!”

She hugged him back, smiling. “Hey yourself.”

He kissed her cheek. “Come on in. You know you don’t have to knock.”

“Well actually I do. You guys lock the door.”

He paused, surprise on his face. “You don’t have a key?”

It took every bit of her self-control but she managed not to snort. “Nope.”

He frowned.

She fished in her pocket and handed him one though. “This is to my apartment. If you ever need to come in for whatever reason.”

“Thanks. I’ll knock though. Just in case you have a gentleman caller.”

She laughed, unable not to at his teasing tone. “Okay then.”

“Come on back. Gran’s in the kitchen and Mindy should be back shortly.” He leaned in closer. “She went to church with Garrett and his family.”

“Oh no. Is he a Baptist?”

Shep laughed. “Yes!”

Their grandmother must have had kittens over that.

“What are you two up to?” Her grandfather smiled as they entered the kitchen and dining room at the back of the house.

“Nothing much.” She squeezed her brother’s arm and then moved to kiss her grandfather’s cheek. “Morning.”

“You mean afternoon, don’t you? Church was nice today. The pastor gave a great sermon. Too bad you missed it.” Her grandmother jutted her chin out, both to chide and demand a kiss.

Caroline gave a kiss but wasn’t going to allow the chide to bother her. Her faith was her business, as was how she spent her Sunday mornings.

“Glad you had a good morning at church. Can I help with anything?”

Her mother would have wanted her to try her hardest so she did. And damn it, they were close to Shep and Mindy so why not her?

She wished it didn’t matter. Wished she had the confidence that it didn’t make her feel small and unimportant.

But she’d be damned if she gave in to it, even if she craved that ease they seemed to have with her siblings.

“Why don’t I set the table?”

“Mindy usually does.”

“She’s not here, Gran,” Shep interrupted. “I’ll do it. Sit down, Caroline. Want some coffee? I was just about to make some with that fancy K Cup thing you gave me for my birthday.”

“Oh! I’ll do it. You do the dishes, I’ll make the coffee.”

“He’s too young for coffee,” their grandmother said. Caroline and Shep ignored it.

Caroline looked through the spinner with all the cups and chose one for herself. “What kind do you want?”

“I want the macadamia nut kind.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Gross.”

He laughed as he put out silverware.

She made them both coffee. Her grandfather was drinking tea, and her grandmother shook her head when Caroline asked her if she wanted coffee and muttered about how they had a perfectly good coffeemaker already.

“Y’all need to get Caroline a key. Did you know she didn’t have one?” Shep asked his grandfather once he’d finished putting milk in his coffee.

“Oh. You’re right. I’m sorry, sweetheart. I’ll go down to the hardware store this week and get you one.”

“Thanks, Grandpa. It’s not urgent or anything.”

“Hush. It’s silly to make you knock on the door the way you did this morning. It just slipped my mind.” Her grandfather patted her hand.

Mindy came in all laughter and chatter with her boyfriend, Garrett, in her wake. “Sorry we’re late. We needed to get Garrett’s aunt back home.” Her sister caught sight of Caroline at the table and smiled. “You’re here.”

Caroline got up to hug her sister. Garrett nodded at her, keeping his reserve. One he only had with her apparently as everyone else got a hug and a big smile.

It was early days. She hadn’t been around him much while the others had known him for years. It would take time. She just had to be patient.

They sat down to eat, and after a while of trying to draw people out and get to know them better, she just let it go. Mindy was wrapped up in Garrett, who loved the sound of his own voice and maybe her sister. Her grandparents approved of this, despite his apparently Baptist leanings. Her grandmother probably already had plans for how she’d convert him to Lutheranism once they got married.

At least Shep appeared to want to interact with her, answering her questions about school.

“I want to go to law school,” he said with a grin.

Pride warmed her. It ran in the family after all, but it meant something to her personally too.

“Yeah? Awesome. Hard work, but it’s worth it if you love the job.”

“You do then?”

“I do. Weird as it sounds, I love the courtroom. Not everyone does, but it’s my favorite part of the job. There are other legal jobs out there. When the time comes, if you still want to pursue law school, I can hook you up with folks I know so you can see what their jobs are like. Get a perspective that way.”

“As long as he doesn’t defend the guilty,” Garrett said.

Caroline cocked her head, trying to figure out if the comment was about her or defense lawyers in general or what.

“Everyone’s innocent until proven guilty, so that’s easy enough.” She smiled, not wanting to argue and ruin everyone’s brunch.