Make Me Crazy (Loco, Texas) (16 page)

His mama kissed Rand’s cheek. “I am so happy to finally have a daughter. We’ll have to plan a trip to Dallas, do a little shopping or lunch. Whatever you want.”

He knew Rand was trying to cover up her horror at the word shopping. She could barely stand to shop for groceries, let alone clothes. “I’d like that, Mrs. Hansen.”

His mama shook her head. “Now you can call me mama or Karen, but I don’t ever want to hear you call me Mrs. Hansen again, you hear?”

“Yes ma’am.”

His mama hugged him next and murmured, “So happy for you, baby.”

“Thanks mama.” His mother gave him a wink before turning to leave, the rest of the guests falling in behind her to say their goodbyes.

 
Jake thanked them all, until the last soul walked out the front door and he turned to face Rand. “Alone at last.”

He watched her turn to walk down the hallway and go into her room, leaving him alone without a word.

What the hell?

He went after her and knocked. “Rand? Hey, everyone knows I was just kidding about the ripping the clothes off thing.”

He heard her moving around and the knob turned. Rand poked her head out and she whimpered, “I thought I could get this thing off, but I need your help.”

“What thing?” Please say everything.

“Well, my dress to start. I told you, I can’t breathe, but turns out I can’t get it or this damn painful contraption off without assistance.” She stepped back and he moved into the room with her.

She turned her back to him and he made swift work of the long row of buttons down her back. He came around her front and helped her slip the dress down her body so she could step out of it. His gaze traveled from the white stockings on her feet, up her long legs and the swell of her hips. Up over her corset clad waist to the gorgeous mounds rising above the neckline of the lingerie. She was going to have to rip his eyes out because there was no way he could look away from all of the creamy goodness he’d exposed.

Her hands flew up and she cried out, “Hey now! You’re supposed to be helping not ogling!

“How in the hell am I not supposed to look when you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen?”

Her hands fluttered and his eyes trailed all the way up to catch hers when she whispered, “That’s not funny.”

“Do I look like I’m laughing?” He couldn’t have laughed if he wanted to. He was so hard any movement would have caused him physical pain and his whole being wanted nothing more than to satisfy every urge with the woman standing in nothing but satin and lace.

“It’s just the make-up and the hair making you say that. Or the fact that I’m your wife and according to your code of honor I’m the only woman you can…”

He stood up and yanked her against him. She squeaked out the last word…”have.”

He reached out and ran his hand down her cheek, slid it along her throat until it rested just under her twist of hair on her neck. “Rand, it’s not the make-up or the hair or the corset. It’s you. You are pure perfection, honey.”

Whatever her pretty little mouth was going to say was stopped by his lips coming down on hers.

If she thought the corset had made it hard to breathe, Jake’s kiss made it downright impossible. His hands slipped down over her back to the laces, and while his lips never left hers, his hands made fast work of the ties that held her sucked in tight. The air rushed out when he broke the kiss and pulled the back of the corset apart.

“Oh…” she said, leaning into him as her head spun.

He caught her to him and helped her sit with a smile. “Let’s get this damn thing off you.”

She couldn’t agree more as he unhooked the front and opened it wide, sliding his hands in to push it to the floor. Wrapping his arms all the way around, he pushed her back onto the bed and followed her down, falling on top.

Laughing at his hurried motions as he jerked off his jacket and tossed it across the room, she kicked off her heels and helped him untuck his shirt as he removed his bow-tie. Her fingers worked on the buttons of his shirt front while he took off his cufflinks and they finished at the same time. Both the crisp white shirt and the undershirt beneath were thrown aside and he bent down to kiss her, finding her breast with his wide palm.

She reached between them for his belt, going by feel as she arched against his touch and kisses. Finally freeing the leather from the metal buckle, she unsnapped his button and opened his zipper, slipping her hand inside to find him hard and ready.

He stopped kissing her long enough to shuck his dress pants and briefs. He stood before her, gloriously naked, in nothing but his socks that he soon discarded and she licked her lips as he reached out and yanked her underwear down her legs. Leaving her thigh highs, he grabbed a condom from his pants and ripped it open, rolling the latex over his engorged flesh. She bucked when he placed his hand between her legs, playing with her folds..

“I can’t wait. God, Rand…”

She hugged his hips and locked her ankles behind his back as he slipped between her legs and rubbed the head of his cock against her opening, pushing forward. There was no pain this time, only the sweet sensation of him filling and stretching her channel until he was seated to the hilt.

She ran her hands over his shoulders and arms with a smile as she rocked her hips and a zing of excitement shot though her.

Jake drew back and pushed in, using short, shallow strokes that rubbed her outsides as they massaged her insides and she felt the heavy, thigh trembling build up that told her she was getting closer to that overwhelming, soul soaring explosion of pleasure.

“Jake…so….” a gasp escaped her as she came, hands clasping him to her as she met his thrusts, her cries growing louder and higher as she embraced the fantastic out-of-body eruption, coming back down slowly, just in time to watch him shout and pump his own release into her.

Running her fingers through his damp hair, she wiggled under his weight. “Maybe we could get all the way onto the bed?”

His shoulders shook under her arms as he pushed up onto his hands and smiled down at her. “Sorry. I’m not normally that quick, I was just a little worked up.”

“I’m not complaining, I was just thinking you’d be more comfortable.” She said, waving her hand at the fact that they were sideways on the bed.

“Point taken.” He said, pulling out of her and her cheeks flamed as her muscles contracted around him and little aftershocks made her tremble.

He kissed her forehead as he stood up. “I’ll be right back.”

He went into the bathroom, and she sat on the side of the bed, rolling down her thigh highs, yawning as she stood up. She was exhausted, there was no question about it, and she reached into the top drawer of her dresser for a night shirt and a pair of cotton briefs. Slipping them on, all she needed was to brush her teeth and she would be ready to go to bed.

Jake came out and as she passed him, he caught her shirt and teased, “Who said you could put clothes on woman?”

“This is what I sleep in.” She said, reaching around him too grab her tooth brush.

He took the opportunity to nip at her neck and whisper, “Who said we’re gonna be sleeping?”

Laughing, she pushed him away. “Will you give me a minute?”

“What? I think you’re sexy with a frothy mouth.” He said as she shut the door on him with a snort.

She caught a glimpse of her reflection and couldn’t believe it was her. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes twinkled brightly, and besides the toothpaste foam on her lips, she looked different. Pretty.

When she came out of her bathroom, he was curled up on his side, under the covers and crooking his finger at her.

“Come here, wife. I still got big plans for you.”

Suddenly, sleep seemed a little over-rated when she had six foot plus of hot Texas male in her bed.

Chapter Sixteen

They attended church the next morning together and were greeted with teases from the gentleman and curiosity from the ladies. During the service, Rand sat in her normal position between Red and Jake, only today Jake held her hand, using his thumb to trace little circles over her skin and making it very hard to concentrate. Jake’s mama sat next to Jake and kept glancing at Rand with a sly grin. Red caught Rand’s attention by continuously falling asleep and holding his head when he was awake.

 
Rand leaned over to ask Jake, “How much did Red have to drink last night?”

Jake put his mouth so close to her ear, his lips grazed the shell. “Way too much. I think old Red may have done a few things he regrets today.”

Rand was too busy fighting the urge to lean closer to his mouth to respond,. Maybe move her neck to a forty degree angle to give him better access. She felt his breath move down and his teasing tone was hushed as he whispered, “Really, Rand? In church.”

Her eyes popped open and she turned toward him, catching his wicked grin and his mother looking like she wanted to jump up and shout “Hallelujah”.

 Rand’s whole face lit up like a prairie fire and she sat straight with her eyes forward, trying to calm the thump, thump of her heart. Damn the man, he knew exactly how seductive he was and he enjoyed toying with her.

She kept fidgeting in her seat and Jake leaned over again. “Why are you fidgeting like that? Got an itch that needs scratching?”

She tossed a glare his way as Red groaned beside her, “Oh for the love of God, will you two knock it off?”

Rand and Jake turned to watch as his mother whacked him upside his head. “Don’t take the lords name in church, unless you’re praying. And mind your own business; they’re newlyweds.”

Jake’s shoulder shook against hers with laughter and she wanted to sneak out of church and never come back. It was one thing for Red to hear Jake’s sexual innuendos, but his mother. Or Jake’s for that matter.

“I hate you,” she hissed at her chuckling husband.

“No you don’t.”

Damn him if he wasn’t right.

Jake had forgone the trip to Earl’s to visit with his mom, but he was planning on picking her up afterwards.

She wanted to ask Earl about her mom so badly, she had the hardest time making small talk.

“Y’all didn’t have to come over here today. You’re newlyweds. You should have stayed home and relaxed.”

“I come over every Sunday; it’s our tradition. Besides, Jake’s mom has started giving me these real funny looks and I don’t know what to make of her.”

“She just sees that her son is married to a good woman and wants it to stay that way, is all. A woman that will care for you when you’re sick is a rare find.” Earl said with a small smile.

“Did you ever find a girl like that?” Rand asked quickly, before she changed her mind.

Earl’s eyes had a solemn look to them as he said, “Had a sweetheart once. I was home on leave and got a nasty case of strep. She came over every day and nursed me. Best care I ever had.”

The way he said it, with a twinge of regret, Rand took the opening and asked, “Was that my mother?”

Earl jerked his attention to her, his eyes wide with surprise. “Why’d you ask me that?”

She stared back at him. “I found your letters in her hope chest.”

“So you know.” He sat heavily into a chair and let out a whooshing breath. “You’re her spit exactly. I hadn’t seen you in years when I caught you in the field, but the minute you looked at me, I knew you were hers.”

She shook her head and sat down. “She was much prettier than me.”

He looked up with a faraway smile and argued, “Nope. Same dark brown eyes and hair, same nose and sprinkle of freckles.” He ran a hand through his graying hair and said, “My Brown Eyed Girl was our song.”

She didn’t know how she felt about him letting her come around when all he must have seen was her mother. “Is that why you let me hang around? Because I looked like her?”

He shook his head. “At first I was so surprised when I looked at you, it was like looking at her again. Then you opened that ornery little trap of yours and I knew, you might look like her, but you were your granddaddy in spirit.”

“You worked for Granddaddy for how long?” She was fascinated by this new part of Earl and a piece of her mother. She was so young when she lost her; she only remembered bits of a smiling woman who gave a lot of hugs and kisses. Then her last memory, when her mother was too sick to speak and she’d crawled into bed with her, laying her head against her frail shoulder and whispering, “It’s okay mommy.”

She fought the tears as Earl said, “I was sixteen when I first went to work for R.E. during the summer and I remember your mother following me around, asking me questions and always offering me lemon drops. They were your mother’s favorite candy. I enlisted when I was eighteen and my old man and I didn’t exactly get along, so I hardly came back on leave. Until he died and I came back for his funeral.”

“And that’s when you saw my mother again?” The transformation on the craggy face was unbelievably. The happy memories smoothed out the lines and made him look younger.

“She was filled with this sweetness, it was infectious. She smiled and laughed freely, and when I saw her across the room, I was a goner.”

Rand gave a wet laugh, tears already spilling over onto her cheeks. “You? Love at first sight?”

“Hell yeah. I walked over to introduce myself and the first thing she says is, “Earl Humphries, don’t you recognize me?” I didn’t and I almost walked away at that point, but she reached into her pocket and held a bag of lemon drops out to me. She said, “Want a lemon drop?” And I knew. I knew I was too old for her, too damaged but I loved her anyway.”

Rand swiped at her cheeks and cried, “Then why did you let her go? She would have been happy with you anywhere she was.”

His own eyes were wet as he responded, “R.E. asked me to.”

Rand couldn’t believe it. “Why? Why would granddaddy do that?”

Earl reached across and took her hand. “Don’t go blaming your granddaddy, he did the right thing. Your mama wanted a family more than anything else in the world, even me, and your granddaddy knew that the Marines were my career. She was his only child and he didn’t want me dragging her all over the world. He asked me to let her find someone who could give her what I couldn’t. Stability and a home.”

Rand’s hands fisted in his and she snapped, “My father was a gambling, abusive bastard. He made her miserable.”

He looked green as he agreed, “He was that. I didn’t find out she’d married until you were about two and I ran into her at the market. I saw the black eye, even under all the make-up because I’d seen my mother do the same thing. You were just a little sprout, cute as could be and I wanted to kill him.”

She sniffled. “You should have.”

He smiled and squeezed her hand. “I paid him a visit, believe me. If a couple of guys hadn’t pulled me off him, I probably would have, but I managed to break his arm. I told him if he ever touched your mama or you, I’d be back to finish him.”

“I don’t remember that. I just remember he liked to yell at her when he lost money.”

His lip curled in disgust. “I don’t know what to say except if I could go back, I don’t know if I’d change anything.”

She pulled her hand back at his hurtful confession and yelled, “But you could have made her happy. You could have had more time together.”

He shook his head. “I could never have made her as happy as you did, Rand. She loved you more than life.”

It took a moment for that to sink in. “She could have had other children with you.”

He laughed bitterly. “Maybe, if I’d been home long enough, but who would have raised them when she was gone? I didn’t finish my twenty until after she had passed and honestly, with the example I had, I don’t know how good of a father I would have been.” He paused before continuing, “And like I said, she wouldn’t have had you and neither would I.”

He stood up and put his hand on her shaking shoulder and whispered, “I let you come over initially because you were her daughter and I wanted to know you. But I grew to love you for all your feistiness and heart. If I had ever had a daughter, I would have wanted her to be just like you.”

She couldn’t stop the sobs that wracked her body as she stood and threw herself against Earl, dampening his rough work shirt with her tears. He rubbed her back and she felt his tears wet her hair as he whispered, “Shhh, sweetheart, don’t cry for me or your mama. God only gives us so much time on this earth and has a plan for all of us. I got to love your mama for a little while and for some reason, she loved me back. She might not have been happy with your daddy but she got you, and I know she wouldn’t have traded you for anything. And then, when I was at my worst, he sent you my way. You were my little sharp-tongued angel.”

She choked on a laugh. “Only you and Jake can make the most insulting things sound like the sweetest compliments.”

His own chest rumbled with a chuckle. “That’s what happens when you love someone. Even when you’re fighting, there isn’t anyone you’d rather fight with.”

She smiled and asked, “Did you and mama fight?”

He snorted. “I said she was sweet, I never said she wasn’t stubborn.”

She pulled back and begged, “Tell me about her. Please.”

In the three hours before Jake returned for her, Earl showed her another side of her mother. Her mother had always been wonderful, but had an underlying sadness. The girl Earl knew had been free and so filled with joy and mischief, it made her leave his house smiling. Her mother might have been miserable with her father, but she knew one thing for sure.

Her mother had loved and been loved in return. Unselfishly with no conditions or restrictions.

And Rand found herself wanting the same thing.

Rand was exhausted by the time they got home from Earl’s place. She changed her clothes and went out to check on the animals, smacking Jake’s hand away from her butt as she passed him. “Uh uh. I’m still mad at you!”

“For what?” He demanded.

“For teasing me in church today.”

He chased after her, making her shriek as he grabbed her around the waist. “Let me go! I’ve got chores to do!”

His fingers trailed over her ribs and she squealed, “Stop!” She slapped at his hands and reached up to yank on his hair.

“Ouch. Little brat, I’ll fix your wagon.” He picked her up and started dragging her back toward the couch.

She yanked his hair again and he yowled. She wasn’t really trying to hurt him, so she released his hair. Trying to be a reasonable adult, she turned her head to ask, “Are you o-uff…”

His mouth covered hers and he used his hands on her waist to turn her in his arms, his tongue slipping inside to play with hers. Initially surprised, her body reacted as it always did when Jake kissed her. Turned to moldable jello and let him do whatever he wished.

The back of her legs hit the couch and she stumbled, falling back onto the cushions. He climbed over her, fitting their bodies from chest to pelvis and she could feel every hard, solid inch of him. Especially the part that was hard and solid through his jeans.

He brought his mouth down just over hers and smiled. “Are you ready to admit defeat and apologize?”

She was so engrossed in those tiny flecks in his green eyes her voice came out dazed. “Apologize? For wh…”

He brushed his mouth over hers so lightly she raised her head up when he pulled away and whimpered. Her eyes opened to see amusement and heat ruminating in those gorgeous eyes and he tried again. “How about now?”

“You’re such a tease.” She said as she reached up to the back of his head and pulled his mouth down to hers. She slid her hand over the muscles of his back and kneaded them like a cat. The intensity rose and his hips pressed down against her, rubbing back and forth. She slipped her hands down to his hips, trying to get closer to him and rubbed her throbbing center against the hard bulge in his jeans. She felt his fingers nimbly slipping the buttons of her flannel shirt open and when his hand slid inside and cupped her breast, rubbing the sensitive nipple with his thumb, she jerked and moaned.

She protested when he pulled back and said, “Rand, you have about three seconds to tell me no before I haul you up and into that bedroom.”

He didn’t even give her that before he was standing up and tossing her over his shoulder. Pushing herself up, she cried, “The animals!”

“They can wait.” He countered, giving her upwards facing rear a swift swat.

“Hey!” She yelled, slapping his butt with her open palm.

Placing her back on her feet inside the bedroom, his grin and eyes reflected an evil light. “So you want to play huh?”

With a squeak, she ran, trying to make it to the bathroom, but he caught her, pulling her back against him with the hard band of his arm. With his warm breath rustling her hair, he whispered, “Do you yield?”

“Never.” She said, tilting her head and closing her eyes as his lips moved over the exposed skin.