Reckless(41)

But before I can step back, her arms wind around my neck, and she pulls me closer, lifting her leg to my hip to fit our bodies together.

I don’t have time to be surprised before her hand tangles in my hair and yanks hard to line up my mouth in front of hers.

“You owe me a kiss from the other night,” she whispers. A sexy-as-hell smile teases her lips before they sweep against mine.

Fuck, nothing turns me on like a woman who knows what she wants.

Her mouth opens to me on a soft sigh. My tongue slides against hers, and she moans, the sound making me rock-hard. I run my palm against her thigh, which she squeezes against me.

For a tiny thing, she has long damn legs, legs I’d like to wrap around my face. She tastes sweet, like sugar and lime and tequila. So it pains me to stop and untangle myself from her. When the tips of my fingers reach the curve of her perfect peachy ass, I do just that.

“What’s wrong?” she asks quietly.

“Just meant to kiss you, honey.” Clearing my throat, I slide her leg down and fix her skirt. Even though I really want to acquaint myself with what she has going on under that particular clothing item.

As gracefully as I can, I rearrange my hard-on. “Doesn’t mean I don’t want to get you all kinds of naked, but not tonight. Not if you’ve been drinking.”

She glares at me. “Seriously?”

I kiss her again. “Seriously.”

Her eyes lower to my groin before she grins and palms me. “This for me?”

Her grip is perfect. So is that stroke.

Clenching my eyes, I let out a breath. God grant me the patience to not fuck her against my Ford. Please and thank you.

“One hundred and ten percent,” I groan before taking her hand from my dick, who’s cursing me out and calling me a traitor. I skim my lips over her wrist. “Besides, I wanna explain what happened last night at the diner.”

Her eyes soften, and she nods and leans up to kiss me. “Your place or mine? Oh, wait, they’re the same.”

I chuckle, relieved, turned the fuck on, and grateful to have another chance with this woman. I hope I don’t blow it this time.



* * *



About an hour later, with our legs dangling off the tailgate of my pickup truck and the view of my barn looming before us, she nudges me with her elbow.

“Pancakes after a night of mojitos was the best idea ever.” Tori licks her finger. “I’m sticky, though.”

I ignore the dirty thoughts that spring to mind when she says the word ‘sticky’ and reach for my water bottle. “Glad you enjoyed it. Wasn’t sure if they’d be any good.”

On the way home, I pulled into an all-night truck stop and got us two orders of pancakes and bacon because I thought she might want some food to soak up that alcohol.

Needing to get this off my chest, I blurt out my apology. “I’m sorry about last night. For not clearing up the confusion with Sandra.” This might’ve been easier when Tori was buzzed, but I like knowing she’s probably not at this point.

I explain my brother’s good intentions and how I must’ve done a decent job of keeping whatever was happening between me and Tori a secret, so Logan hadn’t known I didn’t want to go on any blind dates. “I called Sandra last night and cancelled our plans.” Rubbing the back of my neck, I tell Tori how I hadn’t wanted to embarrass the woman and back out of the date in front of everyone, but knowing how things played out, I should’ve done things differently.

Tori’s quiet for a minute. “I understand. That was thoughtful of you. I wouldn’t want you to bail on me in front of everyone either.” She worries her bottom lip. “I’m sorry I stomped off.” With a shrug, she glances out over the pasture. “I’m not great at communicating when I get upset. I tend to overreact, as you well know.”

My heart does this trippy little thing in my chest.

“I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.” My words are a whisper, but I’ve never meant anything more. “I’d like to make it up to you.”

Turning, she looks up at me with those big doe eyes, a smile playing on her lips. “You mean by doing more than driving to Austin in the middle of the night and feeding me pancakes?”

“A small price to pay.”

I don’t know what it is about Tori that makes me want to take risks when I was pretty sure getting into something with a woman was the last damn thing I’d ever want again a few weeks ago.

“Thanks for feeding me. I love pancakes.” Scooting back and reclining on the thick blanket I situated before we hopped up here on the flatbed of my truck, she lets out a contented sigh. “You can make up almost any offense with a good helping of sugar and carbs.”

“My pleasure. Before I forget”—I pause to reach into my back pocket—“thought you might need this.”

“You found my phone.”

I think she’s reaching for it, but instead she grabs my wrist and pulls me down onto the blanket next to her.

Chuckling, I brace myself on my elbow. “You make me laugh,” I whisper as I brush a strand of mermaid hair out of her face.

“Yeah?”

Nodding, I dip my finger down her neck and over the delicate strap of her top. “Logan says I never laugh anymore, but you make me laugh.”