Shelter Mountain (Virgin River #2)(69)

“I don’t know what to do,” Preacher said suddenly. Then he averted his eyes.

“Sure you do, Preacher. You take off your clothes, she takes off her clothes…”

Preacher snapped his head back. “I know where all the parts go. I’m not so sure she’s ready for that….”

“Preacher, my man, do you have eyes? She looks at you like she wants to—”

“Jesus, she scares me to death! I’m afraid I’ll hurt her,” he said, then shook his head miserably. What the hell, he thought. Jack’s my best friend. If I can’t tell Jack, I can’t tell anyone. But he said, “You say anything about this and I swear to God, I’ll kill you.”

Jack just laughed at him. “Why would I tell anyone? Preacher, you’re not going to hurt her.”

“What if I do? She’s been through so much. She’s so soft. Small. And I’m—hell, I’m just a big, clumsy lug.”

“No, you’re not,” Jack said, laughing again. “Preacher, you don’t even break the yolks. You’re—well, you’re big, that’s for sure.” He chuckled. “You’re probably big all over,” he said, shaking his head. “Believe me, women don’t mind that.”

Preacher’s chin went up and he frowned, not sure whether he’d just been complimented or insulted.

“Listen, buddy, you don’t have the problems you think you have. You have to trust yourself.”

“That’s just it—I don’t. I’m afraid I’ll go out of my mind. Do something that—I’m afraid I’ll break her in half.” He looked down at his hand, fingers splayed. “What if I leave a bruise on her? I’d wanna die.”

“Okay, you listen to me. Here’s what you’re gonna do. You’re gonna tell Paige what’s been bothering you. Okay? That you haven’t touched her because you’re afraid you might not know your own strength and be too rough with her, and you don’t want to be. She’ll help you, Preacher. She’ll get you through this. Goddamn, man—the girl wants you so bad it’s distracting.” He shook his head. “Man, the way she looks at you, I figured you haven’t let her sleep in two weeks!”

“I don’t think either one of us is sleeping….”

“Well, hell—how could you? You gotta get this monkey off your back!” And Jack immediately thought, I can relate. I’ve had a houseguest in the cabin with paper walls for weeks now. It was catch as catch can at his house, and while he was a man who could appreciate a quickie now and then, a steady diet of that wasn’t getting it. He’d give anything to be alone with Mel for a long, slow night. He was just about out of his mind himself. The house he was going to build would be soundproofed.

“There haven’t been…I haven’t been with a lot of women,” Preacher said. “Sure not a tenth as many as you.”

“That’s good. That’s a good thing. You’re a serious guy—you get points for that! You just have to be willing to—Jesus, I can’t believe I’m doing this.” Preacher frowned blackly. For a second Jack thought, if he hits me, I’m not letting him get away with it again. “Okay, listen. You just have to be willing to pay attention to details. The details, Preacher. The sounds she makes when, you know, you touch her. Tell her to show you what…Argghh,” he growled in frustration. He forced himself to go on. “Okay, you ask her to show you what she likes. Ask, is this okay? Listen to her. You can tell by the sounds she makes if you’re on the right spot. Ask her to put your hand where she wants it. To tell you where she’d like you to touch her. How she’d like the touch. It’s pretty simple. You just want to make her feel good.”

“Aaww, man,” he said, helpless.

“Well, hell, I guess someone has to tell you. You need me to dig you out a movie or something?”

“No! Jesus!”

“Just as well. They don’t do it so well in those movies, anyway. You’ll be better off if you just admit you’re not sure and you want it to be good. You guide each other, Preach. That’s the best way.”

“I never had—you know.”

“Someone you loved,” he said. It wasn’t a question.

“Yeah,” he said, hanging his head. “God. It never mattered so much before. I guess I should feel like crap about that, too.…But…”

“Get a grip, Preacher. You’re not rough. You’re gentle, but you’re strong. It’s a great combination, believe me. All you really have to remember is, she goes first.” Preacher frowned. “Come on, man, you know what I mean. You hang in there until you’re sure she’s been satisfied. Then you’re free and clear. That’s the best advice I can give you. That, and you better not wait any longer. I have a feeling you’ve put this off too long already.”

“You tell anyone about this and I swear to God—”

“I know. You’re gonna kill me. Shit, Preacher. You better do something about this right away. I mean, Jesus, man, are you at all confused about why she’s still hanging around here? That girl’s been waiting for you and you have to get the job done. Now, come on, let’s go clean fish.” Jack threw his pole and catch in the back of Preacher’s truck. Damn, Jack thought. The poor guy. The poor girl!