Whispering Rock (Virgin River #3)(89)

“You didn’t have to get me anything.”

“Of course I didn’t have to. Don’t you think I wanted to?”

She tore into it and found a gold ID bracelet with her name on the topside and underneath, “With love, Tom.” She read it aloud. “God, it’s beautiful. It’s just beautiful.”

“You like it?”

“I love it! Here, put it on me.”

Once the bracelet was latched, he put his hand against her soft hair. “I do, you know. I love you.”

“Tom…”

“You don’t have to say it back. I know I’m rushing you a little. Think it’ll get me kissed, though?”

“At least,” she said with a smile. She leaned toward him across the console, her hands on his shoulders while his found her waist, and the kiss was good. Hot and openmouthed. She made little noises while she kissed him, and he loved that. Kiss at an end, she said, “Thank you. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever been given.”

All he wanted was to feel her warmth against him, and this wasn’t getting it. Their make-out sessions had been a lot more comfortable than this—either at her house when no one was home, or out riding, on the soft ground under a tree, or in fresh clean hay in the stable. “I have an idea,” he said, turning off the truck.

He went around to her side, opened her door and said, “Come with me. Let’s hope Uncle Paul doesn’t lock things up too tight.”

“What are you thinking?” she asked, laughing, going with him.

He pulled her to the fifth wheel and, God bless Paul, the door swung open. He stepped up inside and pulled her up and right into his arms, covering her mouth with a passionate kiss. Then he pulled her down onto Paul’s bed and held her there, tight. Close. “God, that’s better. That is so much better.”

“Tommy… You’re not thinking we’re going to, you know, do it…?”

“I hope we do it, Bren. But it’s not going to be tonight. I’m not lying—I just have to feel you next to me. I’ve been feeling so damn empty. And alone. I just wanna hold you. So bad.”

“But I bet you have a rubber in your pocket.”

He laughed at her and buried his face in her neck. “I’m a seventeen-year-old guy. What do you think?”

“That’s what I think.”

“It’s staying in my pocket, don’t you worry. We seventeen-year-old guys, we don’t even want to carry ’em. But it’s the law.”

“You’re so funny….”

“Yeah, this is working,” he said. “Snuggle up here, baby. You feel so good. Hmm.”

“Tommy?” she said.

“Yeah?”

“I love you, too. I do.”

“Aw,” he said, pulling her closer. “That’s so nice to hear.”

“And if we fall asleep here, we’re history.”

“No kidding.” He laughed. Then he slipped a hand against her breast, and she covered his hand with hers. “We’re not gonna fall asleep, Brenda. We’re gonna get all hot and bothered for a little while.”

“Yeah,” she said against his lips. “I know.”

Preacher unlocked the door to the bar and let Paul in. They shook hands tight and hard, bringing them shoulder to shoulder. “Hey, man,” Preacher said.

“Merry Christmas, my man. How was your day?”

“It was okay. Come on in. Paige told me to call her when you got here, then we’ll have a drink. How’s that?”

“Just what I need,” Paul said, going to the bar.

Preacher called back to his quarters, then went behind the bar. “How’s it going out there at the general’s?”

“Real tough,” he said. “Real, real tough.”

“Yeah, I can’t even imagine.” He pulled down a couple of glasses. “Vanni?”

“She’s hanging in there, but I can see the pain in every damn breath she takes. God, Preach—that girl is hurting all over. She’s trying so hard to be brave, especially over these holidays, it just kills me to look at her. And she’s growing by the minute.”

“It’s good, though, that she’s got that baby in her. That little bit of him. There has to be some consolation in that.” He tipped a bottle over two glasses. “And it’s good you’re there. I know she needs you there.”

“I’m not sure it’s a great idea. We spend an awful lot of time talking about Matt, and we’ll have some fun things to remember, but it always ends up with her in tears.”

“I don’t know how you can get around that, man. She’s gonna cry. At least she has a good friend to hold her up while she’s doing it.” Preacher touched his glass to Paul’s. “If something happened to me and I left Paige with a baby in her, I hope to God one of my boys would be there for her.”

“It’s automatic, Preach,” Paul said, taking a drink.

Paige came into the bar and walked straight into Paul’s arms, giving him a big hug. “How are you holding up?” she asked.

“I’m doing okay, Paige. Thanks. How about you guys? How was your Christmas? I bet the little guy had a big day.”