Kissin' Tell (Rough Riders #13)(56)

Georgia stared at him. “You and my brother were responsible for letting the skunks loose in the school?”


“That’s the thing. The mama skunk and her four babies were in the cage the night we snuck it into the classroom. So when we saw the cage was empty the next morning…we had no idea what’d happened. Mr. K never said a word and me’n RJ chalked it up to a failed prank…until a few days later—”


“When the entire school reeked like skunk.”


“Hey, we had no way of knowin’ the mama skunk had escaped and took her litter into the ductwork. By then, no way could we come clean, since they had to rip out the ceiling to free the skunk family and neither of us wanted to pay for the damage.”


She smirked. “So Mr. K was right? Your trap had a design flaw since the skunks escaped?”


He shrugged. “Or someone let them loose. “


“And which one of you initially rounded up the skunks?”


“It was a joint effort after I told RJ I’d stumbled across a nest. The buggers are cute when they’re little. But the mama was pissed we were touchin’ them.”


“Did she spray you?”


“Both of us.”


Georgia wrinkled her nose. “I don’t remember RJ coming home smelling like skunk.”


“That’s because we snuck into the showers at the truck stop and cleaned ourselves up. Hell, I think we even tossed our clothes.”


“No one ever knew?”


“Nope. Me’n RJ swore we’d take the secret to our graves.” Tell went motionless after he said that. “Shit. I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinkin’.”


She leaned across the seat, bussing his cheek, feeling an odd kinship with him for the secret he’d shared with her brother. “It’s okay. I’m pretty sure RJ won’t mind that you told me.”


He rested his forehead against hers. “You ready to go to my place?”


“As long as you have ice cream. Because I’m in the mood to eat ice cream and wallow in front of the TV.”


Tell grinned. “I have such a bad sweet tooth that I have four different kinds of ice cream.”


They didn’t speak on the drive to Tell’s trailer. When they started down the long driveway, Georgia realized she hadn’t brought other clothes. “You’ve got an extra T-shirt I can borrow?”


“Sure. But it’s gonna cost you.”


“Cost me what?”


He didn’t respond until he’d parked. He faced her with a lascivious grin. “Two things are gonna happen if you borrow one of my shirts. One, you don’t get to wear a bra. Two, I can ask for my shirt back at any time.”


“Which means I’ll be naked.”


“I’ll let you leave them sexy panties on.” He smirked. “Unless they’re in my way and then they’re gone too.”


“Is this your way of distracting me?” she asked softly.


He touched her face. “One of the ways I’ve got planned for tonight.”


She bit back a girly sigh.


It was stuffy inside. As Tell started opening windows, Georgia looked around. The space was as tidy as the last time she’d been here.


“It’ll cool down fast, but we might wanna sit outside until it does.”


“Do you want me to dish up the ice cream?”


“You’d better ditch that sexy dress first so you don’t spill on it. Hang tight. I’ll be back with something for you to wear.”


She wandered to the kitchen and opened the cupboards, looking for bowls. Why did she have a pang of sadness at seeing his meager selection of dishware? He had five mismatched dinner plates, four mismatched salad plates and three mismatched bowls. The plastic bowls were adorned with characters from animated movies: Cars, Finding Nemo and Toy Story. The selection of glassware followed those same lines: four Tupperware plastic glasses from the 1980s, a few small, plastic Happy Meal cups, three beer mugs, two wineglasses and four coffee cups.



What did it say about her that her cupboards looked like his? She’d left everything behind when she left Deck, except for one suitcase full of clothes and one box of personal items. When she got her own place, purchasing matching dishes and household items hadn’t mattered. Sort of pathetic that she’d never cooked for anyone in her condo in Dallas besides her mother.


As busy as Tell’s social life was, it didn’t appear that extended to his home.


Strong arms hauled her back against a broad, hard chest. “Didja find anything interesting while you were snooping in my cupboards?”


“No. But I am wondering if I’ll have to fight you for the Toy Story bowl. Woody is my favorite.”


“I have a woody for you,” he breathed in her ear.


Georgia faced him, noticing he’d changed into a tight black tank top and athletic shorts. “Your woody will have to wait. I’m fixated on ice cream right now.”


“Then I’d better get you outta this dress. Does it come off over your head? Or drop to the floor?”