Kissin' Tell: Rough Riders, Book 13 (20 page)

And perfectly sweet, his
I’m with her
display. “Thanks.”

He draped his arm over her shoulder, said, “See you lovelies inside,” to Nicki and Denille, and led her into the mouth of the beast—aka the gymnasium.

Georgia hadn’t realized she was holding her breath until Tell leaned over and whispered, “Come on, baby, breathe.”

A bar had been set up in the far back corner. He ordered a vodka tonic for her and a Bud Light for himself. Tell tapped his bottle to her plastic glass. “To makin’ our own rules tonight.”

“Good plan.”

Popular music from their senior year flowed from the speakers. They drank in silence, watching the action up by the makeshift stage—not that they could see much through the crowd. Georgia’s spine stiffened when she realized the crowd was gathered around Deck.

“You’ll spill all over your pretty dress if you keep crushing the glass.”

She glanced down. The sides of the cup were dented in. God. Why was she hiding in the corner? It wasn’t fair to make Tell her babysitter because she didn’t want to see her ex-husband and his groupies.

Like it or not, she had to deal with Deck, and it might as well be on her terms, not his. She drained her drink and set the empty on the closest table. “Let’s get the bullshit out of the way.”

“Now?”

“Right now.”

Tell grinned. “There’s my girl. Not a wallflower, just balls to the wall.” He drained his beer. Then he put his lips on hers. “Let’s go stir things up.”

Once they reached the group, people began to recognize her and hugs were exchanged. She was on the receiving end of some dirty looks too. Tell laughed and joked with several guys, but he was never more than an arm’s length away from her.

No one came right out and asked them about their relationship. Because it was obvious they were a romantic couple? Or because it was old news? She estimated more than a third of their graduating class still lived in the Sundance area and gossip was a way of life around here. And she and Tell had been all over the place in the last two weeks.

Deck was at the center of it all. Smitty said something in his ear, and Deck turned and looked at her.

Georgia could admit Deck looked good. He hadn’t packed on a beer belly or spare tire like many of their male classmates. He hadn’t gone bald; he still had a head of wavy blond hair. His face showed more creases than the last time she’d seen him seven years ago. But he was still a handsome man.

He seemed to be sizing her up. He kept his arms crossed over his chest and a scowl on his lips. She was grateful when Tell placed his hand on the small of her back, possessively sliding his fingers around the curve of her hip.

“Hello, Deck.” Thankfully her voice stayed friendly and not cold.

“Georgia. It’s been a while.”

“Yes, it has.”

“I was surprised to hear you’re living in Sundance now.”

“For about the last month.”

“Funny. You couldn’t wait to get the hell out of Wyoming and yet…here you are. Back again.”

She shrugged.

“Robert said he talked to you last week.”

“It’d been a while since we’d spoken.”

“I know.” Deck rolled his shoulders back. “He said you ain’t gonna come see him.”

“I never said that.”

“That’s not what he said.”

“Well, I’m pretty sure he knows the road runs both ways.”

All the talking around them had stopped as everyone listened in to their conversation.

Deck’s eyes scanned Tell head to toe. He didn’t offer his hand. “McKay.”

“Veldekamp.”

Deck pointed with his head to the woman next to him. “This is my wife Tara-Lee.”

Tell said, “I remember Tara-Lee. You graduated a year behind us.”

“I didn’t look like this the last time you saw me.” She laughed and lovingly rubbed her hand over her contoured belly.

Georgia didn’t acknowledge the woman at all. Too much risk of saying
the last time I saw you, you were bouncing on my husband’s dick.

Sam, one of Deck’s longtime buddies, started talking about some of the crazy stuff they’d gotten away with senior year. Georgia listened politely, not remembering those memories with such fondness.

When Deck’s friends started chiming in, talking about RJ, Tell discreetly pushed her to the edge of the group to make their escape. And he didn’t stop moving until they were hidden by the bleachers.

He framed her face in his hands. “You all right?”

“Yes. I really am.”

“Good. Let’s fuck up Sally’s seating chart. I see my buddies are here. Or is there a group you’d rather sit with?”

“Just you. But we need to save a seat for Stephanie.”

They shared a table with Thurman, Leah and Warner, Roxanne and Ned, and Stephanie, who’d brought Len Allen, the president of the chess club. Now the guy looked like he could be president of the steroid club.

Leah and Roxanne were surprisingly friendly, and had both her and Stephanie laughing at the stories about the hair and nail salon they co-owned.

When she turned to say thanks to Tell for bringing her another drink, he was a kiss away.

The kiss, while short, was shockingly possessive. As was the hand sliding up her thigh. The man just smirked at her, silently daring her to move his hand, because guaranteed, he’d slide it up higher.

Every time Tell looked at her with heat in his eyes, she felt the answering fire ignite her blood. And Tell didn’t care if everyone else noticed. The connection between them was getting stronger, despite Georgia reminding herself it was just sex.

“They’re setting up the buffet,” Tell said.

“Think it’s better than cafeteria food?”

“Probably not. Think Sally will act like the grumpy old lunch lady, Miz Farnsworth, and dismiss us table by table to get in the chow line?”

“Probably. She was a control freak.”

“So let’s freak her out and cut to the front of the line.”

“You’re such a bad influence on me, McKay.”

He whispered, “Admit the good girl in you always wanted a bad boy.”

“And lucky me, now I’ve got one.”

“At least for the rest of tonight, right?”

That off-the-cuff comment left her a little unsettled. Like this was the last night they’d be together.

Isn’t that what you wanted? A date to the reunion and hot sex?

Maybe at first. But everything had changed in the last week. Or at least since the night Tell had shown up on her doorstep after his nephew’s birth, so sweet and vulnerable. Then so unbelievably hot and forceful during their sexy romp in the backyard. Although she’d known Tell was okay to drive home, she still called him to make sure he’d arrived safely, and they’d ended up talking for another hour.

Then they’d yakked on the phone for several hours the following night, during Tell’s last-minute trek to Casper to stay with Landon overnight. As much as she admired his dedication to his family, she couldn’t help but suspect his family took advantage of his good nature and willingness to always lend a hand.

Wednesday night they’d met at the Golden Boot for a night of dancing and managed to stay through the band’s first set. But they were so desperate for a physical connection, they hadn’t even made it onto the bed in her room; Tell had taken her on the floor. Dragging out the passionate encounter until they were both soaked in sweat, shaking and sated.

She would’ve been happy curled up on the couch with Tell watching a movie Thursday night, but he had other
see and be seen
plans. Fun plans. A scavenger hunt picnic, where they picked up a food item from each restaurant in town and ate it at the park. Followed by an obstacle course race on the playground—which he’d won. Then dropping by the bingo hall for a game of bingo—which she’d won. And ending the evening with them jockeying for position for who got to be on top in her bed. They’d both won that one.

Georgia found him incredibly easy to be with. The thought of this ending, just as it’d gotten started, gave her a tiny feeling of loss. But she wouldn’t push him for more, especially since he hadn’t brought up extending their agreement.

She’d enjoy it—and him—while she could.

After a bit she excused herself and headed to the restroom. Unlike high school, there wasn’t a line of girls gossiping at the mirror. She checked her makeup, smoothed her dress and walked down the hallway.

Straight into Deck.

She attempted to sidestep him, but he blocked her. As she looked up at him, she experienced a punch of bitterness that she’d wasted part of her life on this man. Being this close to him again, Georgia was hard-pressed to remember any happy memories. “What do you want?”

Deck loomed over her. “Bet you think you’re clever, showing up here in front of the whole class, like you’ve got a real thing going on with McKay. But I know better. It’s all bullshit.”

“I stopped giving a shit a long time ago about what you think, Deck, not to mention not caring what anyone else thinks. I
am
with Tell.”

“He’s a fuckin’ loser. Always has been, always will be.”

“That’s what sticks in your craw, isn’t it? Were you afraid I might act on that attraction to him back in high school and I’d figure out you weren’t half the man you pretended to be?”

A mean smile distorted his mouth. “You were only trying to make me jealous back then and you remember exactly how I handled shit like that.”

With his fists.

“You’re still trying to make me jealous. Guess what, Georgie? It ain’t workin’. Tara-Lee is my life now. You’re nothin’ but a memory.”

“So why did you follow me out here?” she demanded. “What does it matter that I know how much you adore your wife? I’m nothing to you.”

“I know you’re jealous that life could’ve been yours.”

“Would’ve been a little crowded, with Tara-Lee in our bed and all.”

“Your daddy would be so ashamed of your crude mouth, Georgia.”

“He stopped being my daddy when he became yours.” Why had she blurted that out?

Deck gave her that mean smile again. “See? You are jealous.”

“No, I’m heartsick that my father accepted you as a substitute for RJ.”

He stepped back as if she’d slapped him.

Good.

“Georgia, darlin’? Is everything okay?”

Deck looked over her shoulder at Tell approaching her from behind. “Don’t get your jock in a twist, McKay. She’s fine.”

“I’ll make that determination since she ain’t your concern anymore,” Tell said evenly. “You probably better get back inside anyway, bein’s your baby mama is lookin’ for you.”

Giving them both another scowl, Deck retreated.

Georgia didn’t have time to say anything before Tell took her hand, leading her deeper into the bowels of the school. “The reunion is the other direction.”

“I know. Which is why we’re goin’ this way.” They cut through the hallway to the main floor. As soon as they reached the locker bay, he crowded her against the cool metal, bracing his hands by her head. “I imagined doin’ something like this every damn day for almost three years. Since the very first time I saw you.”

“Imagined what?”

“Pressing you up against the locker and kissing the livin’ hell out of you.” Then Tell lowered his mouth and did just that. Turning her anger into passion. Passion he could coax forth with just the touch of his lips to hers.

The potent kiss hit her like a fifth of Scotch.

He broke the kiss and buried his face in her neck. His hot breath teased the damp skin and she shivered.

“Did reality live up to the teen hype?”

“Way better.” A grinning Tell stepped back and grabbed her hand. “Come on. I have another fun idea.” He towed her behind him through the hallway, stopping in front of room 226.

“Mrs. Wall’s classroom.”

“Yep.”

Butterflies took wing in her belly when Tell asked, “How adventurous are you feelin’, Miss Hotchkiss?”

“Very.”

“Remember you said that.”

Chapter Fourteen

He propelled Georgia into the room and shut and locked the door.

“I had at least one class with you every year, throughout high school. And every one of those years I had a fantasy of some sort about you and me.”

“What did these fantasies of yours include, Mr. McKay?”

He ran the backs of his knuckles over her jawline, tempted as always by her soft skin. “Typical teenage guy stuff. Groping. Kissing. More groping. You whispering in my ear what a stud I was, because I didn’t have a freakin’ clue about sex.”

“You’re telling me that your fantasies about me were innocent?”

“Back then? Yep. But now that I’ve got the experience… Well, I’ll remind you that I ain’t exactly tame these days.”

“Thank God for that.”

“You willing to do a little play actin’ with me? Takin’ a trip back in time?”

“What do you have in mind?”