Kissin' Tell: Rough Riders, Book 13 (7 page)

“Yes. But I get to shoot first because you’re going down.”

“Or I’m goin’ down on you.” Grinning wickedly, he handed her the ball. “Show me whatcha got, hot lips.”

Georgia had always hated that nickname, but coming from Tell in that husky male rasp…made it sound sexy. Standing on the right side of the basket, she shot and the ball bounced off the glass to the other side.

“Tough break. My turn.” Tell performed some fancy dribbling maneuver around her. Stopping beneath the basket, he took the shot.

Nothing but net.

“And the crowd goes wild.” Tell spun a circle, pumped his fist into the air, then passed her the ball.

Okay. She could do this. No sweat. She lobbed the ball at the basket and it dropped in. She must’ve had a surprised look because Tell laughed when he high-fived her.

He snatched the ball and lined up at the free throw mark. He bounced the ball four times and then let it fly.

Swish.

Dammit. She’d never make that shot. Georgia felt Tell move in behind her at the free throw line; his breath tickled her ear. “Don’t forget. It was four bounces before the shot. If you don’t do it exactly right, you’ll earn a penalty.”

She faced him. “That’s not in the rules.”

“There’s one thing you oughta know about me, sweetness. I make up my own rules.”

Tempting to break the rules just to see what he’d do. But Tell probably expected that. She dribbled four times and sent the ball into the air, only to watch it bounce off the rim.

“And she earns an ‘H’. Better luck next time.”

For the next two shots, Tell remained in the same place at the free throw line. He aced both baskets, which added an “O” and an “R” to her score when she missed both hers.

Tell slam-dunked the next one.

“Now that, Tell McKay, is just plain mean. I’m short. I need a ladder to make that shot.”

“Or some help.” He handed her the ball. “Hold on.”

“What?” barely squeaked from her mouth before Tell wrapped his arms around her thighs and hoisted her up. “Omigod, I weigh too much for you to be lifting me.”

“Bullshit. Now dunk that ball in the basket.”

Using both hands, she slammed it in the hoop. She released a loud
whoop
and kept her eyes on Tell’s as he allowed her to slide down his body slowly enough that every hard inch of his upper torso pressed into her thighs, belly and chest.

When they were eye to eye, Tell muttered, “You’re just so goddamn tempting I can’t help myself,” and snared her mouth in a kiss.

Tell McKay kissed the daylights out of her. Even after he finally let her feet touch the ground, Georgia still had that floating sensation.

“I could get used to seein’ that dazed look every time I kiss you.”

“I could get used to you kissing me like that,” she shot back. “But I know what you’re doing.”

“What?”

“Cheating. Trying to keep me off-balance.”

“Yep.” He flashed an unapologetic grin. “And I’m even gonna let you take the next shot.”

“Only because you believe I won’t make it.”

He walked backward with his hands out. “So prove me wrong.”

As Georgia scooped up the ball, she had a brilliant idea. She dribbled the ball until she reached the free throw line. Then she turned around.

“Georgia, what
are
you doin’? You’re facing the wrong way.”

“I know.” With her back to the basket and her feet spread wide apart, she swung the ball between her knees and threw it over her head. She spun quickly, watching the ball hit the backboard, sloppily rimming the bucket before it dropped in. “Yes! Yes! Yes!” She skipped toward Tell, taunting, “In your face, McKay.”

“You think I can’t do it granny style, hot lips?”

“I’m sure you can. Just as I’m sure you’ll make a crack about preferring to do it doggie style.”

“Guess you’ll find out, won’t you?”

Georgia cooed, “I’m game for that right now.”

Tell let the ball drop. He stalked her, but it wasn’t like she tried to get away. He bent down and slapped his hands on her ass. “Jump up and wrap your legs around my waist.”

“But—”

“Do. It. Now.”

That bit of bossiness coming from him was hot. Soon as she moved, he lifted her, keeping a firm grip on her ass. Georgia emitted a little yelp, clutching his shoulders as he walked her backward until her upper body rested against the steel post.

His intense blue eyes were riveted on hers before he dipped his head. She expected fire the instant their lips touched, but Tell kissed her without hurry. Keeping the kiss soft, sweet and slow. As if he had all the time in the world to explore her mouth, to tease her tongue with little sucks and bites. To drive her to the edge of lust and hold her there for as long as he damn well pleased.

She tangled her fingers in his hair, drifting into a fuzzy state of pleasure. She couldn’t blame the heat building between them on the sun. Just this man.

They only broke the kiss because someone whistled.

Tell’s forehead met hers. “Damn.”

“My thoughts exactly.”

“What are we gonna do about this, sweetness?”

“I have a couple of ideas. Explicit ideas.”

“So if I said, ‘Georgia, let’s hotfoot it to my place right now and get nekkid’…?”

“I’d race you to your truck. And I’d probably win.”

He laughed. “Guess that settles my question.”

“Which was?”

Tell studied her. “If you’re shy when that bedroom door closes.”

“No. But I’m not bossy, either.”

“Good to know. Because I
am
bossy.”

She expected him to laugh and say just kidding, but apparently he was serious. Very serious. She swallowed hard.

“Did you know I had a hard-on every damn day in history class?”

“Ah-hah!” Georgia poked him in the chest. “I
knew
studying the War Between the States got you all hot and bothered.”

“Funny girl.
You
got me all hot and bothered. Every time your hair brushed across my knuckles, I imagined those soft strands teasing my dick. I’d stare at the back of your head and daydream.”

“About my hair?”

He grinned. “No. Mostly about sex stuff that I had no experience with, but your cherry-scented hair played a big part in every one of those horny teen dreams. And I wasn’t the only guy in our school who got hard just from lookin’ at you. I hoped my boner would be gone by the time the bell rang. So you wouldn’t notice.”

A sudden feeling of guilt caused her to blurt, “What does that say about me, Tell? That I didn’t notice?”

“It says you were a seventeen-year-old girl immersed in her own dramas. It also says for bein’ the hottest girl in school, you were unaware of your appeal. I didn’t bring it up to make you feel bad, Georgia. I only said it because I’m hard right now.”

“I figured that out on my own.”

He laughed. “See? You’re much more observant now.”

“So how long do you plan to keep me pressed up against this pole?”

“Until my flagpole impression goes away. Just give me a minute to…catch my bearings, because we still need to finish our game,” Tell murmured in her ear.

“Huh-uh. I forfeit. You win. Now can we get ice cream?”

Tell kissed her and gently set her back on her feet. He picked up the basketball and held out his hand. “Where you thinking? Dairy Queen? Or the drive-in? Wherever we go, you cannot order a cone. No way can I hide an erection in these shorts if I watch that tongue of yours licking.”

“Too bad. I’m definitely picking that.” She yelped when he swatted her butt.

After piling in Tell’s pickup, he patted the center of the bench seat and grinned at her.

Georgia rolled her eyes, but she scooted over.

The DQ parking lot was full on a Sunday afternoon.

Tell kept his hands on her shoulders and his body tucked in close behind hers as they waited in line. He read every item on the menu to her, and made every item sound dirty.

When she turned to warn him to knock it off or else she was ordering a chocolate-covered frozen banana, he kissed her. Not a quick peck either.

“Eww, Tell. I think I saw your tongue,” a young male voice complained.

They broke the lip-lock and looked at the boy. Dark hair, blue eyes, wearing camo shorts and an orange Toby Keith T-shirt.

“Hey, Ky. Guess you haven’t kissed a girl yet if you’re still grossed out by it.”

The kid blushed. “I coulda kissed a girl if I wanted to, but who’d want to?” Ky’s gaze landed on Georgia. “Who’re you?”

“Georgia Hotchkiss. Who are you?”

“Ky McKay. Tell is kinda my uncle.” He threw back his thin shoulders, rising to his full height. “You’re kinda short. I’m almost taller than you.”

“And you’re about to get extra chores for bein’ rude, Kyler.”

The man who’d spoken stood behind Ky with another dark-haired boy of about two resting on his hip. She’d never met him, and he was probably a dozen years older than Tell, but he was obviously a McKay.

“Aw, Dad, I was just kiddin’,” Ky complained.

The man thrust out his hand and smiled. “I’m Cord McKay. Tell’s cousin.”

“Nice to meet you, Cord. Who’s the little guy?”

Cord glanced down as the boy hid his face. “Beau. It’s past his naptime and he’s steppin’ on his mama’s last nerve today.”

Another dark-haired boy, around age four, barreled up and head-butted Ky in the stomach. “You stole my toy!”

Ky looked innocent. “What? I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about, Foster. You probably lost it.”

“Give it back!”

“Don’t be such a baby. It’s just a stupid toy.”

Foster growled and charged Ky again, but was handily stopped by his father. “Knock it off. Both of you.”

A pregnant blonde stopped next to Cord, and Beau tried to jump out of his father’s arms into hers. When Cord kept that from happening, Beau wailed.

Cord passed off the crying Beau to Ky and handed him a set of keys. “Take your brothers to the truck. But don’t even think about starting it,” he warned.

The boys raced out.

Cord put his hand on the woman’s lower back and kissed her temple.

But the pretty blonde wasn’t looking at her husband. She was looking at Georgia.

Tell said, “This is Cord’s wife, AJ. AJ, this is Georgia—”

“I know who she is,” AJ replied coolly. “We went to school together.”

Georgia didn’t remember this woman at all and she started to get that panicked feeling like she should know her.

“But she doesn’t know me since I didn’t have time to go to football games, dances and such. I was too busy working on the ranch.”

“And that experience came in mighty handy when you married a rancher, didn’t it?” Cord kissed her temple again. “Come on, baby doll, let’s get you home.”

Georgia said, “Nice to meet you.” Cord nodded, but AJ didn’t say anything.

Another snub.

“AJ’s usually really sweet, but you wouldn’t know it today. Sorry about that.”

“Looks like she has her hands full.” She smiled, trying to act like it didn’t bother her. “I’ve decided on an Oreo Blizzard.”

They finished their ice cream in Tell’s pickup. Then Tell eased the seat back and patted his thighs. “You’re lookin’ a little cold. I’ll warm you up.”

She put her knees by his hips, facing him as she sat on his lap. “Checking out my nipples, were you?”

That bold observation seemed to shock him. “What? No. I saw you shiver.”

“Uh-huh. Maybe I shivered because I saw you eyeballing my chest, Tell McKay.”

He placed his cold lips on the hollow of her throat. “It’s been distracting me all damn day because I know you ain’t wearin’ a bra.”

Georgia rested her elbows on his shoulders. “Would I have had a chance at winning the basketball game today if you’d known I’m not wearing panties?”

“Nope. But the game would’ve been over before it began.” Tell kissed her hotly, sliding his hands beneath her backside, urging her to her knees so he could run his hands from the curve of her hips, over her butt, down the backs of her thighs and back up.

Her fingers mapped the breadth of his shoulders and the cut muscles of his arms. Such defined biceps. Ripped triceps. Even his forearms were meaty. She let her fingers lightly trail back up to tangle in his hair.

The kiss turned playful. When his tongue tickled the roof of her mouth, she laughed and leaned back to look at him.

Tell had a slight smile on his face, but his eyes were dark with sexual heat.

So she took a chance that he’d act on it with a little encouragement. “Will you come inside when you take me home? Show me where you want to place the winning kiss?”

He traced her lips with his thumb. Then his finger drew a line down her throat to the middle of her chest. “You are so sexy, Georgia. I want you like crazy. But I’ve got things to finish before dark.” He brushed his knuckles over the rise of her cleavage. “Once I get you in bed, we’re gonna stay there awhile. That’s not a possibility tonight.”