Rough Tumble (20 page)

“I…” she blinked and her eyes got a little watery. “Thank you.”

He stared at the floor. “Don’t thank me yet. I’m not done. The last few days I’ve been in my room. Just sitting on my balcony and trying to figure out how to fix me.”

Oh, God. And there went the rest of her. “Trent. I could have worded things better. You’re not broken.”

“Not broken, just a pretty big asshole. I do respect you. I do trust you. I wouldn’t have been friends with you as long as I have if I didn’t. I think everyone would agree that I won’t put up with things I don’t like. Or, in that past I wouldn’t.”

“In the past?”

He looked at her then and smiled. “I talked to Jacob. It was murder when it started, but I did it. I asked about him and Flora. How they worked out the I love
yous
and what was next. Then I listened for about twenty minutes about how he worried about the next step. I really listened to him and I couldn’t be happier for him. I’m happier too, for knowing.”

“That’s good, Trent.”

He clasped his hands together and back apart again. “I don’t know where we go from here, but I want to do better. The hardest thing I’ve had to hear was my brother saying that if we weren’t brothers, we probably wouldn’t be friends. I don’t want to be that guy.”

“You’re not
that
bad. I’m sure he was exaggerating.”

He shook his head. “He wasn’t. And he’s right. So if I slip I’ll need you to call me out on it. I want to be a better person. I want to be better for you.”

She leaned over on him, his arm wrapped around her shoulder, and he brought her against his side as he’d done so many times since they’d met. “If we do this, are you going to be calling and texting me all the time again?”

“Probably, because I know you like that, but that’ll be the difference. I’ll be calling because I know you like it. And I like it too. I like calling your phone and knowing you’ll pick up. I like sending a text and knowing you’re going to respond back with something.”

“I like those things too.”

“I’m going to be in the diner just as much before because sometimes while I’m in there helping out, I don’t know what you’d do without me.”

She turned her face up to him. “I wonder that all that time.”

He cupped her chin and rubbed his thumb over her cheekbone. “I love you, Tonya.”

She smiled. A smile that started from deep in her chest and bloomed through her whole body. “I love you, too.”

“I want what we had.”

She shook her head. “I don’t. I want more than what we had.”

His mouth sealed over hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him as he turned and laid her on the bed. His weight was such a comforting welcome. Home, love, warmth.

Everything she’d always wanted. Everything she’d craved for so long.

He had it. He gave it.

Then there was just more. He was her best friend. Her rock. Her center. Without him, she’d be lost.

He rubbed up her arms, pushing them overhead and stopped. He stared at her wrists. “When did you do that?”

“About three hours ago.”

He blinked at it. “I….”

She laughed. “Say it.”

He gaped a bit then cleared his throat. “I wish you had taken me with you. I mean, where did you go? Did you ask for a license? Credentials? Was it a clean place?”

She laughed. “The guy at the t-shirt store across the street recommended them.”

His mouth fell open.

“And then I searched what to ask for on my phone on the way there and called Jacob. The tattoo artist was a really nice guy. Though he did try to talk me out of your design for something else.”

“Mine?” His gaze moved back to her wrist and he studied it.

“Long time ago. You drew it on a napkin, smiled at it, looked at me and smiled and then threw it in the trash. I got it out and kept it. I’ve wanted it ever since, but never did anything about it.”

He rubbed his thumb in her palm. “I would have never asked you to do that.”

“I know.”

“But I can’t tell you what it means to see that you did.”

She sat forward and kissed his cheek.

“I might be hell to deal with at times, but you can’t get rid of me now. You marked yourself by something I did.”

She smiled and stared up at him. Pulled her hand loose and cupped his cheeks, facing him to her. “I know. I wanted to. Because I want what we can be.”

“And what’s that?”

She kissed him. “Happy.”

THE END

From The Author…

Wow. After all this time, I can’t believe this is it for
The Roughnecks
. If you’re new to the series, it started with Lane and Gretchen in
Rough Ride
then Jacob and Flora in
Rough Play
. The series also came out of my Apple Trail series. More information on that is available on my website.

Things are about to get interesting for me. I’m trying out a new name and a new genre! Mystery Romance here I come as Charley
Colins
! Does this mean I’m done with Contemporary Romance? NEVER! Many of you have been wanting to see something longer for me, and I hope soon I’ll have that available.

Until then, check out my backlist if you’re new to me. If you’re a beloved reader who’s been around a while, I’ll hope you’ll take a peek at my upcoming Mysteries. They’re still contemporary and southern—but a whole lot more dangerous!

ABOUT KERI FORD

Keri Ford was raised in South Arkansas on a farm surrounded by family, horses, cows, donkeys, ostriches, emus, chickens, ducks, Canadian Geese, and enough dogs one would think they were a pound…and then she bought a
Cosmopolitan
when she was twenty-two. She doesn’t recall the fantastic sex tip that drew her to the magazine, but she vividly remembers reading an excerpt of Christina’s Skye’s
Code Name: Princess
. One elevator scene and quick thought of,
I didn’t know people wrote stuff like this…
and her life would never be the same.

Website:
http://
KeriFord.com
, Email:
[email protected]

Other Books by Keri Ford

Uninhibited in Apple Trail, Arkansas
Series (Novellas)

Through The Wall

On The Fence

In The Hay

Making Her Nights

Satisfying Her Tastes

Chasing Her Trail

The Roughnecks
Series (Long Novellas)

Rough Ride

Rough Play

Coming Soon from Keri Ford Writing As Charley
Colins

A
Lexie
Olympia Novel
Series (Novel Length)

In Her Sights

Borrowing Trouble
Series (Novel Length)

Taken By Trouble
—February 2013

Here Comes Trouble
—June 2013

The Trouble with Danger
—October 2013

If you enjoyed Keri Ford’s
Rough Tumble
,

you may also enjoy these erotic romance authors

published by Turquoise Morning Press:

Maggie Wells, author of
Seducing Steve

Stormy Knight, author of
Steaming Up

Madison J. Edwards, author of
According To Plan

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