Bucking the Rules(20)
“It’s fine. Check it.” The sooner he answered that call or text message, the sooner they could head upstairs and pick up where they’d left off. She shivered again, this time from a chill, and looked down. Right. Her tank was still down and her bra was completely out in the open. She huffed out a laugh and readjusted the shirt so she was decently covered.
He could always start over in a minute.
“Shit. You’ve got to be kidding me.”
His tone caught her attention more than the curse and she turned to him. “What’s wrong?”
“I have to head home.” He tucked his phone back in his pocket and frowned. “They need me.”
“Horse emergency?” she joked. But he didn’t smile. “Oh.” Disappointment swelled in her, knocking loose the wall of lust and hope she’d started to build up block by block. “Okay.” She smiled, though it felt tight at the edges. “Drive safe.”
He stared at her a moment. “You think I’m lying.”
“I didn’t say that.” Didn’t believe it, either. Trace was man enough to say he wasn’t interested if he wasn’t. And if he wasn’t interested, he wouldn’t have been waiting for her after closing.
He grabbed for her wrist and molded her hand over his zipper. Beneath her hand, his hardened erection twitched at the pressure. “That’s no lie. I want you, Jo. I want you like I haven’t wanted anything in a long time.”
“All right.”
His brows rose. “All right? That’s it?”
She smiled. “Not all city girls are complicated, Muldoon.” She patted his cheek and pushed his shoulder. “All right just means what it sounds like. Come on by next time you’ve got a night off. I’ll buy you a round.”
He stood rooted to the spot for a moment, searching her face as if waiting for the “Gotcha” or a hint of sarcasm or something to indicate it was a trick.
She shrugged a shoulder and bent down to pick up her bag. He got there first, their hands crashing together as they both reached for the strap.
“I’ve got it.”
“No, here.” He lifted the heavy tote with ease and helped her adjust it over her shoulder.
“Thanks, big guy.” She patted him again, determined to leave with her dignity—and pride—intact. “Guess I’ll see you around.”
She started to walk toward the stairs, but he caught her and pulled her in for one more long, indecently delicious kiss. When he was finished, they were both fighting to catch their breath.
“Damn,” he muttered once more, his forehead dropping to hers.
“You can say that again.” She pressed a more innocent kiss to his lips and gently pushed him toward the truck. “See ya around, cowboy.”
He shook his head, as if reluctant to go, but go he did. After the truck pulled into the deserted street, she kicked the front step of the stairs.
Not how she wanted the evening to end up. She was no better off than when she’d started the day. Still no man to curl up with and get dirty with between the sheets. But at least now she had something to look forward to. Jo touched her lips with the back of one hand while she dug through her tote for keys with the other.
Now she had a hint of what was to come.
So maybe she was a little better off.
Trace thundered up the steps, not taking the ten seconds to remove his boots by the front door like Emma taught all the kids. Some things were more important.
“Bea?” he called halfway up.
“We’re up here.”
She sounded remarkably calm for someone who’d texted an SOS while babysitting his son. He forced his breathing to reach a normal level and walked the last few steps to the top landing. When he got there, he stopped short at the sight.
Bea, in a pair of ripped shorts and an oversized stained sweatshirt that looked like something of his she’d stolen from his hamper, walked the floor with Seth over her shoulder. He was quiet, but looked as miserable as Bea. Her cropped hair stuck out in different directions, and she was missing an earring. He prayed to God that wasn’t the reason she’d called him back home. If she’d let his son swallow a piece of jewelry, so help him …
She caught him from the corner of her eye and turned, her face a bland mask. No panic, no confusion, no worry. It was as if she was zoned out in front of the TV.
“I don’t understand why you left him with me.”
Trace walked over and gently removed Seth from her grasp. Her arms went limp at her sides.
“I’m not maternal. I don’t even own a pet. I don’t think I like animals. Or babies.” She stared in disgust at the sweatshirt. “Do you know what comes out of that kid?”