Bourbon Summer, page 6
“I didn’t like Brock’s kisses,” she blurted.
Good. “Okay.”
“He was sloppy. I don’t think kissing should be sloppy. I guess sometimes when things really get going, but—” She shook her head and blinked. “I haven’t had a good kiss, come to think of it.” Her expression changed to offended. “I don’t date much, so I don’t have a ton of experience. But between paper dry and careless drool . . .” She set her plate on the coffee table. Her sandwich was half eaten. “Wow. I’m the common denominator. It’s me. No one wanted to go out with me, and when they did, it was me that was the problem. You must think—”
“It’s not you.” I would bet my job on it. Both of them. “And I can prove it. Besides, if we can kiss once or twice at the wedding, it’ll look more real. Like we’ve done it before.” Was I making a valid excuse or a selfish one? I wouldn’t answer.
“Practice, you mean?” She sounded breathy.
“Sure.”
She licked her lips. That tongue of hers was a few shades redder than her lips. Would it taste richer? “Now?”
She didn’t need the practice. Still didn’t stop me. I took my glasses off and shoved the coffee table across the carpet. I was on my knees in front of her before I knew it. “The first thing I’m going to show you is that you’re not the problem.”
She tipped her head back to meet my gaze. The chair was so low that I was still taller than her on my knees. “How do you know?”
I propped my hands on the armrests. “I saw your ex’s messy kiss.”
“Maybe it was me—”
I claimed her mouth. Ripe, plump lips parted in surprise but I didn’t take the kiss further. Not yet.
I added pressure and she kissed back. No. Definitely not her. She was sweet from the orange juice, savory from the breakfast sandwich, and soft. So damn soft.
I pulled back only enough to murmur, “How’s that?”
“It’s the Goldilocks kiss.” Her breath whispered over my mouth. “Not too dry. Not too wet. Just right.”
“There are some circumstances when nothing is too wet.” I tipped her chin up. “Open for me, Goldilocks.”
As soon as her lips parted, I dove in. I licked into her warmth, and her flavor deepened. Sweet and savory. My growl resonated between us. I plundered and sucked, forgetting about the technique I had once studied so intently.
Something about Ruby made me throw all my good sense out the window.
I curled a hand around the back of her neck to bring her closer. She let me. Her head tipped back and she was clutching my shirt like she was afraid one of us would drift away.
A needy moan left her.
Yes. The sound was different than her delicious food moan, but it burrowed into my consciousness just the same.
There was nothing wrong with this woman. In fact, I’d make it my mission to fake date the hell out of her. After me, she’d know when any other man didn’t measure up.
At the thought of another guy dating her, I deepened the kiss. She wrapped her arm around my neck before I flattened her into the back of the chair. When I licked, she met me stroke for stroke, that plump mouth working under mine.
Finally, I could nibble that pouty bottom lip of hers.
A whimper left her and she dug her hands in my hair. All my blood rerouted until a nearly painful erection started behind my zipper.
I had a hand around her waist. It’d be easy enough to sweep up her shirt, but this was just supposed to be a kiss. I didn’t want it to quit being a kiss.
“Whoa!” Cruz’s voice broke through my haze of arousal. “Mae! Tenor’s making out in the basement!”
I ripped my mouth off Ruby, but I didn’t rear back. I kept her covered in case her skirt had ridden up or her blouse unbuttoned during our make-out session. She drew her knees up, grazing my erection. Another reason I wasn’t pulling away. “Jesus, Cruz.”
He held his hands up like I had a gun trained on him. “Hey now. Don’t shoot the messenger. Mae’s outside anyway.” His grin was unrepentant.
“What do you need?” I asked through clenched teeth.
Lane was behind him, shit-eating grin in place. “We just came back for a catnap. Cruz is throwing tantrums left and right.”
Cruz shot a glare over his shoulder. “You know how I get when I don’t get my beauty sleep.”
“With your face, I can’t tell.” Lane snickered.
Cruz elbowed him, then they both settled down and grinned at us. Two grown men acting like goddamn boys. I usually didn’t mind. They’d had a rough upbringing. But they were the reason I wasn’t kissing Ruby right now.
“Go to your room,” I growled.
Lane barked out a laugh. “Nice to see you again, Ruby. Can you make sure the old man doesn’t take his crankiness out on us?”
Ruby’s hands were no longer around my neck. She gripped the armrests. “I’ll tell him to be nice.”
In case I thought I couldn’t get any harder, I did.
They finally moved, going to their rooms.
I tipped my forehead against hers. “Sorry about that.”
“What part?”
“They’re basically my obnoxious little brothers.”
“They listen to you.” She ran a finger down my cheek, bumping over the stubble I’d left on my jaw.
“Sometimes.” I was still crowding her. I pulled back. “My study was thorough. The guys you kissed were frogs.”
“And you’re a prince?” Was that a note of hope in her voice?
“No, Goldilocks. I’m just a bear who’ll show you how to know when the porridge is just right.” I rose and adjusted my fly. My dick must have the outline of my zipper imprinted on it.
She tipped her head at my action, bewildered. Did she not think she could get me as hard as stone?
“It doesn’t matter if this is real or not. I’ll treat you right.” I held my hand out. “Time to go talk to my mom.”
Ruby
My lips were puffy from that kiss.
Perfect.
The Goldilocks kiss. I had wanted more. I hadn’t wanted him to stop. I had been consumed.
From a kiss.
That kiss had been more than just right. And he’d been aroused. The bulge behind his jeans—huge. When my knee had brushed against it—hard. The way he’d hulked over me—hot.
My hand shook as I pushed stray strands of my curly hair out of my face. I was climbing the stairs in front of him, clutching my purse. He was behind me. A wall of heat.
How long would he have kept kissing me if Cruz hadn’t interrupted?
I would’ve been fine for the whole weekend.
When we reached the top, Tenor took my dishes to the sink. At least one of us had our wits about us.
How was I going to face Mae when I’d just had her son’s tongue in my mouth? We were both adults, but I had been a guest yesterday. Today, I’d been tonsil diving with Tenor and loving it.
Tenor braced himself on the counter. “I need a minute.”
I snorted. “I need like an hour.” I pressed my hands to my cheeks. “My face is burning hot.”
“After following you up the stairs, I don’t think an hour is enough.”
“Ha. Right.”
He pinned me with a hard gaze over his shoulder. “Christ, Ruby. You really don’t know?”
Had I done something wrong? “Know what?”
“How sexy you are.”
A nervous laugh escaped me. “You don’t have to—”
He spun and strode across the room. I squeaked and backed up until my back smacked the wall.
He ran his thumb across my lower lip. “This mouth makes a guy think of nothing but long kisses.” He dragged his forefinger down my neck to my chest. “Don’t get me started about these.” Farther down. He stopped at my waist, but his burning gaze was on my legs. “If I wasn’t a better man, I’d ban tights from the dress code at work.”
He noticed when I wore tights? I did on cooler nights, but the days were growing warmer.
His face was inches from mine. I had the strongest urge to rip off his glasses and smash my mouth against his.
He straightened and stepped back. Cool air flooded between us. “That’ll be my goal for the next month. You worry about keeping Cara and your ex off your back, and I’ll prove the problem in your relationships was never you.”
No one had ever said anything so sweet to me.
He turned, giving me his broad back. Before I could recover from the abrupt withdrawal of his attention, he went for the door and opened it. “Ready?”
Time to face the kindest woman I’d ever met and lie to her face.
Timidly, I stepped out. Goose bumps that had more to do with the loss of his heat than cool air dotted my skin. The breeze carried a warm kiss that promised a nice day.
Mae was walking up the hill from a shed that had a bunch of red and white chickens darting around it. She beamed. “Good morning. I hope you slept well and that the boys didn’t disturb you when they charged inside.”
Tenor fell in step beside me. His jaw was tight. I almost felt bad for Cruz and Lane and the retaliation they’d face. Almost. I could’ve still been kissing Tenor.
“Thank you so much for letting me crash last night.” I twined my fingers together. Just be casual.
I didn’t do well getting introduced to parents. Brock’s mom and dad had asked so many questions about my job in a way that had made me feel two inches tall. They had kept referring to me as an influencer. It hadn’t been the term, it had been the tone. The judgment. The lack of interest. But Mae knew my job. Half the battle was done already.
“You’re welcome anytime.” She hitched a basket full of eggs on her arm.
“Hey, Mama. We’re dating. Just so you know.” Tenor put his hand on the small of my back. Some of my stress drained out of me as if he was absorbing it.
Mae’s brows lifted, but she smiled. “That’s good to hear.”
He stroked his thumb along my spine. “We didn’t, uh . . . I slept in my old room.”
Mae chuckled. “Well, it wouldn’t have been the first time you kids were up to shenanigans in the house.” She turned her fond gaze toward me. “Darin used to live for catching Junie and Rhys getting up to something.”
I smiled, her humor infectious. She’d lost her husband a few years ago. I’d never met him, but the things I’d heard only made me envious. My dad could be . . . a lot.
“Are you two heading to town?” she asked.
“I’ve gotta get back to Bozeman.” Other than needing a change of clothes and a shower, all I had waiting for me was my books, but I’d intruded enough. “But soon.”
“The room’s always open if you need a place to stay,” Mae said.
“She might.” The heat of his hand chased away the last bit of chill from the morning air. “She closes the bar Wednesday and Friday nights.”
“Oh, it’s fine.” I’d been driving back and forth for months. “It’s not open that late.” Especially on Wednesdays.
She wandered past us with a pleasant smile that was almost a smirk. She shifted her gaze to Tenor. “Between your place and mine, she always has a bed.”
Tenor stiffened and I sucked in a breath. Tenor’s place?
He didn’t drop his hand from my back. “Do you close next weekend?”
“Yes. I don’t have an end date.” My chest grew tight. An overnight at Mae’s with Tenor next door had been bad enough. I’d been awake the whole night, my brain insisting that Tenor was close enough. I’d imagined him next to me, heating the bed as he slumbered. “Since Autumn and Wynter backed off on their hours for their babies and I have nothing going on . . .” Didn’t that sound like he’d won the fake dating lottery? “But seriously. It’s not a long drive at all.”
He led me to my car. I’d go anywhere that strong hand steered me. I was lucky my legs worked after the kiss. We stopped at the driver’s door.
“Can you stay the next weekend and we’ll go out Saturday?” His gaze skated away. “I can’t do Wednesday nights.”
“Next Saturday is fine. I can stay here Friday if that’s okay with your mom.”
“You can stay with me.”
Oh. My pulse started to climb as excitement rose to a record high tide, but his offer was only for show. Could I do that and still tell myself this was fake?
“I have a spare room,” he clarified.
My nervous laugh carried away on the light breeze. Of course he did. “Right. Yes. That’ll work. It’d probably look weirder if I stayed with your mom. Like I was saving myself for marriage.” His brow furrowed, and I realized my error. “I’m not! I haven’t . . . waited.” I exhaled, but my chest was so tight it ended in a squeak. That was awkward.
The ghost of a smile played over his lips. “Was Brock sloppy at that too?”
“When you said that there are times when there’s no such thing as being too wet, that’d be news to Brock.”
He laughed, his head tipping back and his Adam’s apple bobbing. My breath ceased and I was helpless to watch. His laughter also saved me from being embarrassed by what I had said.
He sobered, but the smile was still in place, wide and open in a way I’d never gotten to witness before. “We can get them an instruction manual for a wedding present.”
I grinned. “If only I was brave and vengeful enough.”
His smile faded. “My place is . . .” He swallowed and looked away again. “It’s a bachelor pad.”
From what I’d heard, he’d built a cabin in the hills like his brothers. I hadn’t seen their places, but the log house behind me was impressive. What would his home look like? “If you don’t want me—”
“It’s not that.” He pushed his glasses up and shoved a frustrated hand through his hair. “It’ll be fine. You can stay with me. And I promise to keep my hands to myself when we’re not trying to sell this to anyone.”
He didn’t have to. Not at all. But it’d muddy the waters more than my brain was already trying to do. I had to be comfortable with his touch, but that didn’t mean he wanted to crawl into bed with me.
He was slouching again. What didn’t he want me to see? Did he have an especially eclectic porn collection? Was he a hoarder? Just plain messy? A bachelor pad could look like a lot of things.
“Okay. It’s a . . .” Date wasn’t the right word. “Sleepover.”
His smile returned. “I’ll have movies and popcorn.”
“Whoa. Don’t get too wild,” I joked and his expression went somber. I’d said something wrong, but I couldn’t figure out what. My nerves were going to send that breakfast sandwich back up. I needed to leave. “See you then!”
I dove into the driver’s seat.
He put his hands on the frame and leaned in. “Everything okay?”
I scrambled for a way to keep things from getting more uncomfortable. “Just wondering if you’re a boxers guy too.”
Astonishment lifted his brows. Mission accomplished?
His chuckle was soft. “I’ll keep my shirt on. Don’t worry.”
“Then shirtless Fridays will be up to me.”
His pupils dilated and he leaned in closer. “Jesus, Goldilocks, don’t tease me like that. I’m only a man,” he said in a low voice and pressed a kiss to my lips.
Just as he was pulling back, an engine sounded behind us and tires crunched on gravel.
Alarm filled his eyes, but like before, he didn’t jerk away. His jaw flexed when his gaze landed on Teller’s pickup.
“Busted,” I said, not at all guilty. Surprise kisses from Tenor were now my favorite thing. So was making him break that calm composure.
He took a step back, and I pulled away. He never stopped watching me as I wound down the long drive to the main gravel road that led to the highway.
CHAPTER FOUR
Tenor
Teller was waiting in the Copper Summit conference room with his feet kicked up on the table. A smug look was on his face.
When I entered, I glared at him. “Didn’t you ask enough questions yesterday?”
He’d grilled me after Ruby pulled away. Was that Ruby? What was she doing here? Did I see you kiss her? What the fuck are you kissing her for? Do you know how old she is? Do you know how old you are?
I’d finally walked away and started on the to-do list I’d given Cruz and Lane. I’d been changing oil on one of the tractors when those two shitheads had walked by making kissing noises.
I knew why I never dated. Now I had more reasons.
I sat at the end of the long table opposite Teller in my normal spot and opened my laptop.
Tate walked in, scratching his short beard and looking like he’d been yanked from the middle of the pasture in his blue jeans, black T-shirt, and green plaid flannel. Our monthly meeting was today. All my siblings and I would meet and review the month, last quarter, and the year to date and plan Copper Summit’s future.
Tate sat across from me. “How’s it going?”
Teller’s boots thumped down to the floor. “Maybe we need to ask Ruby.”
My stomach dropped. When I’d committed to the ruse with Ruby, I’d known dealing with my family would be an issue. They would have opinions, and Ruby was considerably younger than me. Would they be afraid I was taking advantage of her? I wouldn’t throw her under the bus for explanations. My family could deal.
Tate frowned, glancing between us. “Why Ruby?”
Teller folded his hands on the table. Like me, he was wearing a rust-colored polo with the company logo on the breast and blue jeans. Distilling was a science, but the work attire was casual. Teller and I had started wearing branded polos so tourists could tell us apart from the other employees, but even we didn’t wear them all the time. No one wore slacks. Mostly jeans.
Except Ruby liked to wear skirts. Not long, flowing ones. She wore flirty skirts that made her hourglass figure more of a roller coaster.
“You’ll want to ask Tenor why.” Teller smirked, but his gaze was ruthless.
I inhaled a measured breath and closed my laptop. Here it goes. “We’re seeing each other.”
