It Had to Be Him (31 page)

Later that night, still lying wide awake long after everyone else had fallen asleep, Meg tried to slip out of bed without waking Josh, but his long arms reached out and pulled her back against his chest.

She whispered, “I thought you were asleep.”

He grunted. “You were thinking too loud.”

“Sorry.” She chuckled and turned in his arms. His eyes were closed but a cute grin tilted his full, irresistibly sexy lips, so she gave them a quick peck. “I’ll go make some tea and try to think quieter out in the living room so you can sleep.”

Josh rolled over and trapped her under his big, heavy body. “Instead, why don’t I give you something better to think about?”

The gleam in his eyes challenged her to put her troubles aside for a few minutes and play with him.

Why not? Her worries would be right where she left them in the morning. “What did you have in mind?”

“This.” He trailed soft kisses up her neck. “And then maybe some more of this.”

When he nipped lightly at her earlobe, she closed her eyes and sighed. She loved the way he always took his time, pleasing her before himself.

Maybe it was time to turn the tables a bit. Show him how much she loved that he’d stood outside the gym, waiting for her, even though he’d just seen some of her ugliest parts she’d wanted to keep hidden from him.

She whispered, “I’ll play. But let’s do it my way. Roll over.”

Josh said, “Bossy woman,” but complied with a smirk.

“I want it to be all about you this time, Josh.” She tugged off her tank and panties, then stretched out beside him, staring deeply into his amused eyes until they grew dark with desire for her. She loved when he looked at her that way. Like she was the last hot fudge sundae with a cherry on top left on earth. “Hold your hands above your head and just pretend your wrists are bound together, because I don’t want to get that kinky. And no cheating. Got it?”

He smiled. “Tying my wrists isn’t all that kinky, Meg. There’s a lot more kink in the world than that.”

“Shhh. No talking. Just close your eyes and enjoy.”

When his eyes were closed again, she straddled him and then slowly lifted his T-shirt over his head. He separated his hands, but put them right back after, so she didn’t call foul. Tossing his shirt aside, she sighed as the reflected moonlight from the lake danced across his hard, chiseled body. He had the sexiest chest and abs she’d ever had the pleasure to pleasure. And the rest wasn’t bad either.

Up to the task, she slowly ran her hands over his hard shoulders and neck, kneading and rubbing until the muscles relaxed
and became putty in her hands. After whispering soft kisses across the stubble on his jaw and then his cheek, she moved to his neck, breathing in his unique, intoxicating scent. Soap from his shower mixed with shaving cream and then something unidentifiable, but potently male, made her want to lick him. Instead, she nibbled on his earlobe because he really liked when she did that.

It made him groan.

Pleased with her results, she worked her way lower, running her hands over his hard pecs, loving the definition and strength. As her lips toyed with his hardened nipples, his hands ran slowly up and down her back. When he gave her bottom a gentle squeeze, the sexy haze lifted from her brain long enough to scold him. “Hey. Hands above your head, buddy.”

He quickly lifted them back up. “You’re killing me, Meg.”

“Sweet torture is the plan. But now I’m going to have to punish you, bad boy.”

He laughed. “Please. You can’t even tie my hands together. Or kill a bug. This I gotta see.”

“Shush. No talking, remember?” She ensured his silence by laying her mouth on his and kissing him the way they both liked it. Slow, sweet, and deep. The kind that always made her heart turn to mush and her blood boil. She hoped it did the same for him.

Her tongue danced and tangled with his as her hands slid lower, tracing the bumps across his hard abs before diving under the waistband of his boxers. When she took him in her hand, he made a low noise in the back of his throat.

Josh was hard and ready for his punishment, so she slid slowly down, making sure her breasts rubbed along his body the entire way. While she inched his boxers off, she ran her tongue around his length, spending extra time at the tip.

His hips jerked. “God, babe.”

Smiling, she took him inside her mouth, sucking, stroking,
squeezing, and driving him so wild, the muscles in his neck strained until he cried out, “Meg—”

Taking the hint, she slid slowly up his slick body and slipped her hands into his. Entwining her fingers with his much larger ones, she smiled and stared deeply into his eyes as she straddled him and slowly let him enter her, sliding up and down his length. With his hands still trapped in hers, he leaned forward and kissed her, hard and sexy, as his hips begged for a faster pace.

When he ended his urgent kiss and opened his eyes, he’d apparently had enough of her game because he quickly flipped their positions, keeping their joined hands above their heads as he buried himself inside her to the hilt.

His eyes stayed locked onto hers, staring intensely with desire as he made love to her. It made her heart burn with even more love for him. The sensation grew stronger as each thrust grew harder and deeper, faster, more intense. Her whole body ached for him to put her out of her misery, hovering at the edge of the cliff, when he finally drew her over the brink along with him.

After a few moments, Josh rolled onto his back so that she lay sprawled on top of him, her hair fanned over his chest, the strong beat of his pounding heart under her ear. He kissed her temple. “That was . . .”

“Yep.” She could lie like this in his arms all night long. Tucking her face into the crook of his neck, she smiled. “It’s never been this good for me with anyone else, Josh. Only you.” She laid a soft kiss on his neck. “But you cheated and didn’t let me have my way all the way with you.”

He slowly ran his big, rough hand up and down her back. “I think we fulfilled the ‘all the way’ part just fine, no matter who had their way with who first.”

“Because that nonsense actually made sense to me, I must be more tired than I know.” She closed her eyes and whispered,
“Thank you for still loving me, Josh. Even after what you saw today. That means more to me than anything in the world.”

He brushed another kiss along her temple. “I love you even more for it. And I guess that’s another of your roundabout ways of saying you love me too, so shut off your busy mind and get some rest.”

“’Kay. Night.” Tomorrow was probably going to be one rough day. She’d have to face the whole town at church. And whatever Amber had in mind for retaliation.

She snuggled closer to Josh and smiled. No matter what happened in the morning, it’d be okay. She had Josh in her corner, and that was all she’d need.

H
aley’s laughter outside the bedroom window woke Meg. She stretched her arms above her head as sweet memories of the way Josh had made love to her the night before filled her tired mind. But then, the other memories of the Amber debacle at the gym came rushing back, quickly replacing her nice ones.

Humiliation slowly crept into her gut.

Worse, it was Sunday. They had to go to church and face the town all over again. As much as she’d like to lay low at the lodge for a few days, she’d promised the Three Amigos she’d be there. She didn’t need to give them any more reasons to hound her.

Should she cut her losses, sell the house, and move back to Denver? It’d be easier for Josh to go to school there. It wouldn’t matter as long as they were together, right? But she needed to show everyone in Anderson Butte how much she’d changed, that she could stick, and that she could run a lodge and do it well. And then there was that big fat loan she’d need to repay.

There really wasn’t any choice to make. She had to stay. Things would get better eventually. They couldn’t get much worse.

Meg threw the covers back, then got up and tugged on a pair of shorts and a tank top. She needed coffee. And a big dose of antidepressants, aka her chocolate stash, which was in for a serious pillage.

Thankfully Josh had started the coffee for her, so she grabbed a mug and poured it out. Then she found her bag of Dove milk chocolate treats and dug in.

Hearing more happy shrieks outside, Meg moved to the kitchen window as she popped candy into her mouth. It wasn’t the breakfast of champions, but it was hard to be totally depressed with chocolate melting on your tongue.

Josh ran around the yard, Haley on his back, with Captain Jack barking and chasing Josh’s heels.

It almost made her smile.

But the weight of Amber’s verbal beating the night before kept her lips locked in a tight line, only to be interrupted long enough to shove more chocolate inside her mouth.

Eric sat at the end of the dock with his feet dangling over the Jet Ski, his arm around the momma dog, staring out over the lake.

They were going to have to keep that dog too, dammit. She followed Eric everywhere, and the kid obviously loved her. Probably they should give the pooch a name.

Thinking of Eric’s problems quickly slammed Meg’s into perspective. The poor kid had lost his whole family, and his grandmother wasn’t doing well. He’d probably lose her soon too, leaving him with no one in the world who loved him. Just as Josh had been at that age. Even if her dad and half the town didn’t love her, she’d at least always had Casey and her brothers. And Zeke and Grandma, Uncle Brewster, Aunt Gloria, and Pam . . . she needed to get over herself.

Meg slipped out the back door and down to the dock. She sat next to Eric and handed him some chocolate. Giving the dog a pat, she said, “Morning.”

“Hi.” Eric unwrapped his treat. “Thanks.”

“You probably don’t think much of me after last night, huh?”

Eric shrugged and mumbled around his candy. “Some of those pranks sounded pretty awesome.”

Meg grunted while she drained her coffee mug. “I wouldn’t recommend repeating them. I spent most of my high school afternoons in detention.”

Eric slowly ran his hand up and down the dog’s back. “I didn’t know adults still got bullied like that. I figured I’d just have to stick it out a few more years and then it would finally end when I got bigger.”

Damn, Amber.

“There are always going to be bullies in the world, Eric. But it’s easier to deal with them when you have people in your corner. Anyone who tries to bully you here will have to answer to me.” She laid her arm around Eric’s bony shoulders and gave him a hug. “What Amber did to me was mean, but I needed to make things right with the people I hurt anyway, and I will. Then Amber can’t hurt
me
anymore. What those boys did to you was ten times worse and so very wrong. I’m sorry for it.”

“What Amber did to you was wrong too. Especially because she’s your sister. I was mean to my brother and sister sometimes. Now I wish I could tell them I’m sorry.”

What a sweet kid.

“They know, Eric. My brothers still tease me, and as much as it can annoy me, I know they love me.” She handed him some more chocolate. “I can only imagine how rough it is not having your parents and brother and sister anymore. But I just wanted you to know we’re here for you.”

Blinking back tears, he nodded. “Josh said he’d pay me to do work around here. But I’d do it for free if I could stay longer. I really love it here.”

Now Meg struggled with tears. No kid should have to negotiate for a safe place to live. She hugged him a little tighter. “I’m
pretty sure my brother would arrest me for violating child labor laws if we did that. Take the money and save it for college if you want, but you’re welcome here, for free, as long as the paperwork gets settled with your grandmother and we can keep you. Okay?”

His answer was a silent head bob against her shoulder.

Meg held on for a few more minutes, then reluctantly released him. “So, I think we’re going to have to keep this hound too. What should we name her?”

The dog’s tail wagged, as if she knew they were talking about her.

“Really?” Eric beamed a gigantic smile. “We can keep her?”

“Yeah.” Teasing, Meg said, “I think she looks like an Edna.”

“Edna?” Eric rolled his eyes. “That’s totally lame. I call her Oreo, ’cuz she’s black and white. And because that’s my favorite cookie.”

Eric sometimes seemed thirty instead of ten years old, but that he’d name a dog after his favorite cookie proved he was still a kid. She’d have to be sure Oreos went on the shopping list. “Oreo, mother to Captain Jack Sparrow. Doesn’t get better than that.” Eric’s big smile made her want to keep it there. “Ever been on a Jet Ski?”

“Nope.”

“Well then, let’s go!”

“Right now?”

“Sure. We’ve got a few hours before church starts. Let me grab some life jackets.”

She turned to get the jackets, but stopped when he laid a hand on her arm. “Thanks for letting me stay with you guys, Meg.”

The sincere gratitude in his eyes melted her heart. “You’re welcome. We love having you here, Eric. Be right back.”