The Substitute (23 page)

Megan stood in the open doorway to the garage, motioning him to follow her. She skirted around the two cars and out a side door, Josh close on her heels. A dark blue Ford Explorer was parked on the gravel next to the house. “This was your car? Why didn’t I notice it before?”

“It was a hand-me-down from my dad. When you’re sixteen you’ll take whatever you can get.” She pointed to a tarp next to the house, shooting him a grin. “Mom won’t let it in the garage and Dad can’t stand the thought of leaving it to the elements. He keeps it covered.” She opened the driver’s door. “Get in.”

He climbed into the passenger seat, setting his damp wallet on the console. “How are you going to get out? There are cars parked in the driveway.”

She grinned, the Cheshire cat grin that told him she was up to no good. “Desperate times, Josh. Desperate times.” Shoving the car into reverse, she put her hand on the back of his seat and looked over her shoulder. “Knickers is going to have a fit over her lawn.” She backed up, driving through the grass, then angling the Explorer over the bottom half of the driveway and into the street.

Josh shook his head. “Good job.” He laughed as he looked back at the yard. “And you’re right. Your mother is going to have a fit over those tire ruts as soon as she finishes having a fit about the backyard.”

“All the more reason to never come back.” She rolled her window down and turned up the radio, driving through town and out into the farmland surrounding Blue Springs. Her hair blew around her face and she looked almost as peaceful as she did when sleeping.

“Do you have a destination in mind?”

She leaned her head toward him, grinning. “Yes, and you’ll love it.”

He leaned back in his seat, watching her. “I trust you.”

Her face turned serious. “Thank you.”

She made several turns and then she was on a back road, driving by a small lake. He almost asked her where they were going, but he’d told her he trusted her. He could ask her about it after they got there.

She drove for several more minutes, then turned down a gravel road and parked. “This is it.”

He opened the door and realized they were at an empty campsite. The crickets and cicadas filled the night with their loud calls and while it wasn’t too hot, the temperature felt several degrees cooler here.

She got out and went to the back of the car, lifting the hatch. “My dad used to take Kevin and me camping here when we were kids. Knickers didn’t go, of course.”

“Are we camping?” he asked, in surprise.

“I don’t know yet,” she answered, handing him a small cooler, then grabbing a stack of blankets. “Let’s decide that as we go.”

For once, Josh was happy to not have a plan.

Megan had driven here out of instinct. This was where she used to come when things got to be too much with her mother back in high school, which had happened a lot. While she hadn’t been here in years, it still felt familiar and safe. It felt even more right that Josh was here with her, which was surprising. She’d never taken anyone to her special spot before.

“Let’s go down this path.” She turned on the mini-flashlight attached to the car key.

“That’s handy,” Josh said.

“My dad. He was a bit overprotective when I was in high school.”

“Smart dad. He’s not going to come hunt us down like a couple of kids gone parking, is he?”

She laughed quietly. “No. He has no idea I used to come here on my own. We’re safe. Besides, I think he has his hands full.” She followed the dirt path, turning left onto another less used path, which ended in a small clearing. “This is it.”

He gasped from behind her and set the cooler down on the grass. “This is amazing.”

“Thanks.” She beamed with pride. They stood on top of a small bluff, overlooking the lake. A wooded shoreline was on the opposite side of the small lake, with no visible electric lights. But the real showstopper was the view of the sky. With few lights around the lake, the stars shone brighter than she usually saw them.

She handed him a blanket and two pillows. “Hold this for a minute,” she said as she spread out a sleeping bag and then a sheet.

“You came prepared,” he murmured, his husky voice sending a shiver down her spine.

“I used to like to lie out here and look at the stars.” She grabbed the pillows from him and tossed them onto the makeshift bed.

She knew how it looked, like she had purposely brought him out here to seduce him. And maybe that was partially true. What would he think of that? For once she didn’t care.

“I like stars.”

She sat in the middle of the bedding, and patted the spot next to her. “Bring the cooler with you.”

He picked it up and watched her with a wary face before sitting next to her and setting the cooler at the edge of the sleeping bag. “What’s in here?”

“Open it and see.”

Josh opened the lid and laughed. “I’ve already had three of these before the disaster from hell. I’m not sure if I should have another.”

“Suit yourself.” She leaned forward, resting her stomach across his thigh as she pulled a bottle out. She sat up and re-crossed her legs. The skirt of her dress had hitched up her thighs, and Josh’s gaze followed the hem. She almost rearranged the fabric, then decided the hell with it. She was tired of playing it safe. She wanted to live a little.

Holding the bottle toward him, she asked, “Will you open this for me?”

He stared at the bottle as though undecided, then took it from her and twisted off the cap. “You like beer?” he asked, sounding uncomfortable.

“Love it. Blair and Libby are more wine drinkers, but give me an IPA from Black Raven Brewery in Seattle any day of the week.”

He grinned. “You’re kidding.”

“That I like beer?” she asked in surprise as she took the bottle from him.

“No. That you like Black Raven Brewery. It’s one of my favorite places.”

She took a sip and leaned back on her elbows, her head above the pillow. “Who knows? We may have been there at the same time and never realized it.”

His gaze had returned to her legs before reaching into the cooler for a bottle, twisting off the cap and taking a long drink.

“You grew up in Seattle?” she asked.

“Yeah.”

“Never thought about moving away?”

“No. My father’s business is there.”

She took another drink, scrutinizing him as she asked her next question. “Your father’s entrepreneurial business?”

His shoulders tightened and he took another drink. For a man who’d declined a beer, he was downing it pretty fast.

“Are you and Noah close?”

His gaze rose to her face and he seemed to hesitate before saying, “Not particularly.”

“But he came out here to find you anyway.”

He seemed to think over his response. “He was worried.”

“About you or something else?”

He looked startled and she laughed before taking another drink. She closed her eyes and let the cool liquid run down her throat. She hadn’t had a drink all evening, not wanting to lose more control over the situation than she already had. And with her stomach a ball of nerves, she’d hardly eaten either, so the beer was quickly going to her head. While part of her was screaming for her to remain on guard, the rest of her said screw it. She knew that Josh had some ulterior motive for helping her. But she knew he liked her too, and in this moment, it was all that mattered.

“Relax,” she said, her eyes still closed. “I don’t care.”

“Why wouldn’t you care?”

She turned her face toward him, her eyes searching his. “Because I trust you…after a fashion.”

“How do you know I’m worthy of your trust?”

She sat up and set the bottle in the grass next to the sleeping bag. Then she leaned toward him, her face hovering inches from his. “Because I can see your heart, Josh McMillan. You wouldn’t intentionally hurt me.”

He shook his head, pain in his eyes, confirming her suspicions. “How can you be so sure?”

Her fingertips rested on his cheek as she searched his eyes. “Will you intentionally hurt me?”

“Not if I can help it,” he whispered. “That’s the last thing I want.”

“I know.” Her lips brushed his softly and he remained still, not even breathing.

“Megan,” he finally whispered, sounding like he was in discomfort.

She leaned back and stared into his eyes. “I’ve coasted through most of my life, Josh, letting other people direct my path, but I’m tired of coasting. I want to take charge. I want to do what makes me happy.” She smiled at him. “I want you.”

His eyes clouded.

“Do you want me, Josh?”

“It’s not that easy, Megan.”

She laughed softly. “It’s a simple yes or no question, no reasoning or rationale allowed, at least not tonight.” Her hand cupped his neck and her thumb brushed his cheek. “Do you want me?”

His answer was to press his lips on hers and entwine one hand in her hair as he used the other to press her to his chest. They were a tangle of tongues and limbs as pulled her onto his lap, her legs straddling his waist.

She clung to him as he took control, the hand around her back sliding down to cup her ass and press her against his erection. Heat engulfed her body and she groaned and gyrated against him, her hands sliding under his shirt. Her fingertips skimmed up his hard chest muscles.

He leaned back and pulled his shirt over his head, tossing it behind him. When he tried to kiss her again, she placed her hands on his shoulders and pushed him back. “I want to look at you.”

He was more perfect in the moonlight than she remembered him from the night before. She slid her hands down to his perfectly sculpted abdomen, dipping lower to the waistband of his jeans. Using the palm of her hand, she rubbed his bulge though his jeans, feeling empowered when he squirmed.

He groaned, searching her eyes. “I thought that was my line.”

Then she dropped her hands to her sides. “Go ahead.”

He sat up and reached behind her back, his lips brushing the nape of her neck, his tongue dancing in tantalizing circles along her sensitive skin, sending waves of pleasure through her body. He unzipped her dress, exposing her skin to the cooler night air. She shivered and he chuckled as his teeth lightly nipped along her collarbone. His face lifted and he searched her eyes as his hands slid slowly up her back, his thumbs hooking on the neckline of her dress, then sliding the fabric down her arms.

She sat still as he pulled her arms free, the cotton dress puddled at her waist. His gaze lowered to her pale blue lace bra, but his hands dropped to her sides instead of cupping her breasts like she wanted. She sucked in a breath. The old insecurities came rushing back. Had he changed his mind? Did he find her lacking?

But his gaze lifted to hers, and the lust she saw there displaced her concerns. He pulled off her bra as his mouth found hers again, warm and desperate.

Her hands wound into his hair, holding him close as his hand moved to her breast, his thumb brushing over her nipple.

She sucked in a breath as a jolt of need shot straight to her core.

He continued to kiss her, his tongue exploring her mouth as his other hand slipped between her legs, his fingers rubbing against her damp panties. She pressed herself into his hand, moaning softly, and as if following her unspoken instructions, his fingers moved up, sliding down under her lingerie and between her folds.

She closed her eyes, her breath coming in rapid pants as his finger slipped inside her, the palm of his hand pressing against her mound as he rubbed her in slow circles. She couldn’t believe how turned on she was already. She wanted more than his hand. She rose to her knees, reaching under her skirt to pull her panties off.

He wrapped an arm around her back, pressing kisses to her abdomen, then lowered her to his lap again and found her nipple with his mouth.

She arched her back as his free hand returned between her legs. “Josh,” she said, hoping the sound of his name would convey to him everything she felt and needed. She needed
him
.

He pushed her back up to her knees as he fumbled with his pants, tugging them off, then lowering her to straddle his upper thighs.

His hand cupped her cheek and he searched her face before kissing her again.

Not willing to wait any longer, she reached for him, wrapping her hand around the length of him and stroking. He released a low moan and pressed into her hand. His moan and his need turned her on even more. He wanted her. Her thumb traced his tip and he tensed, sucking in his breath. His fingers slid between her legs again, bringing her close to release.

Her sense of urgency increased as he pushed her backward, her head hitting the pillow as he moved between her legs, kneeling over her.

“
Dammit
.” He froze and squeezed his eyes shut with frustration. “I don’t have a condom.”

“I do.” She reached inside the pillowcase under her head and pulled out a foil square.

He snagged it from her hand and ripped it open faster than she would have thought possible, then rolled the condom over his stiff erection.

She gazed up at him, reaching for him. Needing him now.

He lowered himself to one elbow and lifted her hip with his free hand, teasing her with his hardness before finally entering her, filling her perfectly.

Crying out, she lifted her hips higher, helping him slide deeper. His mouth covered hers as their movements became more urgent. As their passion built, his mouth broke free, his breath hot on her neck as he held her tighter, thrusting deeper. Faster.

She wrapped her legs around his back as she climbed higher, pressing herself against him with every thrust, until she finally climaxed, crying out in a gasp as her orgasm washed over her.

He held her tighter and gave two final deep thrusts before coming. She grabbed his hips, holding him close for a moment until he rolled to his side, gathering her in his arms so they were chest to chest, him still inside her.

She looked up into his face and he smiled at her in wonderment and happiness. “Where have you been all my life, Megan Vandemeer?”

“Apparently, right around the corner.”