Kissin' Tell (Rough Riders 13)

He laughed.

She traced a scar on his rib cage. “This has been awesome.”

“But?”

“I hate to bring this up now, but when do you plan to take me back to my car?”

“I thought you were stayin’ here tonight?”

“When you were seducing me I would’ve said anything to get naked with you.” Georgia kissed the frown lines bracketing his mouth. “I loved every second of it. But I do have to work in the morning.”

“I can run you back to the rodeo grounds first thing.”

“Tell. That’s not the best option.”

“Why not?” His lips flattened. “You sure you ain’t embarrassed to be seen with me?”

“Can you hear me out without getting defensive and paranoid?”

“Fine.”

Georgia smiled at his gruff tone. “I don’t care who knows we’re together. I do care about the walk of shame tomorrow morning in front of people on the rodeo committee if I show up in the same clothes and sporting sex hair.”

Understanding flashed in his eyes. “Damn. I hadn’t thought of that.” Then his lips quirked. “Sex hair, huh?”

“With the way you always mess with my hair? I’m sure I look like I just rolled out of bed after a wild romp.”

“It’s a good look on you.” He curled a hank of hair around his finger.

“So you’re not mad?”

“Nope. But I expect you’ll stay with me tomorrow night.”

Of course he would. “Motel sex is pretty hot.”

“You’re pretty hot,” he shot back with a sexy growl. “In fact, let’s burn up the sheets once more before I haul your sexy ass back to your car.” Tell flipped her on her back and rolled on top of her.

Her belly rumbled like an empty railcar.

He squinted at her. “Why didn’t you tell me you were hungry?”

“The only hunger I cared about feeding was what I saw in your eyes.”

“Now who’s the sweet-talker? I’m still starved for you, sweetness.” He kissed her three times, each kiss lingered a little longer than the last. “But you ain’t gonna be able to keep up with my appetites if I don’t feed you.”

Georgia finished dressing and watched Tell tucking in his shirt and refastening his belt buckle. Something about getting dressed after experiencing such explosive heat together made her self-conscious of her rumpled state. She smoothed her hair and tugged her dress into place.

Then Tell was in her face, giving her the gentlest kiss while his fingers firmly held her chin. “Every time you get that embarrassed look, I’m gonna kiss it right off your pretty face. No matter where, no matter when, understand?”

He wasn’t being his playful, fun self. She wondered how many women knew this side of him. Rather than speculate, she just asked. “Are you always this intense after sex?”

The heat in his eyes didn’t dissipate. Tell slowly shook his head. “Apparently only with you.”

Oh man.

They drove to a truck stop on the outskirts of town. Tell ordered the steak and egg platter while Georgia chose blueberry pancakes.

“We’re lucky this place is open twenty-four hours.”

He picked up her hand and rubbed his lips over her knuckles. “I’d like to keep you tied to my bed for twenty-four hours.”

She blushed but held his molten gaze.

“That didn’t send you running away screaming.”

“Was it supposed to? Because the thought of you showing me all your sexual tricks and making me come so many times I lose track sounds like an awesome way to spend a day.”

He laughed. “You constantly surprise me.”

“That’s me. Miss Unpredictable,” she said with an edge of sarcasm.

“You don’t feel that way?”

“Only with you.”

Another kiss to her knuckles. “Then you should be around me all the time.” He frowned and pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Hang on, I gotta take this. Dalton? Why’re you callin’ me this late? Uh-huh. No. That’s fine, but it sucks. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’ll leave after the event tomorrow night. But just remember you can’t do this next weekend. I’ll be gone Saturday morning. Nah. I can do ’em Sunday but it’ll be late. Fine. Drive safe.” He laughed. “Fuck if I’ll tell you, perv.” Tell hung up and looked at Georgia. “Sorry. Dalton is goin’ to Colorado in the morning and won’t be back until Monday. Which means I have to head back tomorrow night after the rodeo so I can do chores Sunday morning.”

Georgia sighed. “I have to be here Sunday morning to wrap everything up. So much for us spending tomorrow night together.”

“Come by my place on Sunday when you’re done.”

She paused a beat too long before saying, “Okay.”

Tell’s eyes were on her. “Something wrong?”

“Not wrong. I just wanna know that we’re both okay with keeping this casual. Us hanging out until the reunion.”

“Is that important to you, keeping things casual?”

She nodded.

“Sure.” Tell fiddled with the straw in his water glass. “I just got to thinkin’. Aren’t some of these rodeos small potatoes for a PR firm outta Dallas?”

“One of the stipulations when we absorbed the company was that we fulfilled the contracts of all the events, no matter the size.”

“Did you have problems with other existing contracts?”

“A few. Mostly because the committee didn’t want to work with an out-of-state firm. After the fifth cancelled contract, my boss decided to send someone to Wyoming as proof we were invested in the local community. Local meaning, within four hundred miles,” she said dryly.

“Did you volunteer?”

“I was volunteered.”

He glanced at her sharply. “You don’t sound too happy about that.”

Hedge. “No way do I want to think about work when I’ve got a gorgeous hunk of man sitting across from me,” she cooed. “Can’t we talk about something else?”

“Fine. Let’s talk about you. What’s the most exciting place you’ve been in the last ten years?”

“I went to Cozumel for a week.”

A depraved look settled on his face. “Now I’m imaging you in a bikini, sipping fruity girl-drinks on the beach. I’d like to’ve been there to rub suntan oil all over your hot skin.” Then suspicion entered his eyes. “Who’d you go with?”