Too Hot to Handle (Jackson Hole 2)
“No. It’s just for you. Not for the board. Not for the paper.”
He sounded serious, so Merry tried to contain her excitement. And failed. “Just give me a hint. Please? I can’t take it. What is it? Did you find something? Is it in the saloon? Was there something hidden under the floorboards? Is it treasure?”
“God, Merry.” He chuckled. “You’re like a kid.”
“I’m not! I just love surprises.”
“She says in her Wonder Woman shirt.”
Her happiness froze and turned into something heavy and cold. “Hey.” She let go of his arm and faced straight again, and suddenly the crisp air pouring through the window was too cold. “Wonder Woman is sexy.”
“True.” He smiled at her.
She folded her arms.
“Come on, Merry. I like your shirt.”
“Sure. Thanks.” Now she knew why tonight had felt like a scene from someone else’s movie. Because it was. Someone who wasn’t a girl who floated through life on cartoon clouds and goofball dreams.
“Hey.” Shane stopped just before the highway and put the truck in Park. “I was only teasing you. Wonder Woman is sexy.”
“Right. I’ll be sure to wear something that shows off my tits next time. Would that be more grown-up?”
“First of all, your tits look amazing in that shirt, and you know it.”
She shrugged, pretending like she hadn’t worn an extra tight shirt on purpose.
“Second, there are a dozen women at the saloon every Saturday night in shirts that show off way more than they cover. You’re the one I can’t keep my hands off.”
“Right. You think I’m cute.”
“You are cute.”
“Great!” She turned her head to stare out into the night, pissed off and feeling stupid as hell for being pissed. Which only made it worse.
“Merry.”
She crossed her arms tighter.
“I don’t get it. Is there something wrong with thinking you’re cute?”
Crap. She was being ridiculous. She didn’t know why she felt hurt. He wanted her. She wanted him. So why did she need him to say it a certain way? To look at her a certain way? “No, it’s good. Let’s go.”
“Okay,” he said, but instead of putting the truck in gear, he leaned closer and tipped her head toward him. He kissed her, softly at first, then with increasing urgency. When he pulled back, her arms were clutching his shoulders and they were both breathing hard. “You’re cute, Merry. And you turn me on like crazy. If you can’t tell, maybe I’m the one who should be upset.”
She rolled her eyes.
“You’re not just cute, you also look sweet and harmless, and when I see you I remember how it felt to be inside you and to see you naked beneath me. I remember how you looked as you came, and it drives me insane. Like I know something about you that no one else does.”
She tried to hide her delighted smile. All her hurt had disappeared and now she was just turned on and trying not to feel anything else for him. Anything scary. “Well, a couple of other people know.”
“Just a couple?”
Oh, God. Now she’d let that slip, too? “Let’s go already. I’ve got secrets I want to show you, too.”
He watched her for a long moment, but then he finally shook his head and put the truck in gear. “There’s no way I can say no to that. Hang on.”
He peeled out, gravel flying as he turned onto the highway. Merry let her hang-ups go. She let her worries fly out the open window into the night. She could be worried about looks and sexiness when she was alone again. Why bother with worrying about them right now when she had a big, hot man driving her home for illicit sex? That was the definition of screwed up and self-destructive. Grace wouldn’t need to bother with cock-blocking if Merry was going to do it for herself.