General Joe (Magnolia Ridge 2)

“Bunny.” I jerk my arm from my eyes at the name Joe gave me so long ago because he said I could never sit still. My eyes meet two cool blue ones and he furrows his brows. “Are you done running?”

How did he walk over here and hover over me without me feeling him? Joe isn’t a small man, so I should’ve heard him coming.

“I don’t think I can move,” I manage to whisper.

He leans down closer and places his arms on either side of me, pinning me below him.

“You want to tell me why you were in jail?”

Is that really his first question?

“I didn’t do anything. It’s not my fault things are cheaply made and just break.” I clamp my mouth shut knowing I’ve already said too much. Barbie told me to stay quiet.

“Let me guess. This has something to do with Missy?”

I glare at him. How the hell did he know that? Did she tell him? Probably. I’m sure she’s been all over him since he got back to town.

“Oh, so you remember Missy. Did you stop at her place and get one of her fake donuts?” Again, I shut my mouth before I say more. I can’t ever seem to keep my thoughts to myself. If it wasn’t for Barbie I would have been busted at the police station. She kept my mouth sealed with a few elbows to my ribs.

“Fake donuts?” he asks, and I open my mouth to tell him all about it, but close it nice and tight.

Those fake donuts were wonderful but they were not made by Missy. They are a lie because Missy doesn’t bake shit. I’ve hated her since she went on a date with Joe back in high school. Now she’s poking at my best friend Barbie’s romance book store downtown. Missy’s gone too far this time, so she’s fair game.

I stare up at him, deciding now that he’s caught me, I’m not going to back down. I glare harder but it doesn’t do anything. He shifts over me, stretches out, and my whole body lights up and it finally dawns on me how we’re lying. He’s on top of me and that has to be his cock digging into my hip. I feel something that is really big and hot and I assume that’s how a cock feels when it’s pressed into you. These are things I can only speculate on since I have exactly zero experience.

“Are you hard?” I blurt out. Why can’t I keep my mouth shut? Get it together, Kayla.

I should have known he’d find me. I’m lying under the gazebo that’s all lit up at night. Maybe in my subconscious I was trying to be found. I’ve practically got a spotlight on me. That also means anyone who walks by can see us.

“Bunny, I’m on top of you. Of course I’m hard.”

“So just being on top of a woman gets you all worked up.” My words are jealous and I hate each one of them.

“I’ve been this hard since you sent me that first letter, and you know it,” he growls.

From the sound of his voice I can’t tell if he’s mad or not.

“Well, that must be uncomfortable. I sent that first one a while ago.”

Joe’s lips twitch and I try to fight the blush creeping up my neck, but it’s impossible. That first letter was mild in comparison to the ones I sent after; each one was bolder than the last.

“Still a brat, I see.”

“A brat would mean I’m still a child.”

“No, I think you can be a brat at any age.”

“Can we get up?” My eyes sting with tears, but luckily I can hold those back.

He stares down at me for a moment and I think he doesn’t want to do it, but eventually he lets out a deep breath and shifts off of me. He pulls me to my feet with him and I fall into his arms. My hands land on his chest and I swear every time I see him he gets bigger. I can’t stop myself from rubbing my fingers across his wide muscles.

“I missed you,” I breathe out.

“I missed you too.” His arms tighten around me.

He didn’t miss me enough to say goodbye the last time he left. No one ever says goodbye. “I couldn’t tell.”

His jaw goes tight. Why is he the mad one? I didn’t up and disappear on him. I’ve been here the whole time.

“You know I had to go.”

“No, I didn’t.” I shake my head. “You willingly left. You made your choices.” I can’t keep the hurt from my words, but this time I’m not running, I’m pushing.

I let out a small scream when my feet leave the ground and his mouth comes down on mine. My fingers dig into his shirt and I’m in shock for a moment before I realize what’s happening.