I pulled in the driveway but left the engine running. Rather than get out, I reached for Maisie, who came into my arms willingly. I kissed her again, just like I had earlier, then rested my forehead against hers.
“Neither one of us is leaving tomorrow, which means we don’t need to rush this.”
Maisie’s eyes bored into mine. “Rush? I feel like I’ve been waiting my whole life for this.”
I couldn’t have said it better myself, and that meant we both deserved to savor this moment. Denying each other was difficult, but the intensity building between us would make it worth it.
“I’m going to get out of the truck now and walk you to your door, where I’m going to give you a very chaste kiss good night. If I do anything more than that, I’m afraid Grandpa Al will come out with his shotgun.”
“Okay,” she whispered, her voice as lust-tinged as I’m sure mine sounded.
When we got close to the back door and I saw Mary watching us from the kitchen, I was grateful I’d worn the winter jacket that was mid-thigh length. Knowing I wasn’t strong enough to resist her mouth if our lips touched again, I kissed her forehead.
“Will I see you tomorrow?” she asked as I walked away.
“I’m counting on you bringing those leftovers to my place for lunch. You aren’t reneging on that, are you?”
“Only if you want me to come for breakfast instead.”
I shook my head and smiled. “Not a minute before noon, Maisie Ann. That’s thirteen hours from now. Think you’ll be able to make it?”
“Will you?”
When I spun around as if I was going to come after her, she giggled and hurried inside. It was a good thing since Al had joined Mary in the kitchen.
“I wasn’t sure we’d see you tonight,” said Jimmy, who was sitting in the living room with Cowboy and Buster, all three of them with a beer in hand.
“Yeah, cuz I’m sure Al wouldn’t have minded a bit if Maisie invited me in for a sleepover.” I glared at the two men who’d knocked off early. “Good thing I made it home okay since I didn’t have any backup.”
“Sure, you did,” said Diesel, walking in the kitchen door and straight over to the fridge.
“I thought you were taking the night off.”
“I kept watch over Al and Mary.”
My eyes opened wide. “Is there a new threat?”
“Only if someone other than us has their eyes on you.”
“And?”
Diesel looked at his phone’s screen. “We’re clear.”
I was relieved, given there was no way I wanted to put the brakes on this burgeoning thing with Maisie. If there had been a threat, I would be forced to.
“She’s stopping by tomorrow for lunch.” The only person who looked as though he’d heard me was my brother.
“Need me to make myself scarce?”
“As long as you and Onyx plan to work next door, I don’t think it’s necessary.” I took another look around the room. “Where is he, anyway?”
“Called it an early night. I think the cold weather is exacerbating his pain.”
The man had been shot twice at point-blank range along with surviving a plane crash. If anyone deserved to lay low and nurse his aches and pains, it was our boss.
I downed the rest of the beer in the bottle I’d opened when I came inside. “I think I’ll call it a night myself.”
“Yep, you need all the beauty sleep you can get. Maisie’s gonna see you in the daylight tomorrow.”
“Fuck off,” I muttered to Jimmy, tossing the bottle in the recycle bin and taking the stairs two at a time.
I stripped down without turning the lights on and walked over to the window where I could see the second story of Al and Mary’s camp. If it didn’t make me a fucking creeper, I would’ve picked up my binoculars to see if Maisie had left her window shade open. Instead, I turned the water on in the shower, knowing damn well I’d never get to sleep unless I took the edge off.
4
MAISIE
I flopped on the bed for the second time in the last few hours, forgetting how much noise the creaky bedsprings made. I stilled, listening to see if either of my grandparents would say anything. They didn’t.
I got up and unbuttoned my dress, letting it fall to the floor as I pretended Ranger was watching. I unclasped my bra, let it fall too, and pressed my full breasts together, wishing his fingers were pinching my nipples rather than my own. I slid my panties off my hips and crawled between the ice-cold sheets of my bed. Even that did nothing to cool the heat between my legs.
Ranger Messick was the hottest, sexiest, most fuckable man I’d ever known, and I had no intention of letting much more time go by without knowing how he felt sunk deep inside me.
I replayed every sexy innuendo, every playful touch, every kiss, every sweep of his tongue as I gave myself the release I knew I’d need to get any sleep.
Still, I tossed and turned most of the night, finally deciding at dawn to just get out of bed and start my day. If I kept myself busy enough, maybe time wouldn’t drag between now and noon.
My first order of business was to finalize getting the insurance that would allow us to open the dance hall on the weekends. Since I’d been able to get a special event policy for New Year’s Eve, I didn’t anticipate having a problem converting it to full coverage. Thankfully, it went as smoothly as I’d hoped.
I knew it would be nowhere near as easy once it came to insuring the rides on the midway, but that was a fight for another day.
I smiled when, at eleven thirty, my cell phone rang with a call from Ranger.
“I was just getting ready to head your way. I hope we’re still on for lunch today.”
He laughed. “Remember last night when I asked if you could make it thirteen hours?”
“Of course I do.”
“Well, I’m the one who’s run out of patience. I’ve been counting the minutes since I woke up this morning. I probably shouldn’t tell you that.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t know. Aren’t guys supposed to play hard to get or something?”
“No. That was women in the fifties. These days, playing hard to get is a definite turnoff.”
“Does that mean you’re turned on, Maisie?”
“I have been since last night, haven’t you?”
“Oh, yeah.”
I lowered my voice to a whisper. “To be perfectly honest, I had to do something about it before I could fall asleep.”
I heard a crash that sounded like the phone hitting the floor followed by a bunch of rustling.
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah, fine. The boner you just gave me knocked the phone out of my hand.”
I couldn’t help it; I laughed out loud.
“Sure, you think it’s funny. Just wait until I get you back.”
“I can assure you, I’m waiting with bated breath.”
“Damn, girl. Get that sweet ass—along with the rest of your delectable body—over here.”
“Should I bother bringing the leftovers?”
“Damn straight. We’re both going to need some nourishment for what I have planned the rest of the day.”