Want You Page 21

  “Looks like Win’s got his hands full.” Josh joined him over by the rock wall. They’d moved the rest of the equipment from the gym to their private offices to make more space for the party. Every year they threw a Christmas open house, so they had the drill down.

  “I’m hoping it’s nerves. Under the circumstances, it can’t be easy to meet the entire Garner clan at once.”

  “Except she’s not even making an effort. Mom and Dad have tried to engage her in conversation several times. She was too busy searching for her next drink or texting on her phone to talk to them. They’re about to become her in-laws, for heaven’s sake.”

  “What about Win? He seem okay to you?”

  Josh sighed. “It’s hard to tell. You know how he is.”

  Win rolled with the punches and wasn’t one to complain. Although until now, his life had been a cake walk. Doors always opened for Win and opportunities always knocked. He seemed to have been born under a lucky star. TJ guessed not so much anymore.

  “He’ll have to figure it out as he goes,” TJ said. “And we need to give her a chance.”

  “You’re right.” Josh turned when Hannah called from the dance floor. She crooked her finger for him to join her. His lips curved up and he shook his head.

  “Go on.” TJ pushed him “Let’s see ya make a fool of yourself.”

  “Bad leg, remember?”

  “Your leg is fine. Get out there.”

  The song ended, temporarily saving Josh. Colt launched into a ballad and the women came off the floor. A few couples replaced them, including Boden and Karen. Josh went off to dance with Hannah and Deb grabbed his arm.

  “You promised,” she said and tugged on him.

  “Okay, okay.” He let her lead him to the center of the floor.

  The song was the Bonnie Raitt classic “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” and TJ wondered if Colt had played it on purpose. Nah; Colt wouldn’t be that cruel. Just a painful coincidence.

  Deb put her arms around his neck and pressed tightly against him. His heart raced and he palmed her waist, remembering their kiss. A release of adrenaline from Colt’s accident. Yeah right.

  They swayed to the music, and she fit so well in his arms and felt so perfect with her head nestled under his chin that he didn’t want the song to end. She ran her hands up and down his back and molded herself even closer against him.

  Gazing up at him with light in her eyes she said, “Don’t go, okay?”

  He chuckled. “From you, like this, or the party?”

  “None of it,” she whispered, and he felt his heart stop.

  They continued to dance—if you could call it that—rocking in small circles, his hands at her back, his mouth hovering over her hair. She smelled like sunshine and strawberries. Her fingers played at the nape of his neck, arousing him. She pressed into his groin and he thought he might go off right there in the corner of the dance floor.

  “Not here.” If they didn’t stop, the entire town would start to notice. He glanced around the room. Deb’s parents were in the corner with his own, engaged in conversation. Colt, the asshole, held a hint of a smile as he extended the song with a melodic solo on his Martin guitar.

  She played with his hair and he was about to reach his breaking point. “Deb?”

  “Hmm?” She stared up at him.

  “Let’s go to my office.”

  With the music so loud, he wasn’t sure she heard him.

  “Your office,” she murmured and started to dance him in that direction.

  Jesus Christ . . . he couldn’t believe he was doing this. But that was the thing about Deb. She made him let go.

  “Let’s try to be discreet, okay?” He reached for her hand and silently led her down the hallway.

  The band had shifted into something fast-paced. TJ didn’t recognize the song, but he could barely hear it over the pounding of his pulse. He wanted to make this so good for her.

  He had to push the door hard so it would open with the weight bench in the way. They heard someone coming out of the bathroom and he put his finger to his lips. He smothered her giggle with his mouth, managed to kick away the bench, and shut the door before anyone saw them.

  She wrapped herself around him. “You feel so good; like you did the other night, but even better.” Her hand moved to his belt buckle. “And you smell good, too.”

  “Are you drunk?” He nuzzled close to her ear.

  “A little buzzed, but not drunk. Why?”

  Because he yearned to do this so badly that his body was on fire for her. That was the thing; he was jumping into the flames, knowing full well he’d get burned. If she was drunk, though, he’d walk away. It would take every ounce of willpower he had, but he’d do it.

  She put the flat of her hands against his chest, went up on her toes, and kissed him. “You taste good.”

  She dragged the bolo tie over his head and started to unbutton his shirt. With every scrape of her hand, he sucked in a breath. He pushed her down onto the sofa. It was too small for them to both get horizontal on. But he had other plans.

  He kneeled in front of her and pushed up her dress. Her stockings were the kind that only went to her thighs. He had no idea what was holding them up, but just looking at them made him harder. She watched him, her eyes heating, her mouth forming a small oh. He slid her black-lace panties down her legs and slipped them over her shoes until they fell to the floor. Deb reached out and tried to pull him on top of her.

  “Not yet,” he whispered and ran his index finger down the inside of her silky leg.

  She shivered and he followed the trail with his lips. The stockings smelled like her and he liked the sensation of them against his skin. He wanted to see her breasts and reached up and unzipped the back of her dress, pulling the neckline down. She had on a black lace bra that matched the panties. He’d never cared much about underwear, only what was under it. But on her . . . The bra plunged low, giving him a good view of her plump, firm breasts. He rimmed the edge of the lace with his index finger, dragged the straps over her arms, and pulled down the cups until she spilled out. He circled her nipples with his tongue, which drove her crazy. She leaned her head against the back of the couch while her whole body vibrated. She was unbelievably responsive.

  “TJ, please.” She went for his belt again.

  He moved her hands away, spread her legs, and tested her with his mouth.

  “Oh my God.” She levitated off the couch.

  “Good?” As if he needed to ask. He delved his tongue in and out of her and heard the sharp intake of her breath. The woman was a hair trigger away from an orgasm.

  “Do you have a condom?”

  “Shush,” he told her and continued to kiss the insides of her legs, feeling her slickness with his finger. “You’re so wet.” For him. The realization of that made his chest expand.

  She pulled at his shirt and he lifted it over his head. Her hands moved up and down his arms and over his chest. She couldn’t seem to get enough of him. He continued to work her with his mouth, licking and laving and touching her everywhere. Reaching for her breasts, he weighed each one in his hands.

  “TJ? Please. I need you.”

  “Soon,” he said, wanting her to come like this first, wanting it to be the best climax she’d ever had.

  This time he tried two fingers, feeling her stretch to accommodate him. He came up over her and kissed her lips while stroking her with his hand.

  “I can’t take anymore.” Her eyes were closed and she was shaking.

  “Let go then.” He trailed kisses down her throat and sucked her breasts.

  “I want you, TJ,” she said, and he moved lower until he covered her with his mouth, working her some more with his tongue. “Oh yes, yes.”

  He watched her come apart, her body shuddering as she called out to him over and over again. Nothing made him more aroused than hearing his name on her lips. He continued to fondle and kiss her until she went limp, breathing like she’d been in a downhill ski race.<
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  There was noise in the hallway, two or three people talking. Deb, still sporting the afterglow of her orgasm, jerked her dress up. Coming in here during the party had been risky. TJ found his shirt on the floor and quickly pulled it on.

  Deb clutched his arms and in a low voice said, “But we’re not done yet.”

  His mouth quirked. “You look done to me.”

  “What about you, though? And I wanted . . .” She trailed off, her face turning red. “Don’t you?”

  Hell yeah, he did. “You’re the guest of honor. People are probably looking for you.” He kissed her and she wrapped her arms around him. In another minute, he’d have her dress completely off and Deb on her back.

  The voices grew louder. Damn. He swept the floor, found her panties, and handed them to her. “We’ve gotta get back out there.”

  “What about after the party?” she asked shyly.

  “You want to come home with me?” His lips tipped up and he felt his lower half spring back to life.

  She pulled her bra straps up and turned to finish righting the top half of her dress. She tried to put her underwear back on without him seeing—ridiculous, because he’d seen all of her. He turned away to give her some privacy and did up his buttons.

  “I do,” she said.

  * * *

  Deb went back to the party feeling warm all over. What he’d just done . . . well, it had been sublime. Best present ever.

  The band was on break and Colt came up to give her a hug. “Where’ve you been, birthday girl?” He sounded like he was teasing, and she suspected he might’ve seen her and TJ slip away. Mortifying if he had. She didn’t want the reputation of being a Garner groupie.

  “TJ wanted to show me something.” She prayed Colt didn’t ask what, because she didn’t have a good lie at the ready.

  He hitched his brows. “Yeah?”

  Her eyes dropped to her shoes and she hoped her stockings weren’t bagging around her knees. Should’ve checked that before leaving TJ’s office.

  Colt put his finger under her chin and lifted her face. “Of all of us, he’s the best, you know? Smarter, deeper, better-looking, greater athlete, and the most loyal.”

  She’d known all those things were true. But why was Colt telling her this? She held contact with him, looking for answers. All she saw in his deep brown eyes was merriment. He was playing with her.

  “All you Garners are highly overrated.”

  Colt leaned his head back and laughed. “I don’t think so, Little Debbie.”

  She punched him in the arm and he put her in a headlock. Josh told him to quit roughhousing and to play more music. TJ came over and slipped a beer in her hand. It felt like something a boyfriend would do.

  The band started up again. “This is an oldie but a goodie,” Colt told the partygoers. “And it’s dedicated to the birthday girl.”

  “Brown Eyed Girl.”

  Boden grabbed her around the waist and swung her onto the dance floor. Everyone cheered except TJ, who scowled. She stowed that information away for later and danced. After Boden came Foster, then Jack—who held his police scanner while attempting the Texas two-step. There was Josh, who turned out to be completely devoid of rhythm. Hannah stood to the side, laughing her ass off. Unlike Josh, Felix could boogie, surprising for a guy who’d busted practically every bone in his body snowboarding.

  Rita Tucker did some kind of Stevie Nicks crackhead dance that was bizarre, to say the least. But hey, it was great to have a mayor who let her freak flag fly. Morris Finkelstein, Deb’s favorite senior-citizen diner at the Morning Glory, tried to teach her to waltz. Deb would never make it on Dancing with the Stars, but she was having a hell of a good time.

  TJ leaned against the wall, his hands shoved in his pockets, watching her make a fool of herself. Occasionally, she’d sneak a glance at him, and her entire body would tingle, remembering what they’d done on his love seat. The man had surpassed his boardroom skills in the bedroom. Or at least his office.

  He could also rock a pair of Levi’s. Just seeing him, one broad shoulder cocked against the wall, his booted toe tapping to the music, made her want to find out what going all the way with TJ Garner was like. He’d proven to be the king of foreplay, giving her one hell of a memory to kick off the year of being thirty.

  He saw her looking and flashed a cocky grin, perfect white teeth gleaming in the dim light. She promised herself it was his move; no more begging. She was done with that. Part of her new life as a grown-up.

  Hannah suddenly came over Colt’s PA system. He pulled the mic back from her mouth when feedback filled the room, and she said, “Time for Deb to blow out her candles.”

  Rachel wheeled in a table with the most gorgeous birthday cake Deb had ever seen. It had been decorated to look like a ski resort with chairlifts, runs, mini pine trees, and itty-bitty skiers. Deb hated to cut into it, it was so beautiful. She took a few photos with her phone to save it for posterity.

  Everyone sang “Happy Birthday to You.” Deb made a silent wish to spend the night with TJ and blew out the candles. All thirty of them. Rachel cut the cake, served slices onto plates, and Deb helped her pass them out, nearly catching TJ in the gut with her elbow in the process.

  “I didn’t see you there. Chocolate or vanilla?”

  “What if I want both?” He made it sound sexual.

  Two could play that game. “All you have to do is ask and you shall receive.” She handed him two plates, one of each, and a fork.

  After the guests got theirs, she found a quiet corner to eat her piece before someone came over to talk. She loved Rachel’s cakes and wanted to savor every last drop.

  “Care if I join you?” TJ pulled up two chairs. Her feet wanted to kiss him.

  “Mmm. Good cake, huh?”

  He checked her plate. “Don’t like chocolate?”

  “I like it. I’ll probably go back for a second piece.”

  He cut a piece and offered it to her. “Take a taste.”

  She scraped it off the fork with her mouth. “Wow, that may even be better than the vanilla.”

  Colt and the other band members had started tearing down the stage. Foster waved from across the room and blew her a kiss, signaling he was leaving. He had a mother-daughter tea at a local bed-and-breakfast that he was doing the flowers for on Sunday. She made a telephone sign with her fingers—I’ll call you. Delaney glided around the room in one of her bazillion-dollar outfits, picking up trash. Hannah, Josh, and Darcy were stacking chairs. Deb looked up at the wall clock. Whoa; it was past midnight.

  “You have to work at the diner tomorrow?” TJ asked her.

  “Nope. Felix gave me the day off. I’m going over to my parents’ for dinner.” Her mom was making pot roast, her favorite.

  “Want to take off?”

  She looked at him, trying to make sure he meant together. The whole night . . . well, she’d felt like Cinderella at the ball. “Don’t you think I should help clean up?”

  “No.” He got up, took their plates, and dumped them in the garbage. “Let’s go.”

  “I should at least say good-bye and thank everyone for the party.”

  “All right, then come back to the parking lot. Hurry.”

  Uh, impatient much? Deb didn’t plan to question it. She wanted this. Bad.

  Deb made the rounds, thanking and kissing everyone.

  “We’ll take your gifts home and you can come over tomorrow and open them.” Colt virtually pushed her out the door while Delaney stood with her mouth agape, perplexed at his boorish behavior.

  As Deb left, she heard Delaney say to Colt, “What’s gotten into you?”

  He knew, that’s what. Just the thought of facing him Sunday made her flush with embarrassment. Yet it didn’t stop her from following the driveway to the back lot, where she found TJ revving his engine.

  She hopped in the passenger seat and waited for him to tell her what they were doing. He didn’t say a word, just drove. It soon became clear that they were g
oing to his place, not hers, which would’ve been closer but less discreet. Come to think of it, she’d never been to his house before. She knew it was at the lake, close to his parents’, and that he’d done a lot of work on it.

  “What are you thinking?” she asked when she couldn’t take his silence any longer.

  “For once in my life, I’m trying not to think and just do.”

  “I’m looking forward to seeing your house,” she said lamely because what she was really looking forward to was more of what they’d done in TJ’s office. “You’ve never had me over before.”

  He didn’t say anything, just headed for the lake. It was too dark to see much, but Deb knew the homes were huge on this side of town. A lot of city transplants had supersized the old, modest houses.

  TJ took the road that wound around the shore. She’d spent many summers here on the beach, swimming, canoeing, waterskiing, or just lying on the sand. Even with the crowds, it was one of her favorite places in Glory Junction.

  He reached over and put his hand on her leg. His palm felt good. Warm and reassuring and like it fit there. Like they fit.

  He pulled into a driveway, and a motion light flicked on, illuminating the house. It was a rustic, mountain-style home with brown shingles and chocolate-brown trim. Great curb appeal, but then, she hadn’t expected anything less from TJ.

  He got out and came around to her side, offered her a hand out, and held it as he unlocked the front door. They walked into a small foyer and he guided her into the living room. Huge windows overlooked the lake. The kitchen was open to the rest of the front room, and that, too, had amazing views of the water and the Sierra mountains. All his furnishings and built-ins had clean lines. It was three times the size of her apartment and crazy neat.

  “It’s beautiful, TJ.” She walked around, examining everything. “It’s a grown-up’s house.”

  “That’s me,” he said wryly, standing off to the side, letting her snoop. “A grown-up.”

  She turned to face him. “Nothing wrong with that.” In fact, compared to what she was used to, it was an absolute turn-on. “Do you have beach access?”