Chapter Seven

 

 

 

Thankfully, Joe didn’t have to utilize one of the tractors. He had found the keys to his old truck in the ignition and was in it heading across the small town to get to Sissy. His body hummed with energy.

Yes, to some part because his father had shown he was on the mend, but also because he was still sustaining a high from his time with Sissy. That woman rocked his world. Their short exchange in the laundry room had been more than he’d believed anything could be with a woman. Fire in his veins, thundering heart, blood pounding and more.

The way her pussy gripped his cock was something he’d never forget. But it was more than the sex. He was happier around her. All the way around. She’d been part of their lives growing up. It made sense for her to be back in his life now.

He even enjoyed her son and wouldn’t at all mind having him around either. Hell, he was already envisioning Taylor and Sissy with him, along with another child. Or two.

As he pulled in her drive, her words of how she couldn’t have children rang through his mind. Is that just something she’d said? Joe shook his head. He didn’t think so. She didn’t strike him as a woman who ran around using that so she could sleep with people.

He killed the engine and hopped out. One light shone through the curtains covering the front window. Joe tugged his jacket tighter around him and hurried up to the door. He yanked his hand from his pocket and pounded on the wood.

The outside light flicked on and the door opened, allowing him to see Sissy’s green eyes. Her gaze widened then narrowed before she furiously shook her head.

“Let me in, Sissy,” he implored. “I’m freezing my balls off out here.”

“Then get back in your truck and go home.”

“Nope. You let me in or I’m going to freeze to death on your front step.”

“You would too, wouldn’t you? Just to fucking spite me.” She ripped the door open enough for him to enter the warm interior.

The heat permeated into him and he moaned as the bite of cold left evacuated his system.

“Thank you and yes, I would have. Why the hell did you leave?”

She closed the door and faced him. “Keep your voice down. Taylor is sleeping.” She rubbed her arms as she moved by him, heading for the small living room.

He gazed about, taking in the warm welcoming colors and the fact it was spotless. Joe hadn’t been in this house since he was in seventh grade and honest, it hadn’t changed much.

“Looks the same,” he commented.

“I don’t need the newest and neither did my mother.”

“I’m not here to pick a fight, Sissy. I’m here to talk about what happened.”

“What happened? What happened?” Her voice rose to a screech. “You told everyone we were getting married because you compromised me!” She’d stepped closer to him and by the end of her declaration she was poking her finger into his chest.

He captured her wrist, halting her motion. “Ouch? And I didn’t tell everyone, I told my mother.” He flicked his gaze behind her. “You, however, informed someone else.”

She whipped around and gasped. Taylor stood there, his John Deere pajamas oddly familiar to Joe.

“I thought you were sleeping,” she said.

“Are you marrying Mr. Joe?” He rubbed his eyes and yawned. “I was thirsty so I came to get some water when you started yelling.”

“No,” she said the second Joe gave the opposite answer.

Sissy spun back to him. “I’m not marrying you.”

“Yes, you are,” he countered. “She is.” Joe held Taylor’s gaze as he spoke.

“So then are we moving to the orchard? Will I get to learn to drive a tractor?”

“All that and more,” Joe said.

Hard green eyes cut into him sharper than any knife ever could. He swallowed, aware this could end up hurting him.

“Get your water and go back to bed, Taylor.”

Both males recognized the ‘mom’ tone in that order. Hell, Joe straightened up from her command himself. Taylor didn’t tarry and Sissy never once looked away from Joe as her son took himself back to bed.

“You come here, to my house, telling my son we were getting married? All without talking to me about this first?”

“Be pissed all you want, Sissy. I’m marrying you.” He crossed his arms. “To be fair, you’re the one who told him.”

“You could have said it was a joke. Now he’s going to be thinking he’s moving out to your farm.”

“He is.”

“I’m not marrying you.” She whirled around and stomped to the couch where she sat with a grunt.

He followed, trying not to grin. She was furious, no doubt about it, but he was with her and they would get through this. It would work out. Plus, she was just so fucking adorable in her purple pants with white hearts and the word Love scripted on the fuzzy material combined with her gray and black jersey shirt that was about three sizes too big for her. Her hair tumbled free of the bun she’d had it in while she had worked out at his house.

“Did you hear me, Joe?”

“I heard, didn’t think it was necessary to disagree with you again on that fact. I told you how I felt about it. We’re getting married.”

“No need. I told you I couldn’t have kids so my being possibly pregnant is a moot argument. It’s not going to happen.”

“And I want to know why, Sissy. I want to know all about what’s happened to you. I will. As the days pass, we’ll learn more about each other but I’m dead serious about having a wedding where you play the part of a bride and I’m the groom.”

“This is insane, there is no point, zero, for us to even be considering this.”

He moved to sit beside her, loving how she swayed toward him before she caught herself.

She knows I’m right even if she can’t admit it at the moment.

As she righted herself, he inched closer until their legs touched. Like always, a thrill rocketed throughout him. Another nail in his willing coffin on his bachelorhood.

“We grew up together, Sissy. I saw you naked by the time we were eight. We had snowball fights and shared a bed, hell, we’ve shared a sleeping bag.”

Her cheeks heated and he realized she’d not remembered that before now.

“I’m a widow and a single mom, Joe. I don’t have time for your games. I don’t want to become the current gossip for The Edge, what Mrs. Finch and her quilting group talk about or Mrs. Brean and her book club discuss instead of that most recent scandalous book they’re pretending they didn’t read and get aroused by.”

“So, you read those kinds of books?”

“I read all kinds of books.”

There wasn’t any denying the sparkle in her eyes despite her trying to sound indignant.

“Sissy.”

She blinked and met his gaze. “What?”

“Stay right there and hold my stare. Then tell me you don’t feel this thing between us.”