Chapter Twenty-Three
He couldn’t get enough of Janie. Even after controlling himself long enough for them to cook and eat dinner last night, and tumbling her into bed right after the dirty dishes were dumped into the sink, he still woke up next to her dreading having to leave.
It wasn’t just sex, either. He wanted to be near her. It didn’t matter what they were doing. Eating. Sleeping. Tending the horses. He was content as long as he was by her side. That, coupled with a physical need so powerful his body craved her like a drug, was almost frightening.
It was still dark outside, but he was awake, hard and needy once more. With his arms around her as she slept on her side, her back to him, he felt Janie breathing, deep and steady. He should let her sleep, but dammit, he couldn’t resist pressing closer against her.
A low grumble vibrated through Janie. “What time is it?”
“Don’t know.” He moved her hair and kissed her neck. “Don’t care. As long as it’s still dark, I know I don’t have to leave for work yet.”
He moved his hand down to her thigh and pulled her leg over his, giving clear access for his persistent morning hard-on.
“You are insatiable.”
“Is that a complaint?” he asked with a smile.
“No.”
“Good.” He reached for a condom on the table and made quick work of that necessity before sinking into Janie. A shudder ran through him. Even after being with her twice last night, he was still amazed at how perfectly matched they were. “I gotta warn you. Mornings take me a while.”
She laughed. “Longer than usual?”
“Yup.” He moved his hand across her belly, all the way to connect with the spot that had her drawing in a sharp breath. “This okay?”
She let out a shaky exhale. “Mmm-hmm.”
Her answer, tinged with a moan, had him smiling. “Good.”
Moving his fingers in a slow circle that had Janie letting out a sound that cut straight through to his core, he hoped the sun never rose.
Tyler hadn’t been lying when he’d issued the warning that things could take a while. He’d loved her until the morning light streamed through the window blinds and he knew he was going to be late. It had killed him to leave her, looking all sleepy and satisfied in her bed. He ended up running out of her place much later than he should have.
There was no time to go home and change. He’d showered at her house the night before, so he slapped some of her girly deodorant under his arms and took off for Rohn’s place.
Thank God she lived right next door to his job, so he didn’t have far to travel. As it was, he arrived after Colton. And after Justin, who finally had been cleared by the doc to come back. That was a good thing, not only for Justin, but for Tyler, too. His return after being out healing for weeks would take some of the attention off Tyler sliding in way after the others.
“Here he finally is.” Justin took a step forward to greet him, and Tyler couldn’t help but notice he still had a limp.
Colton’s brow shot up. “Better late than never, I guess.”
Ignoring that, Tyler clasped Justin’s hand and pounded him on the back with the other. “How you doing, bro?”
“Good enough to convince the doc to let me work.” Justin grinned as he pulled back.
“And ride?” Tyler asked.
“Not yet, but I’m working on it.”
Tyler laughed. “You’re following doctor’s orders for once? What’s up with that?”
“I was wondering that my own damn self.” Colton laughed.
Justin shrugged. “Kind of have to. My mom begged me not to ride until I was completely healed.”
Tyler dipped his head in a nod. “Understood, bro.”
Unlike Tyler’s family, who’d had the life scared out of them when Tuck went missing but ultimately got him back, the Skaggs family hadn’t been so lucky. Justin’s brother didn’t make it home alive from his deployment.
“Gotta keep Mom happy.” Colton slapped Justin on the back. “But I’m glad to have you back here. Working alone with only this sorry ass for help for all those weeks sucked balls.”
Tyler rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Like you’re so wonderful to work with.”
“At least I don’t wander in late, rush through the day, and leave early.”
“Oh, really? Rolling in late—and looking like you didn’t get a whole hell of a lot of sleep—and sneaking out early?” Justin’s brows rose as he scrutinized Tyler a bit too closely for his liking. “Sounds like little Tyler’s got himself a girl.”
“Ah, shut up.” Tyler tried to act like it was a ridiculous notion, hoping the truth didn’t show all over his face.
Colton turned to Tyler with the look of a man who’d just had a lightbulb turned on over his head. “Oh, my God. Do you? And you didn’t tell me? What the hell?”
“So what?” Tyler shrugged, trying to figure a way out of this mess. “If I did, maybe, have a girl, and I’m not saying I do, what’s it matter?”
“It matters because we’re supposed to be friends. But besides that, I’m the one who had to wait around here after work for the blacksmith to come yesterday because you cut out early. And one of the horses he shoed was yours.” Colton’s eyes widened to drive home the point.
“Shit. Sorry, man. I totally forgot about him coming.”
“Because you snuck out without telling me, or I would have reminded you. So where were you going?” Colton folded his arms across his chest and glared at Tyler, clearly waiting for an answer.
Sometimes a man had to throw in a little bit of the truth to cover up a bigger lie.
“A’ight. I’ll tell you. I’m helping Janie Smithwick with her hayfields. She was going to try to do it herself, even though she’s got no experience. So I offered to step in.”
“Why didn’t you just say that in the first place? Jeez. She’s got no hired hands, so of course you should help out.” Colton let out a snort and turned to Justin. “You knew Tom Smithwick, right?”
While Tyler breathed in relief that Colton was satisfied with his story, Justin nodded. “Yup. Not well, but I knew him.”
Colton let out a slow whistle. “Let me tell you, his widow is a hell of a looker. I’m trying to convince Rohn to ask her out.”
“And what’s Rohn got to say about that?” Justin’s eyes cut to Tyler even as he addressed Colton.
“He’s dragging his feet, like he usually does when it comes to any new idea.” Colton shook his head.
“He’s not gonna ask her out.” Tyler screwed up his mouth. “They were friends with each other’s dead spouses. They can’t date now.”
“You’re nuts.” Colton scowled at Tyler. “They’re perfect for each other.”
“No, you’re nuts.” Tyler frowned.
“Whatever. I’m going in for coffee before we get to work.” Colton let out a snort and stalked toward the house.
Colton needed to get off this matchmaking kick before Rohn actually took his advice and asked Janie out, only to be shot down when she said no. There was no way in hell that Janie would say yes to a date with Rohn after the night—and morning—they’d had together.
Tyler glanced up to see Justin smirking. “What’s up with you?”
Justin shrugged. “Nothing. Just thinking how Colton missed asking the most important question.”
“What the hell you talking about?”
“He asked where you went when you left here yesterday. What I wanna know is where’d you come from this morning? Because I’d be willing to bet this week’s paycheck that it’s the same place.”
“What? No.” Tyler nearly choked on his denial.
“Mmm-hmm. Okay. If you say so.” Justin grinned. “By the way, I’ve met Janie. I don’t blame you one bit.”
“I’m not—”
“Don’t worry. I won’t tell Colton if you don’t want him to know.” Justin’s gaze dropped to Tyler’s throat. “You might want to try and hide that bite mark on your neck, though.”
With a grin, Justin turned toward the house while Tyler flashed to the memory of Janie’s mouth on him during their second time together. How amazing it had been when she’d come so hard with him inside her that she’d latched onto his neck. How he never even considered stopping her because he’d liked it. A lot.
He didn’t want Colton to know he was sleeping with Janie. Hell, he didn’t want anyone to know yet. Once they were a couple, fine, but not now. He knew he didn’t have the best reputation with the guys when it came to women, but Janie was different. He was different with her. And he didn’t want his past to cast a shadow on her reputation. She shouldn’t be judged because of him and what they did together. She didn’t deserve that. But if he didn’t tell Colton, the idiot would keep pushing Rohn toward Janie.
Damn. Justin was more observant than Tyler had given him credit for. This was way more complicated than he’d thought it would be.
The sick part was, even with Justin guessing, Tyler wouldn’t exchange his time with Janie for anything in the world. And as soon as he got out of there, he was going right back over for more.