Chapter 13
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Tully: I found oak flooring for the dance floor at a great price!
Jaxon: We haven’t even finished getting the plumbing in and painting. NO OAK FLOORING YET!
Tully: It’s being delivered today. What happened with the plumbing? I thought the plumbers were supposed to be done today.
Jaxon: The guy had the wrong pipefittings.
I’ve learned that when contractors have the wrong anything, they take off work for the rest of the day.
Did you even know how much flooring to buy?
Stupid question. Of course you know. You probably have the dimensions of the dance floor memorized.
You are truly possessed. I’m surprised you’ve been able to stay away.
Tully:
Jaxon stared at his cellphone screen waiting for Tully’s text reply. It never came. Which was weird. She always had to have the last word. They’d been keeping an ongoing text thread for the last three weeks. His phone was always pinging with questions from her or ideas she had.
Strangely, he’d grown used to the pings.
“More texts from Tully?”
He glanced up from his phone to see Huck standing there splattered with paint from head to toe with a grin on his face. The grin faded when Jaxon spoke.
“Did you give Tully a key to the dancehall?”
Huck cleared his throat. “Umm . . . well, she is our financial partner.” When Jaxon scowled, he rushed on. “Come on, Jax. She’s so damned excited about every little thing we do, I didn’t think it would hurt if she got to see it for herself . . . rather than just hear about it from you.”
“How often does she come?”
Huck cringed. “Every night.”
Of course she did. Which was why she had a list of questions every single morning. He should have known she wouldn’t be able to stay away. But he hadn’t thought his brother would keep secrets from him. Huck was not a secret keeper.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Umm . . .” Huck shot a quick glance over at Dawson who was talking to the electrician.
That was all the answer Jaxon needed. Without another word, he headed over to Dawson. He waited for him to finish talking with the electrician before he spoke.
“What’s going on? Why did you ask Huck not to tell me about giving Tully a key?”
Dawson shot an annoyed look at Huck who had followed Jaxon. “Because I didn’t think it was a good idea.”
“You want to tell me why?”
Poppy strode up. She wasn’t as paint splattered as Huck, but close.
“Because we knew if you found out Tully was here every night you wouldn’t be able to stay away.
” She glared at Huck. “Some people are too stupid to realize their brother getting hooked up with the town sheriff’s daughter is a disaster waiting to happen. ”
“I’m not stupid!” Huck said. “And neither is Jaxon. He’s not going to mess around with Tully—especially now that she’s our partner.” He looked at Jaxon. “Ain’t that right, Jax?”
“That’s right. I’m not interested in getting involved with Tallulah Gentry.”
Poppy snorted. “Which is why your face lights up like a Christmas tree every time your phone pings. And no matter what you’re doing, you drop everything to answer.”
“Because she’s the reason we’re still here! Without her money, we wouldn’t have a chance of getting our inheritance.”
“Exactly! Which is why you need to stay away from her. She’s not even close to being in your same league, Jax. She’s the type to fall hard and fast. And a woman scorned is the worst enemy you can have. Especially if that woman has access to a gun and a sheriff daddy.”
He couldn’t argue with that. He took a deep breath and released it. “You’re right. Which is why I’m staying away from her. I haven’t seen her in weeks.”
“But you want to. You can continue to deny it until the cows come home, but I’ve seen the way you look at her—how freaked out you got when she was hanging from the rope ladder.”
“I wouldn’t want anyone to fall to their death, Pops.”
She rolled her eyes. “Men! Y’all are so disconnected from your true emotions it’s not even funny.” She stomped away.
When she was gone, Jaxon looked at Dawson. “You think the same thing, Dawg? You think I’d endanger everything we’ve worked for just because I might feel a little attraction for a woman?”
Dawson studied him. “Is it just a little, Jax?”
“Nothing I can’t deal with. I could care less that she’s showing up every night to see our progress.” He headed back to work.
But as it turned out, he did care.
That night, after he’d taken a shower and gone to bed, all he could think about was Tully being at the dancehall that very second.
Did she like the sky blue color she’d helped him pick out for the bathrooms?
Were the rustic stall doors what she’d been hoping for?
What did she think of the light sconces they’d chosen for behind the bar?
Were the mirrored shelves what she’d envisioned?
The questions circled around and around in his head until he thought he’d go crazy.
He knew he could text her all those questions in the morning .
. . including why she hadn’t told him of her late night visits.
But why should he wait to get his answers?
His siblings might think he had no self-control.
But he knew differently. He could talk to Tully face-to-face and not do anything stupid.
Which didn’t explain why he snuck out of the house and chose to walk to the dancehall.
As soon as he crossed the bridge over the river to the main road, he could see Honky Tonk Heaven. There was no light shining from the windows, which meant Tully wasn’t there. Or had already been there. He should turn back around and go home. But before he could, a flash of light hit one window.
Once he got to the dancehall, he found Tully’s old truck parked outback.
He had just reached the back door when he heard a loud crash. He threw open the door so quickly it bounced off the wall.
“Tully!” He flipped on the lights and hurried into the building, searching the cluttered construction site for any sight of her. “Tully!”
“I’m here.”
He glanced to his right and saw a John Deere hat peeking over the boxes of oak flooring. He hurried over to find her sprawled on the floor. When she saw him, she forced a smile.
“I see the flooring got here.”
He stepped over the boxes. “What the hell are you doing? Why didn’t you turn on the lights?”
“I didn’t want anyone to see them.”
“Anyone or me?”
She shrugged. “All of the above.”
He huffed and crouched down next to her. “Are you okay?” She hesitated too long and he instantly grew concerned. “What hurts?”
“I twisted my ankle when I fell.”
He glanced down at her feet. “You wore flip-flops to a construction site?”
“I’ve been doing it for wee—” She quickly cut off and her cheeks heated.
“So I’ve heard.” He sighed and sat on a box of flooring. “Which foot?” She lifted the right one, wincing in pain. He carefully supported her heel in his palm and slipped off the flip-flop before testing the area around her ankle.
“Oww!”
“Sorry. Can you wiggle your toes?” She did, but not without cringing. He carefully set down her foot and stood. “I think we should take you to an emergency room.”
“Absolutely not. It’s just a little ankle sprain. It will be fine in the morning. Believe me, I know. I’ve twisted my ankle more times than I can count.” She started to get up, but he scooped her into his arms, ignoring how right she felt there.
“Fine, but you’re not driving home with a sprained ankle. I’ll drive you.”
“Then how will you get home?”
“I’ve walked all over this town, Tully. I think I can walk from Old Lady Crawford’s house.”
She stared at him. “You know where I live?”
He knew a lot of things about her.
He knew that she blushed at . . . everything. That she loved to read books about tattooed guys and had a weird preoccupation with Honky Tonk Heaven. That she was scared of heights and not very proficient with guns. And that she had a soft body that fit nicely in his arms.
“Everyone in town knows you bought Old Lady Crawford’s house,” he said. “Now give me the key so I can lock up.” He set her down by the back door while he locked it. Once he finished, he took the key off her key ring and pocketed it.
“What are you doing? That’s mine!”
“Sorry. I won’t be able to sleep at night knowing you’re stumbling around in the dark in flip-flops.”
“Fine, I’ll wear boots from now on.”
“That still won’t make me sleep better.” He lifted her back into his arms.
She huffed. “I want to see what’s going on, Jaxon.”
“Then you’ll have to get up enough guts to stop by during the day.”
That shut her up. The rest of the drive to her house was silent.
The other day when he’d gotten her cell number, Jaxon hadn’t noticed the inside of her old truck.
So he was more than a little surprised to find it so messy.
There were empty take-out cups, half-full water bottles, and an assortment of other trash on the passenger side floorboard.
A crushed box of tissues, a makeup bag, a half-eaten Snickers bar, and a bag of popcorn on the bench seat.
The ashtray was overflowing with coins, hair ties, Chapstick, and gum wrappers.
When he carried her inside her house, he discovered it was just as messy.
Mail was piled high on the table by the door, along with more half-empty water bottles and her badge and holstered gun.
Huge piles of unfolded laundry filled two chairs in the living room.
Pet toys were scattered around on the floor, along with running shoes, one sock, and a sports bra.
As he stared at the bra, the truth finally dawned on him.
Rule-following Tully was messy.
He didn’t know why that struck him as funny, but it did. He started laughing and couldn’t seem to stop.
She socked him hard in the arm. “Don’t you dare laugh at me, Jaxon Hennessy. I’ve just been busy and haven’t had time to clean.”
He sobered and looked at her. “Or maybe this is the one place you can just be yourself. Messy and unorganized and the complete opposite of the spit and polished deputy you want the town to see.”
Those big brown eyes widened and, then to his complete consternation, filled with tears before she tucked her face against his chest. He moved to the couch and sat down with her on his lap, tipping her chin up so he could see her face.
Her cheeks were wet with tears and her eyes filled with a thousand more.
It broke his heart.
He brushed the tears away with his thumb. “It’s okay to be messy. It’s okay to read sexy books. It’s okay to like rowdy country bars.” He took off her cap and smoothed wisps of her hair back from her forehead. “It’s okay to have curly hair.” He smiled. “It’s okay to be you, Tallulah.”
She swallowed hard as more tears dripped down her cheeks. “Even if I’m not what people want as their deputy?”
“I’ve discovered there’s no way to give everyone what they want. People’s expectations are always changing and it’s impossible to keep up. So maybe it’s time to be who you are and live how you want to live . . . with no apologies.”
She stared back at him for a long moment with those watery Bambi eyes as if trying to digest his words before she finally spoke. “Maybe it is time.”
Then she completely blindsided him by leaning in and placing her soft lips on his.
He tried to remember the vow he’d made to his siblings, and to himself, but it was impossible when she opened her mouth and offered her sweet, wet heat. There wasn’t a chance in hell he could decline the offer.
All he could do was surrender.
There was no mistaking that this was a kiss. There were no soft brushes or teasing nips. Just hungry need as their lips melded together and their tongues greeted each other.
Jaxon had kissed a lot of women, but none had affected him like Tully. It was like the first time he’d eaten cotton candy. As soon as the fluffy confection had melted on his tongue, he knew he would never crave another carnival treat as much.
Just like he knew he would never crave another woman’s kisses as much as Tully’s.
She filled an adult sweet tooth he didn’t even know he had.
And like the cotton candy, all he wanted was more.
More tempting slides of her plump lips. More lush strokes of her honeyed tongue.
More comforting caresses from her gentle fingers that at that moment were running through his hair.
When she reached the elastic band, she tugged it off and released a sexy moan as his hair spilled free.
“I love your hair,” she whispered against his lips as her fingers ran through the loose strands. “I want to play beauty salon with it.”
He smiled and sucked on her bottom lip, running his teeth over the plumpness. “And I love your lips and want to eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”
She sighed. “I’ll give you my lips if you give me your hair.”
“Deal.” He took control of those lips, molding them to his as he licked into her hot, wet mouth. She made the sexy moan again as her fingers fisted his hair as if she never wanted to let him go.
He didn’t want to let go either.
He knew he was speeding towards a cliff with a sheer drop off, but he had no desire to stop. Even if he was about to crash and burn. Burning in Tully’s arms no longer felt like a bad thing.
It felt right.
He lowered her back to the couch and kissed his way down her neck, savoring the taste and softness of her skin. “I want you so damn—” He cut off when something pounced onto his back and razor sharp claws bit into him. “Fuck!” He sprang up, sending whatever had attacked him sailing to the floor.
It was a cat. A white fuzzy cat that landed on its feet and then glared at him with mean blue eyes.
“Dumplin’!” Tully got up from the couch and scooped the cat into her arms, cuddling it close. “Are you okay?”
Jaxon didn’t know about the cat, but his back stung like hell . . . which caused his brain to move from his penis back to his head. He realized he owed the cat a full bag of catnip for saving him from making a major mistake.
Poppy was right. He and Tully weren’t in the same league. Sex wouldn’t just be sex to Tully. She was a sweet small town girl who no doubt dreamed about a white wedding, followed by a houseful of babies. He wasn’t ready for any of that. He didn’t even have a place to call home.
Home would certainly never be Promise Springs.
Without saying a word, he headed for the door. But before he reached it, she spoke in soft voice that made him hard all over again.
“You don’t need to run off, Jax.”
But he did.
He needed to run like hell.