Page 27 of The Coppersmith Farmhouse (Jamison Valley 1)
Settling onto his lap, my legs straddled his muscled thighs. The air in the truck was scorching. Our tongues dueled and our teeth nipped at each other’s lips. His hands framed my face to pull me closer and I slanted my head so he could have full access to my mouth.
I framed his neck with my hands as we went at each other with abandon for what felt like hours. His hands traveled from my face to my shoulders, down to my ribs, barely grazing my breasts before settling on my hips. He pulled me even tighter into him and as his hardness pressed against my core, wave after wave of heat pulsed through my body.
We broke away at the sound of a passing vehicle, our heads flying up to watch the car streak by. I was struggling to catch my breath and my heart was still pounding when I turned back to look down at Jess.
“Damn, baby. You can kiss,” he said.
I let my head fall forward so my forehead was resting on his. I could not believe that just happened. I just kissed the most perfectly handsome man I had ever seen in my life and it was effing incredible, like nothing I had ever felt before.
“We’re gonna see where this goes between us.” A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
“Okay.” I mean, what else was there to say? That kiss was life changing. From now until the end of my life, I would compare all first kisses with his. And I doubted any man in my future would ever measure up.
He lifted me at the waist and I climbed back into my seat, still dizzy.
I wasn’t sure exactly what to make of Jess. He was a lot all rolled into one confusing hot guy. He’d been a gentleman. He’d been playful at dinner, teasing me and making me laugh. When confronted with Wes, he’d acted as my protector.
But then as soon as I had disagreed with him, he’d turned into a jackass. Ordering me around. Not listening to what I was telling him. And instead of talking it all out, he’d manhandled me onto his lap and kissed the living daylights out of me.
Not that I was complaining about the kiss. I’d be okay with one of those every day for the rest of my life.
Damn.
Why had I let him kiss me? I shouldn’t have let him win the argument. I should have pushed away. I was effing confused.
I had hoped that by going to dinner with Jess, I would have a better idea of what he was up to. Learn more about his ever-changing moods. Unfortunately, I hadn’t learned a thing except what I had already suspected. Jess and I had some major chemistry.
As we turned onto the gravel drive, he said, “Need to come out and do the mowing tomorrow.”
“No, that’s okay. I’ve got a mower and can take care of it. There’s no need for you to continue taking care of the farmhouse.”
“Be there some time in the afternoon to take care of it. Around three or four. It’ll make me mad if you do it before I get there.”
“Really, I can do it.”
He grabbed my hand off my lap and laced his fingers between mine. “I am doing the lawn. Just let me take care of it, okay? Cook me dinner as a thank-you.”
“Fine. If you want to get all sweaty and gross mowing my lawn, be my guest,” I said.
Wait. What?
I’d given in again! Not that I wanted to mow the lawn. But two disagreements in a row, and he’d gotten his way.
Usually I had much more willpower. What was wrong with me? It had to be the kiss. My head was still fuzzy. I needed to make sure I didn’t let him kiss me again. But I really wanted him to. Quickly, I thought of an excuse. If I gave into the mowing, I couldn’t give in to dinner.
“I don’t want to have a sitter two nights in a row, so we’ll have to do dinner another time,” I said.
“You got a problem with me meeting your kid?” he asked.
“It’s a bit early. We’ve only gone out once.”
“Right. Dinner tomorrow after I mow. You can decide between now and then how to introduce me to your kid. Either as the town sheriff or something more. Your kid, your call. But as far as the rest of the town is concerned, we’re more.”
I was definitely still messed up from our kiss because once again, even though I had just told myself to stay strong, I didn’t put up any kind of a fight. I just whispered, “Okay.”
The next morning, I was consumed with worry, wondering if Jess coming over was a mistake. Never once had I brought a man home to meet Rowen.
I hadn’t really dated since she was born. When she was a toddler, I’d been set up on two blind dates that had gone so badly, I’d vowed never to be set up again. Since then, I hadn’t met anyone worth seeing. Until Jess.
