“Tatum?” I shouted toward the other end of the house where he had disappeared to.
“Yeah?” he shouted back.
“Where the heck am I?”
He made an odd sound that could have been a laugh, but I couldn’t be certain. “You’re in Hanford, Louisiana, named after Francis Hanford the third, the man who first settled on this land.”
“Really?” I asked.
“I’m dead serious, Princess.”
“Princess?” I shrieked.
“It suits you,” he yelled back, and my annoyance level suddenly raised significantly.
“It does not suit me. You don’t know anything about me,” I shouted before returning to my e-mail.
I’m back. Bet you didn’t even know I was gone, did you? Had to find out what this town is called. It’s called Hanford, Louisiana and it’s apparently named after its first resident. That’s sort of cool. Why does every other state seem to have so much more history than the one we live in?
Tatum says the tire will take a couple of days to get here, so I’ll be staying with his mom at the B&B until then. Don’t worry, she’s super nice, and I know you’ll both think I’m probably naive, but I trust her. My phone is still off, but I’ll get you the phone number here so you can call me anytime, okay? Don’t worry about me. Love you both so much. Thank you for letting me work through this. I appreciate your love and support. Mom, tell Dad and Stacey I miss and love them. Q, tell Ry I love him too. :)
Paige
She’s No Princess
Tatum
After Paige asked about my dad, I couldn’t shake the memory of him from my mind. Everyone in town already knew what happened, had lived through it with me and my mom, so I rarely had to relive the specifics of that day. But sitting here now, seeing it all again fresh in my mind, I wanted to hop in my truck, drive away, and never look back. Losing my dad had been the defining moment in my life; it had changed everything.
I stalked back to my house after yelling at Paige, part of me feeling like a jerk for being so mean to her, and the other part in so much pain I could barely stomach it. I took a quick shower and stalked into the kitchen, my hair still wet and dripping onto my shoulders. Determined to numb the misery, I poured myself a double shot of Tennessee whiskey. A knock on the door interrupted my plans.
I assumed it was Mama, but she rarely knocked. When I opened it, Paige stood there waiting for me to invite her in, but I was too busy staring at her hot little body to say anything. She watched me, her eyes wary before she spoke. “Your mom said I could use the computer, but I can come back tomorrow when you’re gone if you don’t want me around.”
She thought I didn’t want her here. Little did she know that I wanted her everywhere. As she turned to walk away, I grabbed her by the wrist, stopping her from leaving. I yanked her back toward me, resisting the urge to pull so hard she’d crash into my bare chest and press her body up against mine.
I told her to come in and allowed her to squirm out of my grip. After showing her to the computer, I sulked back into my bedroom to give her space, or air, or something. Truth was, I didn’t know what the hell Paige Lockwood wanted. From me, this town, or in general, but I had a feeling I’d be willing to give her whatever it was she was looking for. Hell, I’d help her find it. And hopefully it would include her mouth pressed against mine, for starters.
Damn, it had been too long since I was this attracted to someone, let alone someone I could see on my television anytime I wanted. Was Paige Lockwood, America’s sweetheart, really in my house right now? And why wasn’t I nervous around her?
She stayed in the other room on the computer while I sat in my bedroom, avoiding her. I wondered if she was looking up the things I’d just looked up at the shop. Did she want to hear what Colin was saying about her? Was she interested in all the Paige Lockwood gossip?
I started pacing back and forth in my room like a fucking lunatic. It was the only thing I could think of to distract myself from the fact that she was about fifty feet away from me wearing what I assumed was her pajamas. The second I opened the door to see her standing in those tiny shorts and tank top, I wanted to simultaneously pull her against me and shove her right back outside.
She’d gotten snippy when I called her Princess, which made me want to call her that more often. I liked getting a rise out of her; it made me laugh.
“Princess?” I shouted at her.
“Stop calling me that,” she yelled back, and I fought back a smile.
“What are you doing online? Reading about all the people who can’t live without you?”
She sighed loud enough for me to hear, before her voice lowered. “I was just sending an e-mail to my mom and my best friend.”
There was a hint of sadness in her voice, and I wondered if I was being too hard on her. Walking from my room into the living room, I sat on the couch behind her and watched her typing.
“Did they know you were leaving?”
Paige jumped in the chair before turning around to look at me. She scanned my shirtless chest before moving to my eyes and locking on. “I told them both before I was leaving that I was going. But I didn’t know where I was heading. My mom was probably worried sick, so I wanted her to know I was safe.” She shifted uncomfortably. “I am safe, right?”
Unable to hold back a grin, I pushed up from the couch and walked straight over to her and leaned down. “Depends on your definition of safe.” I slid my thumb across her cheekbone before I could stop it. “How long are you thinking of staying, Paige?”
Her eyes squeezed shut for a second as she sucked in a silent breath. I watched as her chest moved in and out, all the while fighting the urges that came with being a guy alone in a room with a ridiculously sexy girl.
Shallow much?
Opening her eyes, she looked up at me cautiously and stuttered, “I-I…don’t know.”
“Will you leave right after your car’s fixed?” I asked, my agitation growing. I shouldn’t care at all when she planned on leaving. I shouldn’t be anywhere near a girl like Paige Lockwood, but here I was.
Here we are.
“I guess.” She shrugged. “I’m not really sure why I’d stay longer.”
Her response was like a bucket of cold water, helping me gather my wits. Feeling a little disappointed—and hating myself for it—I moved a safe distance away.
Can’t Do Anything Right
Paige
No matter what I said, it was always the wrong thing when it came to him. Tatum had asked me how long I planned to stay here, but I really had no idea. Would I leave as soon as my tire was fixed? I had no clue. But why would I stay here any longer than that?
Did he want me to?
Did I want to?
I didn’t have anywhere else to be, and I couldn’t keep driving forever. Eventually I’d have to find my way back to where I came from. And drive there. Alone. The farther I drove away, the farther I had to drive back. Staying here for a little while might be as good an option as any. So why couldn’t I just tell him that?
When Tatum moved away from me, storm clouds back in his eyes, it occurred to me why I’d held information back from him. He ran so hot and cold that I didn’t know what to expect from him, and I’d only known him for half a day! But when he touched me, I almost melted right into him. One simple touch from this guy, and I was drooling like a schoolgirl. I really needed to get out more.