“Relax, Goldie,” he says with a soft smile. “I swear Zoey is going to like you. Stop trying so hard to impress.”
My cheeks heat up with embarrassment that he’s calling me out over my insecurity. “I just… I really, really want her to like me. I mean… if she doesn’t then there’s no hope for you and me, because do you realize how stressful that can be on a relationship? Because your loyalties will be with Zoey, as they should, so it’s really important to make sure—”
Tenn slams his mouth down on mine, shoves his tongue halfway down my throat, and kisses me quiet. His lips move with surety over mine, his goatee tickling my skin. I can feel him start to grow hard between my legs, and a tiny whimper pops out.
He lifts his head and peers down at me. “Casey… she’ll love you. Trust me, okay?”
I nod, my lips still tingling from his onslaught. Giving him a sheepish smile, I give a little push on his chest. “Fine. Sorry. You can roll back over and get some more sleep.”
“Nope,” he says and rolls his hips so his erection is now placed squarely in between my legs. “I’m awake now, and I think you need a diversion to help you relax.”
“What did you have in mind?” I ask him with a sly look.
“Well, remember last night… when we got back from your “date” with that douche?”
With eager eyes, I nod at him quickly and suck my bottom lip in between my teeth. I hold it a minute, and then let it pop free, loving the way his eyes watch me and go darker. “You were so gallant.”
“Yeah… right… gallant. Anyway, you were so grateful to me for rescuing you from that douche, that you gave me the best blow job I’ve ever had in my life.”
“I remember,” I tell him breathlessly. “It was really good, wasn’t it?”
“So good,” he says as he quirks those sexy lips at me. “I was thinking of returning the favor.”
“Yes please,” I say as I wiggle my hips under him.
He cuts me a sinful grin and starts sliding down my stomach. When he makes it only halfway down, I bring my hands up to his head and slide my fingers into his hair on either side. I grip it and tug, stopping his progression.
Tenn tilts his face up to look at me in question, resting his chin right above my belly button.
“You’ve been in relationships before,” I murmur. He doesn’t nod or say a word, just waits for me to continue. “Is this what relationships are all about? I mean… is this what I’ve been missing? Is it always this good?”
His eyes soften and he dips his face to press a kiss on my stomach before peeking up at me again. He’s so beautiful, with his dark hair sticking up all over the place, his broad shoulders and tattooed arms, and just behind, the swell of his rounded and tight ass. I sigh deliciously.
“No, Goldie,” he says seriously. “It’s not always like this. But sometimes it is.”
That makes me sad. “Does it just get old?”
He shakes his head and stares at me with warm intensity. “No, it has nothing to do with the length of time you’re together. It has everything to do with the person you’re with.”
“Oh,” I say, not really understanding, then I completely understand and say in an enlightened voice, “Oh.”
“Yeah, oh,” he teases. “It’s like this for me because it’s you, and it’s like this for you because it’s me. Get it?”
“I get it,” I tell him, and then give him a push on his head. He grins at me and starts moving back down my body again.
I pull my Jeep into the parking lot of the Sand Shark, and Tenn points over at a white pickup with an extended cab. “Right there. That’s Kip’s truck.”
“Oh, my God,” I mutter. “I’m so nervous.”
Tenn reaches out and squeezes my thigh. “It will be fine, Goldie.”
My sweaty palms on the steering wheel beg to differ. I pull into the spot behind the pickup and watch as the passenger door opens and a tiny, dark-haired girl comes flying out. Tenn has his door open just as fast, and I have to blink back tears as I watch him engulf her in a huge hug.
A man gets out of the driver’s side, wearing a navy baseball cap, t-shirt, and shorts, and then a woman, who I presume to be Zoey’s mom, Brianna, gets out of the passenger side. She’s wearing a sundress that’s obscenely short—definitely something I would have worn in my sluttier days—and looks over at my Jeep with her lip curled.
She intimidates me… no doubt. Not only was she married to Tenn and has known him for like a gazillion years, but she’s also a bit whackadoodle according to Tenn and seems to think she has some proprietary interest in him. I find this odd since Tenn assured me she’s in a committed relationship with Kip, but I didn’t pretend to understand.
I take a deep breath and pry my sweaty fingers from the steering wheel, give them a quick wipe on my shorts, and get out of my Jeep. Because I happen to be on the same side as Kip, he shoots me a friendly smile and sticks his hand out to me. “Hey, I’m Kip.”
“Casey,” I say and hope my hands are still dry.
He motions for me to precede him and we walk between the two vehicles to where Tenn is now standing with his arm around Zoey’s shoulder. Brianna stands there with her arms crossed over her chest, looking like someone peed in her Corn Flakes.
Tenn ignores her though, so I do the same, focusing a smile on Zoey instead. I walk up to her, my heart pounding so very hard because of how desperate I am for her to like me, and I stick my hand out to her. “Hey Zoey… I’m Casey.”
And to my utter surprise, she squeals and launches herself at me, wrapping me up in a hug that is surprisingly powerful for such a tiny thing. “Oh my God,” she gushes through straight and even teeth that I can tell were the product of braces. “I’ve been dying to meet you. My dad has told me so much about you when we talk on the phone.”
“Um… okay,” I say as I squeeze her back, looking at Tenn smile at me over her shoulder. “We’re going to have a blast while you’re here.”
Zoey releases me and then bounds for the truck. “I’ll get my bags.”
“I’ll help you, squirt,” Kip says, and it’s clear they have a nice relationship.
I turn my attention to Brianna, who is glaring at me. I bite the bullet and stick my hand out to her. “You must be Brianna. It’s really nice to meet you.”
She stares at my hand for a second before turning to Tenn. “I don’t like it. Staying at her house with Zoey.”
“Not up for debate,” Tenn says in warning. “You have no say so.”
“I most certainly do,” she sneers, shooting me an evil look. “I won’t have you shacking up with your summer floozy with my daughter around.”
“Now wait a minute—” I start to say, but then Zoey is bounding back up to us, a backpack over her shoulder with Kip right behind carrying a suitcase. My mouth snaps firmly shut.
“I’m ready,” she says with a big smile, her light blue eyes exact replicas of Tenn’s.
“I mean it, Tenn,” Brianna snaps. “You’ll have to stay somewhere else. Not with her.”
Zoey’s eyes get wary, and Tenn’s eyebrows slash downward in anger. He looks at Kip and says, “Do me a favor… take Zoey inside and grab her a drink so I can talk to Brianna.”
Kip nods, sets her suitcase down, and holds his arm out to her. “Come on, Zoey.”
She rolls her eyes and mutters, “Leave it to Mom to totally mess things up.”
I duck my head down and turn toward the restaurant. “I think I’ll join them.”
Tenn’s arm shoots out and snakes around my waist, pulling me in to him. “You’re not going anywhere.”
Brianna snorts and says, “So caveman, Tenn. I remember when you used to do that to me.”
“But not anymore,” he says quietly. “Now, I’m only going to say this once… you do not open your mouth with any form of disrespect to Casey. If I see you treat her with anything less than abject politeness, I am going to rain so much misery down on you that you will not be a happy camper. And I’ll start by getting sole custody of Zoey and making sure your bitter, crazy ass can’t influence her anymore.”