3

Chapter Three

Rebecca’s return to Detroit had been nothing short of depressing. She’d grown tired of the brutality of the big city. Being a cop, she’d seen it all. The slower pace of a small town police force was very appealing and being back home reminded her she was a country girl at heart. So, she had looked into a transfer.

She chuckled remembering the wild and crazy girl she used to be and shook her head. She’d been such a tomboy. With her skinned knees and wild mop of hair and freckles. She was forever running all over the county getting into mischief. She had such great memories of fishing in the lake, swimming in the deep part of the creek, climbing trees, falling out of trees.

The move from Jericho to Detroit had been a major drama as was everything in Rebecca’s young life. At the time it felt as if her heart had been snatched right out of her chest. And then there was Jackson. Seeing him again when she was sixteen had been the clincher. That fine lookin’ man had sent her painfully immature heart to pounding like mad all over again. Silly girl, she thought, fancying herself in love with a twenty six year old man at such a young age. But she wasn’t a silly girl anymore, and Jackson was still around.

Pushing the thought aside, she mentally listed the things she still needed to get done before reporting to the station the next morning. Finding her PDA topped the list. She was hoping to try and reach the sheriff’s office this evening, but the number was on that blasted device, as was most of her semi-organized life, and it had conveniently disappeared. Breathing out roughly, she scanned the scattered contents of her purse on the table and frowned. So, she hadn’t lost it in the bottom of the “pit” after all. That didn’t leave many other places to search for it.

She had tried to get in touch with the sheriff a couple of times before she left Detroit and a few times since she arrived in Jericho but he was always out. She’d left three messages but he’d never returned her call. Ah, well, maybe she would get lucky when she went into the station the next morning, she thought with a heavy sigh. Someone there would be able to get all the preliminary crap taken care of and get her orientated. If not, then she would just have to figure it out for herself. Not a pleasant thought, but not anything she couldn’t handle.

She wasn’t going to worry about it. She was starting a new life, and that deserved a small celebration. The idea hit her like a flash of inspiration. That was it! She was gonna visit the Wild Rose Tavern and maybe run into some old friends and Rita, if she was still there, couldn’t fuss at her this time! At the tender age of eleven she’d been determined to sneak into a bar, no less, hoping to get a glimpse of Jackson. Pixie Pest, he’d called her and tugged at her long tangled hair, right before Rita would kick her out and call her mom. She sighed as the thought occurred to her…wasn’t that what she was doing tonight? Hoping to catch a glimpse of Jackson? Damn.

She stepped into the steamy shower. She couldn’t believe he was still there. Since he had joined the military like his daddy wanted him to, she had thought he would be overseas or at least stationed far away from home. She’d heard that he’d been in Special Forces and that he was assigned exciting and dangerous missions. It only added to his appeal. She’d prayed for him while he was fighting in Desert Storm.

Well, if by some chance he was at the Wild Rose, she thought as she rubbed the rich foamy lather over her body, she’d have to keep her distance. Jackson could never live up to her fantasies and the last thing she needed was a one-night stand. She stood with her eyes closed, letting the warm spray rinse away the suds.

She stepped out of the shower into the small humid bathroom, wrapping a towel around her. She wiped a washcloth across the mirror then carefully applied a little makeup and blow-dried her hair. She tilted her head, giving herself a quick check in the mirror, then went into the bedroom and dressed. She’d arrived in the small rural town just that morning and already she looked like the hick she was in her denim sleeveless button up shirt, shorts and leather thong sandals. It amazed her how easy it was to slip back into it, how comfortable she felt. She wouldn’t dream of going out to a bar dressed like this back in Detroit.

She would have worn her midnight blue slip dress with the rhinestone spaghetti straps and her silver heels. She would have spent a couple of hours at the salon having it pinned up in some elaborate configuration. She frowned at herself, trying to picture what she’d look like with a chic short cut. May not be a bad idea, she thought. The severe bun she wore while at work made her scalp ache. It felt good to have the unruly golden brown hair loose and hanging free past her shoulders in wide thick curls.

Her lips tilted. Yes, this was much more comfortable, except for the bra, but she didn’t think that her C-cup bouncy boobs moving freely under her shirt would go as unnoticed here as it did in Detroit. But then, in Detroit she’d be going to a dance club, where there would be House music at its worst and brightly colored strobes and erotic sounding drinks, like Orgasm and Sex On The Beach.

Instead, she was going to the Wild Rose Tavern where they would be playing country music at its best. There’d be line dancing and beer. Besides, she may see some of her daddy’s old buddies. That would just be weird. This was definitely a change for her. She wondered if anyone would recognize her as she painted her lips with hot pink, cherry flavored lip-gloss and dropped the tube in her little leather bag. Then checking to make sure the clip was full, she dropped in her weapon also.

*

Rebecca handed the man sitting at the door her money and ignored his toothy grin and roaming eyes. She decided against sitting at the bar and made her way to the small table in the dark corner in back. She sat there a moment, looking for familiar faces. Her body began to move to the music, when an older woman in a halter-top and jeans sashayed up to the table. Her hair was aggressively teased and piled on top of her head like blonde cotton candy, the prettiness of her brown eyes was lost in the heavy black mascara caking her lashes. “What’ll ya have, hon?” she asked around her gum. It was all Rebecca could do to keep from gaping. She hadn’t seen Rita in years and she looked just the same. A couple of wrinkles here and there, but still the same.

“Rita!”

“Yeah?” Rita asked defensively then looked down at Rebecca, narrowing her eyes. “Hey, I know you, you’re…ah…” Rebecca couldn’t help the grin that spread across her face. Rita frowned, tilting her head to the side as she tapped her pen against her chin, thinking back.

A large hand rested on Rita’s shoulder. “That there is the Pixie Pest herself, Rita.”

Rita’s warm brown eyes widened in surprise. Her bright red lips spread into a grin. “Little Rebecca? You better get up here and give me a hug!”

Rebecca jumped up and embraced the woman. Over Rita’s shoulder, Rebecca’s gaze locked with those familiar silvery gray eyes that glinted with humor. A slow smile slid across her face. Damn, he was hot. The dark blue shirt he wore opened at the neck and tucked into his tight black jeans. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing muscular forearms. In one strong hand he held two frosty bottles of beer.

Rita held Rebecca away from her and shook her head. “Just look at you. All grown up.” She glanced back at Jackson then rolled her eyes. “Oh boy! Well, I guess I can’t kick your smart-mouthed little ass out this time. So have a good time but stay out of trouble, you hear? I can still call your momma,” she said, grinning. Rita patted her cheek. “It’s so good to see ya, hon. Holler if ya’ll need anything.”

“Will do,” Jackson said and Rita shot him a look as she walked away.

“Have a seat.” Rebecca gestured to the booth across from her. He sat as he slid the bottle across the table to her.

“Thanks,” she said keeping her eyes on him as she took a pull from the bottle. Those old butterflies were coming to life in her tummy.

He was leaning forward watching her. “I saw you come in. It’s good to see you again.”

Rebecca rolled her lips inward to hide her grin. In a million years she would never have imagined she’d be sitting across from Jackson Montgomery in the Wild Rose drinking a beer. “It’s nice to be here…legally.”

He nodded and grinned. “You here for a while this time or just tying up loose ends with Josie’s estate?” He continued to watch her with those sexy eyes of his. They were always so expressive, so warm, and so full of mischief.

Was it her imagination or was there a challenge in those molten silver eyes? She narrowed her eyes and smirked. “I think I’ll be here a while.”

“Good. We can catch up, we didn’t really get to talk much when you were here for Josie’s funeral.” Those sexy lips tilted at the corner. She nearly moaned as she imagined how they might taste.

“That’s true. It was a short and busy visit. But it was good to see everyone again. I missed Jericho more than I realized.” She took another pull of her beer and tried to regain her composure. What was it about him that one look from him melted her and had her body aching for his touch?

“So, did you miss me?” He lifted a brow and watched her closely.

Rebecca shrugged. “Nah, haven’t really thought about you.” Liar, she yelled at herself. Jackson had always been her hottest wet dream.

“You really haven’t changed all that much.” Jackson smiled. Damn, even his smile was hot.

“I haven’t?” Rebecca frowned.

“Well, you’ve brushed your hair.” They both laughed. “And you’ve filled out.”

“What?” She scowled at him.

“You know what I mean, you’ve grown…” He looked pointedly at her cleavage, lingering there, and cleared his throat. “…in all the right places.”

“Nah, Jackson, I’m just a ‘pixie pest’, remember?”

“Oh yeah,” he grinned. “I remember, you drove me nuts. You know, Lana still hasn’t recovered from the time you dumped a whole can of worms on her head at the lake.”

“Good,” Rebecca snarled. “I never liked her. Oh Lord, you didn’t marry her, did you?”

“Hell no! I didn’t like her all that much either, but she was easy, Becca, and I was young and had outa control hormones.” He took a long pull from his beer.

Rebecca nodded slowly watching his throat work, feeling her body heat. “Outa control hormones. And thwarted by a lovesick eleven-year-old. Tsk,tsk tsk.”

“Yeah.” He caught her gaze and held it as he laid his open palm on the table in invitation. “Do you still love me, Becca?”

She tilted her head and arched a brow as she put her hand in his. “Aw, Jackson, I had to move on. I couldn’t wait around pining after you.”

He held her hand, his thumb making suggestive circles between her thumb and first finger. Rebecca wondered how in the world the icy bottle of beer stayed cold in his hands when she felt suddenly flushed at his touch. She and Todd had broken up almost a year ago and even before that, Todd had never been all that attentive. Now this man she’d always fantasized about was awakening her desire. It had been dormant way too long.

He put his free hand over his heart. “Oh man, my little Pixie Pest broke my heart.” He leaned closer. “I always thought you’d wait for me, Becca.”

She gave him an exaggerated look of sorrowful repentance and patted his hand with hers. “Did you ever quit your lover boy ways and get married, Jackson?”

“Nope. Never found anyone who measured up to you.” He looked at her with a hooded gaze, clasped her hand and pressed it to his lips.

Rebecca felt that kiss all the way to her toes. She rolled her eyes and snorted. “Did you ever really believe you could?”

“Nah, not really.” He grinned. Sexy little laugh lines fanned out from the corner of his eyes. Her eyes were drawn to his lips and she groaned inwardly. “How ‘bout you? Did you find someone after you quit pining over me?”

Rebecca thought of Todd Lawrence and cringed. “Almost, but not quite. I escaped just in time.” Boy, was that a true statement.

Jackson watched her. His voice lowered, vibrating through her. Her nipples responded, straining against the thin fabric of the bra cups holding them. “I always liked you, you know. You were always a pretty little thing. Too bad you were a baby and a royal pain in the ass.”

She squeezed his hand. “You are so full of it, Jackson Montgomery. You’re just trying to get in my pants ‘cause I ain’t a baby anymore…” She hoped, anyway. She leaned closer and whispered, “…and ‘cause I grew boobies.” Even now those “boobies” were aching for those strong hands, that gorgeous mouth.

His laugh was deep and rich, it rumbled low in her stomach and sent delightful shivers all over her body. “I’m wounded. I’ve grown, Becca. I’ve changed.”

“Have you?” Rebecca shifted in the booth as she felt the moisture gathering between her thighs. She felt overheated and overwhelmed.

“Uh huh.” He let his gaze wander lower again. “But damn, girl, you do have great boobies.”

She watched him, still amazed that she was sitting here with him and that he so obviously wanted her. She allowed a small, wicked smile to touch her lips. Here was her chance. She wondered just how brave she really was. He looked decidedly ready. Definitely interested. Rebecca wasn’t a one-night stand kinda girl but if it turned out to be just that, would it be worth it? After all, she’d only wanted this man her whole adult life. But was she bold enough to make the first move? From the darkening glint in his eye, she had the distinct feeling she wouldn’t be rejected.

She bit her lip and slipped her foot out of her sandal, keeping her gaze on his. His eyes widened as she gently caressed his inner thigh till her foot connected with the cool plastic of the booth seat. His lips tilted at the corner as he reached under the table. His long fingers began massaging her foot, applying just the right pressure at just the right places. Rebecca felt the touch radiate all the way up to her crotch. He was making her so wet with just the slow seductive pressure he applied to her foot. What could he do to other places?

When his hand moved to the top of her foot and then to her ankle, she slowly inched forward. She could feel the heat before she felt the bulge. Jackson narrowed his eyes and she couldn’t help but grin. Her foot trailed up and down his thickening erection, pressing against the denim. He was long and thick and very hard. Lowering her eyes she measured him in relation to her foot and nearly gasped. Oh yeah, just like in her dreams. What do you think of your Pixie Pest now? Uh huh, she grew the hell up, she thought.

“Unzip your jeans,” she mouthed. She watched his eyes darken. His hand stilled on her leg, then he moved to his pants to do her bidding. She bit her bottom lip as she carefully moved her foot inside his jeans and massaged the length of his hard hot cock through his underwear with her toes. She knew her daring exceeded even her limits. She didn’t know what emboldened her. There had always been something about this man. Maybe it was the unmistakable arousal in those steel gray eyes that made her brave now. It could be her years of fantasy, the very real heat growing between her thighs, or her sudden desire to make this cowboy beg. God knows there’d been nights she begged for him.

Rebecca watched Jackson’s Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed hard. Her lips parted and she licked her dry lips as her toes trailed slowly, lightly up and down his hot shaft again and again. She watched him silently, lifted the beer to her lips and drank. She lowered the bottle only far enough to run her tongue around the rim, watching his eyes follow every move she made. He breathed in hard, his lashes lowering. One strong hand gripped her foot, quite effectively halting the torment he was enduring. He clumsily adjusted himself and zipped up.

“Let’s dance,” he said, his voice hoarse, heavy with arousal.

She barely had enough time to slide her foot back into her sandal before he was pulling her toward the dance floor. “I don’t know any line dances.”

“S’okay, it’s a slow song,” he answered hoarsely.

He yanked her against his hard body and she closed her eyes and breathed in the scent of him. God, she needed this.

He held her close for a long time, his hand splayed on her lower back. His little finger was doing slow magical things against the top cleft of her ass.

“Do you know what you’re getting yourself into here?” he whispered against her cheek.

She felt her cunt clench and pulse with the moisture of her arousal as she moved against him. She nuzzled his neck then licked and sucked it. He tasted even better than she’d dreamed. “Yes, Jackson, I’m not a little girl anymore,” she breathed.

His breathing quickened. He lowered his head and cupped her face, kissing her hard. His tongue tasted like beer and lust. She gently sucked on it and swallowed his groan. She imagined the feel of that talented tongue rasping against the sensitive inner folds of her cunt, and her body trembled against him in reaction. He trailed kisses along her jawbone and nibbled her earlobe.

“I want to make you cum,” he whispered harshly.

“I want you to make me cum,” she whispered back.

His big body tensed, his hands clenching at her hips as he ground his erection against her. “Let’s go.” His breath was a harsh rasp against her ear.

“Lead the way.” She let him grip her hand as he pulled her through the smoky bar.

Outside, the air was thick and hot and just added to her sexual irritation. “You wanna go to my place?”

“I’ll follow you.” He leaned down and kissed her deeply, pressing his body to hers. Her hands moved up his chest and he pulled away. “Be careful, but be quick.”