Goodnight Kisses by Wilhelmina Stolen Page B

scooted
back to join him along the wall. “Old Ed’s gonna kick us out for
good this time.”
    Ed had been Old Ed for as long as
McCrea could remember, but was, in fact, a year younger
than his dad. The two had gone to high school together until Ed
dropped out his senior year to join the Marines. He came back
years later and opened the bar. He had no family or close
friends. He was a loner and seemed to like it that way.
“How many times has he threatened to do that?”
    “More than I can count,” Jess laughed. “But two
weekends in a row ain’t good.”
    “He enjoys tearing up shit as much as we do.” He
closed his eyes and tried to savor the excitement he felt at this
exact minute. Four years of college with only intermittent times
between semesters left him missing high school and a time when life
wasn’t so complicated. The days when football and women were the
only things that mattered. The days when he was free to do what he
wanted.
    Damn it, Granddad! How could you do this to me? I
don’t want a wife!
    He couldn’t blame everything on his
granddad. Even without Wade’s terms, he felt the weight of his
families’ expectations bearing down on him. Marriage eventually
happened to every man in Santa Camino. The town was steeped in
tradition, and family and ranching were two of its finest.
Twenty-four was too young to be tied down, but that’s what was
expected, wasn’t it? He was home and expected to make something of
himself. And he wanted to. He had plans. Damn it, he had plans that
didn’t involve a wife!
    He felt caged. He needed to punch something. He
needed a release.
    “Shit. I need a wife,” he mumbled
to himself, and with closed eyes, let his head fall back
against the wall.
    “Hello, boys.”
    The silky, honey dipped voice
opened his eyes to a pair of slim, tanned legs, and enticed them up
to one of the sweetest asses he’d ever had the pleasure to be
tempted by. He hissed in a deep breath between his teeth while trying hard to clear his mind of the unchaste thoughts
racing through his mind about his kid sister’s best friend. None of
which had ever been as strong as they were since his granddad
suggest he make her his wife.
    He’d never tasted Eleanor Mackenna, but damn if he
didn’t want to. Their ride into town this afternoon left him
thinking about Wade’s suggestion, and suddenly it wasn’t so absurd.
Maybe she was just what he needed. She was a woman with her own
dreams and ambitions. She wasn’t clingy. She was smart and
beautiful. Funny and everybody liked her.
    Wade liked her.
    A wide grin covered Jess’ face. “Hot damn! This
night just keeps getting better!”
    She ruffled the top of Jess’ shaggy
mop. “I see Old Ed put you in your place again.” She tucked a long
strand of her blonde hair behind her ear and tilted her head to
the side. “You boys ‘bout done for the night?”
    Her playfulness made him hard and her tongue ─ Damn.
He watched it dart along the edge of her full bottom lip and felt a
cord of sexual tension tighten in his body. A man could stand only
so much temptation before he dove in face first, and that’s exactly
what he wanted to do. Dive in.
    “Hell, no,” was his answer.
    “Hell, yes,” was Jess’ before he jumped to his feet.
“I’d like to spend tonight doing something other than getting my
ass kicked. Where’s my hat?”
    McCrea pulled a pack of cigarettes from his shirt
pocket and hit the top against his palm, producing a slightly bent
cigarette.
    Shit.
    He twisted the end of his new habit
between his finger and thumb, hoping the nicotine would settle his
nerves. He stuck it between his lips and stretched his legs out,
preparing to enjoy. “Isn’t it past your bedtime?” He
teased and dug into the front pocket of his jeans for his
lighter.
    She took a step closer, twisted around on one hip
and folded her arms under her breasts. The action emphasizing their
already ample state. “Like you said, McCrea. Things have changed
since you