“What’s the matter?” Megan asked once the Gayles had left.
“Sylvia is probably already on the phone with Tina…Alana’s mother.” He shrugged, but it felt stiff, even to him. “I hadn’t thought about how people would react.”
“I’m sorry,” she murmured.
“Don’t be. It just caught me off guard, that’s all. It’s the only downside of small-town living.” He shrugged. “Everyone’s in your business all the time.”
“Isn’t that the truth,” Megan said.
“Story of my life. The whole town’s been fascinated with me since Alana’s accident. People always get nosy about that kind of thing, but then there were the rumors about my, you know, virginity.” He lowered his voice to a near-whisper on that last word. “I guess I should have expected it to be a big deal for people to see me out with someone new.”
“Well, if we eat our way around downtown like we were planning, hopefully it will lose its novelty,” Megan suggested.
He nodded. “You’re right. The more we let them see us, the quicker they’ll get over it and hopefully quit paying attention to me at all. I won’t have to be that tragic guy everyone feels sorry for anymore.”
She pressed a hand over his against the cream-colored tablecloth. “Then I think we should make it our mission to erase Tragic Jake from their narrative as quickly as possible.”
“Yes.” He met her eyes. “Please.”
They made it through the rest of their meal without interruption, and he drove them back to the castle, pulling in at the farmhouse. He shut off the engine, his right hand finding hers in the semi-darkness of the truck cab. “I had a really great time tonight.”
“Me too.” Her voice was hushed, her fingers wrapped tightly around his.
And he couldn’t wait another moment to kiss her. He leaned in, brushing his lips against hers. It was dizzying how much his life had changed in the last few weeks if he really took the time to acknowledge it. Overwhelming, maybe, but not necessarily in a bad way. Not when it all felt this good.
And then Megan’s hand was in his lap, her palm pressed against his cock, and he was certain that it was all good. So good. They fumbled around in the front seat of the truck, touching and kissing, arms and legs bumping into various surfaces as they struggled for contact. Megan’s elbow bumped the switch for the interior light, causing them both to squint against the sudden glare, laughing.
“What do you say we take this inside?” he suggested.
“Excellent idea.” She straightened the bodice of her dress and reached for her purse.
“Do you need to go get your dogs first?” he asked as he climbed out of the truck. As much as he really didn’t mind having her dogs around tonight, the thought of letting her go right now, even for a few minutes, felt like absolute torture.
Either she saw it in his eyes, or she was feeling the same way, because she gave her head a small shake before draping herself against his body. “Let’s enjoy ourselves first. Once I get them, I’ll have to spend time getting them settled, and I don’t think I can wait that long to get you naked.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” His hips were already moving against hers as he stepped her backward toward the farmhouse. He might not ever get used to the feeling of having her in his arms, the pleasure of her touch, the fire it caused inside him, a burning need that only seemed to grow stronger each time he held her.
He’d barely closed the door behind them before Megan had him pressed against it, her hands untucking his shirt from his jeans, skimming over his bare skin, causing his brain to incinerate with lust and need.
One of her hands drifted down to palm him. “You’re so hard,” she murmured.
“Always,” he whispered into her mouth. “Always with you.”
She squeezed him through his jeans, and he locked his knees to keep them upright. He spun them so her back was against the door, his hand beneath her dress, stroking her through her panties. Then her legs were wrapped around his waist, his cock pressed between her legs, their hips moving frantically as their tongues tangled, hands grasping at fabric.
“Right here,” she gasped. “Now.”
“Hell, yes.” He shoved a hand into his back pocket, supporting Megan with the other, trying to summon enough brainpower to find the condom he’d put in his wallet. He grabbed it, letting the wallet fall to the floor, as Megan unbuttoned his jeans and eased the zipper down, freeing his cock. She took the foil packet from his fingers and covered him, pushing her panties to the side as she guided him to her entrance.
He groaned as he sank inside her. “So good.”
“Mm.” Her eyes slid shut as her body gripped him, and then he was moving, thrusting into her with one arm braced against the door, the other around her waist to hold her steady, although her legs were wrapped so tightly around his hips, he doubted she would have budged even without him holding her.
“Fuck, yes.” He pounded into her, and damn, he hoped she was getting close, because something about taking her against the door was really doing it for him. “Oh, damn, baby, you feel so good.”
In response, her heels dug into the backs of his thighs, reminding him she still had on her heels, which only turned him on more. The hallway filled with the sounds of sex, heavy breathing, the slap of skin against skin, and their occasional moans and cries of pleasure. Everything about it only drove him closer to the edge.
Megan’s head fell back against the wood behind her, eyes shut, mouth slightly open. Her hands clenched around his ass, and then he felt her orgasm pulsing through her, gripping him, hard. That was all he needed to join her, shouting his release as he emptied himself inside her.
