Page 18 of Bad to the Bone
Chapter Ten
“I CANmeet you at your hotel later tonight if you want to head back,” Alex said, in case his hunch about why Ricky Lee had chosen to ride his motorcycle rather than in the truck with him was on target.
“I’ll give you a hand unloading first.” Ricky Lee set the carton of caulk guns in the truck bed before walking back to the Harley. He nodded a goodbye to the remaining volunteers, and the big engine thundered to life.
“Your friend’s an interesting man,” Father John said as the cycle took off down the street. “Am I correct in assuming he’s part Native?”
“Comanche on his mother’s side, though I don’t think he’s had much contact with them. His father didn’t—” Alex broke off the bitter comment. Ricky Lee’s father had made no secret that he didn’t want his son associating with his mother’s family.
“No need to speak ill of the dead.” Father John shook his head. “I’ve heard a few stories about the late Mr. Jennings. It says something good about the son that he seems to have turned out well.”
“Not everyone in town would agree with you there.” Alex tossed the last empty caulk tubes in the site’s portable dumpster. “I’d better go. I don’t want to keep Ricky Lee waiting.”
THEHarley was again parked alongside the hardware store when Alex returned, though Ricky Lee was nowhere to be seen. Alex unlocked the delivery door, but before he could lift the first ladder out of the truck, Ricky Lee entered the loading area through the door leading to the store.
“Alanna said to tell you she could use another case of lawn and leaf bags.”
Alex nodded. “Nice day like this, people are getting their yard work done before the cold weather sets in. We keep the stock out here since we sell a lot to lawn service contractors too.” He pulled a box from the storage shelves that lined the walls and set it near the inner door, then followed Ricky Lee back outside.
Between the two of them, they made short work of unloading the truck. Once Alex secured the ladders in the rental equipment area along the back wall, Ricky Lee hooked his thumbs in the pockets of his jeans, and Alex had to fight not to let his gaze fall to where Ricky Lee’s long fingers rested on his thighs.
“You have any preference on where to have dinner tonight?” Ricky Lee asked. “There’s a restaurant in the hotel, but it’s mostly burgers and sandwiches.”
“Freeland hasn’t exactly become a mecca of fine dining since you left.” Alex tilted his head, considering. “There’s not much unless you want to head up 44 to Lawton.”Stupid, Morrison, he told himself as soon as he said it.Remind him again of having to leave town.
“Maybe some other time,” Ricky Lee answered, and Alex could swear his deep voice went even huskier. “I think I’d rather stay close tonight.”
Alex hoped that was because he was tired from working on the build all morning and not because he’d put his foot in his mouth mentioning Lawton.At least it implies there may be another time.“Honestly, some of the best food in town is at the little mom-and-pop places along Wichita and Main. There’s a pretty good taqueria we could walk to from your hotel, or if you’ve had enough Mexican for the day, there’s the pizzeria, though they mostly do carryout.”
“Tacos sound good. Want to meet in the hotel lobby around six?”
“If you can wait until six thirty, that will give me time to help Alanna close up.”
“Works for me.” Ricky Lee unhooked his thumbs and took a step forward. “There’s just one more thing.” He moved even closer, backing Alex up against the ladders he’d just racked. “I’ve been wanting to do this all day.”
Ricky Lee lowered his head and brushed his lips against Alex’s. Alex drew in a startled breath, and Ricky Lee swallowed the exhale, closing his mouth over Alex’s. He raised his hands to grasp the shelves on either side of Alex’s head, pinning him in place—not that Alex made any move to get free. He clutched at Ricky Lee’s hips and opened himself to the kiss that bore as little resemblance to the innocent touch of eleven years ago as a wildfire did to the flicker of a birthday candle.
“Nice.” Ricky Lee’s voice sounded as throaty as the motor of his Harley. He licked his lips with a smile before taking a step back. “Six thirty, then.”
Alex stood frozen in place until the roar of the bike signaled Ricky Lee’s departure. He pulled in a deep breath and closed his eyes, willing his insistent erection to go down before he had to head into the store and face his sister. Ricky Lee’s suggestion to stay close tonight suddenly made a lot more sense.
After a few more deep breaths, he pulled the delivery door closed and picked up the box of lawn bags Alanna had asked for. The front of the store was thankfully empty when he added them to the stock on the shelf.
“About time, Xan.” Alanna peered at him from behind the counter and grinned. “Are your lips swollen?”
“Don’t go there,” Alex warned, and Alanna raised an eyebrow but dropped the smile. “Let me clean up, and then I’ll take over so you can have a break.”
“Take your time. Justin brought me a sandwich around noon.” Justin Kinney worked at the auto parts store down the street and often made a shared lunch run for them so he could flirt with Alanna. “We’re going into Lawton to see a movie tonight, in case you want to come back here with Ricky Lee after dinner. You know, totalk.”
“We’re going to La Fiesta for dinner, so we’ll probably go back to his hotel if we need more time totalk.” He shook his head at Alanna’s smirk but had to smile back. “I appreciate your thinking of me.”
“Hey, I’ve got your back, Xan.”
UPSTAIRS,Alex started the shower running and pulled his T-shirt over his head, imagining he could catch a hint of Ricky Lee’s musky scent overlaying his own. The memory of Ricky Lee pressed against him as they kissed made his jeans uncomfortably tight, and he quickly stripped them off and tossed everything in the hamper before stepping under the water.
For a few minutes he simply let the warm spray sluice over him, but his mind insisted on replaying every moment of that incendiary kiss. There was no question where the night was headed. Ricky Lee wanted him, and the way Alex’s cock swelled at just the memory was proof the desire went both ways. He wrapped a hand around the hard column and squeezed. No, wanting Ricky Lee had never been in doubt since the moment he’d roared back into town. The question was whether Alex could let himself act on it.
Getting involved with Ricky Lee on anything more than a purely physical level would be a colossal mistake. He wasn’t staying in Freeland. Alex would have a few nights, maybe more, but eventually Ricky Lee would head back west, and he’d have to deal with the fallout. If they were discreet, that might not involve facing town gossip, but that was the lesser risk in any case. Could he make love with Ricky Lee and not lose his heart? Could he stand to watch Ricky Lee leave again?
