Page 100 of Space Cowgirl: Houston, All Systems Go
Her hand, in the process of bringing a cookie to her mouth, pauses. “You are?” She doesn’t wait for me to answer before taking a bite. I’m thinking the cookies were a good call.
Ignoring the waterfall of crumbs falling onto her lap, my lap and the bed, I focus on the right words. “What I said, it wasn’t really about you.” I blow out a hard breath, leaning back against the pillows. “I didn’t realize I was still so messed up from my parents.” I squeeze my arms around her. “I took it out on you and I’m sorry.”
Jules speaks around the cookie in her mouth. “I take it your mom must’ve cheated on your dad.”
“Yeah.” I glance at the door, hoping Rose isn’t listening. “I’m not sure how much Rose knows, as she was so young, but yeah, Mom and Dad fought a lot, most of it about Mom’s not-so-secret affairs.”
Jules puts the rest of her cookie down and grabs my hand. “I’m sorry too.”
“You’re sorry?”
“Yeah.” She turns, catching my eye. “I should’ve told you about the texts.” She looks down sheepishly. “I should’ve told everyone about the freaking texts.”
It’s amusing and heartbreaking seeing Jules reprimand herself. “Can you tell me now?”
She nods, putting the cookies on the side table before leaning back and settling into my arms again. “Okay, so…”
Twenty minutes later I’m thinking of all the spots I could bury a body on my land where no one would be the wiser. “He drugged you and he drowned you and he might have crashed your jet.”
“I’m okay, Holt.” She throws me a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes as she pats my hand. “Safe and sound right here.”
I want to believe that she really is okay, but I don’t. I know her, no matter what smile she sends my way. “Jules?”
“Hmm?”
“You don’t have to comfort me. You don’t have to make sure everyone else is okay right now. Something happened to you. Something bad. You can be upset.”
She swallows. “I know.”
“Do you?” I grab her chin, turning her eyes to mine. “You don’t need to be tough. I’m not going to think you’re weak. No matter what, you are the strongest woman I have ever met and I am one hundred percent confident that you could kick anyone’s ass.”
She laughs, but it comes out half-choked and her hand grips my leg hard.
“He drugged you and drowned you, Jules.”
She doesn’t look away. She doesn’t make a joke. She doesn’t let go. “He drugged me and drowned me,” she repeats, her voice a rough whisper. Her eyes still on mine, I watch as one tear and then another falls. I lean forward and kiss them away.
I intended to be comforting. I planned on clearing the air between us and then just holding her, making sure she felt safe. But I should’ve known better. Jules always does everything full throttle.
Soon our mouths are fused and our skin hot. We break apart only to tear off our T-shirts.
With one hand she undoes my buckle. “I’ve missed you, cowboy.”
“I’ve missed you, space cadet.” I hook my hand under her waistband, pushing it over her ass.
God bless sweat pants.
“Are those…?” Jules is looking down where her hand has pushed my pants open, my pink boxers peeking out. Pink boxers with cows on them.
“Uh—” Before I can be embarrassed, she attacks my mouth, biting, sucking, kissing. I make a promise to myself to search and find every pair of ridiculous boxers known to man and wear a new pair each day.
I lift my hips to help her shuck off my pants. As soon as my legs are free, she pushes me back on the covers and straddles me, still in her bra and panties.
Crumbs dig into my back and I cringe, but I ignore them, focusing on the front clasp of her bra.
“Hold up.” She climbs off me.
“What’s wrong?” I crunch up and grab her face in my hands, checking her pupils. “You feeling okay? Are you dizzy? Was this too much after—”
