Page 21 of Lonesome Man
He released a shuddering breath, then slid his fingers into my hair, drawing me closer and kissed my forehead. Then he looked down at me. “Now I’m gonna take care of you,” he said, lifting me in his arms and heading upstairs.
He set me on the bed and strode into the bathroom. I heard the water turn on. He was filling the tub. Tuck came back out and helped me out of my clothes, because I was still feeling shaky after what we’d just done. His gaze moved over my naked body. There was concern, tenderness, and somehow there was hunger still in his eyes as well.
I watched as he stripped, then he scooped me back up.
“I can walk, you know,” I said, laughing a little.
He strode into the bathroom and pressed a soft kiss to my lips. “My woman doesn’t walk when I can carry her.”
His woman. We were back to playing, obviously. I pressed a kiss to his chest, and he squeezed me tighter, then stepped into the bath, maneuvering me so I was between his legs, my back to his front.
“Comfortable?” he asked, running his hands up and down my arms.
“Extremely. I could stay right here all night.”
Then I sat there as he slowly, carefully washed my hair, then ran a soft washcloth over my body. He didn’t call me Libby or Ruth the whole time, but he made me feel special.
By the time he was done, my eyes were stinging and there were more tears threatening.
Tucker could have been mine.
But I’d been a coward. And I’d thrown him away.
Chapter Nine
Libby
Tucker didn’t wear black the next day, or the two days after that. He’d been affectionate, kind, sweet to me, he’d kissed me, hugged me, but he hadn’t tried to take it further.
My sweet mountain man was struggling with everything he was feeling. I could see it, but my time with him had almost run out. The day after tomorrow, I would be leaving him. These were my last days, my last two nights with Tucker Smith.
It was as if he’d vanquished me completely, the idea of me anyway, the last time we role-played, and he didn’t want to risk going back there. He still liked Ruth, but he’d performed an exorcism on Libby, and he didn’t want her…me…back.
I wasn’t sure what to do. I glanced out the window to the workshop. He’d gone out there this morning to finish the last few orders, bowls that would be going in the plane with me to the city.
My stomach churned at the thought of saying goodbye. I wasn’t ready for this to end.
Grabbing the sandwich I’d made him, and the mug of coffee, I headed out to his workshop. Music was playing quietly when I walked in. Tucker stood on one side of the room, utterly focused on what he was working on.
There was a small potbelly stove in the corner, and the room was lovely and warm. The smell of the wood he worked with filled the space, and I knew for the rest of my life, the smell of cedar would bring me back here, to this time, to Tucker.
He’d taken off his jacket, wearing only a T-shirt, and his strong forearms and sculpted biceps bunched and flexed as he worked, as he ran those wide palms over the smooth wood, caressing every surface with those long, thick fingers. Tucker Smith was beautiful all the time, but like this, he was utterly captivating.
I’d been standing there staring, so I cleared my throat.
His head jerked my way and his eyes lit up. “Hey, didn’t see you there.”
“You were pretty focused,” I said, making my way over to him. “I made you some lunch. Thought you might’ve lost track of time.”
He brushed his hands off on his jeans and gave me one of his gorgeous smiles. “I did, yeah.” He took the sandwich and mug. “Thanks, darlin’, this looks great.” He lifted his plate. “Where’s yours?”
When Tuck was here on his own, hours passing while he worked, losing track of time, there was no one to look after him, no one to bring him a sandwich or a coffee when he’d been working all day. I hated the thought of it. “I’m fine. I’m still full after the breakfast you made.” I motioned to the tatty old couch against the wall. “I’ll hang with you while you eat though.”
“I’d like that,” he said and sat on the couch. “So how are the edits going?”
“I’m pretty much done. I’m just reading through my changes, then I’ll send it back.”
“That’s great,” he said. “I don’t know how you do that kind of thing. You amaze me,” he said, then took a bite of his sandwich.
