And his amusement was back. “I’ve rendered Ginny Stone speechless. I feel quite proud.”
She bounced the edge of her fist off his chest but then cupped his face with her hand. “Thank you for taking care of me,” she whispered sweetly before offering him a gentle kiss.
Always. Forever.
But those weren’t the appropriate words to say right now, and he knew it.
Still, he enjoyed the kiss and offered one more of his own before breaking them apart and rolling her to one side. “Let me clean up, and then we can talk.”
“Deal.”
He grabbed his clothes and took them with him. By the time he was back from the bathroom, Ginny had gotten dressed and was poking around in the refrigerator.
“You hungry?” she asked.
“Always,” he said truthfully. “Luke said he left food for us. For me.”
Ginny snorted. “Tamara also loaded the fridge. She must’ve shown up first, or she would have wondered why there were supplies here already.”
“Which kind of leads well into answering that question you had.”
She closed the fridge and eyed him full on. “I don’t remember asking a question. I remember realizing how completely clueless I had been to how much you sticking around changes things.”
Tucker braced himself. “I want things to change. What we’re doing, I mean.”
“Oh.” She got herself busy, digging back in the refrigerator and giving him her back. “Okay, I guess. If that’s what you want.”
Oh hell. Tucker put a hand on her shoulder and turned her to face him. “Don’t jump to conclusions,” he warned. “I don’t want to just fuck around with you, Ginny. Only we’ve never been in the same place at the same time when more was appropriate.”
He’d never trusted himself enough to take the chance, but now? He wanted her enough to fight her personal demons.
She was thinking again, that intensely focused expression she got where the magical, mystical program she carried in her brain ran through options at the speed of light. “You want more than just the occasional fling?”
“Yes. Hell, yes.”
“Oh.” She tilted her head slightly. “Spell it out for me. What exactly does that mean?”
He caught her by the hands, his touch gentle and very innocent, considering they had just fucked each other silly not even five minutes ago. “I want to date you. I want to get to know you better and figure out if between us, we can find something that can last.”
“Holy shit,” she whispered.
Tucker stroked his thumbs over her fingers. “Holy shit, good? Or holy shit, I never in a million years imagined this would happen and how do I get this asshole out of my trailer?”
She rolled her eyes. “Please, I’m supposed to be the drama llama in this relationship.”
“Go right ahead and drama away, but I still need an answer to the question.
Ginny tilted her head to the table. “Sit. Want a beer?”
“Why not.”
She grabbed two then sat kitty corner to him instead of across the table. Then she caught hold of the hand closest to her while she raised her bottle in the air with her other. “To Operation Prove It.”
They clinked then drank.
Ginny placed her bottle carefully on the table before meeting his gaze. “I think you are one of the sexiest men on the entire planet.”
That was a good start. Maybe? “Thank you.”
“I’ve also had a crush on you since I was a teenager, but you know that because I shared those details when I was twenty-one and talked my way into your bed. Even if it was only once or twice a year.”
“You did tell me.” Tucker ignored his beer and wrapped both his hands around hers. “I think we should do this like a Band-Aid. Rip it off, really quick. Are you about to tell me to take a hike?”
She licked her lips, suddenly—shy? Confident as hell and outgoing Ginny avoiding his gaze?
“I’m not telling you to take a hike,” she said softly. “I think we’ve got some good history, and some amazing chemistry…”
Fuck it. “I just heard a but.”
She looked him straight in the eye. “Timing is everything. You’re about to start in a position that’s pretty important, and while us dating isn’t impossible, it could cause problems. There’s Ashton, there are my brothers, and there’s the entire Silver Stone crew. You’ll have to earn their respect—which you totally deserve because you’ve got the skills. But most of them will suspect you’re got an in because of your relationship with Ashton. Add on a relationship with me, and…”
“I can deal with that.”
But she continued. “I’m not willing to mess this up for you. What we need is some sort of compromise, because I also don’t want to go without you. I want time together to do Operation Prove It, and I want sex.” She wrinkled her nose. “It probably makes me pretty shallow that I included that last part.”
“No, I totally want that part as well,” Tucker admitted.
She lifted his hand and brushed his knuckles against her cheek. “I’m not saying no, I’m saying slow.”
“We wait a couple months before we officially start dating?”
She hesitated. “No set time. We see how things go.”
“But I want you in my bed,” Tucker admitted. “And I mean that literally, as well as sex.”
“I like sleeping with you, too.” Ginny made a face. “Yes, as well as the sex, but we can figure that out.”
“You’re moving into the Hayes cottage, right?” Which was right out in the open hillside. Everyone and their dog would see if he stopped to visit. “We’ll get creative. But I mean it, Ginny. As soon as things are going smoothly, I’m officially asking you out. And prepare to be spoiled.”
“I look forward to it.” The delight on her face was very real and very ego stroking. “I really want you to be my boyfriend, Tucker Stewart, but we’ve been patient this long. What’s a little longer?”
It was a wise sentiment, but Tucker was pretty sure agreeing to this would come back and kick his butt in more ways than one.
“Then I hope you don’t mind us burning up a little energy a couple more times tonight. Maybe again in the morning.” He pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “I talked to my boss. I have to head back to Winnipeg for a week.”
She offered him a cheeky wink, trailing her fingers over his shoulder as she rose and headed back to the refrigerator. “Well, I’m disappointed we won’t get that solid two weeks trapped together in this love cave, but the sooner you go, the sooner you get back. Let’s make some supper so we’ll have enough energy to ravish each other as much as possible tonight.”
As plans went, it sounded rock-solid to Tucker.
Early the next morning, Ginny let the covers fall back into place as Tucker closed the door behind himself.
It was better to let him do all the things he needed before setting off on his long drive, and there was nothing she could do to help him right now anyway.
She stretched lazily, appreciating the little aches and pains in her body from what had ended up being a spectacular sexual marathon. She was glad she’d nabbed the condoms.