Karaoke at the Tumbleweed Read online

  Turning to look out the passenger window, she tried to imagine what it would be like to think your own parent didn’t want you. Nicole imagined that kind of hurt stayed with a person. She wondered what had happened to his mother. Was she still alive?

  “I’m sorry,” Tag finally said. He placed a hand on the back of Nicole’s neck and gave her a slight squeeze. “I don’t like to talk about my family.”

  “I didn’t mean to make you mad.” Nicole looked at the towel wrapped around her hand. It looked the same as it had before. Evidently the cut had stopped bleeding.

  Running his thumb over the shell of her ear, he sighed. “Can we just forget about it for now?”

  “Sure.” For now.

  Nicole slept with her head in Tag’s lap on the drive back to her house. She’d gotten twelve stitches and was ordered to take a few days off work. Tag grinned down at her as he remembered the fit she’d thrown.

  In the end, he’d agreed to help her run the bait and donut shops. What in the world had this woman done to him. Time was, he’d have walked away without a second thought. Now he’d not only be dipping up minnows, but wearing an apron and baking. At least he thought you baked donuts. Hell, he had a lot to learn in a short period of time.

  Nicole’s head began to move, burrowing deeper into his lap. He gritted his teeth as she came into direct contact with his already hard cock. Please, Lord, help me resist the temptation to pull to the side of the road and fuck this woman to within an inch of her life. Amen.

  To occupy his mind elsewhere, Tag thought about their earlier argument. Well, it wasn’t really an argument but it was as close as the two of them had come. Tag wondered why the townspeople had thought his father was a good man. He wished his mom were still alive to ask but she’d succumbed to cancer when he was in the service.

  Thinking back over his life, Tag remembered asking her several times why they had to move so often. Seemed like he’d just make friends and they were pulling up stakes and settling somewhere different. It had been a hard life, but his mom had told him she needed to move where the work was. Funny he’d never thought to question her. Jessie Taggert was a bartender, that’s where Tag had learned the trade. It just dawned on him that it hadn’t been hard for a woman of her looks and skill to get a job. So why did they always have to move?

  Not liking where his thoughts were leading, Tag reached down and ran his hand over Nicole’s shapely hip. He liked that Nicole wasn’t model thin. She had a great rack and a shapely ass, just like he liked them.

  Slipping his hand between the denim of her waistband and her soft skin, he ran his fingers over her ass. Nicole’s head moved again as Tag ran a finger down the crevice of her butt cheeks. He paused long enough to rim her puckered hole before moving to her core. He grinned at her sleepy moan as he plunged a finger into her pussy. He was rewarded by a flood of cream. “You awake?”

  “What do you think?” she moaned and pressed her lips to his jean-clad erection. She began mouthing his cock through the thick denim as Tag continued his assault on her dripping pussy.

  “We’re almost to your house. Think I can make you come before we get there?”

  “I have faith in your abilities, but I think I can make you come first,” she said as she slid his zipper down.

  Deciding to give her all the help she needed, Tag spread his thighs. “Oh, so it’s a race to the finish line is it? Okay, you’re on.” Tag growled deep in his throat as Nicole wasted no time freeing his cock. Without preamble she began laving his sack, sucking his balls into her mouth one at a time.

  He was almost cross-eyed by the time he realised they were supposed to be in a race. He plunged his thumb into her pussy and got it nice and wet before withdrawing. She made a grunt of protest as she worked her way up his cock.

  Tag moved his creamy thumb to her puckered hole and applied pressure until the digit popped passed the tight outer ring of muscles. Nicole moaned around his cock as she sucked as much of him as she could inside her heated mouth.

  Knowing he’d better hurry before he shot, Tag thrust his two middle fingers into her pussy. Nicole squeaked and popped off his cock. “What am I, a bowling ball?” she asked before going back to swallowing his length.

  Tag started laughing. Damn, even on the verge of climax, this woman could make him laugh. Thrusting up, Tag gave Nicole even more of his cock as she rocked against his hand.

  He caught a blur of movement out of the corner of his eye and barely registered the deer in time. Slamming on the brakes, the car veered toward the ditch as he fought to extradite his hand from Nicole’s jeans. He could’ve sworn his entire sex-life flashed before his eyes as he fought to get the car under control. Skidding to a stop, he buried his face in his hands.

  Nicole untangled herself and sat up to look out the windshield. “What happened?”

  “Deer,” he mumbled. He reached down between his legs and wrapped his hand around his cock. “Did you ever see that movie The World According to Garp?”

  Evidently she had because her eyes rounded. Tag took a deep breath. “I remember watching that movie and thinking that would be about the worst thing that could happen to a man.” Tag remembered the scene very well. Garp’s wife had been having an affair and was giving her lover a blow-job in the driveway when Garp and his children rear ended them by accident. The poor lover had gotten his cock bitten off.

  Tag visibly shuddered at the thought. He looked at Nicole and had to bite his cheek to keep from laughing. This crazy, sexy woman had the worst bed-head he’d ever seen. She’d been so wrapped up in her ardour it would take her hours to get the tangles out of the left side of her beautiful hair.

  “What?” she questioned.

  “Nothing, angel,” he said. He knew at that second he was deeply in love. Even with hair that would frighten small children, Tag thought she was beautiful. “Let’s get home.”

  Nicole smiled and fastened her seat belt. “I think that’s a good idea.” She giggled, and tried to cover her mouth. “To think this car has been kept in mint condition for twenty years. I get one ride and almost cause a wreck.” She gave Tag a wink. “You sure about dating me? I could be hazardous to your health.”

  “I’ll take my chances.”

  Chapter Five

  Tag spent the following day taking care of Nicole. Luckily it was Monday and the shop was closed. As she watched him make her a bowl of soup she couldn’t help smiling. Not since her daddy had anyone cared enough about her to take care of her like Tag had done. She kept telling him she wasn’t an invalid, but he’d refused to listen.

  So far, he’d given her a bath and washed her hair and then had spent nearly an hour working on the tangles she’d gotten the previous night. Nicole still couldn’t believe the way she looked when she woke up that morning. She was even more embarrassed when Tag had admitted she looked that way last night. And yet he was still here. That was the amazing part.

  He’d just set the hot bowl of tomato soup in front of her when her phone rang. “Want me to get it?” Tag asked.

  “Please,” Nicole answered, sipping a spoonful of the hot soup.

  Tag picked up the phone. She was surprised when he said nothing right away, but the tick in his clenched jaw told her someone was already talking. When he finally spoke it was in a voice she’d never heard before.

  “I’m not your baby, and if you ever call Nicole again I’ll make sure you’re no longer able to have them.” Tag slammed the phone down and turned back toward the sink to wash the soup pan. “That was your ex.”

  Nicole swallowed. “Okay.”

  Minutes later the phone rang again. Nicole started to get up, but Tag gestured her back down. “I’ll take care of it.” He picked up the receiver. “Listen mother-fucker, are you deaf or do you just have a death wish?”

  Nicole had to cover her grin. She’d never heard anyone talk to Lonnie that way. She found she rather enjoyed it.

  “Oh, sorry, Bobby Jim. I thought you were someone else. How did you know whe
re to find me?” Tag listened for a few seconds and nodded. “That little prick is gonna let his mouth get him in trouble.”

  Nicole was curious why Bobby Jim would be calling Tag on his day off. “Okay on one condition, you let me off Friday so I can watch Nicole sing. Nope, take it or leave it.” He glanced at Nicole and winked. “Okay, I’ll be there in an hour.”

  He hung up and walked over to the table. “Sorry, but Harley called in again. Bobby Jim needs me to work.”

  “Did he say he’d give you Friday off?”

  “He said he’d think about it, but I have a feeling when he realises I’m the best bartender he has, he won’t want to lose me.”

  “So you’re saying a career in the bait business isn’t in your future,” she mumbled and went back to her soup. Dammit, she mentally kicked herself. She’d actually been looking forward to sharing a workspace with Tag. That’s what she got for allowing herself to dream again.

  “Hey, hey, hey,” Tag said getting down on his knees beside her chair. “Just because I might be keeping my job doesn’t mean I wouldn’t like the chance to play with your minnows.”

  Her head popped up. “What? You still want to work in the shop?”

  Tag gave her a slow deep kiss. “I may not be able to do it full-time but every free moment I’d rather spend with you than anyone else.”

  “But why would you want to work two jobs when you don’t need the money?”

  Wrapping his arms around her waist, Tag pulled her down on the floor and into his lap. “Would it scare you if I told you I’m falling head over heels for you?”

  “Really?”

  “Yep. I don’t know how it happened so fast or how I got so lucky to find the perfect woman for me, but I don’t plan to question it too hard.”

  “I love you, too.” Nicole lifted her head to give him a kiss and hit his jaw instead. She heard the loud clack as his teeth rattled. “Shit, I’m sorry.” She rubbed his chin. “I’m such a klutz,” she said with a pout. It seemed she couldn’t have one romantic moment without ruining it.

  Tag opened and closed his mouth several times. “I may have to take out more insurance, but it’ll be worth it.”

  As soon as Tag left for The Tumbleweed, Nicole called Darlene. “You’ll never guess what’s happened?”

  “You cut your hand,” Darlene answered.

  Nicole looked down at her bandaged hand. “How did you know that?”

  “Hello, you live in Ulrich. Tag went into the pharmacy this morning to buy gauze and tape. Betty said she didn’t see a mark on him so she finally just asked. Duh.”

  Nicole rolled her eyes. “Okay so you know I’ve cut my hand. That’s not what I’m calling about. Tag told me he was in love with me,” she squealed like a school girl.

  “Well I’ll be damned. I didn’t think the Harley-riding-stud had it in him. Congratulations, doll.”

  “Thanks. I was wondering if I could get a ride to The Weed? I’d kind of like to surprise him.”

  “Well sure, I’ll need a good hour and a half to get myself gussied up. Can’t hardly drop you off without going in for at least one beer and round of pool.”

  “Thanks, Darlene.”

  Wiping down the bar, Tag looked at the clock for the fifth time in the last hour. Damn, he wanted to be with Nicole.

  “Can I get a red beer, stud?”

  Tag looked down the bar to see your typical middle-aged bar-fly. Nodding his head, he took a small can of tomato juice out of the cooler and poured half of it into a large mug. The rest of the glass was filled with beer before he slid it to the woman.

  “You’re a real fox,” the woman said and grabbed Tag’s hand.

  “Thank you,” Tag said, trying to get away. He wasn’t usually someone who judged others by their appearance, but he could tell this woman was trouble. He was trying to pull away when Nicole stepped up behind the woman.

  “Oh no you ain’t,” Nicole said, grabbing a handful of the woman’s hair until she released her grip on Tag.

  The woman reached back and swiped at Nicole’s face with her obviously fake nails. “You release my hair, Skeeter Ashford. I can’t help it if you don’t know how to please a man.”

  Tag shook his head. Could this be the woman Lonnie cheated with? Tag looked at the bleached blonde hair with grey and black roots and couldn’t believe it. Yuck, what a dumb fuck Lonnie was.

  The remark about Nicole not being able to please a man caught his attention. He jumped over the bar and got right in Peggy’s face. “For your information, this lady pleased me in bed, on the motorcycle and in just about every damn room of the house. She’s got more class in her pinky than you do in your entirely fake, made-up body.” Tag reached out and covered Nicole’s hand with his own. “Let her go, angel. You have nothing to worry about. I’d never throw away a good thing, especially not for trash like this.”

  Nicole released her grip on Peggy’s hair. She leaned over Peggy’s shoulder and spoke in her ear but Tag could still hear it. “You ever lay a hand on what’s mine again and I’ll break it.”

  Tag pulled Nicole away from Peggy before the woman could say anything back. He led Nicole to the short hall that held the restrooms. Wrapping Nicole in his arms, he kissed her. “Don’t ever doubt my loyalty.”

  “I wasn’t doubting your loyalty as much as the power of the pussy Peggy seems to have.”

  “No, angel. I’m not Lonnie and skank isn’t my style. You need to get over your past and move forward.”

  “You’re one to talk,” she said. Nicole crossed her arms and looked up at him. “Have you even been inside that big house you’ve inherited? Or are you afraid?”

  Tag took a step back. Where was this coming from? “Why did you bring up the house?”

  Nicole’s expression softened. “Because I know until you deal with it, there’ll always be a chance that you’ll leave me.”

  “I won’t leave you, angel.” Tag tried his best to soothe Nicole’s fears.

  “Prove it. Deal with your past. If you find you want to put down roots here in Ulrich you’ll know where to find me.” She stood on her toes and gave him a deep kiss. “I love you, Brian Taggert, but I need to know you won’t pick up and take off on me.”

  Tag felt his heart sink as he watched Nicole walk away. She looked so sad, it took everything in him not to pull her back into his arms and propose. The only thing that stopped him was the past that he hadn’t dealt with. He just wasn’t sure if he was up to it. Someone was lying, and Tag wasn’t sure whose lies would hurt the most.

  After Nicole convinced Darlene she was okay, she was finally left alone with her thoughts. She still couldn’t believe she’d basically given Tag an ultimatum. How would she live if he left town? The stupid thing was she’d follow him anywhere. Sure the little business she owned meant the world to her but not as much as Tag.

  Wandering from room to room, Nicole finally settled on the couch with Tink on her lap. She petted the ugly dog and looked into his face. “You won’t leave me, will you?” Tink licked Nicole’s hand in agreement.

  “You know, I’ve never cared about making more money than I needed to live on. That’s not the reason I want Tag to acknowledge who he is. It almost killed me when daddy died. He was the only stable thing in my life besides the shop.” She thought of Lonnie and realised he’d never been or would be stable. “Good, I don’t want him anyway.”

  Nicole buried her face in a pillow. “I want Tag,” she wailed, punching the sofa arm. A knock at the door brought Nicole out of her tantrum. She wiped her eyes and tried to brush her hair out of her face as she rose from the sofa. As she looked through the peep-hole, Nicole sighed and rolled her eyes.

  Knowing Lonnie as well as she did, she knew he wouldn’t go away until she’d talked to him. Unhooking the chain, she opened the door. “What do you want?”

  Lonnie smiled and held up his hands. “Hey, babe, don’t take your anger out on me. I just stopped by to see how you were doing. I heard you caught your bartender paying
attention to Peggy. See, I told you it was all that woman’s fault.”

  “Yeah you did, and I believe I told you, it was physically impossible for your dick to get into her cunt unless you stuck it there.”

  Lonnie made a soured face. “Geez, Skeeter, do you have to talk that way?”

  “What can I say, you bring out the best in me. Now, what do you want?” Nicole propped her hands on her hips and waited. No way was she going to invite the sleaze-ball in.

  “I miss you, baby. That’s the reason I came back to town. I had no idea you’d already shacked up with someone else.”

  “You most likely miss my bank account, and I’m not shacked up with anyone.”

  Lonnie dropped to his knees on the small front stoop. “Please give me another chance. I know messing around on you wasn’t the best way to deal with my overactive libido. I’ll try and do better this time.”

  Studying the handsome man in front of her, something occurred to Nicole. “You know what? I’ve never thought this about another human being in my life, but dammit, I’m too good for you, Lonnie. When you left the first time to go away to school, I tried to tell myself it wasn’t because I wasn’t woman enough to keep you here. Then when you came back and cheated on me, I was convinced I must not be enough woman for you. But Tag has opened my eyes. I am good enough, I’m too good. You’re the one who was never good enough.”

  Lonnie grabbed his chest. “Harsh, baby. Okay, now that you’ve gotten that out of your system, say you’ll give me another chance.”

  Nicole shook her head. “Did you go and lose your hearing after you skipped town? I believe I just said you deserve a woman more like Peggy than you do one like me. Now get your sorry ass off my porch and don’t come back.”

  “You’ll regret that decision when your new boyfriend sees through that pretty face of yours. Then you’ll be crawling back to me on your knees, you stupid bitch.”