Page 80 of Rocky Mountain Home

There seemed only one solution to both their problems, at least in the short term, and the moment they were out of the confines of the truck, Dare intended to make it happen.

Silence filled the cab, the pounding in his temples drowning out the road noise and the music on the stereo. Jesse felt entombed behind a thick wall.

He’d known coming home was going to hurt, but he’d underestimated the extent of the pain. The warm-up with his brothers, especially the discussion with Joel, made the reunion with his parents feel as if he were punching a bruise. Putting on a smile and making himself cheery instead of clinging to them as if he was a toddler had left him raw.

And then Blake—

Fuck.

Angry words swirled in his head, and with every one the salt that had been poured over the cut rubbed in deeper.

He knew damn well it was his own fault. He’d walked away last winter and left them all in the lurch, but he’d made the offer today in good faith. To have that tossed back so pointedly…

Jesse pulled into the parking space outside Joel’s place and turned off the engine. Staring straight ahead without seeing a thing.

How the hell was he going to fix this?

Was it fixable?

The passenger door slammed, jerking him from his moody contemplation as Dare stomped away from the truck, her back rigid.

Jesus Christ, he’d screwed up. Again.

Jesse shoved his door open and raced after her. “Dare.”

She was fast enough she’d nearly made it to the trees before he caught her by the shoulder, whirling her to face him.

“Wait. What’s—?”

She fisted the front of his shirt and jerked them together, her lighter frame driving toward his. She wrapped a hand around the back of his neck and pulled hard until he bent toward her. Then her mouth was on his and all he could taste was her fiery passion.

Like a trigger had been pulled, lust shot sky high. He wasn’t sure what had brought this on, but he couldn’t deny her a thing when she was moving against him as if they were caught in a maelstrom.

Jesse wrapped his arms around her and picked her up, bringing her with him down the path that led to the fire pit. Out of sight of the trailer and anyone pulling into the yard.

It had been a long time since he’d been here, sitting with family and casually shooting the breeze after a long day’s work. He noted the changes through a haze as he settled onto a wide concrete bench. Dare’s thighs draped over his as he worked to get a little distance between their lips so they could talk.

They needed to talk, right?

She didn’t want to back away, and he wasn’t keen on the idea either, but somehow he tore them apart.

Dare’s eyes were huge as she stared intently, cupping his face in her hands as she took a deep breath then spoke, clear and resolute. “Despite this being a day from hell— No, because it’s been a hell of a day, I need you to do something for me.”

“Anything,” he promised, rash as it was to offer without more information.

Did she want to go home?

Her fingers fell to the bottom of his shirt and she jerked hard, ripping the cotton free from his jeans. “Fuck me. I need to not think for a while.”

Jesse swore softly as she worked the buttons on his shirt. Mindless sex sounded just about perfect to him as well. He considered the logistics, though. Taking her into Joel and Vicki’s house—what if they came home? The last thing he wanted was…

The absurdity of the situation struck, along with an inkling of understanding. He and Joel used to fuck around with the same woman all the time, and now the thought of anyone overhearing Dare, delicious noises slipping from her lips as she came, was enough to set Jesse’s teeth on edge.

Maybe that was the way Joel had felt when he’d started seeing Vicki.

Dare sank her teeth into the muscle of Jesse’s shoulder, fingernails scraping down his back as she growled. “Pay attention.”

His brainpower was fading rapidly. “Dammit, Dare. I’m not fucking you here.”