“Have you been waiting for me?”
“I don’t know as I was actively campaigning to get here in the beginning. I wasn’t interested in anybody else, and I’m not the scratching an itch sort. But for the last six or eight months…yeah. And if you hadn’t had the stupendous idea of crossing this line tonight, I’d have waited longer. I’m a patient man, and I know how to play the long game.” His grin widened. “I’m damned grateful I didn’t have to.”
“God, so am I.” Wanting to lighten the mood, Corinne smoothed her hands down the flat plane of his abs. “You know, you’re in amazing shape for a guy who works in a suit.”
Tucker laughed. “I spend a fair amount of time in the gym. A good bit more since you came back to town. Had to work off all the pie I ate in the name of seeing you.”
“Really?” The idea that he’d come more for her than the pie delighted her because Mama Pearl’s pie was a reason unto itself. She ran her hands over his perfect ass. “I don’t think the pie’s hurting you any.”
He flopped backward, arms open wide. “Feel free to examine the rest of me to confirm.”
Pressing a kiss to his pec, Corinne snuggled into him, loving the closeness of skin to skin. “I would like nothing better. But…”
“But you can’t stay.”
“I can’t stay,” she confirmed. “I wish I didn’t have to get back to real life. I wish I could just stay here, in your bed.”
“Someday you’ll be able to stay. You’ll wake up with me, and I’ll wow you with my French toast for breakfast. After sating us both with stupendous morning sex.”
That he looked so far ahead, saw a future where that could be a reality warmed her down to her toes. Corinne propped herself on his chest so she could look into his face. “I’ve had a serious dry spell, Tucker. Sating me might take a while.”
His smile was unapologetically male. “I believe I’m up to the challenge.”
Evidence of that fact stood cheerfully in her peripheral vision. His smug grin turned into a groan as she wrapped her hand around him. “You’ve effectively proved you’re a skilled and thorough lover. How about presenting evidence to the court that you can pull off a quickie?”
“Challenge accepted.”
She was still laughing as he slipped inside her again.
The verdict was a resounding oh yes.
Chapter 13
“What’s wrong with you?” Corinne whispered. “You’re jumpier than a cat in a room full of rocking chairs.”
Tucker laced his fingers with hers and squeezed. “Nothing. I’m fine.”
She smiled and leaned into him. “I think you’re more nervous than I am. I’ve never seen you nervous before.”
“I’m not nervous.” Was that smoke coming from the grill or his ass?
Corinne leveled him with what he thought of as her Mama-can-smell-the-stink-of-that-lie-from-a-mile-away-so-you-want-to-try-that-again look. He bet it had Kurt spilling his guts.
“What do you have to be anxious about? They’re your friends.”
From Tucker’s perspective, he had plenty to be anxious about. He and Corinne were truly together now, and everybody knew it. He ought to be pleased that Tyler had organized a couples cookout for everyone and included Corinne, but the only thing he could think about was all the ways this could go wrong. They’d been the last to arrive. That hadn’t been the plan, but he’d had an impromptu lightsaber battle with Kurt, while Corinne had thrown together her tomato and sweet corn salad for the occasion, and he’d lost track of time.
Tyler and Cam had been fine. They’d both made an effort. Norah and Myles, too since they’d been outsiders to this whole thing. But Brody was an unknown quantity. And though Piper had promised she’d work on accepting things, he didn’t fully trust her not to stick her foot in it.
Discussion thus far had largely centered around the competition and the current level of fundraising. With two performances to go—both already sold out—they were slated to exceed their goal. At the moment, Cam and Brody manned the grill, while Norah, Piper, and Myles clustered around the patio table. He and Corinne had taken a quick tour of the backyard, admiring the landscaping Brody and Cam had put in.
To put Corinne at ease and to soothe himself, he lifted her hand to his lips and mustered a smile. “It’s been a long time since I brought a girlfriend into the mix.” They hadn’t actually had that discussion, but he hoped it might distract her from his real concern.
“And you’re worried because that girlfriend is me and there’s...history between most of us.”
So much for distraction.
“No argument on the girlfriend thing?”