Hold on Tight

Read Hold on Tight for Free Online

Book: Read Hold on Tight for Free Online
Authors: Deborah Smith
heart.”
    “That woman’s crazy,” he groaned. “I’m Johnny Cash, or Willie Nelson, or Duke Wayne, God rest his fine soul—”
    “Okay, okay, thou doth protest too much, me thinks,” she soothed, chuckling.
    She scanned his appearance from the feet up, her lips compressed in controlled amazement. “Be honest, Miss Dinah,” he warned. “You got this polite, tactful little expression on your face, sort of like you’re still Miss Georgia and some rude yokel just asked you what color undies you wear. Tell the truth. What do you think? Am I handsome, or what?”
    “You’re an egomaniac, that’s what.” She sighed. “Well, you have on one brown sock and one black sock.”
    “Whoops. No one can see ’em under my boots.”
    “And frankly, brown corduroy trousers do not make a fashion statement when combined with a gray houndstooth jacket, a white shirt, and—good grief, has that tie been washed in mud?”
    “The catalog called it nut brown,” he protested, chuckling. “It was on sale.”
    “Spend a whole dollar next time.”
    “Ouch. You mean, vicious,”—he grasped both her hands and pulled her toward him, his voice dropping to a throaty level—“gorgeous, sexy, funny …”
    “No, no, no …”
    “Yes, yes, yes …” He kissed her hard, deliciously hard, his tongue teasing at her lips until she gave in and allowed it to slip deep inside her mouth. It tickled and cajoled, then coaxed her tongue to play too. Dinah’s hands clutched at his with trembling fierceness. His fingers wound through hers and he pulled her arms around his waist. His warm, masculine scent was tantalizing.
    “Hold on tight,” he whispered breathlessly. “We’re gonna do something strange, but you’re gonna love it. You need it. You need it bad.”
    “Not here … Rucker …” Alarmed, she started to pull away. Then she felt his hand on the back of her head, guiding it down to his big shoulder.
    “We’re gonna snuggle for a minute,” he explained. He stroked her hair and slid one arm around her back. “Mmmm. Isn’t this nice? This is the best way to get to know each other.”
    “Snuggle? Hug?” His shoulder felt wonderful, a perfect cushion for her cheek. “I was afraid you intended—”
    “Yeah, I know you were afraid. Ssssh. I’m nobody to be afraid of. I’m a good old boy, you know, and that’s almost the same as bein’ an old-fashioned gentleman.” He stroked her hair with long, languid motions, his fingers pressing intimately against her scalp.
    “That’s not what I meant. I’m not afraid of you or any other man. I’m not a simpering girl.”
    “Cautious, then,” he corrected. “I know a woman like you is used to havin’ her pick of men, but I also figure you’ve been hit on by a lot of turkeys.” He paused. “I’m not a turkey, even if I am hittin’ on you.” His fingers curved around the nape of her neck, massaging. He turned his head just enough to let his warm breath brush her cheek and heat her skin.
    “No, I don’t think you’re a turkey.” Dinah blinked slowly, amazed at the easy way he made her bones melt. She wanted to snuggle closer. She wanted to tilt her head up and press a sample kiss against the skin of his throat. “I know all about turkeys,” she whispered. “I had an ace turkey back when I was in college. After I walked out on the Miss America competition we broke up.”
    “So, bein’ a brilliant journalistic type, I deduct that this bird was one of those vain men you mentioned earlier. He liked havin’ a beauty queen for an ornament, huh?”
    “That was part of it. And he never forgave me for giving up a shot at Miss America. He never understood.”
    “I don’t understand it either.”
    Dinah inhaled sharply, and all her reserve rushed back. She tensed and sat back rigidly. “I’ll explain it sometime. Not right now. Right now I have to regain my good sense and get us both to the VFW hall. You’re a treacherous and seductive passenger.”
    “Aw,

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