Acting Happy (Texas Desires #2) (31 page)

“Is everything okay?”

“I think it might’ve worked,” he responded to Lara.

“Really? How do you know? From her or where?”

Ty extended his phone for her to see. Only looking up when there was a distinct clearing of a throat.

“Hey. Sorry.”

“Yeah, it’s a favorite of mine to leave a busy schedule to then be completely ignored and forgotten about,” Reed said dryly.

“I’m sorry, but it’s great news, Reed. At least it looks like it is. Can you call her?” Lara asked Ty, and not seconds later, the doorbell rang.

“Reed, I’ll be home in the morning. I love you,” Lara said quickly as she put a hand behind her to help lift her off the sofa.

“FaceTime me tonight. After seven my time,” Reed said quickly.

“All right. Bye, honey,” Lara said and got to her feet, blowing him a kiss. Ty jogged the few steps toward the front door, quickly unlocking the deadbolt before yanking it open to a beaming Kenzie.

“You okay?” he asked. She went straight into his arms, extending both hers around his neck, dropping her purse in the process.

“I think we did it!” she exclaimed happily, hugging him tight.

“I think so too.” Her exuberance was contagious. He lifted her, taking a step back, swinging her in a circle around in the entry. “Great job, baby.”

“Julia says bye. She’ll call you later. She’s wonderful, Ty.” Kenzie dropped to her feet as she turned to Lara who was smiling big. Kenzie lifted a hand for a high five, and Lara obliged, whacking her hard before giving Kenzie a giant hug. His relief was so strong, happy she was home safe and sound while praying they had managed to put an end to the negative rumors. “I can’t believe we pulled that off. I didn’t even know we were being followed and she totally did.”

Ty watched as Kenzie wrapped an arm around Lara, walking toward the kitchen. She began explaining everything she and Julia had done, and Lara listened intently, absorbing every word. He watched them both until they disappeared around the corner. He reached down for Kenzie’s purse and placed it on the small table with a store sack sticking out the top. Good, she’d even bought herself something, too.

The moment was a little staggering. For the first time since meeting Kenzie, everything seemed to be headed in the right direction, which felt a little foreign. Walking toward the kitchen, he decided,
whatever, I’ll take it
.

In Ty’s best estimation, nothing said the perfect end to the best vacation in recorded history like too many piña coladas and some sexy-hot swimming pool sex. At least that was his perspective, and if all the good going on in his life held, Ty hoped to talk Kenzie into both those things tonight. He’d gotten Lara off to the airport this morning, and she had made it safely home according to the text from Reed. Malea, Rocco, and Anthony were satisfied with the direction of the press for the moment and were finally leaving him alone. So they had the house to themselves this evening, and he intended to take full advantage of that fact.

He couldn’t get the smile off his face as he went through the kitchen loading a tray full of food. He found some sliced fruit in the refrigerator along with assorted cheeses, a dip with some vegetables Kenzie chopped the night before, and on a whim, he decided to add chucks of turkey and ham for him.

Ty did a quick check of his reflection in the darkened microwave glass, quickly moving a few stray pieces of hair back in place. He had shaved and styled his hair knowing he needed every advantage to talk Kenzie out of her bathing suit tonight. That was the one place she drew the line, and since he was pretty certain the entire backyard had been designed with sex in mind, he needed to get her over that hump. Literally. And he laughed at his little joke.

“Why do you look so handsome?” Kenzie asked, coming into the kitchen. Her hair was piled on her head. She was wearing a new thin strappy bikini, the one he’d one-clicked a few days ago. Other than that, her feet were bare and her face was devoid of makeup, all except maybe some waterproof mascara. Honestly, he liked her best just like this.

“Why do you look so beautiful?” he countered after looking her way.

“I don’t, but your hair’s fixed and you shaved.” Her brows furrowed as she looked at him closer.

“I thought you liked when I did my hair,” Ty said, ignoring the look she gave, instead going to the liquor cabinet and pulling out a bottle of Bacardi. Moving more bottles around, he found the piña colada mixer and a fresh bottle of pineapple juice. With his arms full, he went for the tray, surveying everything he had.

After double checking, and confident he had all the right supplies, he took a deep breath. Now all he needed was the power of seduction on his side. That was where he’d failed in this mission in the past. She was a hard one to seduce.

When he looked up, Kenzie was still staring at him like she was waiting for an answer. He ticked back in his mind, had no idea what she said that he left unanswered. Luckily, his cell phone lying on the tray began to rattle like crazy, saving him from figuring out the question.

“Hang on, babe. It’s Julia,” Ty said, lifting a finger in Kenzie’s direction. “Everything good?” he asked, his gaze back on Kenzie.

“I think so. Have you seen the news?” she asked.

“Have you seen the news?” he asked Kenzie. A look of dread crossed her face, and she shook her head no. He answered Julia. “No, we’ve been busy.”

“Yeah, right. I don’t believe that for a second. You know it’s odd to see you so in love,” Julia teased.

“I figure there’s a point to this call,” he replied dryly, anchoring the phone on his shoulder to pick up the tray, but Kenzie beat him to it, reaching across the bar and taking the tray from him.

“It’s heavy,” he started, but she fought him, keeping hold of the sides.

“Then get the door,” she suggested, walking across the kitchen. There was a brief moment of guilt. He should be carrying the heavy tray instead of trailing behind watching that enticing ass sway with each step she took.

“The news has died down. We aren’t top story. It’s fading fast. I won’t keep you. I just wanted to tell you how much I liked Kenzie. I’d like us to develop a friendship. Are you good with that?” Julia asked.

“Of course I am. She needs friends here.” Ty didn’t hide the fact he’d been watching her ass when she looked over her shoulder at him. She was already by the back door when she turned, arching a brow in his direction, waiting for him to get the door handle.

“Then tell her I’ll call her soon. Have fun tonight.”

“Plan on it.” He didn’t bother with the goodbye. Quickly, he turned the knob, pushing the door wide. The first chance he got, he tossed the phone on a patio table and followed behind her. He had his work cut out for him tonight.

~~~

Ty grabbed the blender inside the makeshift ice bucket he’d concocted to keep their drinks cold, flowing, and in easy reach. He swirled the contents, mixing anything that may have settled at the bottom before filling Kenzie’s glass to the rim.

“I think you’re getting me drunk,” Kenzie said, and he grinned, placing the pitcher back inside the bucket. Getting her drunk was at least two drinks ago judging by her slight slur.

“It’s all part of my master plan to get you naked in this swimming pool,” he teased, ending the sentence with an evil laugh and twirling the end of his pretend mustache.

“That’s been a goal of yours since we’ve been here,” Kenzie said, swimming closer to him. He’d kept it casual for the whole evening, enjoying her company and the banter they shared. They had been out there for hours, swimming, talking, eating, and tonight, he even got her dancing to an oldies playlist he had on his phone.

Technically, this wasn’t much different than any other night since they’d arrived, except now, the intense negative gossip had faded since Kenzie and Julia’s outing. The speculation was still strong, but nothing to the magnitude of before. Things had changed for his beautiful Kenzie now that Julia had given her the public stamp of approval. That dark cloud always hovering overhead had magically dissipated, leaving a solid hope of brighter days. It felt damn good!

“Is it still a bad goal to want you?” he asked when she got close enough to pull her forward until she straddled his thighs. In his heart, he knew this part of the pool had been designed for what he had in mind. Maybe some saw it as a place to sit and relax, maybe sunbathe, but not him. His legs were stretched out in front of him in about twelve inches of water, maybe a little less. The sides were a simple step up or down.

“No. Not really,” she said, shimmying closer until they were almost chest to chest. Oh, he liked that move, and his half aroused dick plumped inside his swim trunks. He lifted his hands to her back, wanting to hold her right against his body, but she shifted backward, resting her bottom on his legs. Regretfully, he adjusted the path of his hands, moving them to her thighs. He began to run his fingertips lightly across her skin, giving soft sweeping caresses.

“Thank you for being so sweet to Lara,” Kenzie said, leaning forward to place a kiss right above his collarbone.

“You don’t have to thank me. I’m glad you two hit it off,” he said, taking his palms and sliding them up her hips to her waist.

“Julia texted me, too. She wants to have lunch this week,” she said, leaning her head toward the other side, kissing him in about the same place. This time her tongue flicked out, capturing a bead of water in one lick.

God, she was something else. His dick went rigid as he watched her tongue slide across her lower lip.

“Are you gonna go?” he finally asked. She was being so sexy sweet.

“I think so. I guess it depends on your schedule,” she said quietly, her hands moving from his chest to behind her own back where she pulled the swimsuit strings loose. Seconds later, she pulled the ties free at her neck. The thin strips of material fell away, exposing both flawless mounds. His mouth watered as his eyes focused on exactly what he’d wanted. He’d never tire of seeing her this way. He loved her breasts.

As he lifted a hand to cup one, she stopped him, pushing his fingers down until they reached the front of her bathing suit bottoms then sliding his hand inside. Kenzie wrapped a palm around his neck to draw his head toward her breast; she cupped the underside and lifted the swell to his mouth.

It honestly took a second for him to catch on. His mind was a little blown. She’d never done anything like this before. Definitely a wildcat in the bedroom, but never outside of there.

“Touch me, Ty.” Her hot breath wisped across his ear, sending a sudden chill skating across his skin. He sucked the taut nipple with a little more force as his tongue laved the small bead. She liked her breasts played with as much as he liked being there, and she reacted immediately. She arched her back, pulling that breast from his mouth, while pushing the other nipple to take its place.

He tightened the hand covering her core and ground his palm against her as his middle finger slipped inside her sheath. Her hips pitched forward, an almost silent moan escaped her lips as her fingers threaded through his hair. That was all the encouragement he needed. He gave a small nip at the bead in his mouth at the same time he added a second finger, pumping in and out of her tight channel. Kenzie went wild. Her own fingers went to her clit, and she bucked desperately against his palm.

He couldn’t wait another minute. He scrambled to shove his trunks low enough to free his aching cock. He sprang free as she lifted, grabbed his dick, and positioned herself, sitting down on top of him. Kenzie’s head popped up, her eyes connected with his, and he lost his mind as she ground down on him. All this dominant display made it clear she wanted to set the pace. No doubt, she liked it fast and hard; he knew that, but he wanted it harder. In one swift move, he shifted their position. Ty flipped Kenzie around in the swallow water, tossing her toward the side of the pool to give him better leverage. He gripped her hips, sliding straight back inside. Half in the water, half out, he fucked her like a man possessed. This was all he’d wanted since he brought her there and he gave her no choice but to hang on as he pounded into her.

“Touch yourself now,” he growled, and she did. The effects were immediate. She called out his name and his orgasm shot free with such force it took seconds for his thighs to stop pumping until he finally fell forward, gasping for breath.

~~~

In less than a few hours, the paradise of this vacation would come to an end. Ty hated that thought so much. He walked the length of the patio, turning off the lights, shutting everything down. Kenzie was passed out on a recliner just a few feet away. His love had done him about a dozen times over the last four hours.

Maybe twelve meant three, but whatever. She’d given him so much good loving she’d exhausted herself a while ago, and he just hadn’t been in the mindset to let the night go. They had lain stretched out under the stars, talking about nothing really until she finally fell asleep in his arms.

“Come to bed, beautiful,” Ty whispered, patting her on the knee. When he saw her eyes open, he smiled down at her and reached for the towels still on the deck, tossing them on top of a table for his cleaning crew to gather later. He glanced around, making sure everything was in good order before looking back at Kenzie who was rising from the chair. He extended a hand to help her to her feet. “I kept you up too long. Come on.”

“We stay up later than this normally,” she said with a yawn, wrapping the towel that covered her around her body.

“Not on a school night,” he teased, guiding her toward the door to their bedroom.

“I’m gonna miss you tomorrow,” Kenzie said sweetly, breaking from his hold as they got inside and headed toward her closet.

“I already miss you.”

“Hang on, Ty. I have something for you,” she called out right as he entered the bathroom. “I found this when Julia and I were shopping.”

Kenzie came out of the closet, carrying a small sack. He pivoted on his heels, looking down at what she held in her hands and furrowed his brow as he reached out to take the package. This was what he’d seen sticking out of her purse when she’d gotten home from her shopping trip. Ty moved to the bed, taking a seat on the edge as he pulled out a small wrapped something… Kenzie’s shadow came over him.

“Be careful,” she said, reaching a hand down to help gently open the gift. Ty held a small, beautifully crafted acrylic painting of the wilderness. The scene was a landscape and something about it made him look a little closer before his gaze lifted, cutting up to hers.

“It looks like our mountain,” he said and started to say more but she stopped him, placing a hand on his shoulder. Her knee came up to the mattress, and he barely had time to scoot back before she was straddling his thighs.

“It’s of a different point in the Smoky Mountains, but it reminded me of us. I wanted you to have it.”

“Kenzie, it’s very special, thank…” She stopped him again, placing her fingers over his lips.

“You’re very special, Ty,” Kenzie started, but stopped and her brow wrinkled. “Ty…” Her palms went to his cheeks as her fingers grazed along his temple, sliding lower across his jaw. Her serious eyes scanned his face. “Ty…”

“What is it, baby?” Ty asked, not entirely sure why his heart began to beat a little harder. He placed the painting on the bed and both his hands went to her waist, holding her tight.

Frustration crossed her pretty face, and Kenzie sat back on her heels, staring intently at him until she finally dropped her hands to her sides.

“It can’t be that bad,” he said carefully as an internal dread began to build. They’d had an incredible last twenty-four hours. What could have possibly happened to make her so upset? Scratch that, he didn’t want to know. Fear coiled in his gut and he tightened his hold. He would never willingly let this woman go. What had he done to create this look on her face?