He was kind of freaking me out.

And, contradictorily, he was kind of not.

Either way, I couldn’t deal with this hungover.

“Stop talking, Tack.”

“I will when you assure me you took in what I said.”

“I took in what you said,” I replied quietly.

“Are you processing it?”

“I’m hungover, Tack.”

“You got the day to process it. You also got the day to get over that hangover. Tabby says she’s cookin’ tonight which means you’re on the back of my bike tonight and spendin’ the night at my place.”

My heart was pumping fast and my stomach was roiling.

“You’re talking about food again, Tack.”

“Pack a bag.”

“Okay.”

“No, I mean pack a bag.”

I blinked.

Then I asked, “Pardon?”

“You’re gonna be spendin’ lots of nights in my bed in the mountains, babe. Come equipped to do that. I’ll load the saddlebags on the bike.”

My mind was whirling.

“Tyra, did you hear me?”

“Saddlebags. Come equipped. Tabby making dinner. I heard.”

“Good.”

“Coffee, Tack.”

“Right.”

“And aspirin.”

“You got it, baby.”

He touched his mouth to mine and I concentrated on not hurling as he rolled and angled out of bed making it shift and sway in a way that was supremely nauseating. When he was out, I rolled to my side, shoving my hands under my cheek and concentrated on his fantastic body as he yanked on his jeans finding this helped you forget you were hungover, if only for seconds. Still, it worked.

What worked better was, once he had his jeans on, him turning to the bed, bending over, putting a hand into it, arm straight, other arm stretched to me so his hand could come to his jaw and his thumb could sweep the apple of my cheek.

Yes, during that maneuver, I totally forgot I was hungover.

Then he moved away and was at the door when he stopped and his eyes came to me.

At the look in them, I braced.

“You have no clue,” he whispered.

“No clue about what?” I whispered back.

“What you handed me last night.”

I took in a deep breath and asked softly, “What did I hand you, honey?”

“What’s lyin’ in that bed.”

That was when I stopped breathing.

“I claimed it,” he went on. “But last night you gave it to me. Gift’s given, no takin’ it back. You get that, Tyra?”

“I think so,” I whispered.

“Get that, baby, it’s important.”

I didn’t have it in me to do anything but nod.

He took in my nod. Then his eyes shifted down my body in the bed.

When they came back to my face, he said gently “Coffee and aspirin,” and he disappeared.

I rolled to my back, ignored my queasy stomach and fuzzy head and stared at the ceiling, replaying last night.

It was awesome, from start to finish. I was losing Lanie which sucked and I hoped she came back soon. But last night, I gained an entire posse and that felt good.

And knowing Tack didn’t mind having more kids, actually wanted them was way better.

Then I replayed that morning.

It was awesome too. Most definitely.

“Roller coasters aren’t so bad,” I whispered to the ceiling.

Then I smiled.

* * * * *

Five hours later, I was at Ulta buying stuff to take up to Tack’s when my phone rang in my purse. I yanked it out, looked at the display, grinned, took the call and put the phone to my ear.

“Hey honey,” I said softly, grabbing a bottle of my shampoo.

“Like that,” Tack’s gravelly voice came at me. Then he asked, “How you doin’?”

“Not great but better. I’m at Ulta getting supplies for your bathroom.”

“Good, baby,” he said softly in a way that communicated he liked that too then he carried on, “Be by around five.”

“Right.”

“Later, babe.”

“Tack?” I called quickly to catch him before he disconnected.

“Yeah?”

I looked at my shampoo bottle.

Then I said, “My shampoo bottle is bright orange.”

“Say again?”

“My shampoo bottle is bright orange.”

“Right. And you’re tellin’ me this because…?” he trailed off.

“Because I’ve been using this brand of shampoo for years and I never really noticed what color the bottle was. Not once.” I drew in breath. “Until you.”

Silence then a soft, very sweet, “Darlin’.”

“See you at five, honey.”

Again sweet, “Five, babe.”

“Later.”

“Later.”

We disconnected.

I reached and grabbed a bottle of conditioner.

Same style bottle as the shampoo but it was beige.

It was the lettering that was bright orange.

Chapter Twenty-One

Cool Whip

“Bye!” I shouted, standing outside Tack’s front door, Tack behind me, his arm tight around my chest and I was waving away Dog and Sheila, the last of Chaos to leave our impromptu Friday night party at Tack’s place.

Sheila, who I loved and who was on the back of Dog’s bike, shifted to lift her arm to wave back.

“Later!” I yelled as they made their way down Tack’s lane.

It was three weeks since I told Tack, drunk and turned on, that he colored my world and then confirmed it, hungover and with my wits about me, while standing in Ulta holding a shampoo bottle.

Three great weeks.

I didn’t screw up at work (much).

No one had been kidnapped.

Naomi had been laying low.

Lanie and Elliott were somewhere Tack assured me was safe and we still had our secure phones so I could talk to her.

After I sent my e-mail to Aunt Bette giving her the news that Tack and I worked it out, neither she nor Uncle Marsh lost their minds.

And Kane “Tack” Allen had proved he could handle me with care which further proved he was absolutely, without a doubt, my dream man.

Now it was now. I was at Tack’s. Tab and Rush were out, Tabby at a party and she was spending the night with a girlfriend. Rush was on a date which was a double feature at the drive-in and he wouldn’t be home until late.