Free Love on a Dirt Road (The Roughneck Series Book 1) by Nicole Hart Page A

I put the key in my pocket.  I had butterflies in my stomach just thinking about it.
      Jase wrapped his arms around me and we just stood still for a few minutes. My mind was racing. It was official. He was mine, and I was his. My feelings for him were so intense. I knew what was happening. I knew just how deep I was falling. I also knew it was too soon to say it out loud.
      After Jase left, I drove straight home and crawled in bed. This feeling was so new. I missed him already. I had to keep reminding myself he was coming back. This was work, this was what he had to do. It's what we had to do. And if I had to suffer half of my life to have him with me the other half, then I was prepared to do that. Jase had assured me we could talk and text every day. I would hang on to that. If I couldn't hold him, at least I could hear his voice. I needed to toughen up, that was for sure. But for tonight, I would wallow in my self pity.
      As I was pouting on my bed, staring at the picture of Jase I snapped on my phone, I heard the front door open. I heard rustling in the kitchen and then a loud thud. Sam's purse hitting the ground. I knew that sound well. God only knew what she kept in that thing. Then my bedroom door opened and Sam flopped down on the bed.
      "Hey" She said quietly.
      "Hey" I almost mimicked.
      "You ok?" She asked.
      I let out an exaggerated exhale "Yeah I guess" And then I looked over at Sam. She had sadness in her eyes.
      "What's wrong?" I asked, instantly worried.
      "Nothing, why?" She said as she sat up.
      "Liar" I said and then it dawned on me. "You're sad because Moon left today." I knew her just as well as she knew me.
      "No I'm not" She said and then walked over to my door." I got us Mexican food and margaritas for dinner"
      "It's ok to miss him" I said to Sam as we walked into the kitchen.
      "Ugh" She groaned. "I don't wanna miss him Lainey." She admitted. "We have a deal. We just fuck, no feelings. And then I start feeling like a whiney little bitch every time he leaves."
      "Well then we can be whiney little bitches together" I said as I put my head on her shoulder.
      "I can handle that. But Moon can't know. So you can't tell Jase." She said as she pointed her fork in my direction.
      "Deal" I said and grabbed a plate.
      We spent the rest of the night watching Friends reruns and trying to avoid whining. We decided to take it easy on the margaritas since we both had to be up early for work. I had succeeded in keeping the tears at bay. I had Sam and Chandler Bing to thank for that.
    When I crawled in bed my phone started to ring. His beautiful face showed up on the screen.
      "Hello?" I said with a smile.
      "Hey beautiful." He said.
      "Hey! Are you still driving?" I asked
      "Yeah, I'm almost to the rig. I wanted to call you before I got on location."
      "Mmmm...I'm glad you did" I said as I snuggled up against my pillow.
      "Baby, I'm too far away for you to use your sexy voice" He said. All I could do was giggle.
    "Hey, how how's it going?" Jase said but I knew he wasn't talking to me. Then I heard a man’s voice in the background.
      "Hey Lainey, I gotta let you go. I'll call you when I get to my room."
      "Ok, be careful."
      "Ok. I'll talk to you soon. Bye"
      "Bye"
      I waited for a while for Jase to call back, but then felt myself sink into my bed. I was exhausted. The ding of a text message woke me up.
    Jase: Sorry, I didn't call you back. Hand didn't show, had to find a replacement.
      I had learned from conversations with Jase that "hand" meant one of his workers. I was getting better with the oilfield lingo.
    Me: It's ok. :)
    Jase: Were you sleeping?
    Me: Kinda. But I'm glad you texted me
    Jase: Do me a favor?
    Me: ?
    Jase: Send me a pic
    Me: Of me now? I'm in pjs and no makeup :/
    Jase: Sounds sexy. Please?
      So I did. I sent the best picture I could manage out of the ten that I took. I looked sleepy but it wasn't bad.
    Jase: Damn. I think that made it