the first time. You tried
turning her into someone she wasn’t and look how that turned out.”
“Oh my God,” Cole said, stopping in his tracks. “That’s who
told you about…” He couldn’t say it, not to his own mother. “Andrea talked to
you about…”
His mother looked as mortified as he felt. “She confided in
me that things weren’t going well at home, and when I pressed, she told me she
couldn’t keep you satisfied in the bedroom. She said…” She started wringing her
hands as a blush crept up her neck. “You wanted things that she couldn’t give
you.”
He couldn’t believe his mother had lived with this knowledge
for all these years. He suspected she may have an inkling of what he was into.
As she said, Brant was a small town and people talked, but to know that
she knew was a tough pill to swallow. He loved his mother, and he always tried
to make her proud, but he had to live his own life, to do what made him happy.
“I just don’t want you to make the same mistake with
Charlene,” she said, quietly. “She’s just not into things like that. She’s a
good girl, a nice girl, and I know her family intends to see to it that she
stays that way.”
Cole scowled. “How the hell do you know what she’s into,
Mama? What happens between a man and a woman in the privacy of their bedroom is
no one’s business but their own.”
Ruth squared her shoulders and met her son’s glare. “I
happen to know that Charlene’s parents want you to keep your distance, son.
Paul is a kind, decent man.” She held her hand up. “That’s not to say that
you’re not, but…” She seemed distressed when she said, “Her parents think he’s
better suited to her, and I hate to say this, but I have to agree.”
Her words hurt more than he’d ever admit. His own mother was
turning on him? “I can’t believe you just said that.” He bit back his next
words when he heard little footsteps running down the stairs.
“Nana, look what I found…” Cassidy ran into the room with a
round loom, trailing a ball of yarn behind her. “Last time I was here, you said
you’d teach me how to use this.”
Ruth forced a smile for her granddaughter as she glanced at
her son out of the corner of her eye. “We’ll have plenty of time for that tomorrow.
Why don’t we finish these cookies tonight, okay?”
Cassidy shrugged. “Okay.” She looked up at her father and
frowned. “What’s wrong, Daddy? You look mad.”
Cole forced himself to smile. “No, sweetie, I’m not mad.” He
reached for her, picking her up and turning in a circle as he kissed her chubby
cheeks, one at a time. “You be a good girl for your nana, and I’ll call you in
the morning, okay? I love you.” He buried his face in her hair and inhaled her
sweet scent. He would do anything for his baby girl, and if it he had to bank
his own desires to give her the mother she needed, that’s what he would do.
Chapter Four
Charlene put the finishing touches on a pot roast when the
doorbell rang. She groaned, hoping it wasn’t Paul, intent on surprising her.
She’d told him she needed some time to herself this weekend and he promised to
keep his distance, but according to him, he wouldn’t be able to stop thinking
about her. Her life would be so much easier if only she felt the same way.
Her stomach lurched when she saw the familiar shadow through
the pane of glass in the front door. Cole . What the hell was he doing
here? She could pretend to be in the shower, but since he’d already seen her,
that wasn’t an option.
After pasting a smile on her face, she pulled the door open,
hoping to see Cassidy’s little face smiling up at her. If ever she’d needed a
chaperone to help her resist the allure of the man who kept her awake at night
with naughty fantasies about the night he almost made all of her dreams
come true, this would be the time. She was getting tired of pretending she
wasn’t attracted to him, that he was just the parent of
turning her into someone she wasn’t and look how that turned out.”
“Oh my God,” Cole said, stopping in his tracks. “That’s who
told you about…” He couldn’t say it, not to his own mother. “Andrea talked to
you about…”
His mother looked as mortified as he felt. “She confided in
me that things weren’t going well at home, and when I pressed, she told me she
couldn’t keep you satisfied in the bedroom. She said…” She started wringing her
hands as a blush crept up her neck. “You wanted things that she couldn’t give
you.”
He couldn’t believe his mother had lived with this knowledge
for all these years. He suspected she may have an inkling of what he was into.
As she said, Brant was a small town and people talked, but to know that
she knew was a tough pill to swallow. He loved his mother, and he always tried
to make her proud, but he had to live his own life, to do what made him happy.
“I just don’t want you to make the same mistake with
Charlene,” she said, quietly. “She’s just not into things like that. She’s a
good girl, a nice girl, and I know her family intends to see to it that she
stays that way.”
Cole scowled. “How the hell do you know what she’s into,
Mama? What happens between a man and a woman in the privacy of their bedroom is
no one’s business but their own.”
Ruth squared her shoulders and met her son’s glare. “I
happen to know that Charlene’s parents want you to keep your distance, son.
Paul is a kind, decent man.” She held her hand up. “That’s not to say that
you’re not, but…” She seemed distressed when she said, “Her parents think he’s
better suited to her, and I hate to say this, but I have to agree.”
Her words hurt more than he’d ever admit. His own mother was
turning on him? “I can’t believe you just said that.” He bit back his next
words when he heard little footsteps running down the stairs.
“Nana, look what I found…” Cassidy ran into the room with a
round loom, trailing a ball of yarn behind her. “Last time I was here, you said
you’d teach me how to use this.”
Ruth forced a smile for her granddaughter as she glanced at
her son out of the corner of her eye. “We’ll have plenty of time for that tomorrow.
Why don’t we finish these cookies tonight, okay?”
Cassidy shrugged. “Okay.” She looked up at her father and
frowned. “What’s wrong, Daddy? You look mad.”
Cole forced himself to smile. “No, sweetie, I’m not mad.” He
reached for her, picking her up and turning in a circle as he kissed her chubby
cheeks, one at a time. “You be a good girl for your nana, and I’ll call you in
the morning, okay? I love you.” He buried his face in her hair and inhaled her
sweet scent. He would do anything for his baby girl, and if it he had to bank
his own desires to give her the mother she needed, that’s what he would do.
Chapter Four
Charlene put the finishing touches on a pot roast when the
doorbell rang. She groaned, hoping it wasn’t Paul, intent on surprising her.
She’d told him she needed some time to herself this weekend and he promised to
keep his distance, but according to him, he wouldn’t be able to stop thinking
about her. Her life would be so much easier if only she felt the same way.
Her stomach lurched when she saw the familiar shadow through
the pane of glass in the front door. Cole . What the hell was he doing
here? She could pretend to be in the shower, but since he’d already seen her,
that wasn’t an option.
After pasting a smile on her face, she pulled the door open,
hoping to see Cassidy’s little face smiling up at her. If ever she’d needed a
chaperone to help her resist the allure of the man who kept her awake at night
with naughty fantasies about the night he almost made all of her dreams
come true, this would be the time. She was getting tired of pretending she
wasn’t attracted to him, that he was just the parent of
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