Read Online Lone Star Valentine (McCabe Multiples) by CATHY GILLEN THACKER - Free Book Online
Authors: CATHY GILLEN THACKER
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everyone?
At least if they were completely honest?
Gannon favored her with a sexy half smile, seemingly glad the conversation had taken yet another personal detour. “Are you asking me if I’m currently seeing someone?” he teased.
Was she?
He glided treacherously close. “The answer is no. Not yet.”
She inhaled the brisk scent of his cologne, felt the warmth emanating from his body. Lily focused on the strong column of his throat. She splayed her hands across his chest and felt the steady beat of his heart beneath her fingertips. “Meaning there’s someone you want to go out with?” she ascertained, pushing the envelope even more.
He sifted his hands through her hair and kissed her temple. “Not there.” He looked at her steadily, as if putting it all on the line. “Here.”
He had no idea how good that sounded. How wonderful it felt to be this close to him. She drew in a breath.
“You’re being reckless again.” And, oh, so romantic. And though they were wildly attracted to each other, they remained all wrong for each other as anything but friends.
He knew that.
She knew that.
So why did she want him to pursue her again? Why did she want to wrap her arms around him and kiss him, really kiss him, so much?
Her doorbell rang.
“Saved. Again.” Gannon chuckled and stepped back. But not for long, Lily knew.
Regretfully, she went to answer the door.
This time it was Liz Cartwright-Anderson on the other side of the portal. Still clad in her vacation clothes, her blond hair piled in a messy knot on top of her head, she looked at Lily, her expression grim.
Whatever was going on, Lily knew it wasn’t good.
* * *
“B UT B ODE CAN ’ T do that,” Lily sputtered, after her family-law attorney had told her what was going on. “Lucas has never spent any time alone with his dad—ever—anywhere,” she continued, upset, glad she had asked Gannon to stay to provide additional counsel if needed. “To expect Lucas to go all the way to Bode’s home in Dallas and spend the night and half of tomorrow is just ludicrous! He’s only four years old, for heaven’s sake. He doesn’t even know his father!”
Gannon lounged against the foyer wall, hands shoved in the pockets of his jeans. “Has Lucas ever spent an overnight with anyone else?” he asked quietly.
“Well, yes. With my parents, and occasionally one of my sisters.”
He regarded her with a matter-of-factness that both disappointed and stung. “Then it won’t be an entirely new experience for him.”
“Whose side are you on?” Lily accused, not sure why she felt so betrayed, just knowing that she did.
“This is what you agreed to, after all, in the initial custody agreement.”
Afraid her knees would no longer support her, Lily sank down onto the sofa. “Only because I was trying to be reasonable and meet him halfway!”
Liz and Gannon exchanged skeptical glances. “And...?” Liz asked as she sat down in a wing chair opposite Lily.
Lily knew what she said was privileged—it would never leave the room. Doing her best to avoid Gannon’s lawyerly gaze, she admitted on a reluctant sigh, “I never expected Bode to actually exercise the right. Which he hasn’t, up to now.”
Liz handed over the paper copies of the demand letter sent via email. “Well, now he is. And he wants you to have his son at his Dallas home no later than six o’clock tonight.”
“And if I don’t?” Lily retorted stubbornly before she could stop herself. Although as a lawyer herself, she already knew the answer to that.
Liz confirmed her thoughts. “His attorneys have promised to alert the judge of the violation, and you’ll be held in contempt of court. And, with a change in custody arrangements already being requested, I would not advise you to do anything but follow the current custody agreement
to the letter
. Otherwise...” Her voice trailed off.
His dark brows knitting together, Gannon continued grimly, “They will most likely use your
At least if they were completely honest?
Gannon favored her with a sexy half smile, seemingly glad the conversation had taken yet another personal detour. “Are you asking me if I’m currently seeing someone?” he teased.
Was she?
He glided treacherously close. “The answer is no. Not yet.”
She inhaled the brisk scent of his cologne, felt the warmth emanating from his body. Lily focused on the strong column of his throat. She splayed her hands across his chest and felt the steady beat of his heart beneath her fingertips. “Meaning there’s someone you want to go out with?” she ascertained, pushing the envelope even more.
He sifted his hands through her hair and kissed her temple. “Not there.” He looked at her steadily, as if putting it all on the line. “Here.”
He had no idea how good that sounded. How wonderful it felt to be this close to him. She drew in a breath.
“You’re being reckless again.” And, oh, so romantic. And though they were wildly attracted to each other, they remained all wrong for each other as anything but friends.
He knew that.
She knew that.
So why did she want him to pursue her again? Why did she want to wrap her arms around him and kiss him, really kiss him, so much?
Her doorbell rang.
“Saved. Again.” Gannon chuckled and stepped back. But not for long, Lily knew.
Regretfully, she went to answer the door.
This time it was Liz Cartwright-Anderson on the other side of the portal. Still clad in her vacation clothes, her blond hair piled in a messy knot on top of her head, she looked at Lily, her expression grim.
Whatever was going on, Lily knew it wasn’t good.
* * *
“B UT B ODE CAN ’ T do that,” Lily sputtered, after her family-law attorney had told her what was going on. “Lucas has never spent any time alone with his dad—ever—anywhere,” she continued, upset, glad she had asked Gannon to stay to provide additional counsel if needed. “To expect Lucas to go all the way to Bode’s home in Dallas and spend the night and half of tomorrow is just ludicrous! He’s only four years old, for heaven’s sake. He doesn’t even know his father!”
Gannon lounged against the foyer wall, hands shoved in the pockets of his jeans. “Has Lucas ever spent an overnight with anyone else?” he asked quietly.
“Well, yes. With my parents, and occasionally one of my sisters.”
He regarded her with a matter-of-factness that both disappointed and stung. “Then it won’t be an entirely new experience for him.”
“Whose side are you on?” Lily accused, not sure why she felt so betrayed, just knowing that she did.
“This is what you agreed to, after all, in the initial custody agreement.”
Afraid her knees would no longer support her, Lily sank down onto the sofa. “Only because I was trying to be reasonable and meet him halfway!”
Liz and Gannon exchanged skeptical glances. “And...?” Liz asked as she sat down in a wing chair opposite Lily.
Lily knew what she said was privileged—it would never leave the room. Doing her best to avoid Gannon’s lawyerly gaze, she admitted on a reluctant sigh, “I never expected Bode to actually exercise the right. Which he hasn’t, up to now.”
Liz handed over the paper copies of the demand letter sent via email. “Well, now he is. And he wants you to have his son at his Dallas home no later than six o’clock tonight.”
“And if I don’t?” Lily retorted stubbornly before she could stop herself. Although as a lawyer herself, she already knew the answer to that.
Liz confirmed her thoughts. “His attorneys have promised to alert the judge of the violation, and you’ll be held in contempt of court. And, with a change in custody arrangements already being requested, I would not advise you to do anything but follow the current custody agreement
to the letter
. Otherwise...” Her voice trailed off.
His dark brows knitting together, Gannon continued grimly, “They will most likely use your
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