isn’t the time to talk about it.”
He nodded. “When can we? I feel like I shouldn’t have told
you yet.”
She rubbed his arm. “How about I come over tomorrow morning
after Anna goes to school?”
“My morning is kinda busy. Perhaps after I finish things up
around here and get cleaned up I can come to your place. I’ll bring lunch.”
“Sounds good.”
He leaned close. “I won’t be able to hold back tomorrow. I
plan to kiss you again, sweetheart.”
Her stomach twisted in knots and the words, “And more,” slipped
from her lips.
* * * *
Braden entered his parents’ house for the usual Sunday lunch
together. The place was bustling with movement since Angie and Nathan were there.
In the kitchen, his mom and Lauren stood at the stove cooking, Angie sitting in
a chair.
“Hey!” Lauren set a wooden spoon down. “Where’s Courtney?”
“Uh. I wasn’t aware she was supposed to be here.”
His mom raised an eyebrow toward Lauren. “Yes, why would
she?”
Lauren turned quickly, grabbing the spoon. “No reason.”
His mother crossed her arms. “Did I miss something?”
Braden groaned, wishing that people in this family could
keep their mouths shut. “We’re seeing each other.”
“Who?” his mom asked.
“Courtney and me.”
She shook her head as she grabbed potholders. “I don’t like
it.”
“Why?” Angie asked with a worried expression.
“She’s not right for him.” His mom’s tone was cold.
“Do you not like her?” Angie pried more.
Braden couldn’t believe his mom wasn’t happy for him. She’d
been so pleased with both Nathan and Tucker’s girlfriends—now wives—why not
him?
“I don’t know her, so I can’t say I don’t like her. I just
think he could do better.”
He crossed his arms. “What’s wrong with her, Mom? She’s a
nice girl. Do you have an issue with her having a child?”
“What? No.” She pulled a roasted chicken from the oven.
“She’s older than you. And it’s not her having a child that I have an issue
with, but she’s busy. Owning a bar and being a single mom won’t leave her much
time. You deserve someone who has plenty of time for you.”
“Age is just a number.” He leaned against the doorframe.
“Maybe you should get to know her.”
“Maybe.” She didn’t make eye contact with him, instead
focused on preparing dinner.
“I’m gonna go find Tucker and Nathan.” He left the kitchen
in search of his brothers.
What he really wanted to do was punch something…anything, he
didn’t care. It pissed him off that he’d found someone he really liked and his
own mother wasn’t willing to give her a shot. Just another reason to make him feel
alienated from this family.
Hopefully, he could get this meal over with without anyone
bringing up his relationship. He wasn’t sure he could bite his tongue if his
mother had anything else negative to say.
* * * *
Courtney opened the front door and grinned at Braden. A
clean, soapy smell met her senses. “Hey. Come on in.”
He stepped inside, removed the white Stetson, and placed it
on her foyer table. She liked the hat there; it fit.
“Smells good in here,” he said.
“Thanks, I think. I’ve been doing laundry and a bit of
cleaning all morning.” She turned and led him into her living room. “Can I get
you something?”
“Just you.” He stepped close behind her, bringing her back
around to face him. “I plan to do exactly what I said.”
“What was that?”
“Let me jog your memory.”
His lips met hers, but she didn’t need her memory jogged.
She remembered what he’d said. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled
herself into him. Her knees weakened, but he gripped her waist tightly as his
tongue darted into her mouth, deepening the kiss.
Fuck, she wanted him bad. The idea of him naked and sweaty
caused her panties to get wet. She’d explore every inch of his body. Follow
each line from top to bottom, taking extra time below the belt.
She pulled
He nodded. “When can we? I feel like I shouldn’t have told
you yet.”
She rubbed his arm. “How about I come over tomorrow morning
after Anna goes to school?”
“My morning is kinda busy. Perhaps after I finish things up
around here and get cleaned up I can come to your place. I’ll bring lunch.”
“Sounds good.”
He leaned close. “I won’t be able to hold back tomorrow. I
plan to kiss you again, sweetheart.”
Her stomach twisted in knots and the words, “And more,” slipped
from her lips.
* * * *
Braden entered his parents’ house for the usual Sunday lunch
together. The place was bustling with movement since Angie and Nathan were there.
In the kitchen, his mom and Lauren stood at the stove cooking, Angie sitting in
a chair.
“Hey!” Lauren set a wooden spoon down. “Where’s Courtney?”
“Uh. I wasn’t aware she was supposed to be here.”
His mom raised an eyebrow toward Lauren. “Yes, why would
she?”
Lauren turned quickly, grabbing the spoon. “No reason.”
His mother crossed her arms. “Did I miss something?”
Braden groaned, wishing that people in this family could
keep their mouths shut. “We’re seeing each other.”
“Who?” his mom asked.
“Courtney and me.”
She shook her head as she grabbed potholders. “I don’t like
it.”
“Why?” Angie asked with a worried expression.
“She’s not right for him.” His mom’s tone was cold.
“Do you not like her?” Angie pried more.
Braden couldn’t believe his mom wasn’t happy for him. She’d
been so pleased with both Nathan and Tucker’s girlfriends—now wives—why not
him?
“I don’t know her, so I can’t say I don’t like her. I just
think he could do better.”
He crossed his arms. “What’s wrong with her, Mom? She’s a
nice girl. Do you have an issue with her having a child?”
“What? No.” She pulled a roasted chicken from the oven.
“She’s older than you. And it’s not her having a child that I have an issue
with, but she’s busy. Owning a bar and being a single mom won’t leave her much
time. You deserve someone who has plenty of time for you.”
“Age is just a number.” He leaned against the doorframe.
“Maybe you should get to know her.”
“Maybe.” She didn’t make eye contact with him, instead
focused on preparing dinner.
“I’m gonna go find Tucker and Nathan.” He left the kitchen
in search of his brothers.
What he really wanted to do was punch something…anything, he
didn’t care. It pissed him off that he’d found someone he really liked and his
own mother wasn’t willing to give her a shot. Just another reason to make him feel
alienated from this family.
Hopefully, he could get this meal over with without anyone
bringing up his relationship. He wasn’t sure he could bite his tongue if his
mother had anything else negative to say.
* * * *
Courtney opened the front door and grinned at Braden. A
clean, soapy smell met her senses. “Hey. Come on in.”
He stepped inside, removed the white Stetson, and placed it
on her foyer table. She liked the hat there; it fit.
“Smells good in here,” he said.
“Thanks, I think. I’ve been doing laundry and a bit of
cleaning all morning.” She turned and led him into her living room. “Can I get
you something?”
“Just you.” He stepped close behind her, bringing her back
around to face him. “I plan to do exactly what I said.”
“What was that?”
“Let me jog your memory.”
His lips met hers, but she didn’t need her memory jogged.
She remembered what he’d said. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled
herself into him. Her knees weakened, but he gripped her waist tightly as his
tongue darted into her mouth, deepening the kiss.
Fuck, she wanted him bad. The idea of him naked and sweaty
caused her panties to get wet. She’d explore every inch of his body. Follow
each line from top to bottom, taking extra time below the belt.
She pulled