One night can leave a trail a decade long. Red, Hot & Blue, Book 5 Ten years ago, a wicked curve ball and a scout for the major leagues gave Cole Ryan his big break. Before he set foot on the bus to training camp, Lizzie Barton gave him everything…then inexplicably broke his heart. Now he’s back in Pigeon Hollow with a bum arm and a cancelled contract. Lizzie is still there, still keeping her secrets. Still haunting his dreams. To make sure Cole would have the future he wanted, Lizzie kept her crush on her older brother’s best friend to herself. But in this small town, there was no hiding the results of her one and only night in his arms. With Cole away playing ball, it was easy to pretend he would never know. But now that he’s back it’s only a matter of time. Right about the time Cole figures out what he left behind, cameras for a reality TV show arrive to film Lizzie’s brother. And suddenly Cole is scrambling to keep the spotlight out of his and Lizzie’s private life…and to convince her they can still make both their dreams come true. This book has been previously published and has been revised from its original release. Warning: Contains love that conquers a decade of sitting on the bench…and one night of sex that resulted in a big change in two lovers’ lifetime stats.
eBooks are not transferable. They cannot be sold, shared or given away as it is an infringement on the copyright of this work. This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental. Samhain Publishing, Ltd. 11821 Mason Montgomery Road Suite 4B Cincinnati OH 45249 Cole Copyright © 2011 by Cat Johnson ISBN: 978-1-60928-641-5 Edited by Heidi Moore Cover by Angela Waters All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. First Samhain Publishing, Ltd. electronic publication: December 2011 www.samhainpublishing.com
Cole Cat Johnson
Dedication
For my readers.
Chapter One
Ten Years Ago The edge of the hard wooden bench made Lizzie Barton’s butt go numb, but it didn’t matter. She wouldn’t have missed this game for the world. It was the last one of the season and the last one of her senior year in high school. Of course, it would have been an even better game if Cole Ryan was still in town. Just the thought of him sent her heart racing. As she sat the batter swung hard and missed. The pitch had been high and inside. If he’d only let it go without swinging it would have been called a ball instead of a strike. However, Jared Gordon was never one to give in on anything, even a bad pitch. She shook her head. Typical Gordon behavior. Cute, stubborn and definite heartbreakers—that described all three Gordon brothers—Jared, Jack and Jimmy. Even Mary Sue, Lizzie’s sister, had enjoyed a few steamy dates with Jack Gordon once upon a time. That was before Jack had followed his older brother Jimmy into the service. Lizzie didn’t blame the brothers one bit for wanting to get away from Pigeon Hollow. As far as small towns went, this one was among the smallest. A person could suffocate around here. Jared finally connected with a pitch. She jumped to her feet when it sailed into the outfield, right over the head of the center fielder. Clapping, Lizzie cheered along with the home-team crowd as the players on the loaded bases ran home. With a wide, triumphant grin, Jared rounded the bases and brought up the rear of his grand slam. He was a cutie all right, often the discussion of girl
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talk in school. Too bad Lizzie felt about as romantic toward him as she did about her older brother, Bobby. Sadly there wasn’t a single boy in this town who made Lizzie’s heart go pitter pat since Cole had left for college two years ago. He’d gotten a baseball scholarship, left town and hadn’t looked back. Not that it mattered. That little crush was totally one-sided on her part. He was a friend of Bobby’s. What guy would want to date his friend’s little sister? She firmly told herself Cole steered clear of her out of respect for Bobby. It was easier to think that than admit he just hadn’t been attracted to her. She was younger than him, and back before he’d left she’d had a mouthful of braces, baby fat and no boobs to speak of. But this year was a whole new ballgame for her. The braces were off and Lizzie had finally outgrown her tendency to be chubby, helped along when she’d joined the school’s track team. Not to mention she’d finally rebelled against her mother’s constant insistence that she “pull that hair back off her face”. Now, scowls from her mother or not, she wore it long and sexy, like a woman should. College was out for the summer and Cole should be coming home soon. More importantly, today was Lizzie’s eighteenth birthday. Now she was a legal, brace-free adult. She was old enough to vote and she was old enough to do whatever she wanted with Cole Ryan. All she knew was Bobby better not get in the way if he knew what was good for him. The bench beneath Lizzie bounced as Savannah Jordan, Anna for short, plopped down in the empty space next to her. “Why are you looking so angry?” If Anna saw it, Lizzie must have been frowning pretty badly while thinking about how she’d kill Bobby if he got in between her and Cole. Lizzie’s best friend rarely noticed anything besides guys. “I’m not angry. It, uh, must be the glare from the sun.”
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“That’s why I wear sunglasses. Frowning gives you wrinkles.” Anna reinforced her statement by sliding the glasses farther up her nose. “So, what’d I miss?” Lizzie hadn’t seen her own sunglasses in a few weeks, not that she’d bothered looking for them too hard. Besides, she wasn’t sure frowning gave a person wrinkles anyway. “You just missed Jared hitting a grand slam.” “Darn. I love watching his cute little buns run around the bases. I knew I shouldn’t have been late.” Anna pivoted her head, searching the field for Jared’s butt. Unfortunately for her, he had already high-fived the entire team and was back and sitting on the team bench, hiding the particular part of his anatomy Anna was looking for. “Why are you so late? When I talked to you on the phone, you said you were on your way.” Lizzie turned her attention back to her friend. “Well, maybe you’ll forgive me, Miss Punctuality, when I tell you why. I stopped to get gas on my way here and guess who was there?” Lizzie’s eyes opened wide. The Ryan family, as in Cole Ryan, owned the local gas station. She swallowed and tried not to let Anna see how excited she was. Better to keep her intentions for this summer secret just in case she was being delusional about the possibility of Cole being interested in her now that she looked more like a woman than a child. “Hmm, let me guess who…Cole?” “Yup, and he’s looking hot.” Anna made the one syllable word into more like two or three. “Did you talk to him?” As usual, Lizzie was envious of Anna. The girl had never gone through an awkward stage. Her hair and teeth and body seemed to have been perfect since the day she’d been born. Typical cheerleader. Slim in all
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the right places, but curvy where she was supposed to be. And now, on top of it all, Anna had gotten to see Cole before Lizzie. “What do you think? Of course I talked to him. I’m not crazy. You wanna know what he told me?” Lizzie couldn’t even imagine what Cole could have told Anna. It was killing her not to know, but she wasn’t about to let Anna know that. Jealousy reared its ugly head at the thought of Cole telling Anna anything. “I bet you’re going to tell me.” Lizzie inwardly cringed when she heard the bitterness come across clearly in her tone. Anna let out a burst of air. “Maybe I won’t tell you. What are you, PMSing or something?” “No. I’m just not in the mood for intrigue.” Lizzie waited as long as she could stand it then turned back to Anna. “So are you going to tell me or not?” “Oh, so now you’re interested?” One auburn brow rose high above the rim of Anna’s glasses. Lizzie shrugged. “I don’t care either way.” This pretending she wasn’t interested in Cole was harder than she thought it would be. Luckily for Lizzie, she knew Anna would never be able to keep anything worth telling quiet for very long. It would come out eventually, if Lizzie didn’t die first from the anxiety of waiting. “He’s dropping out of college,” Anna finally announced. She delivered that piece of information like it was the best news in the world. “What?” Lizzie nearly choked. “Is he crazy? He’s on a full-ride scholarship for baseball to one of the best colleges in the country and he’s dropping out? Why?” Anna smiled, as if enjoying she had details about Cole’s life that no one else had. Why was Lizzie best friends with Anna again?
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“He got picked up by a minor league team. He’s going to play pro-ball starting this summer. He only came home to visit his parents before starting training.” Amazed, Lizzie tried to absorb it all. A career with a big team. Cole had just gone from an old school friend of her brother’s home from college for the summer, to an adult with an actual career far away from this small town. Now he was so far out of her reach she could barely comprehend it. “Jeez. Wow. I guess that’s good.” Anna turned her gaze from the boys on the field to Lizzie. “Why don’t you sound happy for him?” Her tone was accusing. “I’m happy.” The lie came out sounding awkward. Of course she was happy for him, but this meant him moving away for good. She guessed it would have happened eventually, but she wasn’t ready for it to happen so soon. “I just think he should probably get an education first. You know, to fall back on just in case anything happens. Professional athletes get injured or dumped by their teams all the time.” Anna, Miss Live-for-the-Moment, shook her head. “You’re crazy. Chances like this don’t come along every day.” “Neither do full-ride scholarships.” Lizzie countered Anna’s logic with some of her own. “You only think college is so important because you’re a geek.” Anna didn’t even look at Lizzie while delivering that insult. She was too busy scanning the field of guys. Lizzie frowned. “I am not.” “Uh, yeah you are.” Finally, Anna turned to face her. “You got into your first choice with an academic scholarship.”
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Lizzie had worked hard to make that happen, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have a life too. Though studying every night instead of going out and taking on a heavy course load of college prep classes did impinge upon her social life. Anna was right. She was a geek, but Lizzie would rather eat dirt from the pitcher’s mound than admit that to Anna. Anna continued, undaunted. “The rest of us normal people don’t think that going to college is everything in the world, but whatever. So, what do you want to do for your birthday tonight?” It was pretty mind-boggling how Anna could go directly from being rude to her to making plans to celebrate Lizzie’s birthday. Which brought up what Lizzie had been thinking about a lot lately. What to do for her birthday? The drive-in theater was about the only entertainment around Pigeon Hollow besides the bowling alley. Although, given the choice between being the third wheel at the drive-in with Anna and her current boyfriend while they made out or going bowling, she probably should choose bowling. Neither seemed good enough to celebrate her eighteenth birthday. Her parents were throwing her a family party the next day, but for tonight, she kind of wanted to do something memorable. Anna jumped in and interrupted Lizzie’s dilemma. “You know what we can do? I almost forgot about it in all the excitement over Cole’s news, but I heard there’s a party in the woods. Some of guys home from college got a beer keg and everything.” “The sheriff always catches kids partying there.” Lizzie frowned. She wasn’t much of a beer drinker, but then again, Cole might be there if other college kids were. “Yeah, I know. I’m so not in the mood to be lectured by the sheriff again. I can’t wait for your brother to officially become a deputy so we’ll be exempt.”
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“Exempt?” Lizzie laughed. “Yeah, right. He’ll only be twice as hard on me as he is on everyone else in town.” Anna nodded. “Yeah, you’re probably right about that. But anyway, the party is going to be way off in the woods so the sheriff won’t find it.” Lizzie thought that was doubtful, but since it was a better idea than any of the other options, she agreed. “All right. What time you wanna go?” Enjoying the wind in his hair, Cole Ryan steered the convertible probably too fast around a sharp curve. Even though it was a few years old and used, the car was new to him, a gift from his father for getting picked up by a minor league team. Cole might be starting out in the minors, but he could feel it in his gut he’d be playing in the big leagues soon. Then he’d be buying his parents brand-new cars as gifts, instead of them driving the used ones they bought broken and fixed up at the service station. Maybe he could even talk his father into selling the business and retiring. The stars shone brightly in the dark sky as Cole edged closer to the woods that bordered the river on his way to some keg party. The deal was that everyone attending this secret gathering—that every kid in town seemed to know about— was to park far away and walk in. That was so the sheriff wouldn’t find them. Cole hated to leave his car like that, but he had no choice. He reluctantly parked on a dirt road beneath a tree and put up the roof. Cole locked the door and pocketed his keys. He heard sounds of a party all the way from where he was parked. Yeah, this plan to avoid the sheriff was going to work real well. Following the noises, he began to walk. As he got closer, Cole realized he was actually looking forward to this party, in spite of the likelihood of it getting
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broken up early. He couldn’t wait to tell some of the guys he’d graduated with the good news. Although, Pigeon Hollow was so small and everyone was in everyone else’s business, he was pretty sure there was no one left in town to tell. Even so, he would enjoy having a few beers and relaxing with some friends before he went off to start the career that awaited him. He smelled the bonfire before he saw it. Thinking that starting a fire was not only a hazard, but also a good way to lead the sheriff right to them, he stumbled out of the trees and into a clearing. The moment the group of guys circling the keg saw him, a cheer rose. Smiling, he ambled over. A beer cup was thrust at Cole and the group took turns shaking his hand and congratulating him. “Hey, Cole.” One of the guys bumped Cole’s fist with his own. “You should have been at the game today. Jared here hit a grand slam. Maybe he’ll be joining you in the majors one day.” “Sounds good.” Cole slapped Jared on the back. “I wouldn’t mind another local boy there in the city with me.” Jared shook his head. “Nope, big-city life’s not for me. I’m staying right here. But it was nice to rub it in the other team’s faces today that Pigeon Hollow doesn’t lose to anybody.” Another cheer rose and Cole shook his head and laughed. He better drink his fill fast, because as noisy as these guys were, this secret party was on borrowed time already. Cole scanned the clearing and noticed that scattered amid the guys were a few girls milling around. Among them, tucked off in a corner looking embarrassed while holding a cup but not drinking, was Bobby Barton’s little sister, Lizzie. Only she didn’t look like she used to. Somehow since he’d been away she’d absolutely blossomed. Her dark hair was still long and wavy, but it
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wasn’t in pigtails anymore. She still wore the T-shirts and denim mini-skirts he was used to seeing her in, but boy-oh-boy, she really filled them out nicely now. She’d always been a good kid—kind, smart, sweet, but that was it. She’d been a kid. Now… Wow. A wave of guilt hit him. If Bobby ever saw him looking at Lizzie like this he’d slug him. Cole took a closer look around the clearing and realized that although Lizzie was here, Bobby wasn’t. Cole poked the guy closest to him. “Hey, where’s Bobby at?” “He’s always busy now. He’s been working at the grocery store and taking classes at the community college. Getting a degree in criminal justice or something so he can join the sheriff’s department.” Cole nearly choked on his beer. “Really? The sheriff’s department? Wow.” He felt guilty he’d lost touch with his best friend from high school while away at college. It wasn’t intentional. It was just tough playing ball in college while trying to keep up with classes. Weeks had turned into months, and before he knew it the whole school year had flown by. He glanced at Lizzie again. Even as a child she’d always had the trademark Barton dark hair and brilliant blue eyes that made all three distinguishable as siblings. Now, Lizzie had the body of a woman too. What a change from the little rug rat who used to trail along behind him and Bobby for as long as he could remember. Smiling at the memory, Cole started to work his way over to her. Hell, it couldn’t hurt to say hi and ask about Bobby. When he reached her side she smiled up at him—right as all hell broke loose. Spotlights flashed on, making the clearing bright as day. The sheriff and two deputies strode out of the trees, yelling for everyone to stay right where they were. Cole didn’t think twice. After flinging both his and Lizzie’s beer cups into the bushes, he grabbed her and pulled her into the shelter of the trees.
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They ran, Cole leading Lizzie by the hand as he tried to avoid tripping over stumps and getting whipped in the face by branches. When they’d managed to get a good distance away from the clearing, he stopped and listened for anyone who might be pursuing them. The only sounds he heard were Lizzie breathing and his own pulse pounding. “I don’t think they saw us leave.” He barely saw her nod in the dim moonlight filtering through the pines. “Thank you for getting me out of there. I can’t tell you how much trouble I would’ve been in if my parents or even worse, Bobby, had to bail me out of jail. And on my birthday too.” “Happy birthday. How old are you?” Cole tried to remember if she’d been two or three years behind him and Bobby in school. “Eighteen.” Wow. Could she be that old already? He figured she could be and decided he was happy about it. Cole turned fully toward her and grabbed both her hands in his. “Your eighteenth birthday is important. We can’t have it ruined by the sheriff. Come on. My car is parked not far from here. We’ll celebrate, the two of us.” “I’d like that.” She smiled and then hesitated. “But…” “But what?” He gave her hands a little squeeze. “I’m worried about Anna. She was at the party with me.” Anna and Lizzie were still friends? That was a surprise. He’d never seen two more different people. “Savannah Jordan? I wouldn’t worry about her if I were you. She can definitely take care of herself. Besides, if we go back to look for her, chances are we’ll get caught.” Cole seriously doubted Anna was worrying about where
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Lizzie was. From what he knew of her, Anna was probably off sucking face with some boy in the woods by now. “You’re right.” Lizzie sounded reluctant but nodded, glancing behind them nervously. “We should go.” “Come on.” Still clutching her small hand in his, he blazed a path through the moonlit woods to the road where he’d left his new gift. He’d loved the car before, but he was even happier now that he had his convertible to impress Lizzie Barton with.
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Chapter Two
Lizzie worked hard to slow her breathing as she sat next to the guy she’d had a crush on for as long as she could remember. The one she never ever thought would look at her as anything other than Bobby’s little sister. Of all the ways she’d imagined her birthday, this particular scenario had never occurred to her. She said a silent prayer of thanks that the sheriff had raided the party. That twist of fate had led her to where she was now, sitting next to Cole at the drive-in movie theater in his new car. She tried not to hyperventilate as he laid one arm along the back of her seat, then let his fingers trail onto her shoulder. It was a classic, timeless come-on move. She’d seen it in old movies. Before long, as she expected, his hand strayed down and ran up and down her arm. She’d been afraid to hope that anything like this would happen with Cole. There was no doubt now though, something was happening between them. When they’d arrived, he’d put the convertible’s top up and parked way off to the side by the trees. She was pretty sure he did that because he was planning to make a move on her during the movie and he wanted the privacy. Lizzie snuck a look at him. It had been so long since she’d seen him. His sandy hair and golden brown eyes. His crooked smile and strong chin. She needed to remind herself not only how gorgeous he was, but that he was really here with her. She found he was looking at her too. He smiled. She blushed, embarrassed by the unexpected attention. “What?”
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Cole shook his head. “Nothing. It’s just, you’ve really grown up.” Steeling her nerves, she went for it. Lizzie sat straighter in her seat and leaned close to him. “Yes, I have.” She’d purposely made her voice sound sultry and suggestive, and hopefully mature. He definitely got the message. Cole’s eyes went wide. Perhaps she’d been too aggressive. She hadn’t meant to frighten him off. Feeling a bit dejected, not to mention rejected, she started to back away from him, but he laid a hand on the back of her neck. As Cole leaned in, he pulled forward until their lips met. Her eyes closed at the contact. She practically saw fireworks against her eyelids from his kiss. She raised her hands out of her lap, wanting to touch him. Unsure exactly what to do with them, she rested them lightly on his chest and felt the hard muscles beneath his shirt. Cole tilted his head. Taking the kiss deeper, he pushed his tongue between her lips and into her mouth. Lizzie had played spin the bottle once or twice, but those had been barely pecks compared to this heavy-duty kiss. Following Cole’s lead, she leaned in closer and let his tongue explore her mouth. Never had she imagined actually French-kissing Cole Ryan, but here she was. He brought one hand up to her breast and caressed her through her T-shirt. She’d let him touch all he wanted. Her heart pounded harder as he slipped his hand under her shirt and she felt him skin on skin. Cole kept exploring until he slipped his finger beneath her bra. He found her nipple and rolled it between his thumb and forefinger. She moaned as the sensation shot through her, all the way to parts Cole hadn’t even touched yet but where she really hoped he would. Her lips felt swollen from all the kissing, but she wasn’t ready or willing to stop. Especially not when Cole’s touch strayed down to her leg. He ran his hand
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over her bare skin. She held her breath as he inched his way up under her skirt. Then his hand was between her thighs. She’d been in love with Cole since she was a little girl. And now that she was legally a woman and he was actually showing an interest in her, she was finally going to do what she’d always dreamed of. Lizzie spread her legs. With more room to explore, Cole slid one finger over the fabric of her panties. Her heart thundered fast and loud. She was afraid he would feel it. If he did, he didn’t comment, but he did kiss her harder. She was breathing heavier, partly with anticipation and a little bit with fear, when he explored further. Thank goodness Cole had stopped kissing her mouth and had moved on to her throat or she wouldn’t have been able to breathe at all. He stroked a part of her through her underwear that felt so good she could totally ignore the common sense telling her they should stop. To heck with stopping, she wanted more. Trembling, heart pounding, Lizzie did the boldest thing she’d ever done, she reached down and pulled off her panties. Cole’s eyes narrowed as he watched that action. He drew in a deep, shaky breath and then leaned in again. His tongue plunged into her mouth as he pushed his finger inside her, causing sensations she’d never experienced before. She angled her hips and his finger slid deeper. A small sound escaped her throat. Cole echoed it with one of his own. His thumb strummed a spot that had her lifting off the seat seeking more. His movement quickened along with her gasps until she was shaking all over. His kiss became frenzied. He pushed another finger inside her and moved them both in and out. She lifted her hips higher and drew him in deeper. He plunged inside her faster and she realized this would be what it would feel like to make love with Cole. To have him inside her. She wanted that.
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He stopped. She opened her eyes to see why and found him struggling with his belt buckle in the dark of the car. Lizzie swallowed. It was really going to happen. The big It, with a capital I, and she wanted it to. Anna had done it long ago. Besides, she loved Cole. She always had. The first time should be with someone you loved. That’s what everybody said. She watched as he slid his seat all the way back and then unbuttoned and unzipped the fly of his jeans. Cole wore boxer shorts, which answered one of her life-long burning questions about him. That thought fled as he pushed the elastic waistband of his underwear down and she saw in the dim light that part of him. He was breathing heavily as he took her hand and placed it gently on his…she couldn’t even think what to call that part of him. Every word she knew was too ugly to describe it. Gathering enough nerve, she stroked him, amazed at how something could be so hard and feel so soft and silky at the same time. Touching the tip, she found it was wet and slippery. She touched there again and slid her finger over the slit in the top. A tremor ran through him. She glanced at Cole’s face and watched his eyes close as she stroked him. He blindly reached out and grabbed for her. He pulled her over so she was sitting in his lap. She reached down again, touching him as he touched her. He plunged his fingers inside her and set a steady rhythm. She trembled, breathing uncontrollably. His hand withdrew and she felt him holding her hips. Opening her eyes, she discovered he was watching her. Cole wet his fingers and reached between her legs again. She felt how slick they were as he circled her entrance, then he was moving her body over his hard length.
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He kissed her again, plunging his tongue in and out of her mouth. At the same time he stroked the tip of himself over the sensitive spot he’d already made quiver with his fingers. The wide head stroked her tender flesh until she was trembling and wanting more. Cole’s breath was coming in rapid gasps. So was hers. He moved faster, rubbing against her harder, then the tip of him slipped inside. Lizzie’s breath caught in her throat. He stilled, his gaze meeting hers. There was such desire in his expression, desire for her, she wanted nothing more than to give Cole everything she had. How many nights had she lain in bed imagining this until her insides ached? And now he was here, with her, and she wanted him. Wanted this. Lizzie pressed down, pushing Cole deeper inside her. His body shook as he slid inside. It was a tight fit, but her body weight forced him past any resistance. He drew in a stuttering breath. His lids drifted lower over his eyes, giving him an almost dreamy expression. Cole squeezed her hips tighter and pushed her down until her body completely covered his. She felt stretched, completely filled by Cole. His gaze never leaving her face, Cole started to move inside her. He thrust up while pressing her down, slipping in and out of her with more ease than she’d imagined possible given how tight it had been in the beginning. He set a slow pace that started to speed as sounds of pleasure rumbled from within his chest with each stroke. “Lizzie?” He gasped out her name without slowing. Her heart leapt. When she’d dreamed of this moment, she’d pictured herself gazing into Cole’s eyes and he into hers. Then he would tell her he loved her. Maybe, just maybe…
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“Yes, Cole?” “Are you on birth control pills?” Lizzie’s heart fell all the way down to the pit of her stomach. “No.” “That’s fine. I’ll pull out.” She didn’t have time to wallow in her disappointment as he pounded into her a half a dozen more times and then yanked her off him. As he shuddered beneath her, she felt short bursts of liquid warmth hit her thigh. Then it was over. There had been no “I love you”. No cuddling afterward the way there was in the movies. He felt in the center console and cursed. “Can you reach the napkins?” She looked where he pointed toward the floor on the passenger side where she’d put the empty popcorn bucket and napkins from the concession stand. “Sure.” Lizzie made her way back to her seat, trying not to make a mess as she did. She felt wetness creeping down her leg. She handed one napkin to Cole and kept one for herself. Glancing over she saw Cole wipe himself off before he refastened his jeans. On her side of the car, she mopped at the stickiness on her leg and tried to see where her underwear had gone. Up on the movie screen the closing credits rolled. Around them the night was filled with the sound of ignitions starting. Headlights flipped on and cars began to move out of the lot. That’s it. Her first time was over. She glanced at Cole again. He was buckling his seatbelt. She pulled on her underwear and tugged her skirt back down over her thighs. She strapped herself in just as Cole started the car and pulled out of their parking space. They reached her parents’ house, which was dark except for the porch light they’d left on. Cole pulled the car to a stop along the curb and cut the engine. He turned toward her. “So.”
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“So…” She had no idea what to say. Cole reached over and took her hand in his. “I had a really good time tonight.” That one statement made her feel infinitely better. “Me too. Um, maybe tomorrow, if you aren’t busy, you could come over?” That sounded so presumptuous she added, “I know Bobby will really want to see you and we’re having a barbecue for my birthday.” He cringed. “Ah, Lizzie, I wish I could—” “That’s okay. Really. I only asked because I know you love my father’s barbecue ribs.” “I do and I’d love to come, but I’m leaving tomorrow.” Her stomach twisted. “You just got home.” “I know. My new coach called. He wants me at training camp right away. I probably shouldn’t have even taken the time to come home, but when Dad told me about the car waiting for me I had to.” “Oh.” Lizzie swallowed the bitter taste in her throat. “I’m really glad I did come home, and not because of the car either.” Cole squeezed her hands, then pulled her toward him. Leaning closer in the middle, Cole pressed his lips to hers. His hands tangled in her hair as he tilted his head and took the kiss deeper. He drew in a ragged breath and pulled back. “If I don’t stop now I’m going to be inside you again right in front of your house, which I think would be a really bad idea.” She didn’t think so. Anything to keep him around a little longer before he left for his big baseball career and she never saw him again. “Lizzie, after I get settled, do you think your parents would let you come visit me? Maybe with Bobby if they won’t let you come alone.” “You really want me to visit you?” Her pulse raced.
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“Oh yeah.” Cole ran a finger down her face. “Can I call you?” “Of course.” She nodded. He smiled. “Good. I’d like that.” Cole moved closer and his mouth was on hers again. This time she grabbed his head and parted his lips with her tongue. Groaning, he didn’t fight her. Rather, he slid his hands up beneath her shirt, warming her skin with his touch. She thought about him leaving again and a sob escaped her. She broke the kiss. “Why did this have to happen when you’re leaving so soon?” “It’s okay. You’ll visit. We’ll talk on the phone. I’ll have email so we can write every day. Maybe I can get home whenever we have a break. It’s not that far. And now I have something to come home for.” His smile stopped her tears. “And maybe—” Lizzie swallowed hard and gathered her nerve, “—I could go and get birth control pills.” He smiled and stroked her cheek. “You’d do that?” She nodded. “That would be amazing. After feeling you, just you, it would suck to have to use a condom next time.” Next time. Lizzie liked the sound of that. Cole laughed and glanced down. “Look what you did to me.” She saw the bulge through his jeans and, feeling bold, she ran a finger over it. “I love that I do that to you.” “Yeah, I kinda do too.” He smiled and covered her hand with his. “I better go before Bobby or your father comes out here looking for you.” “Okay.” She hated the thought of saying goodbye. He leaned his head against the seat and stared into her eyes. “Happy Birthday, Lizzie. I’m really glad I got to be here for it.” “Me too.” More than he could know.
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Chapter Three
Present Day The knot in Cole’s stomach grew tighter the closer he neared Pigeon Hollow. He honestly never thought he’d be back here. Sure, maybe for a visit, but not to live. But his rotator-cuff injury had seen to it that he was back for good. Nothing like losing twenty percent of the range of motion in your pitching arm to end a major league ballplayer’s career. He shook his head. Perhaps if he had admitted to the pain earlier on, gotten the surgery sooner, it would have been more successful and he could have gotten back to one hundred percent. Hindsight was twenty-twenty, and he’d beaten himself up about it every day since the doctor and the physical therapist both told him this was as good as it was going to get. And then the team had released him from his contract. So here he was driving back to his parents’ house and the town he’d left behind in the same old convertible he’d left in ten years before. He’d been sentimental and kept the car so long that it had gone from just plain old to classic. As it turned out, it was a good thing he hadn’t blown all of his savings on overpriced sports cars, because the million dollar contracts were gone, along with his career. He laughed bitterly at the reason why he’d kept the car. It was still hard to admit to himself it was because this car was where he’d made love to Lizzie.
Cat Johnson
Lizzie, his sweet little girlfriend who had written him literally daily for about a month, then wrote him her last and final email saying goodbye. Broken up with over email. Real sweet. Not taking that rejection real well, he’d gone out and gotten stinking drunk. Then he’d called her house in the middle of the night and demanded to know why she’d broken up with him. He badgered her until she was hysterical and Bobby had taken the phone away from her and hung up on him. Cole had vowed then and there, while holding the handset of the payphone attached to the wall in the back of the bar, to forget about Lizzie Barton. Besides, women were constantly throwing themselves at ballplayers. He’d been fending them off well when he’d assumed he and Lizzie were a couple. That they had a future together. Once she’d squashed that idea, he’d given in to the temptation. The next time a girl had thrown herself at him, he’d taken her up on her offer. That hadn’t worked out so well. The entire time he’d pounded himself into the stranger, he’d pictured Lizzie. Afterwards he’d gotten a cab home. Once alone he’d cried like a baby, vomited all over the bathroom and then passed out in his clothes. There’d been women over the years, but nothing too serious. He’d thought he’d succeeded in getting Lizzie out of his mind. He’d been dead wrong on that. Ten years later, coming home to the town full of memories of her, he’d thought of nothing else but Lizzie the whole drive. Well, maybe that wasn’t entirely true. Something else had crossed his mind. As the Welcome to Pigeon Hollow sign came into view, he did have one other thought besides Lizzie, and that was the realization that although he’d left this town a star, he was returning a big old loser.
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Lizzie sat on the hard wooden bench and squinted into the sun, trying to distinguish the players on the field. The expected crowd was here, mostly parents cheering their kids on. In front of her were those one or two fathers who insisted on standing along the sidelines yelling advice to the players even though it often contradicted that of the coaches. The usual twinge of guilt twisted in Lizzie’s gut that her son, Mikey, didn’t have a father here for him. But then Lizzie reminded herself, as she so often did, who was cheering for Mikey. He had his Uncle Bobby and his Grandma and Grandpa Barton and of course his mother, who loved him enough for two parents. So all in all, Mikey was probably the luckiest kid on the team. She watched him step off the pitcher’s mound, take off his cap and wipe the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. The sun-bleached blond highlights of his hair glinted in the sun. She laughed to herself. Everyone with Barton blood had dark hair and blue eyes, except Mikey. Instead, he looked just like his father, with his hair the color of wheat and golden brown eyes. Didn’t that just figure? It always amazed her that the town hadn’t figured out who his father was just by looking at him. The resemblance was so obvious to her. But no one had guessed, so maybe it was her imagination. Of course, why should they suspect it was Cole Ryan? She’d never breathed a word of that one night to a soul, or even told anyone that she was emailing him every day when he’d first gone away. What they had together had been so precious to her, she hadn’t wanted to share it with anyone, not even Anna. As it turned out, it had been a good thing she hadn’t. Eventually, Bobby had guessed the truth, but that was only because he’d been there the night Cole had called drunk and angry that she’d broken up with him by email. But Bobby didn’t judge her or reprimand her. In fact, they never
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discussed it again. Bobby had just accepted it and offered her silent support. He’d been there with money and a ride to the abortion clinic in the nearest city. And when she couldn’t go through with it, he’d been there with a strong hand to hold when she’d told her parents she was pregnant but refused to name the father. Bobby had been there for her then and was still here for her now, acting as surrogate father to her son for things such as coaching little league games. There were just some things moms couldn’t do, and this was one of them as far as Mikey was concerned. She supposed “the talk” would be another one of them. That was probably only two or three years away now that Mikey was almost ten. God, he’d grown up so fast. She shaded her eyes from the glare and watched Mikey powder his hands, get the feel of the ball and throw another strike. She had to smile. He had his father’s pitching arm too. Those Ryan genes sure were strong. There was barely even an ounce of Barton in Mikey. If she didn’t know she’d given birth to him, she’d wonder if he was really hers. At least she wouldn’t have to worry about not being able to afford a good college for her son. Lizzie could practically see the baseball scholarships rolling in. But even so, she worked as many hours at the diner as she could to save up money. And living with her parents rent free helped not only financially, but in the child-care department too. She’d made a good life for them both, even if she had given up her dream of going to college and becoming a teacher. Mikey would go to college for both of them. Mikey—actually, Mike—she’d have to remember he didn’t like being called that any longer—struck out the batter and waited for the next one to take his place. In this level of little league, they weren’t allowed to pitch an entire game,
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but Mike routinely retired every batter during his innings without allowing a single hit. “Wow. That kid has some arm. Who does he belong to?” She jumped nearly out of her skin. Although she may not have heard his voice in ten years, there was no mistaking it. She knew she would see him again someday, no avoiding it with his parents still in town, but she’d hoped it would be later rather than sooner. Guessing ten years was probably more reprieve than she should have expected, she turned and looked into the golden brown eyes of Cole Ryan. She swallowed. “Hi.” “Hi, Lizzie.” Tilting his head to look at her, he smiled. “You look exactly as I remember you.” Her heart contracted painfully. She realized even ten years hadn’t erased her feelings for him. No wonder she’d never been able to seriously date anyone else. The teenager inside her still loved Cole. “Thanks. Um, you look great too.” He laughed bitterly. “Yeah, thanks.” She couldn’t help herself and reached out to touch his arm gently. “I heard about your injury and your contract. I’m sorry.” He was a famous athlete, so it wasn’t weird that she knew every detail of his career. He was a public figure, after all. It wasn’t like she was obsessed or anything. “Thanks. And so the star comes home a failure.” She frowned. “No one thinks that.” “Maybe you don’t, but—” “No. Seriously. I live here, Cole. I know. Everyone who knows you was very upset about your injury and pissed as hell that they would let you go because of it.”
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“Can’t blame them. Who needs a pitcher who can’t pitch? And speaking of, you never told me whose kid that is.” He frowned at her. “And why are you sitting here in this sweltering heat watching a little league game anyway?” “Um. Bobby is a coach, so I, um, come to support him.” Lizzie’s heart pounded as she danced around the truth. Cole had surprised her. She wasn’t prepared with a lie to explain Mike’s existence in her life. “Bobby is coaching? Does he have a kid playing?” “Um, no.” Lizzie glanced at Cole, trying to judge if he suspected she was hiding something. He frowned at her again. “Okay. Did he ever become the sheriff?” Thanking God he’d changed the subject, she shook her head. “He’s a deputy now, but it won’t be long. One day he’ll be sheriff.” And just saying that one word, sheriff, flooded her with memories of the sheriff raiding the party in the woods and what happened after. Lizzie risked a glance at Cole’s face and the expression she saw there told her he was thinking the same thing. “Why did you do it, Lizzie? Why did you break up with me?” Oh, boy. She never thought he’d come right out and ask after all these years. Why hadn’t she rehearsed this particular scenario along with all of the others she’d imagined over the past ten years? “You needed to concentrate on your career. I was a distraction.” He shook his head. “You were not. And besides, even if you had been, that was my decision to make, not yours.” “I handled it the wrong way. I’m sorry, Cole.” She shrugged, trying to look like that decision hadn’t ripped her heart out. “I was only eighteen.” “I know exactly how old you were.” He looked away, shaking his head.
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Glancing back at the field, Lizzie noticed Mike retire the side and Bobby run up to talk to him. He had one more inning left to pitch and Bobby always made sure he wasn’t too tired or hurting before he would let him go out to the mound again. For once, she wasn’t worried about Mikey hurting himself playing ball. All she could think about now was how to get Cole as far away from Mikey as possible.
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Chapter Four
Cole glanced at Lizzie’s profile as she watched the field. He let out a big breath of frustration. He had to get away from her for a little while. How this emotion could still exist after all this time was beyond him, but there it was, suspiciously feeling a lot like pain. “I’m going over to say hi to Bobby.” “What? You can’t.” Lizzie grabbed his arm in a claw-like grip. He frowned down at her hand. “Why not?” “Because they’re in the middle of a game, that’s why not. You of all people should know better.” He raised his brow in shock. “I may be injured and no longer in the majors, but do you really think those kids don’t want some coaching advice from the formerly great Cole Ryan? Come on, Lizzie. What’s really wrong with you?” “Nothing’s wrong with me.” “Then give me back my arm.” What was this all about? Maybe she didn’t want him to leave her? Could she still care? His heart leapt at that. “I promise, I’ll come back and talk to you about us later, if that’s what you want.” She dropped his arm like he’d electrocuted her. “That’s not it.” Her intensity took him aback. “Fine.” Cole rolled his eyes at his own stupidity and stalked away toward the field. Bobby was hanging onto the cage watching the hitter at bat when Cole came up behind him. “Need any coaching help from a former major leaguer?”
Cole
His joke was answered by Bobby spinning around. Instead of a welcome or a smile, his childhood best friend pulled back one arm and greeted him with a fist to the face. Bobby hit him so hard, the next thing Cole knew he was on his ass staring up at the sky. Then he could no longer see the sky, because the kids on both teams and most of the parents surrounded him in a tight circle. Cole struggled to sit up and gingerly touched his jaw while looking at Bobby’s angry face. If he stood now Bobby would probably just punch him again, so he stayed where he was for the moment. He’d vowed ten years ago that if Bobby beat the crap out of him for having sex with Lizzie he’d allow it. He just never imagined Bobby would come to collect ten years later. He guessed some offenses had no statute of limitations. His train of thought was interrupted when the pitcher he’d admired from the bleachers broke through the crowd. “Uncle Bobby. Why did you punch him?” With his mind still foggy and working a little slow from the punch, Cole took a moment to wonder why Lizzie didn’t just say he was her and Bobby’s nephew. The kid must be their older sister Mary Sue’s son, so why would Lizzie not tell him that? The kid glanced into the crowd. “Mom. Get him some ice out of the cooler.” When Cole looked to see Mom, she turned out to be a Lizzie. She was a little paler and looking not so happy as she sent Cole a look, but it was Lizzie nonetheless. It was a good thing Cole had remained sitting on the ground, because that would have knocked him on his ass again otherwise. Head still spinning, he stared at the boy and realized he looked nothing like his mother and everything like Cole himself. He took a shaky breath and asked him the question he feared the answer to most. “You’ve got some pitching arm on you, boy. How old are you anyway?” The boy smiled proudly. “I’ll be ten in February, sir.”
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Ten. The magic number. They’d had sex in May. He was born in February. It didn’t take long to do the math. Cole swallowed as acid backed up his throat. Lizzie appeared beside the boy. “Mike, go find your grandparents.” Mike? At that, Cole finally got to his feet and looked Lizzie right in the eye. “You named him after my father? Is that supposed to make up for keeping this a secret from me for ten damn years?” Bobby’s eyes opened wide. “Lizzie. He didn’t know? You never told him?” Lizzie looked panicked. “Mikey, I need you to come away from here now.” She looked behind her for her parents, who Cole hadn’t noticed before. “Mom, Dad. Please, take Mikey home. Now.” “Mom. The game’s not done yet. Please don’t make me go.” Mikey pleaded with his mother as his grandparents, catching on to what was happening along with the rest of the crowd, ushered him briskly off the field. Cole turned back to Lizzie and spotted a television camera barely ten feet away from him. “How the fu—” He hardly managed to censor his language in front of the rest of the kids in time. He closed his eyes to gain his composure. “How did reporters find me here already?” Bobby looked back at the camera and groaned. “They’re not reporters. They’re with me. I’ll take care of it.” He started to head for the camera crew, stopped and turned back to Cole. “Don’t go anywhere.” “Why? You gonna hit me again?” “No, I’m gonna apologize and Lizzie’s gonna explain.” Cole cocked his head. “In that case, I’ll wait.” While Bobby went to have a very animated argument with a little brunette and the cameraman, Cole turned back to Lizzie. Thankfully, the other coaches and parents had somehow gotten the game back on track, so at least the audience
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was gone. Cole felt free to voice his opinion to Lizzie about the sudden turn of events. “I can’t believe you would do something like this. You had no right.” “I had every right. He’s my son.” “He’s our son.” She frowned and folded her arms across her chest. “You don’t know that.” Cole laughed. “Come on, Lizzie. It’s like looking in a goddamn mirror. Besides, your brother wouldn’t have attacked me like that unless he thought I was Mike’s father.” He reached out and gripped her by both arms. “Why the hell didn’t you tell me?” Tears filled her eyes and spilled down her cheeks unchecked as she shook her head, but she didn’t answer. Suddenly, Bobby was back beside him. “Okay. I got rid of them, but only for a little while. I’m going to have to sell my soul to get that damn tape from them but at least we can get out of here and talk in private for now.” Cole had no clue what Bobby was talking about, but at the moment he didn’t care. “We’ve got it covered, Bobby. Lizzie and I can handle this alone.” Bobby shook his head. His gaze dropped to where Cole grasped Lizzie. “Nuh, uh. You’re angry and you’ve got Lizzie crying now. I can’t let you be alone with her.” Cole sighed and let his arms drop from Lizzie’s. “Fine. Come along. I don’t care.” Lizzie shook her head, still crying. She glanced around the field. Cole followed her gaze and noted though the game had started again, most eyes were turned to the action off the field—the argument between him and Lizzie with Bobby as referee. “You two can both go to hell for all I care, but I’m not coming along.” Red faced, Lizzie spun on her heel and ran off the field.
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“She’s upset. She’s kept the secret of who Mike’s father was from every living soul except for me for ten years, and in one fell swoop nearly the entire town knows.” Bobby sighed and shook his head, watching her. “We’re probably better off letting her go for now. You and I will get things squared away between us, then we’ll deal with her later.” At least everyone had been in the dark, not just him. That made Cole feel moderately better, though not really. “Can we do it over a stiff drink and an ice pack?” Bobby laughed. “Sure thing. Just let me tell the assistant coach I gotta leave.” In less than ten minutes, Cole sat opposite Bobby in the dimly lit bar next to The Hideaway Motel, literally hiding from the half a dozen television camera crews roaming the town. “I can’t believe that in this frigging hole-in-the-wall town, a man has to dodge television cameras. And not even reporters. A reality show? Being filmed in Pigeon Hollow? What the hell, Bobby?” “Yeah, I know. I was actually for the idea until the head producer decided I was going to be a main character. They’re on me eighteen hours a day, if not more. The producer came originally to focus on Gordon Equine. Now I wish I hadn’t convinced Jared Gordon it was a good thing for the town so he’d agree to it.” Cole shook his head. “Well, whatever reason they’re here, the timing sucks.” “I know. I’m sorry, but we’ve all signed releases and contracts. We can’t get out of them. Just don’t you sign one now that you’re back. Maybe I’ll be able to keep you out of this damn reality TV show.” Cole shook his head. “They don’t need a release. I’m a public figure. My life is public domain.” “Shit.” “Exactly.” Cole echoed Bobby’s sentiments and raised his glass.
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“About Lizzie and Mike. I thought you always knew and just didn’t give a shit. That’s what pissed me off. I never imagined she didn’t tell you.” Bobby nursed his sore hand by keeping it wrapped in a bar rag and shoved in the bucket of ice supplied by the bored-looking day-shift bartender. Cole laughed while holding a cold pack on his own sore jaw. “If I’d known, Bobby, I would have married her and moved her to the city to be with me. You know me better than that.” “I thought I did, but then again, I never knew you were sleeping with my sister.” Bobby downed another slug of his drink. “How did you manage that without me noticing, and why the hell didn’t you two use birth control?” “It was only the one time and I pulled out.” “Yeah, well, that didn’t work out too well, now did it?” “No. Believe me, I know better now. But I swear, Bobby, I was serious about Lizzie. I wanted a relationship with her, even if it had to be long distance in the beginning. Then she went and dumped me. No reason, no explanation, in a goddamn email. Can you imagine how I felt?” “That must have been when she figured out she was pregnant.” “But why not tell me?” Bobby shrugged. “Don’t know. That’s something you’ll have to ask her, if you can get her cornered.” “Yeah, easier said than done.” Cole fiddled with his glass and then asked the question he’d been wanting to since they’d arrived. “What’s he like?” Bobby broke into a grin. “I couldn’t be prouder of him if he were my own.” Envy ate at his gut. “I wish I’d gotten to see him grow up.” “I know and I’m sorry about that. But hey, you’re here now. The first few years they don’t do much more than sleep and shit anyway. Now is when we’re getting into the good stuff.” Bobby grinned.
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Cole nodded. “You know what? I’ve been wallowing in self-pity since my injury, but now, for the first time since they dumped me, I’m happy I’m off the team. I’m gonna get to know him, Bobby. I’m going to publicly claim him as mine. Hell, I’ll get my own place and he can stay with me if he wants.” “Whoa, wait a minute there. Mike lives in the Barton house and has since the day he was born.” “It would be nearby. He could still visit you all.” Bobby grabbed Cole’s arm. “A word of advice. Don’t make waves in the kid’s life or Lizzie’s. Mikey’s been her entire world since she found out she was pregnant.” “I’m not out to hurt anybody, but I want him to know me.” “He already idolizes the public you. He was glued to the television for every game you played just because he knew you grew up in this town and he wanted to be like you. All you need to do now is let him get to know the private you. Hell, what kid wouldn’t want the great Cole Ryan as his daddy?” “He inherited my arm.” Cole had to smile at the thought. “Yeah, so I’ve noticed.” Bobby laughed. Cole took a sip from his glass slowly so not to jar his tender jaw and then shook his head. “It’s a lot to take in.” Bobby inclined his head in a nod. “Yup.” “I’ve got to introduce him to my parents. He’s got another whole set of grandparents he knows nothing about.” Bobby nodded again. “I should probably tell my parents first and then bring Mikey over.” “He doesn’t like being called Mikey anymore. Now that he’s almost ten, he wants to be Mike.”
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Cole raised a brow. “Oh, thanks for telling me. Although, it may get confusing when he and my father are in the same room.” He was feeling bitter and confused again. She’d named Mike after his father, but still never told him his son even existed. “She’s never stopped thinking about you, you know. It really pissed me off when I thought you were nothing but a deadbeat shit-head, but she kept a scrapbook of everything she could find concerning you.” It was as though Bobby was reading his mind. Cole snorted. “That’s nice, but I would have rather she told me about Mike.” “There’s plenty of photo albums and scrapbooks of Mike that I’m pretty sure she made for you. Hell, we’ve got the real thing underfoot, she didn’t need to make ’em for us.” Pictures. Yeah, that would make up for missing nearly ten years of his son’s life. Cole took a deep breath and then stood, unable to sit still any longer. “I gotta go.” Bobby raised a brow. “Lizzie?” He shook his head. “No. My parents, before the town gossip reaches them. You’re right. I’m still too confused and angry to see Lizzie quite yet. Nothing productive will come out of talking to her like this.” Bobby nodded and then handed him a sheriff’s department card. “Call me on my cell if you want me to bring Mike over to your parents, or if you just need to talk. But I gotta warn you for the next few weeks I come with a camera up my ass.” Cole sighed. “Great. My timing always was impeccable.”
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Lizzie sat in the kitchen of the Barton house and ran her finger up and down the condensation on her glass of sweet tea. She was still in her waitress uniform from the late shift at the diner. She smelled like grease and dirty dishrags, but she didn’t care. At the moment, she didn’t have the mental or physical energy to go change or shower. It had been one hell of a shift. In addition to the camera crew that had parked itself in the diner for the evening rush, the news about Cole had circulated through town faster than a wildfire through dry brush. There was more whispered gossip than usual in Pigeon Hollow and the expected sudden silence whenever she neared told her it was all about her. Lizzie let out a loud breath. She usually enjoyed the quiet of coming home after the late shift, but not tonight. Bobby was out bowling. Her parents and Mikey were all sleeping. And she was left listening to her own conscience shout accusations at her. Well-deserved accusations, and that was what sucked most. She’d robbed Cole of nearly ten years of his son’s life and now she was going to pay for it. He was rich, he was famous and he was pissed off at her. In a custody battle, he would hire the best lawyers money could buy and win, no doubt, and she could lose the only thing in life that mattered to her. Lifting the iced tea glass, she was just using the paper napkin underneath to wipe the tears streaming down her cheeks when she heard the screen door open. She turned, expecting to see Bobby, but instead found Cole. He strode over to her side and knelt on the floor by her feet. Raising one hand to her cheek, he brushed a tear away. “Don’t. Don’t cry.” His being sweet was exactly what she didn’t expect, and it broke what little composure she had left. She was a weepy sobbing mess in an instant as Cole pulled her into his arms and tried to comfort her. It felt so good to be held. Her
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feelings for him had never disappeared. The constant reminder asleep in his room down the hall had made sure of that. What started out as comfort, turned into something else. He kissed the tears from her face until he reached her mouth. His lips lingered there, kissing her, then he pulled away. “What are you going to do? What do you want?” She couldn’t wait any longer to ask about the situation with Mikey. Cole didn’t seem so angry anymore. Perhaps he wouldn’t sue her for custody, but she was sure he would want something. He shook his head and let out a bitter laugh. “Apparently I want to kiss you.” “Cole, that’s not what I was talking about.” “No, I didn’t think so. What were you talking about?” “We need to talk about Mike.” “You’re right. We do.” He rose from his knees and sat in the kitchen chair opposite hers. Taking a sip of her tea, he placed the glass back between them. “I want to be a part of his life, Liz, as his father.” That twisted her gut. Chances were good he wanted to be part of Mikey’s life but not hers. She’d ruined that by lying to him ten years ago. “Okay. You deserve that at least.” “Have you told him yet?” “No.” She’d managed to avoid that conversation and his questions so far. Working at the diner had at least been good for one thing that night. “Good. I’ll be back in the morning and we’ll tell him together. Okay?” She swallowed hard and nodded. “What time should I come by?”
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She shrugged. “We all wake up pretty early, but since it’s summer Mikey doesn’t have school to get up for. Anytime after eight, I guess.” He nodded and stood. Cole turned to leave, but then looked back. “Why are you wearing that horrible outfit?” She frowned. “It’s not by choice. It’s my uniform, but thanks a lot for the compliment.” Cole’s brows knit together in a line above the eyes that had once looked at her with desire. “Uniform for what?” “I waitress at the diner.” “What? Why?” He took a step closer and towered over her. “Because I have no skills to get a better job and I have to save for Mikey’s future. That’s why.” “That’s ridiculous. There’s no need for you to work there.” “First of all, I can’t just up and quit. Mac is overwhelmed as it is with all the extra business from the TV crew. Second, I make good tips and I need the money for Mikey’s college fund. And third, it’s really not your concern where I work or what I do.” Tired of him standing over her, she stood now too. His frown deepened. “First of all, it sure as hell is my business what you do. You’re the mother of my child. Second, I will support both you and Mikey financially, including paying for college, so you don’t have to work there or anywhere else for that matter. And third, Mac can take his diner and shove it. It is not your problem to staff it.” In the midst of the arguing, Lizzie didn’t notice Bobby arrive until he opened the screen door and was half through. He took one look at the two of them sparring nose to nose, spun on his heel and shoved the ever-present cameraman back out the door by his lens. “How about we hit the bar for a bit, boys and girls? I bet we can find you some nice drunks that will make mighty good television.”
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She and Cole were silent until the trio were out of the driveway, then Cole spoke. “I’m calling my lawyer first thing in the morning.” Lizzie’s heart lodged in her throat. “No, Cole. Please, don’t. I’ll quit my job. I’ll do anything you want me to. Just don’t take him away from me.” Her last words came out in a sob. Cole stepped forward and grabbed her by both arms. “What are you talking about?” “You’re mad at me, and now you’re going to try to take Mike away.” He frowned and shook his head. “No, Lizzie. I’m calling my lawyer because I want to change my will to name Mike and set up a trust for him. But if that is what you really think of me, then we have more problems than I thought.” He dropped his hold on her, then he was gone. Alone again, Lizzie was left with her guilt, her fears and a wave of fresh tears.
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Chapter Five
It amazed Cole how things worked out sometimes. One moment life could be great and a man might think he could actually get everything he’d ever wanted. Then the next, just a split second later, nothing is the same. That scenario seemed to happen to Cole a lot in his life. There was the meteoric rise, followed by the ultimate crash and burn of his baseball career. Then there was the mind-blowing discovery that he had a son by the very woman he couldn’t get out of his mind, followed shortly by the discovery that she didn’t trust him. Not one tiny bit. Maybe it was him who didn’t know her the way he thought he did. If Lizzie could believe he was the kind of man who would try to take their son away from his mother, then they had no hope of a future together. Future. Yeah, that was the other thing currently weighing down his already overloaded mind. Lizzie had no future thanks to him. Cole had come to that disconcerting realization last night after seeing her in that horrid black and white polyester waitress uniform. Lizzie had given up her college scholarship and her dreams of becoming a teacher to have his baby. Waiting tables instead of teaching, and it was all his fault. He felt like shit knowing that. Of course she couldn’t have gone to college. How could she have lived in the dorms as an unmarried, pregnant freshman in her second trimester? And since then, she’d been raising his son and trying to make enough to pay for his future by slinging greasy food at Mac’s diner.
Cole
Cole shook his head. She’d been stupid not to tell him, or maybe brave. Probably a little of both. There were women he’d come across in the pros who tried to get pregnant with a ballplayer’s baby, just so they could take him for all he was worth. Then there was Lizzie, hiding it from him for years and wanting nothing now. His anger over her secret had faded to mere frustration. He didn’t understand why she’d lied. Pride, maybe? The same thing that was keeping her from wanting his help now. He supposed he should respect that, but all he wanted to do was shake some sense into her so she’d let him take care of them both. The morning sun was creeping higher in the sky as he stood at the Bartons’ back door. Cole took a deep breath. He was facing not only his son, but also Lizzie’s parents for the first time since the great ball-field revelation yesterday. They definitely weren’t going to be too happy with him. He knocked on the wooden frame of the screen door, something he hadn’t done the night before when he’d seen Lizzie alone and crying in the kitchen. Mikey ran to the door, half a corn muffin in his hand. “Mr. Ryan. Mom said you were going to stop by, but I didn’t believe her. Did you really used to play ball with Uncle Bobby? How’s your chin where he punched you? Does it hurt? What was it like to pitch in the World Series? Do you want breakfast? There’s plenty.” In the face of the boy’s pre-pubescent ramblings, Cole wasn’t quite so nervous any more. He smiled at his son. His son. He’d have to get used to that. “Thanks, Mikey. I’m good. But I wouldn’t mind some coffee if it’s made.” “Sure, I’ll go and get you a mug.” Mikey ran to the pantry off the side of the kitchen and climbed like a monkey onto the counter to reach the high cabinet. Cole stepped farther into the kitchen
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and took in the sight of all four adult Bartons sitting around the table watching him intently. He inclined his head to Lizzie’s parents. “Ma’am, sir. I know we need to talk. Later, in private. I owe you both an explanation.” Mr. Barton stood, nearly equaling Cole’s own six-foot-one-inch frame. Cole wouldn’t have been surprised if the man clocked him one too, just like Bobby had. Instead, he extended his hand. “No need, son. Lizzie explained it all. The missus and I are going to get out of here so you two can explain it to Mike.” Cole nodded. “Thank you. I appreciate that. But before you go, would you mind witnessing this? That’s why I’m late. I had to wait for my lawyer to fax it. It’s my will leaving everything to Mikey except for a small trust to take care of my parents in case I go before they do.” “Sure, son.” Mr. Barton took the paper in his hand and swallowed. He turned to find a pen. Cole glanced at the family members still at the table and saw tears shining in Mrs. Barton’s eyes. He was fighting tears himself. He’d spent a lot of time in this kitchen growing up. The Bartons had been like a second set of parents to him and to have their understanding meant everything to him. Mikey returned with the mug and handed it to Cole. “Here ya go.” Cole cleared his throat. “Thanks.” He took his time pouring himself the coffee to let his emotions settle. Lizzie’s parents excused themselves, followed immediately by Bobby, who mumbled something about getting out before the crew arrived. Then Cole’s new family unit of three was alone.
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Cole
He sat at the large kitchen table opposite Mikey and Lizzie and gripped the coffee mug in one fist. “Am I in trouble or something?” Mikey looked from him to his mother. “No.” Cole and Lizzie stumbled over each other’s words. “Then why did Grandma, Grandpa and Uncle Bobby leave? And why do you both look so serious?” The child pivoted to look from one face to the other. Cole swallowed. “Mikey…I mean Mike.” He shook his head, the serious expression on his face making him look more like a miniature adult than a boy. “It’s okay, Mr. Ryan. You can call me Mikey if you want.” Cole was aware of Lizzie raising her brow at that, but ignored it. “Thanks, Mikey. I will.” He blew out a breath. “Lizzie, do you want to start?” Her eyes opened wide. An expression of panic crossed her face. “Um…” “Or I could start if you want,” he offered. Lizzie nodded. “Okay. If you want.” Cole had run through this scenario when he couldn’t sleep last night. He knew what he wanted to say, though now it was time to actually say it, his pulse was racing with fear of how Mikey would react. He hadn’t been there for so much of his son’s life, he supposed he should just dive right in now. “What has your mother told you about your father?” Mikey shrugged. “She said that not every kid has a dad. I know that. Lots of kids don’t. There is even a kid at school whose cousin in New York has two moms and no dad.” Cole bit his lip to stop from smiling at that. He was just thinking how to proceed when Mikey continued. “Of course, you need a dad’s sperm to have a baby.”
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Lizzie choked on the swallow of coffee she had just taken and Cole felt himself blanch. Well, he’d wanted to be a real father to Mikey, for better or worse. Discussing the birds and the bees was about as fatherly as it got. He just hadn’t been prepared to have this particular discussion on day one of fatherhood. Cole nodded. “You are absolutely right about that, Mikey. Um, I’m just wondering, where exactly did you hear about sperm?” Mikey shrugged again. “Everybody knows about that.” “Oh. Okay. Well, I’m glad we can speak as adults here, then.” “Yes, sir. We can.” Mikey looked very solemn and nodded. Cole restrained another smile. This kid was full of surprises. “Good. Now do you know whose sperm your mom used when she decided to have you?” Cole could only hope that Mikey was picturing test tubes and lab scientists when he spoke of sperm and making babies. Mikey frowned and looked at his mother, then back to Cole. “No. I guess I never thought to ask.” “Well, your mom used my sperm to make you, which makes me your father. I didn’t know about it at the time. That’s why we’ve never met until now. But I want you to know that I’m very happy now that I know about you.” “You’re my dad? Cole Ryan is my dad.” Mikey leapt from his chair, whooped and jumped in a circle in the middle of the kitchen. Then he stopped. “This isn’t some kind of joke or something, is it?” He looked at Lizzie. “No, it’s not a joke. Mr. Ryan is your father.” Mikey’s face lit up again and broke into a huge grin. “And since I’m your father, you don’t have to keep calling me Mr. Ryan.” Cole shot Lizzie a sideways glance.
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Cole
“What should I call you then?” Mikey’s question was perfectly logical. Cole didn’t dare suggest Dad so soon, even though nothing would please him more. “Whatever you decide is fine with me.” Mikey hesitated for a moment. “Can I think about it?” Cole hid his disappointment. It would just take time. “Sure, you can think about it. And while you do I want you to know that although I wasn’t around before, I’m going to make up for it now. Is that okay with you?” He nodded with enthusiasm. “Okay. Will you coach me on my pitching?” Cole laughed. “Just try and stop me.” Mikey ran over and hugged first his mother, then Cole. “This is so great. Can I go call all my friends?” Teary eyed, Lizzie nodded. “Sure.” Feeling a little misty himself after that hug, Cole watched his son run from the room and then, for the first time in he didn’t know how many minutes, he breathed freely. They both sat silently for a while, recovering from the emotional revelation. “You handled that really well.” Lizzie looked at him with a sincerity that choked him up even more. “Thanks.” He blew out a big breath. “That was both much easier and much harder than I thought it would be.” Lizzie laughed. “I know what you mean.” Cole gazed into his coffee mug and asked the question he was afraid to ask even himself. “Do you think he would have been so excited if I wasn’t the famous ballplayer Cole Ryan?” Lizzie considered for a second. “I think that although I’ve done everything I could to make sure he’s had positive male role models in his life, no one can make up for not having a father. So maybe he wouldn’t have danced around the
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kitchen, but he still would have been happy to have you, even if you weren’t the Cole Ryan.” “Thanks, Lizzie.” “Please don’t thank me, Cole.” A pained expression marred her pretty face. He covered her hand with his and then changed the subject. They were both too emotional to get involved in the why-didn’t-you-tell-me-ten-years-ago discussion. He moved them into safer waters. “Do you have a copy of his baseball schedule?” “Sure.” She stood to get it for him. It was taped to the inside of the kitchen cabinet, the same place it had always been when he and Bobby played ball when they were Mikey’s age. Some things never changed, and right now, amid all the changes and upheaval in his life, Cole was more than grateful for that. “You did right, Lizzie. Keeping him here with your parents. It’s a good place to grow up.” Before he got sentimental all over again, he retreated. “So, when do you think I should bring him to meet my parents?” She laughed. “He seems to be handling this better than us, so whenever you want, I guess. How did they take it?” Cole shrugged. His parents had been thrilled. It seemed he and Lizzie were the only two having issues with this situation. “Fine. Apparently grandchildren are always welcome, doesn’t really matter how or when they appear.” “I’m glad they’re okay with it. I kept them from being a part of his life for a long time.” “Yes, you did.” He heard the harshness in his words. “But they say they understand.” Lizzie looked contrite. “You know, I tried to never get gas at your parents’ station with Mikey in the car because I was afraid they’d see the resemblance.”
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Cole
He fingered the paper folded in his pocket and shook his head at her. “Lizzie. Are you really worried I’d take him away from you?” “He’s all I’ve got, Cole.” “I had my lawyer draw this up too.” Sighing, Cole pulled out the paper and unfolded it on the table in front of her. When she looked panicked, he quickly explained. “It says I will never seek full custody of Mike. I only want to be in his life, not take him away from you.” Cole got up and retrieved the pen Mr. Barton had left on the counter. He sat and pulled the paper toward him when Lizzie covered his hand. “No. You don’t need to sign that. I know in my heart you would never take him away from me. But you have to understand, losing a child in any capacity is every mother’s worst fear.” “Then let me sign it and you’ll have one less thing to worry about.” “No. I trust you.” She folded the paper again and handed it to him unsigned. It felt like a breakthrough between them. Emotional from everything that had happened that morning, Cole noticed the tremble in his hand when he took the paper back. He put it away in his pocket. Things might actually be looking up. He’d come home to Pigeon Hollow a broken man. But through Mikey, Lizzie had given him the gift of a future again. Ten years late, but better late than never. Cole started making good on his promise to Mikey to be around as much as possible that very night, which was what led to Lizzie sitting once again in the passenger seat of his convertible at the drive-in. The only difference between this time and ten years ago was Mikey seated in the back. Well, Mikey and the fact that Cole and she weren’t… She pushed that memory away.
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Cat Johnson
Lizzie thanked God for Mikey’s presence to break the tension, but it wasn’t meant to last. He saw some friends, begged to go to the snack bar with them, jumped out of the back seat and was gone. Then she was alone with Cole. Again. He glanced at her. “You all right?” “Yeah, I’m fine.” Lizzie forced a smile and tried to look fine. He rubbed her shoulder and she felt herself stiffen. Pulling his hand away, he shook his head and looked very serious. “This was a bad idea. I should sell this car. Too many memories.” Lizzie felt her heart wrench. He didn’t even want to remember that night. Car or no car, she’d never forget it. “You don’t have to sell the car because of me. I really am fine.” His gaze settled on her. “It doesn’t feel like ten years has passed, does it?” “No, it doesn’t.” It felt like only yesterday they’d been here together. “Lizzie.” Cole turned in the seat to fully face her, like he had so many years ago. He reached out and stroked one finger down her cheek. Her heart began to pound just like it had when she was eighteen and he’d first touched her. Her insides danced even at the thought of Cole. His touch was enough to make her melt. This was a dangerous situation. Before she knew it, she’d be tempted to be on top of Cole having unprotected sex again and repeating the mistakes of the past. That’s what being near him did to her. She spotted the group of kids moving back in their direction. Relieved at the interruption, she said, “Mike’s on his way back.” Cole nodded and drew back his arm. She couldn’t think clearly when he touched her, and she had a lot to think about. Could he still want her the way she wanted him? Or had too much time and pain passed between them? Lizzie didn’t have any answers. She wished she did.
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Cole
They only stayed for the first movie. If the second movie in the double feature hadn’t been an R-rated bloody horror flick, she would have suggested they stay for that too, just to avoid going home and being alone with Cole. She didn’t trust herself alone with him. Mikey had already had more than enough junk food which meant they couldn’t even go out for ice cream, her other idea to stall. They arrived home with a sleeping Mikey in the backseat. Cole stepped right into his role as father and lifted Mikey out of the car. He carried him to his bedroom in the back of the Barton house. Lizzie’s insides twisted further as she stood in the hall and watched father tuck son into bed. Cole crept out of the room and whispered, “Lights on or off?” “Off. There’s a nightlight inside.” He nodded and flipped the light switch, giving Lizzie too real of a feel of what her life could have been over the past ten years if she’d made a different decision and had told Cole she was pregnant. For the first time, she questioned her decision. More than questioned, she regretted it, and there wasn’t a damn thing she could do to change it. The past was gone. There was no changing it now. She followed Cole as he led the way down the hall and out onto the porch. He sat on the swing and patted the space next to him. Confused, frightened and hopeful all at the same time, Lizzie sat. Beside her, Cole started swinging them gently while staring out into the darkness. The typical sounds of a southern summer night surrounded them, but he remained quiet. Cole laid one arm along the back of the swing. Her heart quickened and she had trouble keeping her breath even. Sitting with him like this felt natural and strange at the same time. She’d been in love with him since she was old enough to realize girls were supposed to like boys.
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And yeah, they shared a child. However, they had shared barely a handful of kisses and only one night together, along with an absence from each other of ten long years. Finally, she couldn’t take any more of the silence. “What are you thinking about?” “Tonight at the drive-in with Mikey. Ten years ago at the drive-in with you.” He turned to look at her but he wasn’t smiling. “So much time has passed.” Too much. Lizzie’s hopes sank. “I know.” “I better go.” Cole stood. He leaned down and kissed her chastely on the lips. He’d walked to the edge of the porch when he glanced back. “I’ll see you in the morning. We can drive to the game together.” Then he was gone, leaving her alone again.
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Chapter Six
Cole had walked away from Lizzie last night wanting her more than ever and hurting just as much as he had ten years ago. The desire hadn’t faded, but neither had the pain. That was exactly what kept him from leaning in and kissing her senseless, from pounding into her like there was no tomorrow. Because if past experience with this woman had taught him anything, it was that with one email or phone call she could wipe away all hope and happiness. He kept that in mind as his pulse raced at the thought of seeing her again as he arrived back at the Bartons’ in time for breakfast. Cole realized his being there at Mikey’s bedtime and then back again by breakfast was almost like living together as a family, without the all-important aspect of his being with Lizzie as a couple of course. Did she want that? Did he? As his still-scarred heart swelled at the thought of being with her, he wasn’t sure. He couldn’t take being hurt like that again. That had probably been what had kept him from making any attempt at a serious relationship over the past ten years. Who did he blame? Lizzie for doing that to him? Or himself for letting her? Maybe it was time to let the pain go. Seeing Lizzie sitting in the kitchen as their son greeted him made Cole wonder—could it work? Mikey hopped up with his usual overwhelming enthusiasm. “Cole!” So that’s what he’d be to his son. Cole, not Dad. “Hey, buddy.” He reached out and pulled the boy’s ball cap down over his eyes. “You ready for today?”
Cat Johnson
“Oh, yeah. The team is so excited you’re coming to the game.” “Good. I’m glad.” Cole’s gaze swept the kitchen, taking in the Bartons who watched Mikey with parental affection and Lizzie who eyed Cole’s arrival with wary intensity. Bobby barely greeted him at all as he flew out of the screen door when the camera crew pulled into the drive. Maybe after he was more settled being back home he’d get around to finding out how Hollywood had come to invade Pigeon Hollow. But right now, he had other things to worry about, like Mikey’s pitching and how his teammates would react to Cole’s presence not as just a coach, but also as Mikey’s long-lost father. Hmm, his so-called problems had taken on a whole new look now that he’d left the major leagues and was back in Pigeon Hollow. If the most he had to worry about was how his son pitched today and how he was going to handle Lizzie being a part of his life, he was doing pretty damn good. At the ball field it soon became apparent that Cole needn’t have worried about Mikey. He was amazing. Mikey pitched a no-hitter, at least for his half of the game. With Cole’s coaching, the relief pitcher only gave up a few hits during the game’s last half and Mikey’s team won easily. And as far as the other kids accepting him as Mikey’s father, Cole felt like a bigger star being Mikey’s dad than he ever had being a major league pitcher. It was a really good feeling. He may no longer be in the pros, but he would always be Mikey’s dad. He suddenly understood Lizzie’s fear that he would take Mikey away. It would hurt Cole to lose Mikey even after just a few days of knowing him. He could only imagine what Lizzie felt since she’d carried him inside her for nine months. Nine months he wasn’t allowed to share with her. Every time he thought about it, the anger was still present as well as the questions.
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Cole
Cole slipped forty bucks into Bobby’s palm and quietly suggested he take the team out for ice cream after the game. Mr. and Mrs. Barton had already left for an afternoon church service, so that would leave Cole, Lizzie and an empty house. He glanced at Lizzie. She was gathering up the trash and repacking the cooler full of drinks she’d packed for them for during the game. It was time to find some resolution. He’d been hurt and angry for too long. Cole still wanted Lizzie, as much as he had all those years ago, and he’d waited too long to be with her already. It was time to get back to what was important—the two of them, together, for Mikey. Hell, who was Cole trying to kid? Them being together was for him too.
Lizzie was alone with Cole in the house. How the hell had that happened in a home where five people lived together? Usually they were on top of one another, waiting for the shower or literally stepping on each other in the crowded kitchen. She’d thought it would be safe to accept the ride home Cole offered, but judging by the intense look in his eyes, something was up. She was a little afraid to find out what. Her mouth suddenly dry, she swallowed and offered Cole a glass of sweet tea. When all else failed, resort to good old southern hospitality. He accepted the offer of the tea, although she probably could have offered him cyanide and his answer wouldn’t have been any different. It clearly wasn’t the tea he was after. Facing the cold air of the open fridge, she felt him step close behind her. “Lizzie, I need to know. Why did you break up with me rather than tell me you were pregnant?”
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And there it was. He wanted answers. She closed the door and turned around. “I told you, I didn’t want to distract you. It might have cost you your career.” “Bull shit.” “Cole, you gave up a full scholarship to play ball. I wasn’t going to be responsible for you losing your baseball career.” “Why the hell would being happily married with a wife and baby have cost me my career? Lots of guys playing are.” “Happily married?” “Yeah, I would have been happily married to you. What’s the real problem, Lizzie? Did you not care enough about me? You didn’t want to be saddled with me for the rest of your life because of one mistake?” “No.” It was the exact opposite. “I couldn’t stand thinking you would have married me just because of the baby. I couldn’t bear the thought of that. I’ve loved you for as long as I can remember. I couldn’t marry you knowing you didn’t do it for love too. That you were saddled with me for a lifetime because of one mistake.” “So you broke up with me rather than telling me all this? Just ended it. That doesn’t sound like you loved me.” “I guess I thought if you really cared about me, you would have come back to me. You didn’t.” “Come back to you for what? You’d destroyed me with that email. I had no hope left.” “I’m sorry.” Lizzie hung her head as the tears welled. “I ruined both of our lives.” A single sob wracked her body, before the full-on tirade of hysterical crying overtook her.
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Cole
Cole gathered her in his arms as she shook with tears, gasping for breath. His mouth covered hers, followed quickly by his tongue. Her traitorous mouth responded and her tongue met his. She wrapped her arms around the back of Cole’s head as he pulled her hips closer to him. He lifted her and sat her on the counter then stepped between her legs. “I’ve never stopped thinking about you, wanting you. For ten years I wanted two things. Answers and you. I’m not leaving here until I get both.” Lizzie shook her head. “I gave you answers. I’ve told you everything. I swear.” “I believe you and I understand. I’m not angry at you anymore. You gave me an answer, now give me the rest. I want you. In my life and in my bed.” He pulled back to look at her with eyes barely focused. Then crashed back into her with a powerfully possessive kiss. She melted against him. Her hands crept beneath his T-shirt and she remembered the hard feel of his body. Copying her, he slid his hands beneath her tank top and didn’t stop until he’d slipped beneath her bra and found her nipples. He groaned and broke away again. “Not now. Not like this. I want to do this right this time, Lizzie. I’ve waited too long.” “Okay. When?” She couldn’t think enough to say anything more. “First we date, but nothing else, nothing physical, for one month. Then we see what happens.” Lizzie’s brow rose. “Date. After we’ve already had sex and a baby together? Aren’t we doing things a little backward?” Cole shrugged. “Better late than never.” He moved back from her. “Go get changed into something pretty. I’m taking you to dinner tonight for our first date.”
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“Okay.” She couldn’t stop the smile that crossed her lips. Maybe dating wouldn’t be a bad idea after all. She hopped off the counter. As she walked down the hall to her room Cole called after her, “Nothing too sexy, please.” “Why not?” Not that she owned anything sexy, but still. “Since I promised myself I won’t touch you for a month, you’re going to have to help me. So pretty is fine, but not sexy. Got it?” She shot him a glance over her shoulder. “We’ll see.” Tomorrow she’d definitely have to do some shopping.
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Chapter Seven
One month later, Cole and Lizzie stumbled into the kitchen, pawing at each other. They were both at the breaking point. “How long do we have?” Cole’s hands moved up her ribcage. “Maybe an hour?” Lizzie gasped as he bent and bit her breast through her shirt. “My parents are at the charity auction.” Cole moved on to run his tongue over her throat. “What about Mikey?” “He’s with Bobby, but it doesn’t take that long to eat at the diner.” “I should have given him money for a movie.” He hoisted Lizzie up against him. Her legs wrapped around his back, then he carried her all the way to her bedroom at the other end of the house. Depositing her on the bed, he flipped on the window air conditioner to cool the near stifling room, then closed the door to the hall. When he stood in front of her and stripped naked, she finally saw him in all his glory. They may have made a baby together, but she’d never actually seen him totally naked. He knelt on the bed unashamed and began to undress her. Being summer, there weren’t many clothes to remove, so it didn’t take all that long before she was naked too and trembling. She’d never seen him naked, but far more importantly, he had never seen her either. She was nervous about that. She wasn’t eighteen anymore. He didn’t seem to care. Cole lay down next to her and ran hands and kisses up and down her body. “You are so beautiful.”
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She blushed and shook her head. “I’ve had a baby. Things tend to move around and never go back.” As she said that, she tried to support her sidewayssliding boobs by squeezing her arms closer to her sides. Smiling at her, he shook his head. “No. You are beautiful. Every inch.” He took one nipple in his mouth, apparently not caring what breastfeeding Mikey had done to her former perkiness. Lizzie pressed her head into the pillow and closed her eyes, enjoying Cole’s touch a hell of a lot more now than she had ten years before. She wasn’t sure if he had gotten better, or if she’d just gotten older, but she was pretty sure that making love to the adult Cole would be nothing like it had been with the teenage one. He worked his way down her body until he finally slid his hands between her thighs. His mouth soon followed his hands. Shocked at what he could make her feel, she cried out as he worked her. She lifted her hips off the bed as the pleasure coiled inside her. There had been thirty days of what amounted to mental foreplay leading up to this moment, each leaving her wanting him more. She was poised and ready to break. Cole sucked on her core and wave upon wave of an incredible orgasm struck her. She was absolutely correct in her prediction, adult Cole knew what he was doing and adult Lizzie, not having been with anyone in a very, very long time, appreciated it. She was breathless when she finally grabbed his head and pulled him up. Level with her, he stroked her face, then shook his head. “It couldn’t have been very good that first time, was it?” She laughed. “I was too inexperienced to know.” “Lizzie, I plan on spending the rest of my life making it up to you.” “Shhh. Talk later. Love me now.”
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“Okay.” He smiled and then covered her mouth with his. This time, unlike ten years ago, Cole had a condom in the pocket of his jeans. Lizzie breathed a sigh of relief that he had remembered protection, because she was embarrassed to admit, she hadn’t even considered it. It seemed her brain had stopped working once their clothes had come off. Covered, he slid into her. A visible shudder ran through him. “Ah, God. Lizzie.” He braced over her with two strong arms. With every stroke, she watched the emotions cross his face. “You are so beautiful. I love you. I always have.” Between each thrust, he said one thing more incredible than the last. She felt her composure crack at the words she’d dreamed of her entire life and tears welled in her eyes. Cole held still and shook his head. He wiped the moisture from her cheeks. “Shhh. Don’t cry. I love you.” “Why?” Her voice was choked by tears. “Why do I love you?” He frowned. “Yes.” She nodded. “Is it because of Mikey?” He shook his head adamantly. “No, Lizzie. I loved you long before I knew about Mikey. I’m only sorry I never told you back then.” “I love you too.” “Thank God. Does that mean I don’t have to stop?” Still buried deep inside her, he looked a bit devilish. She could feel their conversation hadn’t done anything to diminish his desire. She laughed and wiped away her tears. “No. In fact, I wouldn’t mind if you went a little faster.” He grinned. “I’d love to.”
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Cole did what she asked, stroking into her as he stared into her eyes. Seeing the emotion on his face was nearly overwhelming in combination with him loving her. Her body, neglected so long, tightened and broke again with an orgasm that shook him into one of his own. As she clung to him, he held her tighter and they rode the waves together. When both of their breathing had finally calmed, Cole cupped her face. “Marry me, Lizzie.” Her eyes opened wide. “Why?” He laughed. “Again you’re asking me why? Because I love you, that’s why.” “It’s not because of Mikey?” She feared her insecurities would always be a part of her. Cole shook his head. “No. Not because of Mikey. It’s because I can’t live without you. I want you with me every day and every night, that’s why. I want to grow old with you and make more babies with you. Hopefully the next one will look a little bit like you for a change.” He smiled at that. She looked up at him through her tears. “Do you always talk so much when you make love?” He glanced down to where they were still joined. “We had a lot of talking to do. You can be real good at avoiding conversations you don’t want to have. I figured this way you couldn’t get away. And you still haven’t answered my question. Lizzie Barton, will you marry me?” Lizzie smiled. “Yes, Cole Ryan. I’ll marry you.” There was a rustling in the hallway and a whoop of joy came through the door. Lizzie felt like she wanted to crawl under the mattress. Her cheeks grew warm. “Mikey heard us,” she mouthed.
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Cole
“If there is a certain almost-ten-year-old out there who doesn’t want to be grounded for the rest of his life, he had better back away from the door right now,” Cole yelled over his shoulder, looking a little red-faced himself. “Yes, Dad.” Mikey’s muffled response came from out in the hall. Cole’s mouth was hanging open as he looked down at Lizzie. “He called me Dad.” She smiled. “I know.” “Wow. It’s been one hell of a day.” Cole blew out a breath. He pulled out of Lizzie and reached for the quilt folded on the end of the bed. He covered her with it. After disposing of the condom in the trash next to the bed, he grabbed and pulled on his boxers and jeans. “Tomorrow, I’m getting a lock for that door.” She laughed. “That’s probably a good idea.” He grinned wider. “Get dressed, woman. We have things to do. We have a wedding to plan. You have classes at the local college to sign up for.” “What?” She frowned. He continued, ignoring her. “You have to get that teaching degree you’ve put off and tomorrow I’m going to call the principal at the school. I heard today the high school baseball team is currently without a head coach. I’m thinking I might be good at that. That plan okay with you?” “Yeah, it’s just fine.” She nodded as he sat again. Cole grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips. “Good. Oh and I almost forgot.” He pulled a small square box out of his pocket and handed it to her. With trembling hands, she opened it and stared down at the tiny diamond ring inside. “It’s so small because it’s a promise ring. I bought it for you with my first check after I’d gotten to training camp. You know, back before you dumped me.
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Cat Johnson
It was to let you know I wanted to be with you even though we were apart. I could never bear to part with it, so I’ve kept it all this time.” Lizzie was shaking so badly she could barely hold the ring box. “So you see, I always wanted to be with you.” Cole took her trembling hands in his. Tears streamed down her face unchecked. “I wasted ten years we could have been together.” He shook his head. “No, Lizzie. I tried to think about it like that and stay angry with you, but the more I considered it, the more I realized something. We were both so young then, and life on the road is hard on wives. On the team, I saw a lot of marriages fail. I honestly can’t guarantee we would have made it then. But now that we’re older…” “You think we really have a shot?” “I know we do.” Cole gathered her in his arms. “Cole, next time you ask me the most important question of my life, can you make sure I have some clothes on?” He laughed. “Sure. I’ll get you a bigger ring and I’ll make sure you have at least underwear on when I give it to you and ask you to marry me again.” “Oh no, you won’t.” He shrugged. “Okay, naked it is then.” “No, I mean you will not get me a bigger ring.” She took the diamond ring out of the box and slipped it on. “This one is perfect.” He kissed her hand just above the ring. “We’ll see. But I do know one thing, you and Mikey have made my life perfect.” “We’ll see how perfect you think life is when you move in here and have to wait on line for the bathroom.” Cole frowned. “Aren’t we going to move out once we’re married?”
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Cole
Lizzie shook her head. “I’ll only move if it’s walking or biking distance from here. I want Mikey to be able to see his grandparents and uncle anytime he wants.” “Um, I don’t know about that.” Cole pursed his lips and glanced at the ceiling. She smacked his arm and he grinned. “Only teasing you. I’ll see what I can do.” “Really?” He nodded. “Really. On one condition.” “What’s that?” Lizzie was skeptically cautious. “In spite of what just happened here in your parents’ house and the fact that we already have a child together, I do have too much respect for your family to just move in and start sharing your bed until after we’re married.” She nodded. “Okay. So when are you thinking?” “I guess tomorrow is too soon. How about next week?” “Next week?” Her voice rose to a squeak. He squeezed her hand in his. “Please, Lizzie. You’ve made me wait too long already.” She rolled her eyes. “Are you going to throw guilt at me every time you want something?” “I don’t know. Is it working?” She scowled and made him wait before saying, “Okay. Next week it is, but not because of your guilt trip. Because I want to.” He smiled. “Good. Now we better get dressed and get out there. I can only imagine what Mikey is telling everybody.” Lizzie shook her head. “Exactly twice I’ve had sex with you, Cole Ryan. The first time I got pregnant. The second time I got caught by my son. What’s next?”
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Cole winked and scooped her into his arms. “That’s the beauty of making love with me, sweetie pie. It’s just one surprise after the next.” Lizzie ran her hands over his still bare chest. “At least I won’t get bored.” “No, my darling wife-to-be, you surely won’t.” He captured both of her hands and kissed them. Then he pushed off the bed and bent to retrieve his shirt. “More touching like that and I’ll be in no shape to go out and face your family. Get dressed. I’ll see you outside.” “Why? Am I too tempting naked.” She let the quilt slip down to her waist. Hand on the doorknob, Cole swallowed hard. “Let’s see if we can move that date up to tomorrow.”
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Epilogue
It wasn’t the next day, but at least it was the next week when Cole stood in the vestibule of the church, trembling in his tuxedo. Bobby and Mikey, his two best men, stood beside him. “You ready?” Bobby eyed him. “Yeah.” Cole adjusted his tie, willing the nerves to go away. He wanted this more than anything. That didn’t mean it wasn’t nerve wracking as all hell. He smiled down at Mikey, looking like his clone in a matching tux. “You ready, sport?” “Yes, sir.” Mikey nodded, taking his job as second best man very seriously. “Then I guess we better get inside.” Cole stood staring at the door that would lead them up the aisle, past all their friends and family. Bobby raised a brow. “It’s not too late, you know.” Cole frowned at his soon to be brother-in-law. “I want this, Bobby.” His irrational fear was, did Lizzie? His nightmare was she’d not show, or show up to break up with him. It was crazy, he knew that, but a ten-year-long hurt was hard to totally put to rest. “Okay, just checking.” Bobby shrugged. Enough was enough. Cole pushed through the doors and walked into the main part of the church. Both his and Lizzie’s parents filled the front pews. Most of the people filling the remaining seats had known them both since they’d been born. Cole glanced at all those who would comprise his new family and his friends and realized that he, the only child of a service-station owner from
Cat Johnson
Pigeon Hollow, had done pretty well for himself to be surrounded by so many people who cared about him. The first strains of organ music filled the church and the entire congregation turned toward the door. Cole hadn’t realized how much he feared Lizzie would back out until the relief at seeing her overwhelmed him. Cole stood at the altar and watched Lizzie’s sister, Mary Sue, walk toward him. She’d flown home to stand up with Lizzie as matron of honor. But it was the figure behind Mary Sue, waiting at the other end of the aisle, who really captured his attention. Lizzie was a vision and she was his. Cole’s heart soared as smiling, she walked slowly toward him. The ceremony passed in a blur. He answered the pastor when necessary, though he probably couldn’t repeat exactly what he’d said later on. His head was spinning. Bobby winked at him when it came time to hand over the wedding band. Cole noticed his own hands shake as he took the wide, diamond-encrusted circle. That had been the compromise. Lizzie could wear the tiny promise ring, but her wedding band was going to be something worthy of her. Although no amount of diamonds would be enough to thank her for the son she’d given him. On the way out of the church, with his wife’s hand on his arm, Cole spotted the ever-present television producer and cameramen belonging to Bobby, but there was no camera. Cole didn’t even want to think what Bobby had to do to keep the cameras out of the church for their wedding. He’d have to thank him later. But right now he had something more important to do. He pulled Lizzie by the hand when they reached the sidewalk. “Come on.” “Where are we going? The reception is in the church hall.”
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Cole
“I know. We’ll be back, eventually.” He pulled her to the car and once he’d tucked her and her white dress safely into the convertible, sped for the Bartons’ street. “Are you dragging me home to have sex?” “No. Well, okay, yes. But not yet. There’s something I have to show you first.” She looked skeptical, until he pulled onto the street behind her parents’ house, parked and turned off the car. “Why are we here?” “See that big hole in the ground filled with cement?” He went around to her side and pulled her out of the car. “Yeah.” Scooping her up, he walked across the red clay dirt of the construction site and stepped up onto the poured-concrete slab. Then he spun her around as she clutched the ring of fresh flowers that sat on the dark ringlets pinned up on top of her head. “I have just carried you across the threshold of our new home, Mrs. Ryan. What do you think?” “This is ours?” “Yup. Bought, paid for and almost built.” She squeezed his neck and smacked a kiss on his lips. “I think, that if you don’t take me to a house with actual walls really soon, we’re going to be giving our new neighbors quite a show.” Cole’s heart clenched with love as he grinned and started the walk back to the car. “Mrs. Ryan, I think I am really going to like being married to you.”
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About the Author
As an award-winning author of contemporary erotic romance in genres including military, cowboy, ménage and paranormal, Cat Johnson uses her computer so much she wore the letters off the keyboard within a year. She is known for her creative marketing and research practices. Consequently, Cat owns an entire collection of camouflage shoes for book signings and a fair number of her consultants wear combat or cowboy boots for a living. In her real life, she’s been a marketing manager, professional harpist, bartender, tour guide, radio show host, Junior League president, sponsor of a bull-riding rodeo cowboy, wife and avid animal lover. To learn more about Cat, please visit www.catjohnson.net. Send an email to Cat
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Look for these titles by Cat Johnson
Now Available: Red, Hot & Blue Trey Jack Jimmy Jared Cole Rough Stock Studs in Spurs Unridden Bucked Ride Hooked
Coming Soon: Red, Hot & Blue Bobby A Few Good Men
Everything is just right…until she turns his life upside down.
Jared
© 2011 Cat Johnson Red, Hot & Blue, Book 4 It doesn’t take anything fancy to make Jared Gordon a happy man. A slice of his mama’s pie, a pretty girl, a well-bred horse. Life on the farm is just how he likes it. Simple. Until a big-city girl blows into town like a tornado hitting a trailer park. Quintessentially small-town Pigeon Hollow has everything L.A. producer Mandy Morris needs for her new reality show. A smoldering deputy sheriff, a quirky diner owner and a horse farm complete with a hunky horseman. If her own instant attraction is any indication, Jared will have the female demographic glued to their sets. Except the red-hot cowboy is cool to the idea of cameras in his face. And the harder she negotiates, the deeper he digs in…until their head-butting strikes sparks that fan a prairie fire of unexpected passion. She doesn’t usually mix business with pleasure, but as Pigeon Hollow’s charm works its magic, the youngest Gordon brother has Mandy rethinking many things. Like happiness doesn’t have to end with the word “cut”. Warning: Contains one hot shirtless cowboy taking a city girl for a roll in the hay…and a few other places. Enjoy the following excerpt for Jared: The babe in front of him was looking mighty warm in that jacket. He started to sweat in sympathy. She blew out a breath and ran a hand along the back of her neck and under her shoulder-length hair. Then she took the jacket off.
That was enough to make a man stand up and take notice. Now she looked downright hot, enough to make Jared sweat for real and not from the air temperature. Under that jacket, she was wearing nothing but a tight, low-cut, sleeveless top. Much better than the jacket, he decided, forcing his eyes up from her breasts and back to her face. “We’ve got satellite television with all the channels, but I can tell you that a pretty stranger is much more entertaining.” He treated her to his most charming smile but it didn’t seem to work like it usually did on most women. “I need to speak with the owner. Do you think you could stop whatever you are doing—” she looked around pointedly as if to let him know she didn’t think he was doing much of anything before she continued, “—and go and get her for me?” What she’d said captured Jared’s attention even more than her sexy tank top had. He raised a brow. “Her? What makes you think the owner is a she?” She let out an annoyed sounding sigh. “I do my research. I know this farm is registered with the small business bureau as being a woman-owned business.” The question of why she was researching them remained unanswered. He was about to interrogate her further when the woman owner in question, his mama, stuck her head out of the kitchen door. “Jared, honey. The computer crashed again. When you come in for lunch maybe you can figure out why that keeps happening.” The pretty stranger glanced from his mother standing in the door of the house and then back to Jared. The look she shot him was full of suggestion. “Is that the owner?” “Yup.” He started walking toward the kitchen, resigned to the fact that this nosy but hot female was bound to follow.
As anticipated, she practically jogged to keep up with him. “Are you and she…ah, you know? A couple?” He stopped dead and turned in horror. “No.” She shrugged. “It’s okay if you are, I’m just wondering.” Jared shot her another unhappy glance and then scowled all the way to the back door at her lewd suggestion. Okay, maybe if he took a moment to re-evaluate his mother the way a stranger might see her he wasn’t so shocked. Mama had been really, really young when she got married and started having babies. She’d just turned fifty, but she took good care of herself. Dressed in cut-off jeans and flip-flops the way she was today, she looked easily in her early forties. Jared was in his late twenties. He knew there were some actresses in Hollywood who dated guys as much as twenty years younger, but still, this was his mother. Jared shook his head. This woman came from a totally different world than he did. A world he could barely comprehend. Given that, he’d have to try not to judge her too harshly, particularly since he had kept his real identity from her. He also resolved to find out her damn name so he could stop thinking of her as this woman because he had a feeling he’d be thinking a lot about her. Holding the screen door open for her, Jared waited for her to walk through first. Hell, he had been raised right. He knew how to act around a lady, even if she was likely some sort of salesman, uh, salesperson. He would have introduced her to his mama too, but again he didn’t know the woman’s name. Luckily, she was one of those assertive business-like types and stepped right up without waiting for him. “Ms. Lois Gordon?” His mama nodded.
“I’m Mandy Morris.” She smiled and stuck out her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” “The pleasure is all mine. Jared never brings his girls home to meet me.” His mama smiled wide and shook her hand. Mandy—cute name—glanced at him briefly and then turned back to his mother. “I’m sorry, Ms. Gordon. I think you’ve gotten the wrong impression. I’m not one of Jared’s girls. I’m actually here to see you. I have a business proposition for you. If you have some time now, I’d love to discuss it with you privately.” Jared noticed she said the last word very pointedly, as if to let him know he was not welcome to participate in the discussion about whatever this business proposal was. He looked her over again, all decked in her city clothes. No way was she here to make an offer to buy the farm, or even a horse. She was probably trying to sell them ad space in the local yellow pages or something. “Ms. Morris, I may be the owner on record for Gordon Equine, but my son runs the farm. All I do nowadays is handle the paperwork and the accounting and crash the computer.” Mama smiled and indicated the computer, phone and stack of papers on a desk set up in the corner of the kitchen. She insisted on working in the kitchen rather than making one of the many other rooms into an office. Mama said it was because she usually was cooking or baking something at the same time she was working on the books. Multi-tasking, isn’t that what women called it? Personally Jared preferred doing one thing at a time. Though glancing at Mandy again, he decided he could definitely get into doing some multi-tasking when it came to her. “Your son?” Mandy looked understandably surprised at what Mama had just revealed. She also didn’t appear happy. She shot him quite a nasty look. Now he was in for it.
His last eight seconds could lead to the longest, most satisfying ride of his life.
Hooked
© 2011 Cat Johnson Studs in Spurs, Book 4 Annie Grant is at the top of her game as an on-air interviewer for the pro bull-riders tour. In all those years standing within microphone range of thousands of sexy cowboys, she’s never been tempted…until now. Now that respected veteran Luke Carpenter is no longer with his longtime girlfriend, he’s back on the market. And Annie is buying. Luke knows his days are numbered. Every year the rookies get younger, the bulls get ranker and, like it or not, the time is coming when he’ll be hanging up his spurs. After a sizzling hot night with Annie, he realizes that maybe this old dog can learn some new tricks. But quicker than a bull can spin, things get complicated. A tragedy forces Luke into a no-win decision: hang onto the tail end of his career, or retire early for his family. Either way, he can live with his choice. Question is, can he live without Annie? Warning: Contains knock-your-boots-off cowboy lovin, some up close and personal interviews of the oral persuasion, and a happy ending… cowboy style. Enjoy the following excerpt for Hooked: Would he leave now? She really didn’t want him to. “Um, I could make us some coffee, or decaf…” She swung her arm in the general direction of the bathroom where the machine was, as unappetizing as that juxtaposition was. “Sure. That would be great.” Luke let the door swing shut.
Annie took the keycard he had handed her and dropped it onto the dresser along with her bag. The surface was a little messy but at least housekeeping had made the bed—the big king-sized bed. She yanked her gaze away from that and glanced guiltily at him, and noticed Luke was staring in the same direction she had been, at that big inviting mattress. He turned to her and she could have sworn he blushed. “Annie…” He took one step closer, until he was directly in front of her, and then he stopped. “Yes?” Oh God. Don’t get too excited. “I don’t really want any coffee.” His eyes focused on her intently. What was he trying to say? He wanted to leave? Then why was he so close she could feel the warmth of his breath? “Oh. That’s fine. I know it’s late—” He laughed. “No, that’s not it. I meant I didn’t come inside for coffee. I came inside because I wasn’t ready to say goodnight to you yet.” She swallowed hard and forced herself to bring forth the sultry, smoothtalking woman that had to be somewhere inside her, buried deep. “Good. I’m not ready to say goodnight to you either.” It wasn’t incredibly clever, but it was sincere, and she had delivered it in her best sexy television announcer voice. The one she used for auditions but rarely remembered to use on air. “Good. I’m glad.” Perhaps it was her imagination, but she thought his head dipped just a fraction of an inch lower. His gaze broke from hers, and then he shook his head. He let out a short laugh. “I’ve been out of this world too damn long.” “What world?” Annie had trouble getting that question out since breathing seemed extra hard with Luke so close. He brought his gaze back to hers. “The dating world.”
“Oh.” Tonight was a date? Her mouth went dry at the revelation. Good thing she hadn’t known that or she would have been even more awkward than she had been. “You had asked about Lilly. Well, she and I have—had been together for a long time. Since right after she graduated high school.” The last thing Annie had imagined doing in a hotel room with Luke Carpenter was standing by the door talking about his ex-girlfriend, but she had to admit what he’d just revealed was a fascinating tidbit of information. “Really? Wow. That’s a long time.” A very long time for a man to date a woman and not get married. She didn’t say that last part out loud. There was obviously something that stopped them from getting married. What was that? His career, maybe? “Yeah, I guess. What I’m saying is, it’s been a really long time since I’ve had to tell a girl—woman—how I feel. Or, you know, let her know I’m interested in her, um, you know…” He glanced at the bed then back to her. Her eyes opened wide. “Physically.” The word slipped out, soft but definitely audible. “Yeah. Physically.” He looked relieved she’d supplied the word for him. Now that the cat was out of the bag, what the hell. She might as well go for it. “Are you saying you’re…interested?” Annie swallowed hard and waited for the answer. He let out his breath in a short burst of air. “Oh God, yes.” Luke took his hat off. He worked the rim in his hands, spinning it round and round. He kind of looked like a little boy waiting for permission to do something. This was so not how she pictured this night going. Talking about sex was…strange. Like they were negotiating contracts.
It must be the gentleman in Luke that had him checking with her before he made a move. The few men she’d dated back home in the off-season hadn’t been like this. Actually, as she thought about them—fumbling to kiss her goodnight, slobbering on her whether she turned her cheek to avoid their lips or not—the negotiations she was currently in with Luke were far preferable. Especially if they led to the outcome she wanted. Him in her bed. As long as they were talking things out first, she might as well get all her anxieties out on the table. He’d already alleviated one fear—it was pretty obvious he hadn’t been sleeping around since his breakup, or he’d be better at this. That helped her insecurities. At least she wouldn’t be competing against some twenty-year-old he’d been with last night, or last week, or whatever. But there was still one more thing weighing on her mind. “We need to make a deal.” His hat stopped slowly rotating in his grasp. “What’s that?” “Whatever happens between us now, or even afterwards, won’t affect our professional relationship.” Now that she thought about it that was a lot to ask of both of them. Sex changed things. Hell, just this little talk would change things between them, whether they did it or not. She glanced up at him. “Do you think we’ll be able to do that?” He nodded solemnly. “I do.” She wasn’t so sure, but she wanted this man too much to worry about it any further. With the knowledge that she would very likely regret this when she was able to think again, she nodded. “Okay, then.” His brows rose. “So that means…” “It means you might want to put down that hat and take off those boots.” She smiled at his reaction.
“Yes, ma’am.” His excitement was nearly tangible as he tossed his hat onto the dresser and then turned back to her. “As soon as I do one other thing first.” “What?” Was there a quaver in her voice as Luke’s head dipped lower toward hers? “This.” That one word was spoken just shy of her lips, then Luke was kissing her. She couldn’t say he kissed her breathless because she was having trouble breathing to begin with.
