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Chapter 24
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Teach Me Chapter 25
Saturday morning began much the way Friday night had ended. Galen woke to the magnificent sensation of Lydia warm and soft and draped across his chest. They weren't in her too tiny bed either, but in his big comfortable nest. Life was good.He wondered if she'd heard those last words he'd murmured as they'd drifted off to sleep. He'd meant them but he still kind of hoped she hadn't heard. He knew he was being a coward but he just wasn't ready to go public yet. Not even with only her.Lydia stirred, her hand brushing against his morning erection. Her fingers wrapped around him and she made a sound that was almost a purr. "Good morning."He tucked his hands under her arms and pulled her up over him for a kiss. "It is a good morning, isn't it? Are you sore?" They'd woken twice in the night to make love. Even Galen was feeling a bit of muscle strain this morning, though he didn't mind in the least.She stretched, shimmying against him as she did. Somehow it was just the most natural th
Teach Me Chapter 26
Lydia was amazed by how much one lousy phone call could change everything. Instead of a sexy picnic with Galen, she bundled her laundry bag into the back seat of her compact car. Things had been going along so well, then kaboom!It wasn't that she didn't understand Galen's decision, not really. She understood that he couldn't go dashing off on a picnic when his son was about to show up any minute. Of course he needed to be home when Jason arrived. They hadn't seen each other in months, and Jason had a fairly short time to visit before his summer program in Europe. And, in all honesty, she could understand Galen's reluctance to have her present when his son arrived. He'd said he wanted to talk to Jason that evening. He was going to tell his son that he was seeing someone, but he didn't want to make it quite so clear that she'd just spent the night. So it appeared she was doing laundry on Saturday after all. She'd never even gotten to try out his amazing bathtub.This was good, she re
Teach Me Chapter 27
"You like your stepfather, right? You never had a problem with your mother remarrying, did you?""What? You're kidding right? Mom and Chuck have been married since I was what - six? I can't really remember her being single and I sure as hell can't remember you two together. Chuck is a great guy. I never thought my being close to him bothered you. Is that what this is about?""God, no." Of course he'd been jealous from time to time but he'd never confess. Besides he owed the guy big time and he wasn't ashamed to admit that. "I'm grateful every day that your mom found someone who treated you like his own. I'd like to give the guy a medal.""Then what?""Did it ever occur to you that in all the time since your mother and I split, I've never really gotten serious about anyone?"Jason nodded. "Yeah. I was never sure if you were just hiding it, or if you really needed to get out more." He turned to Galen and his eyes narrowed. "Is that what this is about? You've got a girlfriend, finall
Teach Me Chapter 28
"Gina!" Lydia's exasperation came out as more of a moan that a scold."Hey, you two. What's up?" Ben Montoya, who'd finished his PhD in European folklore strolled around the corner, with his gorgeous girlfriend, a biology professor, on his arm. "Lydia, Gina, you two know Wesley, don't you?""We do," Lydia confirmed. She leaned up to hug Ben and Wes over the table fronting her booth. "Actually, Ben, I have a question for you, if you don't mind. A professional one?""Shoot," A former Special Forces soldier, Ben was one of the nicest and most handsome men Lydia had ever known. But he wasn't Galen, and he was madly in love with Wesley, so Lydia was glad to be just a friend."I have a scroll I'm trying to identify," she said. "It's nowhere in the records, not even in Kroner's private journals.""Cool. You want me to drop by your office tomorrow? I've got this week off, between summer mini-sessions." Ben taught at the local community college. He had a keen eye for detail and interpretat
Teach Me Chapter 29
Galen still couldn't believe his son had called Lydia a gold-digger to her face. Had any other man said that, Galen would have slugged him. "She's not like that.""Sure. So she's only what - fifteen years younger than you?" Jason shrugged and rolled his eyes. "Fine. I'll go apologize if you want."Galen gave him a curt nod. "I'd appreciate it."They walked back to the booth and found Lydia gone. Galen turned to the palm reader set up at the next table and discovered that Lydia's friend had taken her home. Apparently she'd gotten sick. Tendrils of worry snaked around his gut."It looks like she dropped one of her cards." Jason pointed to a white cardboard square poking out from the grass beneath the table cloth."Damn, those were her grandmother's. She'd be devastated if she lost any of them." Galen reached down and picked up the card, pleased when Jason dropped to his knees to check for others under the table."That was the only one. Good thing we found it then."Galen nodded, g
Teach Me Chapter 30
Lydia paused as if taking stock, then nodded cautiously, replying to Galen's question. "I feel much better. Like I said, maybe I was just overtired. Or upset.""Jason." Galen bit his lower lip then continued. "I have no idea why he decided to be such a jerk to you, honey but he asked me to tell you that he's sorry.""It's okay." Her eyes told him she was lying. Jason's words had hurt her and his own inept handling of the situation had made it worse."No, it's not. But hopefully it will be, eventually. You're both important to me and I'd like it if you two could get along. I think once he figures out that what we have is real, he'll be okay."She gave him a shaky smile. "I hope you're right. I don't want to come between you and your son, Galen.""You won't. He's a good kid, for the most part. He'll come around."Galen heated up a can of soup and made some sandwiches after installing her on the couch. She seemed all right but she was still pale and shaky, not at all her normal exub
Teach Me Chapter 31
On Wednesday night, Lydia changed her outfit four different times before deciding on a black denim mini and silver camisole. Flat black sandals and a pair of silver hoop earrings completed the outfit. She was thirty now. Not a huge deal in cosmic terms perhaps but a big enough one for her. It made her relationship with Galen sound a little better, she thought, if he could just tell people "oh, she's in her thirties."He'd sent flowers to her office again today and her heart had sung when she'd seen the card signed 'Galen' instead of his initials. It was another baby step but he was taking those with increasing regularity. He did have some sort of committee meeting tonight but he'd promised to meet her at the pub as soon as it was over.Her headache was still a nagging worry. Most days it just sat there at the back of her skull, annoying but not debilitating but sometimes especially if she was working, it came back with a vengeance. She was probably going to have to go to the doctor a
Teach Me Chapter 32
Galen handed Lydia her present and she ripped into the package like a five-year-old at Christmas. When she opened it and saw the Tarot card necklace she squealed and threw her arms around his neck. "The Hierophant. It's you. You remembered. Oh, Galen, it's perfect. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I was wrong before. This is the best birthday present I've ever had!" She punctuated each sentence with a kiss on his cheek, nose or chin, anywhere she could reach. Then she spun on her stool to face away from him and handed the box back over her shoulder. "Help me put it on."Obediently he fastened the chain around her neck, his fingers lingering to caress the sensitive skin at her nape. When he was done he bent his head and kissed her neck just below her ear. Damn, he couldn't wait to take her home tonight. He'd already told Jason not to expect him back. He wasn't about to abandon her on her birthday. He'd reluctantly accepted the fact that his son was mature enough to handle the idea of h
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