Scarlett REACHED ACROSS the car and squeezed Cole's hand. This morning had taken a surprising turn when Cole's brother called to ask if they wanted to do breakfast. After some back and forth, Cal and Eve were driving up to attend the high school's fall pancake breakfast charity to benefit the local firehouse. Given that half the town had been burned down in '68, the fire department was one thing no one skimped on."You want to get out, or wait on them?" Scarlett asked."Let's get out." Cole squeezed her hand back. "Thanks for making time to do this.""Thanks for letting me tag along."Cole leaned across and kissed her cheek. It was a sweet gesture after a night of intense heat. She wasn't looking forward to seeing Garth later. He'd been cool about Cole showing up, but she was dreading his real reaction later. Garth couldn't stop being Garth even if he wanted to."Come on." Cole opened his door.They got out and walked hand in hand across the grass toward the small parking l
Cole FLIPPED CHANNELS on the TV without much consideration for what was on. Sunday nights were now about quality time with Scarlett. With their schedules they didn't get a lot of it, but they were finding a rhythm. Not to mention over the last week his world was taking a dramatic shift what with introducing his blood family to the woman who had taken up residence in his heart.He was ready for Scarlett to be there.Whenever she wasn't there, he wanted her to be. It was a silly wish. They both had jobs they loved, lives, friends and family besides each other, and yet he wanted to do all of those things with Scarlett.He'd never wanted to be with someone as much as he wanted to be with her.Which was one of the two reasons why his butt was still on the sofa and not in the car headed up to her house.The other reason was the five pounds of fluff currently snoring on his thigh. They'd learned the hard way since last Saturday that Pip, the little Terrier-Chihuahua long haired mutt
Scarlett TURNED INTO Cole's driveway.She'd been positive one of the guys would want to stop and talk to her on her way out, or she'd get pulled over for something silly and someone would ask questions about her long, winter coat. It might be October, but it wasn't yet cold. Hell, her air conditioner was still running. If it weren't for her need to cover up the super sexy, barely there number she'd bought while shopping with the girls.Never in Scarlett's life had she done something like this. She wasn't really the lingerie and sexy stuff girl. Awkward and opportunistic were more her speed, but with Cole she wanted to make an effort.She killed the Jeep, grabbed her bag then carefully slid out of the driver's seat. She could already hear Pip barking away inside. The newly installed blinds meant nosy neighbors couldn't see inside. She'd never hung curtains or anything because she liked the sunshine but after this week she was ready to measure and place her own order.Her heels c
Scarlett turned to face Cole and let the coat slide down her arms. It fell to the floor, leaving her in the cherry red heels, a pair of pink panties made out of lace so sheer she might as well not be wearing anything, and a long camisole style top. It was made out of the same pink lace, only it had red flowers embroidered across each cup and down over her stomach in such a way that it hid her nipples from view."Hot damn," Cole muttered. His cheeks had sunk in and his eyes were dark with lust."I wasn't sure you'd like it."She lifted a hand to her stomach and touched the embroidery.This was where her plan ended. From here on she was winging it."You shouldn't doubt yourself." His gaze traveled up and back down her body. "You better come here if you want me to keep sitting on this couch."She laughed at that, a mix of nerves and need. One step and he reached out, grabbing her wrist and pulled her closer so she stood between his knees."Your turn." She grasped his soft T-
ONE THING Scarlett wasn't sure if she'd get used to were alarms on Mondays. She groaned and cracked one eye open in time to watch Cole's tight ass bound out of bed. Pip leapt onto the floor to follow his human into the bathroom.It was still dark outside. Cole liked to get to the clinic a half hour before they opened at seven. If he hadn't promised her breakfast she'd roll over, go back to sleep and let herself out later, but her stomach protested loud enough Pip scampered back onto the bed to check on her."I'm up," she muttered at the dog.To prove her point, she levered up into a sitting position and patted Pip's head.She pulled on clean clothes and tied her hair up in a messy bun. At this hour the only people who'd be at the diner were male counterparts of the L.O.L.s and a few cops. She didn't need to dress up for anyone."Are you taking Pip to work with you today?" she asked when Cole stepped out clothed in teal scrubs."I was thinking I'd try leaving him here today.
Scarlett gathered her laundry, let herself into the house and released Pip from the kennel. She went through the motions of getting her laundry going then settled on the sofa with Pip to stare at nothing.Cole had never given her the indication he wanted to get back together with Allie-Kate. In fact, the way he spoke, it sounded like there'd never been any love there at all. But what if AK's appearance made Cole realize he wanted something else? What if he decided to move? What if-what? What was Scarlett afraid of?Losing Cole.Against her better judgment she'd fallen in love with him and now all of the power was in his hands. He could hurt her. No, he could destroy her. She'd fallen for a man she knew wasn't sure of what he wanted. That meant she had to accept that she could lose it all, and there was nothing she could do about it.Three hours later Scarlett had started in on Cole's laundry. The towels and sheets were next. She'd scrubbed the kitchen, did the dishes and a quic
THE MINUTE Cole stepped into the clinic the day went sideways.A patient from the day before popped their stitches. The cops arrived with a distressed woman whose dog had been in a fight with a coyote and won. All of this had to be handled between the regularly scheduled patients and while enduring the wide-eyed stares of his co-workers and pet parents. Everyone knew Allie-Kate was back.Just before lunch Cole couldn't take it anymore and stepped out into the lot behind the clinic to catch his breath.Dr. Green and Mrs. Billy were loading up over on the livestock end of the building. Cole rarely had reason to go out to the other side of the practice. It was Dr. Green's domain, and he'd made it clear he wanted nothing to do with the domestic pets now that Cole was there."Cole." Dr. Green leaned on the pickup and waved him over.Crap.What else could go wrong today?He glanced at his phone and Scarlett's texts. Right now he couldn't reply to her. He didn't know what to say
BY EARLY AFTERNOON Scarlett's stomach insisted she go home to at least eat. Ingrid and Kasima followed her up to her place even though they both had a lot on their plates. What would Scarlett do without friends like them?She pulled into the drive and before her door was open both Benji and Garth had appeared on their porch looking in her direction.Of course they'd know.Everyone was probably talking about AK being in town and at Cole's house.Scarlett didn't want to talk about it with them. She was hurt and confused by Cole's silence. The things Ingrid had told her she'd heard Cole say didn't help alleviate the stress.But she and Cole were in a relationship. They'd agreed on that. It had to mean something.She was determined not to go crazy girl again. When he got off work, they'd talk about this.Scarlett got out of the Jeep and with the help of Ingrid and Kasima gathered her laundry."Here, let us help," Garth said as they closed in."Please, not right now," Scar