by Lexi Blake
She groaned. She had only kissed the man once and she was practically married and running a business with him.
Her phone rang, startling her since it hadn’t been working before. She glanced down, her heart seizing a bit. Her mom. She slid her finger across the screen to accept the call. “What happened?”
“Nothing,” her mom said. “Sweetie, I was calling to tell you everyone is fine here. The rain’s let up and you should be able to get back in the morning. Luc is sleeping and that dog won’t leave his room. I’ve been watching the baby monitor and every time Luc gets up and tries to climb out of bed, the dog gently nudges him back. We should steal that dog, Seraphina.”
She liked the dog almost as much as she liked his owner. “We’re not stealing Shep.”
“Maybe not steal, but you could do that thing where you bat your eyes and all the boys do what you want.”
Yeah, that hadn’t worked since high school. “Momma, I’m not stealing that man’s dog, but I will think about getting Luc one. Is everything really okay? I’m sorry for not getting home.”
“I’m not. You could use a night away. Now let’s talk about how you’re going to take that man down. Zep told me he is very interested in you. It’s been a long time since you seduced a man, and quite frankly, you are out of practice.”
“Mom.” Sometimes her mother could still shock her. “I’m not seducing him.”
“Well, you never will with that attitude of yours. I swear if I was twenty years younger, I would be all over that man like jelly on peanut butter, and it would be the crunchy kind. There would be nothing plain about it.”
She coughed. “Mom . . .”
“Don’t you pretend like he’s not the most gorgeous thing to walk into Papillon in years.” Her mom was quiet for a moment. “Is it because he’s related to Celeste Beaumont?”
“You know how she feels about me.”
“I know that you’ve let her bully you for years because you feel guilty about what happened to Wes. You have to stop that. I’ve let you wallow, but it’s time to be my sassy, take-no-prisoners daughter again. You were a girl who knew what she wanted and went after it.”
That was where her mother was wrong. “But I didn’t. I didn’t go after anything. I got lost after high school, and I haven’t figured out what I want to do with my life. Everyone else seemed to know.”
“Not everyone. It only seems like you’re alone. Life threw you a curveball. You needed a couple of years to adjust, but it’s time to get back into the game. If you don’t, you’re going to find yourself like me.” Her mother’s voice softened over the line. “Don’t get me wrong. I love my life and that it’s surrounded with friends and with my family, but I wish I’d taken the time to explore more. I wish I’d dated. I told myself I needed to concentrate on you kids, but now I know the truth. I was scared. It was easier to hide away after your father died. It was easier to lock my heart up, but I regret it now. I know that Jackson fellow hurt you, but that’s his loss. If you’re interested in this man, you should go for it. Don’t use Luc as an excuse to not take care of yourself. You’re a good mom, Seraphina. You’re a good person. You deserve to have a life as much as that Celeste Beaumont does.”
Tears pulsed behind Sera’s eyes. Her mother was pointing out all the worries that simmered under her surface, everything that kept her up at night, kept her mouth closed when she would have spoken up. She had changed since Wes died, since Luc was born. She’d pushed aside all of her own hopes and dreams in favor of making herself less of a target.
She’d made herself small and now she was allowing her guilt to keep her from something that could be wonderful. Harry.
“He stole the truck out from under me,” she said with a sniffle. “He manipulated everything so he could spend time with me. He’s a sneaky bastard, and I think I could really like him.”
She might be able to love him if she let herself try.
Her mom chuckled. “He’s a man who obviously knows what he wants.”
“He’s says he’s going to leave, but I’ll be honest, I think I’m more afraid that he’ll stay.”
“No one gets through life without facing their fears. Unless you want to end up like your Aunt Irene. You know there’s always a story under the surface. Irene wasn’t born hating the world. She wasn’t born a hermit. Something happened to her when she was a young woman. I don’t know what it was. I only know that your great-grandmother said she changed after she went away for college. I think someone hurt her and she came home and never left again, never dated. I don’t want that for you. Take a chance. Even if this isn’t something that lasts forever, it’s something you need. Unless you don’t think he’s worth it.”
That wasn’t the problem at all. “I could cost him a relationship with his aunt. He won’t let us hide if we’re dating.”
“I knew I liked him.” She could practically see her momma smiling. “He’s a man, Sera. Let him make his own choices. If you’ve talked about this and he’s made the decision, then you’re the only one holding you back. And you’re the only one who can free yourself. I love you, baby. I’ll be by your side no matter what you do, but I think there’s a reason you got caught with him tonight. Although I know that motel. Couldn’t you have gotten caught at a five-star in New Orleans?”
Sera laughed at the thought and wiped her tears away. Her mother had a point. Maybe it was time to start taking back some of her life. “What if I’m making another mistake and it ends up hurting people?”
“Are you going into this with any thought to hurt someone else?”
She was trying desperately not to. “No.”
“Then do your best and know that we love you. Know that your family stands by you.”
“Hey, Momma, are you trying to get Sera to jump Harry’s bones?” She could hear her brother in the background. “Because that would help me out enormously. I need to get that brother off the market or I won’t ever get a date again. You go for it, sis. Help baby brother out. Hey, I even have some condoms for you.”
Zep was the most obnoxious member of her family. “I’ll see you in the morning, Momma.”
She hung up.
What did she want? She wanted to stay here and live at Guidry Place, at least for a while. She wanted to build some kind of a future for herself and her son. She wanted something sweet in her life.
She wanted Harry.
She smoothed back her hair, happy that at least the place had a working hair dryer. Yes, she was wearing a T-shirt that had a massive beer bottle on it and she’d washed away all her makeup. Yes, she was in a motel where someone had likely been murdered recently. And yes, she didn’t have a lot to offer the man sitting outside, but she was going to walk out there and offer it to him anyway.
She stepped out of the bathroom and stopped because Harry was sitting at the small desk, his prosthetic leg propped against the bed. He’d taken off his jeans and sat there in a pair of boxers. His face was tight as he looked down at the place where they’d amputated.
All thoughts of being seductive and bold fled and her heart softened. She rushed to him. “What’s wrong?”
He grimaced. “Sorry. I didn’t want you to see me like this.”
“You’ve got a cut.” She touched his leg right above his knee, a few inches from the scrape he’d taken. “We need to take care of it. Is it rubbing against the prosthesis?”
“No. It’s a little above where it sits. I slipped in the rain and scraped against something.”
“We need to get you in the bathroom and clean it up.” It wasn’t bad, but he definitely would need some soap and water. “You’re chilled all the way through. I’m sorry I took so long.”
He looked at her and there was a weariness to him that made her ache. “I heard you talking to someone. Is everything all right?”
She nodded. “Yeah, I’ve got three bars now, so that make
s me feel better. Though you should know my momma wants to steal your dog. According to her, Shep is a baby whisperer.” She stood up. “Come on. I’ll turn on the shower and help you get in.”
He glanced down. “I need a minute to get my leg back on.”
He would only have to take it off again. “Or you can lean on me. It’s not far.”
“Sera, I . . .”
She stared down at him because they needed to get a few things straight. Whatever happened between them wouldn’t be some fast and furious affair where they spent more time in bed than out of it. If they were going to be friends, be more than friends, then she had some firm beliefs in how that would work. “You said you wanted to get to know me. This is part of me. I want to help you. I want to be something more to you than a pretty face and a body in bed. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that life is rough, and you better be strong enough to help the people around you. You also better be strong enough to accept help from the people around you. You told me I’m the most beautiful woman in town. Well, I wonder if you’ll think that when you see my scars. I’ve got a nice one at my bikini line because Luc was a ten-pound baby, and I wasn’t built for that.”
The sweetest smile came over his face, lighting him up. There was something special about Harry, some inner goodness that shone through. “I’ll think that scar is beautiful because it’s a part of you.”
“Then don’t expect me to think less of you because you’re about to awkwardly hop to that barely functional bathroom and clean yourself up. I’ll think you’re brave because you went through all of it and there’s no bitterness in you.”
His hand came out, reaching for her own. “Oh, don’t think I woke up this way. It took a lot to get past my bitterness. After I came home to Dallas, I worked for a little while in a restaurant that gave jobs to injured vets. It’s where I learned how to make the best grilled cheese sandwich in the world. It’s also where I met a great therapist who guided me through those first rough months when I thought the world was over. I was angry and bitter and I hated everyone for a while. But I got through it with some help. I’m glad to take yours, sweetheart.”
She balanced him as he managed to stand. She glanced down at his foot. Even that foot was oddly sexy. It was big and solid, like the rest of the man. She eased her arm around his waist and his arm came out to close on her shoulders. She was the perfect height to balance him. It was funny because she’d always bemoaned how short she was, but now she was happy to be his crutch.
She’d been right. It was horrifically awkward, but Harry laughed as they wobbled and hopped and weaved their way to the bathroom.
“We are not going to be winning any three-leg races,” he said as they made it past the door.
“I bet we could if we practiced. They have one every year at the Founder’s Day picnic, and Herve and his brother always win. I think it’s because they’ve had so much practice helping each other out of bars when they’re drunk.” She turned on the hot water as he balanced against the sink.
“We’ll have to practice, then.” He was staring at her, his eyes steady as though he didn’t even want to think about looking away. “Sera . . .”
This was the moment when she had to make her choice. But then, she’d pretty much already made it. “You’re sure?”
“More sure than I’ve been of anything in my life.”
She went up on her toes and let her lips brush his. “Okay, then. Let’s get you cleaned up and we’ll deal with everything else.”
He grinned down at her. “And I can take you on a proper date?”
She nodded, a warmth flaring in her heart. She was going on a date with Harry Jefferys. “Yes.”
“And not to your family restaurant. Somewhere else.”
She nodded. “There are a couple of places we could go. I can show you around. I’ve heard you’ve turned down the other tour guides.”
“Yeah, I was waiting for the right one.”
He was so heartbreakingly gorgeous. And that was what would happen. He would break her heart and she was still going to try with him. She gently brushed her lips against his once more. “I promise to be diligent about showing you around town. Maybe you’ll like it there. Well, when we can actually get back into town. Now sit down and let me clean this up for you. I’ve got some bandages in my purse, and a tiny first aid kit. Luc gets scrapes all the time. I’ll be right back.”
Harry proved to be an excellent patient. He was still while she cleaned the wound, not even wincing when she rubbed the antiseptic over it. “What made you change your mind? I thought you would be done with me when you figured out my evil plot.”
“To take me to a nice dinner? To help me deal with those jerks who wanted to jack the price up? Strangely, I didn’t find that so evil.”
“Do you get that a lot?” he asked.
“Men who think because I’m blond and have breasts that I obviously don’t have a brain in my head? All the time,” she replied. “It’s not bad at home. They all know me, but we get a lot of tourists. I was a waitress for a while. I lost that job when I poured a whole pitcher of iced tea on a man.”
“And what did he do to deserve that?” His voice had gone deep.
He was going to be overly protective. That was easy to see. “He seemed like he needed cooling down. That was all. He actually wasn’t doing anything to me, but Hallie was working there, too. It was when we were just out of high school. He got handsy and she froze. So I took care of it. It wasn’t Dixie’s place. It was one town over. Dixie would have chased that man away and likely called Armie on the guy. And I’m not alone. Every woman I know has a story like what happened today. But I got my discount and my flooring. I might have to rent a boat to get it all home, but it’s mine.” She pressed the bandage against him and got to her feet. “I think you will survive.”
He’d dried himself off with a towel and there was no way to miss how good that man looked in nothing but a pair of boxers.
“Only because I had an excellent nurse.” He stared at her for a moment as if he wanted to take her in, memorize her. He shook his head and took a long breath. “We should get you to bed. Did you see any extra blankets?”
Did he honestly think she would make him sleep on the floor? Now that she was in, she kind of wanted to be all in. She had no idea how long she would have with him. “It’s a king-size bed. I think we can share it.”
“Are you sure?”
She nodded and got in position to help him back to the bed. She liked him leaning on her, liked knowing he understood she was strong enough to help him. And she definitely liked that he hadn’t fought her on it, hadn’t pulled some masculine BS. “I am.”
She settled him on the right side of the bed and wished she were wearing something sexier than a way-too-big-for-her beer T-shirt. It hung to her knees and hid the one part of her she felt pretty confident in. Despite breastfeeding for almost a year, her boobs were still perky. Of course, he was a fairly careful man. He might have rules. “So if we’re going to date, I need to ask you a question. How do you feel about fooling around?”
He went still. “Are you asking specifically how I feel about fooling around with you or in general?”
All the talking stuff made her anxious. Why couldn’t he be one of those guys who took any shot he could with a woman? It would make it infinitely easier to get what she wanted if she didn’t actually have to admit that she wanted it. Of course, then he wouldn’t be Harry. Honest, upright, gorgeous Harry, who was going to make her admit everything. “I’m talking about you and me. I can’t stop thinking about kissing you.”
His hands came up to take hers. He pressed until they were palm to palm. “That’s because I told you I’m the best kisser in the world.”
He made her smile. She knew why he’d pulled that arrogant routine on her. He’d known how close she was to getting emotional, and he’d given her an out.
This man always seemed to know what she needed. She threaded her fingers with his, loving how big his hands were. Harry’s hands were callused and warm and strong. “I don’t know about that. I seem to have forgotten, and then of course, how could I be sure? I haven’t kissed a ton of guys. Wouldn’t I need to kiss, well, all the other guys?”
He pulled her in, his eyes going hot. “You’re going to have to take my word for it because I don’t want you kissing anyone else. Not now that I have you where I want you.”
“In a motel room?”
He pulled her close and she suddenly found herself on her back, him looming over her. “Right here. With me. No matter where that is, Seraphina. As for fooling around, I am all for it if you’re willing to be with me. But it’s not fooling around. I’m serious about you, and you need to understand that.”
She let her arms go around his shoulders, her whole body softening under his. Her skin was starting to sing with anticipation. “You’re serious about me and you would be upset if I used you for sex.”
A shudder went through him. “You should understand that I would not take that well. I would be depressed and likely very vocal about how the gorgeous, smart blonde used me for my body.”
He was ridiculous. “Yes, everyone would believe that the single mom ruthlessly used you for sex.”
His face went serious. “I don’t only want sex from you.”
She cupped his face because her heart was already melting for him. “I don’t just want sex from you, but I do want it. I want you, Harry. I want you like I haven’t wanted anything in a long time. I want to be close to you. I want to be with you.”
“I want to be with you.” A hint of a smile crossed his face before he lowered his head to hers.
She could hear the rain beating against the window as the storm started up again, but it was mere background noise because Harry was kissing her. His lips brushed along hers, gentle at first, and then deeper, his tongue running along the seam of her mouth and coaxing her to open for him.