by Addison Cole
His mind drifted to the other person he’d like to reconnect with, Mira Savage, his father’s employee and the woman who had been occupying Matt’s thoughts since he met her last summer at his younger brother Grayson’s engagement party. They’d spent the entire day together with her adorable son, Hagen. He’d seen her half a dozen times since, during brief visits home. They’d taken Hagen to the park together and a few other places, although they’d never gone on an official date. They’d exchanged occasional texts over the weeks in between, but that was as far as it had gone. It being Matt’s attraction to a woman who lived too many hours away to get involved with. Mira wasn’t the type of woman whose life he could complicate with intermittent encounters. She was a selfless woman who put her son and others first. The type of woman who blushed when he got too close. The type of woman a man took the time to get to know—almost a year, that’s pretty darn long—to show her she could trust him, a woman who should be taken care of and protected but not smothered. And she was the only woman he’d like to undress slowly, loving every inch of her incredible body until she was trembling with desire. Keeping himself in check had been like dancing on hot coals, but he’d never stopped thinking about the sexy single mother and her inquisitive son.
He stripped off his slacks and stepped into the shower, turning the faucet to cold now that he was hot and bothered over Mira. He closed his eyes and exhaled a long breath. One thing at a time.
The water shifted from his head to his back, and Matt looked up at the faucet, which promptly fell, clipping his cheekbone.
“Ouch! What the—” He grabbed his cheek and pulled away from the water spraying in all directions from the broken spigot. Perfect. Just perfect. He washed the fresh blood from his fingers and quickly rinsed off.
He stepped from the shower and dried off, eyeing the offending fixture. The lousy thing had a crack around the housing and rust on the inside. He’d rented his friends’ cottage in the Seaside community for the summer. The place was in great shape, but things like showerheads were easy to miss when renovating. It was after nine o’clock, and Amy and Tony had a little girl. Matt wasn’t about to bother them about a bathroom fixture. He pulled on clean clothes and called his father, who owned Lacroux Hardware Store.
“Hey, Pop. Is the electronic code to your shop still Mom’s birthday?” His father had been talking about retiring lately. The hardware store was meant to be the family legacy, passed down to one of his five children, only none of them wanted to take it over. But right this very moment, Matt had never been so glad that his father was in the hardware business. The Cape wasn’t big on chain stores. The closest Home Depot or Target was a good forty minutes away.
“Yes. What’s wrong?”
“I need a showerhead for Tony’s place.”
“Want me to run one up to you?”
Neil Lacroux would do anything for his children—even though they were all grown up. Matt knew he’d been lonely since their mother passed away unexpectedly from an aneurysm a few years ago, which was another reason he’d chosen to come back home during his sabbatical. He made a mental note to stop by the store and visit with him.
“I’ve got it, Pop. Sorry to bother you.”
The drive to Orleans took only a few minutes. Even though Matt had grown up on the Cape, it always took him a day or two to adjust to being out of the city. Slacks and button-downs were replaced with shorts and tank tops, people moved at a more relaxed pace, and no matter how far from the beach he was, sand was ever-present. Sand in the grass, sand on the floors, sand on the seat of his car—and he hadn’t even been to the beach yet.
He punched in the code to the security keypad, and the minute he was inside the dark store, he heard it. Tap, tap, tap. He froze, every neuron on high alert, and listened. Tap, tap, tap, tap, pause, tap, tap, tap. It was coming from his father’s office. His arms instinctively flexed, preparing for a fight. He moved swiftly and silently to the office door and listened to the incessant tapping. Dad’s calculator?
He pushed the door open, and his body flooded with awareness at the sight of Mira sitting at the desk, her fingers flying over the calculator. Maybe this was his lucky night after all.
Her hand flew to her chest. “Matt…?” His name came out all breathy. “You scared me. I had no idea you were in town.”
Because I made a point of wanting to surprise you, although not exactly like this.
“Sorry about that, sunshine. I just got in a little while ago. I came to get a showerhead.” He walked into the small office, taking in the ledger on the desk, illuminated by his father’s ancient single-bulb lamp, and the family photos thumbtacked to the wall. He noticed a new photograph front and center, a picture of Hagen holding a fishing rod with a little sunfish dangling from the line. He knew how much Mira and Hagen meant to his father, but seeing Hagen’s photo among their family’s brought the full impact home. He shifted his gaze to Mira, and as the shock of his arrival wore off, a beautiful smile spread across her face. There it was, the brightness that had hooked him all those months ago. The sweet look of innocence and rebellious I-can-take-on-the-world confidence in her gorgeous eyes. She had no idea what she did to him.
“Sunshine,” she whispered, and shook her head.
“You can’t deny the way you light up everything around you.” He’d given her the nickname last summer because she had such a positive outlook on life.
“You should see me before I have coffee in the mornings.”
I’d like that more than you know.
“A showerhead? Let me show you where they are.” She pushed to her feet, nearly bumping into his chest in the close quarters. Her chestnut hair tumbled sexily over her shoulders as she stood before him, one hand perched over his chest, the other reaching up to touch his cheek. “What happened?”
Their attraction had been immediate and intense last summer and had only grown stronger with each subsequent visit—at least he knew it had for him. For months he’d buried any hope of exploring their connection beneath classes and research papers. Now, as she gazed into his eyes, all those heated memories came rushing back.
“I was assaulted by the old one.”
“Ouch.” She grimaced, and the spray of freckles on the bridge of her nose rose with the effort.
He hadn’t been able to get that cute mannerism out of his head when he’d gone back to Princeton, and man, did he like seeing it again.
“You might need a stitch.” Her fingers lingered on his skin, warm and soft.
He covered her hand with his, pressing it to his cheek. “It’s nothing, really.”
She nibbled nervously on the corner of her mouth. “I’ll just…” She pointed out of the office, and her hand slid from beneath his. She brushed against his arm as she walked away, stirring more of that same dark attraction.
There was no shortage of women vying for Matt’s attention. From coeds to faculty, he could have his pick back in Princeton, and the choices were just as plentiful here at the Cape. But the only woman he saw when he closed his eyes at night was heading down aisle seven of his father’s hardware store.
“Where’s Hagen?” He told himself not to stare at her hips swaying seductively in a pair of skimpy cutoffs, but it was a tough reprimand to heed, considering she had gorgeous long legs.
In an effort to dissuade his dirty thoughts, he asked, “Why are you working so late? I thought you worked daytime hours.” He’d have to mention something to his father. Orleans was a safe town, but he didn’t like the idea of Mira working alone at night.
“Hagen is at a slumber party,” she said, as if that explained everything. She planted her hands on her hips as he looked over the showerhead selections. “If I sit around at the cottage I’ll just drive myself crazy worrying about whether he’s okay, or if he’ll get any sleep. It’s better that I’m distracted with work.”
“Is this your first night apart?” He grabbed a shower fixture, taking in her thoughtful expression.
“At almost seven? Goo
dness, no. I mean, we don’t spend many nights apart, but he’s not babied by any means. He’d never stand for that. You’ve met him. He’d probably read a book on how to escape from under Mommy’s thumb and devise a plan.” She sighed and stared absently over his shoulder, like she was reliving a memory. “It’s funny how things change. When he was a baby I couldn’t bear to part with him.” She shrugged. “But life can be crazy, and I think to be a good mother—especially a good single mother—you have to occasionally give yourself a break to rejuvenate. Hagen loves spending the night with my brothers and my friend Serena. I don’t usually worry when he’s with family, but when he’s with friends I worry. It’s silly, I know.”
“That’s not silly. It’s the mark of a loving mother.” He should know. His mother had been just as protective of him and his siblings.
She laughed and headed back toward the office. “You make it sound normal that I’ve got my nose stuck in a ledger all night because my son’s at a friend’s house.”
He laid two twenties on the desk for the showerhead.
She gave him a deadpan look. “Seriously? You know your father won’t accept your money.”
“Then use it to buy coffee for the store and don’t tell him.” He left the money on the desk. “I spend most nights grading papers and working on research, so I’m not really sure what normal is anymore. But if this is your one night of freedom, let’s go enjoy it.”
She squinted up at him. “Like a pity date?”
He laughed and grabbed her purse from the back of her chair. “Hardly. Like two friends hitting the town to figure out what normal people do on Friday nights.” Taking her hand, he said, “Let’s go, sunshine. You can brighten up what was sure to be a very grim evening.”
SUNSHINE. HOW MANY times had she dreamed of him whispering that in her ear since last summer? A shameful amount, that’s how many. That was not something she was proud of, but with her busy life, fantasies were all she had time for. Well, that and the fact that the guys who usually asked her out were not the type of men she could see herself getting serious with. Having a son changed everything. She needed a man who was reliable and patient, but selfishly, she also wanted a man who would treat her like a woman. A man who would understand that she hadn’t had sex in years and not be turned off to reacquainting her to the darker pleasures of life.
She tried to keep up with the six-foot-plus hunka-hunka academic hotness dragging her out the back door. Matt was an intriguing mix of proper gentleman and flirtatious bad boy. She’d seen him at barbecues when he was in town visiting his family, and they’d gotten together a few times and taken Hagen to the park and the movies. They’d texted sporadically, and Mira had often hoped those friendly, sometimes slightly flirtatious texts might lead to something more, but they never had. It was just as well, because his world was a lifetime away from hers—in both miles and lifestyle.
“Where are we going?” She laughed as he tugged her along.
The door locked behind them, and he released her hand to check it. She’d heard rumors about Matt spending evenings prowling around saving little old ladies or something crazy like that. Her friend, and Matt’s soon-to-be sister-in-law, Parker, called him the secret savior, and Mira knew firsthand about his propensity for being careful and protective. They’d first met at Grayson and Parker’s engagement party, and sparks had flown from the moment their eyes connected. And the way Matt had treated Hagen, as if he were his to protect, had made him that much more appealing. When Hagen had played by the water, Matt had watched over her son like a hawk. The two of them had clicked as quickly as Mira and Matt had. And their amazing connection hadn’t ended there. During another visit, when they’d gone to the park and Hagen wanted to take a walk in the woods, Matt had watched his every step. The two had spent the entire time discussing bugs and snakes. The whole conversation had made her skin crawl, but Hagen had been in little-boy heaven. He’d finally met a man who treated him like he wasn’t just a child talking nonsense, but an important person who knew what he was talking about. And he did. Even before he could read, he’d preferred being read to from National Geographic and the dictionary over fairy tales. “But, Mom,” he’d insist. “You said we look up words we don’t know. So teach me the words we don’t know.” Spoken like a boy of twelve, not four.
Matt pointed across the dark parking lot. “The Chocolate Sparrow. Perfect,” he said with a too-sexy grin. “Didn’t you tell me it was one of your favorite places?”
“That place is like the devil’s playground. I’d like to melt all their chocolate and bathe in it.”
Matt’s eyes went darker than a little black dress, and her temperature rose fifty degrees. He clenched his jaw, then took her hand and led her toward the Chocolate Sparrow, walking so fast she stumbled trying to keep up. He held the door open and she inhaled the heavenly scent of calories waiting to land on her hips. As the door closed behind them, a whoosh of air carried the spicy, male scent of Matt. Delicious.
They wound through the crowd to the line in front of the baked goods. Cakes, brownies, cookies, pastries…The possibilities were endless. Mira leaned around Matt, eyeing the fudge in the glass displays across the room. He stepped to the side, allowing her a perfect view, and released her hand. No amount of chocolate was worth not having that big, strong hand touching her. That was as close to a man’s touch as she’d come since her last dental appointment. She swallowed that sad thought, and seconds later, Matt’s hand pressed against her lower back and he leaned down until his face was beside her ear. If she turned, she could taste his very tempting lips.
“A tubful of fudge to melt later, perhaps?” he whispered.
When she met his gaze, it was swimming with heat. Molten lava. Temptations of the naughtiest kind. Holy cow.
Before she could form a response, he said, “We’ll get some of that, too.”
How would she ever eat chocolate again without seeing that look? Where did it come from? Oh my, she must look as lustful as she felt.
They stepped up to the counter, and Matt waved at the display of desserts. “What would you refrain from eating if you were with Hagen?”
“How did you know…?”
“You said he can only take so much sugar before he turns into a factoid chatterbox and you can’t keep up. More specifically, I think you said the equivalent to one kiddie-size ice-cream cone was his limit.”
You remembered?
“Said with the love of a mother, of course,” he added with a warm smile.
She banged her forehead on his hard chest, which she’d done a few times before. They were friends; it wasn’t so weird of a thing to do. But now it felt intimate. She forced herself to take a step back. “You remembered that, too?”
He tapped the side of his head. “Hear it, read it, see it. Once is all it takes. Like that brilliant boy of yours. Now pick out all your mouthwatering treats before the hungry crowd behind us riots.”
She stared into the display, but her mind was still on that brilliant boy of yours. People outside of her family called Hagen a lot of things—nerdy, quiet, different (the one that bothered her the most)—but brilliant was never tossed his way, except by her, which didn’t really count. Her brothers called him smart, and bless their hearts, they talked about manning him up when he was older. Of course, as much as she appreciated their efforts, they couldn’t know that the suggestion also stung. She loved her boy just as he was. She liked that he enjoyed learning more than he liked kicking a ball.
Matt’s hand pressed more firmly against her, bringing her mind back to the moment.
“How about we choose together?”
“Yes, please.” Anything to get my mind to behave.
He pointed to a piece of decadent chocolate cake, chocolate-covered strawberries drizzled in white chocolate, and raspberry cheesecake. “What do you think?”
“Um…” Her mouth watered as she tried to decide. “Which do you want?”
“Which? I was thinking we’d get all three and shar
e.”
“All three?” She imagined smearing all that richness on her hips, where it was all going to end up anyway. That led to her thinking about Matt spreading it on her hips and his big hands moving along—
Gulp.
Time to shut her brain up.
“And a piece of milk-chocolate fudge,” he added casually, sending her brain right back to the gutter.
“Or should I order a bucketful?” he said into her ear. Then a little louder, he asked, “Is water okay?”
“Yes. With ice. Extra ice, please.” Chocolate and Matt together kicked off an avalanche that caused her brain to tumble south. Although his very impressive south was outlined nicely by his jeans.
She tore her eyes away. She was an educated, responsible mother, and it was time to act like one. This was the trouble with being around him. Other guys were easy to ignore, or at least resist, but Matt was different. She knew his family and friends. She’d seen him with her son. He was the epitome of a good friend, and a reliable, smart Princeton professor—which was probably where her naughty coed fantasy came from, considering she’d never had that particular fantasy while she was in college.
Pushing that thought away took many hard swallows and thoughts of butterflies and puppies, and…Hagen. Once again clear-headed, she focused on having a night of clean fun.
The tables were all taken, so they headed outside to the patio.