Drawn Through You

by Sarina Rhoads

  “Are you sure?” Cheating nature of the envied caress, Shaun pushed the floating length of curls behind her ear. “I also think your mom, you know…” She shrugged.

  Cole smiled wide. “My mom likes you. Trust me, I can tell.” His mother didn’t usually go to the trouble of making extra corn biscuits for them. He and Carl both possessed calloused palates, used to the spice without the need of a buffer. However, she’d had them ready for Shaun even before she had met his boss, and Shaun had been kind enough to gift his mom with an honest compliment. Such small gestures went over well in his family.

  One thin brow arched. “Oh? Bring a lot of girls over for comparison?” The corner of her mouth quirked upwards.

  Cole barked out a laugh. Was that a hint of jealousy in her tone? If so, he liked it and entertained the idea of pursuing the issue further.

  Jester returned from his search but dropped the baseball at Shaun’s feet instead of Cole’s. What the hell had gotten into him? “You don’t have to throw the ball if you don’t want to. You can toss it to me.” Cole made a target basket out of his hands.

  “I don’t mind.”

  “Great. Heave the sucker as far as you can. Jester enjoys a good stretch.” Cole took advantage of the chance to stare, appreciating the curve of her ass in those tight jeans when Shaun bent over to retrieve the ball from the grass. Shaun wound her arm back and launched the baseball in the direction of the pond. “Nice throw.” Cole grinned in pleasant surprise, but Jester didn’t miss a step, sprinting off after of his toy.

  A flush of color surfaced on the apples of her cheeks. “I was a bit of a sports nerd growing up.”

  “Softball?” he asked, wanting to learn as much as he could about her.

  “Track and field,” she corrected. “I throw a pretty mean javelin.”

  “Well, remind me not to tick you off, then.” He moved so he stood directly in front of her. “Any other hidden talents?”

  A flicker of mischief danced in her eyes, fueling his growing curiosity. He reached a hand up and brushed his knuckles over the smooth curve of her jaw, completely lost. He expected her to pull away from him, but she didn’t. Instead she moistened her lips with a sweep of her tongue, and Cole felt the development of an uncomfortable hard-on. That one night in her office had been incredible but too damned quick. He wanted to take his time and worship every inch of her skin without the threat of interruption.

  “Attempting to seduce me so soon?”

  Cole released a nervous laugh. “Do you mind?” His heart jumped in his chest in anxious speculation, waiting for her answer.

  “I’m here to see your work.” Not the reply he had hoped for, but enough to bring his focus back on track.

  “To be honest, I didn’t think you would say yes to coming here.”

  “No?” she asked, enchanting eyes never drifting from his.

  “No.” His fingers followed the angle of her cheekbone, continuing up over her ear and threading through her silky hair. “I know I’ve fucked up too many times to count, but I want to make things right, Shaun. Please, let me make things right between us.”

  “And if I do?” she breathed, the words so soft they were carried away with the wind.

  “You won’t regret it. I promise.” Cole licked his lips and dipped his head closer.

  “Cole, can I hang out with you today?” He groaned at the sound of his sister’s voice, ruefully abandoning the rest of his thoughts. His sister appeared behind Shaun, and he dropped his hand. He loved Lacey with all his heart, but he wanted Shaun to himself right now. Needed, actually, if he intended to follow through with telling her the truth about his uncle. There was a good chance she would end up hating him in return, but she couldn’t exactly run away before he tried everything in his power to stop that from happening. All part of his plan.

  Eyes returning to Shaun, he caught the unreadable emotion written on her face. Lacey made a habit of being a bitch to anyone whom Cole showed interest in. She and Jester usually made an indestructible tag team, but she appeared to be flying solo this time around. No wingman.

  He remembered the first time he’d brought Christine home. The two of them had never seemed to get along, until he broke it off. Now Lacey called Christine almost as much as she did Cole, if not more.

  “I’m just showing Shaun some of the furniture I’ve been working on for her. Boring stuff.”

  “So?” Lacey replied, before jogging over to cut Jester off on his way back to Shaun. She tugged at the baseball clenched between the dog’s teeth. “Jester, give it!” She wobbled backwards when Jester finally released his gripped, but somehow steadied herself before falling to the ground ass first. “Anything would be better than spending the day with Mom in festival mode.”

  “It’s okay. I don’t mind,” Shaun added with a half-smile of reassurance. Cole grimaced, unsure if her compliance was out of politeness or the fact that she didn’t trust herself to be alone with him.

  “There, it’s settled.” Lacey smirked with pride, having won for now, testing Cole’s resolve not to blow and tell her to scram. His sister threw the baseball for Jester, but not nearly as far as Shaun had.

  “Stick to cheerleading, Squirt.” Lacey flipped him off, and he glanced back at Shaun, smiling small.

  What exactly had he expected to do before his sister showed up? Maybe Lacey being around wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. At least he would be forced to keep his hands to himself, no matter how much they ached to hold Shaun.

  “Well, come on then.” He directed the others to the small storage shed behind his cottage, Lacey hooking her arm around his elbow while Shaun stayed a few steps behind. Jester trotted next to her, ball in his mouth. If Cole didn’t know any better, he would think his buddy had been making sure she didn’t feel left out from the second she’d arrived. Weird, but much appreciated.

  Cole separated his arm from his sister’s and pulled the twin doors open. Hearing a sharp intake of breath from behind, he grinned when he turned to find Shaun with a cupped hand over her mouth, eyes watery with amazement. She walked past his sister and began smoothing her hands over the oak hall bench just inside, a piece he’d been working on for over two years.

  “This is quite possibly the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen up close.” His discerning eyes still found room for improvement, but from the way Shaun traced every detail of the Asian-inspired forest scene carved into the seat back, he suspected she didn’t agree.

  He stepped in behind her and leaned slightly over her shoulder, the scent of her hair tempting his nose further. “Do you like it?” he whispered.

  “Do I like it?” She spun and they stood face to face. Inches separated their lips. The sweet warmth of her breath tickled his skin, while admiration filled her eyes.

  Who was he kidding? He was completely disarmed when it came to this woman, no matter how he tried to convince himself differently. Her expert opinion meant the world to him in so many aspects of his life.

  “You didn’t answer my question.”

  “I love–”

  Lacey cleared her throat, and Shaun returned her attention to the bench, leaving the shared moment behind. Cole sighed, beyond annoyed. “Don’t you have anything better to do?”

  “But–” Lacey’s lower lip quivered. “You were supposed to come home alone. I needed you to come home alone.”

  They weren’t lucky enough to have his sister storm off in a huff. Instead she stood there, feet planted on the wooden flooring of the shed. He didn’t want to give in, but he didn’t want to look like a complete ass either.

  “What would you like to do today, Lacey?” Shaun asked. Both Cole and Lacey turned to look toward his guest, who sat down on his bench, fingers still mapping out every hand-carved ridge.

  “Well, I don’t know.” His sister had been taken off guard by the inclusive question.

  “This is my first visit to Sweetwater.” Cole secretly hoped it wouldn’t be her last, but given the way his sister insisted on acting, that
may have well been a pipe dream. “You being an expert, what do you suggest I see while I’m out here?”

  Lacey took her cue and moved deeper inside the shed to sit next to Shaun. Cole fought back the minor panic attack he had at the sight of both of them on his treasured project. “First, Cole has to take you to BC’s. Uh, Sweetwater Bread Company. Their bread is the freshest you’ll ever taste, and their BOBOs, OMG! Oh, and then there’s Charlie’s, but I’m not allowed to go there because it’s a pub and all.” Lacey continued to list all the best spots in Sweetwater with curious excitement, reminding Cole of the one friend he had back in Mason, who he found himself missing a little. He waited for a look of boredom to appear on Shaun’s face, but it never came. She did, however, look up at him and smile, ensnaring Cole deeper under her spell.

  “If you two are going to shoot the breeze, I’m going to head to the cottage and get some work done.” Cole glanced over at two large shapes hidden under a blanket. A special project for Shaun, but not one he wanted to unveil with his sister around. Disappointed he would have to wait to show her, Cole resolved to attend to something else.

  “May we join you, or do you not like people watching while you work?” Shaun’s expression appeared mischievous and amused.

  “No, I don’t mind at all.”

  They all moved to the cottage, and Lacey started talking about a few of her favorite stores at the small shopping center in Ridgecrest. Cole listened while the two of them bonded, thankful that Shaun cared enough to be nice to his sister.

  Much to his chagrin, Lacey became too attached to his guest, not allowing them an instant to themselves. When they ate dinner in his mom’s house, Lacey made sure to sit next to Shaun, monopolizing most of the conversation with talk of cheerleading and school, friends, and some upcoming dance. Her earlier attitude was almost a distant memory.

  “Mom, did you know Shaun has been to the Victoria’s Secret fashion show?” Lacey squeaked with excitement as his mother served dessert.

  “Really?” Becky did her best to seem impressed, when in reality she had no clue what that all meant. Cole chuckled and started in on his piece of strawberry pie.

  “A friend of mine was an alternate. I just went for moral support,” Shaun added with humble politeness. Cole wondered if the friend she referred to was Olivia and swallowed down the ever-present jealousy with a large gulp of his milk.

  Later in the evening, he sat on the window bench of his old bedroom in his boxers, staring down at his cottage, unable to sleep. The lights were off, but he wondered if Shaun remained awake, like he did. He wanted to go to her. Ask her how she truly felt about what he’d shown her, with no audience to temper her emotion. Then they could pick up where they’d left off that unforgettable night in her office. Nothing or no one to stop them from savoring every moment.

  A movement caught his eyes. Jester bounded into the backyard with Shaun following close behind, dressed in only a t-shirt and what looked to be a pair of his work boots. Cole leapt to his feet, yanking work boots on as well and heading for the bedroom door. He flung the damn thing open, forcing the hinges to squeal, and nearly collided with Lacey standing on the other side, tears streaming from her eyes.

  CHAPTER 22

  “Let’s go!” Cole reached through the window of Old Bess and honked the horn three times, tired of waiting for his sister and Shaun to finally grace him with their presence. He ground his back molars, regretting that he’d agreed to let Lacey tag along with them yet again. She’d weakened his resolve with her tears the night before. Tears for some little dickhead she was seeing – without their mother’s knowledge, of course – and her supposed reasoning for the ripe mood she’d been sporting. He could only hope that one of her friends would snatch her away as soon as they set foot on the fairgrounds. If that plan failed, he was not above resorting to more drastic measures to lose the pest. He needed to do something. Only pebbles of sand remained in his weekend hourglass.

  “Relax! What’s the rush?” Lacey popped out from the front door of the big house, tying her hair up into a lopsided knot. Cole felt a surge of déjà vu, but instead of Violet waiting for him, he was waiting for his sister. The word PINK was stamped across her tiny teal t-shirt and down one leg of her purple sweatpants, and despite the warm temperature, she’d finished the outfit off with insulated boots the color of camel hair.

  “Does Victoria’s Secret pay you to be their walking billboard?”

  “Do you pay moths to chew your clothes before you wear them?” Lacey shot back. Cole looked down and inspected his jeans and gray-blue henley. Sure, they were a bit threadbare, but they were worn from good use and comfortable as all hell. And most importantly, the brands couldn’t be identified without close scrutiny of the inner labels. “Why are we leaving for the festival so early? The good stuff doesn’t open till later.” Lacey rubbed at her hooded eyes with the back of her hand.

  “The chili judging starts at noon,” he replied.

  Lacey rolled her eyes and huffed. “Do we really have to go to the judging? Like there’s even a chance Mom won’t win.” She folded her arms over her chest and popped out her bony hip, which peeked through the small gap between her shirt and sweatpants.

  Cole shrugged. “You don’t have to do anything. You’re more than welcome to skip the festival altogether. You’re big enough to stay home alone, you know.” If only he could be so lucky. Unfortunately, all of Lacey’s friends would be at the festival, so there was no way she would consider that option, especially with Cole as her only chance for a ride.

  She narrowed her eyes and poked out her tongue, picking up on the hostility in his voice. “Fine!” She wrenched open the passenger side door and climbed into the truck cab, leaving the faulty hatch open. “Are you ever going to fix that damn door? Better yet, how about taking this museum on wheels out back and shooting it?”

  Cole gave an exaggerated gasp and stroked Old Bess’s side. “She doesn’t mean it, girl.” He leaned in closer to the sun-blotched hood. “Little does she know, Jake and I plan on spiffing you up as a gift for her sixteenth birthday.”

  “You wouldn’t!” Lacey squawked from inside, and Cole laughed at her look of horror. He didn’t have the heart to torture his treasured truck with such a gesture.

  Cole genuinely missed the playful banter with his sister. However, as much as he got a kick out of teasing Lacey, he remained determined to ditch her fast. Tomorrow, he and Shaun would be heading back to Mason. Separately. He could count on one hand the number of minutes they’d actually spent together minus an audience of some sort. He was starting to wonder if Shaun’s entertaining of his sister held a dual purpose, perhaps a guarantee that they would always have some sort of chaperone.

  Speaking of Shaun, where the hell was she? She had texted him earlier to say that she was taking Jester for a run. He had read the message too late to even consider joining her, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that was the intention.

  He blew out a breath. Everything he’d planned to do this weekend had failed. This festival was the last card up his sleeve, and not all that promising. He only hoped that with a sliver of much-needed luck, he could circumvent any type of run-in with Christine. Or Cooper Haines, for that matter.

  Jester bounded toward the truck barking, vocalizing his objection to being left behind. Cole knelt down and rubbed his hands through the thick scruff of fur along his back. “Sorry, boy. No dogs allowed.” Not completely true. He just couldn’t afford to chuck another variable on top of everything else this afternoon.

  “Too bad.” Cole looked up at Shaun and his jaw went slack. She wore a pair of khaki-green cargo shorts, legs rolled up to stop mid-thigh, and a thin, black leather jacket over a white tank top. His eyes tracked down smooth bronze legs, ending at a pair of loosely laced combat boots. Yep, this woman could make anything sexy. Cole was damn sure Shaun could walk around in a burlap sack and he would still grow a raging hard-on from the sight of her. She pushed an invisible strand of hair behind her ear, the rest
tied up in a playful ponytail high on her head. “Sorry I took so long. I got lost.”

  “Really?” Cole stood up and frowned. “Why didn’t you call me?”

  Shaun shrugged her shoulders. “The scenery was so beautiful, I wasn’t sure I wanted to be found all that quickly. Besides, Jester knew where he was going.” Hearing her speak him name, Jester trotted over to Shaun, then jumped up and rested his front paws on her half-bare thighs while she scrubbed his ears. Lucky bastard, Cole thought bitterly.

  “Are we going or not?” Cole pinched the bridge of his nose in aggravation when Lacey screeched out his window.

  “Inside, Jester,” he commanded. Dropping to all fours, the dog let out a soft whine before disappearing through his personal slot in the front door of the house. Shaun slid in next to Lacey.

  The first ten minutes of the ride to the fairgrounds were spent listening to his sister channel surf, reminding him yet again of Violet, before he shut the radio off completely. The last ten minutes were endured by all in total silence. Every time he sneaked a sideways glance at Shaun, his sister was there biting her nails or fighting with her hair or texting her friends. His own personal cock block to carry around everywhere he went.

  Under the direction of a familiar seventeen-year-old in a trucker cap who was wielding an orange flag, Cole pulled into a spot on the grass under a large maple tree when they finally reached their destination. He shut off the engine and opened his door. “Okay, everybody out.” Lacey followed him out the driver side. “Don’t worry about locking the door,” he called over to Shaun as she exited on the other side. Unlike in Mason, Sweetwater’s residents lacked the self-preserving need to guard their belongings. Besides, not many would run to hotwire Old Bess, and Cole preferred it that way.

  They joined the crowd of people walking toward the festival entrance, the smell of fried fair treats growing stronger with every step. After Cole paid for all three admission tickets against Shaun’s protest, they made their way over to the main pavilion, where all the food judging took place. They arrived just in time to see his mom standing next to one of the contest officials, waving a blue ribbon in her hand. Many of the judges watched while polishing off samples of her chili they’d received in small paper cups.