Beginnings

by Bernadette Marie

  Nichole felt the warmth rise in her cheeks. Right now she could hold them off of the conversation because there wasn't any heat. But what would happen when there was?

  "We're feeling it out. I have a lot of…"

  "Baggage," Audrey said. "We got that. But he still showed up."

  "Yes," Nichole expelled the word realizing that he had shown up, and of course knew that nothing would have happened because her kids were there—but he'd brought dinner and stayed even after she'd accused him.

  She had more baggage than just her family, she thought.

  "I have always liked him," Gia offered. "In fact, I got very lucky to marry into such a gracious family. He's a good find." Gia managed a look and smile in Nichole's direction.

  Nichole sipped her coffee and thought about the argument she'd had with Ben—or more like the argument she'd started with Ben. Gia was right. He was a good find, and these women were her friends and knew more about him than anyone.

  "I accused him of moving in on my kids to get to me," she admitted and watched as both women turned to look at her. "It was stupid. I know."

  Gia spun her chair to face her, and Audrey set her scissors down and propped her hands on her hips. Obviously, Nichole had just started something, she decided.

  "He'd never do that," Audrey argued. "I can't believe you…"

  "I know," Nichole cut her off. "I know it was stupid, but my kids come first."

  "He'd understand that. How did he react?"

  Nichole set her mug on her station sat back in her chair. "He told me that wasn't what he was doing. He was offended, as he should have been. And then he helped them with their homework. Before dinner, he offered to leave and to give me time with my kids."

  "So he left?" Gia asked.

  Nichole shook her head. "No. I asked him to stay."

  Audrey picked up her comb and gestured toward her. "First argument out of the way. I think it's time you moved this relationship forward and see what's in store."

  "What is forward?" Nichole snickered as she picked up her mug.

  "I'm going to watch your kids tonight, and you're going to go out and see Ben. No timeline to get back home."

  Nichole looked at her over the top of her mug before she took a long, thoughtful sip of her chilling coffee. "You're going to stay the night with my kids so I can go get…"

  "Yep!" Audrey agreed. "They love my dog, Black Sabbath, and he needs some kids to run around after. I'm much too tired to run after him myself." She turned Gia back to the mirror and continued to cut her hair.

  So, now his family was in on making sure they hooked up. She sipped her coffee, which was now stone cold. Maybe she should consider Audrey's offer. Maybe.

  26

  Gerald looked like crap, Ben thought as he left his parents' house and headed out to the barn to help Eric get the horses ready for the group of riders that were coming out for a guided ride.

  His list was long today with all of the jobs he had to do. Added to the list were Gerald's items, which somehow had become his items. There was a little irritation that his brothers hadn't taken on any of the additional jobs. Eric was taking out the riding group. Russell was working on remodeling their mother's bathroom, and Dane was out fixing fences.

  Ben blew out a breath as he moved to the next job on his list.

  It was nearly seven o'clock when he headed back to his house for the night. He was muddy, smelly, and more tired than he'd been in years. All he wanted was a beer, some ESPN, and hot shower.

  Taking the last turn to his house, he slowed as he noticed a car parked out front of his house. Nichole sat on the front step and rose as he drove up.

  She was in a sundress covered in big yellow flowers, and the sight of her lit up his day. The breeze blew the skirt around her legs, toned and beautiful legs, and she pushed back her hair as it blew over her face.

  Until that moment, he'd wanted to be alone for the night, but now he was very happy to see her standing there.

  Ben parked his truck and climbed out as Nichole walked toward him.

  "You're a sight for sore eyes," he said as he closed the door to his truck and watched as she continued to walk to him.

  Nichole said nothing as she moved to him and slid her arms up around his neck. Instinctively, his hands came to her hips as she moved in and pressed her soft, warm lips to his.

  She rose up on her toes, pushing her body firmly to Ben’s, and forcing him back against his truck for support.

  Ben slid his hands up her back and into her hair as her mouth opened and he took. The air around them grew thicker and hotter. The taste of her sent pulses through his veins that ignited everything inside of him.

  When she pulled back, she lingered close, those dark eyes burning into his, her breath heavy as she fought for air.

  Sucking in his own breath, he pushed a strand of hair from her forehead. "What brought you out here, and where are your kids?" he asked and she eased back further on a laugh.

  "Your cousin is spending the evening with them, at her request."

  For a moment he studied her, those long lashes batting behind the lenses of her sophisticated glasses. "Audrey is babysitting? I guess that's not a good term, is it. None of them are babies."

  "It's more like kids are wearing out the dog."

  He chuckled with that. "So you decided to come out here?"

  A line formed between her brows. "Let's say I was convinced, to come out. I don't know if her motives are true, but your cousin decided," she sucked in another breath, "well, I think she just wants some new gossip."

  The sexy smile that crossed her mouth had Ben willing his hands to rest on her shoulders and remain there. "And you made the long trip out here just because she wants gossip?"

  Nichole inched closer to him again, wrapping her arms around his neck, and pressing her body to his. "All of that stuff I said the other night, I didn't mean it. I want you to know that I am genuinely interested in you, and I know you feel the same way."

  Ben wasn't sure interested cut it anymore. It was so much more than interest. His heart had tumbled past interest into infatuation, and it was drifting awfully close to love.

  "If you want to reconsider…"

  Ben cut off her words with his mouth on hers. They could go rounds and rounds with this, he decided. He could decide she had too much baggage, and that the kids were a lot to take on. She could decide his motives were not genuine, even if she didn't believe it. The only logical thing was to move to the next stage, and she wouldn't have come out to his house looking like she did, tasting like she did, feeling like she did, if she wasn't game.

  But first, he was going to take her inside and explore the wonders of her a little more. There was no timeframe tonight, and she'd come to him looking and smelling so sweet that he wouldn't be able to keep his hands to himself much longer.

  Taking her hand, he tugged her into the house before he spun her to him in the living room. There was no time to make it all the way to the bedroom.

  Running his hand up her back, he took hold of the zipper and eased it down as he feasted on her delicate neck.

  "Don't you want to…" she muttered under his kisses and he silenced her again with his mouth.

  "Right here. I don't want to wait to touch you one more moment," he said as he slipped the dress from her shoulders and it pooled around her feet.

  * * *

  In the stillness of the night, Nichole laid in Ben's arms. The only sounds were of their breath combining. Her sweat-slick skin still pressed to his, and his scent surrounded her.

  For only a moment, she thought a breeze would be nice. The heat from the end of June mixed with the passion that they had endured. But she wouldn't move, not for anything.

  "I'm starving," Ben panted. "Thank God Susan always brings me food."

  Nichole laughed. "What do you have?"

  He hummed as he thought. "She was trying out a new recipe for a chicken dish. I have no idea. I know there's a tray of brownies. Or half a tray o
f brownies," he corrected. "There's a bag full of muffins, from a brunch meeting she had catered. And I do believe she brought me a whole lot of lunchmeat. I'm going to guess my mother put her up to that one."

  "Once a mother, always…"

  "I get it. And you're probably laying here wondering when I'm gonna let you go."

  "I'm trying to think about it. The truth is, I don't want to go anywhere."

  "But you're worried. And something tells me you’re just a little conflicted."

  Nichole shifted and propped herself up on her elbow to look at him. "Did I say anything that would make you think that?"

  He ran a finger over her cheek and down her throat. "No. You look satisfied. I just know your heart."

  Sitting up, Nichole reached for the sheet and covered her body. "That's a lofty statement, Mr. Walker."

  "I'd be disappointed if you weren't thinking about them."

  Would she always put her children in her own way? She knew they were fine. Audrey would never let anything happen to them. Not only that, if something did happen to them, she would call. She knew where Nichole was. She fairly sure Audrey knew exactly what Nichole was doing. if she didn't stop making her children an excuse, she would never find happiness. And dammit, she wanted happiness. She wanted it with Ben.

  Deciding at that moment to take a stand against herself, she lowered the sheet, and laid back against him.

  "Don't give up on me."

  Ben adjusted so he could look at her. "What made you think I was giving up on you?"

  She pressed her hands to her belly. "Nothing. I just realized I keep getting in my own way. I keep thinking you're going to think less of me, because of my family. I know better. I know that's not the truth. I know that's not who you are. So, don't give up on me while I try to put that in my head and cement it there."

  Ben ran a finger over the curve of her shoulder, down her arm, and back up again. "I promise to never give up on you."

  She let that reassure her. She truly wanted a new start. She needed to let herself have a new start.

  "I'm starving for a chicken experiment. Can we please go eat?"

  Ben chuckled as he sat up and pulled her up to him. "I can guarantee you anything Susan makes as an experiment is phenomenal."

  "I would expect no less."

  "And I have no problem with dessert before and dessert after," he admitted. "And by dessert, I mean brownies."

  Splaying a hand across his chest, Nichole gave him a wicked smile. "Brownies are nice.”

  Ben took a long deep breath and let it out slowly. "Do I get to keep you until morning?"

  She hadn't completely thought about it. Audrey said that it was fine, but honestly, Nichole hadn't anticipated it.

  Ben held up a finger. "I'm going to go start the chicken. You call my cousin, and see how things are going. Get back to me on the all-night. But, I would love to hold you while you sleep in my bed."

  He pressed a quick kiss to her lips, reached for his jeans, and pulled them on. Without worrying about a shirt, or shoes, he left without his jeans even buttoned and headed to the kitchen.

  Nichole took a few more moments before she pulled on her dress. She would go into the bathroom and clean herself up. For some reason that made her feel better about calling home.

  Pressing her hand to her chest again, she felt the beating of her heart. At one time she thought it was broken and could never be repaired. But right now, standing in Ben's bedroom, she knew that he was exactly what she needed. It was the right thing to do. Something deep inside her told her that Ben Walker was going to make them all very happy.

  * * *

  Ben read Susan's instructions three times before putting the tray of chicken in the oven. Perhaps it took three times to read because he was focused on the conversation Nichole was having on the phone in the other room.

  His mother would be mortified to think he was eavesdropping, however he was doing a horrible job. To his credit, he was trying not to listen.

  In all honesty, he shouldn't have asked her to stay the night. It was putting a lot of pressure on her, and he knew it. What if the boys didn't like that? What if the boys had questions of their own? Was he ready to face them, and was he man enough to face them with that?

  He ran his hands over his face. Dear God, he had just taken someone's mother to bed.

  The thought made him chuckle as he opened the tray of brownies and cut them into squares.

  It wasn't as if he thought of her as just some woman to have. Sure, he'd had his share of hookups, short-term, good and bad relationships. For some reason, deep in his heart, he knew this wasn't one of them. He cared about those kids that she was talking to on the phone in the other room. When the time was right, he decided, he would have a talk with those boys. They needed to know his intentions. Of course, he didn't know his intentions quite yet. All he knew was that his heart had never felt like it did when he was with Nichole. And that had nothing to do with the amazing sex they had just had, that was simply a bonus. If he didn't think it was so awkward, he would’ve thanked his cousin for setting that up.

  When he turned, Nichole was standing in the doorway, leaned against the door jamb, her arms folded in front of her. Never in his life had he known anyone so beautiful.

  "Dinner should be ready in about a half-hour," he offered. Can I get you a glass of wine? A beer?"

  "I'll take a small glass of wine," she said as she sauntered toward him. "In fact, I'll take a full glass. It seems as though my children want their babysitter and her dog to stay all night."

  "Is that so?"

  "That's so. I didn't bring an overnight bag. I have to admit, I hadn't planned to stay."

  "Then why don't we get you one of my T-shirts. Wouldn't want to see you get anything on that dress."

  And without another word, Nichole turned and walked toward the bedroom, letting the dress fall from her again.

  Ben waited a moment before he followed her. After more consideration, he absolutely was going to thank his cousin.

  27

  Perhaps the sunrise was more brilliant through the windshield of Nichole's car because she was so relaxed from her night in Ben's arms.

  The smile that formed on her lips was hard to push back, but who cared? For the first time in a year, she was ecstatically happy.

  It wasn't the earth-shaking sex she'd had with the most handsome man she'd ever known. It wasn't the fact that they'd walked hand in hand in the fields under the moonlight in a romantic moment that made her heart squeeze in her chest. Nichole knew full well the smile radiated from the inside because deep within her she was falling in love with the man.

  He was a breath of fresh air in her complicated life. Ben Walker was a hard worker and a fantastic looker. Oh, and what a gentle lover.

  Her lover.

  Just the thought of it made her skin flush with heat. They were lovers—intimate friends, she supposed. Actually, what were they? That was going to need a serious conversation.

  As she pulled off the dirt road and onto the highway, she laughed at the fact that she had to be so serious about it.

  Who cared if they were just lovers? She deserved a lover, and so did he. Not only that, he cared about her children, and that meant everything to her. And didn't she have their blessing to marry the man?

  Nerves began to push their way through the contentment, and she realized that she had to face her sons when they looked at her now. Wasn't that why she'd left at the crack of dawn? If she were sitting there when they woke, perhaps there would be fewer questions.

  Although, those two boys were awfully smart. She wouldn't put it past them to somehow know what she'd been up to, even if they didn't have a clue about what really went on.

  After the last time when they'd asked her about him being her boyfriend and all, what were they going to ask if they knew she'd slept there?

  Should she tell them she'd been with Ben? Had Audrey already told them?

  The heat that simmered on her skin began to ma
ke her question what she'd done all night.

  Nichole was shaken from her thoughts when the chiming alert from her car told her that she was in need of gas.

  She let out a laugh. Even the simple day to day things were slipping from her.

  As she drove into town, she pulled over to the nearest gas station. With the early morning breeze in her hair, she opened her gas tank and slid her credit card into the reader. Transaction denied.

  "What in the world?"

  Nichole completed the process again and rescanned the card. Again, she was met with the same response. She tried her backup credit card, with the same results, and then her debit.

  Frustrated with the situation, she walked into the building and straight to the counter.

  "I think the reader on the pump is broken. I'm not able to scan any of my cards," she said to the attendant on duty, who looked as if he'd been there since early the previous morning.

  "Let me see," the young man said reaching out for her card.

  "I'd like to fill up on this card." When he stared blankly at her, she replied, "Please put twenty on pump two."

  The man ran the card, swiping it over and over. Then he shook his head. "Nope. It won't take it."

  A groan gurgled from her throat. "Here, try this one." She handed him the other card, and the same process played out.

  "Nope. You'll have to pay cash," he told her as he blew the greasy clump of blond hair from his eyes.

  Nichole pulled a twenty from her wallet and handed it to the man. "Here. Twenty dollars on pump two, please."

  He snapped the bill out of her hand and gave her a nod after he thoroughly checked the bill.

  Nichole hurried back out to her car and pumped the gas.

  The sunrise was no longer so brilliant, Nichole thought as she drove through the town she loved and toward the house that held her loved ones. Now her mind was filled with doubt and irritation. What the hell was wrong with that gas station?

  Pulling into the driveway, Nichole forced herself to be calm. So, one thing went wrong in her day. This was no reason to walk into the house upset. She needed to remember where she had come from. The warm, romantic night, the man she shared it with. Just remembering it made her skin warm again.