False Impressions

by Marianne Rice

  “Well, what is Yoda?”

  “Um, I think he’s an alien.”

  “No, I think he’s a Chihuahua.”

  “Interesting.” Cole chuckled as he tickled Levi’s ribs. “We’ll see what the encyclopedia says.”

  “I’m going to put these in water.” Sam went into the kitchen and found a cobalt blue vase for her lilies. Tears came to her eyes as she thought about the precious little girl she’d lost. She and Adam argued about her name. Sam wanted to name her Lily and Adam was insistent on naming her after his grandmother, Abigail. Since Lily held no personal meaning to her other than it being her favorite flower, she caved in with the condition that she could name the second child.

  Lost in her memories, she didn’t hear Cole enter the small kitchen but felt his touch deep to her core. She leaned her back in to his hard chest and sighed. “I’ve missed you.”

  “Oh, if you only knew. I’m sorry I couldn’t come by yesterday. The vet was there all day so my lessons started late and ended late. But I’m going to make it up to you. Right now.”

  “Oh, really?” Sam turned into his arms and clasped her hands behind his neck.

  “And how do you plan on doing that?”

  “Get your coat. We’re out of here.”

  Sam laughed. “Sure. Levi is old enough to watch himself.”

  “Emma is here.”

  “She came by to visit, not to babysit.”

  “Is that what she told you?” He kissed her nose.

  “No. I guess she didn’t say why she stopped by, and I didn’t ask.”

  “I asked her to come by to watch Levi, so I could take you out. I knew today would be…a hard one for you.”

  The compassion in his eyes nearly made her knees buckle. He remembered the date. Tears flooded her eyes and she squeezed them shut to stop the flow.

  “Shh. Damn, I didn’t mean to make you cry. I’m sorry, Sam. We don’t have to do anything. We—”

  “You remembered the date?” She opened her eyes and looked into his sensitive, caring, loving eyes. If she had any questions whether she was in love with him or not, this had surely sealed the deal. Forgetting her rule about showing too much affection in front of Levi, she rose up to her tiptoes and kissed him. Not a sweet, I missed you kiss, but a where the heck have you been my entire life? kiss. She wanted her tongue to reach his soul as his gaze had reached hers.

  “So that’s a yes?” he teased as they came up for air.

  “Yes. Yes! Let me go change and do my hair.”

  “Why bother? What I have planned for us requires no clothes and will be sure to mess with your hair.”

  “I need to shower.”

  “That,” he said before he kissed her again, “is something I’d like to help you with. At my place.”

  “But…I should write down some instructions for Emma.” Sam rummaged through her junk drawer and found a pen and some scrap paper. Before she could write anything about bedtime, emergency phone numbers and food ideas, Cole took the pen away and put both his hands on her face.

  “Cupcake, you’re stalling. Emma knows the drill. She has our numbers. I’m going crazy here.”

  “Um…okay. But let me tell her a few—oh!” Cole scooped her up and tossed her over his shoulder in a fireman’s hold. “Cole Tucker! You put me down right now!”

  “Not a chance.” He chuckled and lightly smacked her on her behind.

  Levi came running in the kitchen and barked out a laugh. “Mommy! What are you doing?”

  “Cole, this isn’t funny. Put me down.”

  Ignoring her pleas he patted Levi’s head and said, “Your mommy and I are going to go out for a bit, but Emma will stay with you. That okay, big guy?”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “We’re going to talk about your birthday present. If Emma gives us a good report we’ll buy you super-duper cool stuff. But if she says you’re doing anything naughty like tying her up, beating her with a pitchfork—”

  “Carrying her out against her own will,” Sam muttered, and Cole swatted her again.

  “Or not eating your vegetables, well then, Mom and I are going to have to reconsider your birthday gifts.”

  “Really? What did you get me? Is it the Star Wars Lego dudes? Or the Iron Man shooter guy? Remember the Lego Police Station on TV? Is it that? I like the Batcave too.”

  “Wow, kiddo. That sounds like a long list. That’s going to take your mom and me a long time to figure out.”

  “That’s okay. You can take all night. I’ll be good. Not like the Emperor or Dark Vader, but maybe like Peter Parker or somebody nice. But Mommy is in her jammies.”

  “You crack me up, Smalls.”

  “Sweety,” Sam said, still upside down and staring at Cole’s back. “Tell Mr. Tucker to put me down, and I’ll let you stay up to watch one extra show tonight.”

  “Mr. Tucker, can you put my mommy down so I can watch one extra show tonight?”

  “Sorry, Smalls. Your mamma was mouthing off to me, so she’s in a time out. But if Emma thinks you deserve it, you can watch one extra show.”

  “Yes!” Levi did his signature fist pump.

  Too much blood had rushed to her head and Sam temporarily forgot why she was over Cole’s shoulder and what they were about to do. She tensed up as Cole swung her around and headed for the door.

  “Wait!” she called. “I need to give Levi a hug and kiss.”

  “Oh, fine. You women always get your way.” He loosened his hold and let Sam’s body slither down his. “That move gave me some great ideas for later,” he said as he bit her earlobe.

  Goosebumps spread over her like hot fudge, warming her body and tingling all her senses. Needing some space before she jumped his bones in the middle of her living room, she chased after Levi and gave him a great big bear hug and a raspberry on his cheek. She found Emma in the kitchen hiding—not very well—a smile. “You’ll call me if you have any questions? Don’t let Levi talk you into anything—”

  “I’m good, Sam. You have fun with Cole. If you don’t leave soon he’ll combust,” Emma teased.

  “Thanks, Em. You’re the best,” Cole said from behind her. Leaning over Emma’s shoulder, he kissed Emma’s cheek, grabbed Sam’s hand and literally hauled her out the door.

  He didn’t talk the entire way to his house. His knuckles were white where he gripped the steering wheel, and from the corner of her eye Sam could see Cole’s jaw tightening. She wasn’t sure if she said or did something wrong to make him mad at her but she had a feeling she ruined yet another romantic moment with him.

  “I’m sorry,” she said and looked at her lap. “I don’t know why I keep messing things up. I didn’t know you were coming by, or I would have been ready. You just…took me by surprise. Please don’t be mad.”

  Coles’ eyes stayed on the road. “What makes you think I’m mad at you?” he asked between clenched teeth.

  “You have a death grip on the wheel and haven’t said one word to me since we left. Usually you hold my hand or touch me or…something when you drive.”

  “Sweetheart, if I touch you right now I’ll have to pull the damn truck over and make love to you in the front seat and I really don’t want to do that. Hell.” He swiped his forehead with the back of his hand. “Yes, I really do want to do that, but I won’t. I’ll do my best to restrain myself, let you take a shower because that’s what you want, then I’m going to do my damnedest to take it real slow and love you the way you ought to be loved.”

  Her mouth suddenly turned dry and her heart pulsed its way up her throat. The air shifted from tense to incredibly steamy, and now she needed to wipe the sweat from her brow.

  “Oh,” was the only cohesive thing she could say…her voice muted with lust and excitement.

  He pulled into his driveway, put the truck in park, and then climbed out without looking at her. Before she could gather her wits, he had opened her door and wrapped his hands around her waist, pulling her out of the truck.

&
nbsp; “Go take a shower. Do whatever you need to do. I’ll be in the kitchen. Take your time, sweetheart.” He released her and walked ahead to the house, leaving the door open behind him.

  *

  Damn but if he didn’t just screw that up. Cole Tucker had a reputation as a smooth talker. Romantic words flowed off his tongue like liquid silk, but tonight they came out like he was a rakish low-life. Sam deserved hearts and flowers and all the bells and whistles he was used to donning out on the ladies, but instead he tossed her over his shoulder like a piece of meat and told her he could barely keep it in his pants, so he ran off and hid until she was ready to be ravished.

  “Smooth.” He poured himself a glass of water and downed it in two gulps. He had no idea if she was hungry or tired or had any plans for the night. It looked like he stepped into some quality mother/son time. She probably wanted to spend the five-year anniversary of her husband and daughter’s death with her son, not making love for the first time with another man. A man who kept secrets from her.

  “Dumbass,” he muttered. At the time he thought he was being terribly romantic. Bringing her favorite flowers, trying to distract her from the most devastating day of her life. But maybe this wasn’t what she needed. Maybe tonight needed to stay sacred to her two lost loves, and he totally blew it.

  When she came downstairs from her shower he’d apologize and take her back home. No, he’d sit her down and tell her the truth. That he’d once had issues with the bottle. Or maybe he should make her dinner first. He placed his hands on the counter and leaned forward, dropping his head and contemplating what to do and say next.

  “Hey.”

  Startled, he turned around and braced his back against the counter. Damn, but she was stunning. Her hair still wet from her shower, a shade darker and curlier than normal, but that wasn’t what knocked the air out of his windpipes. She leaned against the doorframe with her arms crossed wearing nothing but a Bruins jersey ten times too big for her. He prayed to a higher power that she had underwear on underneath, or he’d never be able to control the action going on inside his jeans, and then he quickly recanted his prayer and hoped for nothing but bare skin under the black jersey.

  Sam was short and she looked even more dwarfed under the too-big shirt. Cute, adorable, innocent, and sexy as hell. That was Samantha Chase in a nutshell. And what was he?

  Nothing. A liar. A scam. A loser with a rap sheet.

  “You look nice.” Once again, Mr. Smooth Talker had left the building.

  She squinted at him but held her pose. “I expected a better line than that from you. Is it the shirt? Should I not have worn it? I can take it off if you’d like.”

  Holy mother of all that is holy. She was flirting with him and there he stood speechless and hopeless.

  “Tim Thomas would be extremely proud to see his jersey worn in such a manner, but I’m thinking it’s too big. In fact, I’m thinking you should take it off.” He stepped closer to her and all his senses came back. “Right now.” Her velvety soft skin slid easily against his callused palms, and she shivered as he ran his hand down her arm.

  “There must be something wrong with my eyes, I can’t seem to take them off you.” This time he picked her up gracefully and she draped her arms around his neck as he carried her upstairs to his newly renovated bedroom, courtesy of the beautiful woman whose muscular legs were clamped around his waist.

  Cole settled her in the middle of his bed and kneeled next to her, gently stroking her cheek. “Are you sure you’re ready for this? Today? I don’t want to pressure you if you need more time—”

  Sam placed a finger over his lips and pulled him down for a kiss. Never had he touched skin as smooth and tender. She tasted like cherries, her Chapstick of choice, and mint. Her hair smelled like his shampoo, clean and pure. He held his body off hers while they slowly explored the other’s mouth, and when soft moans escaped, he moved his hands lower, lower, until he reached the hem of the shirt. And—yes!—naked flesh underneath.

  He trailed his hands up, up, up until they found her stomach and higher until they found what they were itching for. It wasn’t his first time with a woman, but it was the first time he’d ever been nervous getting a woman naked. What if she regretted making love to him? How could he go back to just friends status when she filled his mind, body, and soul?

  Every cliché that came to mind fit his feelings for her. She was the first thing he thought about in the morning and the last before he fell asleep. She made his heart beat a little faster and put a smile on his face every time he saw her. Never had he told a woman he loved her and meant it. Yeah, he was an ass. He’d told dozens of women that he loved them, but they knew it was part of his act. He honestly didn’t think any of the girls ever thought he really loved them

  Maybe that was why he hadn’t told Sam those three little words. Because this time he really did. Bringing his mind back to the glorious woman beneath him, he kissed her more passionately and trailed his hands lower. Lower. Lower.

  “Make love to me, Cole. Please.”

  Never one to keep a woman waiting, Cole did just that.

  Chapter 14

  Lying in the-most-amazing-sex-ever bliss, Sam rubbed her naked leg against Cole’s and stroked his hard, flat stomach with her hand. It wasn’t anything like she expected. True, she had no idea what to expect, but it wasn’t that. He touched her slowly, thoroughly, and stopped often to check on her, making sure he wasn’t doing anything she didn’t want him to do.

  The only thing she hadn’t wanted him to do was stop. Her body still buzzed with an orgasmic glow she had never experienced before. She felt worshiped, her body a wet noodle, exhausted from being twisted, stretched, and loved. Her head lay on his chest and she could hear his heart racing, even though his breath had calmed.

  “Are you asleep?” She knew he wasn’t, but didn’t know what else to say.

  “You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.”

  “What?” She pushed herself up and looked down at him. His eyes were closed, but the fishhook grin on his face told her he knew exactly what he said. Or maybe he didn’t mean it as love love. But love as in “I love the way you make me feel” or “I love making love to you” kind of love. Maybe she should pretend she didn’t hear him say it, but with her hovering over him, it was kind of hard to take back her response.

  He opened his eyes, black as night with passion, and reached up to stroke the valley between her breasts. They stared at each other—him happy as a clam, her rigid as one—and then he tugged one of her curls, pulling her on top of him.

  Slipping his hands down to her naked behind, he stroked her and whispered into her mouth, “Don’t look so mortified.” And then he kissed her delicately, tasting every millimeter of her lips and mouth.

  So maybe he did mean it, and now he wanted a response from her. Her mind raced trying to figure out what to do. What her heart desired. Did she love him? Her thoughts the past week had been on the physical kind of love she needed and wanted from him, not from the emotional. Not like the love she had with Adam.

  The only other man she loved was her husband. Heck, the only other man she ever made love to was her husband. Having sex with Cole didn’t mean she loved him.

  Or maybe it did. Her head hurt from the mental ping-pong match and she squeezed her eyes shut to block out the overload.

  “Hey, Earth to Sam. Where’d you go?”

  He sat up, which was hard to do with her dead weight on top of him, but he managed, and pulled her with him so she straddled him. With both of them being naked—and him quite happy about it—it made conversation quite…awkward.

  “Um, just thinking.” She looked down but saw the obvious signs of his arousal and looked up, nervous and embarrassed.

  “Good thinking or bad thinking?”

  “I don’t know.” She sighed and covered her face with her hands.

  “Hey.” He moved her hands from her face. “Do you reg
ret this? Us?”

  She lifted her head and smiled sadly. “No, oh no, Cole. I don’t regret a minute of tonight. You were…wonderful. I feel…wonderful.”

  “Okaaaay,” he drawled. “So tell me why the long face and what you’re thinking about.”

  There was no way she could have a serious conversation while straddling his naked body so she slid off him and pulled the sheet up over her chest. “I’m thinking about what you said.”

  “What did I say?”

  Okay, so maybe he didn’t even realize what he said. She knew he dated a lot of women in the past and maybe he was one of those guys who said I love you to every woman he slept with. Ick. Thinking about him in bed with other women while still warm from their bedroom gymnastics made her belly churn. She pulled the sheet tighter around her and chewed on the inside of her cheek.

  “Sam. Look at me. You’re freaking me out with these mixed signals. You don’t regret having sex with me, but your face says otherwise.” He slipped out from under the sheets and pulled on his jeans—sans his underwear—and walked around to her side of the bed and sat down. “Babe, talk to me. Don’t pull back on me now. I thought we were making progress.”

  Knowing he deserved to know what was going on in her screwed up mind, she raised her gaze to his and tilted her head to better scrutinize him. Cole Tucker was an honest man, if anything. He kept his promises, worked hard, had a gentle heart, and a vivacious personality. He may have told other women he loved them, but Sam had also been in love before. To her, those words meant something. Hopefully they meant the same thing to Cole.

  “Did you mean what you said?” she asked shyly.

  “I’ve said a lot of things and I usually mean them, but can you refresh my memory? What did I say?”

  “That you…about sleeping and…being in love.”

  Realization must have dawned on him because those midnight eyes opened wider than she’d ever seen before. He cursed and rubbed his hands across his face. She could hear the stubble scrape across his calloused palms, and it brought back delicious memories of that same stubble rubbing across her body.