Luc (Rossi Brothers)
Page 17
She knew what it must represent for him to have to come back here now, knew firsthand the overbearing weight of standing in front of the one place you’d give anything not to have to return to.
Damn her soft heart! With a quiet curse, Rachel reached for the handle and pushed the door open.
She stopped beside him on the cracked sidewalk and reached out to him, to offer … she didn’t know what. Instead, she dropped the hand to her side. They would have to be friends, for the sake of their son, but it was better if she kept as much distance between them as possible.
Still, the need to offer something rose strong in her chest.
“You okay?” She stared at Colt’s profile. A telltale muscle ticked in his jaw, the only visible sign Colt Taylor wasn’t as aloof as he seemed.
He turned his head, his expression hard, emotion hidden behind an impassive façade. The look so contradicted the man he’d been six years ago. He’d whispered sweet, hot nothings in her ear, while holding her so tight they’d all but become one. There wasn’t an inch of her his mouth hadn’t skimmed at some point, and she knew every spot on his body that made him let out a deep groan. They’d laughed and talked that night until sometime before dawn.
Now, his impassive expression made him little more than a stranger and left her just as cold.
“I’m fine. Thanks, though.” He turned back to the house. “I forgot to ask. What time should I come over?”
Taking refuge in the anger that rose up from her belly, Rachel let it wrap around her like a shield. She was meeting Colt for their son’s sake, nothing more, nothing less. She needed to remember that.
“Six is fine. I’ll see you tonight.” Rachel headed back to her car, climbed behind the wheel and closed the door.
Colt turned back around. He shoved a hand into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys, retrieved his bags off the sidewalk and started toward the house. He unlocked the front door and shoved it open, stood for a moment staring inside before finally disappearing into the darkness beyond.
When the door finally closed behind him, Rachel dropped her head against the headrest. God, she hadn’t anticipated how hard it would be to see him again. She wanted desperately to forget the night they’d spent together, but every time she looked at Greg, Colt’s face stared back at her. She’d thrown herself at him. That day, she’d buried her mother and went to a local bar to drown her sorrows in a bottle of tequila. Colt had rescued her from herself and taken her home, chivalrous and kind as always. She’d pulled him into bed with her.
After all this time, it was beyond silly that he still had the ability to melt her knees. Like a schoolgirl with a crush. Now she had to invite him back into her life, into her son’s life. She had no idea if this was even a good idea, but Greg had started asking about his father. The hurt in his eyes every time he asked had a hard knot of regret tightening in her chest. She’d kept her son from getting to know his father for what? Because Colt had treated her like the one-night stand she’d been? The very thought unraveled a ball of yarn she didn’t want to face.
Rachel stiffened her spine and shoved her car in gear. The night she’d spent with Colt had just been sex. A drunken one-night stand that resulted in the best thing to ever happen to her, and Colt was just her son’s father. Nothing more. Nothing less.
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Praise for Her Soldier’s Touch:
“Contemporary romance fans, and those who are looking for a story of lovers with broken pasts and love conquering all will enjoy this one!.” -- InD'tale Magazine
“An emotional story that will keep you engrossed from beginning to end.” --Still Moments Magazine
For more from J.M. Stewart, check out:
Her Knight in Black Leather
“I fell in love with this story, and I think you will too.” -- 5 Lip Bites and Top Pick 2013, MsRomanticReads
“I highly recommend this outstanding book to all romance lovers who are looking for a deeply satisfying read. This is a Harlequin Junkie top pick!” -- 5 Hearts and HJ Top Pick, Harlequin Junkies
In the mood for more Crimson Romance?
Check out What the Heiress Wants by Kristina Knight at CrimsonRomance.com.