Handle With Care

by Patrice Wilton

  “About what?”

  “Us.” He looked away. “I know you probably want to get married again, if for no reason than to provide a dad for Josh. And I think that’s great.” He leaned closer and spoke quietly. “But there’s definitely some sexual attraction going on between us, and I don’t want it to get in the way. You need to find someone stable.”

  She toyed with her food, not looking at him. “I do want to have a relationship with someone someday. But Josh is my main focus for now, and I’m not in any great rush. What we have going is fine. Josh gets to spend time with you, and I can help you get what you want.”

  “I know. On paper it looks good, but I don’t want you to miss out on something special because I’m hanging around.” He took a mouthful of food, and when he’d swallowed, spoke again. “I think I left my sex drive back there in the desert, along with my hand.”

  She laughed. “I doubt that very much.”

  “I haven’t been with anyone since—since my return.”

  “Wow! Really?” She wasn’t sure how that made her feel. Glad in some ways, but sad too. What kind of a life was that for him? She played with her mashed potatoes, no longer feeling hungry. “Maybe you should. It’s not right for you to miss out on something so fundamental and important to your emotional well-being.” She spoke in her doctor voice. “I know I’m a fine one to preach but you know my reasons.”

  He picked up a bun, broke it in half and dipped it into his food. “Don’t worry about my well-being. Take care of yours first. You might feel differently about Kevin if you gave him a chance.”

  Lauren felt a sharp little dagger in the pit of her stomach. She understood his reluctance to go to bed with just anyone, because she shared it. But it hurt that he was so eager to push her into the arms of another man just to keep their relationship status quo.

  Well, no problem. A man who cared so little was certainly not worth caring about.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Lauren primped for her date with Kevin, and she was not the primping kind. But she’d stopped at the hair salon and had her hair trimmed and styled, and had treated herself to a manicure and pedicure, determined to be at her most seductive best.

  She had a gnawing in her belly that wouldn’t go away. She was still rankled that Shane kept trying to toss her into someone else’s bed, but truth be told, he might be right. Once she made love with Kevin, her feelings could change dramatically. And if they didn’t, well, who would it hurt? Kevin might be disappointed, but he’d get over it quick enough.

  They were going out for dinner, and the boys were spending the night together again at Kevin’s apartment. Kevin had told Josh and Brad they were going out on a date, even though Lauren had told him repeatedly that she didn’t like the idea. Seeing the hope in Josh’s eyes deepened her concern, but Kevin insisted the kids were fine with it.

  Regardless of what their sons did or didn’t know, Lauren had promised herself that this was the night. She only wished she had more enthusiasm for this particular project. And that she wasn’t thinking of it as a “project” in the first place. But never mind. She’d always enjoyed sex, and once they moved past the awkward part, she was sure it would be a pleasing experience.

  She hoped.

  After reapplying her pale pink lipstick, she turned away from the mirror, knowing her appearance might not stop traffic, but it was as good as it gets.

  “Josh, are you ready?” she called to him. “Mr. Henderson should be here any minute, and then we’ll drive you back to his place so you can stay with Brad.”

  Josh came out of his room, dragging his backpack. “Do I have to spend the night again?” he whined. “Last time he wanted the room dark and then told ghost stories. He said if I fell asleep, I might get my head chopped off.”

  “He said that?” Lauren put her hands on her son’s shoulders and bent down to his height. “That wasn’t very nice and I’ll mention it to his father. He shouldn’t be scaring you, but you know it’s not real, don’t you? There’s no such thing as ghosts. It’s all make believe.”

  “Yeah, I guess so. But late, late in the night, I woke up and I’m sure I felt something touch my leg. I got scared and turned on the light but nothing was there.”

  “Sweetheart, see? There weren’t any ghosts. It was your imagination working overtime.” She kissed his cheek. “I’ll tell Brad no more ghost stories or you won’t be able to come over again.”

  “Don’t tell him that, Mom. He’ll think I’m a wuss.”

  “No, he won’t.” She smiled, and touched his upturned nose. “You’re the bravest kid I know.”

  “You’re just saying that because you have to.”

  “I’m saying it because it’s the truth, and I love you.” They both turned when they heard the knock on the door. “Okay, Superboy, it’s time to roll.”

  She opened the door to let Kevin in. “Hey, don’t you look handsome tonight?” He was wearing a sports jacket over a pink shirt, and cream-colored dress pants. He liked nice clothes, and wore them well.

  “You don’t look so bad yourself,” he said with a grin. Before she could move away from the door, he leaned in and kissed her cheek. “You two ready to go?”

  “We are. Say hello to Mr. Henderson, Josh.”

  “Hello, Mr. Henderson.”

  “Hello, Josh. Brad is looking forward to the sleepover tonight. He’s got some new movies to watch.”

  “Cool.” Josh grabbed his backpack. “I’ve got popcorn and a big bag of Doritos.”

  “Sounds like you two kids are going to have fun.” He put a hand on Lauren’s back to guide her out the door. “I’m going to take your mom for a nice dinner, and we might watch a movie too.”

  “Mom doesn’t like movies. Only the news and the history and food channel.”

  “Well, I’m sure we’ll find something interesting to do.” He gave Lauren a naughty-boy smile and let his hand linger on her back.

  She scooted out of his reach and grabbed Josh’s bag. “Do you have my cell phone number with you?” she asked him.

  “Sure. I always have it. Otherwise, you worry.”

  “Good. Just checking. If you get scared, you can always call me. You know that, right?”

  “Why would he get scared?” Kevin asked.

  She put a hand on Josh’s shoulder. “Brad was teasing him on their last sleepover. Told ghost stories, and said if he fell asleep, they’d come in and cut off his head.”

  “He said that?” Kevin laughed and shook his head. “What a little rascal.”

  “Can you ask him not to do it again?” She folded her arms, and tried not to scowl. “Josh spent half the night awake, looking for monsters.”

  “Okay, okay.” He slid up beside her and whispered, “You might want to toughen him up a bit. You know how kids are.”

  She stiffened. “There is nothing wrong with how I’m raising my son.”

  “Of course not.” Kevin smiled to soften his words. “I know you’re trying to be Supermom and make up for the fact he doesn’t have a dad, that’s all.”

  “I think he’s tough enough for a six-year-old.”

  “You’re right. I apologize. I shouldn’t have said that.” Kevin flashed a smile.

  “Kevin.” She looked him in the eye. “Maybe this dinner isn’t such a good idea.”

  “Come on, Lauren. I didn’t mean to offend you.” He had the car door open, and Josh was already strapped into the backseat. “I promise not to spoil the evening by saying another word. Except that you look gorgeous tonight. Pretty dress, and what did you do to your hair?”

  She licked her bottom lip, giving herself time to answer. There was no point in making a scene, but if he dared to judge her son again, it would be the last time.

  They dined at the new Queensview Steakhouse on the second floor of Parker’s Lighthouse, enjoying a pleasant conversation along with the good food. Kevin was perfectly charming, and once again Lauren was put at ease. He was intelligent, knowledgeable, and attractive. She woul
d see how the night progressed before making any decisions about him. But at the moment things were looking up.

  The wine had mellowed her, and she leaned against his side as they walked back to his car. He gave her warm glances as he drove, and once or twice his hand touched her thigh.

  They had so much in common, they liked and respected each other, and they both deserved some romance. If it led to love and a lifetime commitment, all the better. But she refused to think that far ahead. Tonight, if all went well, they would simply make love.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  The moment she unlocked her door and they stepped inside, Kevin tugged her into his arms. She went willingly enough, sliding her hands up the length of his muscular biceps. She knew he used the gym every chance he got, and had the body to prove it.

  He walked her backward, his lips never leaving hers. When her legs met the sofa, he moved in closer. His hands were running up and down her back, getting lower with every stroke. His hips were pressed against hers, and she could feel his erection.

  She broke off the kiss and tried to push him away gently, wanting nothing more than to take it slowly. “What’s the rush? We have all night.”

  He gave her a wolfish smile. “I’ve been waiting a long time for this. For you.”

  She frowned. “What do you mean? We’ve been friends for years.”

  “Even when I was married.” He ran the back of his hand down her cheek, then leaned in and whispered in her ear, “You turned me on.”

  “Kevin.” She pushed him away. “Don’t say that.” She shook her head, feeling anything but turned on. “You had a good marriage, at least for a while. Didn’t you?”

  “It was okay for the first few years, but we drifted apart. Busy careers and all that.”

  “I was married when we first met. You liked Jeremy.”

  “True, but I liked you better.” He moved closer, then seemed to think better of it and gave her a little breathing room. “Most guys think about other women sexually, even if they don’t act on it. It’s natural. You should know that.”

  “I know no such thing.” Her desire had slipped away, and she turned toward the door. “This conversation is creepy, and I think you should leave.”

  “Not tonight, sweetheart.” He moved quickly, getting between her and the door. “I let you get away with that once, but you’re not going to keep this game up. I know you want me. Don’t play hard to get. It’s not becoming.”

  “I’m not playing.”

  He grabbed her hands and tugged on them. “Come here. I can make you feel good. You know I can.”

  She was about to tell him what she thought of that idea, but the phone rang, saving her the trouble. She turned to get it, but Kevin again stepped in front of her.

  “Leave it,” he said. “I don’t want you distracted.”

  “I need to get it. It could be Josh. Oh, dammit.” She just remembered that she had turned off the ringer to her cell phone in the restaurant and had forgotten to turn it back on. He might have called her cell and now was calling the house. “Josh has probably been calling me.”

  The phone kept ringing, and she attempted to get to it. Kevin again blocked her.

  “He’s fine,” he said smoothly. “What trouble can he get into at my place?”

  “I don’t know, but I need to answer my phone.” She glared at him. “Get out of my way.”

  He picked up the phone, hit end, then tossed the handset onto the counter. “Later.”

  “How dare you!” Bristling with indignation, she pushed her way around him, reaching for the phone.

  His strong arms stopped her. “Don’t be mad,” he said. “You can talk to Josh later.” He kissed her neck. She tried to squirm away, but his arms only tightened their hold.

  “Let me go.” She pushed at his arms, but he didn’t release her.

  “Don’t be a tease. You want it, I know you do.”

  She stared straight into his eyes. “Kevin, I’m warning you. If you don’t take your hands off me, you’ll regret it.”

  He laughed and tugged at her blouse, the buttons popping free. His gaze fell to her breasts, and she sorely regretted the pretty black lace bra she’d bought for the occasion.

  “Nice.” He took hold of her breasts, squeezing them together.

  “You bastard.” She smacked him as hard as she could. He didn’t let her go, didn’t move away, so she smacked him again. Then she spun and grabbed the phone.

  “Back off,” she told him, ready to dial 911. “Get out of here before I do you some real damage.”

  He seemed unconcerned. “I’ve played your games long enough, Lauren, and now you’re going to play mine.”

  Before she could react, he grabbed her wrist so hard, the phone dropped out of her hand. Tears filled her eyes.

  “Get out!” she screamed.

  Kevin lunged for her, but she was too fast for him. Her right knee came up and made solid contact with his groin.

  He backed away, holding his hands over his private parts, cursing her and grimacing in pain. “You bitch. You’re going to pay for that.”

  “Go to hell!” she shouted, and ran for her purse and the door. She had to get to safety and call Josh back.

  She flung the door wide, and Shane stood there. “Shane. How did you get here?”

  “Josh called me when he couldn’t reach you. What happened? I heard you scream.” His gaze dropped to her exposed breasts, and then he glanced past her and saw Kevin, moaning and holding his crotch.

  He crossed the room in a few quick strides and grabbed Kevin’s hair with his bionic hand, looking ready to tear the man’s head off. “What did you do to her, you bastard?”

  Kevin panted, “She kneed me in the balls. I only wanted to kiss her.”

  “When a woman screams, it means she’s protesting, you fucking creep. Now get lost before I really lose my temper.”

  Kevin straightened up, shooting both Lauren and Shane a scathing look. “This isn’t over. I’ll be seeing you soon,” he added to Lauren.

  She ignored him and spoke to Shane. “Josh is spending the night with his son. We have to go get him.”

  “Of course. My car’s outside. But first …” He glanced again at her breasts, and she quickly covered up.

  “I’ll need to change. You’ll wait, won’t you?”

  Kevin’s face had flushed an unattractive purple. “You know something. You two might deserve each other.” He gave Lauren a contemptuous look. “You need a guy you can control, and what better than a one-handed freak?”

  Shane took one step toward Kevin. Lauren stepped between the men, facing Shane. “He’s not worth it. Let him go.”

  “If you insist, but personally, I think we should call the cops.”

  Kevin sneered. “Go ahead. I know most of them anyway. Good pals with the judges too.”

  Lauren ignored him, her eyes on Shane. “I’ll change my top, then we’ll go rescue my son.”

  Kevin stormed out. Shane stood guard while Lauren went into her bedroom to change and to wipe the smeared lipstick off her face.

  “You okay?” he asked quietly when she returned.

  “I’m okay.” She walked over to him and put her arms around him, resting her forehead against his chest. “Thank you for coming to the rescue.”

  He kissed the top of her head. “Looks like you handled things pretty well on your own.” He lifted her chin. “I’m so sorry. I encouraged you to go out with that asshole.”

  “Yeah, you did. But I sure didn’t see that coming. He seemed like a nice enough guy. Boy, was I wrong.”

  “I wanted to kill him. I still do.”

  She put a hand over his mouth. “Don’t say that. Don’t even think it.”

  He kissed her hand and looked into her eyes. “You’ve had a helluva night, and I’m just glad I got here in time.”

  “Me too.” She moved away from him, struck with a feeling of loss. She longed for his warmth and comfort, but she needed to take care of her son.

&
nbsp; She linked her arm in his. “Come on. Let’s go get Josh.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Shane was silent for most of the ride. He couldn’t get rid of the image of Lauren—wild-eyed and frightened—as she’d opened that door. If Kevin had touched her, violated her in any way, Shane wasn’t sure what he would have done. But it wouldn’t have been pretty.

  If Josh hadn’t called him, or if he hadn’t gotten there in time, who knows what would have happened to her.

  “What are you thinking?” she asked. “You look furious. Did I do something wrong?”

  “Of course not.” He darted a quick glance at her. “Lauren, I was walking to your door and I heard you scream. I was about to bust that door down when it flew open and you rushed out. When I saw what he’d done, torn your blouse, I nearly went nuts.” His hand shook. “I wanted to smash his face in. If you hadn’t stopped me, I probably would have punched him one.”

  “I can’t imagine you ever getting violent, and I don’t want to either.” She gave a little shiver, then folded her arms. “Let’s not talk about tonight. Can we just drop it for now?”

  “What if Josh hadn’t called me?” he asked quietly.

  “But he did.” She tried to smile, but the effort was too great, even for a trouper like her. “We’ll have to thank him later.”

  He could see she was struggling to hold it all together. She kept rubbing at a spot between her brows, trying to ease the tension away. But still, he couldn’t let it go.

  “He said he called your cell phone.”

  “I turned the ringer off in the restaurant, and then I forgot to turn it back on. I feel so bad. Poor Josh.”

  “He called the house a few times, too, then called me. He’s one smart kid.” He wanted to break something. Like Kevin’s big nose.

  “Yes, he is.” This time, she did smile. “He deserves a double fudge sundae.”

  “How can you be making jokes? I’m still livid.” He put out his good hand. “See? I’m shaking.”

  She laughed and squeezed his arm. “Kevin’s a conceited ass, but I seriously don’t think he’d have jeopardized his reputation and career by raping me.”