Sweet but Sexy Boxed Set

by Maddie James

  Kyle walked over and examined the toast for several seconds before looking up at her. “It’s only the edges. We can scrape them. But can we make more? I’m really hungry.”

  Guilt hit her like a ton of bricks. “Sure. I could have made something different. I know you need more than I’ve been able to provide, but things are going to be different.”

  “I know he always took all your money, Mom. And I know he hit you when you wanted to spend it on me.”

  Sharon froze as her eyes filled with tears. When she could finally take a shaky breath, she shook her head. “Kyle… How did you know that? You were never around when…” She couldn’t even say the words.

  “The apartment didn’t keep sounds out, Mom. When I was in my room, I could hear him yelling at you and demanding you give him your paychecks every week. And I knew he hit you all the time when I was younger. Last year I finally told him I would call the police if he didn’t stop. I never heard him hit you again after that, but by that time you were already handing him your checks before he’d ask for them.” Anger and hurt, and even fear, were in her son’s eyes as he looked at her. “I think that’s why he left you. Because of me threatening him.”

  Shamed, humiliated, horrified, Sharon stared at her son. “I’m so sorry. I should have left him years ago. It wasn’t fair to you that I stayed, but I didn’t know how to leave. I even tried to convince myself I loved him and he loved me, but I know, knew, that wasn’t true.”

  “It’s okay, Mom. I’m not dumb. I understand. I’m just glad we’re free of him now.”

  Sharon nodded and made herself smile. “I am too, baby. Let’s get more toast started and eat these eggs before they get cold.”

  Kyle pulled out two plates and set them on the counter before retrieving the utensils. He put two pieces of slightly charcoal-grilled toast on each plate as Sharon added the eggs and bacon.

  “You want milk, Mom?”

  Sharon nodded, her chest once again filling with joy. “If we’re going to have breakfast for dinner, we have to have milk.”

  Kyle grinned at her, looking too old for his fourteen years. “You don’t have to follow anyone else’s rules anymore, Mom. What about soda instead?”

  Sharon almost agreed then shook her head. “No, milk is fine. But just to make it clear, it’s my choice. Okay?”

  Nodding, Kyle poured them both a glass and they carried their things to the table. She took a deep breath and held out her hand. Kyle looked at it, and then looked at her questioningly. “We are starting a new life, and I think we need new traditions, all our own. Please close your eyes and bow your head.”

  When he did so without missing a beat, Sharon prayed over her food for the first time since leaving Ms. Addie’s house all those years ago.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Life is good.

  There really was nothing Sharon could add to that thought as she smiled at the last scheduled patient for the day. She printed up his bill, took his check, and walked him to the door so she could lock it behind him. After returning to her desk to record the payment and lock the check in her little lockbox that she then locked in her desk drawer, Sharon wandered back to the examining room to start the process of cleaning.

  “I told you, you don’t have to clean. I can do that.”

  Sharon grinned at him, unable to help wishing for things she shouldn’t wish for. In the three weeks she’d been working for him, Jake had only endeared himself to her more and more. He was kind, funny, gorgeous, and made her aware, every second of every day, that she was a woman. “And I told you, I don’t mind.”

  “So when do I get to meet your son?”

  That stopped Sharon from pulling the remaining paper from atop the examination bed. “Kyle?”

  Jake shrugged good-naturedly. “Unless you have more sons that I don’t know about.”

  Sharon laughed as expected, but thought it sounded as fake as it felt. “No. I only have the one.”

  “So when do I meet him?”

  Practically choking on a comeback, Sharon blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “Come to dinner.”

  Delight lit Jake’s eyes. “Really? I’d love to. What do you want me to bring?”

  Sharon cleared her throat, wanting to tell him she didn’t mean tonight. Or ever for that matter. But she couldn’t. He seemed so pleased, and she couldn’t disappoint the only man in her life who hadn’t disappointed her. “Just yourself. About sevenish? Kyle will be home by then. He called after school and before football practice to let me know one of the coaches was bringing him and some of the other boys home since they wanted to work out an extra hour.”

  Jake looked at her a moment before speaking. “Sounds like a plan. I’ll see you around seven. Which means you need to leave now. I’ll finish cleaning and then hit the shower. It looks like I have a date tonight.”

  Sharon almost protested the label but stopped short when she saw the amusement, and perhaps a degree of dare, in his eyes. She grinned instead. “Well good for you. I’ll see you afterwards. Are you sure you’ll be done by seven?”

  Jake laughed long and hard, and she couldn’t help but join him.

  She finished up and hurried home. Wondering if the excitement she felt meant she’d completely lost her mind.

  Two hours later Jake showed up at her door, a bottle of red wine in one hand, and a bouquet of mixed flowers in the other. She looked from the bottle to the flowers to his smiling face, only to see the hint of dare was still there in his gaze.

  “Hi. Kyle isn’t home yet. His coach and the boys are going out for pizza. He asked and I couldn’t say no.”

  Jake followed as she backed away from the door, shutting the door behind him. Sharon blew out a breath, thinking she’d definitely made a terrible mistake in inviting him over. Somehow between the invitation that wasn’t really an invitation and getting the phone call about the pizza outing, she’d convinced herself it was no big deal. After all, she and Jake spent time alone at his office between patients, and they were both always so busy that it wasn’t awkward.

  She was a grown woman, one who had full control of her own mind and body. But now, with him in his street clothes that consisted of a cotton button-down shirt that brought out the color of his eyes, accentuated the broadness of his chest and the strength of his shoulders, and blue jeans that magnified the perfection of his…well, everything, she knew she’d not only fooled herself, her body had flat out lied to her mind.

  “These are for you.”

  Sharon took the bouquet Jake held out to her and reflexively lifted the flowers to her face so she could breathe in their scent. She smiled at him before turning to put them in a glass of water, hoping to keep everything light and simple. “You know this isn’t really a date. But the flowers are lovely.”

  Jake was right behind her but stopped on the other side of the island where he sat the wine down between them. “I’m attracted to you. That hasn’t changed.”

  As she turned from the sink Sharon frowned, more at the happy little jump of her heart than at him, but she didn’t disclose that tidbit of information. “I work for you. Nothing else. That hasn’t changed either.”

  Jake tilted his head, confusion mixed with something else she was afraid was annoyance showed in his gaze.

  “We get along great. I’m attracted to you. And I think sometimes, when you forget to put your guard up at work, you’re attracted to me too. So why not explore it?”

  Sharon looked at him, wondering if she was completely stupid. Regardless… “My life has been complicated for a long time. I’m trying to simplify it.”

  “I’m not complicated.”

  Sharon smiled. “You may not be, but I am.”

  Jake grinned. “How?”

  After sighing loudly, Sharon shrugged. “I’m a single mom, for one thing.”

  “I know that.”

  “He was the product of a high school…love.”

  “Happens.”

  “Until recently Kyle believed
my ex-husband was his father. He wasn’t a nice man.”

  “Why didn’t you ever tell your son the truth?”

  “The right time never came up. It isn’t an easy thing to do, you know.”

  “How did he react when you finally told him?”

  Sharon swallowed, still filled with guilt. “I didn’t. My ex did when he decided he was through using me. Hurting me wasn’t enough for him, though. He had to hurt my son too.”

  “Sounds like a dick.”

  Sharon’s brows shot up before she barked out a laugh. “Yes. He was.”

  Jake’s expression remained neutral. “I’m not a dick.”

  “I’ve figured that out for myself.”

  “So what’s the problem?”

  Sharon didn’t know how to express the problem without revealing who she once was, and she didn’t want Jake to look at her differently than he was looking at her right now. Fortunately the bell dinged on the stove indicating the lasagna was done.

  More than thankful for the interruption she turned and took her raggedy old potholders from the drawer next to the stove and opened the oven’s door to lift the large baking dish out. The boiling hot sauce around the top layer of browning cheeses dripped and sizzled on the oven’s floor as the scent of the meat and tomato sauce Ms. Addie taught her to make filled the room with an amazing aroma of spices.

  “If that tastes half as good as it smells, I’m going to make a fool of myself.”

  Sharon smiled as she pulled the dish out and set it on the waiting hot-pads. She closed the oven door and glanced back. “Believe me, it does. The woman who taught me how to cook was amazing. In so many ways, really. If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t be here now.”

  Sharon froze, wondering what had possessed her to reveal that about herself. “She was a good friend,” she added lamely, avoiding his gaze as she snatched two plates and rounded him to take them to the small kitchen table.

  “Why do you do that?

  Sharon placed the dishes on the table and then turned back to him. “Do what?”

  “Say something about yourself then duck and cover.”

  Knowing exactly what he meant she gave him a curious look. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  Jake’s brows lifted. “Yes, you do.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “I didn’t take you for a liar.”

  Something close to fury shook Sharon to the core. “Excuse me!”

  Jake advanced so four steps later he was right in front of her. Sharon inhaled and then realized her mistake as his scent surrounded her. She cleared her throat. “Maybe this was a bad idea.”

  “Why are you afraid of me?”

  Sharon decided a little room was in order. Since he blocked the most direct walkway back into the kitchen, she rounded the island and made her way back to get paper napkins and glasses. “I’m not afraid of you. I’m just a private person.”

  “You smile when you are thinking of anything but yourself. But if the subject is you, fear enters your eyes.”

  Sharon was mortified. She’d had no idea she was that easy to read. No wonder Gerald had been so verbally abusive. He’d always taken great pleasure in sticking barbs into her skin with harshly thrown out words. Now she was free, she couldn’t believe she had put up with it for so long.

  “Look, Doc, I—”

  “Jake. You can get away with Doc, or Doctor, or whatever at the office. But outside of it, especially when I’m having dinner with a beautiful woman, I’m just Jake.”

  Short of sounding childish, Sharon knew she had no choice but to settle down and regroup. She was overreacting. And he was right…about everything. “I’m sorry. I just came out of a horrible marriage. I’m trying to figure out what I’m going to do with my life. I’m trying to figure how to best take care of my son. I wouldn’t even be here if it weren’t for a woman I knew as a kid. Ms. Addie left me this cabin and it came at a time in my life when I needed it most. So I’m here now. But I don’t know for how long.”

  Jake took the few steps bringing him back into the kitchen. “Was that so hard?”

  Sharon nodded. “Yes.”

  Apparently not expecting that answer Jake frowned. “Are you afraid the ex-husband will come looking for you? Is that why you don’t know if you’ll stay?”

  Shaking her head, Sharon looked at her tiny home, mostly to avoid looking at him. “No. He’s happily engaged to someone else.”

  “Are you unhappy here?”

  Honesty had her shaking her head again. But she knew she couldn’t be completely honest without revealing too much. “No. But I’m not sure I want to stay just because I have a place here. I haven’t had many choices in the last several years. So I want that freedom. Ms. Addie gave me this cabin with no stipulations. I can put it on the market immediately if I want.”

  Jake nodded. “I get that. But what if you decide you like living here? And your son is happy? And I want to take you out now and then, just because we are both free to do so?”

  Sharon’s gaze flew to his. “I can’t think about those things right now.”

  “Why? Because you’re plotting your freedom?”

  Since his words came with a grin, she grinned back. “No. Because I don’t find you the least bit attractive.”

  “Now I know you’re lying. I saw you looking at my butt this morning.”

  Sharon’s gaze sharpened in horror, because she had been, but hadn’t known he knew it. “You are full of it!”

  Jake laughed. ‘“Look, seriously, I really like you. At least the you you’ve allowed me to see. Take a chance here. I’m really a nice guy. Only a few skeletons in the closet, and they’re typical teen crap I’m not too proud of, but I like you, Sharon. I’m very attracted to you. I’d like the chance to explore the possibilities. But you have to want to explore them too.”

  Hearing that he’d made some mistakes along the way helped for some reason, though she seriously doubted his teenage mistakes were anywhere close to as bad as her own. Still, she was free to choose whether she stayed or not, and she was free to pursue a possible relationship if she wanted. But…and there were too many buts to count, she had to be careful. A light romance was completely different than a committed relationship. Still, it would be fun to date someone who she knew wouldn’t deliberately hurt her. Regardless of his supposedly shady past, Jake was a nice guy through and through.

  “We can be friends. And maybe go out some. But I’m not ready for anything beyond that right now.”

  “I can work with that. How about a movie and dinner Saturday night?”

  Sharon inhaled deeply, only to exhale shakily. “You don’t waste any time, do you?”

  A delighted smile lit Jake’s face. “I try not to when I’m getting my way.”

  Deciding it was time to change the subject, as she was certain he probably always got his way with that face, that body, and that killer smile, Sharon pointed at the lasagna. “Well, the food is getting cold. Let’s eat.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  “Please, Mom!”

  Sharon knew she didn’t have time to argue as Kyle’s school bus was due any moment, and there was really no justifiable reason to say no, but between football practices and friend outings, Kyle was rarely home. “I’m going to have to meet his mother before I can say yes.”

  Kyle smiled his big I won smile, and Sharon almost reneged on principle alone. “If I can talk to Mrs. Hood before school is out, and if she says it’s really okay, then I’ll let you stay there overnight with the team. But you cannot, and I want to make this completely clear, you can not go anywhere else with those boys.”

  “I swear, Mom. Practice. Pizza. And back to Johnathan’s house to watch footage from that team’s games before movies and video games the rest of the night. The whole team will be there, and the coach and Mrs. Hood have a really cool place on the lake from what they say. I’m the only one who hasn’t been there yet. The team gets invited all the time for stuff.”

  Sh
aron remembered Coach Hood, and that scared her a little because she was afraid he might remember her, too. But she’d never met Mrs. Hood formally all those years ago so hopefully stopping by her little shop on Main Street on the way to work wouldn’t ring any bells for the woman.

  At least Sharon hoped not. So far, the only person in town who had recognized her was Mary at the Piggly Wiggly. As far as most people in town knew, she was Sharon Gilbert, newcomer to Legend, competent receptionist to the sexy new doctor in town, and mother of that Gilbert boy who was taking the Legend Dragons back on the road to another national championship if what Kyle just told her was accurate. And she wanted it to stay that way.

  Kyle gave her a quick hard kiss on the cheek before he ran out the door with his athletic duffle bag bouncing against his leg. “See you tomorrow, Mom!”

  Sharon pressed her fingers against her cheek, loving that in only a few short weeks the relationship between her and Kyle had grown by leaps and bounds. They had little time together, but that was because they were both happily filling their days instead of just getting through them. As scary as it was to accept, life really was perfect.

  Glancing down at the ringing of the cell phone in her hand blew that thought right out of the water.

  The mental debate didn’t outlast Candy’s persistent redialing each time the call went to voicemail so Sharon answered her phone on her mother’s third try. “Hello, Mom.”

  “Sissy! Where have you been? I’ve been trying to get you for weeks! There are men all over my house in space suits and they are carrying off all my stuff! Are you even in town?”

  Sharon took a moment to just breathe as she debated hanging up the phone. Knowing she had no choice but to get the conversation over with, she sighed. “I’m not in town.” Technically it wasn’t a lie since she was outside of the city limits. There was no way she was walking into what would undoubtedly be a demand for immediate attention…in the flesh.

  “Well, I need you here! Once I could get more minutes on my phone, I called the police, but they said I had to comply with these people taking all my things! I can’t! I need them! What will I do?”