Whiskey and Country

18

DAHLIA

At ten to four, Carter dropped Jack at the store just when I was about to lock. “I thought you were meeting me at my place,” I said, rummaging through my purse for my keys.

Carter scratched his forehead with his thumb. “Yeah, but I thought surprising you would be better.”

I lifted my son from his arms and nuzzled his neck. “I agree. Ohmygod, I’ve missed you, baby.” I refocused on my friend. “I was closing early to get to you two faster.” Carter pulled me against him and kissed the top of my head.

“I’m sorry about the change of plans, Dah. You know I always look forward to spending time with him.”

I squeezed his hand. “Relax, Cart. It’s only for a night. You’re already doing much more for the both of us than anyone would in these circumstances.”

“Thanks. It means a lot.”

We exchanged more with our eyes than any word could. “Have you two stayed out of trouble?” I asked.

Jack giggled in my arms. “Cattter plays ball.”

“You guys played ball?”

My baby bobbed his head.

Carter offered a one-shoulder shrug. “I got a soccer ball. We moved the furniture around in the den, and I taught him how to kick.”

“Goooal,” Jack said, and we all laughed.

“Dah, you look happy,” my friend said. “Spa day did you good?”

I swallowed before speaking, praying for Carter to not notice the warmth I felt rising in me.

Kissing my baby distracted his attention from me. I wasn’t in the mood for an open-hearted discussion with the man I loved in a million ways except for the one he craved.

When I met his eyes, Carter watched me with interest, his hands in his pockets. “Dah, are you okay?”

“Yes. I’m great.”

He frowned, shook his head, but added nothing.

“If you say so.”

“Come on, Cart. If I wasn’t, you’d be the first one I’d tell.”

He sighed. “Fine.” He stole the keys from my hand and locked the door after engaging the alarm. Then he held out his arms, and Jack jumped into them. Carter ruffled his hair. “When I leave, I’ll miss ya guys. A lot. I hate going away for weeks.”

I snaked my arm through his. “Cart, we’ll be all right. Don’t worry about us. We’ll be here when you come back.”

His lips found my temple. “Promise you’ll call if anything happens. I mean, anything.”

I smiled because my best friend was the most generous and caring human being to walk the face of this earth. “I will. I swear. But you have one more day left with him, so we’ll say our proper goodbyes later.”

“I’ll spend the night in Nashville and be back in the morning. How about I pick him up around nine?”

“Nine is perfect.”

Carter walked us to my car, buckled Jack in his seat, and kissed my cheek.

“Be careful out on the road,” I told him as I got behind the wheel.

“Always.”

I drove away as he waved at me from the sidewalk.

A part of me disliked not telling him about us going to Nick’s. But another part of me, the rational side, knew it wasn’t a good idea. Not now, at least.

The short drive home didn’t give me time to ponder over the what-ifs or build up scenarios in my mind. And I breathed in relief.

After I gathered the ingredients to cook dinner and packed a handful of Jack’s necessities in my trunk, I left to meet with my new friend. The one I couldn’t get off my mind.

My eyes found him before I even pulled into the driveway. He had his back to me—his white T-shirt glued to his skin—water dripping from him. Even from a distance, I noticed his back muscles through the fabric. Nick was fighting with a hose, water spraying in every direction as he tried to turn it off, a broken valve in one hand. I stood there, my foot on the brake pedal, unable to move, with surges of heat stirring my belly, my inner thighs aching with renewed sensations I’d missed for so long.

Busy fighting a water snake, Nick was oblivious to me ogling him. I parked the car and picked Jack up in my arms. My heart hopped in my chest as I watched the man as he removed his wet shirt. I gasped as he revealed his bare chest, and our eyes met. My hand flew to my mouth, silencing the embarrassing sound tumbling out.

Nick offered me a mischievous smile as he used the drenched fabric to wipe his soaked face.

He flexed one arm.

My eyes ate him up.

This was bad.

I hadn’t laid my gaze on any other man in years. But now I had no idea how not to. How to look elsewhere.

In an urge to move away from the orgasmic vision in front of me, I popped the trunk open and reached for the grocery bag. Nick sauntered in my direction, dripping wet, still shirtless. Apparently, he won the fight with the water hose.

Was my jaw dangling open?

“Here. Let me,” he offered, picking the bag from me.

I clamped my mouth shut, not sure what to say. I’d been caught staring at him like a kid entering a candy shop for the first time. Sure, Nick looked delicious. No, not delicious. Delectable. God, not delectable. Scrumptious. Mouth-watering. Good enough to eat. Ohmygod. What was wrong with my brain? I must be hungry. Nick looked good. Yeah, good. Good shoulders. Good abs. Good… My gaze screeched to a halt as I followed the hair down his… Was my face all hot and bothered? Because my body was. In all the places that mattered.

Nick’s raw, woodsy masculine smell hit me next.

Okay, this was bad. I was a hormonal mess.

A danger to any man lingering in my vicinity for too long.

Could he tell? I inhaled, locking my uneasiness far away.

Had I been so deprived of tasting a man—not tasting, this had to stop. Be. Be with a man for years that now I felt like giving myself to the first one I met? Damn it. The night would be unbearable if I didn’t find a way to leash my attraction.

Nick offered me a reprieve as he turned to face Jack, still in my arms. I blew out a quick breath, letting go of some of the tension inside me. “Hi little guy. I’m Nick. It’s good to finally meet you. What’s your name?”

Jack, who had his face pressed in the crook of my neck since I picked him up, straightened his body and granted Nick his warmest smile.

“Jack.”