Before they’d finally hung up she’d invited him over for a couple of hours this evening. After the kids were in bed, so he wouldn’t run into Carrie. So Sue wouldn’t be playing favorites with him where the little girl was concerned. Yes, she was Carrie’s foster mother. She was William’s and Michael’s foster mother, too. She was also a woman.
Sue checked on the kids one more time, adjusting the crib pad where Carrie’s foot had become lodged, and then went to make certain the rest of the house was in order.
Ginger tea was steeping in the kitchen. Not because it was said to enhance sexual desire, but because she loved the stuff.
Where Rick Kraynick was concerned, Sue didn’t need any help with desire enhancement.
She fluffed the pillows on the couch, peeked under it for any stray toys she might have missed, and felt between the cushions to make certain she hadn’t lost a bottle or pacifier that might inadvertently reveal itself. She was a mother, and proud of it.
But tonight, just for a few hours, she wanted to be a woman.
He knocked precisely at eight—the time she’d told him to, because all three infants would be in their cribs, asleep. Just. Giving her, she hoped, two whole hours.
“Wow. You look…wow.” He stared at her as he came inside.
“You’re pretty wow yourself,” she said, giving his body, molded to perfection in skintight jeans and a three-quarter sleeve baseball jersey, a once-over.
She offered him tea.
Rick followed her to the kitchen. Watched as she took cups and saucers out of the cupboard.
“I…don’t want to mislead you,” she said, suddenly pulling up short.
He put up a hand. “I know, you aren’t going to help me with Carrie.”
“I’m not going to hurt you with her, either,” she clarified. “But I won’t do any favors or pull any strings for you. I won’t doctor my report to the committee. I can’t, Rick. I’d quit my job first. I’m too black-and-white.”
Cups in hand, she led the way to the living room.
“I heard you the first time, Sue, I swear. I’m not going to pretend I don’t want or need your help, but I know you aren’t going to give it to me.” He took his cup. Set it down. Sat himself down on the couch. “Now can you come here? I’ve been waiting all day to have you next to me.”
She wanted to, but…
She turned to the storage unit mounted above her television. “You want to watch a movie?”
“We can.”
“What do you want to watch?”
“You.”
Sue spun around. And then sat in the middle of the couch. Inches away from him. She only had two hours. No time to be coy. Or have second thoughts and doubts. She had to be close to this man….
“I wasn’t referring to Carrie when I said that about misleading you.”
“Oh? What then?”
“I’m…this…I like you.”
He grinned. “Well, thank you. I like you, too.”
“But I’m…It’s not going to go any further than…What I mean is…”
She waited for him to fill in the blanks. And to get it right this time. He watched her.
“I can’t have a serious relationship.”
He leaned back into the cushion, his arm along the back of the couch behind her. “I’m not sure what’s hit us here,” he said, his gaze steady. “But I’d say it’s already serious.”