The Road to Rose Bend

by Naima Simone

  Stunned, eyes wide, Sydney stared at him. At his hooded eyes with just a rim of amber visible, his damp, swollen lips, clenched fists and, good God, the bulge in the front of his pants. Big. Long. It had her mouth watering and her flesh spasming. Another whimper of need scratched its way up her throat, and she called on every scrap of her tattered control to lock it down.

  “I’m sorry to interrupt,” that same voice interjected again, and it shocked her as much now as it did seconds ago.

  Turning, she faced Caroline Jacobs. The irony that she’d preempted their kiss last time wasn’t lost on Sydney. The woman’s timing was either impeccable or left a lot to be desired. At the moment, Sydney couldn’t decide which one.

  “It’s fine, Caroline,” Cole finally said, his voice the texture of grit and rubble. Shifting his focus to the other woman, he asked, “What do you need?”

  “The concert is about to wind down. You’re needed onstage for the closing remarks for the day. I’ll just wait over there while you...” She glanced at Sydney before switching her gaze back to him. “Finish up.” Clearing her throat, she wandered several feet away, granting them a modicum of privacy.

  Sydney averted her eyes, too vulnerable, too raw to continue meeting his. If he apologized... If he told her it was a mistake—that she was a mistake... He wouldn’t be wrong about this kiss crossing a line they shouldn’t have no matter how much she hungered for it, but right now she couldn’t handle the rejection. Or the message that she wasn’t wanted.

  “I should go so you can...do your mayor thing,” she murmured.

  Not granting him time to say anything or stop her—if he even intended to do either—she pivoted on her heel and headed toward the parking lot.

  “Sydney.”

  She drew to a halt but didn’t turn around.

  “I’ve never had sex with Jenna,” he said, his low, sensual voice caressing her exposed skin like dark velvet. His admission rocked through her, igniting another quake of shivers. But he wasn’t through. “You’re the first woman I’ve touched in two years.”

  She heard him walk away. Caught the murmur of his deeper tone and Caroline’s lighter one. And yet, she still remained in the same spot, his confession ringing in her ears.

  She should be terrified by that information. More specifically, terrified by the satisfaction and joy that fizzed and popped in her veins like champagne bubbles.

  But she wasn’t. Her heart thumped, filling her head with its ecstatic rhythm.

  And that... Well, that should’ve scared her most of all.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  SYDNEY GLARED AT the one-cup coffee maker as the fragrant brew poured into the waiting mug. Decaffeinated. It was a crime against God and nature. But the thought of going cold turkey had her body screaming in mutiny, so decaf it was. The sacrifices she made for this baby.

  Sighing, she leaned back against the counter, the cabinet cushioning her head. God, she was tired. After a full day at the motorcycle rally, she should’ve fallen asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. But no such luck. Her thoughts had whirled in her head long into the night, filled with instant replays of The Kiss. And also, with the audio of Cole’s confession.

  You’re the first woman I’ve touched in two years.

  Even now, her belly dipped, an eddying heat rushing in to fill the void. Confusion and arousal—not a good mix and detrimental to a decent night’s sleep. Why had Cole admitted that to her? Should she go to his cottage and ask him? Should she just leave it alone? Should she avoid him altogether? Logic cautioned that becoming physically and emotionally involved with a man who clearly still loved his dead wife and deeply grieved her and their son’s deaths totaled up to a mistake. And while the woman she’d been six months ago might’ve risked it, the mother-to-be she was now couldn’t. Because she didn’t only have herself to consider. She needed to be whole, settled and completely focused on her baby. And a brokenhearted mother indulging in a doomed fling didn’t constitute settled or focused.

  And no matter how much her body craved him, was greedy for his brand of passion, lust didn’t transform her into an idealistic idiot. Anything between her and Cole could only end one way.

  With heartbreak and pain.

  The coffee machine emitted one final hiss and bubble, and the last drops plopped into her cup. First, coffee, she prioritized. Then obsessing.

  Just as she lifted the mug to her lips for that first wonderful sip, a firm knock on her door reverberated through her living room and kitchen. Frowning, she peered at the clock on the wall above the stove. Who would possibly be on her doorstep at seven thirty in the morning? Setting the cup down on the counter, she crossed the small distance on bare feet. For a second, she hesitated, casting a glance down at her black tank top, which cupped her breasts and stretched over her baby bump, and the small pair of pink sleep shorts. She shrugged, continuing toward the front door. Hey, if someone was rude enough to drop by unannounced this early, then they got what they got. Which in this case was boobage, big belly and thick thighs.

  She paused next to the window, pulling back the cover and peeking out to see who stood on her dime-sized porch.

  “Oh shit,” she breathed. Shock gripped her in its icy fist, and she clutched the curtain, threatening to tug the rod down on her head. “Oh shit,” she repeated, just as breathless.

  Daniel.

  What the hell was her ex-husband doing in Rose Bend, much less standing on the other side of the door?

  Unease trickled into her chest, dripping down to her stomach. But with an irritated scoff at herself, she released the curtain and shifted to the door, clasping the knob. She had no reason to be nervous about Daniel’s appearance, even if it was unexpected. Yes, they were divorced, but he’d never been mean or abusive. Maybe he’d just shown up to see her for himself, make sure her pregnancy was progressing as it should... Yes, she silently admonished, pulling open the door. This was Daniel, for God’s sake. Not a harbinger of doom.

  “Daniel,” she greeted warmly, smiling and pushing open the storm door. Because, though still shocked, she was happy to see him. They’d been friends for years, and having his familiar face here brought back memories of those better times. “What a surprise. Come on in.”

  “Thank you,” he said, his slight Southern drawl evident in just those two words. His brown-eyed perusal roamed over her, lingering on her belly before returning to her face. “You’re looking well.”

  “Thanks,” she murmured, stepping back and waving him inside.

  He entered the little cottage, his tall, lean build clad in what she’d once affectionately termed his “summer uniform.” A white polo shirt, crisply pressed khakis with a razor-sharp front crease and brightly buffed dark brown shoes. Funny how the previous evening, Cole had been similarly dressed, and the look had been casual and sexy as hell. Yet, with Daniel, he appeared every inch the stuffy dean of a pretentious prep school—a little uptight, a lot reserved.

  Stop it. Tiny needles of guilt pinpricked her. How unfair to compare the two men. How unfair to find Daniel lacking. The men were different. Especially since one elicited a fondness and friendly affection. And the other, a conflagration of grinding, insatiable need that tortured her waking and sleeping hours.

  Totally unfair.

  “Not that I’m not pleased to see you, but what are you doing here? And why didn’t you tell me you were coming? I could’ve planned ahead, and I’m certain my parents would’ve been excited to see you.” Wasn’t that an understatement?

  “Is this where you’re staying?” Daniel asked, ignoring her questions and surveying the room. The corner of his mouth curled in a faint sneer of distaste. “It’s kind of...small, isn’t it?”

  She tamped down a spurt of annoyance as well as the urge to point out that no one asked him to come here to have his senses offended by her residence. Instead, she shrugged and maintained her smile. Eve
n if it felt strained and phony.

  “The Dennisons were kind enough to rent me one of their guest cottages while I look for a permanent house.”

  “And the Dennisons are?” he prompted, sliding his hands into the front pockets of his pants. Even that didn’t displace the crease.

  “I thought I mentioned them before.” She had—she knew she had. But as she’d discovered through the years with Daniel, he often relegated things that didn’t directly affect him to the bottom of his Give a Damn list. “My friend Leo’s family who owns the bed-and-breakfast. They’re like family to me.” Well, almost all of them were like family.

  “That’s nice of them. Just how long do you intend to stay here? Shouldn’t you be preparing for the baby? You only have four more months,” he pointed out, strolling toward the kitchen and peering down the hallway that led to the small two bedrooms and bathroom. “You can’t plan on bringing our daughter back here.”

  “No,” she replied through gritted teeth. And suddenly, she recalled another reason why their marriage had started to crumble. This parent/child dynamic. Older, Daniel had treated her more and more like his dependent instead of his wife. And no woman wanted to sleep with Daddy. “Like I said, this is only temporary. I didn’t want to impose on my parents. And I know exactly how much longer I have before she arrives. Y’know, since I’m the one who’s carrying her.”

  “There’s no need for sarcasm,” he said, and immediately, she bit back the impulse to apologize.

  Dammit, he’s not your husband anymore. You don’t answer to him, or anyone.

  “Daniel, what are you doing here? I know you didn’t just feel like a jaunt to the Berkshires.”

  “I didn’t want to do this over the phone...” he began, and those nine words triggered the unease that she’d denied just moments earlier.

  A metallic flavor filtered into her mouth—the taste of fear.

  “You didn’t want to do what over the phone?” she croaked.

  He sighed. “I have to tell you, the entire flight and drive here, I remained on the fence. But seeing this place you’re holed up in, this town... It cemented my decision. Sydney, I don’t do this to hurt you, but I have to think of our baby and her future over your feelings. I’ve been in discussion with my attorney. As soon as the baby is born and several months old, I intend to sue for full custody.”

  For the second time that morning, shock wrapped around her like smothering wool. The air in her lungs stalled, and for a terrifying moment, she feared fainting, further reinforcing Daniel’s opinion about her weakness. No. The objection wavered in her head, but it was enough to beat back the thunderous roar deafening her. She couldn’t do a thing about her rapidly pounding heart or the panic tearing at her throat, but she refused to add one more sin on his undoubtedly long list.

  “You can’t do that,” she whispered, hating that her voice hadn’t emerged strong, certain.

  “I can, and I will,” he affirmed, his gaze unwavering and, worse, determined. “I don’t want to hurt you—”

  “You’ve said that already,” she snapped. “But what do you think snatching a baby from her mother would do? Or threatening to remove a baby before she’s even born? How do you suppose that doesn’t inflict harm?”

  Another one of his world-weary sighs escaped him, and she wanted to shove it back down his throat. She was sick and tired of being the one cast as immature and unreasonable. Right now, he posed a hazard to her motherhood, her relationship with her baby, their happiness and well-being. Hell no. She wasn’t going to allow that.

  “There’s no need to exaggerate or become overemotional about this, Sydney,” he murmured. The patronizing, ignorant ass. “This isn’t personal or an attack on you. I have to put my baby’s welfare first.” For the first time since he’d entered her home, he revealed an emotion other than stoicism or disdain. Frustration flickered over his face, gleamed in his dark brown eyes, and absurdly, she was grateful for it. That meant he wasn’t a complete, unfeeling asshole. This person, who briefly glanced away from her and whose jaw ticked, she could reason with. “Look, I accepted that we were not going to remain married. I respected your decision, but as you’ve shown with forgetting to keep me in the loop with doctor’s appointments and not sending me video of the ultrasound, I can’t trust you to include me in this baby’s life.”

  “That was a mistake, and I’ve apologized for it. I promised you it wouldn’t happen again,” she argued. “I can’t believe you would take my child away from me because of a mistake.”

  “It’s not just that mistake, Sydney,” he shouted. Then, inhaling a deep breath, he paced away from her to the window, staring out of it for several long moments. When he turned and faced her again, the composed professor stared back at her. “It was just the latest of your thoughtless and irresponsible decisions. Driving here this morning, I couldn’t comprehend how you could prefer this small, country village that’s not close to any kind of civilization.”

  “Seriously, Daniel,” she scoffed. “Now who’s exaggerating? Boston is two hours away and this isn’t damn Walnut Grove. There’re cars instead of horses and buggies and even a Walmart,” she snapped. “Just because it’s not your preference, doesn’t make it a throwback to a time before indoor plumbing.”

  “Sarcasm duly noted. But it doesn’t change the fact that it’s not a place our daughter should live. If this is where you want to live? Fine. You grew up here. But don’t forget even you couldn’t get away fast enough when you turned eighteen,” he reminded her, jabbing a finger in her direction. “In Charlotte, so many things will be available to her. The best medical care, a better school system, accessible art, culture, amenities that aren’t available in this backwater town. And that you can’t see that has me questioning your priorities and your ability to raise her.”

  “And your priorities are better?” she threw back. “Your ability? You have just as much experience as I do with raising children.”

  “But I can give her what you can’t.” He paused, and she braced herself, instinctively sensing he was about to deliver his final blow. “I can give my daughter a two-parent home. What you selfishly refused her.”

  She blinked. Stunned, reeling from this news.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I told you about the woman I’ve been seeing,” he said, his shoulders drawing back, straightening. “I’ve proposed to her. By the time the baby arrives, we will be married, and will be able to give her a family. Stability. Financial security. My daughter deserves that, and even if I have to sue for custody to give it to her, I’m ready to. I will, Sydney.”

  “Fuck you,” she whispered.

  He grimaced, as if exasperated or pained by her profanity. Of course. Because, as he’d often told his students, profanity denoted a lack of vocabulary and creativity. Well, just one more thing he could add to the list of reasons why she wasn’t good enough to raise their baby.

  “Really, Sydney. I’m trying to have a mature conversation with you. Is that necessary—”

  “Fuck. You,” she reiterated, slowly and succinctly. Just in case he didn’t catch how much she loathed him in this moment. “Fuck you for coming into my home and looking down your nose at it. For threatening to rip away my baby—the baby I’ve been carrying, nurturing, and have already fallen deeply in love with. And fuck you for daring to say that some woman you’ve known for five minutes would make a better mother to my child than me.” She took a step toward him, shaking from head to toe. “You’re a bully, Daniel. And you can wrap it up in any way that makes you feel righteous, but this is about penalizing me for not falling in line with your dictates.”

  She shook her head, her lips twisting into a bitter smile. “I won’t let you do it. If you thought this little visit would have me running scared back to Charlotte, have me giving in to your demands, your edicts that are all about making everything comfortable and convenient for you,
then I hate to break it to you. This was a wasted trip. Get out.” She marched over to the front door and hauled it open. “Consider this my overemotional reply to you and your attorney. As a matter of fact, send me his email address, since that is where I will be sending any further communication between us.”

  Daniel stared at her, his expression stony, implacable. Dipping his head in a rigid nod, he stalked across the room, but paused on the threshold.

  “It doesn’t have to be this way, Sydney,” he said, quietly.

  “I don’t know what other way you expected it to be, Daniel,” she returned, just as softly.

  She closed the door behind him.

  And then slid down the wood until her behind hit the floor.

  Only then, did she allow the fear to roll over her, swamping her. Tears stung her eyes, and she squeezed them closed. Now wasn’t the time to break down. She had to be strong not just for herself, but for her baby. But God... Did Daniel really hate her that much? Would he actually replace her in her baby’s life?

  She wasn’t certain about the answer to the first question, but “yes” boomed in her head in reply to the second. Yes, he would. Because one thing she knew about her ex-husband. When he believed he was right, nothing could change his opinion or his course of action.

  No. Sydney pushed herself to her feet, wiping away the few tears that had managed to escape. She definitely could not afford to break down, because she had a fight to prepare for.

  And win.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  “I NEED YOU.”

  Cole stared, lips parted in surprise, as Sydney blew past him into his living room.

  Slowly shutting his front door, he couldn’t decide what concerned him more—the iron fist of lust that plowed into him at those three words or the tiny pink shorts and oversize hoodie she wore that simultaneously clung to her voluptuous curves and dwarfed them.

  He briefly closed his eyes, his fingers curling around the doorknob. Maybe if he still couldn’t taste her kiss... Maybe if he still couldn’t feel the soft imprint of those lush lips on his mouth... Maybe if he hadn’t fisted himself to her memory last night...