by Sara Daniel
But then he’d take the chance and the responsibility of screwing up a child’s life. Working with marriage gave him a layer of safety. He still achieved his ultimate goal of helping kids, but no one would point fingers at him as the villain in their life.
Except Liam.
He shuddered. “I’d rather get to the source of the problem.”
“Which you think I am.”
“You’re not the problem, but we need to get to the source of your problems. Were your husband's extramarital affairs not important enough to mention to me?”
She propped the mop against the wall and crossed her arms over her chest. “Who told you?”
“What matters is I didn’t hear it from you.”
“Come on, Mr. Therapist. You learned in Marriage Counseling 101 that an affair is a symptom, not the cause, of the problem. An affair happens because problems already exist.”
“So you’re telling me Bryce’s infidelity was inconsequential?” He stepped toward her, knowing her well enough to be sure she’d been crushed by the betrayal.
“In the context of how low you value sex in a Forever marriage, yes.” She grabbed the mop and attacked the floor.
To get through to her he had to remind her he was human. “Considering I have an illegitimate child, you can bet I understand a man’s basic need for sex.”
“Yes, you want to get laid by someone who’s not going to harm your pious and straight-laced counselor image. So you have polite conversations with my sister. Then you come upstairs horny, hoping to nail the disposable divorcée.”
“Whoa.” Hating he’d caused her pain, he held up his hands. “You’re not disposable.” And he hadn’t come to her to try to score.
She threw the mop aside. “You can satisfy yourself with your hand, Caleb Paden, because you’re not getting any action from me.”
She shoved by him and stormed toward the stairs, slipping on the wet floor. Caleb lunged for her, catching her before she bumped her head on the wall.
“Are you okay?”
She pushed him away again. “I have a lot of cleaning to do. Please go downstairs and leave me alone.” Her voice cracked.
Not until he’d made amends. He cupped her shoulder, and she burst into tears. Shoot. He was such a jerk. As a psychologist, he had no excuse for being so insensitive.
Sobs wracked through her as he cradled her in his arms. He pressed his lips to the top of her head, loathing himself more with every shudder of her body. He’d witnessed plenty of his mom’s crying jags over the years. But he hadn’t caused those.
Her sobs subsided into silence, but she continued to shake. Each tremor of vulnerability pierced him more than the raw spilling of emotion.
She wiped her eyes with her sleeve. “Just go.”
With her chin in his hand, he drew her face toward him. Her eyes still swam with hurt. Lowering his lips to her trembling mouth, he ached to lose himself in her sweetness. Instead he brushed his lips over hers and then broke away.
“Bryce was a fool to cheat on you,” he whispered.
She darted out of his embrace. “I was the fool. I won’t be one again.”
Chapter 11
Olivia braced her hands on the edge of the bathroom counter. She needed to keep her promise to take Austin sledding. The housekeeping disaster demanded immediate attention. She could take care of those things. She could even deal with knowing she’d blown her magnificent exit and had a big emotional breakdown in Caleb’s arms.
But then he’d kissed her.
She’d toyed with the idea of using wild sex to loosen him up and blow his theories to hell. Sure, she’d have to use her mouth to seduce him but not with sweet, soul-stirring kisses. Those involved the heart, and she only put her heart on the line for children.
Sucking in another deep breath, she pushed away from the sink and marched downstairs. Austin’s grin as he caught sight of her brought a genuine smile to her face.
“Yes! We’re all ready.” He pumped his fist, glancing from her to Ethan who was striding through the foyer.
“Ready for what?” Ethan asked, shrugging into his coat.
“Sledding, of course.”
With one arm in a sleeve, he paused. “Oh, shoot. I made dinner plans with Penelope, and I’m on my way out to pick up a few things.”
“But you promised,” Austin whined.
Olivia winced. Ethan hadn’t exactly promised, but after Bryce bailing on him, her son needed a man who would follow through regardless. But Ethan wasn’t his father. He didn’t have the obligation Bryce did.
“We can postpone our sledding, can’t we buddy?” Ethan said, as if the outing wasn’t a big deal.
“Whatever.” Austin’s shoulders slumped.
“Thanks for understanding. Penelope really needs my business advice.”
“We’re still going sledding and we’re going to have a great time.” Olivia squeezed Austin’s shoulders.
“What’s going on?” Caleb joined them, turning the spacious foyer into a cramped, airless cubby with his overpowering presence.
“I’m bailing on the sledding outing I promised Austin. He needs a substitute,” Ethan said cheerfully.
Caleb scowled. “If you’re going to make promises to a child, you have to keep them. What kind of stepfather would you be?”
“Better than the ones we had.”
“That’s not good enough.”
“Then I appreciate you stepping in for me.” Ethan slapped him on the back and waltzed out the door.
“He certainly played you.” Olivia wanted to give Caleb a free pass not to join them, but his attendance could benefit Austin.
“I guess he did. I’ll deal with him later. Let’s go.”
Sure, now he turned easygoing and relaxed. Still reeling from his kiss, she needed to witness his most pompous, sanctimonious attitude. “Get your boots, snow pants, coat, hat, scarf, and mittens if you’re coming. Austin and I are ready.”
“I have a coat. If I had any of those other items, I’d have worn them when I wandered in from the snowstorm four days ago.”
“Right. Well, thanks for offering to take Ethan’s place. I’ll be inside in time to prepare dinner.” She slipped on her coat and wound her scarf around her neck.
Ignoring her, Caleb crouched in front of Austin. “I’m not going to disappoint you. Wait for me. We’re going to have a great time.”
His fierceness made her want to depend on his promises. Especially the promise that came with his kiss.
* * * *
Caleb unknotted his tie, determined to dress appropriately for the outing. His wardrobe left him few options, but removing the tie seemed like a smart first step.
Keeping his suit coat on, he layered his winter coat over it. His wingtips were his only footwear. He didn’t have a scarf, stocking hat, or mittens, but he did have driving gloves. Outfitted with everything available to him, he returned to the foyer.
“Thanks for joining us, Dr. Paden,” Olivia said formally while Austin scowled at him. “We’ll take you on the bunny hill first.”
“You both can call me Caleb.” He fell into step with Austin as they trotted outside to a slope much too long and steep for such an innocent name. “I’ve never been sledding before. What do I do?”
“Ride this.” Austin plunked a plastic disc on the snow-packed ground in front of him.
“Hers looks sturdier.” He pointed to the wooden sled with metal runners Olivia pulled behind her.
“You’re not scared, are you?” The boy sneered at him.
“Of course not.” But to prove it, he had to trust his life to a flimsy piece of plastic. He sat down gingerly and grasped the sides of the disc. Austin shoved on his shoulders.
Olivia shouted something about steering, but he was already flying down the hill toward a group of trees. As he gained speed, the forest loomed closer, setting up an inevitable head-on crash. He had to stop and get off this thing. Now.
He planted his feet on the ground in front
of him. The sled carried the rest of his momentum forward. He tumbled head over heels down the hill, turning the world into a white blur of upside-down trees. After an eternity of hurtling without control over the speed or direction of his body, he stopped face first in the snow. Extremely cold snow.
As he lifted his head, Austin whizzed by, screaming like a banshee...and headed straight for the trees. Caleb shoved himself to his knees. He had to save Austin from paralysis or worse.
He stumbled upright and lurched forward. The boy’s sled rolled a few feet up an incline before sliding backward and stopping at the bottom of the hill, ten feet down the slope from the trees. Overcome with relief, Caleb sank onto the ground, trying to recover his breath.
Snow sprayed his bare wrist. Olivia whooshed the metal runner sled in a ninety-degree turn and stopped just below him on the hill, still sitting upright on her sled. “You’re supposed to relax and enjoy the ride, not try to break your neck.”
“I thought I was going to crash into the trees.” He adjusted his sleeve over his icy wrist and then brushed his caked gloves over his matted hair, sending snow down his neck.
She peered at the kamikaze line. “They’re halfway up a steep incline. Sledding relies on gravity. You’d require some serious momentum to get your sled up there.”
After analyzing Austin’s run, he almost believed her. “I didn’t get a good look at the terrain before I went down.”
“You can go at your own pace this time. If you want to steer, drag your hand in the snow in the direction you want to turn. Or if you use my sled, push the ends of this front wooden bar.”
“I’d rather put my life in your hands and ride with you.”
“If you want Austin’s respect, you have to conquer the bunny hill on your own. I’ll ride with you down the cliff though.”
“If I live that long,” he muttered. Who knew earning a six year old’s respect could be so harrowing?
She laughed, her cheeks matching her bright pink scarf. She retrieved his disc sled that had skidded away then joined Austin, who was making a snow angel. Dropping to the ground, she spread her arms and legs in the snow next to him. Then she carefully stepped away from her imprint and extended her hand to her son. He stood and they marched to the top of the hill together, leaving their angelic mother-son imprint behind.
Caleb hobbled after them, his toes so cold they ached. Snow had melted under his collar, leaving a damp chill on his neck. Willingly spending time outside in the winter had to be a form of insanity.
At the top of the hill, he opted for the metal runner sled, entrusting his life to something more substantial than a flimsy plastic circle. Olivia repeated her steering instructions. He attempted to listen, but the happiness sparkling in her eyes distracted him.
“Have fun,” she shouted as he hurtled down the hill again.
Once again, the trees rushed at him until panic burst in his chest. With Austin’s respect on the line, he hung on. The downward slope tapered and then reversed into an incline. As quickly as the ride had begun, it stopped.
Caleb rolled off the sled and grinned at the sky. Then he raced up the hill to do it again. On the plastic disc.
By the time they moved on to the steeper hill behind the house, his toes had lost all feeling, but he was having a blast. With no traction in his wingtips, the hike up the slippery ground nearly did him in. At the top, he groaned. He’d been perfectly happy on the bunny hill. This long, steep slope with trees lining the trail was out of his league.
He turned to Olivia. “You promised you’d ride with me.”
“Chicken. I thought you conquered your fears.” But she grinned.
“You always ride with me on the first run,” Austin reminded her, leaving Caleb torn between the family tradition and his own squeamishness.
She eyed the wooden sled. “Let’s all pile on together.”
Despite doubting they would fit, he sat down. Olivia plopped on his lap and wiggled back against his hips. No siree, he wouldn’t argue. Austin sat on her lap, and she wrapped her arms around him.
“Put your arms around my waist,” she commanded Caleb. As soon as he did, she pushed her boots against the ground. The sled started down the hill. Olivia lifted her feet onto the wooden bar to steer. Her scarf whipped his cheek in the rushing wind, and her head blocked his view.
He savored holding her close, despite their bulky clothing. The sled bumped over the rough ground. Austin and Olivia whooped with delight. He grinned like a fool.
“Duck,” she shouted. Something harder than the scarf stung his cheek.
“Turn,” Austin yelled.
“I am.”
The sled skidded sideways. Caleb’s butt slid off the platform, but holding onto Olivia, not the seat, prevented him from readjusting his body. With the sled no longer under him, he rolled in the snow, taking her with him. Once again, ice congealed against his collar, while something sharp poked his thigh.
Olivia lay on her back on top of him. She wiggled and flipped onto her stomach, peering down. “Are you okay?”
Uh, he lay on his back with a beautiful woman on top of him. What could possibly be wrong? “I think so.”
She twisted, looking over her shoulder. “Austin?”
“I got the sled. That was so cool. Let’s do it again,” the boy called.
She refocused on Caleb, her face blooming with a radiant smile. Immediately, her happiness faded to concern. “You’re bleeding.” She brushed her glove over his cheek.
“I just got scratched.” As long as she continued to lie on him, he didn’t feel pain or cold.
“My fault. We got off the path a bit. I had trouble steering with all of us on the sled together. We got into some brush, and a branch probably caught you. Come inside the house. I’ll get you some antibiotic cream.” She scrambled off him and held out her hand to help him up.
Taking her offering gave him an excuse to bring his body close to hers again, but he couldn’t disappoint Austin by giving up their fun over a little scratch. Besides, he wanted a chance to sled the entire hill. “We can’t quit on that pathetic run. I’m steering this time.”
“You can’t see to steer when you’re sitting behind me.”
He rubbed the rip on the side of his pants. “I doubt I’ll do worse than you.”
She tossed a snowball at him. Of course it landed on his neck. Removing his tie had been a horrible mistake. He also should have borrowed a scarf.
“You guys go down together on the wooden sled. I’ll take the disc,” Olivia said.
Instead of rebelling, Austin jumped at the suggestion. “Let’s race to see who can go the farthest.”
“Great idea, and let’s up the ante,” Caleb challenged Olivia. “If you win, what prize do you want to claim from me?”
“You eat one of my scones.”
Really? She was still stewing over that? “If I win, I earn a kiss from you.”
She stared at him, but his professional training didn’t offer any insight on her thoughts. She could have been repulsed or so amicable she wanted to kiss him immediately. If he hadn’t bungled his talk with her this afternoon, they could be lip-locked, rolling around in the snow.
“Mom, you go first. Hurry up,” Austin yelled from the top of the hill.
Well, maybe not.
Olivia turned away and marched up the hill. She positioned herself on the disc and then flew by him down the trail, coasting all the way to the bottom. With experience on her side, he’d made a foolish bet. He had no idea what kind of run he was capable of. Eating a scone wouldn’t be the end of the world, but he wanted a guarantee of her lips meeting his in the near future.
“We can beat Mom’s run,” Austin said. “Come on.”
Caleb rubbed the multi-colored bruise on his forehead. The boy had nearly given him a concussion with a shoelace. He could end up on a stretcher after sharing a sled on an icy slope.
A glance at Austin’s eager expression convinced him to sit on the sled. Then the boy plopped on
his lap. He sucked up his discomfort and adjusted his passenger. “We’re on the same team. If I go off course, you’ll need to steer.”
“You’d really let me take over?”
He didn’t trust the kid, but he needed to win him over more than he needed Olivia’s kiss. “Better yet, you steer for me. Show your mom boys are better drivers than girls.”
“I’m going to tell her you said that.” He giggled.
“As long as you prove it. Ready, set, go.” Caleb pushed off, his mouth filled with the dry, hard taste of scone.
The blast of cold air across his cheeks wiped it away. They sluiced down the hill, bumping over ruts, past a blur of shrubbery where they’d crashed last time. The boy shouted with glee, and he echoed with his own whoop of excitement.
The sled glided past Olivia, through a flat open area. Hot damn. They won. “Give me five. That was awesome.”
Austin slapped his palm and jumped off the sled. Then he threw his arms around his mom. “Beat you. We blew you away, Mom.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Her lips curved in amusement. She picked up a handful of snow and drizzled it over Austin’s head.
He shrieked and scooped a snowball. She ran behind Caleb for cover. Austin launched his snow missile, smacking Caleb in the chest. He answered the war call, retaliating against both of them. Within seconds, they had a three-way war of snowballs and were rolling on the ground laughing as often as they were standing.
“I’m freezing,” Austin suddenly declared, letting his snowball fall to the ground.
Olivia glanced at the setting sun. “It is getting late.”
Caleb nearly wept at the prospect of warming his frozen extremities. But given the choice, he would have cheerfully sacrificed them for more wholesome family interaction.
“Dinner will be late,” she said.
“Fine with me,” he said. “Maybe I’ll be dry by then.”
Austin gripped his hand as they trudged to the house. “We’re a great team, Caleb. Want to come sledding with me again?”
Did he ever. He couldn’t wait until Liam was old enough to join them.
Chapter 12
