We Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
Page 12
Jaclyn smiled, feeling wild and free and on top of the world for the first time in what seemed like an eternity. It was as though all the responsibility she’d shouldered for so long had suddenly disappeared, allowing her to be young again. “Neither did I.”
CHAPTER TEN
COLE GAVE JACLYN an incredulous look. When they were in high school, the Starlight Motel was known popular for its private Jacuzzi, which couples used in half-hour increments. Cole had taken Rochelle there on their honeymoon—he hadn’t been able to afford anything better—but strangely enough, he could scarcely remember that night now. All he could think about was Jaclyn, the girl he’d wanted from the beginning.
“You must be joking,” he said. “You’d never go skinny-dipping.”
“Why not?”
“You’re not the type.”
“Oh, yeah? From what I heard, you went skinny-dipping often enough when we were in high school. Why am I so different?”
With the engine still idling, he propped one arm over the steering wheel and turned so he could see her better. “A lot of people went skinny-dipping in high school. You weren’t one of them.”
She frowned, and glanced away. “Maybe I’m tired of being so straitlaced. Maybe I want to do something daring and fun for a change. It’s not like I’m suggesting we share a room. I’d never get involved with you. We work together.”
Cole might have thought the same thing at least a million times, but somehow he didn’t like the sound of those sentiments coming from her. Maybe it was an ego issue, because she hadn’t wanted him before, when he’d wanted her. Or maybe it was because a part of him still hoped to change her mind.
No, that couldn’t be the case. He wasn’t interested in taking on the responsibility of a woman with children. He’d raised his share of kids, knew how tough it was. And stepparenting would be even worse, what with Terry and his family still in the picture.
He put the truck in gear and pulled onto the road. “You’re too—” he looked at her “—shy,” he finished, but he was trying to talk her out of the idea for his sake, not hers. She might be able to strip, climb into a hot tub with him and dress again without feeling the slightest desire for anything more to happen between them, but he doubted he’d be so…hormonally removed.
“I’m not shy,” she protested.
“Has any man seen you naked besides Terry?”
She shrugged and said sheepishly, “No.”
“See? You won’t go through with it.”
“Fine. Forget it. Don’t go to the Starlight. It was just a passing impulse.”
He gave her a knowing smile. “That’s what I thought.”
“What?”
“That you’d back out before we ever reached the hot tub.”
“I wouldn’t have backed out if you hadn’t…never mind.” She folded her arms and turned toward the window, giving Cole the opportunity to admire her profile. He was with Jackie Rasmussen, his high-school heartthrob. After ten years, she was finally in his truck and not with Terry. He thought of her in his English class, drinking a cola at the football game, sitting in an assembly with her friends. How many times had he dreamed of having her as his girl? In Reno, those dreams felt like ancient history, another chapter in his life. But in Feld, they seemed like only yesterday. If he wasn’t careful, he could feel the same longing for her right now….
The Starlight was coming up on their right. Cole saw the sign lit up with shooting stars and the words Private Jacuzzi, and determined to drive past in favor of the Sand Mountain Inn down the street. But when they reached the entrance, he found himself turning in and parking the Navigator in a slot marked Office.
“I thought we were going someplace else,” she said, her eyes widening.
He grinned. For a moment there, he’d almost done the safe, sensible thing and played it straight. But Jaclyn was the only person he’d ever consistently wanted and, despite the risks, he wasn’t about to miss out on something this good.
“I think you’re right,” he said. “I think it’s time you did something a little wild and crazy. And I’m just the man to do it with.”
WHAT HAD SHE GOTTEN INTO? Suddenly as shy as Cole had accused her of being, and more than a little embarrassed, Jaclyn folded her arms over her shirt, inhaling the smell of the chlorine in the hot tub, while Cole hung the Occupied sign on the gate. When she’d suggested it, her idea of skinny-dipping had seemed tantalizingly dangerous and incredibly exciting—something impulsive and entirely out-of-character for her normally conservative self. She’d wanted to feel young and attractive again, probably because she’d felt old and tired for too long. And skinny-dipping hadn’t seemed like such a big deal. Teenagers did it all the time, right?
Then, why did taking off her shorts and tank top seem so terrifying now?
Probably because she had a couple of stretch marks no one but Terry had seen, while Cole’s body was perfect. At least, he looked perfect in his clothes—tall and muscular and as darkly handsome as ever.
Cole seemed to sense her sudden reluctance; he caught her eye and smiled reassuringly. His manner said, Trust me, I’ll take care of everything, and she wanted to believe him. She did believe him. So far, he’d never let her down. But…
“Having second thoughts?” he asked before removing his T-shirt.
Jaclyn glanced at the steam curling off the small, round hot tub, and was tempted to rise to the challenge in Cole’s voice. He didn’t believe she’d go through with it, and she wanted to surprise him by peeling off her tank top as though she was as confident and brazen as she sometimes wished.
But she couldn’t do it. He was her boss. Regardless of what had happened at the Wentworth ranch, she was suddenly very aware of their true relationship. And she was also afraid of the attraction she felt toward him. Getting naked would hardly help douse that.
She bit her lip and curled her nails into her palms. “I guess I’m all talk, huh? Still a Goody Two-shoes.”
He grinned. “There’s nothing wrong with that, Jackie. I’m surprised you came this far. You want to go back to our rooms?”
Jaclyn wasn’t quite ready to turn in for the night. Despite her hesitancy to disrobe, she still wanted to be with Cole. He generally avoided or ignored her at the office, but she had his full attention now. And it was a heady experience.
“Can we sit out here and put our feet in the water?”
“Why not?” He kicked off his sandals and, rolling up the legs of his knee-length shorts situated himself on the edge of the hot tub.
“The water feels good, doesn’t it,” he said as she joined him.
The hot water did feel good, but sitting next to Cole felt even better. Jaclyn smiled and nodded. She knew she should keep her distance from this man, even with her clothes on, but he was so…alluring. Certainly it couldn’t hurt to sit close enough to enjoy the masculine smell of him.
“How long did you say you’ve been divorced?” he asked after a few seconds of silence.
“A year,” she told him.
“Have you started dating again?”
“No.”
“Don’t your weekends get lonely?”
“Are you kidding? I’ve got three kids and some old neighbors to keep me company,” she said flippantly. “What more could a woman want?”
“A love life.” He dipped his hand in the water and ran it through his black hair, causing water droplets to roll down his face. “Aren’t you interested in getting married again? Or did the divorce burn you too badly?”
Jaclyn didn’t want to think about her love life. Otherwise, she might be tempted to improve it tonight, with Cole. She wasn’t completely sure he’d be game, but he had pulled into the Starlight, instead of going somewhere else.
“Maybe someday. Not soon,” she said, staring at the pink polish on her toenails, as the water bubbled around her calves.
He nodded and leaned back to look at the star-filled sky. “What type of man would you look for next time?” he asked.
“I don’t think you need someone who is willing to put up with your ex and his family. I think you need someone to keep them honest.”
She chuckled and kicked her feet gently back and forth. “They’re not used to running up against any resistance. The divorce itself came as a pretty big shock to them.”
“I can tell. You don’t ever worry about them taking the children and not bringing them back, do you?”
“No. For that to happen, Terry would have to take off with them and stay in hiding, and he’s not about to leave Feld and his parents and the ranch. It’s his future. He’s planned on taking over for his father his whole life. He did try to gain full custody while we were getting the divorce, though, by claiming I’m an unfit mother. Fortunately that didn’t work. We wound up with joint custody, so unless they want to risk kidnapping charges, the Wentworths are stuck with sharing.”
Closing her eyes, Jaclyn reveled in the heat that was working its way up her legs and relaxing every muscle. “How come you’ve never remarried?” she asked.
“I’m not husband or father material.”
“Really? How long were you with Rochelle?”
“Nine months.”
“And nine months taught you that?”
“Believe me, nine months has never seemed so long.”
“Why?”
He sighed. “I don’t know. I was young, I was stupid. Take your pick.”
“Did you love her?” Jaclyn asked. She felt awkward posing the question, wondered if it was too personal—but sitting alone together with their feet in the steamy tub seemed kind of intimate, and she’d always wanted to know.
“No.”
His unqualified answer surprised her. “Ever?”
“There was a time, right at first, when I thought I might be able to love her and make the marriage work. But then things changed.”
Jaclyn waited, hoping he’d elaborate, but he didn’t. “Were you still trying to take care of your brothers?”
“Yeah. My mother was dying. My father had had his first heart attack. Things were pretty much going to hell in a handbasket. Maybe I could have figured something out if the situation had been different.”
“I’m starting to realize how rough life was for you back then, Cole,” she said. “Teenagers can be so selfish and oblivious to the rest of the world. I had no idea at the time.”
He shrugged. “I’m through it now.”
“You did a good job with your brothers. I’ve never seen anyone more fiercely protective.”
“I was the oldest,” he said simply.
He was the oldest, so he assumed responsibility and looked out for them. She was an old friend of his, so he took care of her, too. Did he feel the need to care for everyone he knew? “Have you made a habit of that?”
“Of what?”
“Of taking responsibility for other people’s problems?”
“God, I hope not.” He started searching the water for a jet, and by the time he found one, he’d moved a little closer. For a moment Jaclyn thought he might slip his arm around her, but he didn’t.
“What was your dad like?” she asked.
“My dad didn’t say much. He was a quiet man who worked too hard.”
“Has he passed away, then?”
“Yeah. Had a second heart attack a couple of years after my mother died. What about your parents? They still around?”
His arm brushed hers, leaving Jaclyn’s skin tingling. His close proximity and the warmth of the rising steam—or was the heat Jaclyn was feeling coming from an internal source?—made her want to melt into him, to let his body support hers.
“They moved to Los Angeles right after I married Terry,” she said, scooping up some water and dribbling it on her thighs, just below the hem of her shorts. “They wanted to be near my aunt, who was getting old, so they could take care of her. They were planning to move back once she died, but they never did. They were killed in a car crash three years later.”
“I’m sorry,” he said.
She missed her parents, especially while she was going through the divorce, but after six years, she’d grown somewhat accustomed to being without them. Still, she smiled because she appreciated Cole’s sympathy—and liked the way their shoulders were touching.
“What did you think of Burt?” Jaclyn asked. She braved a glance at his face, now just a few inches from her own, and thought she could drown in his eyes. Thick lashes framed chocolate-brown eyes that were looking at her mouth. She let her own gaze drop to his lips and felt her stomach flutter. The only man she’d ever kissed was Terry, and she couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like to have Cole’s lips pressed to hers.
“I think he hasn’t improved with time,” he said.
“No kidding.” She forced herself to look away. “Try living with him.”
“I can see why you couldn’t.”
“Burt wasn’t the reason I left. Terry was.”
His face glistened with moisture from the heat of the water as he gazed down at her. His eyes were heavy-lidded, and seemed even more preoccupied with her mouth.
“Are you ready to tell me why?”
“I told you tonight after dinner that he wouldn’t stand up to his father and get us out—”
“But that wasn’t all of it, was it.”
“No.”
“What’s the rest?”
Jaclyn hesitated. She felt a wonderful sense of security sitting here with Cole, the bubbles from the jets perking around their knees, the steam blocking out everything more than a few feet away. But Terry’s infidelity was something she didn’t particularly want to discuss with her boss. She thought he might try to justify Terry’s actions, tell her the affairs meant nothing. And she had another reason for keeping it a secret. Something she’d never admitted to anyone.
“It’s okay if you’d rather not tell me,” he said, returning his attention to the water.
She thought she was going to nod and take the out he’d given her, but instead, tears filled her eyes, and she could only blink helplessly. Maybe she did want to say what was really bothering her, what had bothered her all along. Maybe she had to get it off her chest.
“What is it, Jackie?” he murmured.
“He was unfaithful,” she said, one tear slipping down her cheek. “But jealousy wasn’t the worst of it. The worst of it was knowing I wasn’t woman enough to keep him from straying.” There. She’d said it.
He tilted her chin up so she couldn’t avoid his eyes, which were more intense than usual. “How can you blame yourself for that?” he asked. “What Terry did probably had nothing to do with you and everything to do with him. He’s not exactly used to denying himself.”
“If I’d been enough to satisfy him, he wouldn’t have felt the need to go elsewhere, right? I mean, he wouldn’t have had any desire for other women. It’s only logical.”
“Logic doesn’t necessarily apply when things like ego are involved,” Cole said, using his thumb to wipe away the second tear that fell down her cheek. “You’re woman enough for any man, Jackie. You’re the only woman I’ve ever wanted.” Then he lowered his head and kissed her, a kiss so warm and tender it nearly melted Jaclyn’s bones. His mouth moved slowly on hers, as the hot water swirled around their legs, making her feel giddy, almost weightless. She could have pushed him away if she’d wanted to, but the thought never entered her mind. Letting her eyes drift closed as his arm came around her, she tried to take in every sensation separately so she wouldn’t miss one, starting with Cole’s mouth and how he tasted. One hand cradled her jaw and lightly caressed her cheek….
Suddenly he broke away. “It’s getting too hot in here. We’d better go,” he said, leaving Jaclyn to wonder if he was as unaffected by what had just happened as he seemed, or if th
e world had stopped turning for him, too.
IT WAS TOO MUCH, her sitting there, her big eyes staring up at him, filling with tears. No man could have resisted kissing her, right? A kiss wasn’t anything, not really. It certainly wasn’t any kind of commitment.
We’re just friends, he assured himself as they crossed the parking lot to the motel entrance. I didn’t cross any lines. I was only comforting her. But the heat in his groin attested to exactly the opposite. He wanted to do a lot more than comfort Jaclyn. He wanted to take her to his room and—
Suddenly Jaclyn stopped.
Surprised, Cole looked up to see Terry, and three of the guys Terry had hung out with in high school, leaning against his Navigator, watching them.
“Look, boys, it’s Cole Perrini. Quite an upgrade since high school, huh?” Terry angled his head toward Cole’s SUV. “What’d you do with the old rattletrap, Cole? That hunk of junk finally die?”
Cole ignored him. He was too busy taking stock of the odds. He could tell immediately that this wasn’t a friendly meeting, and he wanted to have a plan in case a fight broke out.
“Terry, what are you guys doing here?” Jaclyn asked.
“Just thought we’d drop by to say hello. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen Cole. The boys and I have missed him, haven’t we, guys?”
“Oh, yeah, we’ve missed him, all right,” someone muttered. Cole thought it was the kid they used to call Rocket.
“Haven’t you missed your children?” she countered. “Why aren’t you home with them?”
“They’re fine with Grandma and Grandpa. You saw to that so you and your new boyfriend here could do your thing in the hot tub.”
“We didn’t do anything in the hot tub.”
“Don’t look to me like you’re carrying any swimsuits.”
Jaclyn felt a blush rise to her cheeks. “Cole’s my boss, Terry.”
“Right. Why would I think anything else? It’s perfectly natural for a woman to get naked with her boss, don’t you think, Jimmy?”