Before The Night Is Over (21 page)

He moved behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders, kneading the knotted muscles with his thumbs until she sagged against his chest. “Let’s take this one day at a time. Shall we? I know you aren’t lookin’ for a relationship and I’m not sure I am either, but I do like havin’ you as a friend and I don’t want to lose it for anythin’.”

“
A friend?”

“
Friends with benefits then,” he whispered next to her ear and felt the shudder roll through her. “I’m more than mildly attracted to you, Laurel, if you hadn’t noticed earlier and I’m pretty sure you feel the same way. Where it goes from here, I don’t know and I don’t think you do either. There isn’t anythin’ wrong with us spending time together.”

The stiffening of her body beguiled the softness of the woman he knew existed. “I can’t love anyone else besides Dennis, Kale. He was everything to me.”

“
Even if he lied?”

She spun around and glared. “He didn’t lie.”

Bringing one finger to her cheek, he let it slide down and then traced her ear with it. “He didn’t tell you he was married.”

“
N-no, but—”

He pressed his finger to her lips stopped the flow of words. He captured her gaze with his, making sure she understood what he said. She probably didn’t want to hear it, but he needed to say it. “It doesn’t matter. Unless you are willing to let someone else into your heart, there’s no way anyone can compete with his memory. You’ve made him into someone you wanted him to be in your mind, not the man he really was. He led you on, using you but never giving himself to you like a man should if they are in love with you.” Tears sparkled on her lashes and he brushed a small kiss to her nose. “I can’t offer you love—not yet, but I can offer you me. I’m nothing more than a hardworking, simple man who finds you drop-dead sexy and loves spending time with you in and out of the sack.”

A small smile and soft chuckle made him want to scoop her up and snuggle her on his lap. Her wandering hands had his dick harder behind the fly of his jeans even though he’d hardly softened at all while she’d been in the bathroom. Her touch drove him crazy, but he would wait until she came to him of her own free will without coercion and without the ghost of Dennis between them.

He took her hand and led her back to the dining room table. Kimberly had already climbed down and now sat in front of the television again. Grabbing the dishes from the table, he walked into the kitchen to wash them, but Laurel had already started some hot water and was splashing dish soap in sink.

“
I’ll wash if you dry,” she said, glancing at him through her lashes. “I don’t know where everything goes.”

“
Sure, darlin’. Then how about we find a nice movie to watch until Kimmy is ready to go to sleep.” The frown on her face had him asking, “What?”

“
I should get on home. Not that I don’t appreciate you watching her for me, but we’ve been here all day. You let me sleep in your bed, for goodness sake.”

“
I wish I could have been in there with you,” he replied sweeping his finger over her lips and then capturing them with his. “Mmm. I love the way you taste.” He shifted to her ear and nipped at her earlobe. “I’m not gonna beg, Laurel. Stay or don’t. It’s up to you.”

They finished the dishes without another word, although he had things on the tip of his tongue to tell her like how he wished she would let the memory of her ex-lover go. How he wanted her in his bed and in his life, but he wasn’t going to push her. How he loved her little girl and how much she was coming to mean to him in such a short time, it scared the hell out of him. The image of her and Kimberly living with him here, in his home, day by day, year to year, giving him a son or more sweet little girls, hearth and home, Christmas’ in front of the fireplace with their children’s faces lit up, having his family over for Sunday supper’s…

“
Kale?”

Damn it! Pull your head out man. She said she didn’t want a relationship.

“
Sorry. I kind of spaced out there for a minute.”

“
Yeah, I noticed,” she replied with a sad smile.

The phone on the counter rang and he frowned at it. He almost didn’t want to answer it and ruin this time with Laurel. When he glanced at the caller ID, he rolled his eyes. Natalie.

He hit the talk button and brought the receiver to his ear. “Hey, Nat. What’s up?”

“
Hey, handsome. How about you come over for dinner on Sunday and bring Laurel and Kimmy?”

“
I don’t know. I’ll have to ask.”

“
Grandma and Mom will be here.”

“
You’re going to subject poor Laurel to your grandmother? You are a mean woman, Natalie Weston.”

The wicked laugh on the other end of the phone had him shaking his head.

“
She’s not that bad, Kale. Grandma just has a wicked sense of humor and a mouth without any kind of filter.”

“
You aren’t kiddin’ there, honey. She’s a hoot. Hang on a second and I’ll ask Laurel since she’s standing right here.”

“
She’s still at your house? Mmm.”

“
Knock it off, Nat.” He pulled the phone from his ear and said, “Natalie and Cade are inviting you, me and Kimmy to their place on Sunday for supper. Would you like to go?”

Laurel captured her upper lip between her teeth and chewed it for a moment.

“
Don’t feel pressured, darlin’. It’s only supper.” The relief and uncertainty reflected in her eyes tore at his heart. “Listen, Nat, I’ll let you know in a day or two.”

“
Sure, Kale. Tell Laurel and Kimmy hello for me and I’ll talk to you later. Bye.” The phone clicked in his ear.

“
If you want to think about it, that’s fine. If you don’t want to go, it’s okay too.”

“
You know, I really like Natalie and I thought I wouldn’t.”

“
Why?”

She shook her head and dropped her gaze. With one finger under her chin, he brought her face up so he could look into her eyes.

“
Tell me.”

“
I-I need to go,” she said, stepping away from him.

Apparently she wasn’t ready to give into what he saw in her eyes. Jealousy lit up her gaze when she looked at him and he wondered what else she hid deep inside.

Laurel slipped on her socks and shoes and gathered her and Kimberly’s things.

“
When can I see you again?”

Her bottom lip disappeared between her teeth and her eyes held a wary look.

“
I don’t know, Kale. I need some time.”

“
Time to what, Laurel? To run away from what’s going on between us because if that’s the case, forget it darlin’. I’m not letting you.”

“
There’s nothing going on between us, Kale.”

“
Yeah?”

“
Yeah,” she replied, before she disappeared out the door, Kimmy on her hip and tears glistening on her lashes.

Chapter Nine

“
Stupid, stupid, stupid,” Laurel chanted as she retrieved the car seat from Kale's porch and slipped Kimmy into it. She wished she had someone to talk to—a girlfriend or someone who might understand all of the crazy things running through her mind and her heart.

As the lights of Kale’s house disappeared in her rearview mirror, the tightness in her chest didn’t. The feelings of wanting him to hold her and make things better didn’t either. The tears burning her eyelids wouldn’t go away and she considered flipping a u-turn in the middle of town to return to his house and back to his arms.

“
Not an option, Laurel,” she said out loud. “Yes, he wants you. Yes, you are attracted to him and he is to you, but it can’t go anywhere.”

But you want it to.

“
No—no, I don’t.”

Yes, you do. You want him to be the man of your dreams. You want him to force Dennis from your mind and your heart.

The darkness of the parking lot in front of her apartment complex did nothing to calm her nerves when she pulled in several minutes later. Headlights reflected off the front of the building and revealed someone sitting on her steps. She shut off the engine and turned off the lights. “I don’t need this right now.”

She removed Kimmy from her seat and walked toward the front as her sister stood and wobbled like she was drunk. “Sis?”

“
Laurel? Help me,” her sister whispered and slid to the ground.

“
Teresa!” Laurel screamed as she put Kimberly down and screamed her neighbor’s name again.

“
My goodness. What’s all the ruckus?”

“
Call nine-one-one.”

“
Oh Lordy,” Teresa said before disappearing back into her apartment.

Several minutes later, she came back out with a blanket and a cool wash cloth.

“
They should be here shortly, Laurel. Here. Put this over her so she doesn’t get chilled. What happened?”

“
Her fucking dumbass husband. God, I could kill him right now!” She glanced sideways and realized Kimmy stood next to the wall with tears in her eyes. “Can you take her upstairs while we wait for the ambulance? She doesn’t need to see this.”

“
Sure, honey.”

The wail of a siren could be heard in the distance about the time Elizabeth said her name. “Laurel?”

“
What happened?”

“
Jeff.”

Rage swept through Laurel so fast, she shook. “Did he do this? Are you telling me he beat the shit out of you?”

“
Yes.”

“
Don’t say anything else, Elizabeth. Let the police handle it.”

“
You are the police.”

“
I’m not on duty and I can’t handle a case where I’m personally involved, but when they ask and they will ask, you’d better tell them the truth,” she insisted as the ambulance screeched to a stop in the parking lot.

“
What’s the problem?” the paramedic said as he dropped his bag and his partner brought up the rear with a stretcher. Unfortunately, she recognized him right away from her issue with Cade’s nephew. Chance Dalton. “Well, well. Officer Hayes.”

“
This is my sister. She’s been beaten by her husband and needs treatment, Mr. Dalton.”

He snapped back like he’d been smacked, his eyes narrowing and his cheeks flushing with anger.

“
Not a problem, Officer. Let me take a look.”

While the paramedics worked on Elizabeth and got her on the stretcher, Laurel trembled so hard her teeth rattled. Her fingernails dug into her palms as she fought for control and tried to dissipate the red haze in her vision. The thought of doing bodily damage to Jeff fed her anger to the point she wanted to hurt him—bad.

“
Are you coming, Officer Hayes?” Chance snapped.

“
I’ll be right behind you.”

He slammed the door to the back of the ambulance shut, scowled at her and then slid inside the cab. They took off with a scream of the siren and a bark of tires.

Breathe. In and out.

“
You go on, honey. I’ll watch Kimmy. You stay with your sister until she gets discharged,” Teresa said, coming down the stairs with Kimberly in her arms.

“
I’m sorry, babydoll,” Laurel said, brushing her daughter’s hair back off her forehead. “I’ll be home soon.”