Promises to Keep (12 page)

He moved faster and harder, making her
groan
a little.

“You okay?” he whispered.

She couldn’t speak, only nod. To give him encouragement
that he was doing exactly what she liked, she lifted her legs and wrapped them
tightly around his butt. The action caused his cock to slip deeper inside her.

This was pretty fantastic and as he moved faster,
Hayley felt her pussy pull and throb.

Her ex hadn’t been the most skilled of lovers. She’d
only just realized that because Cole was already making her body feel like it
never had before.

 
She was
falling into a warm, dark abyss where a stunning climax was on the
horizon.
 
She knew it. The skin on her
legs tingled. Her heart beat faster. Her skin prickled and then holy moly, he’d
given her a climax that made her lower lip quiver, and she wanted to cry out.

Hayley had to fight back the tears. It had been
intense and somewhat emotional. She’d never been like this before with other
men. She hadn’t known him that long, but it seemed like they were old souls
who’d been together a life time.

Did he feel that, too?

His breathing grew rapid and then she heard him sigh
close to her ear and he stopped thrusting.

He didn’t pull out of her straight away; neither did
he let her take the weight of his body.

They smiled at one another and then he slid out of
her and lay by her side. He offered her his hand. She took it. And they both
looked up and the ceiling.

“I guess this also makes me guilty of sleeping with
a guest.
Although it was only one for me.”

Cole turned over to look at her. “Your fiancé slept
with a couple of guests?”

She’d forgotten he hadn’t heard the whole story.

“Yep, found all three of them in the same bed.”

“You’re joking. He slept with two women at the same
time?”

“Unfortunately it’s no joke but the truth.”

“Geez.
Glad
to hear you kicked him out.”

“Of course, that was back in the days when we had
more than one person staying here at a time.”

She laughed, and then he did. He lifted up her hand
and kissed the back of it.

“You know you have a sense of humor similar to
Amanda.”

It was Hayley’s turn to roll over and look at Cole.

“Is that a good thing?”

He tweaked her on the nose. “It’s a very good thing.”

Chapter
Fourteen

Cole hoped he hadn’t offended Hayley by not letting
her stay in his bed for the rest of the night.
Not that he
didn’t welcome her warm body next to his,
but he had to take baby steps.
Last night he’d done something he never thought he would. He’d made love to another
woman. Besides the physical thrill it had brought him, his mind felt some
relief that he’d gotten over a huge hurdle.

Sitting on the bed and putting on his boots for
work, he thought about Hayley. She was wonderful, kind and giving…funny too.
Would she have the patience to wait for him to take a few more steps?
The sleeping together all night and waking up looking into one
another’s eyes sort of relationship?

Would she wait for him to battle his demons? And if
he couldn’t, would he lose her to someone who could give her everything she
deserved? Maybe he was thinking too far ahead. If this relationship was
supposed to be, it would all work out, right?

His cell phone rang just as he was pulling on his
jacket. He dug it out of the pocket and pressed the button to accept the call.

“Hi, Cole?”

“Hello, who’s this?”

“It’s Sadie Sutton. Sorry to bother you so early,
but I think I have a young woman who might be a wonderful match for you.”

“No, that won’t be necessary.”

“Now I know you’re reluctant, but I can assure you…”

“It’s not that. Since we spoke, well…I’m sort of
seeing someone.”

“Well, that’s wonderful. Should you need the help of
Perfect Pairing in the future, you have my number.”

“I do, but I can assure you I won’t
be needing
it.”

Cole ended the call.
 
It was true, he’d just admitted it. He was seeing someone.

****

Sadie pumped her fist in the air. The spell and the
cookie recipe had obviously worked. Although she did sense that she might have
to intervene a little more to get the relationship into top gear. She took a
deep breath. His heart was still broken and heavy. And Sadie knew something
about his late wife he didn’t.
 
She’d
also seen the near future and soon that secret would come to light, casting him
into despair and possibly danger.

But Hayley was there for him now. He had to believe
she would bring a light into his heart and soul.
 
She was his future.

****

Hayley knew it would take Cole some time to get used
to being with someone again.
 
He’d eaten
his breakfast and kissed her goodbye. She’d busied herself, wondering if they’d
sleep together again that night. And if and when they’d start going out as a
couple with him letting her spend the whole night in his bed.

The phone rang about midday and it was Sadie Sutton.

“Hi, Sadie.”

“How are things going?”

“Well, I’ve had a paying guest for the last three
nights, but only because his water heater and furnace are broken.”

“It’s just the beginning of business picking up for
you.”

“I’m going ahead with a Christmas afternoon tea. I
thought I’d use the chocolate cookie recipe you gave me from your former
client. They were the best thing I’ve ever eaten.”

“Gen’s a wonderful cook. Oh, and I’ve just thought
of something ideal.
 
I’ll give you her
phone number; give her a call because she probably has a bunch of other
wonderful recipe you can use for the tea.”

“That would be great. And I’ve got someone to play
Santa. In fact, he’s the man I met at the tree lot.”

“Cole…wasn’t that his name?”

“You have the best memory.”

“And did I hear a little special something in your
voice when you mentioned him?”

“I don’t want to jinx it.”

“Oh, I don’t think you could do that.
Seems you like him a lot.”

“He’s really nice. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.”

“I’ll make a wish for you.”

“That’s sweet.”

“Now do you have a pen and paper handy, because I’m
going to give you Gen’s number. Oh and while you’re talking to her you might
want to ask her for a few tips, because her husband Jake was also a widower.”

****

Sadie rubbed her hands together. She had a feeling
she’d done it again.
 
Not that she could
sit back and take it easy. This was a relationship in its early stages and as
Sadie knew from past experience in dealing with mortals, sometimes they needed
either some of her special intervention or a good kick to the butt to put them
in the right direction.

And thinking of someone who needed a kick to the
rear, she had a meeting with Ted, the Department of Love’s head accountant, in
an hour.
 
She glanced at the clock on the
wall. She had plenty of time to get to the Other Realm. Right now she had
Christmas cards and photos to look at from today’s mail.

The first one was from Luc and Katey, reminding her
they’d invited her to come see them in Boise soon. Inside was an adorable photo
of the two of them with their son and Luc’s service dog, Willow.
 
We’re
all doing great. Katey is busy training another dog. Hope to see you in the New
Year.

The next one was from Mitchell and Rachel. She’d
have to try and get to Chicago to see them, too. The last time she’d seen her
first Perfect Pairing couple, Rachel had just given birth to a beautiful little
girl and they were all attending Luc and Katey’s wedding.

Sadie leaned back in her chair wondering what Hayley
and Cole’s wedding would be like. Yes, she was getting ahead of herself, but
positive thinking was the key to a perfect pairing.
Which
reminded her that she needed to call Lucy to ask what Presley and Brad wanted
for Christmas.
She picked up the phone and dialed. It rang for a while
and Sadie thought it was about to go to voicemail when Lucy finally answered.

It sounded like she had a cold.

“Hi, Lucy, it’s Sadie.”

“Hi.”

By that one little word Sadie knew something was
wrong with the usually cheerful young woman.

“Whatever’s wrong?” asked Sadie. She hoped it wasn’t
Presley…oh no, she sensed this was somehow connected to her.

“Everything.
I
was arrested for shoplifting at the local superstore this morning.”

She burst into tears and Sadie went cold.

“But there has to be some awful mistake,” Sadie
said.

“That’s what I told the detective. And poor Brad.
How embarrassing for the sheriff’s wife to be arrested for
something like stealing.”

“What happened?”

“I took Presley to Helena so we could do some
Christmas shopping for Brad’s gifts. When I headed out of the store a security
guard stopped me and said I had to go back inside with him. It was awful.
Presley was crying and everyone was looking at me. He took me to the office and
said he needed to check my bag. You know I always carry that oversized purse
with all Presley’s stuff.”

Sadie knew the one, the blue bag with the silver
clasp on it.

“I handed it over to him, quite confident that he’d
falsely accused me and then he pulled out a teddy bear with the price tag still
hanging from its ear.” Lucy burst into tears. “You know me well enough, Sadie,
you know I wouldn’t steal.”

Sadie felt her heart beating faster.

“I just don’t know how it got in there. Really I
don’t.”

Sadie bit her lip. Presley had willed the bear off
the shelf and dropped it into her mother’s bag. If she’d done it once, she’d do
it again, not knowing that it would get her mother in of trouble.

Telling them about their daughter’s special talent
couldn’t wait until Christmas now.

“Lucy, I think I need to come by and visit.”

“We’d love to see you, but I’m okay. Brad thinks he
can talk them out of pressing charges.”

“That’s wonderful to hear, but I still think I need
to stop by and visit. Oh and if you go shopping don’t take that bag with you
again.”

“What?”

“I’ll explain when I visit.”

****

Cole had almost forgotten about the fire
department’s Christmas party until he stopped by to ask if he could borrow the
Santa suit for Hayley’s afternoon tea. He saw the notice on their upcoming
events board by the kitchen.

“You know what would make our Christmas this year?” He
felt a slap on his back and turned to see Fred standing there. “For you to
attend the party,” Fred said, pointing at the notice.

Cole had been stubborn and adamant that he’d never
go to one. Last Christmas he’d gone as far as lying and saying he was sick. However,
this year things were a little different.

“I’ve recently met someone,” said Cole, the words spilling
off his tongue like a confession he had to make.

He’d finally told someone and it felt good.

Fred slapped him on the back again. “That’s great, Cole.
We’ve all been hoping to hear that. And what’s her name?”

“It’s Hayley. She runs the Rustic Inn.”

“The young lady who cooked the
pancakes?”

Cole nodded. “I helped her pick out a tree at the
lot.”

“Then I’m happy the fire department brought the two
of you together. It must be Amanda working her magic.”

Was she? That thought had been in the back of his
mind a couple of times, too.

“I can’t wait to see her again on Saturday night,”
said Fred.

Cole looked at the notice board as Fred walked away.
Now he hoped that Hayley wasn’t busy because for the first time in forever he
was actually looking forward and not back.

****

They had an official date. He’d asked her out. It
hadn’t been a one night stand with him just wanting sex and nothing more.
 
She stepped back from the mirror and checked her
dress again. Money was tight, but she’d felt the need to splurge on a black one
with a dipped back that required you to go braless.
 
She’d even bought herself some stockings and
a garter belt because the sexy cowboy made her feel naughty when he was around.