After Sundown (7 page)

Chapter Eight

"It's officially
autum
n,
" Kit cheerfully announced to the girls when she picked them up at the bus stop. "Doesn't the air smell wonderful?" Taking
each
girl by
a
hand, Kit walked toward her house, enjoying the cool breeze
as it
gently
moved through the maple trees
, sending golden leaves fluttering lazily to the pavement. Just as Kit reached her driveway, she was surprised when a Mercedes pulled to a stop in front of her house, behind her ne
wly purchased, battered station
wagon.

"Daddy!" Megan called out
;
pulling free of Kit's grip
,
she rushed to the car.

"Hi, pumpkin
,
" Cole greeted when he got out from the car.

"This is a surprise
,
" Kit stopped in front of the Mercedes and eyed the expensive vehicle. "Are you picking Megan up early today?"

"No, but I have a free hour." Cole's eyes washed over Kit. She was wearing a peach colored, cotton sundress. Its full s
k
irt floated gracefully in the breeze, exposing
slender calves
and a s
exy amount of thigh. The
form fitting bodice
of the dress
hugged Kit's ample bust line. Cole thought the dress was a combination of innocence and sexuality. His gaze shifted to the unfamiliar vehicle parked in front of his car.

"Do you have company?" He asked suddenly.

"No." Kit's gaze followed Cole's. Then she explained, "
T
he car's mine."

"Where's your Suburban?" Cole couldn't imagine why Kit would need two vehicles.

"I sold it
,
" Kit
answered as her
eyes looked back to the old vehicle. Already she missed her dependable, clean and roomy Suburban.

"You sold it for that?" Cole shook his head in disbelief. Seeing Kit's frown of annoyance, he quickly changed the subject.

"I was hoping to take you three ladies to the park for an ice cream
,
" Cole invited, his eyes held on Kit, waiting for her response.

"Oh can
w
e,
Mommy!" Sarah begged, her blond
e
curls bobbing erratically.

"
Pleas
e,
Kit!" Megan chimed in. Both girls danced around Kit, their antics
making
her momentarily dizzy.

"Okay!" Kit surrendered with a laugh.

T
hirty
minutes later
,
both girls were
swinging
happily at the park, each with an ice cream
cone
in hand. Cole and Kit sat together on a park bench beneath a large oak tree, watching the girls.

"I wish you would have let me buy you an ice cream
,
" Cole said for the third time as he eagerly munched the last of his cone.

"
Thank
s,
Cole, but I never eat ice cream." Kit smiled and leaned back lazily in the bench.

"I can't believe you don't like ice cream. Everyone likes ice cream."

"Oh, I never said I disliked ice cream. In fact, I can honestly say
i
t’s
one of my favorite foods."

"You're allergic?" Cole licked his fingers and looked over at Kit.

"No
,
" Kit smiled softly.

"
Dam
m
i
t,
Kit," Cole said suddenly, reality dawning. "Don't tell me you didn't have one because of the calories!" Her shy smile told him his guess was on the mark.

"Kit, what could one harmless ice cream do?"

"Cole, look at me, do I look as if I need an ice cream?" The moment the words slipped
ou
t,
she instantly regretted them. Her face flushed in embarrassment.

"What are you talking about?" Cole frowned.

"I'm
,
chubby
,
"
a
gain Kit flushed. Cole boldly appraised her body.

"Not chubby, voluptuous." A slow smile swept over Cole's face. His voice was low and raspy. "I find your body extremely appealing."

Kit looked away nervously. She was unable to comment on Cole's opinion.

Discussing her body was too persona
l
,
and
dammit
,
she
was the one that
brought
up the subject.

"Kit," Cole said soft
l
y. "Although
I
haven't said anything in weeks, it doesn't mean
I
haven't thought about it." Kit refused to look Cole in the eyes. She s
imply stared at her hands
folded on her lap.

"You're the sexiest woman I've ever met." Cole's right hand reached out and gently traced
Kit's shoulder with his finger
tips. "God, your body was designed for pleasure. You're a healthy woman and I'm damn sure you desire me. Why are you fighting it? We're two adults, not kids. It could be good between us. Hell, it would be hot."
The girls were still swinging, their backs to their parents, so they couldn’t see the intimate way in which Cole touched Kit.

"Cole, you're ta
l
king about sex
,
" Kit said quietly.

"Damn right. What's wrong with that? Sex is a natural part of life. Why should we deny
ourselves of something that could bring us each incredible
pleasure?
I
want you Kit.
I
want to
know
what
it feels like to be
deep inside you when you come."

"Cole! Please stop talking
like that
!" Kit's hand restlessly brushed back the windblown
bangs fluttering
over her forehead.

"I'll stop talking about it, but I'll never stop thinking about it. Nor will
I
stop wanting you."
Abruptl
y,
Cole captured Kit's chin in his grip and pulled her face to his. "I have just two questions for you." Cole said
gruffly
, his dark eyes searched Kit's
face.

"What?" Kit asked meekly. She was unable to move her face
as
Cole
held
it securely in his grasp.

"Are you sexually attracted to me?" Cole demanded. Kit refused to answer and attempted to turn away.
Abruptl
y,
Cole jerked her face back to his. "Answer me!"

"
Ye
s, but
that doesn't mean anything. I might be sexually attracted to hundreds of men!"

"Kit, name one other man you know that you are currently sexually attracted to."

She thought a moment and then blurted out the name of her favorite movie star.

Cole
responded with a chuckle and then asked, “
W
ho
else?"
When Kit refus
ed to answer, he released
her chin and began to gently massage the side of her face as he moved his face to just an inch from hers. She could feel his breath as it caressed her skin.

"
Honey, I think
he
has a wife. And I don’t see you as the type to break up a marriage
,
" Cole whispered,
and then
lightly kissed Kit across her brow. His touch sent butterflies fluttering restlessly in her stomach.

"Kit, when we feel intense sexual attraction for someone, why deny it? Especially when it's
mutual
.
The chemistry is here. I won't give up until I've had
you. I promise you'll enjoy it.
"

"Are you telling me
that
you plan to badger me?" Kit jerked away from Cole.

"
N
o, but
I will keep reminding you. Why put off the inevitable?"

"And if I was to agree to go to bed with you, then what?" Kit asked hesitantly.

It wasn't as if she was seriously considering his proposition. She simply wanted his intentions clearly defined.

"Then, both of our curiosities will be satisfied, while undoubtabl
y
experiencing a terrific night of sex."

"Then that will be the end of it?" Kit asked tersely. Her stomach began to feel queasy.

"I've never led you to believe it would be anything but that. I don't have any desire to start a relationship with anyone." Cole spoke with calm, as if his words made complete sense.

"So what you're proposing is a one night stand?" Kit
struggled
to keep her voice from trembling.

"I don't like that term, Kit. I think of our ultimate night together as a completion to what we began on the dance floor of After Sundown."

"And you don't think th
at after a night of intimacy,”
Kit fairly choked on the words "That it will be uncomfortable for us when I'm watching Megan. Or would I still be watching your daughter?" She said the last sentence angrily.

"Of
cours
e,
you'd still watch Megan. One
thing doesn’t have
anything to do with the other. We're both adults." Kit was sorely tempted to
kick Cole in his groin
. Instead
,
she forced herself to remain calm.

"Well, Cole, your proposition is most interesting. But if you don't mind, I really need to get home. I seem to have a frightful headache."

Chapter
Nine

"Who the hell are you?"
Cole asked angrily.

Broken glass was everywhere. Splint
ered shards of shattered window
pane covered the living room couch and carpet. Kit's front door
was
ajar when Cole entered her house without knocking. He was startled to find a tall, blond, sweaty man standing by the far wall in the living room. When Cole bellowed his demand
,
the stranger abruptly turned and faced him.
The stranger
wore tattered and faded denims and a sweat stained T-shirt. Instead of answering, the man used his forearm to swipe the heavy perspiration from his brow.

"And what the hell happened here?" Cole demanded, his eyes continued to survey the carnage.

"Who are you?" The blond man asked, his breathing ragged from
exertion.

"What happened to the window?" Neither man answered the other's question. The large picture window at the rea
r of the living room was obviously broken.
But how?
Cole wondered if he'd stumbled on an intruder. Where was Kit? Where
were
his daughter and Sarah? Was this man dangerous?

"It was a tree
,
"
t
he blond man suddenly answered, then leaned down and picked up a leafy twig that
was
on the floor, out of Cole's sight. Picking up the foliage, he held it up for Cole's inspection.

"Crashed right through the window this morning
.
I told Kitty that tree was going to be a problem in a high wind. Kitty never listens to me."
Brandon
flicked the leafy branch onto the couch, dusted his palms on his
pant
s
leg and straightened up to
face
Cole.

"My god, was anyone hurt?" Cole walked around the room and continued to survey the damage.
The
offending tree had been removed, but leaves and glass littered the floor.

"No, it happened
this morning while Kit was taking Sarah to school
. Are you Cole Taylor?"

"How did you know?" Cole looked suspiciously at the other man.
Just who was he?

"I've met your daughter. Great kid.
Sometime
s,
I take Megan and Sarah to the park for ice cream."

Cole scowled at that bit of news. Meeting a male friend of Kit's was not top on his ten most favorite things. Having one of her m
a
n friends squire his young daughter around town made him livid.

"Where is Kit? Where are the girls?" Cole's less than friendly tone startled Brandon
,
who chose
to ignore Cole's surly attitude,
and
glanced at his watch. It was only four-thirty.

"She had to take Sarah to the optometrist. She took Megan
along
. They should be back soon. Kitty said you wouldn't be here until after six-thirty."

"
Wel
l,
I was early
.
" Cole snapped. "Did Kit hire you to clean up this mess?"

"Since I only work for love or money, I guess you could say Kitty hired me. Of
cours
e,
I couldn't very well take money from Kitty."
Brandon
turned from Cole and began cleaning up th
e glass, using a broom and dust
pan.

Love or Money?
Just who in the hell was this guy to Kit? Cole could swear
the guy
was at least five years younger tha
n
Kit.
Was that her thing? Younger men?

“
Just how close are you to Kit?" Cole stood akimbo.
Brandon
's head snapped up.

"Excuse me?"
Brandon
took a moment to get a closer look at Cole Taylor. The man actually seemed jealous.
What
was going on here?

Before Cole could respond, a weary Kit entered the front door with Megan and Sarah in tow. Both girls said a hasty hello to Cole and Brandon then dashed upstairs.

"I see you two have met
,
" Kit tossed her purse on a chair and gave her living room a disgusted glance.

"Sort of
,
"
Brandon
muttered.

"You're early, Cole." Kit's spoke with detachment, she had other things on her mind.

"It's a good thing
,
" Cole snapped.
Kit didn’t notice his surly attitude
. Instead
,
she
walked to her brother,
desperately need
ing
a
hug.
Brandon
opened his arms and protectively wrapped them around his sister. Giving her a tight squeeze, he rested his chin on the top of her head.

"I'm all sweaty
,
"
Brandon
chuckled. Neither sibling noticed the icy glare Cole
fixed
on the embracing couple.

"I don't care. I need a
hug. Just
hold me." Kit declared with a weary sigh. Cole felt his gut turn in knots. The desire to rip Kit out of this blond man's embrace was overwhelming. His
fist
tightened in silent fury.

"I hate to break
up
this touching
scene,”
Cole hissed. "But I need to speak to you, Kit. Alone. Now."

"I'll finish up in here, Kit
,
"
Brandon
whispered.

Confused, Kit glanced at Cole. Breaking away from her brother
,
she gave an absent shrug before leading Cole into the den. Slamming the door shut behind him, Cole glared furiously at Kit.

"I'd appreciate it if you'd keep your boyfriends away from my daughter."

"Excuse me?" Kit rubbed her head absen
tly. She had one hell of a head
ache.

"Lover boy in there tells me he takes my daughter for ice cream. I don't want my daughter going off with some stranger! And if all it takes to get in your pants is doing some chore around your house, you should have told me. I'm real handy around the house
,
" Cole snarled. Kit's eyes widened in surprise.

"Are you ta
l
king about
Brandon
?" Kit's voice fairly squeaked.

"If that's the surfer in your living room, yes. He's a little young don't you think?"
Although Sonny
once
told Cole that Kit had a brother named
Brandon
,
in that moment
,
he failed to
remember that fact.
If the subject m
atter wasn’t so ludicrous, his dark scowl would be intimidating to Kit.

"Oh
you jack
ass! I've had one of
the
worse days in my life and now this!" Kit attempted to push past Cole and leave the room, yet he caught her by her forearm. "Your daughter is perfectly safe with
Brandon
. You might say I know him intimately!" Kit unsuccessfully tugged on her
arm, trying to pull away from Cole.

"I bet you do!"

"He's my brother, you jerk! And don't ask me why I'm explaining this to you!"

Cole abruptly released his hold. Instead of leaving the den, Kit turned and fell
o
nto
the couch and began to cry. Momentar
ily
stunned, Cole watched as Kit buried her
face
in her
hands
.

"God, I'm sorry over the misunderstanding. But it's not something to cry over!"

"I'm not crying over you, you conceited idiot." Kit's sobs turned into little hiccups.

Cole shook his head in confusion and walked to the sofa. Sitting next to Kit, his hand reached out and brushed his fingertips across
the back of her head
.

“
Just why are you crying?" He asked
soft
l
y
.

"Sarah needs
glasse
s,
" Kit muttered between sobs.

"Oh my god, is there something seriously wrong with Sarah's sight?"

"No. She just needs glasses to see the blackboard." Kit wiped her eyes with the back of her wrist.

"Then why are
you
crying?" Cole's patience was ready to snap.

"You wouldn't understand." The tears stopped. Kit rubbed her eyes. "Oh hell, it's probably PMS or something."

"
Now,
if I said that,
" Cole
laughed,
"
y
ou'd
probably
smack
my head."

“Well you do deserve a good smack,” Kit
found herself smiling, in spite of her depression.

With one swift movement
,
Cole lifted Kit onto his lap and cradled her protectively.

"Now talk. What's wrong?"
Kit tried to pull away, yet Cole held her securely. She had to admit
,
it felt good
being
held in the protective arms of a man.
Instead of continuing with her struggle, she allowed herself to relax, and enjoy the brief moment of physical contact. It wasn’t as if he would start peeling her clothes off,
and
considering her brother was in the next r
oom and the girls were
upstairs,
she was relatively secure knowing it would not escalate into something more intimate.

"Sarah's teacher said she was
having trouble seeing the black
board. So today
,
I spent
over
f
ive
hundred dollars,
between the check up and glasses. This
mornin
g,
that damn tree fell through the window and according to my
insurance
,
there is a thousand dollar
deductible.
Brandon
tells me there was also some roof damage
. According to our insurance
company,
they won't pay for that. Said the roof was too old."

"Do you need some money, Kit? I could loan you some
,
" Cole said softly.

"No!" Kit fairly shrieked her reply. Then she calmed down and amended her abrupt response. "Thanks for the offer, but
n
o,
" she spoke calmly. "I have savings. But you could recommend a roofer who won't rob me blind."

"Done
,
"
Cole promised. He gave her a brief hug.

"And you could be nicer to my brother when you go back out there."

"I'm sorry about that. I'm just protective of my daughter
.
"
Cole said sheepishly, choosing not to address the fact his hostility toward
Brandon
had more to do with Kit than Megan.

"You know," Kit
began as she
timidly moved off Cole's lap
and stood up
. "
Brandon
is a framer. In fact, he's been studying for his contractor
’
s
license
. If ever you need a good framer, you might give him a try. I know you wouldn't be disappointed."

“You don’t think
he will mind working for a jack
ass?” Cole asked with a laugh.

“I don’t know why that would be a problem. It isn’t for
me,
” Kit said with a smile. Cole desperately wanted to pull Kit back on the couch and make love to her, yet he knew it was not yet the time. Instead, he returned with her to the living room and apologized to
Brandon
for his rude behavior.