Page 88 of Forbidden Flame

“You’ve got this,” Cole said as he pushed her forward a little. She tried to push the pedals but wobbled, and he caught the handlebar.

“I’ve got you. Want to go again?”

Izzy bit her lower lip and nodded.

They tried for a while, and the longer it went, the more frustrated Izzy got. “I can’t do it,” she finally said.

My instinct was to run and reassure her, but I stayed back, letting Cole handle it.

He stretched his back. “My back hurts from leaning over. Let’s take a break. I brought subs for dinner from your favorite deli. Then if you want, we can try again after dinner.”

“Okay,” Izzy said carefully as she removed her helmet and let it fall to the ground.

Cole held his fist out for her to bump it with hers. “Great job out there.”

“Thanks.”

Cole grabbed the bag of subs and chips from his truck, and we ate inside. The kitchen was small with only enough room for a round table. We just fit. It seemed like Cole took up all the space. If we moved forward with our relationship, I wasn’t sure what that would look like.

I didn’t think there was room for him to move in with me. Not that my family would be okay with a Monroe living in my house.

I was getting ahead of myself. We needed to talk about the future, and I hoped we’d get a chance on our visit to Telluride. I hadn’t mentioned to Izzy that Cole would be at the ski resort too.

After dinner, Cole stretched, leaning back in his chair. “What do you say? Want to get back out there?”

Izzy nodded eagerly.

I got up to clear the dishes. “I’ll clean up. You two go ahead.”

Izzy ran outside, but Cole lingered with a hip against the counter by the sink.

“You’re good with her, encouraging and positive. She would have given up already if it were just me.”

“That’s because you’re her mom. She gives in easier. With me, she feels more motivated.”

I frowned.

“Kids are different with their parents. They expect you to swoop in and save them. It’s just a different dynamic. You have to encourage her to be more independent, but it will come easier if someone else teaches her.”

“Ah. That makes sense,” I said as I rinsed the dishes and placed them in the dishwasher.

When I straightened, Cole touched my hip, pausing my movement. The water was still running as his hand cupped my jaw. “Thank you for letting me experience this with Izzy, for being here with both of you.”

“Of course.”

Then he lowered his lips to mine for a sweet kiss. When he lifted his head, my body was humming with desire, and butterflies swarmed in my stomach.

He dropped his hand and let go of my hip, moving toward the door. I watched them through the window, my heart clenching with longing. I wanted Cole for me and Izzy. He was so good with her. I never thought a man would be patient enough to accept both of us. But Cole exceeded those expectations.

When dinner was cleaned up, I sat on a rocking chair on the porch and watched the two of them. Now she could ride a few feet before losing her balance.

“You’re doing it,” Cole said when he caught her for the millionth time.

She gave him a dubious look.

“Other kids would have given up by now. But you keep trying, and you’re getting better. You can ride a few feet. In no time, you’ll get the hang of it. It just takes one thing to click, and you’ll get it.”

Izzy’s expression morphed from disbelief to determination. It seemed like she pulled strength from the deepest part of her as she tried again and again.

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