Page 32 of Piece Of Me

“I might have stretched the truth a bit.” That ghost of a smile was now a full-on grin.

“And it wouldn’t be a date.”

“Of course not.”

“I mean it, Taz.” She exhaled, suddenly serious. “If we do this, whatever this is, it has to be slow.”

“Okay.” Taz nodded. “You’re in charge, Peaches. Whatever you want.”

CHAPTER 10

Scarlett knew her brothers had questions. That they had reservations. They didn’t say anything of course, thank God, that would have been awkward, but when she and Taz had casually announced they were leaving the carnival early to head back to his place for a barbecue, they didn’t need to speak. Their expressions spoke volumes.

They thought she was making a mistake. And she probably was. But it was too late now. She was back at the Pullman ranch and in spite of everything, had managed to relax a bit and enjoy herself. She’d borrowed one of his mother’s bathing suits and taken Hank into the pool with the girls. Their squeals of delight and Hank’s uncontrollable giggles made her heart melt. But it was the sight of Taz in a pair of low-slung board shorts that had her lady part parts singing. That saying, tall drink of water? Hello, he was the original poster boy.

They spent a couple of hours by the pool, and she was beginning to think if he wasn’t the whole package, he was damn near close to it. He was attentive. Funny. A good host. Plus, he was so easy with the kids; she knew none of this was for show. The man loved his daughters and watching him hold her son left her feeling something she wasn’t prepared to feel. Not here, not with this man.

Longing for something more than what she had.

And how inconvenient was that? It was kind of inevitable, she supposed. She was lonely. Being a single parent hadn’t been her dream, and though it was her choice to have Hank, to bring him into a world where his father didn’t exist, it was still hard to do it solo, even with the love and support of her family. Because at the end of the day it was Scarlett, in the dark, in a lonely bed by herself with no one to talk about her day with. No one to share the simple joys and gifts Hank gave her. Like when he sat up on his own for the first time. Or when his first tooth had poked through.

“What’s going on inside that head of yours?”

Scarlett adjusted Hank in her arms and sat back in her chair. The baby was sound asleep. They’d just had dinner and the girls were in the bath, their excited chatter echoed down the hall, a nonstop plethora of words and twin gibberish.

“I’m thinking your girls will have more water on the floor than in the tub by the time they’re done in there.”

Taz cracked a smile. “You’re not wrong.” His gaze dropped to her sleeping son. “Here, let me.” He took the baby and set him down in the playpen, then turned to Scarlett. “Can I get you anything?”

Sex. Lots of sex.

God, she cringed at her thoughts, unable to control them.

“Um, maybe a glass of water?”

“Sure.”

While Taz went to the kitchen, she smoothed out her hair, which had gone crazy from the heat and water, and sank deeper into the chair. Taz returned and set down a glass on the table beside her, and then took a seat across from Scarlett. His eyes, normally a light shade of green, were dark and the look in them made her stomach quiver. Anticipation, the kind that tied up a person in knots hit her hard and it took everything she had to remain calm.

“So,” he said casually. “This has been nice.”

She nodded, nonchalant. A cool cucumber if there ever was one. “Yes.” She reached for the glass, taking a good long sip of cool water.

“Are you okay?”

“What?” Startled, she set the glass back down. “I’m…I…”

“I’m teasing.” He grinned. “Though aside from the obvious thing between us I guess you don’t really know me all that much.”

“Thing?” She sat up.

“Yeah.” Taz’s grin widened into something wicked. “You want me.”

Her mouth opened but she didn’t get a chance to retort because his next words took them all away.

“I want you.”

Mouth now dry, she grabbed up that glass again because she needed to do something with her hands. She stared at him over the rim and said nothing.

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