Page 7 of Cementing Her Love

“But I ran into Laci Hart at the store this morning and she’s typically not a gossiper either, but she was curious and happy to see you in the pub with a date. And she mentioned that there was some serious PDA going on, but?—”

“That’s a lot of buts, sis. Just spill it. What do you want to know?”

Brenley slipped out of the hug and gave me a hard glare. Like the one I used to get when I annoyed her when we were kids. “You pretty much declared your intentions with Shayla the other day and now you’re lip locked in public with some other woman. So, yeah, I was irritated with you and I may have shared that with Hayden.”

I could let her stew about it for the rest of the afternoon or I could let her off the hook and reassure her. Part of me understood why she was upset, but another was hurt that she would believe I would do anything to ruin my chances with Shayla after I told her how I felt.

“Did Laci recognize the woman?” I wasn’t sure if Shayla had ever been to Hart’s Pass Pub before or if she knew Laci, but it was possible that the women hadn’t ever met.

“No, she only saw her from the back. She was only in there to drop something off for Luke and didn’t have a lot of time to stop by your table to say hi. But she did say she could tell how into this woman you were. Like the two of you were in your own little world.”

My face split into a grin at the description because it was true. I couldn’t even say what our waitress looked like. I was so focused on Shayla. “Look, you know me, so you should know that when I’m committed to something, or in this case, someone, I’m laser focused. And that woman I was with? It was Shayla. We met to go over the samples I had made because we were interrupted by a bridal emergency.”

“This is why I don’t do gossip! OMG I was so freaked out, Colton.” Brenley pinched me in the side, then hugged me.

Her bump got in the way, so she grabbed both sides of my face and pulled me down and looked me in the eye. “I’m sorry. I’ve never been so relieved in my life. So, what does this mean? Are you two dating?”

I wish I knew. It had been two days since that unforgettable kiss, and she still hadn’t texted me. I wanted to text her so many times this weekend, but I really wanted her to reach out to me first.

Brenley didn’t give me time to respond. She clapped her hands in excitement and said, “Wait, she’s coming today. With Aria. They should be here soon. Oh, I can’t wait to talk to her and?—”

“Hold up. She’s not quite there yet. But I’m not giving up. But I know she’s the one, Bren. I’m going to give her time. So please, no pressure, okay?”

“Pfft. I’ve got this. You can count on me. Have you forgotten I still haven’t told Mom who broke her favorite pie dish? Oh, they’re here!”

Shaking my head, I watched Brenley waddle off toward the sliding doors where Shayla and Aria had just stepped out. The look on Shayla’s face at seeing me wasn’t exactly encouraging.

7

SHAYLA

How had I’d totally forgotten that, of course, Colton would be at the family barbeque? Brenley and I always included each other in our extended family events. She often joined me when my sister and mom visited and we’d schedule a spa day or fancy dinner out. I had spent many holidays with her and Hayden and his big family. It was one of the things I loved about our friendship. We’d become like sisters over the years.

But today was different. I wasn’t anywhere near ready to be around her family, and Colton, when I still hadn’t figured out what to do about my growing feelings for him. And darn him, he wasn’t going to make it easy. I could see the huge smile on his face and the quick look toward Aria that had him altering his course to stop by the grill where Brock was entertaining the kids by eating a loaded hot dog in two bites.

Thankfully, I now had a bit of time to decide how to introduce my daughter to him, just as a friend though. Shoot, I needed to come up with an excuse to make a quick escape.

“Stop right now, Shay. I see the wheels turning. You and Aria are staying. No one is going to say anything about you and Colton sucking face at the pub the other day.” Brenley teased me as she breezed by on her way back into the house and my heart nearly stopped.

Turning to where Aria had been beside me, I released a heavy sigh. She’d already skipped off to join the kid’s table. She loved being the oldest and playing mom. She considered them her cousins at this point, which was one more reason not to start something with Colton. There was no way I’d make things awkward for my daughter should things not work out.

“Hi, Shay. Beer?” Hayden offered me a frosty bottle of my favorite IPA and I grabbed it like a lifeline. One was my limit, but I could use the liquid courage to calm my jangled nerves and tame the butterflies running havoc in my midsection every time I peeked over at Colton.

Since our kiss, I’d used my vibrator more times than I had in the past couple months, but it hadn’t touched the intense need I felt looking at him now. Only having Colton’s hands on me would quench this insane desire.

The fantasy that had been the most recent hit me. Where Colton filled and stretched me as I rode him till I collapsed and achieving an epic orgasm.

What the hell was I doing to myself right now? My daughter wasn’t fifty yards away and I’m thinking about Colton in very inappropriate and very un-mom-like ways. Okay, deep breaths. I’m just ramped up because it’s been so long since I had sex. And not just sex, but really good sex. Being a single mom had its challenges and a non-existent love life had been the norm for way too long.

Yeah, Shay, you’re kidding yourself right now. No one else was going to do. Like you don’t want Colt’s work-roughened hands and his hard body wrapped around yours. My inner sarcasm made me giggle.

While I kept an eye on the kids, he’d been entertaining them with a story and had them in stitches, clutching their sides. Sighing, I plopped myself down into the closest lounge chair and one that faced away from Colton. I was beginning to feel like a stalker.

So he was good with kids. That didn’t mean anything. Anyone could make toddlers laugh, right?

“What’s so funny?” Colton asked as he stepped from behind my chair.

“Ack! Where’d you come from?” I bobbled the drink in my hand then placed a hand over my heart and looked up into his handsome face. “Didn’t your mother ever tell not to sneak up on people like that?”

---