Page 37 of 40 and (So Over) Fixing It
“Well, you know…” Ruth’s smile was soft. “I didn’t want you to think badly of Scott, though truth be told, it was as much my fault as his. We met, and sparks flew, only they weren’t all good sparks, not at first.” She chuckled. “There was plenty of…oh, what do you young folks call it now? Chemistry? Whatever it was, we both fought it from the get-go.”
“I can’t imagine the two of you fighting.” In all the years she’d known them, Scott and Ruth had seemed the perfect couple, happy, affectionate. Her marriage to Stephen had been similar, but Ruth was right—they’d grown up together, known each other so long, that it was really no surprise they’d gotten along so well.
Ruth and Scott had certainly never seemed the least bit volatile. Not like her and Carter.
“Like cats and dogs at first,” Ruth assured her. “But that stopped soon enough.”
“Why?”
“He kissed me.”
Erin’s cheeks went pink. Ruth took in the color, giving her a knowing look in the rising light of dawn as it peaked over the ridge. “So you know too.” She nodded sagely. “Sometimes we just don’t know what to do with all that attraction, but eventually we figure it out.”
“What?” When Ruth’s meaning registered, Erin sputtered, her face going even hotter despite the chill autumn air. “I don’t… Um… We didn’t…”
“You may not have had sex—”
Oh God.
“But you definitely know what I’m talking about,” Ruth countered, obviously amused. “Good.”
“Good?”
“Of course. You weren’t meant to live as a nun.”
Laughter escaped despite Erin’s complete mortification at this entire conversation.
They sat like that for a few minutes, Erin embarrassed, Ruth thoughtful. It was Ruth who finally broke the silence.
“You know Stephen wouldn’t want to be you to live by yourself forever.”
No, he wouldn’t have, and she did know it. But… “I’m not looking for anybody new.” She hadn’t been before Carter entered the scene, and she certainly hadn’t been afterward.
Now…
“Sometimes when you’re not looking is when life surprises you. There’s so much more out there for you than watching over two old people and a farm while you work at a career that you love but can’t love you back.”
And wasn’t that what Erin had been thinking earlier? She saw herself as Erin the contractor, not Erin the woman. But she was a woman, and something about Carter’s touch had awakened that part of her with unexpected ferocity.
Ruth gave her another pat. “I better go let Willard out.” She stirred and bent to pick up her basket. “Why don’t you take some of these before I use the rest to make the men breakfast.”
Erin stood. “How about I make you breakfast? Give me a few minutes to get dressed.”
“I’ll be waiting,” Ruth called back cheerfully as she descended the steps. Erin hurried inside, knowing Ruth would start cooking with or without her. But even as she got ready for the day, her thoughts continued to circle.
ChapterSixteen
Two deep voices drifted from the kitchen as Carter approached far too early Friday morning. Thoughts of Erin—the feel of her lace-covered nipples in his mouth, the sheer pleasure filling her face as she’d gone over the edge—had kept him awake late into the night. Those thoughts had likely been the cause of the explicit dream that had forced him into the shower to jack off before dawn. What he really wanted was to return to bed, but Thad was still sleeping and Carter didn’t want to risk waking him, so coffee would have to do.
The voices went quiet as Carter entered the kitchen. Then, “Hey, bro!”
Carter stopped in his tracks. “Linc? Hey! What are you doing here?”
Linc charged across the kitchen to give Carter a bear hug. “I’m surprising Claire. Get to stay till Sunday, same as you.”
Carter returned the hug before crossing the room to the coffee maker. “Thought you were out in Cali for one of those press things.”
“Junket,” JD said around a mouthful of omelet.
