Page 18 of Colton Family Bodyguard (Coltons of Mustang Valley)

Checking the time, she saw it was almost eight. Going to the door, she cracked it open and heard Evie chattering happily away. Assured her daughter was fine, Hazel hopped in the shower. Remembering kissing Callum, she tipped her face up into the spray, feeling him all over again. She’d had trouble falling asleep last night because of that. She couldn’t even blame him, though, since she was the one who had leaned in. She had been so entranced by him, by his eyes and every feature of his face. The sound of his voice and the things they had talked about, the connection between them.

She dressed in gray slacks and a black blouse and left the room, hearing voices.

“I love strawberries.”

“I can seen that you do,” Callum said.

“I looove strawberries,” Evie repeated.

Evie sat at the dining room table with a huge plate of strawberry crepes in front of her. The dish dwarfed her head and upper torso, just her shoulders cleared the height of the tabletop.

“What are you doing to my daughter?”

Callum looked up from the table, where he arranged two breakfast plates that still had silver covers on them.

He chuckled. “She said she was starving. I hope this is okay with you. I sort of winged it by ordering room service.” He pointed to the plate at Evie’s right. “That’s yours. I’m glad I didn’t have to wake you before it got cold.”

“More than fine. I’m starving, too.” She sat next to Evie and lifted the cover.

“It’s a Santa Fe skillet,” Callum said. “Wheat toast and fruit for sides. Evie picked it out for you. She said you liked food like that. There was a picture on the room service menu.”

She did like food like this. Evie knew she loved green chilies.

He poured her a cup of steaming coffee. “Cream or sugar?”

“Yes, please, just creamer.”

He handed her two small containers of creamer and she went about adding both to her coffee as Callum sat across from her and removed the silver cover from his plate. He had gotten a ham and cheese omelet with rye toast.

“Do you eat out a lot?” she asked.

With a bite of food, he nodded. Then after swallowing, added, “Bachelor.”

She and Evie rarely ate out, but why would they, when Hazel cooked for a living?

“Evie told me the last man you were with was a...what did you call it?” He turned to Evie.

“A nerd.” Evie giggled before shoveling another bite of crepe into her mouth.

“Evie was worried you were falling for him,” Callum said.

Hazel saw his questioning look. She had dated James for a few weeks. She didn’t like talking about him.

“Well, Evie, you’re awfully chatty this morning,” she said.

Evie giggled. “Cal-em is funny.”

“Why is he funny?”

“I don’t know. He’s funny. He’s not a nerd.”

Gaze running over his shoulders and chest, Hazel had to agree. When she met his eyes, the same tingles of sexual awareness assaulted her, just as they had last night.

“Who is this nerd? He must have been important to you if you let him spend time with Evie.”

“He didn’t think Mommy was smart. He called her stupid once.”

Callum’s lower jaw dropped. “What?”

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