Return To Me

She ran her fingers softly through his curls, then kissed him on the cheek.

Bree stifled a yawn as she navigated to her bedroom, where she turned on the TV and prepared a bath.

Stepping out of the bubbles fifteen minutes later, she wrapped a thick blue towel around herself and stared in the mirror. Austin’s kiss still lingered on her lips. Bree closed her eyes, reliving the way he smelled and the feel of his muscles. His touch was imprinted in the places he’d touched her. It amazed her that a good-night kiss could awaken her in areas that had lain dormant since Caleb’s death.

She’d gone on dates in the past, but none lasted more than a couple of months at best. Bree’s focus stayed on her son and building her client base. She wanted to remarry, and had no doubt that she would when the right man came along. After an entertaining evening with Austin, she felt that he had a lot of potential in terms of a relationship.

The sound of the television in the bedroom infiltrated her musings. One of those reality shows was on. Give me a good book any day, she thought.

Stifling a yawn, she slipped on a nightgown, then padded into a bedroom decorated with a soothing color scheme of purple and silver-gray with black accents.

Bree was more than ready to dive into the four-poster bed. Her day had been a long one, but so worth it, she decided.

Her summer was off to a great start.

Chapter 5 (#ud2730ed7-6948-5946-aa73-f126c43397aa)

He tossed an ink pen on his desk before leaning back in his chair. For the umpteenth time that day Austin was reminded of the kiss he’d shared with Bree the previous night. A kiss he had taken before she’d been aware he was about to do so. He sucked in a sharp breath as more memories swept through his mind. Never had a woman’s mouth tasted so delectable, so irresistibly sweet. He’d also learned more about his little boy. Unshed tears pricked Austin’s eyes when Bree had shown him the photographs of Emery.

His arms held the memory of how she felt in them. She was warm, comforting and solid. This was the type of woman he wanted in his life. Someone he could lean on and not fall. And there would come a time when he would need her strength—Austin couldn’t explain how, but he knew it to be true.

The more Austin pondered the thought, he realized that it most likely came from a conversation with his mother. Irene used to always tell him that he needed a life partner who would stand strong when he couldn’t. One who would not see it as weakness.

Jasmine had called him weak once. She didn’t think he could stand up to his mother. Austin could never get her to understand that he alone made the decision to break up with her—it had nothing to do with Irene. Truth was that he never would’ve been with Jasmine had he listened to his mother.

Austin knew that Irene would approve of Bree. She was the type of woman his mother always said he deserved.

He felt a thread of guilt snake down his spine. Irene didn’t know she was a grandmother. For that matter, Etienne knew nothing about Emery, either. Everyone was in the dark and this secret was beginning to weigh heavily on him.

An hour later Austin had finished an important document his cousin Ryker needed. He had one more file to read, which wouldn’t take long. Then, before leaving for the day, he would call Bree to check in. She would be spending the evening with Jordin, Jadin and Garland—it was their girls’ night out.

* * *

Bree plopped down on the sofa in her living room after a long day at work. She needed to take some downtime before heading over to Jordin’s house. She was really looking forward to a night of food, drinks and merriment.

She had already stopped in at Sara’s house to check on Emery. He was too busy with his new picture book to pay much attention to her.