Fortune's Heart

“I’ll tell you a secret, Stacey. It’s my goal to never need to cook for myself. That is the goal of most bachelors,” he said.

“Well, at least you’re honest,” she said, and planted a kiss on his cheek. She fixed a large container of soup for him to take home. She spent the next hour storing meals. Piper awakened, and Stacey gave her a half bottle of baby food and her bottle. Afterward, it was time for baby calisthenics. Stacey set Piper on her belly and watched her do dry swimming. Piper grunted and groaned as she exercised.

When Piper’s groans turned to cries, Stacey whisked her up in her arms and walked to the kitchen with her. Stacey finished wrapping up her meals for storage and put a few portions in the refrigerator. Her father was always grateful when she packed a lunch he could take outdoors.

Tucking Piper into a baby pack, Stacey began to clean the public areas of the house. She took care of the den, foyer and kitchen and began to feel tired. Pulling Piper from the sack, Stacey sank onto a chair in the den and told herself not to think about Colton.

Even her Romeo brother, Jude, had warned her away from her feelings. But Stacey couldn’t keep her mind off of Colton. She wanted to be close to him. Very close.

She concentrated on rocking Piper, then burping her. Stacey knew she needed to focus on Piper. Her baby needed her love and devotion.

Unfortunately, Stacey was all too aware of her own needs. How was she supposed to make those needs disappear?

* * *

The next afternoon while her mother made some calls to her circle group, Stacey folded laundry in the den. Piper took a nap. Stacey did the hated job of folding sheets. Was there any good way of folding fitted sheets? With the television on a news show, she folded several linens.

A knock sounded at the door, and she rushed to keep whoever was on her porch from knocking again. She didn’t want Piper waking from the noise. It was amazing how precious her child’s sleep had become to her, she thought. She wondered if she should start putting a note on the front door when Piper was napping. Or would that be a bit too cranky?

Stacey opened the door and saw Colton on the porch. Her heart took a huge dip.

Colton removed his Stetson. “We need to talk.”

Chapter Six (#u923b181a-83cf-5da3-a11c-259d3bc6c8aa)

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have taken advantage of you,” Colton said.

Stacey felt her face heat with embarrassment and cringed. “Oh, no, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have interfered. I was supposed to be helping you with your girlfriend and ended up kissing you. I knew you had plans with her, but you and I got close and I stopped thinking about your girlfriend. I was just thinking about you and—”

“Stop,” he said, and took her mouth in a kiss, then pulled back. “There is no girlfriend.”

She stared at him in confusion. “No girlfriend?”

“No girlfriend,” he repeated. “There is no one else I can think about right now. You’re the only woman on my mind,” he said.

Floored, Stacey could only gape at him. “I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything. Just know that I didn’t want to take advantage of you,” he said and walked away.

Stacey gawked after him, wishing she could produce some magic words, but her tongue wouldn’t even form basic syllables. “Colton,” she finally managed, but he was already in his truck.

She was at a pure loss. He’d given her no chance to respond. How could she tell him how she really felt? How could she let him think their kiss was totally his fault? She raced to the back of the house and found her mother in between phone calls.

“Piper’s asleep. Do you mind watching her for a while?” she asked.

“Not at all,” her mother said. “Is there a problem?”

“I just need to go somewhere,” she said, and didn’t want to hang around long enough for her mother to question her further. Her mother was extremely intuitive. Stacey grabbed her purse, pulled on her coat and headed for her car. As she drove toward the Foster house, she tried to find the words to explain her feelings for Colton. She kept rehearsing several verbal scenarios, but none seemed adequate.

With no great plan in mind, she stomped up the steps to the Foster house and rapped on the door. A few seconds passed, and she knocked again.

The door whipped open and Colton looked at her. “What are you doing here?” he asked. “Listen, we don’t have to talk about what happened again. I know you don’t think of me that way,” he said. “In a romantic way.”

“Stop telling me what I think,” Stacey said. She didn’t know any other way to express her feelings for Colton except for kissing him, so that’s what she did. She pulled him against her and kissed him as if her life depended on it.

Colton couldn’t help but respond. He wrapped his arms around her and drew her to him. He clearly couldn’t resist her. “You feel so good,” he muttered. “Taste so good,” he said, sliding his tongue past her lips.

Stacey felt herself heating up way too quickly. She wriggled against him, wanting to feel every bit of him. She wanted his skin against hers. She slid her hands up to the top of his head and continued to exchange open mouth kisses with him.

“I want you so much,” she whispered.

“What do you want, Stacey?” he muttered.

“All of you. I want all of you,” she said, her need escalating with each passing moment.

Colton’s hands traveled to forbidden places. Her breasts and her read end. Beneath his touch, she felt herself swell like a sensual flower.

“Are you sure about this?” Colton asked, teasing her nipples to taut expectation.

“Yes, yes,” she said, clawing at his chest. “I want you so much.”

“Then you’re gonna get me,” he muttered and pulled her up into his arms and carried her down the hallway. He took her into his bedroom and set her down on his bed.

“You’re sure?” he asked a second time.

“More than sure,” she said, and whipped off her shirt and bra. “Are you?” she asked, daring him.

One, two, three heartbeats vibrated through her, and Colton began to devour her with his hands and mouth. She had never felt such passion in her life. He made every inch of her body burn with desire and need for him. Stacey hadn’t felt this alive in months...or ever.

She kissed his chest and belly...and lower. He groaned and took her with the same hunger.

“You taste so good,” he said.

“So do you,” she said, and pressed her mouth against his in a fully sexual kiss.

“I want to be inside you,” he said, his tone desperate.

“I want you the same way,” she said.

He pulled some protection from his bedside table, and finally, he pushed her legs apart and thrust inside her.

Stacey gasped.

“What?” he asked.

“You’re just—” she said and broke off.

“I’m just what?” he asked, poised over her.