The Cowboy and the Cougar (The Cougar Chronicles #1)(14)

Heart-stopping sex does not equal love.

Hands shaking, she retrieved her glass, filled it with cold water, and gulped it down, then splashed the still-running water on her face. She reached for her dishtowel and rubbed the wetness from her skin.

She’d spent two nights with the man. Had two dates with him, if you counted the coffee date yesterday morning. She couldn’t possibly be in love.

Her pulse raced. She was more than a little freaked out. He was too young for her, that was for sure, and there were definitely other reasons he wouldn’t want her. Damn—how could she love him? What a perfect setup for heartbreak and that she did not need.

With a huff, she strode to the extra bedroom that housed her computer. She sat down and typed "older woman/younger man" into the search engine bar.

Over a million hits!

Apparently she wasn’t the only woman who had the hots for a younger man.

Curiosity got the better of her, and she began clicking. Lots of information surfaced and she skimmed it, but when she stumbled into a chatroom called "The Cougar Club" she had to take a closer look. Maybe these ladies would understand her dilemma. Surely one of them might have a similar issue.

She created an account under the name HollyGolightly—not original but she couldn’t think of anything else at midnight—and logged in. Music jingled, indicating a post.

Cublover: Hi Holly!

GoodtimeCharlene: Evening, Holly.

MrsRobinson: Hey there, Holly! Welcome!

Should she lurk? Only these three were in the chatroom besides her. She’d be very conspicuous if she lurked.

She’d log out. This had been a mistake. She was no cougar. Jack wasn’t a cub. It wasn’t going to work out anyway, due to circumstances way more important than their respective ages. Her mouse was poised over the logout link when the jingle sounded again.

Cublover: Welcome to the Cougar Club. Is there anything we can help you with tonight, Holly?

Just click, Holly, just click.

As seconds passed, she knew she wouldn’t leave the chatroom, but she didn’t chat, either.

MrsRobinson: Or just feel free to lurk if you’re more comfortable with that. Charlene was just telling us about breaking up with her latest.

GoodtimeCharlene: Yeah, it didn’t work out this time. My first foray into cougardom. But I enjoyed his stamina.

Should she? Why not?

HollyGolightly: If you don’t mind my asking, why didn’t it work out?

GoodtimeCharlene: Not at all. He’s only thirty-five, and he wasn’t ready to give up the dream of a white picket fence and a houseful of rugrats.

Holly’s heart sank. Jack was six years younger than Charlene’s "cub."

Cublover: And you’re not willing to talk about this?

GoodtimeCharlene: Hell, no. Been there, done that. I’m done being the soccer mom. My children are in college.

MrsRobinson: If he loves you, he’ll be willing to compromise.

GoodtimeCharlene: What compromise is there? He wants a child of his own. I already have children of my own, and my child-bearing years are rapidly coming to an end. I just don’t want to do it all again.

Cublover: Understandable.

MrsRobinson: Never say never. There’s always a compromise available.

Cublover: I’m not sure there is, Megan. Children can be an issue that ends a cougar/cub relationship. I’ve seen it happen too many times.

MrsRobinson: Katherine, I don’t want to sound all Pollyanna, but if they love each other, they can work it out.

Holly made a mental note—Cublover was Katherine and MrsRobinson was Megan. She wondered how old they were.

GoodtimeCharlene: I have to side with Katherine on this one, Megan. I just don’t think there’s a future with Bob. Yeah, I love him, but he’s not willing to give up his dream of being a parent and I have to respect that. If I were twenty years younger, it would be my dream too.

A lead ball dropped to Holly’s stomach. It all came down to children for Charlene and Bob. That part of Charlene’s life was over, but it hadn’t yet begun for Bob. Children were the issue. And of course they were. They’d been Holly’s dream, too.

HollyGolightly: If you don’t mind my asking, how old are you, Charlene?

GoodtimeCharlene: Don’t mind at all. I’m forty-seven. How old are you?

HollyGolightly: Forty.

MrsRobinson: I’m fifty.

Cublover: Me too. How old is your cub, Holly?

Her cub? Jack was her cub? The beginning of a smile curved her lips.

HollyGolightly: He’s twenty-nine.

MrsRobinson: Nice!

Cublover: Have you been together long?

HollyGolightly: No. And it’s not going to work out anyway. There are issues.

MrsRobinson: There are always issues, hon. But we can help, right, ladies?

GoodtimeCharlene: We can try. That’s what we’re here for.

HollyGolightly: Are you ready to say goodbye to Bob, Charlene?

GoodtimeCharlene: No, to be honest. But I love him enough to let him go. If he lets go of his own dream to be with me, he may resent me for it, and I don’t want that.

Holly nodded at the computer screen. Charlene, whoever she was, spoke the truth. Resentment had no place in a relationship. Did she love Jack enough to let him go?

She nodded again. What a mess! She was in love with Jack.

Cublover: Do you have anything you want to tell us, Holly? You’re safe here.