Picnic in Someday Valley (Honey Creek #2)(12)

He moved his hand lightly over her hair as if making a promise.

She’d never said she loved him. But he was her best friend and that was enough.

He slipped off his clothes and slid beneath the covers slowly, so he wouldn’t wake her. For a few minutes he was still, letting his body warm next to hers.

As she always did, she rolled toward him, cuddling against him like he was her favorite pillow.

Pecos hugged her close and waited for the sigh that always came like she’d been waiting for him all night. When it whispered against his ear, he slid his hand over her round body, saying good morning to his baby.

He kissed her lightly on the lips as his hand moved up to brush over her breasts. He hadn’t asked if it was all right to touch her there, but she’d never objected. Her breasts were bigger than they had been that day they’d graduated from high school. They’d gone skinny-dipping in the river and he’d seen her nude. Her beauty stopped his heart for a moment. The rest of the weekend was crazy. She’d told him she’d slept with a guy while staying at her cousin’s place in Dallas. A nobody who said he never wanted to see her again.

One day after she’d told Pecos her secret, her parents had found out and thought the baby’s father was Pecos. He lied and said it was. Naturally, after that her dad tried to kill him. Pecos didn’t blame her dad. After a trip to the emergency room, everyone finally settled down and he and Kerrie married.

It all seemed like something that happens in movies, but it wasn’t, and in the end he wouldn’t have changed a thing . . . except maybe the part about her dad trying to kill him.

Pecos smiled as his hand brushed lightly over her breast one more time. “Kiss me good morning before you go back to sleep,” he whispered.

She rolled to face him, her body touching his. “Morning, husband.” She rubbed her chin against his day’s growth of beard. “You smell like coffee and rain. Am I dreaming or awake?”

“You’re sleeping. Any objection if I touch you while you dream?”

“No. Just don’t wake me. The baby kept me awake most of the night.”

He wanted to kiss her deep and hard, but he was gentle. Over the past months they’d learned one another, and it seemed neither slept soundly without the other. He’d gotten used to her walking in while he showered, but he’d never get tired of watching her dress.

He was twenty. He was a man, but he’d wait until she was ready for them to be lovers. Only problem was, her first and only venture into sex was all wrong and he didn’t know how to make it right for her.

The guy who got her pregnant had walked away. He’d called her names for being drunk. He’d never mentioned his last name, so she couldn’t have found him even if she’d wanted to.

Pecos had given her his name. He’d loved Kerrie Lane since they were in grade school. He knew he wouldn’t have had a chance with her if she hadn’t met the creep that one night in Dallas. He’d walked away, but Pecos was near when she needed someone.

He slid his hand over her hip and down her leg. He was slowly learning every curve of her body. He’d be ready when the time for loving came.





Chapter 9


Colby


Colby McBride woke alone. His lover, the mayor of Honey Creek, was gone. She left him with the ghosts of the Honey Creek Café to keep him company.

The little room, decorated in mismatched furniture and flowery upholstery, hadn’t changed since the night he’d climbed the ivy and talked his way into her bedroom. That night still played out in his mind now and then. A first taste of Heaven, even if it did cost him several scrapes.

He didn’t care that everyone thought the second floor was haunted. He just wished he could hear activity below in the kitchen. Colby was starving.

When he’d finally finished being dragged all over Austin by Piper’s big brothers like they had to solve every crime before dark Friday night, Colby hadn’t had time to eat before he took off to spend a long weekend with Piper. Then, when he drove into town and saw her running toward him, food was the last thing on his mind.

By the time he showed her how much he missed her, both were too tired to move. He thought he’d probably fallen asleep in mid-sentence. She’d cuddled closer and he was back in Heaven.

Now, he wasn’t surprised she was gone by dawn. First, always, was her duty to her town. He turned over and saw the note on the back of the door. Gone to do radio interview. Push the button and you’ll hear me.

Grumbling, he pushed the radio button. Rambling Randy, the local DJ, was popping questions at Piper in his double-time voice.

“So how are the plans for a Thanksgiving parade coming along? And, Mayor, what’s being done about the reports of trash cans being stolen? Do you think this rain is ever going to stop?”

Colby closed his eyes and daydreamed of slugging Rambling Randy. He’d never met the man but he imagined him as Gollum from the movie Lord of the Rings.

Before Piper could answer either question, Randy added, “I heard we had a drop in the safe haven bin at the fire station. Anyone in town want to adopt a thirty-year-old drunk?” Rambling Randy’s laugh sounded like a snort.

Colby thought he heard a door close downstairs. Since Piper was on the radio, it couldn’t be her. Maybe it was the cook. Piper’s cousin, the owner of the Honey Creek Café, always came in early. Jennifer would start making bread even before the cook came in.