Page 38 of Bedding the Biker Next Door

“It’s nobody’s fault.” Jill checked her phone for the time. The first kids would be arriving at any moment. “I knew exactly what I was getting myself into.”

“Will the pain at least be worth it?” Liz raised an eyebrow.

Jill thought for a moment. It was true she’d had the best time ever with Cole—their first night together, the wild impromptu sex, the conversations, the shared meals, the bike ride through LA, the role-playing sex they’d had in his office last night. In just a few days, they’d smiled and laughed an awful lot. So yes, it hadn’t just been the sex—she’d genuinely had a good time with a great guy.

“I could have loved him,” she heard herself say. She stared into her coffee.

Liz was quiet, but Jill didn’t need confirmation that she was talking crazy—she already knew it. She’d only known Cole a few days, after all.

Jill pulled herself together and looked up. “I know that sounds crazy, and anyway, it’s not going to happen. I can’t fall in love with someone who’s not here.” She stood, downed the rest of her coffee, and placed a plate into the sink.

She heard a car arriving outside and was about to head to the front door when Liz reached out and grabbed her hand. “Honey? Meeting someone you could love. That’s not such a bad thing, is it? And maybe this doesn’t have to be the end.”

“It’s better that it is.”

“Why? Because you’re afraid you’ll end up like your dad?”

Jill felt a pang in her stomach at Liz’s words. Funny how she hadn’t thought of that, not recently. No, she’d been too busy simply enjoying Cole. But it made sense. Imagine how Cole would react if he knew about her medical history—both her cancer scare and her risk of developing Alzheimer’s. “It’s a valid reason to avoid a relationship, Liz. What kind of person would knowingly do that to their partner? Make them think they’ll have a lifetime together when chances are, they won’t. At least my father didn’t know he was going to become demented at forty years old. He had no idea he wouldn’t know his own wife and daughter. It’s hereditary, and I don’t want to become anyone’s burden.”

Liz let go of her hand and shook her head. “It’s hereditary, yes, but you only have a fifty percent chance that you carry the gene. You’re letting the unknown future hold you back. Are you still on the fence about getting tested? If the news isn’t good, at least you’ll be better prepared to make life decisions.”

“Logically, I know that. But emotionally?” She shook her head. “I’m not ready to face it, reality or not.”

“Then you’re not ready. You’ll know when you are.” Liz flashed her big sister type smile.

“Thanks.”

“No problem. I’m much older and wiser than you. That’s why you keep me around.”

The doorbell rang, and both Jill and Liz sprang to attention, Liz pulling out flour and baking powder while Jill headed for the door. “No,” Jill said over her shoulder with a smile. “I keep you around because the kids say your pancakes come out way fluffier than mine.”

And because, unlike Cole, Liz was there for the long haul. Someone Jill could count on. Love wholeheartedly. Someone who’d love her back.

Chapter Thirteen

Crossing the lawn to Cole’s later that night, Jill recited, “It was fun while it lasted, Jill, but he’s not the one,” over and over. Her head was almost convinced, but her heart was having a harder time believing her words. Cole was so much more than a fun dalliance—he was a sexy, honorable, brave man who’d loved his mother, treated women well, owned his own company, and was looking forward to bigger, better things for himself. More importantly, she had fun with him and he made her feel things—wild, amazing, tingling, mind-blowing things— she’d never felt before. And now she was supposed to just go on with her normal life as if they’d never met?

Obviously, she had to. She wasn’t going to be the clingy woman that made their parting awkward.

When she arrived, she rang the doorbell and took deep, cleansing breaths. Cole opened the door with a huge but obviously strained smile plastered across his face. He wore a tight, black T-shirt, his biker vest, and jeans, looking hotter as hell.

“Hey there,” he said. “I hope you’re hungry.” He pulled her inside and toward the dining room. White boxes from her favorite Thai restaurant sat on the table along with a delicate porcelain service. Two tall candles stood lit in the middle.

“Oh, wow. This is amazing, Cole.”

“I wanted to say thank you for all your help.”

“You’re certainly welcome. I’ve had fun helping you,” she added with a smile. There was no escaping thoughts about the time they’d spent pleasing and teasing each other. He was obviously remembering the same things, too, given the light that had sparked in his eyes. Cole walked over to the table and pulled her chair back for her.

“Why, thank you. What a gentleman.” She smiled, immediately loving the way she felt around him.

However, once she sat down and he joined her, it hit her—harder than she could have ever imagined. This was a goodbye dinner. Hold it together, Jill, she told herself. After a minute, she found her voice. “Your meeting is tomorrow?”

“Eight a.m. If we get the job, things will be crazy for a while.” He took her plate and began serving her some fried rice.

Jill nodded. She tried to hold back the storm forming behind her eyes, even looking down at the food to hide her face.

“So, how were the kids today?” Cole asked. A nice, safe topic.

---