Page 5 of Gentle Persuasion

She laughed as his last kick sent water showering into the air, wetting her already damp curls and plastering her face.

“But I’m a lot prettier, don’t you think?”

Cole walked onto the patio and stopped in midstride. The sight of his father and that woman…together…in the pool…made him feel slightly jealous and a whole lot stupid.

The droplets hit her face and arms, beading in the bright, afternoon heat like thousands of tiny diamonds. The churning water teased his sight, giving him momentary glimpses of that damned red excuse for a swimsuit. It was two-piece and covered just enough of her body to remind him that there was more to see.

And then he saw weariness on her face. His father’s big body continued to buck and jerk in her arms, and he knew that she was probably worn out. It was time for the second shift to take over.

“Hey, you guys.” He dropped his towel onto a lounge chair. “Leave some water for me.”

Debbie almost dropped her hold on Morgan and succeeded in dunking herself instead as Cole’s voice sent her sanity into a tailspin. She thanked the hot sun overhead for its presence. It was a perfect explanation for the red flush that crept up her neck and cheeks.

He had on that same little-bit-of-nothing suit that he’d been wearing the day she’d arrived. Only this time she wasn’t sick as a dog. Instead, she was more than cognizant of the fact that he was mildly devastating and overwhelmingly gorgeous.

Cole slipped into the pool, pushing his way through the wake caused by his father’s exertions. He walked up behind Debbie and slid his arm up and around her shoulders, allowing her room to duck while he took over her duties.

“Here, Little Red, duck under. I’ll spell you for a while. How many does he have left to do?”

Debbie froze. Her hair was soaked and plastered to the sides of her face and neck. Water beads were hanging on the edges of her eyelashes, partially blinding her, but she could still feel. And the feel of Cole’s hard body against her back made her shiver in response. “One more set,” she mumbled.

“You’re shivering,” he said as she ducked beneath his arms. “You’ve been in the water too long. Crawl out and grab a towel.”

For once, Debbie was at a loss for words. There were no smart rejoinders on the tip of her tongue. Only the feel of him pressing against her hips, his long, strong arms wrapping around her. She’d never wanted anything as much in her life as to turn and hug him. And that was just for starters.

Instead, she dutifully crawled out of the pool, grabbed the first beach towel she came to, and wrapped it around her. She sat down on the lounge chair and watched as Cole completed the last of his father’s exercises, laughing and teasing as Morgan began to rebuke and complain.

“You’re just mad cause I’m not Debbie,” Cole teased. “I already know I’m not as pretty, Dad. But I didn’t think you noticed, too.”

Morgan hushed. He realized he’d just sounded petty and complaining. It wasn’t like him and he was instantly sorry.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I know I don’t appreciate all you do. All both of you have done. But even if I don’t say it, I think it constantly, and don’t either of you forget it.” To lighten the moment before either of them became embarrassed by his compliments, he added. “Don’t forget you promised me strawberry shortcake for dessert tonight.”

“I won’t forget,” Debbie laughed. “Just don’t either of you forget to save room for dessert. If I’m going to fix it, you two have to do it justice. I’m going to get dressed. You guys are on your own.”

She quickly exited the pool area, leaving Cole to spend some quality time with his father. She knew that they were close and suspected that having her as a guest had put a dint in Cole’s comfort zone. Especially since she was in the room next to his. She heard everything from the squeak of his bed frame to the water running in his shower. By the same token, she knew that he heard her, too. It kept them just slightly off balance as they met from day to day.

Cole was nearly always gone before their day began, or else didn’t come home at all. Debbie tried not to think about the constant danger he was probably in and knew a moment’s regret for the fact that she’d fallen in love with a man who was in law enforcement. But her worry came and went as quickly as it had surfaced. Her problem wasn’t in Cole’s choice of lifestyle. Her problem was getting Cole to realize that she was necessary in his world.

“Did I hear someone mention dessert?” Buddy asked as Debbie walked into the kitchen.

“By all rights, you shouldn’t have a good tooth left in your head.” She headed toward her room. “I’ve never seen someone eat so many sweets in my life. I’d be crawling on the ceiling if I ate as much sugar as you do.”

“Cole has been here for an hour,” Buddy remarked, changing the subject as usual.

Debbie stopped in her tracks. It made her nervous that she was beginning to understand Buddy’s odd conversational habits. What he was telling her, in Buddy fashion, was that Cole had been watching them in the pool for some time before coming outside. That also told her that he was interested.

“You get an extra big serving tonight, my friend.” She patted him on the cheek. “You’re a man worth cultivating.”

Buddy smiled, momentarily connecting with her line of thought and then was off in his own never-never land as he closed the door and shut himself away from the world.

“I’ll call you when dinner is ready,” Debbie said as she walked out of the kitchen. “And tonight is going to be special in more ways than dessert. I can just feel it.”

Chapter 2

“Who wants more dessert?” Debbie asked, swirling her finger around in her mouth as she licked the last of the whipped cream off the tip. She amended with a grin, “I mean, who besides Buddy wants more shortcake?”

Cole’s bare feet tingled and his toes curled against the red-tiled kitchen floor as he watched her off-center smile and the bit of whipped cream still caught at the corner of her lips. She accidentally found the topping with her tongue. He shuddered as he watched it disappear.

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