Page 81 of Dream Weaver

“Not home? Where else would you— Oooh.” She stretched the word out in slow realization, making my cheeks heat.

Still, that was better than Pippa’s reaction would have been — a squeal, no doubt, followed any a cheer ofYou go, girl! Enjoy every minute of your night.

Yes, there was a reason I’d called Erin, the oldest and calmest of us sisters, instead. She wouldn’t begrudge the favor either. She’d been encouraging me to “find a new friend” for years.

Pippa tended to put it less delicately.When are you finally going to get laid?

Well, here I was, doing just that. On my way, anyway.

“Feeding can wait until you’re back from work,” I hastened to add, just to get past the weighty pause that ensued.

“Um, sure. I should be back by ten.” As a balloon pilot, Erin worked ridiculously early hours.

“Okay, thanks. Bye.”

“Have fun,” she said softly.

“Bye,” I repeated and hung up before I died of shame.

Still, I continued fretting. Was I being a negligent mother? A cruel animal owner? Was I doing the right thing?

Doubts stacked up on one side of my mind, but anticipation — and a revving libido — tipped the scales all the way over to the other side. And when I replayed what we’d just done…

The engine revved, and I had to hit the brakes not to slam into Cooper’s truck from behind.

Yeah, I wanted this all right.

I followed him out of town, down a side street, and along a long, bumpy road, where modest homes sat on three-acre plots. A few kept horses, and most had cars that could almost pass as landscaping, thanks to the thick greenery springing up around the tires. Cooper pulled into the driveway of the last “house” on the left — a neatly kept trailer home — but didn’t stop there. A faint track continued past it, winding around scrub and trees to a small cabin in a private corner of the property.

Cooper parked, slid out of his car, and waited for me.

My heart pounded. I wanted this. I deserved this. But part of me wanted to spin into a U-turn and run back to my safe place.

He stuck his hands deep into his pockets, waiting patiently.

My heart warmed. The man was a saint.

Well, okay, maybe not a saint, because they weren’t supposed to succumb to carnal desires in metal shops. But a very good man, indeed.

I parked in the spot next to his and slid out, trying not to overthink this.

“Wow,” I breathed, sidetracked by the view.

He found my hand and squeezed. “Pretty nice, huh?”

Trees sheltered the driveway side of the house, but the other side was open to the views. And what a view! Soldier Pass, Brins Mesa, Coffee Pot Rock…

“Wow,” I said again.

Seeing familiar landmarks from a fresh angle was like seeing them for the first time. I turned to Cooper, and that was similar: same guy, different setting. A very private setting, at his home.

He kissed me, then led me inside.

“It’s not much, but it works. You know, for a season,” he said, flicking on the lights.

His cheeks went a little pink, and my heart fluttered too. Would he really leave after only one season?

Or as long as I decide to stay,his eyes seemed to add. Even plead.

---