Page 33 of Noble Neighbor
Someone like … Oliver.
No! No partner, no husband, and most definitely no Oliver in her future plan.
“Just me and my girls,” she whispered into the space.
She popped into their bedrooms. Her eldest was sleeping peacefully, the earlier drama behind them. Clement had accepted her apology, and Kenzie had agreed he could be her honorary brother as well. Molly had kicked her covers off, and Sunny dutifully tucked them around her again. Not that the covers would stay on. Sunny ignored Lucifer’s indignant hiss from the pillow beside Molly’s.
Since his sisters had left for their forever homes, the little cat had chosen Molly as his “person”. Tabitha still roamed the house, her meows vociferous and frequent, not having forgiven Sunny for dropping her off at the vet one morning, only to return home in the afternoon with stinging stitches and three of her babies gone.
Safety check done and the newly installed alarm armed, Sunny entered her own room, wrinkling her nose at the lingering smell of paint. Opening a window, thehoot-hootof an owl floated in over the buzz of night insects. Her gaze drifted across the valley, pausing on the glow of the lights marking the Armstrong house.
She turned away, flopped on the bed, and closed her eyes. Nights were the worst. Interminable, redolent with painful memories, spiced with newly awakened sexual hunger. Like tonight, when her longing for the man across the way warred with common sense.
If only she could talk to someone about it, someone who understood her predicament and could talk sense into her. Her lids flew open. Of course.
Rolling to her feet, Sunny plodded to her closet and retrieved the safety box. Minutes late, she flipped open the cellphone and pressed the pre-coded number. He answered on the seventh ring. “I’ve met someone,” she said without preamble.
A beat of silence followed her statement. “Fuck.”
“He’s wonderful,” she whispered. “A widower with a son.”
“Sunny …”
“Ifeelagain, Aleck.” She slapped a hand over her heart even though he couldn’t see her. “I thought that part of me had died when … well,then.” She sucked in a breath. “He’s safe. I … I trust him.”
Another expletive reached her ears. “Enough to risk everything you’ve built over the last years?”
“Maybe.” But why did her voice sound feeble to her ears. She did trust Oliver. Didn’t she?
“And what if he can’t handle the truth?”
“Idid nothing wrong,” Sunny whined.
“I know that. You know that. But the public willcrucify you — and the girls — if it gets out. You cannotthrow it all away,” Aleck stated.
His reply was exactly what she’d expected, why she called, yet she persisted. “You know, when we started … this, I never expected to want to be with someone again. But there’s something about him …”
“I can’t believe I’m gonna tell you this, but dammit, fuck him and get it out your system.” Aleck swore again. “Just don’t get involved.”
Despite the circumstances, Sunny laughed. “You’re such a dog, Aleck.”
He sighed. “Who is he? Let me do some digging. You know I have contacts.”
“No. Don’t.” The last thing she wanted was someone invading Oliver’s privacy. It wasn’t fair to him because Aleck was right — she couldn’t start anything with Oliver. “You’re right, but I needed to hear your voice. Needed to hear yousaythe words. I just have to get the message through to my heart is all. Forget I called. Bye, Aleck.”
Sunny flipped the phone closed, opened the back, and removed the battery before chucking the items into the safety box. She refrained from throwing it across the room.
Instead, she diligently placed it back in its hiding spot before entering her bathroom. Time for a long bath after which she’d christen her new toy. It was the closest she be getting to sexual release in a while.
Talking to Aleck had clarified her thoughts.
She couldn’t become involved with Oliver, as that meant telling him about her past. Andthatwas something she was not prepared to do.
And she couldnever, evertake him to her bed.
Because Sunny knew … once with Oliver would not be enough.
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