Promises to Keep (17 page)

Hayley stood too. “Yeah, I have to work off some of
the calories.”

****

When Cole had purchased the necklace for Hayley, he
hadn’t envisioned her standing in front of him wearing it and nothing else.

It suited both the clothed and naked Hayley. The
blue brought out the bluish tones in her eyes, the red made her hair more
vibrant. Best of all he loved the way it hung just above her breasts, its pink
edging almost matching her nipples.

He ran his finger down her lower stomach, from her
belly button to the top of her mound. He leaned in and put his lips on her
upper belly, taking in her now very familiar scent.

She ran her fingers gently through his hair, lightly
touching his scalp and making his body tingle. He took another deep breath and
kissed her belly again. She had the softest skin. He moved his mouth back and
forth across it, feeling himself getting harder with each passing second.

He looked up at her. She looked down at him.

“I guess I should tell you that I’m in love with
you,” he said.

There he’d said it. He never thought he would, but
it had been easier than he’d thought.
The words slipping across
his tongue without effort or hesitation, because it was true.
He’d never
thought it possible that you could love two women so intently in one lifetime,
but he was living proof that you could.

“I love you, too.
Merry
Christmas.”

He wanted to make love to her, as a way of sealing
their official admission of love for one another.

Cole trailed his finger down her belly, letting it
disappear into her pubic hair, finding the heat of her folds and their
softness. She parted her legs slightly, letting him know what she wanted. He
knew what he wished for, to be buried deep inside her. His finger slipped into
her channel. She was more than ready for him, but he wanted to excite her even
further.

She grabbed his shoulders, her fingers melting into
his muscles as he slid his finger in and out. She groaned when he picked up
speed, her fingers now biting into skin, almost exciting him as much as he was
her. Her thighs tensed and then he felt her pussy convulse and then grip his
finger.

“Mmm,” she said, almost having trouble keeping her
balance now.

He stood, swung her round, and carefully easing her
on top of the quilt. He pushed her legs apart, seeing her pussy shiny with her
cum, beautiful and inviting as he introduced his cock to it and slid into
paradise.

****

She was happy.

She never thought she would be ever again. Not after
the business with her ex. She never thought she’d trust a man again, but Cole
had proved that sometimes you needed to let your guard down, and when you did
the most perfect man would waltz right in.

He thrust into her, perspiration gliding on her body
as they moved together. She wrapped her legs around him, feeling like they were
old pros at the love making game, but yet each time seemed new and different.
Each time brought more chills and thrills.

Like right now, she felt like she was wrapped in a
warm cloak, protected from the world and safe in his arms. His cock touched the
back of her pussy, making her stir, making her almost purr.

She’d never made that sound before. But then no man
had made her feel the way Cole did.

He nuzzled against her cheek as he drove deeper and
faster, and she felt like she was sinking and swirling. Her pussy tugged,
pulsated, and then her orgasm took control.

She reached up and touched his face, feeling the
stubble beneath her fingers as he breathed heavily, deeply, and then all she
found was pressure and slight warmth as he enjoyed his own release.

He slid out of her and rolled to her right side. She
hated to think back to the time when he’d simply gotten up and left. Cole put
his arm around her, and now by instinct, she rolled over and put her head on
his chest. She made swirling shapes around his nipples.

“Have you made any New Year resolutions?” he asked.

“I’m going on a diet. Well, at least I promise not
to eat so many chocolate chip cookies.”

“Never going to happen.”

They both laughed. “I’m thinking of a Valentine’s
Day afternoon tea.”

“Hey, Santa was enough, so don’t ask me to play
Cupid.”

“I think you’d look very sexy.”

“Yeah, in a diaper and yielding a
bow and arrow.”

Hayley laughed, one of her famous nasal ones that
made Cole laugh too.

“And are you making any resolutions?” she asked.

“Yes. I’m going up to the attic and I’m finally
going to clear out all the boxes I should have done at least a year ago.”

Hayley set her head back on his chest. She was more
than glad to hear that. It was time to stop clinging to the past and go with the
future.

Chapter
Twenty

Cole set the ladder up against the wall and used the
end of the broom to push open the attic door. The sooner he got this task over
with, the better for everyone. He placed the ladder under the door and headed
up. His method was straightforward, put all the items he was going to donate or
toss by the door, bring them down and get them out of the house before he had
any second thoughts.

Amanda would understand. He would have hoped she’d done
the same thing had he preceded her in death. He jumped up from the top rung and
headed to the back of the attic. Would she have remarried? He hoped that would
have been the case.
A man to take good care of her and the
kids.
He stopped suddenly. He was in love with Hayley. He wanted them to
be a family, but he hadn’t yet thought about remarrying. Was marriage something
Hayley wanted?

He guessed there was only one way to find out and
that was to propose.

He’d been nervous as hell the first time around. Amanda
had to almost pry the words out of his mouth.

The Valentine’s Day’s tea.
He’d
surprise her by dressing as cupid and pop the question. He smiled thinking how
stupid he was going to look, but he couldn’t wait to see her face.

Cole got on his hands and knees and pulled out the
first box sitting under the shelf. He opened it up and saw that it was full of
old books belonging to both he and Amanda. Maybe the library would like them.
He wrote that on the box, closed it up and slid it toward the door. Next he
opened a bag full of knitting wool and needles. Amanda had bought it a week
before she’d died. Maybe one of his sisters would like it. He slid that toward
the door too.

He reached up on the shelf and pulled down a box
marked Christmas. He’d missed this one the last time he’d been up here. He
pulled it open.
More Christmas ornaments and all of them
still in their original packaging.
Amanda must have bought them. He
pulled them out, thinking maybe the fire department could sell them in their
next rummage sale. New items, still in their original packaging would probably
bring in more money.

As he got to the bottom of the pile, he saw a
wrapped gift. It had his name on it.

To Cole,
from Amanda.

He swallowed a few times to get rid of the lump in
his throat. She’d bought this thinking she was going to put it under the tree.
The one they were bringing home that night.

Should he open it? Should he just throw it away?

She’d taken the trouble to buy and wrap it, so opening
it was the least he could do. But what if it upset him?

Without giving it another thought, he slid his
finger along the taped edge and ripped off the paper. It was a box. Maybe it
was a watch. He’d broken his a few weeks before her accident so she’d probably
thought he needed a new one.

Wondering if it was still working, he lifted the lid
to see a piece of folded paper sitting inside. He lifted it, not paying any
attention to what was underneath.

Merry
Christmas, hope you’ll like this gift…finally the third child we’ve always
wanted.

He dropped the box seeing the pregnancy test kit
starring back at him with the plus sign in its window.

Cole couldn’t breathe. Why hadn’t she told him? No,
that was typical Amanda. She loved surprising him.

He burst into tears. She’d been carrying his child.
Their baby had died along with her that night. They’d tried for so long for
another child. How could life be so cruel?

He slid down the stairs, almost tripping at the
bottom. He had to get out of here.
The house and the
memories.

Cole grabbed his keys for the truck and ran outside.
The snow was falling at a heavy pace. He got in, started the ignition, and
backed out of the driveway.

He didn’t know where he was going, but all of a
sudden he didn’t care.

Chapter
Twenty-One

Sadie sat on the chair outside the office of the
Board. She’d broken the news to them two days ago and an emergency meeting had
been called soon after. Last night she’d been summoned to attend a hearing, and
here she was waiting to learn her fate.

She heard the door opening and saw the secretary standing
beside her.

“We’re ready for you now, Ms. Sutton.”

It was never a good sign when people didn’t call you
by your first name. Sadie stepped inside the room to see three witches and two
warlocks sitting behind a table with papers in front of them. She’d seen them
before but didn’t know any of them personally. They looked up as she
approached.

“I’m Reney Warner. Please have a seat,” said the
witch sitting in the middle of the group.

Sadie sat with her heart beating faster by the
second. All eyes were now upon her. She twisted one of the rings on her finger,
hoping she didn’t look as nervous as she felt.

“Ms. Sutton, first of all, we’d like to commend you
on your honesty in coming forward about this matter.”

“Thank you, but I thought it was the only thing to
do.”

Reney nodded.

“It was a foolish mistake on your part. You know the
strict rules about mortals entering our world.”

“I do but…”

Reney raised her hand. “We have read the letter you
gave us from the child’s parents. They speak highly of you and feel that you
did it in the best interest of their baby.”

Sadie nodded.

“We also see that the parents request that the child
be trained in witchcraft skills in the mortal world, and only by you.”

She stopped for a minute while the warlock sitting
next to her whispered in her ear. She nodded.

“While it’s never been done before, we are willing
to allow it to take place but only on a trial basis. Should it not work out
then we will reconvene and consider the matter again.”

A tear ran down Sadie’s face. It had to work. It had
to.

“Thank you. I won’t let you down. Presley will be a
credit to us.”

“But there’s the question of your punishment. There
has to be a consequence for your impulsive action despite it being done with a
kind heart. Now Perfect Pairing…”

“No, don’t take it from me, please.” Sadie stood and
knew that was the wrong thing to do.

“Ms. Sutton, if you’d just allow me to finish my
sentence.”

“I’m sorry.”

Sadie sat, more tears streaming down her face.

“Perfect Pairing is one of the most successful
businesses run by the Realm, it will therefore continue.”

“Thank you, oh, thank you.”

“I haven’t finished yet. We have a situation that
has come to our attention, and we will assign you the task of putting it right.
This will be your punishment. You are to report back here tomorrow evening for
your instructions.”

Sadie stood and as she headed to the door, the most
terrible feeling hit her. Cole was in grave danger.

****

That was strange. Cole wasn’t answering his cell
phone. She’d even tried his home phone, but it kept going to voice mail.

Hayley turned off the heat under the skillet and
pushed the pan to one side. He was usually punctual but right now he was thirty
minutes late for dinner.

She pushed back the drapes, thinking she’d just
heard a truck pulling in, but it had been one of the guests who
was
staying for two nights. She hadn’t realized it was
snowing that hard and nightfall had set in rapidly. She let the drape fall back
on the window.

Maybe she’d give him another call.

Just as she picked up her cell, the phone in the
reception rang. She ran out to it.

“Hello, Rustic Inn.”

“Hayley.”