Susan Mallery - Only His

Her children were all happy and successful. Her friends were healthy, her investments sound. She’d had the furnace checked for the winter, the gutters cleaned and there was plenty of food in the refrigerator. So, what was she waiting for? She needed to get on with her life.

The doorbell rang, saving her from further introspection. While she was excellent at understanding everyone else’s lives, she’d never been very good at ruminating over her own. She preferred to be going and doing. A good thing, considering she’d raised six children.

She walked through the living room, toward the front door, and pulled it open. Only to find herself staring at a man she hadn’t spoken to in more than thirty-five years.

To the day, she thought, realizing the source of the restlessness. This was the anniversary of the last time she’d seen Max.

Max Thurman had been her first love, her first lover, her first everything. She’d thought she would love him forever, until she’d met Ralph Hendrix. The two men couldn’t have been more different. Max had always been wild. He rode a motorcycle, was a troublemaker. Ralph had been responsible, with plans to go into his father’s business.

She’d impulsively accepted a date with Ralph during one of her frequent fights with Max. She’d expected to be bored but had instead been charmed.

Max had left town a few weeks later. No one had known where he’d gone. About a year ago he’d reappeared. She’d carefully stayed out of his way, not sure how she felt about her old boyfriend returning to the scene of the crime.

He looked good, she thought absently. His blond hair had gone gray, but it suited him. The blue eyes were as piercing as she remembered, the smile as easy, the body as muscled.

“Hello, Max.”

“Denise.”

She stepped back to invite him in.

As he walked past her, she felt a remembered thrill, as if all that time hadn’t passed. It was kind of comforting to know she could be as foolish now as she had been at nineteen.

They faced each other.

“It’s been a while,” she said. “How are you?”

“Good. I moved back last year.”

“So I heard.”

“I’ve seen you around town a time or two.”

She nodded, then looked away. “I’ve avoided you.”

“I noticed. I figured you needed time.”

She laughed. “It’s been thirty-five years. How much more time were you going to give me?”

He smiled and it was just like it had been back then. Her knees went weak and her heart fluttered.

“Until today,” he told her.

She didn’t know what he wanted or what he expected, but none of that mattered. This was Max. Her Max.

“Ralph died nearly eleven years ago,” she said.

“I know. I’m sorry.”

“I loved him very much. We had a wonderful life together and he gave me six beautiful children.”

Max nodded slowly. “I saw what was happening. After your first date with him. That’s why I left. I knew I couldn’t compete with him. I could have seduced you back into my bed, but I couldn’t have kept you there. I didn’t deserve you back then.”

They stared at each other.

“Now that we have that out of the way,” she said, “what happens now?”

“I thought we could start with a cup of coffee. We have a lot of catching up to do.”

TUCKER STOOD AT THE SIDE of the dirt road, looking stunned. He held a casserole dish in his hands.

Nevada sighed. “This is where you tell me you can handle it yourself. Isn’t that what you said? That a few single women couldn’t frighten you?”

“They’re everywhere.”

A slight exaggeration, she thought, amused. “Only three.”

“In one morning.”

She knew it wasn’t just the food. He’d also had two invitations to dinner and one request for a coffee date.

“I warned you and you didn’t want to listen.”

“I was wrong.” He turned to her. “What do I do?”

She smiled. “Am I correct in assuming you’re not interested in a liaison with one of the lovely ladies in town?”

“No. I’m not. But I also don’t want them pissed at me. You have to help.”

“Technically, I don’t.”

Maybe it was wrong to enjoy watching him squirm, but she was willing to live with the guilt.

“Face it, Tucker. The town has something of a man shortage and you’re a man.”

A man who knew how to kiss, she thought, then pushed the memories of the other night out of her head. It had been a whole lot easier not to think about Tucker when she didn’t have to see him every day. And when the last memory of their time together had been so awful. Now she knew what it was like to kiss him when he was sober and just as interested as she was.

“You have to make them stop,” he told her.

“What will you give me if I do?”

The question was automatic, honed from being one of six siblings. Before he could say anything, she held up her hands.

“Never mind. Don’t answer that. I’ll help you because I’m a nice person and it will make my mother proud. There’s no other reason. Come on.”

She started walking to her truck.

“Where are we going?”

“Into town.”

They were there in less than fifteen minutes. She parked by the lake and turned off the engine.

“We’re going to walk through town and you’re going to pretend you’re completely into me. By the time we get back here, word will have spread and your problem will be solved.”

“I can do that.”

She was grateful he didn’t press her on why she was helping. Sure, some of it really was about her mother. But while she’d enjoyed watching Tucker squirm, she didn’t actually like those other women coming on to him.

She and Tucker might have agreed they were going to be all business, all the time, but that didn’t make her any less aware of him.

“We’ll hit the grocery store, then Morgan’s Books. After that we’ll do a quick walk down Frank Lane and you’ll be untouchable.”

“I owe you,” he said as he got out of her truck.

In more ways than he knew, she thought.

They started toward the center of town. When they reached the corner and stopped for the light, Tucker grabbed her hand.

It took her a second to remember this was part of a plan, and her idea. While her brain was busy processing the information, her body was stirring as heat sparked and her girl parts woke up.

No way, she told herself. There was no more reacting to Tucker. But lecturing didn’t help much, not when he laced his fingers with hers and squeezed.

They walked through the grocery store. She made what she hoped was sparkling conversation, all the while trying not to notice how their shoulders brushed and the way he smiled at her.

Back on the street she was relieved to see Pia and Raoul walking toward them, the former football player pushing a double stroller.

“Hi,” she said eagerly, pulling her hand free of Tucker’s and hurrying to meet her friends. “You’re out.”

“Finally,” Pia said. “We thought it was time to introduce the girls to their hometown. Plus, they’re starting work on the Fall Festival today and I want to check on things. Then there’s the whole artist series, with a surprise guest. And it’s time to check the inventory for the Halloween decorations, if you can believe it.”

Nevada introduced Tucker. The two men shook hands. He surprised her by peeking in at the twins.

“They’re beautiful,” he said.

Pia nodded. “I can’t take the credit, so I’m comfortable saying I agree with you. Plus, they’re both really good. I’ve been reading tons of nightmare stories online about colic and sleepless nights. We’re lucky. What are you two up to?”

“I’m protecting Tucker from the single women in town.”

Tucker glanced at her. “Did you have to share that?”

Nevada grinned at him. “I’m sorry. Was it a secret?”

Raoul shook his head. “Don’t let your pride get in the way. Women in this town are determined.” He put his arm around Pia. “Look how you stalked me.”

“I did not. You were the one begging me to marry you. I took pity on you.”

“Keep saying that and maybe one day it will be true.”

Nevada knew they had unexpectedly fallen in love with each other while Pia was pregnant with her friend’s embryos.

“If it gets bad, you can hang out with us,” Pia said, leaning into Raoul.

“Thanks.”

They left the young family and continued their stroll through town.

At the corner by Morgan’s Bookstore, Nevada was about to say they could stop for fudge before going in when Tucker surprised her by pulling her toward him.

“What?” she asked.

Instead of answering, he bent down and kissed her.

The feel of his mouth was delicious and her already alert body sent up a cheer. Aware they were in the middle of town where everyone could see, she wanted to draw back. But she couldn’t. Something about his touch made it impossible to move, impossible to do anything but lose herself in the sensation of his lips against hers.

He wrapped his arms around her so they were touching from shoulder to thigh. The intimate embrace made her want to hug him back and the last of her resistance faded. Just when she was about to part her lips so they could deepen the kiss, he stepped away.

She blinked in the bright sunlight.

“What the hell was that?” she demanded.

He grinned and took her hand again. “Just doing what you said. Making them believe I’m into you.”

Oh, right. The plan to protect him.

“I, ah, fine.” She cleared her throat. “You did well.”

He winked. “I liked it, too.”

So much for the “work only” rules. So much for just being friends. The truth was Tucker Janack got to her. He always had, and she had a bad feeling he always would. The trick was going to be figuring out how to manage her reaction to him and stay sane at the same time.

AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS of dodging Tucker, doing her job and wanting nothing more than to escape the daunting sexual tension she felt every time she was around the man, Nevada was relieved when she got a call from Montana. She and Dakota were calling a triplet meeting. They agreed on a time and suggested meeting at their mom’s house.

Nevada arrived early. It had been a great excuse to leave the job site. She was hoping that after her sisters talked about whatever their issue was, she could ask for a little advice on how to clear her head when it came to Tucker. She didn’t have any ideas of her own.

Focusing on the past and hating him wasn’t really an option. It had been ten years ago, she’d been as much to blame as he was and she preferred to look forward rather than back. Plus, she really did love her job and wanted to keep working with him. Having him wear a gorilla mask every day would help, but she wasn’t sure how to ask for that.

She walked up to the front of the house, knocked once as she always did and pushed the door open.

“It’s me,” she called. “Am I the first one here?”

There wasn’t an answer. She heard a noise from the kitchen and moved down the hall, wondering what the discussion was about. Maybe Montana was pregnant. That would be fun. Simon was a great guy. Maybe they were announcing their engagement. That would mean both her sisters were happy in love.

Good for them, she thought, telling herself not to get into a funk about it. She would find her own guy eventually. She had to stay positive.

Lost in her own thoughts, she barely noticed that the odd sound was repeated again. Even as she registered that it was more a moan than a word, she walked into the kitchen to find her mother with Max Thurman.

Naked.

On the kitchen table.

Having sex.

It was one of those moments that slowed time. She felt as if she were underwater, unable to move quickly, or even breathe. The image burned itself onto her brain. She shrieked and covered her eyes, but it was too late.

“Nevada!”

“I’m sorry,” Nevada yelled and ran away as fast as she could. She made it outside, where she stood in the center of the lawn, trying to catch her breath.

“No, no, no!”

Closing her eyes didn’t help, nor did humming. Whatever she did, she could still see them doing it.

“What’s going on?”

She saw her sisters hurrying toward her and she ran in the other direction. They chased her down the street.

“Stop it!” Montana yelled. “Dakota’s pregnant. She can’t run after you.”