In His Bed(29)

Rachel slid her arm around Lea’s waist and squeezed. “I’ll bet. Lea likes how you wait on the ball, you know all bent over and—what did you say—intense? Yeah, she likes you all bent over and intense.”

Holy Mother Mary, she was going to die. Lea pictured her grave and her body falling into the dark cavern. “Rachel!”

Her friend grinned. “Come on, Scotty. Let’s call the kids and get some pizza. It’s like a date night!”

Lea waited for Rachel and Scott to walk away. “You’ve got to be more careful, Colin. Your mother is going to find out what’s going on. The last thing I want to do is upset her.”

Colin wrapped her in his arms, pulling her in close to his heated body. “You,” he said before pressing a kiss to her closed mouth, “worry too much. I’m starving.” He sat down and changed his shoes. “She’s going to find out sooner or later. We’ll handle it when the time is right. I won’t let you handle this alone, Lea.”

He laced their fingers together making her feel like their hands were always meant to be held together. This wasn’t what this was supposed to be—two people holding hands, laughing, having pizza, spending late nights talking by the pool, doing things as a couple. What had happened between their bodies in ecstasy on the bed that first night that led to this?

“I’m not ready. Not yet.”

She knew about all the women he’d dated, how his mom wanted to set him up with a girl from the school she worked at, why clowns creeped him out, that he was afraid of the dark—he hadn’t actually revealed that one, but he still slept with the same Transformers night-light he had when he was six years old—and that his favorite food was his mom’s taco lasagna.

Colin had a million questions about her marriage and why she’d stayed with a cheating husband after the first incident. Hell, looking back, she wasn’t sure why she’d hung around. Surprisingly, Colin hadn’t chastised her for the decision. He’d just gotten red in the face and threatened to beat her ex to a pulp.

She’d told him things she’d never shared with anyone—how she’d found a lump in her breast and how scared she’d been waiting on the biopsy results. Thank God it was negative, but the pending result had put her life into perspective. Everything could be lost in a moment—all the exhilarating moments she’d never taken advantage of would never come around again.

Now, watching Colin snag the handle of the large bag, she couldn’t help but think if this was one of those moments. When they reached the end of the bleachers, Colin stepped down. Lea’s heart pumped so hard her chest tightened. Was this the moment she bungee jumped, took the step to get on the huge roller coaster at the theme park?

Colin turned when she didn’t step down. He set the bag in the grass. “Baby, you all right?”

A hot ray spiked through her senses and something deep inside pushed her over the cliff. She reached out and wrapped her arms around Colin’s neck to pull him close. He was on the ground and she was a couple of benches above him, so she dipped her head and pressed her lips against his mouth. As soon as he realized what was going on, he wrapped his arms around her waist and tugged her close.

“Jesus, I’ve been waiting for you to do this,” he whispered against her mouth.

Lea smiled beneath the kiss and tilted her head. She slipped her tongue between his lips to deepen the intense feelings between them. Quickly, he took control of the passion and ran his hand along her sides, reaching down to squeeze one globe of her ass. When he moaned, she laughed. Maybe they really didn’t need pizza. She could eat this up for eternity.

The thought brought reality crashing down. She pulled back and frantically scanned the ballpark. There were only a few people left heading to their cars. Thank God. Colin ran his hand up her spine, raking with it tiny sparks of pleasure.

“Don’t be scared,” he said before peppering gentle kisses against her mouth. “We’re two people kissing, Lea. Let them see how much I want you.”

She wanted to be just two people kissing, but they were two people whose ages were a lifetime apart—two people who were keeping a secret from the people they loved. Besides, the day was coming when he’d wake up and see this affair as a novelty. Young guy wants the experience of an older woman. Granted, thirty-nine wasn’t ancient by any means—she’d enjoyed the last few years and hadn’t minded the wisdom that came with watching birthdays scoot past, but now? With Colin, she almost wished she could turn back the clock.

Colin gently slid his palm over her cheek. “Come back to me, baby. Stop thinking. Let’s go get something to eat.”