Texas on My Mind by Fossen Delores

Author:Fossen, Delores [Fossen, Delores]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: HQN Books
Published: 2015-02-23T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CLAIRE HATED THAT she was going to miss seeing Ethan before bedtime, but she was so late that there was no way he’d still be up. Or if he was, he’d be so grumpy that Claire would wish that he was asleep. Still, she’d be able to sneak in a kiss or two before collapsing into her own bed.

Most engagement shoots were fun, being with the happy couple and trying to capture that love and happiness in the photos. Not this one, though. Both sets of parents had been there. It had involved four different locations, including an abandoned drive-in movie theater where one set of the parents had met. Claire was sunburned and had a few fire-ant bites, and she knew without a doubt that she hadn’t captured much happiness in those shots.

She definitely hadn’t made any fantasies come true today.

Claire unlocked the front door and froze. No sitter. But Riley was still there. He was asleep on the floor, Ethan asleep next to him. There was a junkyard of cars and toys scattered all around them.

What the heck had happened here?

And where was Summer?

There was a car parked in the back part of the driveway, and Claire had assumed it was Summer’s vehicle. Claire soon figured out what was going on when she saw the note on the table next to all the phone numbers she’d left.

Riley said he’d stay with Ethan, so I cut out early to study. Riley paid me. Summer

Claire didn’t groan, but that’s what she wanted to do. She wasn’t sure she had the energy to deal with Riley. But then his eyes opened, he lifted his head and he gave her a lazy, half-asleep smile that made her nether regions go warm.

So maybe she did have the energy to deal with him after all. But that didn’t mean she should.

She repeated that to herself.

Riley stood, scooping up Ethan in his arms and tiptoeing—yes, tiptoeing because he was barefoot—to the nursery. He eased Ethan into his crib as if he’d done it a thousand times. After Claire kissed her son, whispered a good-night, Riley motioned for her to go back into the living room with him.

“Why did you stay?” she asked, also in a whisper.

He shrugged. “After I did my workout at home and showered, I decided to come back. Summer has a chemistry test and an art project due tomorrow.”

All right, that was a good reason, she supposed, but then he dodged her gaze, and Claire knew something other than her nether regions were up to something funny.

“Ethan brought me your mother’s journal.” Riley pointed to the blue book he’d put on the mantel.

That was all he needed to say before it felt as if the world had dropped out beneath her feet. Riley was right there to take hold of her, and as gently as he’d handled Ethan, he had her sit on the sofa.

“You read it?” she asked.

“Some. How much did you read?”

“Some,” Claire settled for saying. “But I want to read more.

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