“That sounds good. I’m supposed to meet some guys there anyway.”
When they reached the restaurant, Cole was gratified to find the floors finished. The whole place was coming together. With the old booths removed, the space was far more open and modern.
“You’ll take dining in Chance Creek to a whole new level with this place,” Cab said.
“I hope Sunshine likes it.”
“So what’s this I hear about line dancing?”
Cole flushed. “Hell, people are talking about that?”
“Nothing stays a secret in Chance Creek. Are you really taking lessons?”
“Oh, it’s worse than that,” Jamie said. He’d just come into the restaurant, followed by Rob. “We’re all supposed to be taking lessons.”
“I can’t wait to see the performance Christmas Eve.” Cab was enjoying this too much for Cole’s comfort.
“Hell, you’ve seen this place,” Rob said. “That means you’re in the performance, too.”
“I don’t think so.” The big man held up his hands as if to fend that thought off.
“That’s the rule. Anyone who walks through that door is in on the game, which means they have to cover their tracks. You’re going to need lessons,” Jamie said.
“I’m a good dancer. I don’t need lessons,” Cab protested.
Cole laughed along with the others. “Don’t worry, we’ve got an instructor coming by later. We just need to learn one dance, after all.”
“I notice you didn’t tell me that rule before you invited me over here.” Cab crossed his arms over his chest.
The sheriff might have intimidated other men, but Cole had known him for years. “You invited yourself over,” he pointed out. “Anyway, I didn’t want to spoil the surprise.” He ducked when Cab took a swing at him. “Come on; it’s all for a good cause.”
“What cause is that?”
“My relationship.”
Cole hadn’t meant to say that, but now it was out and the men surrounding him regarded him with surprise. “Something wrong between you and Sunshine?” Jamie asked.
Cole didn’t really want to talk about it, but he found himself answering the question. “She’s been acting weird lately. I don’t know if she even wants to get married anymore.”
“That sounds serious,” Cab said. “Have you asked her?”
“To set a date? Not yet. I’m saving that for Christmas.” He crossed to the plate-glass window and stared out at the street. Maybe he’d be too late.
“I mean about your relationship. Have you asked her if something’s changed?” Cab said, following him.
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because if it has, I don’t want to know.”
Sunshine stretched her aching muscles. The good news was that her nausea seemed to disappear late in the afternoon. The bad news was that once it did, she was more aware of her muscles. Her friends kept pressing her not to do much work, and with their help she didn’t have to, but it was her house she was renovating. She wanted to pitch in and do her share.
Especially since she might turn around and sell it again.
The more she cleaned the place, the more she fell in love with it, though. She wanted to furnish every nook and corner. She knew it was silly, but she felt that the home wanted her here—and wanted her to fill it with a family.
But houses weren’t alive.
And she had to make a sensible choice.
Her meeting with the other chefs in town had been fun, but not as informative as she suspected Rose had hoped. Autumn had brought Arianna along and Mia had Pam. Between the two of them, the chatter among the women had been punctuated by squeals and shrieks and toddlers running amok in the restaurant. At least she’d managed to tell Autumn, Fila and Camila about the rock band. All three women asked to join in, Autumn on guitar, and Camila and Fila as singers. Autumn promised to fill Claire in on this development, too, mentioning that Claire knew how to play the piano. They had a good laugh at the lengths Sunshine was willing to go to in order to keep Cole’s Christmas present a secret, but unfortunately things got chaotic soon afterward.
Autumn had done her best to explain about her cookbook contract to Sunshine, but she’d barely started to talk when Arianna bumped her head on the table and broke into shrieks. A few minutes later, Pam managed to spill a glass of water. All Sunshine had learned from Fila and Camila during the noisy aftermath was that their business was booming. That made her even less confident than before—Chance Creek wasn’t that big a town. If people loved Fila’s, was there room for another restaurant?
It was disconcerting to watch the other women try to corral their children, too. She must be crazy if she thought she could balance any kind of work and motherhood.
Again and again she pictured Carl with a fistful of money. With it, she could do anything she wanted.
She was so preoccupied with her thoughts, she slipped into bed beside Cole that night, snuggled close to him and gave him a kiss. Only his surprised intake of breath reminded her they were fighting.
Before she could pull away, he wrapped an arm around her, pulled her close and kissed her back, a kiss so hungry she melted under it, despite everything.
“Cole—”
“No. Don’t try to figure it out. Not tonight.” He kissed her again.
He was right, Sunshine realized. If they tried to talk things out they’d probably make it worse, judging by the last few days, and she needed him as much as he needed her. She’d missed Cole’s strong arms around her. His mouth on hers made her come alive for the first time in days. With a sigh, she acquiesced and he pulled her even closer.
Letting their bodies talk for them was probably the smartest thing they’d done in weeks, Sunshine thought fleetingly a few minutes later. Cole’s hands stroking her skin had already stoked the desire in her veins. She moved with him, her fingers tracing the muscles of his shoulders, his back, and slipping downward to urge him inside of her.
But Cole wasn’t having that. He dipped down to take one of her nipples in his mouth and Sunshine arched her back, wanting more. As his tongue teased her, desire blossomed inside her all over again. After all the time they’d spent together in just this way, her interest in Cole’s body never diminished. The touch of him and taste of him swirled together into a cocktail of lust that heated her and made her hungry for him again and again.
Cole settled himself between her thighs and nudged them open with his legs. Sunshine let him take charge, glorying in the sensations he was calling forth from her body. It was such a sweet mystery to her how two people coming together added up to so much more than themselves. Where did these feelings come from, and how could they take over like this, making everything else so unimportant?
For a second, her worries came back—could Cole possibly sense her pregnancy? She’d already seen changes in her breasts when she looked in the mirror, and they were sensitive tonight. Would Cole notice the difference in the dark?
He didn’t seem to, and she relaxed again, moaning when he slid down and kissed a trail between her breasts, down her stomach and lower still.
Sunshine’s fingers tangled in the sheets as his tongue did wicked things to her innermost core. Her breath sped up and her hips lifted of their own accord until she was so close to losing control she whimpered a warning to Cole.