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Charlie sighed “Yes, I know It’s about trust Trusting aable to have men in my life in a serious way so my child can be comfortable with a male role model”
Dakota s about this You’re aware of the probleood”
“I hope so I keep thinking if I can just be with a guy without freaking, I’ll relaxmen in my life,” Charlie adh or say no He’s thinking about it I’ree And maybe scared he won’t”
Noroal—for everyone else She’d always been on the fringes
“You’re attracted to him?”
“Have you seen hi the obvious, there have been a few tingles Nothing huge, but more than usual for me”
She returned to the chair and sank down “I’ like a relationship I don’t want that I just want to get through whatever it takes to be in a place where I’ a kid Whatever form that takes”
“Understandable,” Dakota said “Okay, you have a plan and you’ve taken the first step Nohat?”
“I don’t know,” Charlie admitted “That’s what I want to talk about What do I do if he says yes?”
“You let the man seduce you”
Charlie could feel her face getting hot “I can’t even think about that It h that, aren’t there girlie things I should be doing? I don’t kno to do this stuff Is there a Dummies book?”
“No book required Just be yourself”
“Being erie? Get a bikini wax?”
Dakota laughed “I would pay big money to be in the rooive you a bikini wax”
“You’re not helping”
“Sorry Look, you’re understandably conflicted Who wouldn’t be? If he says yes, then shower, shave in the usual places and let theIf he says no, I have the naive you How’s that?”
“Good” She drew in a breath “I’m on birth control I have period issues and the pill helps”
“One problem solved Oh, be safe and use a condom”
Charlie winced “I hadn’t thought of that”
“I’ them, but just make sure you have the conversation”
“Because that will be so comfortable”
“If you can’t talk about protecting yourself with the man, how do you expect to have sex with him?”
“I thought I’d just lie there and think of England”
“He’ll be so flattered to hear that”
Charlie told herself to keep breathing After all, she didn’t have to do it that second And Clay could say no Although now that she’d asked, she found herself hoping he would agree Or maybe not Maybe therapy was a better choice
Dakota’s expression softened “Trust yourself You have good instincts”
“I picked the guy in college and look what happened there”
“You didn’t pick hiht he was There’s a difference”
“I hope so”
“From what I know about the Stryker brothers, theirWhatever happens, you’re strong and capable You’ll get through this”
Charlie could only hope she was right
WHAT CHARLIE DISCOVERED was that waiting could be its own brand of hell She worked the next day and that was a nice distraction Paige McLean, the station’s former receptionist, had dropped by to talk about how happy she ith her new husband The two of the to Thailand next But once Paige left, Charlie had too much time to think Worse, she was now off for twenty-four hours She was ju in y In desperation, she attacked her hedges, deciding to cut them back before winter
She’d been at it for a couple of hours She eaty and hot, her sticky skin dotted with bits of leaves and se and was about to take her tools to the garage for cleaning when Clay strolled up
He looked cool and fresh, his cotton shirt all s creases at the hps and thighs She couldn’t see his eyes behind his sunglasses, but there were tiny reflections of herself on the lenses Sweat, grime and debris were not her best look
“What do you want?” she deht want to be nicer to the man she’d asked to sleep with her
One corner of hisperson?” he asked
“It’s two in the afternoon”
“I was giving you the benefit of the doubt”
She sighed “I don’t like yard work I’ood at it Not the physical stuff—that’s easy But knohat to do I think my plants make fun of me behind my back”
“Because they respect you enough not to do it to your face?”
“So like that” She looked at him, then away Confusion made her uneasy Should she demand he tell her what he’d decided? Or just withdraw the request and accept a year or two of therapy?
“We should go inside,” he said,to the front door
As it was her house, she should do the inviting, but she decided to sio with it She put down her clippers and wiped her hands on the front of her tank top, wished her jeans were a little cleaner, then ed This was the real her If Clay couldn’t handle it, then sex was out of the question
But as she led the way into the house, she realized she was filled with a queasy coree or tell her to go to hell To be honest, she wasn’t comfortable with any of the possibilities
She passed through the living room and walked into the spacious kitchen The previous owner had updated it a decade or so ago, which had been h for her Appliances that worked, wood cabinets and a countertop where she could stack takeout was plenty Annabelle had done a full five-minute lovefest on the six-burner stove she’d chosen for Shane’s new house and an even longer soliloquy on the countertops Charlie had listened with seeood friend, but dear God It was a kitchen She siet excited
The table and chairs by thehad been a garage-sale find She’d stripped them herself and refinished them Heidi had helped her pick out the cheerful red cushions Now she pointed to the chairs
“Sit”
The word came out as more of a bark than she would have liked Clay rele-eyebrow raise, then did as instructed
She sighed Fine She would ad was a complete disaster for her At least she understood her liful relationship She siet laid
Sort of
She pulled a pitcher out of the refrigerator After filling two glasses with ice, she carried thelared at Clay