Promises to Keep by Vanessa Devereaux Page B

around in the BBQ
sauce. They and the sauce had been Amanda’s craving both times she’d been
pregnant. Happy days and happy times. He swallowed the
sudden lump forming in his throat.
    Don’t
go there.
    “So you grew up in Casper?” she asked him, her voice
getting louder to compete with the guitar player who was doing his solo piece
now.
    He nodded. “Fourth generation.”
    After Amanda’s death, he’d thought about moving,
taking the kids and getting as far away from Wyoming as they could, but he knew
that would be wrong. This was home, and it was where he and Amanda had planned
to raise their children and grow old together.
    Don’t
go there.
    “You want to dance once we’re done eating? I mean
that is if you like dancing.”
    “One of my favorite things to
do.”
    It had been Amanda’s, too.
    ****
    Hayley hadn’t had this much fun since… It had been
such a long time that she couldn’t even remember. Her former fiancé had hated
to dance. She’d only just realized that. Maybe they hadn’t been as compatible
as she’d once imagined.
    Cole spun her around to the music. She wasn’t sure
of the steps, but she watched everyone else and simply copied them.
    They hadn’t left the dance floor for three songs and
now the beat slowed down and couples were moving together, their arms wrapped
tightly around one another. At first she thought Cole would suggest they sit
this one out by diplomatically saying they needed to get their breath back, but
he didn’t.
    He held out his hands to her, and Hayley took three
steps toward him. He slipped his arms around her waist while she put hers
around his neck. Their bodies met. His was warm and welcoming. He smelled good.
Spicy aftershave clung to both his skin and the collar of his denim shirt.
Hayley took a deep breath so she could take in more of it. Almost
intoxicating. They moved slowly around the floor.
    He had an erection, and it pressed against her belly,
causing her panties to grow a tad damp, and her pussy pulled like it had the
night before. She rested her head on his shoulder, almost forgetting there were
other people milling around them. Cole hugged her closer, brushing his lips
against the one piece of exposed skin by the edge of her turtle neck sweater.
    She wanted to suggest they leave now. She couldn’t
take much more of this foreplay that had been going on between them since he
arrived at the inn. It was clear they both wanted the same thing.
    The music stopped and the band announced it was
going on a ten minute break.
    “You want to continue dancing back at the inn?” he
asked.
    ****
    For some reason the ride back seemed to take twice
as long as the journey to the bar. When they got to the front door of the inn,
it was snowing again. Hayley said goodnight to Mrs. Davies, who filled in for
her whenever she needed some time away from the inn. Cole hovered by the
reception desk.
    Once Mrs. Davies was gone, neither of them said
anything, but Cole pulled Hayley in close and kissed her. He held her face
between his hands.
    “I have to be perfectly honest with you. I haven’t been
with a woman since my wife died, so my lovemaking skills might be rusty.”
    She smiled. So they were going to have sex.
    “And I haven’t had sex since I kicked my fiancé out
that door,” she added, hoping that would put him more at ease.
    He rubbed his nose against hers.
    “Guess we’ll be like a couple of virgins,” he said.
    He got hold of her hand and led her up the stairs,
but then stopped. “I just remembered I don’t have condoms,”
    “I have some,” said Hayley.
    He winked at her and then they continued up the stairs,
along the hallway, and into his room.
    He flipped on the light by the bedside table. Both
of them removed their coats and shoes and then met in the middle of the floor.
    Now that she’d taken off her boots she realized how
tall he was. She stood on tiptoe to kiss him.
    “You have the softest lips,” he whispered.
    “The lady who sells me the