“I’m not,” she whispered. “Not about one single, solitary thing that’s happened between us. Not from the first day I arrived. And not about last night, either. Just because your father assumed something doesn’t put you on the spot with me, Cole Brownfield. What happened last night doesn’t either. You have to want me as much as I want you, and then we’ll talk. Until then, why don’t you just go with the flow, darlin’. You California people live life too fast. You need to take it one day at a time.” Then she leaned forward and whispered against his lips, “Nice and easy…it’s the only way to go.”

He grinned and closed his eyes as he tasted her words. They were reminiscent of last night’s loving and this morning’s breakfast. It was the first time he’d ever realized that making love and maple syrup were alike—both of them slow moving and very, very sweet. And then she walked out of his arms and up to the phone.

“My turn.” She smiled as Morgan handed her the phone and a kiss.

Cole watched the expressions coming and going on her face and knew that he was over his head in love with Deborah Randall. What he did about it would be an entirely different matter. For one long, delicious moment he allowed himself to dream—about loving and life and Debbie and babies. And then he saw a familiar brown leather wallet lying on the counter. He walked over and picked it up.

His badge.

He knew instantly when he’d lost it. Last night, when he’d shed every stitch of both clothing and inhibition and crawled into the pool with her.

His fingers traced the outline of his badge, smoothing the cool metal until it warmed beneath his touch. Worry tinged the edges of his conscience, but he shoved it back into a deeper part of his mind. Today was not a day for borrowing troubles. Today was not the day to decide if his life and a wife would coincide. His baby sister was now a mother. It was enough…just for today.

Chapter 8

Thomas Holliday was pissed. He looked at his reflection as he walked past a store window and frowned. He had a deep scratch on his face and two more on his neck.

Damn fool bitch!