Letting Go (Vista Falls #3) by Cheryl Douglas Page B

advice.”
    “You did? About what?”
    He picked up a single white rose, trailing it along her cheek and down her neck until she snatched it from him. She was wearing a thin cotton sundress, and it didn’t take x-ray vision for him to see the effect he was having on her with that damn flower.
    “What’s wrong?” He rolled his lower lip between his teeth as his captivating gray eyes dipped below her chunky turquoise necklace. “Chilly?”
    “You’re a pig,” she scolded, folding her arms. Even though they’d agreed to try being friends, Gabby knew there would always be a sexual undercurrent to their conversations that would make it difficult for her to focus on anything besides getting naked.
    “You can’t blame me for wanting you, Gabby. You’re a beautiful woman. And we’re good together.” His voice dropped even lower, intensifying the quiver in her belly. “Real good.”
    She couldn’t deny he was right. It would have been stupid to try. Neither one of them had suffered amnesia since their last encounter, though she suspected he’d had plenty of other women warming his bed since, trying to erase her from his memory. Unable to quash her curiosity, she asked, “How soon after we were together last did you sleep with someone else?”
    “Whoa!” His eyes widened as he stepped back. “Where the hell did that come from? I was caught up in a nice little fantasy about us, and you dump a bucket of cold water on me by asking me about other women?”
    She shrugged, wishing she could take it back. She didn’t want him thinking about other women he’d slept with either. “Forget I asked.”
    “No, there’s nothing you can’t ask me.” He sighed, running a hand over his head. “Uh, I guess it was a couple of months.”
    “Huh.” At least he hadn’t jumped into bed with someone else as soon as he left town. That would have made her feel as though their time together meant nothing to him.
    “Okay, your turn. How long for you?”
    “Uh…” She should have known better than to open this can of worms. Naturally her question would lead to him grilling her about her sex life. Or lack thereof. “I don’t sleep around. You should know that by now.”
    He clutched his coffee cup as he shook his head slowly. “You’re not saying that…”
    “You were my last lover?” She forced herself to look him in the eye even though she would have preferred to crawl under the counter instead. “Yeah, that’s what I’m saying. But don’t go assuming that’s because I wasn’t over you. What happened between us was one lousy night. I never made it out to be any more than that.”
    “It was one incredible night.”
    “Now you’re arguing semantics with me? Really?”
    “I think it’s an important distinction, don’t you? An incredible night we can build on. A lousy night? Not so much.”
    A subject change was definitely in order. She couldn’t allow herself to consider building anything with Colt. It was too risky. “Uh, you said you took my advice. About what?”
    “I went to see my mother.”
    “Oh really? How did that go?” His slight smile told her all she needed to know. “Well, I take it.”
    “She’s changed.”
    “Yes, she has.”
    “You’ve gotten to know her?”
    Back in high school, Gabby had rarely seen Colt’s mother. She’d been too ashamed to show her face in public given her husband’s antics, and Gabby had never been a welcome guest at Colt’s house. But no one was. Not even Wes.
    “It’s a small town,” Gabby said before taking a sip of her coffee. “Our paths cross now and then.”
    “What’s your perception of her?”
    Since Colt seemed genuinely interested in her opinion, she said, “I think she’s trying hard to change. I can tell she’s shy, but she’s coming out of her shell more and more, trying to get involved in the community.”
    “Have people been receptive to her, or have they held her accountable for my old man’s sins?” Colt’s voice held a hard