middle of the drive, he made a slow 360-degree turn, inspecting the perimeter. Nothing. Birds continued to twitter as a light spring breeze fluttered the budding flowers of a nearby dogwood tree. Still the feeling lingered.
An urgent need to see Keeley had Cole running toward the house. Jordan was probably still out, but he knew Eden was inside with her. Despite this assurance, he had to see for himself that she was all right.
He unlocked the door, swung it open, and promptly lost his breath. Keeley stood in the middle of the giant foyer. She was dressed casually in jeans and a pink, sleeveless cotton shirt. There was nothing remotely sexy about her clothing. But somehow Keeley made them sexy.
The jeans emphasized her long, shapely legs, and the fitted shirt was just snug enough to hug those luscious curves. Thick, lustrous, shoulder-length hair gleamed blue-black under the large chandelier. A sudden image of that hair spread out on a white pillowcase had him swallowing a groan. Why the hell this woman?
He’d spent as little time in Keeley’s presence as he could. Any information he didn’t get in their initialinterview, he could pick up from Eden or Jordan. Spending time with her wouldn’t help him find her children. She was the only person he knew for sure was innocent. But that was only half the reason why he stayed away from her.
She stirred something in him. Something he hadn’t felt in years…. Actually, he wasn’t sure he’d ever felt anything like it. Sure, she was beautiful. Her exotic beauty and lush curves made him long for things he dared not put a name to. She reminded him of the movie stars from years ago, a Sophia Loren exoticness with the classic loveliness of Grace Kelly. After his interviews today, Cole was beginning to see that her inward beauty might well rival her outward beauty.
Whatever the reason for this odd attraction, he needed to stay focused. Being around her for any length of time blurred that focus. Guilt? Definitely. But something more than that. Something he needed to stay the hell away from. Having any kind of feelings for her other than obligation would be damned stupid.
A slight movement beside her jerked him out of his lustful thoughts. She wasn’t alone. He turned to see another woman, about Keeley’s age. She was shorter, much smaller than Keeley. Very pretty, with light brownish-blond hair and a thin, somewhat angular face.
“Cole, this is my friend Jenna Banks.”
Cole drew closer and held out his hand. “Nice to meet you, Jenna.”
“Jenna came over for dinner.”
Jenna Banks snorted softly as she shook his hand. “More like I invited myself to dinner.” She winked at Keeley. “Have to make sure the girl’s eating.”
Keeley laughed softly. “That and the fact that Mrs. Thompkins made her famous chicken and dumplings.”
Her eyes twinkling, Jenna nodded. “Not going to lie, that’s the primary reason. It was exceptional tonight.”
“And I appreciate you staying so I could talk with you,” Cole said.
She shot a mysterious smile at Keeley. “Anything for Keeley.”
A wide-eyed, almost panicked look flickered on Keeley’s face. What was that about? He shifted his attention back to Jenna. “Would you be available to talk now?”
“Absolutely.” She gave Keeley another long look. “I’ll see if I can find out that information we were discussing earlier.”
A pink blush added a lovely color to Keeley’s face. After whispering “Behave” to Jenna, she shot Cole an awkward look. “I’ll go make sure Mrs. Thompkins keeps dinner warm for you.”
Before Cole could ask her if something was wrong, she turned and almost ran toward the back of the house, toward the kitchen.
His eyes followed Keeley until she disappeared from view. When he turned back to Jenna, he was surprised to see a small smile on her face.
“Something amusing?”
She shrugged and the smile disappeared, making her look years older. “How can I help you get her children
An urgent need to see Keeley had Cole running toward the house. Jordan was probably still out, but he knew Eden was inside with her. Despite this assurance, he had to see for himself that she was all right.
He unlocked the door, swung it open, and promptly lost his breath. Keeley stood in the middle of the giant foyer. She was dressed casually in jeans and a pink, sleeveless cotton shirt. There was nothing remotely sexy about her clothing. But somehow Keeley made them sexy.
The jeans emphasized her long, shapely legs, and the fitted shirt was just snug enough to hug those luscious curves. Thick, lustrous, shoulder-length hair gleamed blue-black under the large chandelier. A sudden image of that hair spread out on a white pillowcase had him swallowing a groan. Why the hell this woman?
He’d spent as little time in Keeley’s presence as he could. Any information he didn’t get in their initialinterview, he could pick up from Eden or Jordan. Spending time with her wouldn’t help him find her children. She was the only person he knew for sure was innocent. But that was only half the reason why he stayed away from her.
She stirred something in him. Something he hadn’t felt in years…. Actually, he wasn’t sure he’d ever felt anything like it. Sure, she was beautiful. Her exotic beauty and lush curves made him long for things he dared not put a name to. She reminded him of the movie stars from years ago, a Sophia Loren exoticness with the classic loveliness of Grace Kelly. After his interviews today, Cole was beginning to see that her inward beauty might well rival her outward beauty.
Whatever the reason for this odd attraction, he needed to stay focused. Being around her for any length of time blurred that focus. Guilt? Definitely. But something more than that. Something he needed to stay the hell away from. Having any kind of feelings for her other than obligation would be damned stupid.
A slight movement beside her jerked him out of his lustful thoughts. She wasn’t alone. He turned to see another woman, about Keeley’s age. She was shorter, much smaller than Keeley. Very pretty, with light brownish-blond hair and a thin, somewhat angular face.
“Cole, this is my friend Jenna Banks.”
Cole drew closer and held out his hand. “Nice to meet you, Jenna.”
“Jenna came over for dinner.”
Jenna Banks snorted softly as she shook his hand. “More like I invited myself to dinner.” She winked at Keeley. “Have to make sure the girl’s eating.”
Keeley laughed softly. “That and the fact that Mrs. Thompkins made her famous chicken and dumplings.”
Her eyes twinkling, Jenna nodded. “Not going to lie, that’s the primary reason. It was exceptional tonight.”
“And I appreciate you staying so I could talk with you,” Cole said.
She shot a mysterious smile at Keeley. “Anything for Keeley.”
A wide-eyed, almost panicked look flickered on Keeley’s face. What was that about? He shifted his attention back to Jenna. “Would you be available to talk now?”
“Absolutely.” She gave Keeley another long look. “I’ll see if I can find out that information we were discussing earlier.”
A pink blush added a lovely color to Keeley’s face. After whispering “Behave” to Jenna, she shot Cole an awkward look. “I’ll go make sure Mrs. Thompkins keeps dinner warm for you.”
Before Cole could ask her if something was wrong, she turned and almost ran toward the back of the house, toward the kitchen.
His eyes followed Keeley until she disappeared from view. When he turned back to Jenna, he was surprised to see a small smile on her face.
“Something amusing?”
She shrugged and the smile disappeared, making her look years older. “How can I help you get her children
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