Tomorrow's Promise (The Hawks Mountain Series) by Elizabeth Sinclair Page A

covered, too. For the time being, I’ll take you. In the meantime, young lady, I’m going to teach you to drive so you can get your license and use my car.”
    Learning wasn’t a problem. She’d taken a full year of Drivers’ Ed in high school, passed it with flying colors, and still recalled most of what she’d learned. However, using his car? “But—”
    He laid a finger over her lips. “No buts about it.” When she continued to try to protest, he continued. “Please let me do this to make up for the housekeeper thing. It’s no problem. I don’t need my other car. If I do need transportation, I have the squad car at my disposal all the time, and it will help you achieve that independence you want so badly.” He started toward the door with Faith following close behind.
    “Cole?” He stopped and turned back to her. She hoisted herself on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. “Thank you,” she whispered against his skin. And she meant it. He’d done more for her in the short time she’d known him than Sloan had done in the entire time they’d been together.
    He turned his head just a fraction and looked down at her. Faith’s breath caught. His whiskey eyes captured hers. Mesmerized by the desire burning in their depths, she was unable to move, unable to turn away from the inevitable, unable to stop what her head told her was not a good idea, but her heart brushed aside.
    Very slowly, as if giving her time to refuse, he lowered his head. Refusal never entered Faith’s mind. Need overrode her good sense. Instead of stopping Cole, she found herself leaning against his muscular body and sliding her hands up his broad chest. Shamelessly, she tipped her head back and offered him her lips. When his mouth settled gently over hers, her knees turned to rubber, and had it not been for his arms encircling her waist, she would have sunk to the floor in a boneless heap.
    The kiss that started out sweet, soft, and gentle, quickly turned hungry and passionate. Faith clung to him, her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer. Desire eroded her willpower like ocean waves eating away at a sandy beach. He lifted his head, breathed her name, and then captured her mouth again. This time, she felt as if he was branding her forever with his kiss.
    “Momma!”
    Lizzie’s strident cry pulled them apart as if they’d been drenched in icy water. She stared up at him, at a loss for words. He touched her face reverently. “I’d best go before we do something we’ll both be sorry for tomorrow.” He ran his fingertips over her cheek as if memorizing the shape and texture, then released her, and opened the door. “I’ll be by around eight for you.”
    Faith didn’t trust her voice. She nodded and after the door closed behind him, she sagged against it and stood there for a moment, unable to get her feet to move.
    “Momma!”
    Shaking herself out of the sensual stupor she’d been trapped in, Faith hurried off toward Lizzie’s room. “Momma’s coming, baby.”
    COLE POURED HIS morning coffee and carried it to the front porch. He flopped down in one of the rockers he’d bought yesterday, because Faith had been right about the rockers. He took a sip of the coffee and waited for the jolt of caffeine to hit his system and bring his sleep-deprived body to life.
    It wasn’t often that he got up early enough to enjoy the dawn, but last night and into this morning, sleep had stubbornly eluded him. The idea of sitting out here and watching the sun rise above Hawks Mountain appealed to his need for serenity. Intentionally, he cleared his mind and concentrated on the changing hues of orange, purple, and pink as the sun gradually peeked over the mountain. Except for the few white puffs hanging over the peeks of Hawks Mountain, the sky was clear. It was going to be a beautiful day. Heaving a deep sigh of contentment, he started the rocking chair moving in a gentle back and forth motion.
    Just beyond the porch, a squirrel scampered