Free When the Glitter Fades (Cowboys of Whispering Winds) by Renee Peterson

to where his hands pressed against the small of her back and her lips were a mere inch from his. She ran her hands over his shoulders, locking them behind his neck.  Their lips met in a firm kiss, building pressure as their lust grew. Clay’s tongue prodded against her teeth begging for access and she eagerly caved.
    One of her hands found its way to the top of his jeans and she slid her hand in, grasping his shirt and pulling it out, allowing her to slide her palm along his torso. His chest was firm, but lacked the definition and sculpting that Jeremy boasted.
    Shut up head , she silently yelled, forcing her focus back to Clay. “Let’s go to the bedroom,” she suggested, lowering her voice to a seductive tone.  Threading a finger through a belt loop, she pulled him to her room, where a candle remained lit, giving luster to a romantic hue. 
    Clay crooked a finger through the flimsy knot of her robe’s sash, causing it to come undone, exposing her lace. He stepped back to admire her, his eyes hooding over. Reaching out a hand, he gently slipped it between the fabric and her shoulder, giving it a careful push and sending the robe gliding down her back to puddle at the floor.  Again, he wrapped his arms around her, resuming their kiss.
    Everything was perfect.
    But nothing felt right.
    Fear took over. Jeremy was the last person she’d been with. It had been three years, but residual effects lingered. What if she disappointed Clay as well? Would he find her lacking?
    She broke away. “I’m not ready for this,” she cried, embarrassed and angry at herself. Moving to the bed, she crumbled and kept mumbling, “I’m sorry.”
    Stooping down, Clay picked up her robe. He came and sat down beside her, handing her the cover-up. His sweet gesture made her cry.
    “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I thought I was ready. This is what I wanted. I’m so sorry.”
    Clay put a finger to her lips. “Shh. Never apologize for not doing something you’re uncomfortable doing.”
    “I didn’t mean to lead you on.”
    “You didn’t, sweetheart. Everything is fine. Why don’t you get dressed and I’ll wait for you out in the kitchen. We can watch a movie or something completely neutral,” he offered.
    “I’d like that,” she sniffed. 
    When Clay had left the room, she picked up her pillow and hugged it. Undoubtedly, her night would have gone differently if not for Jeremy’s new presence in her life. Unwrapping her arms from the pillow, she slammed it against the mattress. “Damn you, Jeremy Travers.”
    She didn’t see Clay standing at her door.
     
     
     

 

     
    “Look daddy, I made my pizza into a smiley face.”
    Jeremy looked down at Cody’s slice to see he’d arranged all the pepperonis into a half circle, with two pieces of meat above that. “You sure did, buddy. Let’s give him some hair.” He picked the diced green peppers out of the cheese from his slice and lined them up over the makeshift eyes.
    “We can’t forget a nose.” Cody tore off a piece of his crust and rolled it into a ball.
    “Who said you can’t play with your food.” He gave his son a conspiring wink.
    “This is fun. Can we do it every weekend?”
    His words took Jeremy by surprise. What he wouldn’t do for nights like this all the time.  He’d forgotten how much fun spending time, doing the simplest of things, with his son could be.  “We’ll have to talk to your mom about that, but it’s okay by me.”
    “Can we play cards yet?”
    “What card games do you play?” Jeremy asked, curious why his five year old knew about card games at his age.
    “Go Fish is the only game anyone will let me play with them.”
    “Ahh, okay.” He breathed out a sigh of relief. He’d forgotten about the childish game.
    “But I want to learn poker. That’s what adults always play.”
    Jeremy stumbled on his words, barely holding back his laughter. “I think you’ll need to put a few years behind you first, Cody.”
    “Please,