Free The Ties That Bind by Jaci Burton

amusement, Rick could see the misery reflected in Lisa’s eyes. He wanted to turn thataround. “You’re worried your life is over because your baby girl is going away to college. That she won’t need you anymore.”
    Her cheeks pinkened. “I know it’s silly. But we’ve always been so close. I know we’re not best friends, because I’m first and foremost her mother, not her buddy. The house will just be so empty after she’s gone.”
    He hoped it wouldn’t be, but he wasn’t going to get into that just yet. “You have a full life, Lisa. A career. You’ve worked hard. Your life isn’t all about Kayla.”
    She shrugged. “I know that. Logically anyway.”
    He also knew that part of her was afraid to take the next step. He knew her so well. “Yeah, but you’re a woman. Emotional.”
    She tipped her sunglasses down the bridge of her nose and gave him a look. “Oh, don’t give me that. You’re going to miss her, too.”
    “Of course I am. But she’s grown up. She’s ready to move on to her next adventure. To get out there on her own and test the waters.”
    Lisa slid the glasses back up to cover her eyes, then clasped her hands together in her lap. “And we have to let her go.”
    “Yeah, we do. But instead of thinking about the emptiness, why don’t you think of fun ways to fill all that spare time you think you’re going to have?”
    She glanced over at him. “For example?”
    “Well, I’ll be available.”

Seven
    Lisa gave him a thoughtful look. He’d hooked her, which was good. Sometimes he liked her thinking, especially if it was about him.
    “You’ll be available for…?”
    “I don’t know. Bowling.”
    She snorted. “You hate bowling.”
    “Good point. We could go to movies.”
    “We used to love that.”
    “I hear they’re reopening the old drive-in.”
    “Really?”
    “Do you remember when we used to go?”
    She laughed. “Yeah. You, me, and about ten of our friends, all piling into a couple pickup trucks packed up with lawn chairs and coolers. It was fun.”
    He reached for her hand. “I liked it better when it was just the two of us there.”
    “Of course you did. Because we did more making out, less watching of the movie.”
    He had vivid memories of the times they spent cuddled together in the car. “Duh. Why do you think I liked it?”
    “You would.”
    “Though I think I got you pregnant at the drive-in.”
    “I think you might be right. Maybe it’s not such a good idea for us to rekindle our love of drive-in movies, then.”
    He tilted his head back and laughed, then stood and dragged her out of the chair, pulling her against him. “Okay, no bowling. No drive-in movies. I can think of other ways to pass the time.”
    Lisa locked her arms around his back, her hips brushing his legs. She tilted her head back. “You can, huh?”
    “Yeah.” He pulled her sunglasses off, needing to see her eyes. So clear, bright, filled with the passion he felt, too, whenever he got close to her. She made him feel like a kid who couldn’t control his own libido. Hell, he got hard whenever he was around her. That didn’t happen with other women. He definitely had a thing for Lisa.
    “What are you thinking about?” she asked.
    He refocused his attention on her face. “What? Nothing.”
    “Not true. You get this glazed look in your eyes whenever you’re thinking about something. Kind of unfocused, like you’re deep in thought and miles away.”
    “Sorry. I was actually thinking about you.”
    She quirked a brow. “You were?”
    “Yeah. And how I get a hard-on whenever I’m around you. It’s kind of embarrassing. I’m too old to pop an erection whenever I’m near a woman.”
    She grinned and rocked her hips against his. “Oh, I don’t know about that. I like it. It’s a compliment.”
    He slid his hand down her spine, palming the small of her back and pushing her closer to him so he could press his erection against the softness of her body. “You say that now. What