Amber Leigh Williams - Married One Night

His eyes dimmed. “Have you so little faith in men?” Both his hands gripped her face now. “I won’t hurt them. And I won’t hurt you, Liv. I wouldn’t dream of it.”

She thought of her lack of faith more as keeping the status quo of low expectations. Raising them only meant being disappointed. She wanted to believe Gerald when he said he wouldn’t hurt her—and that right there was trouble. Stick to the status quo, she told herself firmly. Or you will most certainly get hurt...whether he intends to hurt you or not.

Grabbing his wrists, she lowered them from her face and released them. “This isn’t going to work, you know. I hope you’re still prepared for that.”

“I’m prepared to do whatever it takes to change your mind,” he told her.

“Why?” she demanded. “Marriages based on one night of passion have terrible track records.” “Trust me, I know,” she almost added then closed her mouth quickly.

“I don’t believe that’s always the case,” Gerald said thoughtfully.

She raised one brow. “Are you always this idealistic when it comes to relationships?” she asked.

He reached up again to brush a hand back through her hair, lowering his face close to hers so the green of his eyes all but swallowed her. “I prefer to think of it as faith.”

She frowned. “Were your parents blissfully happy or something?”

“No. Their marriage was a rudding disaster and a bitter one at that.”

Olivia lifted her shoulders, disbelieving. “I was wrong, then. You’re not idealistic. You’re just plain crazy.”

“We’ll find out, won’t we?” he said. Before she could stop him, he bent down and touched his lips briefly to hers.

Off balance, she staggered, her mouth suddenly very dry and her heart dancing on twinkle toes.

Backing away toward the shore, he grinned at her stunned expression. “Tonight at the tavern. I’d like to see you again in your element. You can fix me a drink, and I might steal a dance.” Winking, he turned away and left her standing under the shade of the arbor.

As she watched him stroll away, all confident strides and whistling a jaunty tune, Olivia caught herself lifting her hand to her lips.

Hell . She had to pull it together.

CHAPTER FOUR

“LIV, I THINK you’ve gone and married Jude Law,” Roxie said in a whispered hush as she all but crawled onto the kitchen counter to better see the man strolling around Briar’s garden beyond the windows.

Olivia rolled her eyes. “I can’t catch a break with this guy.”

“You know—” Adrian pitched in, lifting her mug to her lips and tilting her head to better admire Gerald from the back as he turned to inspect a row of azaleas “—I think he’s more Colin Firth.”

“You would,” Olivia snapped. “And you’re no help, by the way.”

“Sorry,” Adrian replied. “Couldn’t resist ribbing you a little. It’s nice for a change.”

“He’s out of my league,” Olivia said matter-of-factly.

“I didn’t think anyone was out of your league,” Roxie claimed. “You could have anyone .”

Adrian snorted. “You have had anyone.”

“Jerk,” Olivia said, but without much heat. It was the truth. She wasn’t picky when it came to the men she invited into her bed...so long as they were agreeable to leaving it the following morning. “This is Gerald’s type we’re talking about, not mine. Audrey Hepburn is more his speed. Not Marlene Dietrich.”

“Don’t knock Marlene,” Cole, standing close by, advised.

“There’s nothing wrong with Marlene or you,” Roxie helpfully intoned. “Not that that matters because Gerald is so taken with you. When he looks at you, he just lights up.”

“Roxie,” Adrian said with a smirk, “you’re such a romantic.”

“Damn right I am.” Roxie beamed. “And as far as types go, I’ll warn you—it’s those we don’t expect to sweep us off our feet who we fall for the hardest.”

Nobody would be doing any falling, Olivia determined. Least of all her. When something inside her niggled doubtfully, she frowned and turned her attention quickly to Cole. “So what’s up with you and Briar?”

He frowned at her, switching Harmony’s weight from one arm to the other. The baby whined, wriggled, then settled after grabbing a fistful of the dark hair at the nape of Cole’s neck. “Excuse me?” he asked.

“Don’t give me that.” Olivia elbowed him. “You looked at her over breakfast like you wanted to slather her on your toast.”

“Yeah, but you couldn’t because she wasn’t on the menu,” Adrian added.

Cole frowned at their knowing faces. “Did she say something to you?”

“No, we’re just intuitive,” Olivia reminded him. “All except for Roxie here, bless her heart. She’s blinded by soon-to-be marital bliss.”

“Shouldn’t you be blinded by marital bliss, too, Liv?” he returned with a wry smile tugging at one corner of his mouth.

“Touché,” Adrian intoned, then cleared her throat when Olivia glanced askance at her. “Despite all appearances, Cole, we are known to be helpful on occasion. You should know that better than anyone.”

Cole sighed, glancing the way Briar had gone. “I don’t know what you could do in this case. It’s been a few months since Harmony came.”

“Two,” Olivia said handily.

“Not that I’m counting,” Cole retorted.

“And you two haven’t messed around since?” Olivia guessed.

He shifted uncomfortably under their expectant looks. “Things have been busy. There’s the baby. There’s taking care of the inn, the new advertising initiative to bring in more guests.... There hasn’t been time for messing around.”

“There’s always time,” Olivia said.

When Cole turned stoic again, Roxie clasped a hand to her heart. “Aw. You’re waiting for Briar to make the first move because you don’t want to rush her. Isn’t that just the sweetest thing?”

“She hasn’t shot me down,” Cole added quickly in defense of his wife. “We just don’t talk about it.”

“Who needs to talk?” Adrian asked.

“Excellent point.” Olivia faced Cole, setting her mug aside so she could level with him. “Look, I’m going to tell you the same thing I told Briar when you first came to Hanna’s. Get over yourself and jump her damn bones.”

Cole choked on the second cup of coffee he’d only just finished. Looking around, he made sure that Kyle was still eating, safely out of earshot. “Christ.”

“And I was right, wasn’t I?” Olivia challenged. “It’s what you both needed then, and it’s what you need now. Do it. We’ll all be happier for it.”

A frown tugged at Cole’s mouth. “And here I thought it wasn’t any of your damn business.”

Roxie’s cornflower-blue eyes gleamed as they found Gerald through the window again. “You know, all this talk about Briar and Cole getting together...it gives me an idea....” She looked at Olivia. “You’re usually the matchmaker, of all of us. I think it’s time we return the favor.”

Olivia didn’t like where this was going. “Huh?”

Roxie smiled. “I like Gerald. I think he might be good for you. Even if that doesn’t mean staying married to him, I think you should give whatever he believes you two have a chance. And, I’ll be honest, if over the next three weeks I discover a way to help him convince you to do this, then I’m going to take it.”

“I like this plan,” Cole piped up. He slung an arm around Roxie’s shoulders and squeezed companionably. “I’ve been waiting for the chance to give our cousin here a taste of her own medicine.” He winked at Olivia. “Yeah. I like this plan a lot.”