She was stunned. "I love it. Didn't you think I would? But-"

"I don't want to remodel the house, Tara. I want to be out of it. Start fresh, with no memories of any kind."

"Any kind?" she teased.

"Well," he drawled, "maybe a few. Listen, I had Jake tell the real estate agent someone might be interested. Would you be happy with this?"

Tara threw her arms around him. "More than I can tell you."

A house of her own, built just for them. She couldn't have asked for more.

By the time they reached the ranch, Tara could hardly contain her excitement. And when she went into the room where Molly sat in a playpen and the child reached out her arms for her, her heart was so full she had to turn away to hide her tears.

"Was she good?" she asked Luisa.

"As gold," Luisa answered. "I told Lindsey she should order a baby girl just like this one."

"She's been great," Lindsey said, "but she's been looking for you every day."

Tara hugged the little girl to her and rained kisses on her cheeks. The little girl smelled deliciously of cookies and chocolate and baby powder, a scent that made her heart turn over.

Molly patted her with her chubby little hands then shifted in Tara's arms as she spotted Cole walking in behind her. Bouncing up and down, the little girl lifted her arms out to him, cooing.

Everyone in the room froze. No one made a move. Tara couldn't breathe, terrified that their newfound relationship would flounder in this situation. Cole had promised to try, but this might be asking too much too soon.

Molly squirmed, trying to reach Cole. Tara held her breath.

Cole stood for a long moment, such a look of agony on his face that Tara wanted to cry for him. Then, so stiff he looked as if his body would break, he reached out and took the little girl in his arms.

Jake broke the tension in the room. "Luisa packed all of Molly's stuff," he said. "I'll just take everything out to the car."

Tara barely noticed them leave the room. She just stood where she was, mesmerized, watching. "Do you want me to take her?" she asked at last, trying to ease this strange situation.

"No," Cole said, his voice sounding as if his throat were paralyzed. "It's all right. I'll carry her to the car. We should say our goodbyes and get going. And we need to thank everyone for doing this."

On the way out to the car, Lindsey pulled Tara aside. "By the looks of things, I'd say the delayed honeymoon exceeded expectations," she whispered.

"Better than you can imagine. We still have some hurdles to get past, but we'll get there.

Everything between us is so wonderful, Lindsey."

"I'm so glad for you both. He's such a special person."

"Yes, he is. I'm very lucky."

"No," Lindsey said softly, "Cole's the lucky one."

"So did you give her the nickel tour?" Jake asked.

Cole nodded. "Call your agent and set up a meeting. It's a go."

Lindsey clapped her hands. "How wonderful. We'll be so close together."

"Remember," Cole warned, "we have one house to sell and another to build before this all happens."

"But it will." Lindsey kissed his cheek. "That's for luck."

They drove home in silence, but not a bad one. Not strained. A thoughtful quiet time.

While Cole carried all the suitcases into the house, she took Molly up to her room. Luisa had fed the little girl lunch, and her eyes were drooping now. When Tara put her in her crib, she popped her thumb in her mouth, closed her eyes and was asleep at once.

Tara went into the bedroom to unpack. She had no idea where Cole was. In the doorway of the room, she stopped, frozen. He was lying on the bed, eyes closed and one arm thrown across his forehead.

Slowly, she walked over to him, and what she saw made her heart ache. He made no move or sound, but tears ran unchecked down his face. It destroyed her to see this man, who had such great strength, coming apart this way. Not knowing what else to do, she sat down next to him and laid her hand on his chest.

He jumped as if she'd touched him with a lighted match then lay his head back down again. Tara sat with him, unmoving, for the longest time, not even offering to wipe away the tears. At last, when the torrent ceased, she smoothed away the dampness on his cheeks.

"It's so hard, Tara." His voice was tight with misery. "You're right. She's adorable and a child anyone would be proud of and excited to claim as their own. Holding her in my arms was unbelievable joy. Then I remembered. How can I get past this? Help me, Tara. I don't want to be this way."

She lay down next to him, nestling her head on his shoulder, touching his face. "I'll help you all I can, but somehow, you have to come to terms with this yourself. But I am always here for you. You have to know that."

Cole held her to him as if he'd never let her go. She wanted to weep herself, for all the pain one person had caused. Instead, she molded herself to him as tightly as she could and let her hand rest on his muscular chest, trying to infuse his body with her warmth. After a long time, they dozed, clinging to each other.

At supper, she saw him making an even greater effort.

"I'll run out and get some Chinese so you won't have to cook," he told her, brushing her lips with a soft kiss. "It won't take me a minute."

When he returned, she had Molly in her highchair and was fixing her food.

"I'll be through with her dinner in just a few minutes," she told Cole. "She's not ready for bed yet, but I can see if she'll tolerate the playpen long enough for us to eat. Unless you want to wait until she's down for the night, and I'll just heat everything up."

"No, that's all right." He busied himself putting things on the table, not looking at either her or Molly. "I'll handle it."

The meal definitely had a strange feel to it. Cole dished out the Chinese food to Tara and himself then concentrated on eating. Molly sat in her playpen, making baby noises as she played with the soft toys Tara had placed in there. Tara was so tense she could hardly chew, but Cole plodded doggedly ahead with the meal.

This is the same as going to the dentist but without anesthetic.

The dinner seemed to last forever. She breathed a deep sigh of relief when at last it was time to give Molly her bath and put her to bed. Cole retreated to his den, and Tara left him there to battle his demons in private. She was more than thankful that the next day was Monday and Cole could leave for work. They all needed some s.p.a.ce right now.

She crawled into bed, excited about the land they were buying and hoping the whole situation with Molly could be resolved before they moved into the new house. She had barely closed her eyes before she heard Cole come into the room and strip off his clothes. The mattress dipped as he lowered his body next to hers. His warm hand cupped her cheek, turning her face toward him.

"I'm sorry I'm such a difficult a.s.s to live with." He kissed her eyelids, her cheeks, the line of her jaw.

"I know you're trying," she whispered, barely getting the words out before his mouth came down on hers.

There was nothing tentative about the kiss. His tongue traced the seam of her lips before forcing them open and thrusting inside. He fed on her, tasting every inch of her.

Tara wound her arms around his neck, pulling him closer, wishing she could make the demons go away. She met his tongue thrust for thrust, tangling with him, tasting him, silently urging him to more. When she slid her hands down his back to his b.u.t.tocks, she encountered bare flesh and realized he hadn't left his boxers on.

"I enjoy sleeping naked with you," he murmured against her mouth. "You can forget about wearing nightgowns anymore. I sleep better when I can feel every inch of your skin."

"I don't think sleeping's what you have in mind," she teased as he maneuvered her gown over head and tossed it to the floor..

"d.a.m.n right."

He lowered his head to her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, sucking each hard nipple until it swelled and throbbed. His teeth grazed the pebbled flesh, tugging each one until she moaned with pleasure.

His tongue laved them, soothing them, before his mouth moved farther down to her navel where he traced feathery circles.

Tara shifted restlessly beneath his a.s.sault, her skin hot, her blood racing. Just one touch from him could ignite every nerve in her body. Her p.u.s.s.y vibrated with need, demanding his c.o.c.k. She slipped her hand between them and tried to reach down for him, but his position kept it just beyond her grasp.

"Please," she murmured.

He lifted his head. "Please what?"

"Please let me touch you." The words escaped her on a sigh.

"Do you want to suck my c.o.c.k, Tara?"

"Yes." Heat flashed over her at the thought. She'd become much bolder with him. "I would."

With lithe movements, he shifted until he was flat on his back, one strong arm urging her up and forward until she leaned over him.

"I love it when your hair brushes my skin." Desire thickened his voice. "It's like silk."

He sifted his fingers through it as she bent and took the head of his shaft into her mouth, her tongue brushing the velvety slit. The drop of liquid sitting on the dark purple flesh coated her tongue, a deliciously musky taste. She pulled back to run her tongue back and forth through the weeping opening, eliciting a heavy groan from Cole.

Her fingers closed around the base of his c.o.c.k, squeezing gently, as she lowered her mouth, taking in the length of him. In a natural tempo, her hands and mouth moved up and down his p.e.n.i.s, fingers squeezing rhythmically, the edge of her hand pressing into his swollen b.a.l.l.s. She raked her teeth over the steel-hard shaft the same way he teased her nipples, and his entire body shuddered at her touch.

"Enough," he groaned, lifting her head with his strong hands and pulling her towards him.

Instinctively, she positioned herself over his c.o.c.k, knowing she was more than wet enough to take him. He guided the head to the opening of her c.u.n.t then gripped her waist as she slowly lowered herself onto him.

Electricity shot through her, sparks of l.u.s.t that this connection with him always ignited.

He'd shown her the way he enjoyed it, and now, she began that rhythmic up and down movement, bracing herself on his chest, fingertips pinching his nipples. His hands tightened on her hips, using his grip to increase the speed of her movement. His c.o.c.k flexed inside of her and his body tightened at the same time. Her own climax approached, and she lifted herself one last time then lowered herself, gripping him with the muscles of her p.u.s.s.y, threw back her head and let the o.r.g.a.s.m overtake them both.

She collapsed forward onto his chest, utterly spent but loving the unbreakable connection between them. His unsteady lips brushed against hers as his arms came around her, holding her tightly to him.

"We'll get through this," he promised. "Just hang onto me and don't let go."

As if she would!

Obviously tired from her three days of excitement, Molly slept later than usual the next morning and so did Tara. When she came downstairs with the freshly diapered child, Cole was already at the kitchen table, drinking coffee and talking on the phone. When Tara looked at him, he held up one finger signaling to wait, he was almost through.

"All right," he said into the receiver. "Tell them that's the best offer they're going to get. I'll be at my office in an hour. Call me back as soon as you get an answer." Disconnecting the call, he leaned back in his chair with a self-satisfied look on his face.

Tara raised an eyebrow as she settled Molly in her highchair. "You sure look like someone who won the lottery. What's going on?"

"I called the real estate agent on that property and made an offer. He's going to call me back at the office, but I think they'll take it. It's close enough to their asking price that I think they won't bargain."

"What happens then?"

"As soon as we close on it, we need to hire an architect, meet with him and get some plans drawn up."

"Wow!" Tara tucked her hair behind her ears and sat down to feed Molly. "Moving at the speed of light, are we?"

He reached across the table to touch her arm. "I can't get out of this house fast enough, if you want to know the truth."

Tara was silent for a moment, working to get more food in Molly's mouth than on her chin. An idea suddenly took root in her brain. When Cole returned to the table, his own coffee mug refilled and carrying one for her, she turned to look at him.

"I have an idea in that direction," she said slowly.

"Yeah?" Cole sipped the hot liquid in his mug. "Okay, let me have it."

"We could move into my house. No one's ever lived there but me," she hurried to a.s.sure him. "You've had the landscape and cleaning services there once a week so it's in good shape. I know it's a lot smaller than this place, but it would do for the short term. We can sell it when the new house is ready."

When he didn't answer, she glanced at him nervously. He was staring at her.

"Bad idea?" she asked.

"No, it's a great idea. Why didn't we think of this before?"

"Because before," she said very carefully, "it didn't matter where we lived. Now it does."

"You'd sell your house?"

She shrugged. "It's only a building. No memories. Someone new will make their own.

We'd have to put all this furniture in storage."

"Get rid of it," Cole bit off. "Sell it with the house. Burn it. I don't care. How soon can we move?"

Tara laughed. "As quickly as I can air out the place and call the movers. We need to take Molly's stuff, our clothes, the things from your den..."

"Buy something new. Order it today and have them deliver it and set it up."

He came to stand behind her and placed a kiss on the top of her head. "Do it. Call today.

As soon as I get to the office, I'll call a real estate agent we've done a lot of work with and get this place listed." He drained the rest of the coffee and put his mug in the sink. "I'd better get going.

This is shaping up to be a busy day ahead."

Everything kicked into fast forward. In less than a week, they finalized a listing agreement, hired an architect and moved forward with their plans. Tara's parents were delighted when she told them, although not too excited about having them living farther away.