Authors: Natalie Ann
Sean lay in bed hours later, wide awake and thinking about his date with Carly. He was right when he said she couldn’t get on his mother’s bad side. Nope, if Claire Callahan had a chance to meet Carly, she would have a wedding date planned already. He knew that without a doubt. So there would be no meeting of the parents anytime in the near future. Not until he figured out his next move.
He needed to think it through. There was no doubt Carly was tugging at him like no one else. Her vulnerability pulled him. Her sweet and tender side made him want to shelter her.
He cringed when those thoughts popped into his head.
His sisters always told him those exact things. He’d been sweet and tender as a kid. Now he knew why his sisters were the way they were with him. As a teenage boy, he’d hated being thought of as sweet and tender.
And he hadn’t wanted them to treat him as such, but being the baby, maybe they felt they had to be that way with him. Maybe it was a hard habit to break out of over the years. Still, he hated to think he had any of those same qualities as his mother and sisters. But he thought wrong, because he wanted to do all those things to Carly that the women in his family did to him growing up, and even now as an adult.
That was a problem for him. He knew how much he hated being treated that way. So as much as he wanted to protect Carly, he had to fight the urge. He didn’t want to push her away.
He was keeping Brynn’s words in his mind at all times. How Carly was a throwback and wanted someone she could care for. He didn’t see it that way though. Not the way his mother and sisters did it, which was good in his mind.
He could see Carly cared about people, cared about her students also. But he didn’t get the impression that she cared
for
them. It seemed more to him that she helped people learn to care for themselves. That was a world of difference from what his family did.
Carly had talked about her students tonight. Surprisingly, he was interested in the stories too. He liked hearing how she helped one student learn his math. Not the way other kids were learning but a different way, a way that this one student could grasp and move forward with.
Not to mention all the volunteering Carly did. Brynn had always said Carly was active in the community and helped out, but he hadn’t realized how much. “So let me get this straight. You spend time in a woman’s shelter, a literacy program for adults, an assisted living facility, and now you’re going to Albany Med to tutor kids?” he’d asked.
“Yes. I like giving back.”
“Where do you find the time to do all of that?” He knew she spent more time at the school than most teachers probably did, too.
“I make it work.”
None of those things spoke of a woman trying to care for people. Rather, exactly what he thought, she was trying to help people care for themselves.
The one thing he didn’t understand was why. Why do that? Why spend so much of your life doing for others? Something had to be a driving force for it, but what?
***
“How was your date last night?”
“It was fine, thank you for asking,” Carly replied politely to Brynn as she sat at the kitchen island waiting for the men to start to arrive with Alec and Brynn’s belongings.
“Cute. Don’t be a wise guy.”
Carly giggled. “It was good though.”
“And that’s it. Nothing else.”
“What more do you want to know?” She wasn’t sure where Brynn was going with her questioning.
“I want to know how he makes you feel.”
“Then you should have asked that,” Carly instructed Brynn patiently, the same way she did with her students when they weren’t clear with their questioning.
Brynn wrinkled her nose and pressed on. “So. Tell me.”
“Since you asked so nicely…” Carly dodged the hand that Brynn tried to swat her with.
“Just one word, then, off the top of your head. How about that?”
“Safe.”
“Safe? That’s the one word off the top of your head,” Brynn said, astonished.
Carly started to blush. That probably wasn’t the best word to use, but it really was the first thing that came to her mind. She actually didn’t even realize it until it was out of her mouth. “Sorry. How about…he makes me feel good. Good about myself.”
“That’s better,” Brynn said. Reaching over, Brynn clasped Carly’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Safe is good too, Carly. You know that. We both do.”
Brynn knew better than anyone. “Yeah. It’s not a bad feeling.” Trying to lighten the mood, she switched back to the other word she used to describe Sean. “He really does make me feel good. In a different way.”
“How so?”
“He’s sweet and funny…considerate. I’m almost waiting for the shoe to drop. He is almost too perfect. Something has to be wrong with him.”
“Why does something have to be wrong?”
“He’s been single for a long time. Why isn’t he married by now?”
“Carly, he’s younger than Alec and Phil and they both just got married. Are you thinking there is something wrong with my husband and brother-in-law?”
“No. I guess not. How old is Sean?”
If Brynn found that question funny, she didn’t let on. “You didn’t ask him?”
“I was afraid to. I don’t know; it just seemed odd.”
“He’s thirty-five. Not so old really,” Brynn said knowingly. “So what else is the problem?”
“What do you mean?”
“This is me you’re talking to. You’re hedging for some reason. Just tell me.”
“I really like him. A lot. And he is totally not the type I would be drawn to, so I’m fighting that and not doing a good job at it.”
Brynn shook her head. “Why isn’t he your type? I don’t get that.”
“Well, for one, he’s bigger than most of the men I’ve dated.”
“That’s true,” Brynn replied almost sadly. Brynn was smart; she knew the reason why. “Maybe it’s time to change that.”
“I am. I’ve thought about it, and like I said, I feel safe with him.”
“So what else?”
Carly shrugged her shoulders, tried to form her words, and finally just blurted it out. “I don’t want to smother him.”
“You’ve been on two dates in ten days and you’re worried about smothering him? That’s ridiculous.”
“It’s not that. He’s told me about his sisters and mother and how they do everything for him. They’re always calling him and sending him food, butting into his life, giving him advice. He makes light of it, but he said it bothered him growing up. I think it still does. He’s made some comments about being a grown man and not needing everyone to do everything for him.”
“And you like to do things for people.”
“Exactly,” Carly said.
“It’s not the same and you know it,” Brynn argued. “Because you don’t do things for people, you help people do things for themselves. There’s a big difference.”
Carly thought of that for a moment. Brynn was right, and she never realized that before, or fully put it that way in her mind. “But still. What if he doesn’t see it that way?”
“He’s a pretty smart guy. Don’t worry about it.”
“He’s been with Harper’s for a long time, hasn’t he?”
“Almost from the beginning. Alec and Phil think of him like family. He gets along well with everyone and they trust him completely. They would never employ anyone they had any worries over.”
“I know.” Carly leaned back on the stool, stretched her arms over her head, then suddenly dropped them and eyed Brynn carefully. She didn’t like the tone of voice Brynn just used, or the look in her eye. “What did you say to him?”
“What?” Brynn asked, looking anywhere but Carly’s face, and not doing a good job of hiding any guilt.
“I know a liar when I see one.”
Brynn rolled her eyes. “I’m not one of your students.”
“Then don’t act like one.”
“Really, Carly, when did you get so smart?” Brynn said.
“I’ve always been smart; you just don’t see it. So tell me, what did you say to him?”
“Not much.” Brynn held her hand up when Carly glared at her. “Really, I didn’t. I just told him to be careful.”
“Why? What aren’t you telling me about him?”
“Nothing. I told you, he’s a standup guy. I’m just protective of you.”
“I know you are and I appreciate it, but I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time.”
“You have, but I still worry about it. So I’ll be honest, I told him you were tender and to be careful.”
“Tender?” Carly sputtered.
Tender.
She’d been called fragile before, and she thought that was insulting, but tender was worse. “Just because I’m small doesn’t mean I’m tender.” There were parts of Carly’s past that people only heard about on the news. The evening news when you wished you didn’t hear it. She thought she was pretty damn tough when it came down to it. Even protective.
“Your heart is tender. That is what I said, your heart. You know it is,” Brynn insisted.
Okay, that was true. “Fine. I’ll let it slide. What did he say?”
“Nothing really. Just assured me that he would be careful with it.”
“Great, a guy who worries I might crack.”
“I don’t think he worries about that. Really, Carly, you are making more out of it. It was all good.”
“If you say so,” Carly said, frowning.
“I do. Now let’s change the subject before the guys get here. Give me something juicy.”
“I don’t think so,” Carly said stubbornly. Brynn didn’t deserve it after telling Sean she was tender. Geez, that was a hard pill to swallow.
“Oh, stop acting like one of your students.” It was true, but Carly didn’t care, if she wanted to pout she would. “Please, one little piece of something before the guys get here. I need some ammo in case he starts to pick on me.”
Carly shook her head then. Sean did like to pick on Brynn, in a brotherly way. He actually started doing it once Brynn got engaged to Alec, and Carly knew Brynn was just fine with it. “I don’t have anything that would be considered ammo, sorry. Not coming from you, that is.”
She’d love to tell Brynn how she felt when Sean kissed her last night after he dropped her off. How he pulled her close and held her tight, stroking his hand up and down her back. The way her body swayed into his and how she hoped he’d never stop. How, for the first time in her life, she’d wished she had the courage to invite him up to her room after the second date after all.
But she couldn’t. Not after their discussion about her not being a third-date type of girl. It was for the best though, she knew that. Better to wait it out and make sure she really did feel for him what she told Brynn. Deep down she knew she did, but waiting a little longer wouldn’t hurt anything, would it?
And as much as she wanted to tell Brynn all of that, she was glad she didn’t, because the last thing she needed was Brynn busting on Sean about something personal like kissing.
“Darn it, I forgot the ice,” Isabel Harper said.
Sean looked over at her as she voiced those words, the same moment that Carly returned to the kitchen after helping Brynn put clothes away upstairs.
“Carly, would you be a darling and run to the store for me to grab some more ice for the drinks?”
“Ah, sure, no problem. I’ll just run up and let Brynn know.”
“No, no, sweetie. I’ll do it for you. You know what? We need a lot of ice. Why don’t you take Sean with you? He can carry it. You don’t mind, do you, Sean?”
“Not at all,” he replied, grinning and catching her wink. He was on to her and would find time to thank her later, in private.
He’d been trying to get Carly alone for two hours, but the girls were going through clothes and arranging everything in the perfect OCD fashion that Brynn was famous for.
If Sean wasn’t carrying in furniture, then he was rearranging it when Brynn passed through a room and explained how she wanted everything. Alec all but begged everyone to stay until every last piece was the way Brynn wanted it so he didn’t have to move it all by himself after they left.
Since Isabel offered to cook for the group of men, with their wives and children on the way, Sean didn’t mind staying so long. Especially if that meant he got to spend time with Carly.
“What was that all about?” Carly asked the minute she started her car.
Sean shrugged. “She needed ice?”
“Please. I didn’t miss her wink at you.”
Carly was more savvy than she looked. He guessed teaching a bunch of kids taught her to have eyes in the back of her head, just like all the teachers used to say when he was in school. “Guess she knew I wanted to be alone with you.”
“Did you now?” she asked, her face having grown all soft.
Of course he did. He had all he could do to leave her house last night after she finally let go of him. Damn, he was turned on and he knew she had to have known. He never expected her to be so aggressive with her kissing. Not that he was complaining, because he wasn’t. “Maybe I wouldn’t mind picking up where we left off last night,” he tossed out there to see what her reaction would be.
She didn’t disappoint when she flushed. So innocent looking, though he suspected she might not actually be as naive as Brynn insisted, or how he originally thought. “It’s a little crowded at Brynn’s right now,” she said.
He nodded, then smiled at her, reached his hand over and grasped hers, threading their fingers together. He needed to touch at least a part of her. Any part would satisfy him for the moment. “I know this is out of the blue, but I keep meaning to ask what grade you teach.”
“Oh.” She looked startled by the question. He had meant to ask the last two times they were together, but whenever he thought to bring it up, they got sidetracked on another topic. They always seemed to just flow in their conversations. “Fourth grade this year.”
“What did you teach last year?”
“I taught first grade for years, but they did some rearranging and I ended up with fourth grade. I’ve found I really love this age.”
“How so?” He wasn’t sure he would enjoy that many kids of any age, all day long, every day of the week. Just the thought of it made him shudder. He worked with Alec and Phil all day, and when the two of them went at it, throwing things at each other and joking in meetings, it was like being in school all over again.
“My first year I taught sixth graders. That was hard, probably my toughest year.”
“Really? I would have thought they would be the easiest.”
“Actually, no. Preteen is the worst age group, at least for school. Getting them ready for junior high, all those hormones, and they all think they are little adults and know everything. It’s hard to find the balance between showing them something and teaching it to them.”
“What’s the difference?” he asked, frowning.
“I could show them how to do a math problem, but that doesn’t mean they would learn how to do it on their own. Except no one wants to ask for help at that age. So it was finding the best way to teach them, or teach them how to figure it out on their own. I’m wasting my time and theirs if I show them something they don’t understand.”
He’d never thought of it that way before. Not in school, and not even now as an adult. It showed a lot about her character as a person, not to mention a teacher, bringing back thoughts of how she was with people. Not caring for them, but teaching them to care for themselves, he reminded himself again.
“So what about first grade, then? You said you were there for years. How was that age group?”
She smiled tenderly, and he understood the comment Brynn made about Carly wearing her heart on her sleeve. “That was a blast. First graders are just so excited to be in school. Their attention span isn’t the greatest though. They want to play and spend more time at recess than learning. Which is hard since first grade is when most kids learn to read, and you really need to reach them then before they get behind.”
“So how did you reach them?”
“How do you know I did?”
He knew. He had no doubt she’d found a way. “I just do.”
She shrugged. “Different ways. Each child was different, but the key was making it fun. As long as the kids were having fun, they didn’t even realize they were learning half the time. Then when they realized they
were
learning, they were so excited they wanted to continue.”
“I wish I’d had a teacher like you growing up. All I’ve got are memories of stern yelling for everyone to be quiet and do their work.”
“Plenty of teachers are like that. I just learned that yelling doesn’t make the kids learn any better than showing them how to do something without teaching. Always a fine line.”
“Okay, so what do you like so much about fourth grade?” For the life of him he couldn’t believe he was having this conversation with her, or enjoying it so much. Carly was just so much fun to be around, like that first ray of sunshine after a long winter of clouds and snow.
“This grade is the right mix. The kids want to be in school to learn
and
to have fun. They know the importance of school and are figuring out how to balance it all. They’re eager, I guess you could say.”
Eager, that was a good word. One he was feeling right now, especially as she pulled into the parking lot of the convenience store. She got out of her door and walked around the back of the car toward him, and he couldn’t help himself. He had her up against the car, his body against hers, his hands around her waist, smiling wide at her stunned expression. “I guess I can relate to the fourth graders then.”
“How’s that?” she gasped out, her eyes roaming over his face, to his eyes, then stopping at his lips. He read the desire in her expression now.
“I’m pretty eager to kiss you.” Lowering his lips to hers, he nibbled on the corner of her mouth, brought his tongue out to trace her lips, then slid in when she opened for him. There was nothing slow and steady right now, no matter how much he tried to remind himself he needed to take it down a level. Pace himself.
She lifted her hands and wound them around his waist, then held on as he continued to kiss her, not stopping until they heard someone clear their throat in the parking lot. He’d completely forgotten where they were.
Raising his head, he grinned down at her heavy-lidded eyes, the parting of her mouth, and the panting of her breath. Oh yeah, he was feeling the same way. “Guess we need that ice to cool down ourselves.”
She turned scarlet red in that instant and he burst out laughing. She really was just that cute.
***
“What took you so long?”
“What did you say?” Carly asked Brynn. They returned back to her house with several bags of ice to find that all the furniture in the family room seemed to finally be the way Brynn wanted.
“I asked what took so long. I finished putting all of my clothes away ten minutes ago. It shouldn’t have taken you more than fifteen minutes to get ice and you two have been gone for over thirty. You didn’t stop for a quickie, did you?”
“Brynn,” Carly scolded, then felt the heat creep up her neck. Of course she didn’t stop for a quickie. She’d never done that a day in her life. Blow off her responsibilities for sex. Her? Never.
“What?” Brynn asked innocently. “I wouldn’t have cared. Hell, I might have done it myself. I still might steal Alec away to the bathroom for a few minutes if I get the opportunity.”
“A few minutes, huh? I always knew he was fast,” Ben Harper said from behind Carly. She had no idea where he came from. She’d never even heard him approach, which was odd since he was big and wearing boots. She had to force her body to relax though. He was harmless, and she knew that, regardless of how nervous he always made her.
Brynn laughed at her brother-in-law. “Great. You are the last person that should have heard that statement.”
Ben walked over and tugged a lock of Brynn’s hair. “All’s fair in the Harper family.” He turned his head and winked at Carly, and she tried not to blush. “You should have realized that when you married Alec,” he said, returning his attention to Brynn.
“You have to watch out for Ben, Carly. He likes to sneak up on people and find out all their secrets. Then he holds them over their heads.”
Ben winked again, then turned his smile back to Carly. “Brynn doesn’t have any secrets, does she?”
Carly smiled back, relaxing even more. As intimidating as Ben looked, she could tell he was going out of his way to be really nice to her. Almost as if he knew she was leery of him, and she appreciated that. “You don’t expect me to answer that, do you?”
“Nope,” he replied back. “But you didn’t deny she had them, so now I just need to figure them out.”
He opened the cooler next to Brynn on the deck where the two girls had been talking, pulled out a couple of beers and saluted them on the way back into the house.
“Great. Now I need to watch everything I say for a while,” Brynn complained.
“Why?”
“Because Ben has a way of finding out everything about everyone and no one ever knows how.”
“You’ve got nothing to hide. What do you care?”
“True, but still.” Brynn shrugged, reached her hand forward and quickly tugged on Carly’s. “I know you’re a little timid around Ben, but there is no reason to be. He’s really a sweetheart.”
“I know. I see that now. And I saw that last week when I went to volunteer at Albany Med.” Carly remembered Ben showing up in the Pediatric Unit and how he walked around talking to all the kids. How all the kids—the girls especially, but the boys too—looked up to Ben and looked forward to his visits. She had to stop letting people’s appearance dictate how she formed opinions of them. What made her afraid of him was in the past, and she had to keep it there.
“Enough about my brother-in-law and back to my original question. What took you so long to get ice?”
Carly blushed again. Darn Brynn for being so single-minded at times. “Nothing, it was busy there. That’s all.” No way was she telling Brynn that she was making out with Sean in the parking lot. Or again in the driveway when they got back. They were lucky half the ice wasn’t melted by time they carried it back to the deck.
“I don’t believe you, but I’ll let it go. Maybe I should figure out Ben’s secret on how he finds out so much about people. I’m sure he knows what took you so long,” Brynn said.
Unfortunately Carly was afraid that might be the case, because when they finally started to grab the ice from the trunk, Ben had appeared out of nowhere to help and asked if there was a problem with her car. When Sean laughed in response and didn’t answer, Carly was confused and asked why.
Ben replied with, “I thought there might have been a problem with your trunk, it took you long enough to get it open.”