her to pull out her chair. As his fingers lightly brushed against her back, causing a shiver of heat to rush through her body, Katrina pretended not to notice the innuendo that eased like warm butter from his evocative tone.
* * *
The house was almost too quiet. Moving down the length of the hallway, Katrina stopped to peer into her son’s room. Collin had fallen asleep with his clothes on, his lanky frame sprawled across the bedspread. His earbuds were plugged into his stereo, the sound system vibrating atop his nightstand.
She thought twice about waking him so that he could change into a pair of sleeping pants, but she didn’t bother. It would only mean another fifteen minutes of her and him fussing at each other, and she’d had too good a day to end it on a sour note. Backing her way out of the room, she eased his bedroom door closed and headed back down the hallway toward her own room.
She’d had a great time with Matthew Stallion. From start to finish the day had gone better than she could have ever anticipated. The man had been thoroughly attentive to her, and to her child. He’d also been charming, funny and sexier than hell. She’d lost count of the times she’d imagined the two of them locked in a compromising position. She couldn’t begin to fathom what in the world had gotten into her.
In the privacy of her bedroom she stood in front of the full-length mirror, staring at her reflection. She had always liked the woman who stared back at her. That woman was intelligent, articulate and dependable. There were some who thought her overly conservative and a tad stiff. There were only a select few in her inner circle who knew that she had a keen sense of humor and an adventurous spirit. And not since her late husband had she considered herself a sexual, sensual, desirable woman.
Katrina blew a deep sigh as she dropped down onto the side of her king-size bed. Kicking off her black pumps, she stretched her legs outward, twisting her ankles in small circles, her hands pressed tight against her upper thighs.
As she reflected back on her day with Matthew Stallion, she couldn’t help but think that this might be as good a time as any for her to have a new beginning, something of a fresh start in her life. It would be only a few short years before Collin headed off on his own, and then she would have nothing else to do but think about herself. Would it hurt to start preparing early?
It had been aeons since she’d given any thought to her own needs and desires, every ounce of herself devoted to her son and her career. The prospect of a new relationship with a man who found her desirable was suddenly intriguing. Until that afternoon, having a partner, a companion, a lover and a new best friend all rolled up into one sexy chocolate treat had seemed as far from reality as the complete obliteration of racism, sexism and every other ism that might exist. But Matthew had awakened an inner wanting that she had not allowed herself to have since forever.
A new beginning… Katrina couldn’t refrain from imagining the possibilities. Lying back against the bed, she rolled over onto her side and pulled her knees to her chest, her body curling into a fetal position. Minutes later she was sound asleep, thoughts of her and that man spiraling through her dreams.
Chapter 6
The woman seated across the table from Matthew was chattering on and on as he sat nodding his head, fighting not to let his disinterest show on his face. He eyed the woman nonchalantly as he struggled to remember her name. It was Brenda or Linda or something like that, he thought to himself. He couldn’t believe he’d actually forgotten the poor woman’s name!
Matthew sighed, warm air blowing past his full lips, as she continued talking about nothing of any real importance. He might have managed to enjoy the date if he were able to think clearly, but after his day with Collin and Katrina, very little seemed clear anymore.
He closed his eyes for a split second, his head still waving up and down as he feigned interest. His focus, though, was elsewhere, his thoughts still lingering over the time he’d spent with Katrina and her son over the weekend.
Katrina had finally relaxed at brunch, seeming less tense as they’d eased into the comfortable setting and casual atmosphere. The conversation had been easy, calming any anxiety any of them might have been feeling. Collin had been disinterested, more concerned with the lasagna on his plate than anything else.
Matthew and Katrina had chatted easily, the exchange of conversation revolving around their respective careers and mutual interest in law and order. He had asked question after question, wanting to learn anything and everything he could about her. He was intrigued to discover that she had graduated from his alma mater, Harvard University, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She’d been just as fascinated to learn that he’d walked the same hallowed halls just a few short years before her.
He’d been duly impressed to discover that she’d earned her undergraduate degree, her law degree, and had risen quickly through the judicial ranks to become a trial judge, while balancing the responsibilities of being a single parent. At the age of thirty-three she had much to be proud of. Her career had progressed quickly, her impressive legal acumen boosted not only by her acute intelligence but also her compassionate spirit. Her energy had shown in her eyes, her enthusiasm for what she did and how she did it clearly evident. Matthew had found himself hanging on to every word out of her mouth.
She’d referred to her late husband in passing. When Collin had jumped from his seat, rushing to the men’s room at the mention of his father, Katrina had apologized profusely for his behavior. It was then that she told him she had married quite young, becoming a wife and mother before her nineteenth birthday.
“I don’t regret any of it,” she’d said softly. “Jackson and I grew up together. We’d loved each other since the third grade. At the time it only made sense for us to get married when we did. We graduated, went to the justice of the peace the very next morning, and nine months later Collin was born.
“Jackson went into the military so that we could both go to school and take care of our son. I loved my husband very much and Collin is my life. But I definitely advise young women today to take their time before making such grown-up decisions. I had to make a lot of sacrifices to accomplish all that I have. Had I done things differently, it wouldn’t have been half as hard. I was blessed to have my family’s support the way I did.”
Matthew nodded his head in understanding.
When Collin finally returned to the table, he attracted the interest of the young woman waitressing the table. She was especially attentive to their needs as she tried to engage him in conversation. Katrina shook her head from side to side, her eyes rolling skyward.
“These girls all think he’s older than he is,” she said as the waitress, a young woman named Brielle, rushed to bring them another order of baked bread.
Collin grinned. “Don’t hate the player. Hate the game!” he gushed with a loud chuckle.
Katrina only shook her head with amusement. Matthew laughed warmly. When the young woman returned to refill their drink glasses, he couldn’t keep from asking her a question.
“How old do you think he is?” he asked, his gaze moving from Collin to the young woman and back. He gave Collin a wide smile and Collin actually smiled back.
“Nineteen. Twenty, maybe.”
Collin laughed, his excitement evident on his face. “Yeah, that’s right!” he exclaimed, winking an eye at Matthew.
Katrina’s head still waved from side to side. “No, that’s wrong. He’s only fifteen, and it’ll be another ten months before he turns sixteen.”
Brielle’s eyes widened with shock. “Fifteen? You’re barely in high school,” she gushed.
Collin tossed his mother a look of annoyance before answering. “I’m a freshman, but age is just a number. I’m a very mature fifteen-year-old.”
Matthew laughed. “Very,” he said teasingly. He turned to Brielle. “And how old are you?”
“Nineteen,” she answered.