“So that’s where the dream of me on a horse wearing a dress stems from.”

“You might be right about that.” His gaze traveled to her lap, and his free hand touched her knee through the jeans she wore. “Still sexy.”

Before they could elaborate on her knees, the front door opened and Austin walked out.

Colin’s hand fell to the side.

“Hey,” Austin said, lifting his chin.

“Where are you off to?” Parker asked.

“There’s a car thing. A bunch of us are getting together. Figure I need to enjoy my freedom while I have it.”

Parker rolled her eyes.

“What’s that mean?” Colin asked.

“Austin got a job at the Christmas tree lot,” she told him.

“Yeah, my buddy worked there last year, said he made like a thousand dollars in tips between Thanksgiving and Christmas. But that means I’m going to work after school and every weekend.”

“Sounds like a good gig.”

Austin shrugged. “Gotta start somewhere.”

“Have fun tonight,” Parker told him.

“See ya later, Colin.” Austin started down the stairs.

“Remember. Make good choices and if there’s any drinking—”

“Stay there or call you. Yeah, I know, Parker.” Austin kept walking toward the car as he spoke. “Colin, tell my sister she’s paranoid for nothing.”

She yelled after him. “Teenagers drink. I’m not stupid.”

“I’m not going to. And if I did, I’m not stupid enough to drive.”

That made her smile. “Love you.”

“Love you, too.”

And he was in the car with the engine fired up.

“Does that happen every time he goes out with his friends?”

She nodded. “Yup . . . just about.”

“Has he ever called you to pick him up?”

“No.”

“Has he ever come home drunk?”

They both watched as Austin’s car rolled down the drive. “No. He has stayed over at his friends’, though.”

“Can’t ask for more than that.”

“I know. He’s a good kid. My parents would be proud of him and Mallory.”

Colin gripped her arm until she looked at him. “Your parents would be especially proud of you.”

“You didn’t know my parents.”

“I don’t have to. Not too many twenty-four-year-olds would have given up their life to raise their siblings.”

“More like watching out for them. They were both teenagers.”

“You know what I mean.”

“You saying you wouldn’t have done it?” She could tell by his expression she was right. “The alternative would have been them going into foster care. I just did what had to be done. Kinda like when your tire goes flat. You have to fix it.”

Colin frowned. “Did you just compare raising your brother and sister to fixing a flat?”

She found her hand playing with his. “I know it’s more than that, but those are the kinds of things I would tell myself every step of the way. When people die, you need to bury them. When bills need to be paid, you need to get a job, write a check. When a kid needs to go to school, you drive them. When they need to learn to drive, you teach them. You can’t stop to think about it or you go a little crazy.”

Worry sat between his eyes. “So that’s how you did it. One task at a time?”

She had to look away. “In the beginning it was one minute at a time, one hour, one day. Now here we are. I keep believing I can stop thinking like that, then this happens.” She waved a hand at the charred landscape. She was depressing herself. “I’m sorry.”

He reached over, lifted her chin so her eyes met his. “Please don’t ever apologize for telling me how you feel. I can’t read your mind, and can’t begin to understand if you don’t talk to me.”

Most guys she’d tried to find a connection with over the years would run in the other direction after what she just said. “What planet are you from?”

He grinned. “Those early years were a blur, I’m not sure.”

She laughed. “I have a lot going on, you sure you want to date me?”

“I’m seven years older than you, you sure you wanna date me?” he countered.

That made her smile. “Women mature faster than men.”

She noticed Erin’s car pull up in the drive.

Colin must have noticed, too. He stood and pulled her to her feet. “I’m going to leave you to your girls’ night and dream about you when I go to bed.”

She moved closer, enjoyed the feeling of his arms as they circled her back. “All of me, or just my knees?” She lifted her lips.

He bent close, spoke over them. “I haven’t seen all of you.”

“We could probably arrange that.”

“One body part at a time.” He kissed her and stopped her brain from functioning. For some women, it took a half a bottle of tequila to make them want to get out of their clothes. For Parker, it took less than a glass of wine.

The man was intoxicating, and the way he kissed gave her all kinds of hope for other talents he might have up his sleeve.

“Mmmm. I like the way you taste,” he said.

She hummed and opened her eyes. “You’re really good at that.”

He wiped her bottom lip with his thumb. “And you’re not as rusty as you think.”

“Knock, knock . . .” Erin announced her arrival as she walked up the stairs. “Oh, sorry. I can come back.”

Colin took a step away. “No, I was just leaving.” He turned to Parker. “You guys have fun, and if Austin calls, and you need me to pick him up because the wine was good, call me.”

Her jaw dropped. “You don’t have to . . .”

“I want to. Call, okay?”

She had no words. “Okay.”

He jogged down the steps and to his truck, waved before he got in and drove away.

“That looked awfully cozy,” Erin said beside her.

Parker turned and bit her lip. “He is pushing all the right buttons.”

Erin laughed. “I can tell by the smile on your face.”

“And he’s a good guy. The kind parents approve of.”

Erin looked across the property and hummed. “There has to be something wrong with him.”

Parker nudged her with her shoulder. “That’s what I keep thinking.”

“Well, when you figure it out, tell me.”

She shivered. “Let’s go inside. It’s getting cold out here.”

They had all the right ingredients for a girls’ night. Chips and salsa, chocolate chip cookies, wine, and a salad just to say they ate dinner.

“It’s been a really long time since I’ve been kissed, let alone had sex,” Parker confided once she and Erin were working on their second glass of wine.

“I’m sure you’ll remember how.”

“My body is on autopilot when Colin’s around.” She tossed a chip in her mouth. “I like it.”

“I like to think there are good ones out there.” Erin nursed her wine while they talked. “Lord knows there’s a lot of crappy ones.”