Edward (BBW Western Bear Shifter Romance) (Rodeo Bears Book 1) by Becca Fanning Page B
Authors: Becca Fanning
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stayed broken up.
Unfortunately, Danny managed the apartment complex where Talia lived with James. She kept meaning to move out, but after taking James to a series of specialists over the summer, she hadn’t been able to afford a security deposit anywhere. Then her lease had started up again, and she knew that she was stuck there, at least for another year.
“Mom!” James called. It was one of the words that he liked to say the most. Even though he wasn’t speaking in sentences yet, Talia could usually tell what he meant. She liked that, the seemingly psychic bond with her child. She wasn’t sure if that was a typical part of parenthood, but she enjoyed it all the same.
“What is it, baby?” Talia turned towards James and gave him an indulgent smile.
“Bang!” James said. He smiled gleefully and mashed two pots together.
Talia’s head throbbed. This is going to be a long night , she thought to herself. A very long night indeed .
--
“Bye Mom!” James waved his arms in the air and Amelia’s face took on a look of panic. Talia hid a guilty grin. That poor girl can’t lift him up either , she thought to herself as she left the apartment and walked down the sidewalk. He’s getting too heavy .
For once, Talia was determined to put her troubles to the side. Alec was waiting for her on the curb, leaning against his car and smiling a roguish grin. He was just as handsome as Talia remembered, maybe even more so.
“Hey there,” Alec said. He grinned at Talia and she felt butterflies in her stomach. “Where to?”
“What, you didn’t have a place in mind?” Talia giggled.
Alec shrugged. “I just want to make sure you enjoy yourself,” he said in a deep voice. “Can’t take you to an Italian restaurant if you’re craving Chinese.”
Talia blushed. It had been a long time since she’d dated, and even longer since she’d dated anyone who actually cared about what she might like to eat. “Anything is fine with me,” she said. “Honestly, anything that isn’t cooked by me is going to taste amazing.”
Alec laughed. “So I take it I should steer clear of your cooking?” He winked at her and Talia felt her blush deepen to a bright red.
“No!” Talia said quickly before laughing nervously. “I mean, I just haven’t gone out to eat in a long time. I’m always busy at home.” She dropped her eyes shyly to her lap. “I have a son, you know, he’s almost two. And he takes up all of my energy. I’m lucky if I can even get the pizza out of the oven before it burns.”
Alec was quiet. Talia was afraid that she’d scared him off. Deep down, she’d known that she would have to disclose her status as a single mom pretty quickly, but now she was afraid that she’d been too hasty.
“Is that a problem?” Talia’s voice was shaky. “I mean, that I have a son.”
“No,” Alec replied. “Not at all. I was just thinking that you sound like a good mom.”
Talia blushed again. “Thank you,” she said softly.
As Alec drove, she found that she couldn’t keep from staring at him. He was so incredibly handsome, and she couldn’t stare at his hands without feeling more aroused than she wanted to admit. His hands were large and veiny, with tufts of hair sprouting on their backs. She thought about how they would feel on her body – surely rough, and calloused – and felt a shiver down her spine.
“We’re here,” Alec said with a grin. He’d pulled up in front of a restaurant that had opened in the past year – a farm-to-table place, specializing in salmon. “Have you eaten here before?”
Talia shook her head. “I always thought it looked amazing, but I haven’t been yet,” she said. She winced when she realized the last time she’d had dinner out was before James had been born. “This looks incredible,” she added.
Alec stepped out of the car and then walked around to Talia’s side, opening
Unfortunately, Danny managed the apartment complex where Talia lived with James. She kept meaning to move out, but after taking James to a series of specialists over the summer, she hadn’t been able to afford a security deposit anywhere. Then her lease had started up again, and she knew that she was stuck there, at least for another year.
“Mom!” James called. It was one of the words that he liked to say the most. Even though he wasn’t speaking in sentences yet, Talia could usually tell what he meant. She liked that, the seemingly psychic bond with her child. She wasn’t sure if that was a typical part of parenthood, but she enjoyed it all the same.
“What is it, baby?” Talia turned towards James and gave him an indulgent smile.
“Bang!” James said. He smiled gleefully and mashed two pots together.
Talia’s head throbbed. This is going to be a long night , she thought to herself. A very long night indeed .
--
“Bye Mom!” James waved his arms in the air and Amelia’s face took on a look of panic. Talia hid a guilty grin. That poor girl can’t lift him up either , she thought to herself as she left the apartment and walked down the sidewalk. He’s getting too heavy .
For once, Talia was determined to put her troubles to the side. Alec was waiting for her on the curb, leaning against his car and smiling a roguish grin. He was just as handsome as Talia remembered, maybe even more so.
“Hey there,” Alec said. He grinned at Talia and she felt butterflies in her stomach. “Where to?”
“What, you didn’t have a place in mind?” Talia giggled.
Alec shrugged. “I just want to make sure you enjoy yourself,” he said in a deep voice. “Can’t take you to an Italian restaurant if you’re craving Chinese.”
Talia blushed. It had been a long time since she’d dated, and even longer since she’d dated anyone who actually cared about what she might like to eat. “Anything is fine with me,” she said. “Honestly, anything that isn’t cooked by me is going to taste amazing.”
Alec laughed. “So I take it I should steer clear of your cooking?” He winked at her and Talia felt her blush deepen to a bright red.
“No!” Talia said quickly before laughing nervously. “I mean, I just haven’t gone out to eat in a long time. I’m always busy at home.” She dropped her eyes shyly to her lap. “I have a son, you know, he’s almost two. And he takes up all of my energy. I’m lucky if I can even get the pizza out of the oven before it burns.”
Alec was quiet. Talia was afraid that she’d scared him off. Deep down, she’d known that she would have to disclose her status as a single mom pretty quickly, but now she was afraid that she’d been too hasty.
“Is that a problem?” Talia’s voice was shaky. “I mean, that I have a son.”
“No,” Alec replied. “Not at all. I was just thinking that you sound like a good mom.”
Talia blushed again. “Thank you,” she said softly.
As Alec drove, she found that she couldn’t keep from staring at him. He was so incredibly handsome, and she couldn’t stare at his hands without feeling more aroused than she wanted to admit. His hands were large and veiny, with tufts of hair sprouting on their backs. She thought about how they would feel on her body – surely rough, and calloused – and felt a shiver down her spine.
“We’re here,” Alec said with a grin. He’d pulled up in front of a restaurant that had opened in the past year – a farm-to-table place, specializing in salmon. “Have you eaten here before?”
Talia shook her head. “I always thought it looked amazing, but I haven’t been yet,” she said. She winced when she realized the last time she’d had dinner out was before James had been born. “This looks incredible,” she added.
Alec stepped out of the car and then walked around to Talia’s side, opening
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