Love Enough For Two (Love Inspired) by Cynthia Rutledge

hadn’t already said to herself. Yesterday when Matt’s lips were closing over hers, Sierra had wondered if she’d lost all her common sense. And last night when the memory of the kiss wouldn’t let her sleep, the realization of how easily she’d strayed off course had haunted her thoughts.
    She found herself tempted to justify her actions, to assure Libby that Matt was different, that he wasn’t anything like his father. But she couldn’t say the words because she really didn’t know him well enough to defend him. He probably was like Dix. After all, what was the old adage? Like father, like son?
    “I can’t believe it, either,” Sierra said with a sigh. “I always thought I had more common sense. Or at least more restraint.”
    “Was he a good kisser?” Libby’s eyes were bright with interest.
    Sierra had to smile. Trust Libby to focus on the scandalous part of the tale.
    “Amazing.” Sierra breathed the word. Even after all these hours, she could almost taste the sweetness of his kiss. “Absolutely amazing.”
    “Are you going to date him?” Excitement sparkled in Libby’s eyes and Sierra knew if she did go out that Libby would insist on hearing every detail.
    The thought of interacting without a business agenda between them sent a surge of emotion racing up Sierra’s spine. She decided it had to be fear, because it certainly couldn’t be excitement. “There’s another Advocacy Center meeting scheduled—”
    “I’m not talking work.” Libby snorted in disgust, not giving Sierra a chance to finish. “I’m talking fun.”
    “I’m going to tell him it was a mistake.” Sierra stabbed a piece of lettuce with unnecessary force. “This just can’t be a good idea.”
    “Of course it’s a good idea,” Libby said promptly nodding her head decisively.
    “How can you even say something like that?” Sierra dropped her fork and pushed away her salad plate, a hard lump forming in the pit of her stomach.
    “Because it makes perfect sense,” Libby said without missing a beat.
    “You sound just like Matt.” Sierra picked a crouton off the discarded salad and absently popped it into her mouth. “Did I tell you we saw Carl at Crane River? He stopped by our table to say hello. After he left Matt made sure to tell me that his presence in my life would have the additional benefit of solving my Reverend Carl problem.”
    “Carl Stieve.” Libby scrunched up her nose. “Is the good pastor still calling you?”
    “Not as much,” Sierra said with a sigh. “But yes, he’s still calling.”
    “Yuck,” Libby said, pretending to shiver.
    “He’s not yuck,” Sierra protested halfheartedly. “He’s nice. And he’s very good with Maddie.”
    The look Libby shot her was one of shocked disbelief. “Don’t you dare tell me you’re considering getting serious with Cootie Carl.”
    “Libby.” Sierra kept her tone firm but she couldn’t stop her lips from twitching. “No one has called him that since fifth grade.
    “At least not to his face,” Libby said with a smug smile, tossing her head and sending her dark hair cascading down her back.
    Sierra rolled her eyes. Carl Stieve was now an assistant pastor at her church. He was a respected member of the community. Cootie Carl was in the past.
    But still, she had to acknowledge that remnants of that boy remained. When Sierra looked into his eyes, she knew he still liked her as much as he had when he was fourteen. A rueful smile tipped her lips at the memory of their freshman year in high school and the afternoon they’d stayed after school to work on a science project.
    She’d just started to notice boys. But Carl had been off her radar screen. It hadn’t been his most attractive time. He’d been tall and gawky and cursed with a bad case of acne. Though Sierra had since learned the importance of the inner man, at that time she’d been a typical teen and looks had been everything.
    But Carl had been incredibly bright and when the teacher had