Words From The Heart (Spring-Summer Romance Book 2) by Alex Greenville Page A

his love for Beth added positively into the mix. What woman wouldn’t want a man who could love someone like that? Now, have this question answered by a divorced, single mom who’d only known someone so directly opposite …
    But their exchanged glances left her with many other questions, one larger than the rest. When she stared at him, was it because of the man he was or because he wasn’t Cale? And similarly, when he stared at her, was she Beth, or was she Audrey?
     

     
    Audrey disconnected from the phone and lowered it to her lap, staring at the device as if something might leap out of it.
    “Is something wrong?” Bennett asked.
    Audrey looked up, a strand of hair falling between her eyes, and he was temporarily mute. She’d become more and more enticing as time passed, the tuck of her waist, the fullness of her breasts, the plump roundness of her bottom causing an involuntary curl of his fingers and sweat in his palms.
    It was different from his feelings for Beth though. Those had been airy and light, whereas this was rich, savory, and intoxicating. This was heavy cream, spooned atop decadent warm chocolate. Beth, on the other hand, had been a sweet, fruited dessert. He’d fallen in love with her for that, for how golden she made life feel, but now salivated to slake the thirst that’d grown over Audrey.
    Two years making love to his wife on rare occasions, years living through the worst inner pain, his masculinity bottled up, the pressure of it building. It was so soon after Beth’s passing. He shouldn’t think this way.
    “My parents want to take the children,” she said.
    He dropped his gaze. June sucked her thumb in the baby seat at his feet. August balanced himself, one hand on the couch cushion, the other gripping Bennett’s knee. He wobbled, plump knees folding, and Bennett shot one hand out, taking a firmer hold.
    “Take them?”
    She nodded. “All three. Mom said if June was fed they’d have several hours before she needed anything, that she and Dad are … lonely.” She spoke as if that were an unusual thing.
    “Lonely?”
    Audrey nodded. “Dad, he … he loves Jeff. You know, he’s been calling?”
    She’d told him that, and he’d seen how happy it made his son.
    “I said I’d let them know. I had to ask you, of course.”
    Part of him wanted to agree. Jeff would love it, and it’d be good for Audrey to not have a baby on her hip. But remembrance of the old Bennett stopped him. Her dad had hated him, albeit for all the right reasons. He’d allow her father to watch over his children?
    “They want to take them to the Fun Center. Dad and Jeff can jump in the ball pit.” She laughed, high-pitched. “My father in a ball pit?”
    A small hand tugged at Bennett’s sleeve. “Please?” Jeff hopped up and down. “Please. I want to go.”
    “Dad has his cell phone,” Audrey said. “I guess it’s only for a few hours. It’d be good for Jeff to have time with his …” She hushed.
    Grandparents. He heard the word, though she hadn’t said it. A slip of the tongue, yet looking at this from Jeff’s point of view, an accurate description.
    “Please, Daddy,” his son begged.
    Bennett laid a hand on his head. “You like Mr. Ferguson?”
    Jeff nodded, squirming from foot to foot.
    Bennett looked at Audrey next. “If you say it’s okay …”
    She smiled. “It’s okay. We can both use a break.”
    She reached for her phone and dialed, chattering happily to her mom, but a new thought had struck him hard in the chest. A few hours with the two of them, alone. Did her dad give any thought to that? Did they trust him to spend time with their daughter?
    Audrey hung up again. “They’ll pick them up in an hour, which gives me time to feed June.” She rose and strolled over to the infant seat, plucking his daughter out and tucking her to her chest. But she paused before straightening.
    Her cleavage swelled in his view, hidden by a hint of creamy lace, and past it, the sweet soft plain