Love's Second Chance (Second Chances Series) Read online

  Galen shook his head and laughed in disbelief. “No, it’s perfectly fine you asked me. Brady would tell you that I’m still single because of all the hours I work, but I don’t mind telling you,” he offered. “Do you remember Amanda? She’s the woman who was with me at Brady and Jenna’s wedding.”

  Remembering very well the woman he spoke of, I rolled my eyes and nodded. She was a complete bitch around me, and it took all I had not to say something to her. “How could I forget,” I quipped sarcastically. “I do have a question though. Was she always a rude ass bitch, or was that just me she was acting that way to? I swear I could sense some rivalry there, but I chose to ignore it for the sake of Carson.”

  “Oh, her bitchiness was just at you.” He laughed deeply. “She knew who you were and she knew of our past. Amanda actually accused me of still having feelings for you that night. She said she saw the way I was looking at you, and that I never looked at her the same way. Well anyway, we dated for a while and she kept pressuring me about marriage, which was the last thing on my mind. I didn’t love her, not in the way I love …”

  He stopped abruptly and our eyes widened at the same time. Was he about to say he didn’t love her like he loves me? Waiting on him to finish his sentence, I was disappointed when all he did was run his fingers through his hair and laugh, completely trying to divert the attention from what he was going to say. He spoke again quickly, “Anyway, when I failed to profess my undying love for her, she cheated on me with one of my friends.”

  I gasped. “Oh wow! I know that couldn’t have been easy to swallow. I’m so sorry you had to go through that.”

  He shrugged. “It wasn’t nearly as hard as what you went through with your husband.”

  I turned my head away in shame. How could I talk about my husband when I was lying half-naked in bed with another man? The tears began to form, and before I could hide my face Galen leaned over me. “Don’t cry, Korinne. I’m sorry I brought it up. It’s just I know you went through so much and I want you to be able to talk about it with me.”

  “It’s not that I don’t want to talk to you about it,” I whispered.

  “Then what is it?” he murmured, taking my chin and guiding me to look at him.

  Letting him turn my tear-streaked face to him, I gave in and openly admitted my guilt. “In a way I feel like I’m cheating on Carson by doing this, but I also know that he’s gone and that I should move on. I can’t deny my feelings for you, but I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel. You and I have a history together, and that was way before Carson ever came along, but I can’t stop feeling that twinge of guilt when even the smallest amount of happiness comes my way,” I cried.

  Galen placed both hands on my face and kissed me gently on the lips. When I opened my eyes, Galen’s clear blue gaze stared at me with pure love. He replied warmly, “Carson would want you to be happy, Korinne. You’re only twenty-eight years old. Don’t tell me you were expecting to be alone for the rest of your life?”

  Shaking my head, I replied, “No, I don’t want to be alone, but I’m too afraid of losing someone else I love.”

  “Oh, Korinne, you don’t have to be afraid. I’m not going anywhere.”

  “You don’t know that,” I snapped.

  “Oh yes I do!” he commanded forcefully. “I promise I’ll always be here for you. You have my word.”

  “How can you promise that? We’re not promised tomorrow,” I said softly.

  “I know we’re not promised tomorrow, but that’s just a risk you have to be willing to take. You can’t live your life in fear, because if you do you’ll miss out on everything.”

  We stared at each other for a while until Galen smiled and jumped off the bed. “I have an idea to lighten the mood,” he said excitedly. At my questioning look he left the room and came back with my bag. “Get your bathing suit. We’re going for a swim.”

  “But it’s freezing outside!” I shrieked.

  He undid his pants and let them fall to the floor. Before he slid a pair of swimming trunks on, I got a good, long glance at his glorious body. Never have I forgotten that body or how it felt to be taken by him. Galen was a hard man to forget. Shaking my head to clear the thoughts, I looked up to notice Galen smirking at me. By the expression on his face I was sure he knew what I was thinking.

  He leaned over the bed and gave me a quick, playful kiss. “The pool is heated, babe. I thought I would let you know there wouldn’t be any shrinkage going on.” My face bloomed bright crimson as he headed out of the bedroom and stalked down the hall. “Get dressed and meet me out there!” he yelled.

  Sitting in silence, I tried to gather my thoughts and take some deep breaths. You can do this, Korinne, I assured myself. I’d lost one love of my life, surely it wouldn’t happen again so soon. I could only pray it didn’t, because no matter how hard I tried I didn’t think I could stop myself from falling hard for the alluring Galen Matthews … again.

  Chapter Eight

  The weekend turned out to be a milestone for mine and Korinne’s relationship. Talking to her brought back all of the fond memories we shared together. I wanted to make love to her more than anything, but she wasn’t completely ready yet. Maybe once she saw I wasn’t going anywhere I could get her to open up to me. Staring at my phone, I decided to send her a text.

  Me: Hey.

  Kori: Hello.

  Me: How are you?

  Kori: Fine, you?

  Me: Working.

  Kori: Sounds like fun. :)

  Me: Can we talk tonight?

  Kori: Of course.

  Me: Great! I’ll call you after work.

  Kori: Sounds good!

  There was nothing I could do about Korinne missing her husband except be there for her and let her know I understood. I knew what it was like to lose someone you loved, but my loss was my father. There was a difference, but it was still a loss that hurt nonetheless. I had an idea in my head of something I could do for Korinne to show her that I understood and cared. Searching through my phone, I found the number to the man I needed to speak to.

  “Hello, Richard here.” His voice came over the line.

  “Richard, its Galen. How are you?” I greeted warmly.

  “Galen! My boy, it’s been a long time. How’s the family?” he inquired excitedly. Richard was a really good friend of my father’s, and was also on the board of trustees at the hospital. The same hospital Korinne’s husband worked at.

  “The family is doing great. Hey, listen, I would like to make a donation to the hospital.”

  “Really?” he replied. “That would be mighty generous of you. How much would you want to donate?”

  “Does two million sound good?” I asked. The line went silent and I was starting to think the connection was lost until I heard Richard fumble with the phone. Thankfully, I didn’t give him a heart attack.

  He cleared his throat and stuttered, “Did I hear that right? You want to donate two million dollars?”

  I laughed. “Yes, that’s right. If you don’t mind, I’ll have my accountant get in touch with you tomorrow.”

  “No, that’s perfect, but I have to say that I’m speechless, Galen. Thank you so much. Is there a reason why you’re doing this, or for whom might I ask?”

  “Actually there is,” I confessed. “I want it in Carson Anders’ memory. I heard about his accident and I wanted him to be recognized for his commitment to the hospital.”

  Richard sighed. “Ah, yes, Dr. Carson. He was one of our best. His accident was such a tragedy. It hasn’t been the same around here with him gone. I know his wife took it really hard when it happened.”

  “I’m sure she did,” I said.

  “I know everyone will appreciate this, son. If there’s anything I can do for you, just let me know,” Richard suggested.

  “Will do, Richard. Tell your wife I said hello.”

  “I sure will. She’ll be glad to know you called, and she also knows what this weekend is, too. Sarah mentioned it the other day.�
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  I chuckled. “I knew she wouldn’t forget.”

  “She never does.”

  “Take care, and I’ll speak to you again soon,” I said before hanging up. Sarah was Richard’s wife and a wonderful woman. Every year she would make my favorite cake for my birthday … red velvet. This coming weekend happened to be my birthday, and I was going to be thirty-one years old. Sometimes I felt older.

  A knock came at the door and Rebecca poked her head in. “We had another client call and put in a request for Mrs. Anders. Have you asked her yet if she’d come work for us?” she asked me curiously.

  Shaking my head, I replied, “No, not yet. I don’t want to push her or make her feel pressured. I sort of tried once before and failed.”

  “I understand that. Maybe you tried too soon.” She sighed. “Does she not realize how amazing she is? We have clients every day wanting her to decorate their homes. She would be an amazing asset to the company.”

  “She would be worth more than just a mere asset, a whole lot more. I’ll talk to her this weekend about it.”

  Rebecca smiled while chewing on her pen. “Something tells me she’ll accept. She may be hurting, but I think she is stronger than you think.” Rebecca gathered the blueprints of our future projects and left my office. Soon, I was going to offer Korinne the one wish she’d wanted since she started her career. I just hoped she would accept it.

  The phone rang before I even got out of my car. When I saw who the caller was, I couldn’t stop the smile that took over my face. “I thought I was going to call you,” I said into the phone.

  Korinne laughed. “You did, but I had to ask you something. Or better yet, I had to tell you something because I’m not going to take no for an answer.”

  “Ah, I like this side of you. Tell away then,” I teased, curious to know what she was up to.

  Korinne shrieked excitedly, “We have plans this weekend just me and you!”

  Her excitement had me smiling from ear to ear. “Do we now? What plans might that be?”

  “I’m surprising you this time! Pack a bag, because we’re going out of town for the weekend. I’ll pick you up tomorrow after you get off of work.”

  “I’ll be waiting,” I murmured.

  “Great! I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said excitedly before hanging up the phone.

  Now that was the Korinne I knew peeking out of her shell. She sounded like the happy and care-free girl from the past, but somehow I couldn’t help but be wary. Was she really happy or was it a front? Maybe things would turn around for us after the weekend. Spending more time together alone would surely help. Getting away with her was going to be something we both needed, and now all I had to do was wait for that time to come. Of course, the time wasn’t going to move fast enough for me.

  Chapter Nine

  By four in the afternoon my bags were packed and loaded in the car, and I was just waiting for the text from Galen saying he was ready to go. I’d been waiting on him to mention it was his birthday this weekend, but he hadn’t yet. Taking him away was my gift to him, along with something a little more intimate I planned on giving him.

  Galen was my first real love. He made me feel special and understood, and never once had pressured me or belittled me in any way. He was always supportive and full of life. There was never a dull moment when he was around. When my phone rang a few seconds later, excitement bubbled in my chest, but when I reached for my phone I saw that it was my mother. She was probably going to scold me because I hadn’t called her in a while.

  “Hi Mom!” I answered cheerfully, hoping it would smooth the situation.

  “Why haven’t you called me?” my mother chided me. I silently groaned, knowing she would sound like that. She had always been adamant about me calling every single day to check in with her.

  “I’m so sorry, Mom, but I’ve been a little … busy lately.”

  “Uh-huh, how so?” Her tone sounded annoyed and disbelieving.

  Excitedly, I said, “Well, for starters I actually decorated a house the other day.”

  My mother gasped. “Oh, Korinne! That’s wonderful news. I’m so proud of you!” Hearing her encouraging words, I smiled. I knew she was worried about me, and at least hopefully that news would stop her nagging. “So does this mean you’ll be working again?” she asked, sounding hopeful.

  “I think so … I really think so.” My mom squealed and yelled the good news to my dad, who was probably shaking his head, with his hands over his ears the whole time. “That’s not all, Mom!” I chuckled.

  “What?! What else could you tell me that’ll make me happier?”

  I took a deep breath before telling her the other good news. “I’m seeing someone,” I choked out quickly. I held the phone away from my ear when she cackled again, only louder that time.

  “Who is he and when can we meet him?” she pleaded.

  “His name is Galen, and I don’t know if I’m ready for that step yet.”

  “Galen?” my mother repeated. “Hmm … why do I recognize that name?”

  I laughed. “It’s because I’d dated him before … in college. You probably remember me saying his name.”

  “I think you might be right. I’m starting to think fate has taken a turn here,” she said emphasizing the ‘fate’ part. “Wasn’t he the one you were so heartbroken over when you transferred colleges?”

  “Yes, that’s him,” I answered softly.

  “Well it looks like you two get a second chance. Maybe it was meant for you two to find each other again. I’m so glad you told me, sweetheart. I’ll be able to rest better at night knowing that you’re happy. I was really worried about you.”

  “I know, but things are getting better,” I admitted whole-heartedly. My phone buzzed in my ear, and when I looked at the screen I saw it was a text from Galen. My heart fluttered at the sight of his name, and I couldn’t stop the wide grin from spreading across my face even if I wanted to. “Mom, I’ve got to go. Galen’s calling,” I said happily.

  “Well, go then. I love you and stay safe, sweetheart.”

  “I love you too, Mom.” Hanging up the call, I fumbled with the keys to get to my text from Galen.

  Galen: Home early. I’ll be ready in 15.

  Me: Great! I’ll be on my way.

  Galen: Can’t wait.

  Me: :)

  Stopping the excitement from bubbling over was impossible. On the way to his house I couldn’t stop smiling; my cheeks were going to be aching by the time I saw him. He brought his bags outside when I pulled up in the driveway. Hitting the button for the trunk to open, I waited in the car while Galen loaded in his bags. He slid into the front seat and it wasn’t long before his intoxicating scent filled up the car. It was to the point that if I had my way I would’ve climbed on top of him then and there. I was sure his neighbors would have gotten a kick out of that. Galen smiled and leaned over to kiss me, just a simple brush of his lips.

  “I’ve missed you this week,” he said, grinning.

  “It’s only been a few days. You’re too busy to miss me,” I joked.

  “Hmm … if that’s what you want to believe. So, where are we going?” he asked.

  “I’m not going to tell you,” I teased in a sing-song voice. “You’ll have fun though, I promise.”

  “Oh, I know I will,” he said huskily. I glanced at him from the corner of my eye and I could see him biting his lip when he stared at me. Why did he have to be so enticing? Being sexually frustrated was not easy when you had a two hour drive ahead of you. Especially if you’re stuck in the car with a man who could pass for a Greek god, who was staring at you like he wanted to devour you. “How long will it take to get there?” he asked.

  “It’ll take two hours. Why?” I replied skeptically.

  He smirked, letting that dimple on his left cheek tease me. “No reason really, other than knowing how long I have to torture you.” Visibly tensing, I gripped the steering wheel with all my might. My heart was in overdrive and my nerves we
re fluttering like crazy. Looking at his expression, I could tell his idea of torture was not simple road games.

  “What do you mean by torture me exactly?”

  “You’ll see,” he said while pointing at the road. “You just concentrate on the road and we’ll be fine.” Squirming in my seat, I tried hard to focus on the road. I’m in a shit ton of trouble, I thought.

  We had one hour left until we were going to reach our destination, and I had the strangest feeling that the torturing was about to begin. Once the sky got darker, I knew Galen was going to pounce. When he unclasped his seatbelt I knew I had been right. He moved over slowly and lightly pressed his warm, soft lips to the base of my neck, trailing them down to my collarbone. Placing his hand on my thigh, he began the slow, torturous path up to the part of me that demanded his touch. The heat from his hands seeped into my body, making me hot from the inside out.

  “What are you doing?” I asked, releasing a shaky breath.

  He replied huskily, “Torturing you.”

  I groaned as he lifted my shirt and gently bit a nipple through my bra. Growing wet at his touch, I sighed with a need so great it felt as if I’d explode. Galen pulled my bra up over my breast and latched onto my nipple, sucking greedily. His hand delved deep inside my underwear to my core and explored every inch of me. That brand of torture was something I knew I was going to love. Galen pushed his fingers inside, entering me fully as far as he could go, and moved at a rapid pace while still suckling my breast. The tingling of the orgasm grew and grew until soon I knew I couldn’t hold it off any longer. Breathing heavily, I tried desperately to concentrate on the road, but Galen’s warm strokes were driving me to the brink of elation.

  “You’re getting tighter, Korinne. Let it go, baby,” Galen demanded. His warm breath against my exposed breasts had me moaning as the orgasm took me to a whole new level. He continued to stroke and penetrated me deeply until the ripples of the climax slowly ebbed off. I was left relaxed, out of breath, and fully satiated … or at least for that time being.