Shrugging off thoughts of her poor old car, she sat down and they got started.
"The last of the landscaping is in," Carter reported. "The fountain has been tested, and is in working order. The playground equipment is finished, and the Christmas tree was brought in yesterday."
Molly shuffled through her papers. "The tree will be decorated tomorrow, and lights will be strung, so it'll be ready for the tree lighting ceremony Friday night, and the parade on Saturday."
Mavis huffed out a sigh. "That's cutting it really close."
"But still in plenty of time," Chelsea said. "We got it all done in time for the holiday parade. I can't wait for everyone to see it."
"I can't wait for Georgia to see it," Samantha said with a wide smile. "She's put so much work into this."
"So true," Cletus said. "Without her, this renovation wouldn't have happened at all."
"We have vendors scheduled to be in place around town square during the holiday parade." Carter turned to Cletus. "You're picking up the flyers from the printer?"
Cletus nodded. "I'll get those on Friday morning so we can hand them out. I saw the draft and they look good. Plus there will be color boards of the project from start to finish in front of town square. I think folks'll be impressed."
"I'm excited--and proud," Mavis said, then turned her attention to Molly. "Molly, don't forget, you're on the parade judging committee."
"Oh, right. I had forgotten about that."
"You need to be in place at nine a.m. in the judge's booth at the corner of Main and Central."
She was actually kind of excited about the parade--about the entire day, especially the debut of the new town square. "I'll be there."
They finished up business, then everyone milled about having coffee and pastries.
"I can't believe she conned you into judging the parade," Chelsea said.
Molly shrugged. "How bad can it be?"
Samantha was there as well, and her gaze shifted between Molly and Chelsea. "We've all been there. It's not pretty."
Chelsea let out a soft snort. "Sam's right. You just wait 'til she tells you who to vote into first place. Then tell me how bad it'll be."
Molly lifted her chin. "My vote can't be swayed. Besides, what can she do to me? Kick me off the parade committee? I won't be here next year."
Samantha laid her hand on Molly's arm. "Oh, Molly. I wish you'd reconsider leaving Hope. We all love having you here again."
"This is true," Chelsea said. "Did I mention we're having a Christmas shopping and wine extravaganza next week?"
Molly gave her a blank stare. "No."
"That's because I just now came up with the idea. And you're invited. It'll be you and me, Megan, Des, Sam, and Emma and Jane. Okay, like everyone. Everyone who's available, anyway."
"Terrific idea," Samantha said. "My shopping list is a mile long and I haven't had time to get out there yet."
Chelsea had a sparkle in her eyes. "It'll be search and destroy, then we'll all get drunk. It doesn't get much more fun than that. Work first, reward second."
Molly laughed. "Sounds intriguing. And potentially inebriating. Count me in."
"Me, too," Samantha said.
"Great," Chelsea said. "I'll text everyone and we'll figure out a day and time."
Carter came up to them. "You ready to go?"
Molly nodded, so she said her goodbyes and they left. She zipped up her coat, happy to slide into Carter's truck so she could turn on the butt warmers once he fired up the engine.
"It's cold," she said. "And it sure feels like it could snow."
"Yeah. Let's hope it holds off until after the parade on Saturday."
She was looking forward to seeing snow, but she understood it could potentially mess up the roads--and the parade, which she was also looking forward to seeing. Being a part of the town square project had been so much fun. She was excited to see it open, to hear and see people's reactions to it.
As she sat there musing about the parade and the town square, she realized that Carter wasn't going in the direction of her house, but taking her to his.
"Kidnapping me?" she asked as he turned down his street.
"Yes. Got a problem with that?"
"No." They hadn't had a moment alone in a while. She was more than ready to be kidnapped.
He pulled into the driveway and turned off the engine. "You're spending the night, unless you have a strong objection."
"Why don't you quit talking about it and take me inside? It's already getting cold out here."
He shot her a look that was pure sexual desire. "You're the one talking."
She opened the door and slid out of the truck. They hurried inside and Carter punched the button to shut the garage door. Molly dropped her purse on the dining room table, peeled off her coat and threw it on the chair, then started down the hall toward the bedroom.
Carter caught her halfway, pinning her against the wall.
His mouth was on hers before she could catch her breath.
This was what she'd wanted, what she'd thought about every day since that night he'd laid a hot kiss on her in his car. She buried her fingers in his hair and moaned against his lips, taking as much as he gave.
His hands slid under her shirt--cold fingers, but she didn't care, since her body flamed hot with desire. And when he cupped her butt and squeezed, angling her body so she could feel exactly how much he wanted her, all she could do was rub against him, anxious energy sizzling through her.
He lifted her shirt off, then popped the clasp on her bra, filling his hands with her breasts. His mouth soon followed, and she felt the frenzy of desire, the need to touch his skin with her hands and her mouth. She unbuckled his belt, drew his zipper down, shoving at his jeans to draw them over his hips.
She slid her fingers inside his boxers and wrapped them around his cock, loving the sound of his groan.
"I've thought about this every night since I put you on my lap in the car," he said, mirroring her thoughts.
"Me, too. I want this, Carter. I want you."
He kissed his way from her breasts to her neck, taking a moment to run his tongue over her throat before taking her mouth again.
Heady passion had her in its grasp, a roller coaster of fevered need. Carter drew her up and carried her the few remaining steps into the bedroom, dumping her none too gently on the bed.
She didn't want gentle. She wanted him.
She kicked off her shoes while he wrestled with the zipper of her jeans, then drew them down her legs. They shed the rest of their clothes and he grabbed a condom, then climbed on to the bed, spread her legs and slid into her, making her cry out from the delicious pleasure.
As he moved within her, he slowed, his gaze meeting hers in a moment of pure tenderness that nearly broke her. She lifted, wanting the raw passion, the animalistic, mindless need, not this heartbreaking emotion that nearly tore her in two.
She closed her eyes, letting the physical sensations carry her away.
But Carter wouldn't allow it.
"Molly. Look at me."
She ignored him for a few seconds, but his movements made her gasp.
"Molly."
She opened her eyes, and it was like drowning in a sea of mesmerizing green.
She was lost, physically and emotionally, and she had no hopes of keeping herself away from him. Not when he was inside her, moving within her, knowing her body as he did. His fingers laced with hers, and he took her right where she needed to go, his eyes never leaving hers as they both came with a fury that made any control she'd hoped to hang on to explode in a million tiny pieces.
And still, he held on to her, as if he was trying to communicate his thoughts, his emotions, without words.
But she couldn't listen. Maybe she didn't want to acknowledge that it was possible he felt something deeper than just this amazing physical force that drew them both together. She focused on the ever-consuming waves of her orgasm, the physicality of it all, the pure thrill of how this man owned her b
ody so completely.
It was all she could allow. Anything else would be devastating to her heart, and she wasn't ready for that yet.
She might never be.
After, he kissed her neck, rolled to the side, allowing them both to catch their breath. Carter left the bed for a moment, then came back, pulling her against him. She laid her head on his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat.
"Give me ten minutes, then we're going for round two."
She lifted her head to stare up at him. "Is there a prerequisite number of times we're doing it tonight?"
He grinned. "Yeah. Until I pass out or can't get it up anymore. We haven't had a lot of time together lately, and I've missed you."
She laughed. "I've missed you, too. And tomorrow's a workday."
"I'll expect you to be on time, too."
She shook her head and lay down again. "My boss is such a dick."
"So I've heard. Want me to kick the shit out of him for you?"
"Would you?"
"Anything for you, babe."
She smiled, then rolled over on top of him to kiss him, hoping she could cut those ten minutes down to five.
Chapter 29
THE DAY OF the Hope holiday parade dawned cold, but snow free. Molly was both happy and sad. Mainly happy for the town and everyone involved in the parade and the town square project.
But there was snow forecast in a few days, so she could still be excited about that.
She'd had to report to the parade center early that morning to meet with the town square committee. She'd gotten up early to have coffee with her parents. Her mom said she was going to come to the parade today, and her father insisted it was going to be in a wheelchair, because there would be too many people around who could potentially bump into her and knock her down. Plus, walking around the house and at therapy was one thing--fatiguing herself at the parade was another.
Despite her mother's protests, Molly sided with her father, and Mom grudgingly agreed to the wheelchair.
She'd hurried down to the parade route to see the town square.
It was beautiful. The fountain was running, the dolphin was gorgeous, the tiles were amazing, and the playground was perfect. The giant Christmas tree sitting behind the square was a fabulous touch. She couldn't wait to see it lit up tonight after the festival.
She hoped her mother was proud of the final product, since she'd spearheaded the project from the beginning. Molly planned to meet her parents here after the parade.
Speaking of which, she had to get in place at the judge's grandstand. She hurried down the street and around the corner, the brisk walk in the cold air warming her up. She stopped in Megan's shop along the way to grab a very large latte, and she had that in her hand when she arrived at the grandstand, where Mavis waited.
"Oh, good, you're here, Molly. Here's your judging packet. You know, Henderson's Ford is a big contributor to the mayor's campaign. And they always do the best floats. Do you know they win the grand prize every year?"
And so it begins. "Is that right?" she asked as they made their way up the bleacher stairs to the booth.
"It is. The mayor would consider it a personal favor if you'd give them a high vote."
"If they have the best float, they'll get a high mark. I'm sure there are a lot of great floats. On my way over I saw the one that Hope High's science club put together. It looks pretty amazing, too."
Mavis looked flustered. "Yes, yes, I'm sure that one's nice, too. But you know, the mayor is up for reelection this year, and campaign contributors are hard to come by."
Molly looked up at her. "Mavis, you aren't by some chance trying to persuade me to vote a certain way on the mayor's behalf, are you? Because that would certainly be unethical."
She made sure to say it as loud as she could. And since people were starting to fill the stands around them, it caused Mavis's face to turn beet red.
"Of course not. I would never do such a thing."
A few of the other judges arrived, so Mavis gave her a tight smile. "Larry," Mavis said. "How nice to see you. How's it going over at the hardware store? The mayor was just asking about you the other day."
Molly rolled her eyes and sipped her latte. She smiled when Larry took his seat, and introduced herself to him.
"You're Emmett's girl."
"Yes, sir."
"I heard you were back in town. How's your mama doing?"
"Much better, thank you. She intends to come to the parade today."
"I'll be sure to tell my wife. She'll look for her."
After the other judges arrived, they only had to wait about ten more minutes before the Hope Fire and Police Departments got the parade started by leading off with sirens and flashing lights.
She'd missed this parade, missed seeing all the floats and the clowns and the mayor and his wife waving from their fancy car. Then both the high schools and their marching bands with baton twirlers and cheerleaders in front.
She was right about the science club from Hope High--they had put together an amazing float with kids from the club dressed as different forms of colorful bacteria. She loved it, but then maybe she had a soft spot in her heart for the club, since she used to be a member.
"What a great float," Larry said with a grin on his face.
Okay, so maybe it wasn't just her.
She wasn't all that impressed with the car dealership's float. It was towed by one of their new trucks and had some hot woman on it and a bunch of car sale signs. It looked like they spent a bundle of money on it, but otherwise, it wasn't all that creative. There were many other floats groups had put a lot more time and creativity into, so she scored them all accordingly.
What the other judges thought, she had no idea.
The parade ended, of course, with Santa Claus riding on a float that held his sleigh. Everyone cheered, and Molly finished up her score sheet, then turned it in to the parade committee. The awards would be given out at town square tonight prior to the tree lighting ceremony.
At least her work here was done. She was off to meet her parents.
CARTER FINISHED WATCHING the parade, then wandered around, talking to a few people. He saw Molly climb down from her spot on the judge's booth, so he excused himself to go find her.
She was headed toward the town square, so he picked up his pace and crossed the street to catch up to her.
"Excuse me, miss, but you look familiar."
She stopped, then smiled at him. "Wasn't it a great parade?"
"It was. And did you vote for the mayor's favorite float?"
She laughed. "Well, I gave it a score. I don't think it was the score Mavis wanted me to give it."
"I'm shocked, Molly. No more judging the parade for you."
She slipped her arm in his. "And to think it's now become my favorite holiday tradition. I'm heartbroken."
"Yeah, I'll bet you are."
She saw her parents near the square. "There's my mom and dad. Are your parents here?"
"Yeah. They're supposed to be somewhere near the square, too."
They greeted her parents. Her mom looked plenty warm in her thick coat, hat, and gloves, and Dad had even thought to put a fleece blanket on her lap.
"Did you enjoy the parade?" Carter asked.
"It was great," Emmett said.
Molly sat on the bench next to her mother, who had parked her wheelchair facing the fountain.
"What do you think, Mom?"
Her mom grasped her hand and squeezed it. "Oh, Molly, it turned out even better than I envisioned. Thank you."
"Don't thank me. This was your doing."
"But you stayed and jumped on the committee. You and Carter made sure it got finished. And the playground--a brilliant idea."
"Thanks, Mom."
Carter took a seat next to Molly.
"Thank you, Carter."
"We did it, didn't we Georgia?"
"We sure as hell did. Isn't it fantastic?"
Carter leaned back and surveyed the f
inished product. "It's amazing. I'm so glad you came up with the idea, Georgia. It's a hell of a beautiful thing."
Carter liked seeing Molly's mom so happy. The two of them had worked hard on this project, and he'd hated that she hadn't been able to finish it. He was glad Molly had taken on the responsibility. He was sure it had given Georgia some comfort knowing her daughter had been involved.
"We couldn't have done this without Molly's help. She's an ass kicker," Carter said.
Georgia beamed a smile. "Well, she is my daughter."
Carter laughed. "That she is."
"I honestly didn't do much, other than back up Carter and keep the meetings on track."
"That's bull. The playground was your idea."
"And it looks wonderful," Georgia said.
"Oh, Carter, this looks amazing."
Molly stood as Carter's parents, Amanda and Robert, came over. It had been so long since she'd seen them.
Amanda was as pretty as she'd always been, with her dark hair cut shorter than she remembered. Robert's hair was a lot grayer now, but he was still a strikingly handsome man--just like his son.
"Thanks, Mom." Carter hugged his mom.
"And Georgia, how are you?"
Amanda sat next to her on the bench.
"I'm doing so much better, Amanda. So nice to see you again. How are you?"
"Good, thank you. I'm so sorry to hear about your accident. But you look amazing. Leave it to you to have a terrible injury and still look gorgeous as always."
Her mom blushed. "Oh, well, Molly's been taking good care of me."
Molly smiled. "I did nothing. My mother has tons of energy and hates being cooped up in the house."
"I know this about her. And what about you, Molly? It's so wonderful seeing you back here in Hope. Will you be staying permanently?"
Molly shifted on the balls of her feet. "Oh, I don't know . . ."
"Mom," Carter said, directing his mother by the elbow, "what do you think of the Christmas tree? Do you think it's big enough? Are you going to stay for the lighting ceremony tonight?"
Carter moved his parents ever so subtly to the tree, and then over to the playground, giving Molly an out from that question.
"People are going to start asking now that I'm recovering," her mother said. "Eventually you're going to have to give them an answer."
She was surprised her mother hadn't asked. But her mom knew her better than most people.
"I don't have an answer, Mom. I don't know. You know what my life has been like all these years. I've gotten sort of used to it."