Текст книги "Echoes of Scotland Street"

Автор книги: Samantha Young

Соавторы: Samantha Young
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Текущая страница: 12 (всего у книги 18 страниц)

I slumped against the wall, panting for breath, and Cole pressed in on me, his hands now on the wall beside me. His heavy breaths puffed against my back as he leaned his forehead on my shoulder.

“I guess that means you liked the underwear,” I murmured drowsily.

His body shook with gentle laughter. “Good guess.”

I realized then that yes, Cole might have more confidence in us as a couple, in our ability to pursue a relationship, but that didn’t mean he was taking control from me. If anything we were both at the mercy of each other. That, I could deal with. I think I could deal with anything as long as we were always on equal footing.

CHAPTER 18

“Y our next appointment has arrived.”

Cole looked up from the folios on his desk. He smiled at the sight of me clinging to the doorframe. “Don’t run off.” He gestured for me to come inside.

“What is it?” My eyes were drawn to his artwork as I strode into his workroom.

“I want to ask you something.” He startled me by hauling me into his arms.

I gripped at his biceps and laughed in surprise. “What are you doing?”

Cole’s green eyes glittered. “Kissing you.” And then he was.

Reluctantly I pulled back. “We can’t do that here,” I admonished. “You have a very busy schedule, Cole Walker.”

His answer was to run his nose along my jaw and squeeze my waist. “I know,” he groaned. “But I can’t get the taste of you off my tongue. It’s driving me nuts.”

I giggled and pushed him away. “Then stop kissing me.”

With a wolfish grin Cole shook his head. “Not a fucking chance.”

Pleased, I smiled. “Then at least have some willpower. Come on, your client awaits.”

I had to stifle my laughter as he followed me with a comical, petulant twist to his lips. Out in the studio I led him to the waiting area where a tall, slender brunette with lip and eyebrow piercings was waiting for him. She lit up at the sight of Cole and I determinedly squashed my annoyance at her hungry eyes.

“This is Renee. Renee, this is Cole.”

“Hi, Renee.” Cole held out his hand congenially as the young woman stood up to shake it.

“Well, hello there,” she flirted.

I tensed.

At this point I’d usually return to behind my desk and let Cole get on with it, but I was too busy being nosy as well as trying to lock down my possessiveness.

Cole ignored her flirtation, keeping his face perfectly blank. “Do you have any idea what you’re after or would you like to look through my portfolio?”

Renee pulled out a folded-up piece of paper and handed it to him. I craned my neck to have a look as Cole unfolded it. A flamingo. Renee shrugged at Cole’s curious look. “My friend drew it for me. I’ve got a thing for Alice in Wonderland and I thought this was a subtle way to go.” She took a step closer and slid a hand provocatively over her stomach and hipbone. “I want it on my hip. Right here.”

Oh, great. So she’d have her trousers half off.

Cole slanted me a look out of the corner of my eye, and he must have caught wind of my annoyance, because his lips twitched as though he thought this was funny.

I turned away in a huff and busied myself behind the reception desk, ignoring them as Cole led her into his room.

I rolled my eyes when I heard her very loud exclamation, “Oh, that’s the biggest gun I’ve ever seen.”

Was she kidding with that crap?

Infuriated, I could barely concentrate on my work. This was something I knew I needed to get used to. Cole was good-looking. Women were going to come on to him. I had to learn to deal with it.

“Are you sure you’re okay? You look a bit queasy,” I heard Simon say as he entered the studio.

I glanced up to see him leading a young woman toward me and she did indeed look very pale. She’d gotten her belly button pierced. Disappearing into the closet behind me where we’d put in a counter with a new coffeemaker we all could operate along with a fridge, I opened the latter and pulled out a piece of chocolate from my stash.

“Shannon, Jen here is ready to pay up.”

I smiled at her and handed her some chocolate. “That might help.”

Her fingers trembled as she took it from me. “Thanks.”

After she paid I watched as Simon, ever the gentleman, walked her to the door. He offered to let her sit in our waiting area until she felt better, but she seemed adamant to get gone. Once the door shut behind her he turned to me with a sigh. “That reaction seemed to come out of nowhere. She’s got her nose and ears pierced and never had a problem with it.”

“She’ll be fine.”

Simon leaned over my desk. “Any chance I could nick a bit of chocolate?”

Grinning at the boyish look he gave me, I retrieved chocolate for both of us. Simon finished eating his piece, watching me as I chewed on mine. Finally he said, “So, any chance you and Cole will be coming out from the lovers’ nest to join the rest of the world again? Tony misses you both.”

It was true for the last two weeks Cole and I had been a little preoccupied with each other. We’d moved into a new stage in our relationship, though, and admittedly we were both a little addicted. At least, I assumed Cole was as addicted as I was.

I frowned, thinking about the flirty, cocky brunette he was right now putting his ink on. “Drinks this Friday?”

“Not if it’s a cause for annoyance.” Simon gestured to my frown.

“Oh no, that’s not why.” I heaved a sigh and lowered my voice. “Cole’s customer might as well have stripped naked on the couch and offered herself to him. She’s getting a tattoo on her hip.”

Simon grimaced. “He gets that sometimes.”

“Why are some women so blatant? They don’t even think that he might have a girlfriend.”

Now my friend was grinning. “And does he . . . I mean are you officially his girlfriend?”

“You know, for someone so alpha you really are a gossip queen.”

“Don’t avoid the question.”

I hadn’t actually admitted to anyone other than Cole that we were in fact in a relationship. Announcing it to the world made it seem more real. It would be so much harder to deal with the repercussions if we fell apart knowing that there would be witnesses to my stupidity if I ever turned out to be wrong about Cole.

But I wasn’t wrong.

I wasn’t.

“Yes, I’m his girlfriend. Happy?”

Simon chuckled. “I’m sure Cole is.”

We were silent a moment, Simon scrutinizing me as I chewed my lip in thought. “Simon?”

“Yes?” he drawled.

“You’re gay.”

“You noticed that, did you?”

I smirked at his sarcasm. “Would you say you were particularly perceptive?”

“Because all gay men are clairvoyants?” He was smiling, so I knew he wasn’t offended.

“No . . . I just . . . I’ve always thought most women were more intuitive than most men, and I was just wondering if—”

“Being gay made me more intuitive?”

“It sounds terrible when you say it like that.”

“What? Like you’re generalizing a whole group of people because of their sexual orientation?” he teased.

I made a face. “Forget it.”

Simon tapped my nose with his finger. “Speak up, wee fairy. What’s on your mind?”

Glancing over my shoulder at the door to the back hallway, I took a deep breath. “What do you think he sees in me?”

He seemed taken aback by the question, as Simon’s inquisitive gaze searched mine. “Really?”

I shrugged. “You said it yourself . . . Cole’s hot. Beyond hot. And he’s talented and charismatic. He could have his choice of anyone.”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“Well, Cole told me all about how you two met when you were fifteen.”

“Yeah?”

“Can you remember it?”

I smiled softly. “Of course.”

“Do you remember feeling insecure then when he was talking to you? Did you ever ask yourself why a good-looking kid like him was interested in you?”

My brow knitted. I slumped toward Simon, my elbows on the counter, my chin resting on the palm of my hand. “No,” I said quietly. “I was always a bit self-conscious of my hair and height but . . . no. I was fairly confident when I was younger.”

“So why aren’t you now?”

Because of Ollie.

My hands curled into fists. “For no good reason at all.”

Simon covered one of my hands with his. “Good answer.”

I looked up and his expression was tender.

“You know your worth, Shannon. So does Cole. Believe me.”

I smiled gratefully. “You’re the shit, Simon.”

His eyebrows rose and he grinned. “You cursed for me?”

I laughed at how happy a swearword made him. “We really are a weird bunch, aren’t we?”

He winked. “Wouldn’t want us any other way.”

*   *   *

The smell of chlorine hit me as I followed Cole into the sports center and a wave of nostalgia crashed over me. I had loved swimming when I was a kid. Every summer, during the school holidays, Logan would take Amanda and me to our local swimming pool once a week. Sometimes I managed to squeeze two trips a week out of him. My brother never abandoned us if his friends showed up, no matter how much he got teased for hanging out with his little sisters. He was always watching out for us, entertaining us.

“You okay?” Cole glanced back at me as we walked down a cream-colored tiled corridor.

“Yeah. I was just thinking if I wasn’t so curious to see you in class I could have gone swimming instead. I haven’t swum in ages.”

He grinned. “Next time.” We stopped outside gray double doors with large half-circle windowpanes. Through them we could see into a good-sized court that was being used as a training room for Cole’s judo class. There were a number of people milling around inside—a few guys around Cole’s age and older, a number of kids aged eight to about fifteen, and two women who looked just a little older than me. There were two faces I recognized: Cam and Nate. According to Cole this was Nate’s class that he taught and it included all different skill levels. Cole’s other judo class during the week was one he attended with Nate and Cole held by a sensei higher in rank than them—it was black belts only.

Cole had changed into his suit after work. It was a blue Adidas suit like Nate, Cam, and their companion wore, and Cole’s belt was also black. I didn’t know what any of the belt colors in the room meant, but I knew black belt was higher than the others in rank. Cole had given me a quick run-through in the car. Although my brain had been a little too preoccupied—with thoughts of Renee and women like her, the fact that my birthday was fast approaching and I still hadn’t heard from my family, the fact that I desperately wanted to visit Logan but knew he didn’t want to see me, and the fact that I felt guilty because Cole was making me happy while my brother rotted away in jail—to pay enough attention to remember.

It struck me that Logan would like Cole. I knew that without a doubt.

But then I threw Logan out of my thoughts because they were likely to pull me into a dark depression, and instead I looked up at my boyfriend.

Since martial arts were such a big part of Cole’s life, I’d gotten a little nosy. I wanted to see what it was all about. Cole became overenthusiastic about my nosiness, assuming that my interest was due to a desire to possibly start taking instruction. He’d suggested I observe a class to see if it was something I might like to try. I was happier with Cole thinking I was curious about martial arts rather than him realizing I was just a little Cole-obsessed right now.

“Ready?”

I nodded and he pushed the door open, holding it for me as I walked into a roomful of strangers who all turned to look curiously at me. Cole dumped his gym bag in the corner and then took my hand, leading me over to Nate and Cam.

They greeted me with smiles of welcome and I relaxed a little.

“So you’re here to observe.” Nate grinned, giving me his dimples.

“If that’s okay?”

“No problem. I’m just surprised Cole’s willing to let you watch him get his arse kicked.”

Cole laughed. I loved watching him laugh. Loved the way his eyes actually glittered brightly with humor, loved the crinkles around the corners of them, loved the boyish grin that always accompanied his laughter. “You’re about to eat your words, old man.”

Nate harrumphed. “I’ll old-man you. Get in line.”

*   *   *

An hour and a half later

“He kicked your butt.”

Cole shrugged at me as he approached. Nate had just finished the class and everyone was dispersing to the changing rooms. “I let him. I was feeling charitable.”

“Charitable, my arse,” Nate said behind him as he grabbed his gym bag off the floor.

Cole smirked at him and turned back to me. He leaned in, smelling of fresh sweat and radiating massive amounts of heat. My lips tingled after he brushed a soft kiss over them. “I’m just going to jump in the shower. I’ll meet you in reception.”

I nodded and watched him walk out with Nate.

“So, does he know?”

I jerked my gaze from the door where Cole and the rest of his classmates had exited, surprised to find Cameron had stayed behind. He stood in front of me in the now-empty studio, his gym bag tossed over his shoulder. After everything Cole had told me about his past, I couldn’t help feeling this strange gratitude and warmth for Cam, even though I barely knew him. “Sorry?”

“Does he know?”

“Know what?”

Cole’s brother-in-law took a few steps toward me, his dark blue eyes pinning me to the spot with their intensity. “That you’re in love with him.”

I think my heart stopped at those words.

Cam gave me a reassuring smile. “If you haven’t told him, I won’t. But it’s pretty obvious to me.”

It was? Bizarre . . . since it wasn’t to me! “Um . . .”

“It’s the way you look at him.”

“The way I look at him?”

Cam chuckled at my anxious tone and started walking past me. Before he did he reached out and gave my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “It’s not the end of the world, Shannon. Trust me.”

Trust him?

I really wish people would stop asking me to do that.

CHAPTER 19

T here was nothing quite like waking up to find that the sky was clear and it was hot outside—wearing shorts and a T-shirt and buying ice lollies kind of hot. Those days were a rarity even in summer, and I loved them because it was like being on holiday for a little while. Brisk, bright spring days were good too, when the sun was out but the winter was still clinging to the morning air. Those days always energized me.

Moving to Edinburgh had been like a cold, sunny spring day—here I was, awake for the first time in forever and ready to start over.

Falling for Cole was a hot summer day—like being on holiday and hoping the rain would stay away forever.

Three months ago I’d escaped Glasgow. Almost two months ago I’d started seeing Cole. And it was good. Better than good. It was a hot, hot summer—the best, most heated, and intense distraction from my past I could have asked for.

“You’ve done a great job,” Stu praised me, slapping his hand down on my shoulder so hard I almost winced.

He was covering for Cole, who’d taken a day off because he, Cam, and Nate had tickets to some big judo tournament in Berlin. For the first time in a few weeks, I’d be spending the night alone.

Stu had just finished looking over my completed digitization of his filing system.

“Thanks.” I smiled up at him.

“I’m surprised you got it done this fast. Cole can’t be distracting you too much from your work,” he teased.

Two months ago I would have been worried about what Stu thought of me dating his manager, but Cole had explained everything to Stu and I wasn’t surprised to discover that our boss was happy for us.

“I called it as soon as you walked in the door.” Stu looked smug. “I said to myself, ‘Cole will like this wee fairy, no doubt about that.’”

I snorted. “How could you have known that?”

“Gut instinct. It’s never steered me wrong. And then I saw you two together when I came in with Steely and I knew I was right. You can’t fake that kind of chemistry. I know. My wife, Rocky, and I have been together for over thirty years. Moment I met her I just knew.”

I smiled. “That is some gut instinct.”

Stu winked at me before striding off toward the back hallway. “If you need me I’ll be in my office.”

“Your next appointment is in an hour,” I reminded him.

He gave me a wave in acknowledgment and disappeared from sight.

For the next forty minutes or so I sat behind the reception, rereading one of my favorite paranormal books. I’d been interrupted only once by one of Simon’s customers. Eating some of the chocolate I kept in the fridge, drinking coffee, and reading my book, I was feeling quite content. How many people had such a cushy job?

But something had to ruin my day.

And that something stepped into the studio in the form of a leggy, attractive brunette.

I jerked up straight in my seat as Tamara sashayed toward me wearing an annoying little smirk on her pretty mouth.

“You’re still here,” she said with condescension in her voice.

“I am.” I put my book down, irritated that her appearance had sent my mood plummeting. “How can I help you?”

“You can help by getting Cole for me.”

The heady heat of possessiveness gripped me and I had to give myself a couple of seconds to get a hold on it. “He’s not in today.”

Disappointment clouded Tamara’s large dark brown eyes. “Oh. Is he back in tomorrow?”

“It’s his day off tomorrow.”

She smiled at that. “Great. I’ll just drop by his flat, then.”

“He’s out of the country,” I hurried to say, the thought of her anywhere near Cole’s flat giving me palpitations. “He won’t be back until Friday.”

“Well, luckily I’m here until Saturday.”

The urge to mark my territory was unfortunately too great to ignore. “Cole and I are dating,” I blurted out.

Tamara’s eyes raked down over what she could see of me before she muttered, “There’s a surprise.” She gave me a pitying look. “Don’t get comfortable, sweetie. I’ve known Cole since he was eighteen and he’s a bit of a serial monogamist. He’ll get bored of you soon enough.”

Uneasiness stirred inside me and I momentarily wondered if she was right. Pushing that uncertainty aside, I shrugged on a confidence I wasn’t sure I felt. “You don’t know him very well, then.”

She curled her lip in annoyance. “I’ve known him for a lot longer than you. I know when he’s done tasting every flavor of woman I’ll be the one he ends up with.”

I hid my trembling hands beneath the counter. “I thought you two were just friends.”

“He’s saving the best until last.” She guffawed. “Do you really think a guy like Cole will end up with a short, scrawny, talentless redhead whose sole ambition in life is to be a great receptionist? No, sweetie. You’re nothing. He’ll fuck you until he’s had his fill and then he’ll dump you.”

You’re nothing.

Just like that my uncertainty faded away. I laughed. This woman was deluded. She clearly didn’t know Cole at all.

You’re nothing.

It rang in my head, but it didn’t hurt. Now I looked at her with clarity. I had what Tamara wanted and I knew after the bile that had just spilled out of her that she would never have it.

“Something funny?”

“Yes.” I smiled and shook my head at her. “Cole’s not saving the best until last, Tamara. He doesn’t want you, because he knows class when he sees it, and you obviously have none.”

Anger glinted in her dark eyes and she had just opened her mouth to retort when loud clapping from the back of the studio drew both our gazes. Stu was leaning against the doorway there, watching us. He stopped clapping and approached us slowly, his blue eyes fixated on Tamara.

I’d never seen Stu with an unfriendly expression on his face before.

He was beyond intimidating.

“I’ve never had the patience for bitches. Get out of my studio.”

Tamara flushed. “Stu—”

“Now, Tamara.”

There was almost a gust of wind upon Tamara’s departure, she moved so fast.

I stared up at Stu wide-eyed. “What was that all about? I felt like I was stuck in some bad fairy tale.”

He chuckled and relaxed against the counter. “Tamara has been sniffing after Cole for years. He’s told her more than once that nothing was going to happen between them, and I think he thought she understood that.” He glanced at the door where she’d just left. “You were right, sweetheart. Cole knows class.” He smiled at me now. “You’re it. She’s not.”

I smiled gratefully. “After watching her strut in and then run out of here on the longest legs I’ve ever seen, I really needed to hear that. Thank you.”

Stu threw his head back in deep, bellowing laughter, startling his next customer as she walked in the door.

*   *   *

I was sitting out on the balcony of my flat, my feet up on a stool, my sketch pad balanced on my knees, and I was using charcoals to draw the street below me. In my usual style, I utilized colors that reflected the way I saw the street and its energy, rather than the colors visible to my eyes.

It was close to the back of eight o’clock and I knew I’d be losing the light in an hour or so. I wanted to finish it tonight because I’d be hanging out with Cole tomorrow upon his return from Germany.

The sound of the front door to the flat slamming made me frown. Rae had told me she was hanging out with Simon and Tony tonight.

“Did you forget something?” I yelled, looking into the sitting room, awaiting her appearance.

I nearly fell off my seat when Cole walked into the room.

Delighted to see him, I forgot all about my drawing. I dumped it on the stool and hurried inside to greet him. “You’re early.” I grinned and launched myself at him.

Cole wrapped his arms around me and I inhaled him, ridiculously glad to see him even though he’d only been gone for two nights.

I was surprised then when he suddenly stopped hugging me, gripped me by the elbows, and pushed me back. My stomach flipped at the sight of his scowl.

“Was there something you forgot to tell me on the phone last night?”

Confused, I shook my head.

This pissed him off more than he already was. “Think,” he bit out.

“I’m thinking,” I snapped back, jerking my arms from his grip. “Hello to you too!”

“Don’t,” he warned. “I had to find out from Stu that my so-called friend accosted my girlfriend, rather than hearing that shit from the person who should have told me . . . aka my girlfriend.”

“Dammit,” I huffed, cursing Stu for telling Cole about Tamara. I hadn’t wanted to make a big deal out of it, because in the end it wasn’t a big deal. “Cole, it was nothing.”

Cole crossed his arms over his chest and I watched his biceps flex. My stomach flipped again—and this flip was much nicer than the previous one. “She verbally attacked you and got in your face about our relationship. Something that has absolutely fuck all to do with her. Something she’s now very aware of since I called her half an hour ago and told her to stay out of my life permanently. No one does that to you, especially when I’m not there to protect you.”

“Good.” I was relieved. More than that I was gratified Cole was taking our relationship so seriously. “Thank you.”

“You don’t get it.”

Why he was still angry with me? “Clearly not.”

Suddenly I was pulled into his body as he wrapped his arms around my waist and held me tight to him. He looked down at me, surprisingly intense. “It hasn’t been easy to get you to this point, Shannon. I don’t need someone coming in and messing with your head and filling it with nonsense about me all over again. And the fact that you hid it from me . . . Well, that tells me you let her get to you. You’re letting her mess with your head. You’re shutting me out again.”

I grinned and then laughed at the immediate annoyance and confusion that sparked in Cole’s expressive eyes. His hold loosened and I fisted my hands in his shirt to stop him from stepping away from me. “You’re wrong. I didn’t tell you because it really was no big deal. Don’t get me wrong. At first what with her being all hot and leggy, I was a little worried she might be right. However, that thought was fleeting. She doesn’t know either of us well enough to form an opinion. I’m starting to realize my own worth again, Cole. And you’re an honest guy. If you wanted to be with Tamara, you would be.” I bit my lip, smiling suggestively as I pressed my hips into his body. “Fortunately for me you have a blind spot when it comes to a short redhead with plenty of attitude and an insatiable libido.”

Cole’s lips twitched. “An insatiable libido?”

“You have no idea.” I smoothed my hands over his hard chest, feeling the tingling sensation grow between my legs. “And fortunately for you I have a blind spot when it comes to a tall, hot tattooist who jumps to conclusions.”

I let out a little squeal of delight as Cole lifted me into the air. I wrapped my legs around his waist, my hands clinging to his neck as he kissed me. A long, slow, sweet, deep, hot kiss.

I melted into him.

“Now, that is the way to say hello,” I murmured.

His hooded eyes were filled with something . . . something I couldn’t quite put my finger on, but it was utterly arresting. I stilled in his hold. “You keep surprising me, Shannon MacLeod.”

“That’s a good thing, right?” I rubbed my nose against his and he nodded, turning his face to catch my lips in another breath-stealing kiss.

When we came up for air, Cole panted, “I have a surprise for you too.”

Anticipation rushed through me. “I can feel your surprise.”

He shook with laughter. “Not that.”

“Ooh, present?” I said, and he laughed even harder at my childish excitement.

Lowering himself to the sofa, he arranged me so I was sitting comfortably on his lap—well, as comfortably as I could with his erection digging into me. I sat patiently as he smoothed his hands down my hair. “Life drawing class wasn’t my favorite, but I can’t get the idea of drawing you naked out of my mind.”

For some reason I found the idea of modeling for Cole both stimulating and embarrassing. “You can draw me if you want to.”

He nodded, eyes hot. “I want to. I wonder how long I’ll last before I give in to temptation.”

I squirmed, my skin heating at the thought of all the ways I could tease Cole while he drew me. “I’m definitely modeling for you,” I murmured thickly.

Cole swelled against the apex of my thighs. Hmm, he really liked that idea.

He groaned and pulled my head toward him for a quick kiss. “Before I make love to you I want to give you your surprise.”

“Okay.”

“I know it’s your birthday tomorrow.”

Taken completely off guard, I jerked back. “How? I didn’t tell anyone.”

“I know.” He frowned. “And that’s really annoying, Shortcake. Luckily you work for me, so I have your birth date on file.”

“I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it.” I shrugged, feeling an unpleasant ache in my chest ruin all my sexy, glowy feelings.

Cole sighed. “Because your family hasn’t contacted you?”

I lowered my gaze and nodded. “It’s my first birthday without Logan. Without any of them. It was the one day a year my parents actually acted like they gave a crap.”

He lifted my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. His eyes roiled with passion and tenderness. “They don’t get to take your birthday away from you. If they don’t want that piece of you, then I’ll have it. Gladly.”

“Cole . . . ,” I whispered, folding into him. Some of the ugliness in my chest started to dissipate.

He hugged me tight. “I know you’re trying to put together as many different pieces as you can for your portfolio, so I’m taking you somewhere where you can work on your art.”

I pulled back, my pulse picking up speed. “Where?”

“Joss and Braden own a private villa in Lake Como. They’re letting us stay there in two weeks for seven nights. I’ve already cleared the time off for us with Stu.”

Shocked, I stared at him openmouthed for a few seconds before I squeaked, “You’re taking me to Italy for my birthday?”

Cole gave me that boyish, cocky grin of his. “Yes.”

“You can’t do that.”

He raised an eyebrow at me. “I think I can.”

“No.” I shook my head adamantly. “No one has ever taken me anywhere, let alone a man who’s only been dating me for two months.”

“Well, it’s happening.” He laughed.

“No.”

“Yes.”

“I can’t let you take me to Italy, Cole,” I argued.

Impatience crackled in his gaze. “Why the fuck not?”

“Because . . . because . . .” I slumped on his lap. “I know I said I know my own worth now, but part of that was just bravado, okay? Don’t get me wrong. I’m trying to get there . . . but it’s been a while since anyone was good to me and I . . .” I gasped for breath, completely taken aback by how overwhelmed I was by his gift. “I don’t know if I can cope.”

Fierceness flashed in Cole’s gaze and I abruptly found myself in the air as he stood up. “You can cope. You’d better,” he declared, carrying me into my bedroom. “Because I don’t intend to stop anytime soon.”

“I know what will help,” I whispered frantically.

“What?”

“Sex. Sex will definitely calm me down.”

Cole grinned wickedly seconds before he threw me onto the bed. “Not the way I plan on doing it.”