“I’m not good at this, Jillian. I’m not sure where to begin so I think I’ll start with the magazine article and work my way from there.”
“What article?” she asked. It was hard to remain coherent when she was this close to him.
He slid his hand through his hair, tousling it further and she wept silently at how goddamn sexy and intelligent he was. She wanted him. “Your article. The one about–” His eyes glanced away from her, then back. “The one about you giving yourself orgasms. Raymond gave me a copy. There were some inside Lacie’s. Why didn’t you tell me you did that as a side job?”
His bright green eyes held onto hers and even though she had no qualms about pleasuring herself with toys, somehow, beneath his heated gaze, she felt…a tad nervous. Were they really going to stand atop Lacie’s patio and discuss her masturbation tactics?
“I don’t know,” she said simply.
He cocked his head to the side. “I feel like a failure.”
“Why?” She launched herself from the lounge chair and stood toe to toe with him. “What do you mean?”
“At first I didn’t feel like I was good enough for you in that department. I know you weren’t faking all those orgasms I gave you. I know you weren’t. But that’s my issue, not yours. What I don’t understand is why you didn’t trust me enough to tell me? And don’t say you don’t know.”
Jillian huffed. “Honestly, because I didn’t know how you would feel about it. I don’t know if you remember but you made a small comment about what that would say about a man’s sexual abilities if his girlfriend was using toys all the time. Some men feel like they’re up against competition and start to worry about what I’m using and the size, et cetera. I didn’t want you to question me every time I went home. I didn’t want it to become an issue between us.”
“Was it an issue with other men?”
“Oh God, no! I’ve never, well, there’ve never been other men. A few people from the companies that I get the products from, warned me of those types of issues.” Jillian swallowed at his hard stare. God, why was she so hot? She was wearing a short-sleeved top, her comfy yoga pants, she shouldn’t feel like she was burning up.
“Your cheeks are red,” he said.
“Cole, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about the toy reviews. I stopped doing them. This was my last one.” She grabbed ahold of her necklace.
“Your necklace?” His forehead crinkled.
“It doubles as a necklace and a vibe-”
“You’re kidding?” His lips almost quirked into a smile.
She shook her head remembering the day he’d fingered it as Levi. Suddenly his emotionless eyes blazed with heat and she reveled in the idea of what he might be thinking.
“Anyway,” she continued, “I started doing them as a way to make extra money because I knew there would come a day when Arabella would need financial help and I wanted to have money for her. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Not like you hurt me.
His hand came out and smoothed her cheek and her knees almost buckled beneath his heavy gaze and gentle caress.
“I know you didn’t mean to hurt me. It took me by surprise. I can get over it as long as we have everything out in the open.” When she nodded, he continued. “I’m sorry I hurt you.” Cole released a deep breath and saw that she held hers as she waited for him to go on. “I hope I’m not too late, and if you need a lawyer to undo anything you’ve already signed, I will gladly hire one for you or a team of them, but I am so in love with you. Jillian, I want Lacie’s to be yours.”
She gasped. “What? Cole—”
“No, hear me out. I’m in love with you, Jillian. Ahh, it feels so good to say that out loud to you.” He chuckled as he ran his hand over his jaw. “I’m willing to do anything to get you to change your mind about going to Party Panties. Anything, Jillian. I’m sorry for not seeing this sooner. I’m sorry for being a jackass ninety percent of the time. Tell me I’m not too late.”
He loved her? Her heart pounded wildly in her chest. So loud. Her ears thumped as blood rushed through her body. She tried to force out the words. “I haven’t,” she stopped. Deep breath. “I haven’t signed the papers at Party Panties. Well, I signed a preliminary contract. But not the papers to commit, if that makes sense.” Her words came out in a rush because she was nervous and scared and Cole just admitted that he was in love with her. “It’s not what I want, Cole.”
Relief flooded his eyes. “Thank God. What do you want, Jillian?”
“I want my dream. Something that I can call my own…I want you, too.”
Cole’s hand cupped her chin and his eyes glistened as he held her tightly. “That’s what I’m trying to tell you, Jillian. It’s yours. Whatever you want. Lacie’s is yours. You can have it. You can change the name. Close down the North Denver location. Hell, close the whole franchise. Open a few more. I don’t care. Whatever it takes to win you back. To be with me. I’m sorry for being so shallow.”
“There’s nothing more that I want. Party Panties wasn’t what I was looking for, but you don’t have to give me Lacie’s, Cole. I want you no matter what. I’m in love with you. I want you more than I want some impersonal lingerie store. I will build The Peekeasy again, only if we can work it out that it doesn’t affect your position as CEO of Deluxe Posh. Or come between us. You don’t have to give me Lacie’s. Or close it down.”
His mouth was on hers, stopping her from doing anything other than grasping his thick shoulders and clutching onto him as if she were taking her dying breath. His lips worked fervently against hers and God, he tasted so good. She missed him.
“Don’t cry,” he said, as he pulled away.
She hadn’t realized she was crying. “I hated to be without you, Cole. You didn’t come after me right away and I thought—”
“Shh, don’t think. I’m sorry, Jillian baby that I didn’t capture you the day you came into my office. I wanted to. I wanted to so badly. But I was too stupid.”
Their foreheads rested against one another’s as he used his thumbs to stop the flow of tears.
“Don’t cry,” he murmured against her cheek.
“I’m just so happy. And angry at myself for wanting to go to Party Panties. I should have thought it through, I should have listened to my instincts that were trying to tell me Party Panties was all wrong. They don’t even have a bell on their front door.”
He gasped. “No bell? How can they handle that?” He kissed her cheek. “Come home with me. Please. I’ve missed you. I want to make it up to you. I want to be with you. We will figure out a way to get you The Peekeasy.”
“Leave me alone, Derrek. I’m not taking you back.” Arabella’s shrill voice floated against the wind and Jillian and Cole both pulled away from each other. She ran to the railing and sure enough, below was Arabella walking ahead of Derrek.
Derrek reached out and gripped Arabella’s arm, swinging her around to face him. Even from her vantage point, Jillian could see the look of surprise and pain on her sister’s face.
“Don’t walk away from me when I’m talking to you.” Derrek shook Arabella and before Jillian knew it, Cole was rushing down the patio stairs, the vibrations shaking the entire patio as he flew from one step to the next.
Derrek had enough time to glance at Cole before Cole’s right fist came out and cold-cocked Derrek in the jaw. Derrek stumbled off balance and Cole pounced on him. The two men fell to the ground with Cole on top and they started tumbling around. All Jillian could see was Cole’s fist flying in the air. Grunts and groans came out of their mouths as they fought one another. Jillian ran down the steps to get to Arabella.
“Cole, stop!” Jillian screamed. This was crazy. Cole was going to kill him. “Cole! You’re going to hurt him. Stop!”
She turned to Arabella who was still standing beneath the wood beams of the patio, silently watching as Cole pummeled Derrek.
“Snap out of it, Arabella. Call the fucking police!” Jillian screamed.
“I called them,
” Raymond said just as he burst out the back door. Raymond went to Cole and bravely got behind him to pull his shoulders back. “That’s enough. Cole! Snap out of it, man. You’ve made your point.”
But Cole was relentless as he tried thrashing out of Raymond’s hold, still throwing punches at Derrek.
“Come on, man. He’s done. He’s not fighting back.” Raymond tugged against Cole’s shoulders once more and Cole finally stopped. Thank God. He slowly stood from the ground, Derrek lay in a fetal position, eyes closed and groaning. Jillian got a good look at Cole and her heart bottomed out.
“Oh, Cole.” Blood dripped from his lips, down his chin and onto his white-buttoned shirt. He winced as he tried to straighten out his fists. The skin along his knuckles was broken and cut up. She looked to Arabella for help. But her sister just stood in the same place. Silent. Watching. Not moving.
“The police are on the way. Shouldn’t someone help him?” Raymond asked. The three of them looked down at Derrek who was still on the ground. He was breathing but he too was battered and bloody.
“Leave him,” Arabella spoke in a crisp voice. “No one touch him.”
Jillian raised her eyebrows at her sister. “He’s hurt, Arabella.”
“I know. I know the feeling. Cole—” Arabella’s voice quivered. Jillian watched her sister and her boyfriend as they stared at each other. Cole didn’t look apologetic for beating the crap out of Derrek and Arabella looked relieved. Grateful even. Then Arabella launched herself into Cole’s arms, making him stumble back a few steps.
His arms went around her sister’s small body in a tight hug and the two of them shared a hug that Jillian knew was wrapped in sibling love. As if Cole was comforting his sister. Add that to the list of one of the many reasons she was in love with Cole Carrington.
Chapter Twenty
Later, after the police took everyone’s statements and sent Cole off with a third-degree assault charge that Cole was sure he’d get dropped, Arabella went to her parent’s house while Jillian and he were at Cole’s place. Fighting wasn’t like him. He had gotten into a fight or two in his youth but nothing as an adult. But the second he’d seen Derrek man-handling Arabella, all reason had gone out the window. All he could think about was not allowing another man to hurt a woman.
Jillian cleaned up a few cuts he had on his hands as well as the nasty cut he had on the corner of his upper lip, but otherwise, he felt pretty good. They’d settled into his penthouse and watched some chick flick while they snacked on popcorn. He was with the woman he wanted. Life was good.
“Thanks for being there for my sister today,” Jillian said after the movie.
“No problem. I don’t normally go off like that.”
Jillian nodded. “I know. I understand it. I’m here for you. You know that.”
Cole gripped her hips and tugged her into his lap. “Thank you.” He moved his mouth against her lips, welcoming the heat that caressed his tongue. This could never get old.
Jillian leaned back, her eyes glassy with lust as she proceeded to kneel in front of Cole. She unzipped him and pulled his erection from his briefs.
He touched her head with his hand.
“You don’t have to do this,” Cole said, even though he very much wanted her to do it.
“I know. I want to do this. It’s been all I could think about lately,” Jillian said as she rubbed the smooth head of his cock against her lips, teasing him enough by touching it and not yet sticking it into her mouth.
“Is that right?” he asked as he forced himself not to thrust against her.
“Mmmm-hmmm.” Her small hand gripped the base of his dick and finally, finally, she opened her mouth and her tongue swept over the tip in a slow, teasing fashion.
Cole groaned.
“You want it all the way inside, don’t you?” She smiled up at him and he admitted to the world that she was his weakness. Her chestnut locks were spread across her shoulders and her bare skin glowed in comparison to his. The curve of her hips beckoned him like a call in the night. She was extraordinary, plain and simple.
He watched in fascination as Jillian’s tongue swirled around the head of his dick once again. How hard could one dick get?
“Answer me, Cole,” she demanded in a playful tone. “You want to stick it inside, don’t you?”
“Fuck. Yes. Baby.” Cole groaned as Jillian opened her mouth and accepted his hard length. Her tongue flattened against the bottom and her lips tightened around him. His eyes closed against the onslaught of pleasure and his hips flexed forward, pushing further into her mouth.
Jillian moved her hand against his cock, up and down in time to the movements of her mouth as she took him in and pulled him out. He fisted some of her beautiful locks in his palm and pushed into her mouth as she took all of him.
She pulled back, her lips smacking together in finality and that time, Cole did fall to the floor, pushing Jillian back against the rug she had been kneeling on.
His cock bobbed against her pussy, as he watched her lick her already-wet mouth and he knew with all his heart that this woman could have whatever she wanted from him.
He would give her the world.
He gripped his dick with one hand and pushed her legs open further with his other, enjoying the view of her smooth, bare skin as she lay before him. His chest filled with hope that their relationship would work. He would do anything to make sure it did. Anything at all.
“What are you waiting for?” She giggled.
His eyes locked on hers and a montage of memories they’d shared flashed through his mind. “You are the best thing to ever happen to me, Jillian. I fully intend on giving you the lingerie store.”
Her hand reached up and gripped his cock, much like he was and she whimpered. “Me too. You are the best thing to ever happen to me too. Now, please, I’m soaked. I’m dying down here.”
Cole chuckled and nestled himself in between Jillian’s thighs. He lavished kisses along her breasts and slowly slid the head of his cock into her tight channel. To the hilt, he dropped his head against her chest and indulged in the nice feeling of her being snug around him.
Her lips teased his neck and shoulder and for the first time in his life, he felt at home.
“Fuck me, Cole.”
That was all the encouragement he needed to take her home with him.
Cole: Come with me.
Jillian: Are you in your office?
Cole: Yeah. Are you still in my bed?
Jillian: Yeah. Naked.
Cole: Get dressed. There’s somewhere I want to take you.
Jillian: Where to?
Cole: It’s a surprise. Hurry up.
Jillian: When did you get to be so bossy?
Cole: I get bossy when I get anxious.
Cole glanced at his phone and grinned at the photo of her that popped up. Nice. Maybe he should go back in there…He wanted to, but what he wanted to do was so much better – okay, not better, but would lead to more long nights together and hopefully, more photos like this. On second thought, what he was going to do, could wait a few more minutes.
Jillian: You like?
Cole: Love
After Cole went back into the bedroom and they had another round of hot and sweaty fun, he managed to get the two of them dressed and in his car. They stood at the site of the groundbreaking ceremony where he’d questioned himself how he was ever going to feel as happy as he’d been when he was with Jillian.
He glanced over at the beauty next to him and knew what he was about to do was right in every sense of the word.
“I wish I would have gotten to meet Francesca,” Jillian said.
“Me too,” he said. “She would have adored you. She would have loved having a sister-in-law.”
Jillian cocked her head to the side. “A sister-in-law? Me?”
Cole ignored her quizzical gaze as he looked around them at the complex. It was moving along quicker than any of them had thought. The steel beams were being erected for the main co
mplex and the holes had been dug for the remaining four buildings. His chest tightened because it had come to this. He’d lost his sister from a horrible act and the truth was, he wouldn’t be standing here now, if he hadn’t.
And that proved to be a good thing – not the losing Francesca part, but the part that together with the help of his closest friends, they were going to be able to help hundreds of women because of his sister. Her memory was going to live on in the hallways of this place, in the lives of these women and children, no matter if they knew her or not.
He reached into his suit pocket and fingered the ring he’d had designed for Jillian. He’d taken great care in picking it out and he hoped she loved it. It had been burning a hole in his pocket since he’d picked it up, but he’d been waiting for the best time to ask her.
“Yeah, sister-in-law.” He withdrew the ring from his jacket and opened his palm. “Marry me, Jillian. You know I would do anything for you and I’m laying it all on the line here. I will help you make your dream come true. But please, will you trust me with your heart and marry me?” His voice cracked and he swallowed, hoping she didn’t think he was crazy. They were meant to be together. He knew that better than he knew his business. He could feel it bone deep in his soul.
“Right now, the only dream I have is walking down the aisle with you. I would be honored to marry you, Cole Carrington.”
His shaky hands slid the ring onto her finger.
She gasped. “It’s beautiful.”
“Just like you,” he said as they both marveled at the marquis-cut, four carat diamond that was set in platinum.
She smiled and he wrapped her up into a giant hug, lifting her off the ground, his chest beating hard with love.
“Thank you for supporting me for this project. And for saying yes,” he whispered against her ear.
All Shook Up Page 22
