Edible

by Ella Frank

  Oh shit, he is!

  Like a life-sized jack-in-the-box, Rachel sat up quickly and brought a hand to her mouth to try and stop any more ridiculous things from flying out of it.

  “Are you insane?” Yeah, obviously that didn’t work.

  “No, I’m quite sane.”

  Uncaring of her nudity, she dropped her hands to her sides and shook her head. “You’re nuts. I think you’ve had too much happen tonight. You’re overly emotional.”

  Propping himself up on his elbow, he gave her a small shrug. “I’m very aware of what I just said, Rachel. No one made me say it. In fact, you suggested it.”

  “As a joke!” She laughed incredulously.

  “Well, I’m serious,” he pointed out in a tone that did indeed sound serious.

  Still unbelieving of what this usually sane man was saying, Rachel continued to open and shut her mouth in the hopes that something intelligent would come out at any minute.

  “I know what I want, Rachel, and you’re it.”

  “You’re insane!” she scoffed. “Off-your-rocker, certifiably mad.”

  “You already mentioned that.”

  Rachel saw a mischievous grin, unlike any she’d seen on him before, spread across his lips as he moved to sit up in the bed, the same bed she was currently scrambling from.

  “Running away from me?” he questioned with a faux frown. “Now, I’m kind of insulted.”

  Standing between the bed and the wall, Rachel continued staring at Cole like he had lost his mind. “Well, you’re acting a little crazy, don’t you think?”

  “No,” he stated in a voice that was incredibly sane.

  Grr. He’s making me sound like the crazy person.

  “So, you’re telling me that you want to get married? To me?” Rachel asked, completely flabbergasted.

  Cole made a show of looking around the empty hotel room. “Is there anyone else in the room that I don’t know about?”

  “Would you stop being so…so…” At this stage, Rachel knew she must look absolutely ridiculous, flapping her arms around and stuttering.

  But none of this is making any sense! Especially the fact that I want to say yes.

  “So smart? So intelligent? So sexy?” he offered arrogantly as his eyes twinkled at her.

  “Calm!” she finally got out. “So damn calm!”

  “You don’t think I’m smart and sexy?”

  “I think this is an outrageous conversation, and I am very naked!”

  “Yes,” he muttered, letting his eyes wander down over her, “I had noticed that. So, say yes, agree to marry me, and come back to bed.”

  “You don’t even know me!”

  “I know you better than you think,” he replied quicker than she had expected. “I know that you are the little sister of Mason Langley, you run Exquisite with him, and he looks out for you whether you like it or not. You’re an incredible pastry chef, yet I haven’t had the pleasure of sampling any of your creations, except for the sinful caramel sauce that needs to be a permanent staple in my life.”

  Throwing the sheet off his body, he climbed out of the bed and made his way toward her, like a wolf on the hunt. As Rachel stumbled back to the wall, he continued, naked like she was.

  “You had an insane girlie crush on my friend and business partner throughout, I can only assume, all your high school years. And because you have the biggest heart in the world, you both are still as close as any brother and sister could ever be. You’ve lost both your parents, and you now run your mother’s flower shop even though your first passion is cooking.”

  He paused as she stood there, rooted to the spot. Staring up at him, she felt completely gobsmacked.

  “How am I doing so far?”

  Grudgingly, she had to admit, So far, he is spot-on.

  Cole looked down into the face that was the very reason for his—yes, slightly insane—behavior. Running his fingertips down her arms to her hands, he took a hold of them.

  “You have people in your life who love you deeply, and for some reason, the entire week we’ve been together, you haven’t wanted them around. This week, you spent your evenings alone with me, looking for something that none of them could give you.”

  Pulling her forward, Cole wrapped her arms around his neck and gripped her hips, lifting her, so she could wrap her legs around his waist. Turning, he walked them back to the bed.

  “You’ve been hiding away, not dating, and for someone who craves to be touched, you’ve refused anyone’s hands. And that is all wrong.”

  Cole studied her closely as her eyes, tinged with fear and excitement, searched his face.

  “Oh? But what about you?” she asked.

  With a smug smile, he placed his knee on the bed and laid her down on the crumpled sheets. “You didn’t refuse me, and I am all that is right for you.” He kissed her quickly and lifted his head. “So?”

  “So?” She giggled from beneath him.

  Nipping her bottom lip, Cole repeated the words he hadn’t even known he had in him the first time. “Will you marry me?”

  He felt her hand stroke up his back, and when it reached the tattoo between his shoulder blades, he arched into her touch.

  “What does this mean?” she asked, momentarily trying to distract him.

  “You want to know about it now? I think you’re avoiding the question.”

  “Me? Deflecting?” she asked. “Hmm, I learned from the best. Tell me, please?”

  “Then, you will answer me?”

  Using some of his own tactics against him, she pretended to think on it for a moment as she stroked her fingers between his shoulder blades once more. “Perhaps.”

  Taking a deep breath, Cole stared down into the face that had somehow become essential to his well-being. “Okay. It’s a Vegvísir. It’s a symbol used by the Nordic people, an Icelandic magical stave. It’s meant to guide the bearer through rough weather, like a compass of sorts. I got it done when my mother’s disease started to rapidly progress. I felt helpless, like there was nothing I could do but hang on and hope we made it through. I’m still hanging on.”

  He felt her fingers tracing a circle around it, and as her eyes closed, he knew she was picturing the tridents all intricately interwoven with the Viking rope.

  “You can hang on to me,” she offered as her eyelids fluttered open.

  When their eyes connected, Cole swallowed against the unfamiliar lump in his throat. “Can I?”

  “I still think you’re crazy,” she muttered, “but you are very persuasive.”

  “So, is that a yes?” he pressed, needing to hear it.

  “Yes.” Laughing, she leaned up and then surrounded him in a tangle of arms and legs. “Yes, you insane man, I’ll marry you. But you have to deal with Mason and Josh.”

  With her legs wrapped around his hips, Cole pushed up from her. “And if I do? You agree to tomorrow?”

  As her blue eyes sparkled, she released her arms from around his neck. “Is that even possible?”

  Playing with a strand of her hair, Cole told her, “We can get the license tomorrow, but we will have to wait until Saturday to make it official.”

  “I can’t believe we are even having this conversation. You do know that we have no excuse, right? Neither of us is drunk, and we aren’t in Vegas. What happens here won’t stay here.”

  “Are you trying to tell me that you need to be drunk to marry me?”

  Shaking her head against the mattress, she snorted, and he found it completely endearing.

  “No, but I’m impulsive. You? Well, let’s just say, I don’t think anyone will believe that you agreed to this.”

  Leaning down so his mouth was by her ear, Cole moved his hips against hers.

  “So, you think people will say that you drugged me? Or maybe I was seduced?”

  As her fingers slid through his hair, he groaned against her ear. Raising his head, he looked down at her and was surprised to see a serious expression fixed on him.

  “I’m
serious, Cole. People will assume I talked you into this.”

  “People being Mason and Joshua?”

  “And Lena and Shelly.”

  “So?” he questioned as she massaged his scalp. “They can assume whatever the hell they like. The two people who matter are right here, and I will be more than happy to set the record straight.”

  He felt her hand smooth down to his neck and squeeze.

  “And if it doesn’t work and we hate each other by next week?”

  “Such an optimist, Rachel.”

  “I mean it.” She pouted.

  Taking her hand from behind his neck, he pinned it to the bed and did the same with the other. “I can’t ever imagine hating you, but if you get sick of me and decide next week that you want nothing to do with me—”

  “Yes?”

  Lowering his mouth to hers, he informed her with nothing but devious intentions, “Tell me, so I can change your mind.”

  Rachel awoke with the sun hitting her in the eyes as it was shining directly through the hotel window.

  Oh shit! Did last night really happen?

  It was quite possible that she had fallen asleep after they had tumbled into bed, and she dreamed the last half of the conversation, not that that was any less disturbing.

  Fantasies about marrying Cole? Wow, now, I really am losing my mind.

  Taking a quick peek over her shoulder, Rachel was almost relieved to see that the bed was empty, but by the looks of it, Cole hadn’t been gone long because his pillow was still indented.

  Stretching her legs under the sheet, Rachel rolled to her back and pushed her arms above her head. Last night was an interesting evening, that’s for sure. She had gone into it believing she was going on her first date ever with him, and she had come out the other side—

  “I was wondering when my fiancée would finally wake up.”

  Engaged!

  Rachel watched the steam billow around Cole as he stepped out of the bathroom with a white towel wrapped around his waist, and yes, she realized the shock of him nearly naked still was not something she was over.

  “Early this morning, I remembered that we have no clothes to wear, except the ones from last night, so I called around and had some things delivered. They should be here shortly.”

  As he moved toward the bed, Rachel was silent as she tracked a water droplet sliding off the bar in his left nipple. It started a slow, lazy descent over his rib cage and down his waist until it hit the towel secured around the sexy V of his hips.

  Now was not the time, however, to think about where the water droplet had gone. Now was the time to go and visit Lydia and to maybe have her son’s head examined.

  “The hospital called earlier to let me know they are releasing my mother this afternoon. Do you mind if we stay and help with that?”

  Rachel lifted her eyes to his and shook her head. “Of course not. I’m happy to help in any way that I can. I need to call Mason and tell him I won’t be back until…when exactly are we going back?”

  Cole climbed into bed beside her. “I know you remember last night.”

  “Ahh, which part?”

  Reaching across the sheet, he looked down to where his finger was now playing with her pierced navel. “The part where you said you would marry me.” Lifting his eyes to hers, he arched a brow. “Do you remember that?”

  Rachel pretended to think it over while her insides were twisting from anxiety. “I seem to recall something like that being discussed.”

  As he moved closer, he questioned, “Oh, you do, do you? Well, that’s good, but if you didn’t, then I have a very convincing eye-witness.”

  Rachel was coming to find that she loved this side of him. This playful, lighthearted side he switched on was a complete contrast to the fire simmering in his eyes.

  “Oh? So, if I chose to maybe…oh, I don’t know…plead the fifth?” she asked as a giggle escaped her mouth.

  He rolled on top of her with narrowed eyes and a growl. “Then, you will suffer the consequences.”

  Rachel wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself up to gently bite his bottom lip. “And what might those be?”

  “A lifetime of sexual favors,” he informed as he reached between them to remove his towel, “to be performed by you, for me.”

  “In that case,” she teased, arching her hips to rub against his delicious hard-on.

  “Yes?” he asked as he thrust against her.

  Pressing her lips to his, she smiled. “I plead the fifth.”

  If someone had told him a week ago that he would be standing in an office while a little gray-haired man in a tweed jacket was punching in his information for a marriage license, Cole would have said, You are out of your fucking mind.

  As it happened though, he was currently standing at an old desk in the county clerk’s office with a man in tweed asking him his last name.

  “Madison. Cole James Madison.”

  “And the young lady?” tweed asked.

  Cole looked over his shoulder to see Rachel pacing with his phone to her ear. She was dressed in a pair of casual jeans and a red sweater that hugged every curve she had and made her inky hair stand out in stunning contrast.

  “Langley is her last name. Rachel Catherine Langley.”

  As he said her name, Rachel turned to face him with a serious frown.

  Cole knew Mason was giving her a hard time on the other end of the phone, and the funny thing was that he was upset she had gone away with someone she hardly knew without mentioning it to anyone.

  Yeah, he’s definitely going to go postal when he finds out exactly what is about to go down.

  “Mason, listen to me. I am an adult. I had to leave suddenly. I called as soon as I could.”

  Cole turned back to the tweed and handed over his driver’s license who took down his information and then handed it back. That was when he heard her say softly, “I love him.”

  Moving to face her, Cole felt his heart pound faster at her admission, but it was quickly followed by annoyance.

  She replied into the phone, “Well, you better get over it and quick. I don’t understand what the problem is. Do I need to remind you that you went missing for weeks, and I didn’t give you shit until the very end? Look, we’ll be back on Sunday. Have Sarah look after things for me. Give her a bonus out of my pay. I. Don’t. Care. But work it out, Mase. Please?”

  When Cole stopped in front of her and flashed his driver’s license, she opened her purse and wallet and gave him hers.

  He mouthed, Everything okay?

  She smiled up at him and nodded, rolling her eyes, as she covered the mouthpiece. “Mason’s just being Mason.”

  “Want me to talk to him?”

  “No. I’ve got this, don’t you worry. I think I’ll leave the talking to you when we all meet Monday night for dinner, counselor. That’s when things will get interesting.”

  Holding up a finger to signal Mason was back, she said into the phone, “I’ll be back on Sunday, and I’ll see you at dinner on Monday, okay?” She closed her eyes and nodded. “I promise. I love you, too. Give Lena a hug for me, would you?”

  Looking up at him, she started to laugh. With a sassy wink, she promised Mason, “I won’t hug Cole for you, okay?”

  Cole shook his head, and before she hung up, he couldn’t help but smirk at her last words to Mason.

  “But I’ll kiss him once for Lena.”

  As she quickly disconnected the phone, she let out her version of what Cole could only assume was an evil laugh.

  His future wife was a little minx, and he loved her for it.

  Married. Wedlock. Matrimony.

  A union between two people who love one another.

  No matter which way it was described or how she looked at it, she was—

  Oh, holy shit. I, Rachel Langley—

  Scratch that. I, Rachel Madison, am now a wife! And not just anyone’s wife, she thought as she looked over her shoulder to the large bed in her cramped bedroom.
I’m Cole’s wife.

  Turning back to the mirror in front of her, Rachel examined the woman staring back. She didn’t look any different…well, except for the bright purple streaks she had reapplied last night at Cole’s request.

  No, the woman staring back at her was exactly the same. Except now, she felt like she had found a missing piece, a piece that had been so well-disguised she had almost overlooked him.

  Zipping up the hoodie she had pulled on to pair with her yoga pants, she walked around to the side of the bed where Cole was lying as peaceful as she had ever seen him. With his eyes closed and his dark lashes kissing his cheeks, his face took on a boyish quality that was lost when those serious magnetic eyes were open and focused.

  Awake, he was a powerful force that she couldn’t resist. Asleep, he was a peaceful picture she wished she could emulate.

  This weekend had been a whirlwind of emotions for both of them, and just like Rachel, he seemed to be exhausted from everything that had taken place.

  “This is you and Cole when he was five,” Rachel told Lydia as she pointed to the little boy in the image holding a young woman’s hand. He was peering up at his mother with a smile reserved only for the young and innocent.

  It was incredible to look at the man standing on the other side of this virtual stranger and realize that the boy and man was one and the same.

  “Cole was my son?” Lydia asked her.

  Rachel felt a lump catch in her throat as she raised her eyes to silently offer Cole any comfort he might need. He, however, was focused on his mother, and Rachel could see the pain etched across his features.

  “I don’t remember,” Lydia confessed, shaking her head.

  Rachel watched Cole sit down beside his mom as she turned to face him. Rachel almost fell apart as Lydia voiced her confusion.

  “Where is he? Is he okay? He’s so little.”

  Cole reached out and took her hand. When he held it firmly in his own, he placed two white wax paper squares in her hand.

  Caramels.

  “It’s okay, Lydia. He’s okay. In fact, he is the happiest he has ever been.”

  Rachel looked over the older woman’s gray hair, and when her eyes met Cole’s, she could sense the heartache, but she could also see the gratitude and love he had for her.