Integrity ran in his family. His mom was a legendary American housewife of Boone County, Louisiana. No one could bake a pecan pie like that woman. And Tomi had tasted many pecan pies after she’d left their hometown. Mrs. Catherine Fury’s pies still ranked as the very best.
Besides that, Cole and his brothers had joined the military out of a sense of duty. No one had coerced them. They’d done it because they’d thought it the right thing to do, just like their daddy before them. Speaking of whom, Cole’s father was a living, breathing war hero and a damn good man. She’d never forget how he’d sat her down on the couch in their living room and told her how damn proud he was that Cole had fallen in love with someone like her.
That memory almost triggered another one, one that was too painful for her to contemplate, especially now, after she’d worked so many years at burying it at the back of her mind. She’d been woken by a loud bang in the middle of the night. She’d seen her father struggling with the man in their living room…No, she wouldn’t think about it right now, or ever. She wasn’t sure what was going on, but Cole wasn’t a sex slave trafficker. He could’ve forced her at any moment on this journey and he hadn’t.
Hell, he hadn’t done more than kiss her, and then she’d tried to kiss him… And he’d still insisted on having her permission. The memory of the horrible men at the auction and that awful party couldn’t be more different from Cole. Those men hadn’t cared that they were hurting women; they’d taken their bodies and moved on without batting an eyelid. Cole wouldn’t even kiss her again before she told him he could. There was more going on here than met the eye, and she couldn’t begin to fathom why he wouldn’t explain himself, but she had every intention of finding out. She’d never been the type to sit idly by and wait for the answer to come to her. She’d always run after answers as fast as her legs would take her. And before she knew what she was doing, her feet were carrying her to the door. She grabbed the handle, intending to march back into that kitchen and demand that Cole explain himself, but she stopped short the second she opened it.
Cole was standing directly in front of her, all six foot three of devastating, raw, dominant male. She opened her mouth, ready to lay into him until he told her what she wanted to hear, but before she could get a sound out of her lips, Cole spoke. “I’m sorry.”
Cole didn’t drop his head; he stood proud and unashamed. Dear God, she still wanted him as badly as ever.
“I know you,” she said forcefully, “this isn’t you. Tell me what’s going on. Why can’t I leave? What’s the real reason?”
He looked her straight in the eye and said, “Because if you leave, Luis will kill you, and that’s something that I won’t allow to happen.”
Tomi stood there shocked, not really sure how to react. That was one of the last things she’d expected him to say. “Kill me? He told me he didn’t want to kill me before the auction.”
“I’m talking about after the auction,” Cole said quietly.
She dropped her brow, trying to recall the hazy moments from last night. She remembered standing on stage, so scared she could barely stand. And then she remembered being in the room with Luis and Cole and those other men. She even remembered how cold hard concrete had dug into her aching knees. But she couldn’t remember anything after that.
“What are you talking about?”
“You were drugged. I didn’t want it to happen, but there was nothing I could do to stop it. We needed to get you out of there. And when Adam and I left with you, someone came after us. They were trying to kill us, and they nearly did kill Adam. He’s not here, because he’s in a hospital.”
Tomi’s legs turned to rubber. She managed to get to the bed and collapsed on the edge. “I think you need to explain. I don’t understand any of this.”
Cole blew out a rough sigh and walked into the room, but instead of sitting on the mattress next to her, he paced in front of her. The steps were quick for such a small area. “Tomi, I didn’t go to that auction intending to buy anyone. But I couldn’t walk away and let some other man hurt you. I would sooner have put a gun to my own head. It’s as simple as that. I think you were promised to someone else.”
“The Frenchman,” Tomi breezed out. Her fear reappeared, stretched out and then snapped her in the chest like a rubber band. Carrie.
“Exactly. Luis let us pay for you and leave, but someone came after our limo and nearly killed us. I don’t know who it was, Luis or the Frenchman, but if either of them wants you dead, they’ll find a way to kill you.”
Tomi was putting the picture together as she spoke. “And you’re trying to keep me here to protect me.”
Cole stopped pacing right in front of her. “Yes.”
“Where’s Luis?” She could barely get the words past her numb lips.
“Don’t know. He disappeared after the auction.”
“Why not tell me the truth from the very beginning?” Surely, he knew she would have willingly listened to him.
Cole shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants. “I don’t know. I guess I didn’t want to scare you.”
Tomi shot to her feet, staring at him incredulously. “You thought you would make me feel better by lying to me?”
Cole held up his hands. “I was just trying to protect you. I’m not really sure what I’m doing here, Tomi. It’s not like I do this kind of thing every day.”
Of course he did. Cole Fury was a Navy SEAL for crying out loud. “You bid $3 million on me. I don’t know much about the military, but I know they don’t pay that kind of cash.”
“I inherited it. My mom’s sister in Mexico—you met her once, I think it was in high school—she was very wealthy. She passed away last year and left all of her money to me and Clint and Carter and Case, since she didn’t have any other family.”
Tomi stared at him dumbfounded. She didn’t remember hearing about his aunt dying. Selena had been such a sweet, wonderful woman. “Oh, Cole, I’m so sorry.”
His frown attested to how painful the memory was for him. “It’s okay. Anyway, I went with my friend, Adam. We heard it was a legit auction—as in willing slaves looking for new masters. Adam’s into that kind of shit. His sub left him unexpectedly, and he was looking for someone new to comfort him. And then I saw you.”
Cole looked up then, trapping her with his gaze. “And you changed everything.”
He went to his knees on the hardwood floor, captured her hands in his and squeezed. “Tomi, I need some time to figure out how to protect you. That’s why I need you to stay here.” He paused and then said, “That’s a lie. It’s only part of the reason. I also want you to stay here because I want you so much it hurts.”
Once again, she was helpless to stand against him. Everything he’d just said had melted her defenses like a hair dryer to a hunk of ice. He wasn’t a villain, not that she’d ever thought he could be. He was trying to protect her. Just like he’d done when they were teenagers.
She pushed her fingers through his short, military-style black hair. He’d worn his locks longer and curly when they were younger. But his eyes were just as she remembered, black and full of turbulent emotion, and they pierced her soul. Maybe this was what they both needed. Lord knew all the men she’d been with since him had been an attempt to forget him. None of the men she’d found had been as naturally dominant as Cole. None of them had fulfilled her.
And now that the real thing was kneeling before her, she could clearly see why.
Cole wasn’t trying to control her—he was letting her see his every vulnerability. This was what she’d been searching for. He was what she’d been searching for. “That’s why your brothers are here? To help you keep a lookout?”
“Yeah, they don’t want you hurt any more than I do.”
“And they know about you?”
Clint and Carter had always been kind of wild, and she’d definitely heard rumors about their…sexual adventurousness.
Cole’s brows furrowed. “About me?”
“You kno
w…this—that you like to be in control sometimes.” Did she need to spell it out for him?
Cole chuckled, his lips curling into the first real smile she’d seen from him yet. “Yes, they know I’m a dominant. They’re cool with it.”
Tomi felt the heat rise to her cheeks. And why was she blushing? It wasn’t like she didn’t know. “Oh, well, I guess that’s good then. Are they staying here, in the house?”
Cole shook his head. He shifted, leaning up onto his knees, and bracketed her with his hands on the mattress. “I told him they had to sleep in the bunkhouse. I was hoping for some privacy for you and me.” The scorching look he gave her left her with no doubt as to his intentions.
“Such confidence,” she teased, melting more with each passing second.
“Not confidence, determination.”
“I need to know what’s going on. You promise to keep me informed?”
“When it comes to anything that affects your life, I’ll tell you.”
Tomi sucked in a breath, hope daring to flare inside her. If he could protect her, maybe he could protect Carrie. “Luis knew I was going to meet my friend in Mexico. He knew where we were staying. He might hurt her to get to me.”
Cole frowned. “Okay…”
“Can you find her? Maybe you have some contacts from the military? I need to know she’s safe.”
Cole didn’t hesitate. “Done.”
The last specks of her resistance disappeared. “Then I’ll give you your three days.”
12
Cole sat there for a moment, letting his mind process Tomi’s words. And then, without second-guessing himself, he lifted up and slanted his mouth across hers, taking her with the unrestrained hunger he felt whenever she was near. Tomi didn’t resist in the least—she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down on top of her. He was going to have to talk to her about trying to lead him around…after he satisfied his need.
“Cole,” she gasped when he broke the kiss. She tried to pull him back down to her again, but Cole resisted. No matter how much he wanted to shove her legs apart and bury himself inside her, he refused to make her first memory of their coupling that of a rushed quick screw. He dropped his head to her shoulder and inhaled her scent, savoring its sweetness. And then he shoved off the mattress and got to his feet, no longer kneeling before her but towering over her.
“Tell me your friend's name and where she’s staying.” Cole pulled a small notepad from his back pocket.
Tomi complied quickly and Cole wrote everything down and then stuffed the note pad back into his pocket. “I’ll take care of it. There’s a shower in there. It’s stocked with shampoo and conditioner—and all the other stuff you’ll need. Go use it. I’ll leave you some clothes on the bed.”
“W-what?”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “Do I need to repeat myself?”
Tomi bounded off the bed and rushed into the bathroom before he could blink. He let his smile loose then, chuckling at her quick response to his command. She’d experimented some since him. And while the thought of her with anyone else made him insanely jealous, he was glad that she’d know exactly what a Dom expected. Cole waited until he heard the shower click on and then rifled through the bags of clothing Clint and Carter had left in the room.
He used to dream about Tomi in white, but those dreams had changed with age and experience. Just like his tastes had. He longed for the bolder side of her—her fire, not her innocence. He wanted the real woman that was Tomi Tomlin now. Cole caught himself rubbing his hands in anticipation of seeing her in the outfit he’d chosen. He laid it out on the center of the bed, leaving absolutely no doubt as to what he wanted, and then left the bedroom.
He needed to get ready.
Tomi rushed through the shower. She should have taken her time and tried to collect herself, but she was too eager. After quickly washing her hair and body, she got out, brushed her teeth, and then dried her hair with the small blow dryer packed neatly in the bottom drawer of the sink vanity. She wrapped the towel around herself and timidly peeped out the door, checking to see if Cole was still in the room. It was empty.
Tomi didn’t try to analyze her mixed feelings of disappointment and happiness. Instead, she ventured into the room, looking around for the clothes he’d laid out. It took her all of three seconds to see the red lingerie on the bed.
With a shaking hand, she lifted the garments from the dark blue coverlet and stared. He expected her to wear this?
There were two pieces. A short red leather bustier and a matching red thong. Besides the clothes Luis had dressed her in this past week, she’d never worn anything so…so…sexy. Tomi dropped her towel and eagerly wiggled her way into the tight garment. Then she went into the bathroom and studied her reflection, a slow blush rising up her chest.
She’d never had big breasts, but the bustier pushed them up high and the cups dipped so low her nipples peeked out over the top. It extended down to her waist, making it look small and shapely, and then ended, allowing her hips to naturally flare. The red thong beneath was a window dressing. She shoved a hand through her hair, pushing the long locks past her shoulders as she straightened and tried to appear confident enough to wear such a thing.
The creature staring back at her wasn’t her. It was a bolder, more daring version of her. Her cheeks flushed with arousal, and her eyes sparkled with anticipation.
She would’ve never picked out something like this for herself, but somehow Cole had known it would fit her perfectly.
With a new confidence bolstered by Cole’s confession, Tomi sauntered out of the room, barefoot and eager. He stood waiting for her in the hallway, his feet braced shoulder-width apart. He was shirtless, showing off ever sinewy, delicious inch of muscle that until now had remained hidden beneath his shirt. He’d crossed his arms over his chest in a way that made his arms appear even more prominent and the black tactical pants hugging his narrow hips made her mouth water. This man was every inch the dominant male.
All those other men had merely been play actors without a prayer of ever coming close to him.
Cole let out a low whistle, his eyes glinting with appreciation. “Damn.”
In that one single word, his southern drawl grew thick, just like she remembered, something that told her just how sexy he found her. The knowledge emboldened her, and Tomi sauntered closer, swinging her hips on purpose and absolutely loving the way his eyes followed her every move. “I can’t believe you bought something like this for me to wear.”
He grinned, slowly perusing her entire body. “It suits you.”
She arched a blonde brow. “It suits me?”
Cole was on her in an instant, his massive arms wrapping around her, lifting her, until her feet dangled inches off the floor. “You’re the sexiest damn thing I’ve ever seen, and the only way those clothes could look better is on the floor.” Colt ducked his head and nuzzled her neck. Shivers of pleasure raced down her arms, and she gripped his shoulders, tilting her head to the side to give him easier access.
“I just put it on and now you want me to take it off?” she teased.
Cole nipped her neck playfully, and then his hands palmed her ass and lifted her legs, wrapping them around his waist. “Damn right I do.” Cole walked her backward into the bedroom and kicked the door shut behind him. Then he fisted one hand in her hair, forcing her to tilt her head to the side as he swooped down and took her mouth in a passionate kiss that robbed her of every sensation except that of his lips on hers. His fingers tugged at her locks, but unlike when Luis had pulled her hair with the intent of delivering pain, Cole’s intent was to deliver pleasure. And to let her know he was the one in control.
Cole broke their kiss much too soon. Holding himself away from her, he said, “You make me want to throw you on the bed and take you. Right now.”
Her womb clenched, and she squeezed her legs, attempting to pull him closer. “Yes, now.”
Her body was on fire—that one demanding kiss ha
d been enough to push her over the edge. This might not be the smartest thing she’d ever done, but she needed his touch. She needed to know she could still feel this way.
“No, Tomi. I intend to savor you.” Cole let go of her hair and loosened his grip so that she could slide to the floor. The friction of their skin on skin stimulated her already sensitive nerve endings. “I’m going to kiss every inch of that perfect body.”
Cole moved forward, forcing Tomi to back up until her knees bumped into the mattress. Without warning, his hands circled her waist and he lifted her onto the bed, turning her in midair so that she lay with her head at the top and feet at the bottom. And then he crawled over her and grabbed her hands, pushing them over her head so that her fingers grazed the headboard. “I want you to hold on here, and don’t let go.”
Tomi curled her fingers beneath the edge of the headboard and held on for dear life, knowing deep inside that if she let Cole drive, he’d take her on the ride of her life.
“Good, baby girl.” The warm glow of appreciation in his voice had her toes curling. That used to be an intimate endearment they’d shared. When he had used it earlier, when she’d feared he would force her, it had felt like a disgrace to one of her favorite memories. Now, hearing him call her that again, it was enough to melt her on the spot.
Cole worked his hands slowly from her wrists down to her elbows, tickling the sensitive skin on the insides of her arms. His touch grew harder as he rubbed his hands down her sides and back up over the leather bustier. “I’m going to make you come so hard. And her bustier and yanked down, revealing her tight nipples. God, she wanted him to put his hands on her naked flesh. She wanted his fingers on her, his mouth.
Tomi arched, begging for his touch. “Cole, touch me.”
Cole chuckled and sat back on his heels, surveying her. “You know how this goes, Tomi. Remember the games we used to play?”
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