I brought the crystal glass to my lips, planning a way to find the asshole who did those horrific things to her and kill him with my bare hands. My legs shook, and my breath came in spurts as I tried to calm the rage. There was no chance I would let her out of my sight again.
And there was no way in hell I’d let Gary remain a free man.
24
Katherine
My hand shook as I pressed the elevator button for the lobby. Cole had this control over me. It wasn’t something new. I’d always had a connection with him. But if I were honest, I expected to come out of rehab and find a new woman on his arm—someone like Sammie or Devon or whomever. But when his eyes connected with mine, I was able to see that I still moved him the same way he affected me.
What I really wasn’t expecting was the office for me. There was no way I could stay home and not drive myself crazy. I needed an outlet to clear my mind, and work had always been that for me. He had thought of everything.
Before this morning’s visit, the thought of working with Cole had posed a different—and difficult—problem. Would we be able to keep our hands off each other?
Did he still feel that way for me? He had seen me at my worst, at rock bottom. Could he still love all my broken parts? Time healed all wounds, but mine were still fresh.
The scars I left on him were still fresh, too.
Later that night I woke in my bed soaked in sweat and shivering. The nightmare of Gary in my room had found me. It was the same as before: the door creaking, the smell of sweat and cheap liquor on his breath, and his callused hands on my body.
I sat on my bed with my comforter clenched in my fist. I thought the nightmares had stopped. I thought my brain had locked them in a box and thrown the key away. I felt alone. I craved Cole’s touch, his protection. The way I felt safe in his arms.
I stretched behind me, and my nightstand light came on with a twist of the knob. I may be tucked away in my room, but I needed the reassurance of safety. Climbing out of bed, I took a sip from the bottle of stale water as I grabbed my cell phone. Before I registered how late it was, I typed out a text message to him.
Me: Hey. Are you up?
Seconds passed, and the three little dots bounced on my screen.
Cole: Yeah, you okay?
Me: I can’t sleep.
Cole: Why? Want me to come over?
Me: No. It was just a nightmare.
Cole: Do they happen often?
Me: More than I’d like.
Cole: What can I do?
I tapped on his name and brought my phone to my ear. It rang once before he answered. “Hey.” His voice was groggy and laced with sleep.
“Can you stay on the phone with me?” I whispered.
“I can be there in ten minutes.”
“No, don’t do that. You’ll wake up Lila and then no one will sleep.” I rolled over and tucked my hand under the pillow. “Knowing you’re on the phone is enough.”
“Okay,” he whispered, and his breathing grew slower. I closed my eyes and welcomed the peace he brought me.
When Melissa’s smile greeted me as I entered CHR Esquire the following morning, I felt happy with my decision. She informed me that Cole had not arrived yet, so I let her know I would wait in his office.
His shocked expression when he noticed me in his chair again made me believe that Melissa failed to mention I was there. She was becoming one of my new favorite people.
“Late two days in a row?” I teased, and the boyish grin I loved grew on his face.
“If every time I’m late means that you’ll be in here to greet me, I can assure you, I’ll be late for the rest of the week.” He dropped his briefcase on the desk and walked around to greet me. “Morning, beautiful.” His voice lowered in tone as he kissed the top of my head.
“Hi.” I bit my lower lip and looked up at him.
“How did you sleep?” he asked as he rested his hands on the arm handles of the chair.
“Good. Thank you for that.”
“Next time I can just sleep over.” He winked, and I pushed against his chest.
Standing, I walked around his desk. “We never discussed what exactly I’m doing here.”
“Whatever you want.” He shrugged. “If you just need a place to study, it’s there. And if you need to work on cases for experience, let me know.”
I sighed a breath of relief and nodded. “Thank you, Cole.”
I left him in his office and got right to work. I needed to register for my last semester and apply to take the bar exam—I planned to pass both with flying colors. I dropped my tote on the uncluttered surface of my desk and pulled out my notes on what classes I needed to graduate. Since I’d spent the entire summer fall semester slacking off, I had a lot to catch up on.
Once my registration was completed, I read through the entire syllabus. This was going to be a long semester. By noon, I took advantage of the lunch hour lull to wander down to the main conference room. Cole’s library was massive. I pulled the books I needed and then picked at my Panini as I read over each one back in my office.
My heels were kicked off onto the gray carpet, and I sat with my legs pretzeled on the black leather chair. I had managed to avoid Cole for most of the day, locked away in my corner. After lunch, he'd popped his head in to make sure I was okay, but that was the last I’d heard from him.
My desk telephone started to ring, and I jumped in my seat. I gripped the receiver and brought it to my ear. “Hello?”
“Kat,” Cole’s voice greeted me. I leaned over in my chair, trying to see him in his office through the glass wall. When I was sure he couldn’t see me, I sat back and felt my face smile wide. “Katherine?” he asked again when I didn’t respond.
“Hi. Sorry, I wasn’t expecting my phone to ring. You caught me off guard.” My finger twirled the phone cord.
“Do you have plans for tonight? I’d like to take you to dinner.”
“Sorry, I can’t. I have a class with Ben at the gym.”
“Is the gym far from here?” he asked with a hint of disappointment in his voice.
“It’s across town, but Ben is meeting me here at five.”
“Thomas will drive you both.”
“Thomas?” I had no clue who he was.
“Yes, he’s a new driver on my staff. It’s dark out, and I’d prefer if you didn’t walk.”
My hands rushed to my chest, feeling my rapid heartbeat. I knew he cared. I had an office proving how much, but hearing him confirm it only brought bigger butterflies to my stomach.
“Thanks.”
“Anytime.”
When five o’clock came around, I re-shelved my books and packed my belongings. Ben had texted me that he was on his way. I said goodnight to Melissa, then peeked inside Cole’s empty office.
“He’s with another associate,” Melissa said when she noticed me looking for him.
“Oh.”
“I’ll tell him you said goodnight.”
“Thanks, Melissa.” The elevator door opened and I stepped in, a girlish smile stretched across my face.
I stepped out of the elevator and into the lobby where Ben waited for me, his scarf hung around his neck. His red nose was a clear indication that it was below freezing outside.
“Cold?” I asked, lacing my arm through his.
“It’s an Arctic freezer out there. Are you ready for our warm-up walk?” Ben led me towards the revolving door.
“Nope, no need to walk. Cole’s driver is taking us.” I beamed up at him, and his smirk pleased me further. I winked at Ben and pulled him towards the black town car. Thomas held the back door open for us.
When Ben and I were done getting our asses handed to us at the beginners’ class, I was drenched with sweat. I had thought Thomas was only bringing us to our class, but he was still parked in the same place he was when we arrived. He held the rear door to the town car open once again.
“Ms. Wolf.” His hand guided me to the back seat. “I can take you both
home if you’d like.” I looked up at Ben.
“Go, I’m two blocks from home. I’ll be there before he turns the corner.” Ben’s arms reached around me, bringing me closer to him. “I’ll see you tomorrow, baby girl.”
I waved goodbye to Ben before I climbed in. I planned on going home and soaking in my tub—liberally laced with a box of Epson salt. That had been the most intense workout of my life and yet I couldn’t stop smiling as my mind wandered to thoughts of Cole.
The following morning I stretched my hands over my head. My shoulders locked and my cold muscles ached as I held my pose. My legs were sore, and my thighs twitched as those muscles awoke. It was a pain that hurt—and a pain that felt so good.
After I was showered and dressed in black slacks and a long, teal colored sweater, I located my low-heeled boots. There was no point in attempting to walk with sore legs in heels. I grabbed a protein bar from the cabinet and my tote from the couch. It was still in the same spot I’d left it last night when I walked in. With my coat, scarf, and gloves, I braced myself for another day of Arctic cold, but Cole’s office wasn’t far. It would only take a few minutes for my body to become numb to the cold.
I closed the front door behind me and stopped short. There was Thomas, waiting at the curb. His small grin appeared on his face. “Good morning, Ms. Wolf.” He turned and pulled the back door open for me.
“Hi.” My body rotated, looking for Cole. “Is he here?”
“No, ma’am, I’m your driver. Raul picks up Mr. Rhodes in the mornings. Is there a problem?”
My driver?
I shook my head and moved towards the opened door. Once I climbed inside the pine-fresh smelling car, I read the outside temperature on the dashboard—negative thirteen— then leaned back against the warm seat.
Security greeted me outside the revolving doors of Cole’s office building. My office too, now. A large man walked over to me with a goofy grin on his face. “Good morning, Ms. Wolf.” He handed me the credit card-like badge he held in his meaty hand.
“Thank you.” I took the badge from him and used it to call the elevator. Now I wouldn’t have to bother Melissa every time I arrived.
I strolled straight to my office. Melissa was on the phone when I passed her, and I didn’t stop by Cole’s office since there were in the midst of a meeting. Instead, I raised my hand, giving him a quick wave.
To my surprise, when I arrived in my office, a new laptop sat in its white box along with several different bar exam preparation books. A small sticky note was stuck to the top of the pile.
This is for you, Kat.
Study hard.
CHR
I took a moment to admire his perfect penmanship before I tore open the box. I was halfway through setting up my email on my shiny new toy when my office door creaked open.
“Morning.” Cole’s eyes were bright when he noticed me playing with my laptop.
“Morning.”
I smiled up at him as he rounded my desk and placed a kiss on my forehead. His scent invaded my office. Freshly showered and manly, my toes curled thinking of our times in his bathroom. I tried to corral my wandering mind.
“Funny thing happened to me this morning.”
“Oh?” He sat on the desk, waiting for me to continue.
I leaned back in my office chair, my arms crossed over my chest. “Thomas announced that he was my driver.” My head cocked to the side as I waited for him to reply.
“I don’t want you walking, Katherine.” He leaned over and slid his fingers across my jawline. “Please, for my sanity, let Thomas drive you around. It will make me feel at ease.”
Who was I to argue with the man I loved?
Cole and I fell into an easy routine. He spent most of his time in my office and had lunch with me every day in his. There was a charge between us, an awareness, but it never escalated. He continually seemed to find ways to touch me—brief, lingering caresses to let me know he was still with me. He was waiting for me, giving me the space I needed until I was ready.
My first therapy session was scheduled for Wednesday after my gym class. I gushed my thanks to Thomas repeatedly since I was running late and would never have made my appointment on time if I’d had to walk. My new therapist, Dr. Miriam Jackson, was thrilled with the progress I had made since leaving rehab two weeks ago. She seemed concerned that I had dove right back into my life again, but I assured her I needed to learn to live without fear again. My only concern was my fear of being intimate again. I didn’t plan to have sex with anyone other than Cole, but what if our connection was gone?
“What if he sees me differently?” After months of talking with Dr. Lawson about my feelings, opening up to a complete stranger was a breeze. “What if I don’t get aroused by the act itself? What if there’s no chemistry between us?”
“Sex may be a challenge for you, but you will have to find what works best for you. You may have your reservations now, but once you’re certain he’s the one you want, your body will tell you. The relationship you have with your partner will be what’s most important.”
By Friday morning, my muscles ached a little less, and the freezing temperature had finally left, giving the East coast a sneak–peek of spring. The previous night I had my first sexual dream about Cole since being home from rehab. He had me in his bedroom, my legs wrapped around him in a vice grip as he made love to me. I woke up that morning with a satisfied grin and dirty images in my head. Dressing a bit more provocatively for work, I wore a tight pencil skirt, nude fishnet stockings, and a button-down, white shirt. I found the best push-up bra I owned and purposely left a few buttons open on the shirt.
When I strolled off the elevator, I held my coat in my hand so he would get the full view as I made my way to my office. To my luck, he was standing at the receptionist’s desk, discussing his schedule with Melissa. He stopped speaking mid-sentence and followed me with his eyes as I walked right in front of him. I couldn’t help myself. I lifted my fingers, sliding them across his chest as I passed. “Good morning, Mr. Rhodes,” I teased.
He growled.
I didn’t know whether I expected him to follow, but when he didn’t, I felt a ping of disappointment. At least I had his growl to satisfy my sexual appetite.
Mid-morning, I stood in the copy room making copies of the Business Law book. I had planned to read it over the weekend, but I didn’t want to take the whole book home with me when I was only interested in a few chapters. As I stood over the bulky machine, my weight balancing from heel to heel, the door to the small room—one of the few rooms that wasn’t all glass— shut behind me. He moved closer, and my face warmed as I felt his proximity.
“What are you doing in here?” I picked the textbook up and turned the page before laying it on the glass and pressing the copy button.
“I needed to get this photocopied.” He held a memo in his hand. The side of his mouth was curved up, and I knew he was full of it.
“Why do I doubt you?” I repeated the same process with the next chapter.
“What, a man can’t make his own copy?” he asked. I stood facing the copier with him adjacent to me.
“Melissa has your coffee ready every morning before you walk in. I highly doubt you make your own copies.” I didn’t turn to face him. My flushed face would give away that he was driving me crazy.
Cole dropped the paper in the shredding bin and moved behind me, his hands resting next to mine. His breath tickled the back of my neck. I had chosen my highest heels so I was almost his height. “I needed an excuse to be near you,” he whispered. His hands moved to rest at my waist.
My eyes shut, and my core throbbed. “Cole…” My breath caught when he brought his nose to the back of my neck. I felt his thickness pressed against my lower back, rock-hard and ready. I leaned my head back against his shoulder, gnawing on the inside of my lip.
“Your smell drives me fucking crazy.”
I stood paralyzed. His hands danced down my skirt until he gripped the hem. His fi
ngernails scratching against my stockings, he lifted my skirt high enough to cup the fronts of my thighs. If he went any higher, he would feel my arousal for him.
I turned, pinned between him and the copy machine. His eyes crawled over my body, his gaze held at my mounds. My nipples perked, straining against the lacy fabric while he bit his lip. My breath dragged in and out, full of desire and hunger. I desperately wanted his hands on me, but I held my stance. We were taking this easy. I needed to be easy. But what I needed was not what I wanted.
He was what I wanted.
My skirt was bunched at my waist. His eyes were locked on mine, and I held my breath, waiting for his move. He stepped closer to me and moved his hands behind my body, opening the copy machine. Tossing the textbook to the side, his hands gripped my waist before he lifted me up onto it. Cole claimed the space between my legs. The sudden movements had me panting, desperate for air. His fingertips dug into my thighs, and I moaned, my mouth opening slightly.
“Tell me to stop,” he groaned, his eyes locked on mine, but I ever-so-slightly shook my head. His hands moved up my body. My voice had failed me.
Cole’s firm hands wrapped about the nape of my neck and pulled my lips towards his. I burned with need, my skin inflamed by his touch, but when his lips met mine, I lost all control. My hands slammed on the machine’s buttons to balance myself, but neither of us moved. My mouth opened for his and he twirled his tongue around mine. I melted under his touch. Moaning and whimpering, he pressed his hard cock closer to my core. My hands left the buttons and wrapped around his neck. I tugged gently on his soft hair. Cole deepened the kiss, slowly moving his tongue, stroking it against mine. His grunts matched my desire.
My therapist was right. My body told me when I was ready for more, and I needed him right then, right there. I needed him like I needed my next breath. My legs locked around his hips, pulling his hard cock against my core. I pulled away from his lips to moan forms of his name. His tongue found my neck, licking its way up to my earlobe.
Redemption (Savior Seires Book 2) Page 14
