"Cole? They said you'd come over here."
They broke apart just as he rounded the corner.
"Jesus, man, I just heard. I don't know where we'd be right now without you."
Cole stood up. "Brandon, that never should have happened. There are some serious safety issues that need to be addressed."
"Tell me about it," he muttered. Not for the first time, Meredith wondered just what all was going on with the resort. Brandon worked tirelessly to bring it to the finest level, but it seemed as if things were going wrong at every turn.
"I'm just glad I was here. But you need someone on staff that can oversee this kind of stuff. Safety classes and all."
Brandon looked at him pointedly, but Cole glanced away and shook his head. She was missing something, but now wasn't the time to talk about it.
"You still up for dinner later?" Cole asked, changing the subject.
"Yeah, I'm good. Mere, Cole is going to be joining us for dinner. If that's okay," he amended. I know I told you I'd spend one on one time with you, but I haven't had any time for Cole either and I haven't seen him much in years."
Cole quirked an eyebrow at her as if to say this could be interesting.
"I wouldn't miss it," she said, placing a kiss on Brandon's cheek.
"Great. Cole, I think they need you for a report, and I need to get back to the office, but I'll see you later. Seven?"
"Sounds good," Cole said.
Brandon turned to leave and Cole raked his eyes over her, the familiar heat radiating between them. "You know this is a bad idea don't you?"
Meredith nodded. "The worst."
"I'm in if you are."
Oh, she was in. Deeper than she'd ever intended.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Cole sat at the table in Bien waiting for Brandon and Meredith to show up. He pulled at his collar, not used to the buttoned shirt, and it felt stifling. Thank God he hadn't had to wear a tie. Not that he would have had one if he was supposed to. He tried to focus on the menu while he waited, but his thoughts kept drifting back to the moment he'd had with Meredith on the beach. She had looked so vulnerable. He wasn't sure how that made him feel. He was no good for her, that much was certain. She was too sweet for him. He'd only hurt her in the end.
Which was why he knew he shouldn't take this thing any further, but he felt powerless to stop it. She had taken over his very brain cells and he didn't think he could keep himself from having her. He needed her, almost like a craving. If he were smart, he would end it before they had a chance to get started. But when he looked up and saw them approaching he the table he knew that wasn't going to happen. He was beyond the point of walking away without having her in every way possible. Guess he wasn't as smart as he thought.
How did she manage to look sophisticated and proper, but at the same time scream out, do me now? Her dress was long, sweeping the floor, but the plunging neckline and thigh high slit were enough to do him in. But he could keep things easy. He had to.
"Look at you," Brandon said. "All cleaned up. Did you shave?" he added with a smirk. "I thought you'd given that up while you were here."
"Shut up," Cole muttered. "It's a fancy restaurant.”
Brandon pulled a chair out for her at the small round table, and as she sat down, she leaned into him and whispered so that Brandon couldn't hear. "I don't like it. Takes away from your bad boy image."
"Like bad boys, do you?" Cole chuckled. Her slitted eyes told him everything he needed to know.
"So Meredith tells me you're dancing with her for the class next week?" Brandon asked dubiously. "You're full of surprises."
"Don't get used to it. Just helping you out, bro."
"He's actually pretty good," Meredith said with a secretive smile. "His moves would surprise you."
Brandon grunted. "I've seen his moves, and all I've got to say is he better keep them to himself."
Meredith let out a peal of laughter that had Cole's body coming to attention. Everything about her seemed to affect him. In a good way.
He pretended to listen while they talked about what wine to order and attempted to scan the menu, but his eyes kept coming back to her chest. There was no way she was wearing a bra with that dress. He wondered if she was wearing underwear. Maybe a thong like the night on the beach? He shifted in his seat, his dick swelling uncomfortably in his dress pants, and tried to get his thoughts back on track. If he didn't get her alone soon, he thought he might die.
"The mother of the girl today wanted to send special thanks to you, Cole," Brandon said. "She said dinner is on her."
"That's completely unnecessary," Cole protested. "Just doing my job."
Brandon turned to Meredith. "Did you know Cole is one of the top search and rescue officers in the Coast Guard?"
"Taylor said he was in search and rescue, but he didn't tell me anything else."
Taylor. Cole squashed down the unfamiliar pang of jealousy again. It was ridiculous when he was the one Meredith wanted. But old habits died hard. Trying to forget it, he said, "It's nothing."
"Don't be modest. He's led some of the best teams out there."
"That sounds scary," Meredith said. "Especially if it was anything like today."
"Today was actually nothing compared to some of what we've seen," Cole said gravely. "It's tough. And we don't always have a happy ending like we did today. But when we do, it makes it worth it. It's nice to make a difference." He stopped talking. It wasn't like him to be so open about himself, but Meredith brought out a strange new desire to talk about anything and everything with her.
"So what about you? What do you do?" He diverted the attention to Meredith.
"Meredith works for one of the premier financial institutions in New York," he said, beaming at his sister.
Meredith smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. Curious. She didn't strike him as a business woman.
"How did you get into that? I would have thought you were into something more athletic. Or artistic." He was thinking about what a natural she was on the boat and in the dance studio.
She shifted uncomfortably as Brandon continued. "She has a brain on her. Don't be fooled by the pretty face."
"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked sharply.
"Nothing at all, little sis," Brandon said, placating her. Again, Cole was struck by the strange dynamic between them. It was as if Brandon didn't get her at all.
"It's something I knew I could do well, and make a career out of. Can't say the same for dancing." He thought he detected a note of sadness in her voice. He'd have to ask her about it in private. Except he wasn't supposed to care about that. That wasn't keeping it light. But he found that he really wanted to know more about her, and that scared the hell out of him.
Time to change the subject. "What's good here? I don't even know what half of this stuff is," he said, waving at the menu.
"Everything, of course. But we'll go with the Prix Fixe. It's a five-course meal based on what the chef wants to feature. It changes every week.”
"Works for me." He was more interested in the company than the food anyway.
Cole set the menu down, accidentally knocking Meredith's tiny excuse for a purse onto the floor. Bending to retrieve it, he was treated to a view of the length of her toned leg, exposed from ankle to thigh by the way her slit fell open over her crossed legs.
Unable to resist, he ran his hand up her calf as he sat up, a wicked glint in his eye.
Meredith jumped, letting out a yelp.
Brandon, who had been reading the menu, looked up with a start. Cole occupied himself with buttering a piece of bread, keeping his face carefully blank.
"Sorry," Meredith muttered. "I, uh, got my hair caught in the chair." Cole rolled his eyes as Brandon turned back to the wine menu. If looks could kill, the daggers she was shooting at him would have pierced him straight through the heart.
"So when did you start dancing?" he asked innocently, handing her the slice of bread.
She took it
from him gingerly, as if she were afraid to make contact with him. He turned to her on the pretense of being utterly engrossed in what she was saying, but placed a hand on her knee, working his way slowly up her thigh.
She gritted her teeth. "Since I was four." Her voice came out a little shaky, and Cole grinned in satisfaction, letting his hand creep higher. He was getting to her. This could be fun.
"That's a long time. Why'd you stop?"
She looked taken aback by the question and cut her eyes at Brandon. "Life got too busy."
He wondered again why she was so willing to give up what was evidently her passion. He'd meant to keep the conversation light, but had obviously treaded into murky water with the topic of dancing. He was irritated to find that he wanted to know more about that too. He wanted to know everything about her, it seemed. And that worried him. A lot. He pulled his hand back, needing to compose his thoughts. As much as he wanted to keep things fun and easy, he kept finding himself in too deep with her.
***
Meredith felt a shiver run down her spine as Cole let his fingers fall away from her thigh. She instantly missed his touch, even though she knew they were playing a dangerous game. They were directly in front of her brother, and all she wanted to do was jump him and have her dessert before the meal ever arrived.
But there was an intoxicating thrill to flirting with Cole in plain sight. Maybe she should play along. It could be fun. And the new Meredith was all about letting go.
She shifted in her seat to face Cole directly and placed the buttered bread to her lips, her tongue darting out to taste the butter. She knew she'd hit the mark when his eyes fixated on her mouth. Placing the bread between her lips, she took a small bite and closed her eyes, letting out a little hum of delight. "Oh, this is delicious."
Brandon looked at her like she was crazy. "It's bread."
"Yes, but it's just so soft and creamy."
Cole's mouth twitched and she knew she'd achieved her goal. Game on.
The sommelier arrived with the bottle of wine Brandon had requested and she waited while he poured up their glasses. Swirling hers in her glass, she lifted it to her nose, inhaling deeply. Cole's attention was immediately diverted to the way she let her chest rise and fall as she breathed in the fruity aroma. She licked her lips for good measure. The heat she had become accustomed to lit up his face. Out of the corner of her vision, she saw Brandon frown at her. "Aren't you going to have some wine? It's delectable."
The men grabbed their wine glasses and they all clinked them together in a toast.
"To vacation and unexpected adventures," Cole said.
"Indeed."
They had made it through the first few courses before Cole had his hand back on her leg, this time much higher, teasing her with a light sweep of his fingers back and forth on her inner thigh.
"So, Brandon," she said, attempting to keep her voice smooth, " how is everything coming along? Do you think you'll get to back off the crazy schedule any time soon?" Her voice pitched up on the last word as Cole's fingers came dangerously close to finding out she wasn't wearing any underwear. She didn't know what had inspired her to leave them in the drawer, but she felt exhilarated knowing there was no barrier between his hand and her center. Brandon leaned forward, eying her, and she kept her face carefully blank.
"Not anytime soon, I'm afraid. Things seem to be going from bad to worse. I had things going really well for a good while, but lately..." He trailed off, reclining in his seat. Meredith leaned in, letting her chest fall forward.
Cole stared straight at her breasts, and she knew it was painfully obvious that she wasn't wearing a bra either. Her nipples tightened as he continued his journey up her thigh, her breath becoming raspy. She couldn't believe they were doing this.
When the tips of his fingers brushed against the very top of her inner thigh, she gave a little start, knocking her wine glass over. Directly into Cole's lap.
He jerked back and Meredith clapped her hands over her mouth, mortified.
"I'm so sorry," she said, grabbing a napkin and dabbing at his lap. She stopped when her hand came into contact with the hardness of his erection. She couldn't stop the smile of triumph from spreading across her lips as she realized he was just as turned on as she was.
"Meredith!" Brandon said in disbelief. "I think he can clean it up himself." Mercifully, he couldn't see for himself the condition Cole was in.
She dropped the napkin and laughed at the absurdity of the situation. "I'm sorry. I know it's not funny."
Cole met her eyes, and the barest hint of a smile let her know he was amused by the whole thing.
"Looks like I may have to skip out on dessert," he said, cleaning himself as best he could, but the damage had been done. There was no way he could sit comfortably through the rest of the meal.
Brandon apologized profusely for her, almost to the point of irritation.
"Dude, it's fine, really. I've enjoyed it all. Thank you both very much for a very entertaining dinner." He stood, giving Meredith a wink. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?"
"We have a sailing lesson if you recall."
She smiled in pleasure. "Oh yes, how could I forget that you so graciously offered to make space for another lesson with me?"
He said goodbye and was gone and she sat back down to find Brandon staring hard at her. "Is there something I should know?"
"Know?" she asked innocently. It seemed she was getting better at playing it off.
"Between you and Cole," he said pointedly.
Or not.
When she didn't say anything, Brandon placed his hand over hers and squeezed it gently. "I'm just looking out for you."
"You're always looking out for me," she said, more irritably than she'd intended.
"Look, you don't know Cole the way I do, but he's bad news. I just want you to be careful. He's an excellent instructor and a great friend, but when it comes to women let's just say you need to stay away."
***
Meredith threw her head back, letting the salty sea air run over her face and through her hair. She looked over the edge of the railing where she was standing at the stern of Cole's boat and laughed out loud. It was invigorating. They'd been out on the water for at least an hour, and she could see how someone could become addicted to a life at sea. Cole had told her how much he loved it, and it was evident every time she looked at him. He was just as jubilant as she was.
"Come on, it's your turn," he called to her over the rush of wind.
He was going to let her steer the boat for the first time today. After all the lessons he thought she was ready. She ran over to where he stood at the helm and returned his infectious grin.
"Okay, just like I told you before. No sudden moves." She stepped in front of him, and he came in close behind her, positioning her hands on the massive wheel and helped her guide it in the direction they were headed. "Just take it easy." They steered together for a few moments and she luxuriated in the feel of his strong body pressed against her back. She was certain it wasn't necessary for them to be this close, but she was soaking up every second of it.
She had debated with herself the night before over what Brandon had said. Why did he think Cole was such bad news? After a while, she'd realized she didn't care. She was only going to be here another week and then she'd return to her regular life, boring and monotonous. Why shouldn't she indulge a little bit? It wasn't like she expected anything to come of it. They lived totally different lives thousands of miles apart. And she was okay with that. She wanted to live in the moment. The here and now. And right here, right now, a sexy and inspiring man was with her and she intended to take full advantage of it.
He let go of the wheel and stepped back, leaving her to command the boat all on her own. She missed the feel of his body, but it was momentarily forgotten as the thrill of captaining a boat all by herself overtook her.
He came around to the side of her and leaned casually against the railing, watching her w
ith an intense expression on his face. She looked at him wide-eyed and smiled so hugely that she felt her face might split open. He laughed as he watched her, seeming to take as much joy in watching her as she was from commanding the vessel.
They hit a large wave and the wheel flew from her hands, spinning too fast. Thrown off balance, she tried to grab for it, terrified of what she may have done, but Cole was there instantly, pulling it back into place, not missing a beat. She worried about what he'd say. She'd screwed up on her first try. But when he reached out for her, she saw nothing in his face except pleasure.
"It's fine," he said. "You're doing great."
She took her place again in front of him and let him guide her arms. He was so sure, so steady. She wanted to feel those strong arms wrapped around her again, to see how sure and steady they would be as they handled her body.
She pressed back into him, her hips molding to his and he tensed.
Then he lowered his mouth to her ear and breathed, "I've got you." She leaned her head back to rest on his shoulder. She committed the moment to memory, one she would keep forever no matter where her life took her. Holding her closely with one arm, he flipped some switches with the other hand and the boat slowed. He stepped away from her. "Don't move. I'll be right back."
He dropped anchor and Meredith looked around at the ocean spreading all around her. There was nothing but water no matter on every side. No boats, no people. As if they were the only two in the world.
He came back to where she waited and pulled her against him as he leaned back against the half wall. She wedged herself between his legs and placed her hands on his bare chest. His muscles rippled beneath her fingers and she longed to touch every part of him.
He looked at her hungrily. "You're slowly killing me, you know that?" She shook her head. "I want you. I don't know if I can go another day without having you."
"What are you waiting for?"
He chuckled. "Does that mean you want me too?"
Rescue Me (Sunset Bay Book 1) Page 8
