Songbird Freed

by Lisa Edward

  Cole came out a few minutes later and hopped back in the car.

  “Aren’t we staying here?” I asked as I climbed back in.

  “No, we have a villa, just up this road.” He wiggled his eyebrows at me. “It’s much more private. You can make as much noise as you like—no one will hear you.”

  My cheeks flushed. Even after all this time together, he still knew how to get me all hot and bothered with just a few words.

  The villas looked newly built, each one with a private deck overlooking the luscious forest. Inside, the owners had taken the utmost care to ensure every whim had been catered for. What was best, we had our own spa bath and cooking facilities so if we wanted to, we could spend the entire weekend not needing to see another living soul.

  Cole lit the gas fire then went back out to the car, returning a few moments later with groceries and the bags.

  “So, the purpose of this weekend,” he explained while unpacking the food he’d brought, “is for you to unwind. You’re too stressed about everything, it’s not good for Sprout or for you.”

  “You’re stressed too,” I said, matter-of-factly.

  He smiled, raising his gaze to meet mine. “I’m stressed about you being stressed.”

  I knew that wasn’t exactly true. He was just as worried about losing Sprout as I was, and just as anxious about Patrick hanging around again. At least this weekend we wouldn’t have to worry about Patrick. He wouldn’t have known the people in the new car were us when we left the parking garage, so he wouldn’t have followed. It made me wonder, though, if part of Cole changing over cars was because of Patrick.

  “Okay, step one in getting you de-stressed,” Cole said, having finished unpacking the shopping.

  Taking my hand, he led me over to the bed, indicating that I should get comfortable, which I did. Kicking off my shoes, I stretched out on the super-soft quilt, ready for whatever Cole had planned next.

  He took a few steps back, before reaching over behind his head, grabbing the neck of his jumper and pulling it off. His jeans buttons were next. One by one they were flicked undone as he did what, by all accounts, was a sexy striptease, minus the music.

  “Um, I think you forgot to put on underwear this morning,” I said, my eyes widening as his tattoo with my name on it came into view.

  “I didn’t forget. It’s just one less thing to take off.”

  His jeans dropped to the ground and he stepped out of them. He was so comfortable in his skin, so confident, and why wouldn’t he be? The guy was perfection. As my eyes ran up his muscular legs to the arc of the tattoo declaring he was mine, up his washboard abs, across his broad, smooth chest and down his huge, strong arms, I had to pinch myself that this was the man who was willing to forgive my screw-ups to be with me.

  “You have the most adorably wicked grin on your face,” he told me as he climbed onto the bed. “What’s going on in that mind of yours?”

  “I’m just grateful that you’re here with me.” I ran my hand down his chiselled chest to feel his heart beating steadily.

  “Where else would I be? Wherever you go, I go.” He kissed the tip of my nose. “You know I can’t keep away from you.”

  His lips met mine, claiming them as his own. As the kiss deepened, his hand ran down my side and under my top, finding the fullness of my breast as he squeezed, fondling my hard nipple.

  “Your body is amazing,” he murmured, running his hand over my rounded stomach.

  “Make the most of it while you can,” I joked self-consciously. “You won’t be able to get on top, soon. I’ll be too big.”

  “We will find a way, baby. I can’t go for more than a day without being with you, you know that. We’ll just need to get creative.”

  I knew Cole loved me, and I knew it was normal to be gaining weight. But I couldn’t help the apprehension of knowing that I wasn’t going to be able to exercise while my body was expanding. All my plans to stay toned had gone out the window, and it worried me. I would have to be super-vigilant with what I ate so I didn’t put on any unnecessary weight.

  Cole was watching my face. “I love your body.” He ran his hand back over my stomach. “The roundness of your boobs, they’re amazing … and this growing bump.” He leaned down, kissing my belly.

  “Not to mention my expanding ass. Just more of me to love, right?”

  “It’s such a precious gift, babe. To have our baby, this little miracle growing inside you.” He kissed my bump again. “You’ve never been sexier or more beautiful.”

  Cole knelt up, grabbed the waistband of my pants and eased them down over my hips.

  “So let’s get these uncomfortable clothes off you, so I can see this hot body of yours.”

  Laughing, I pulled my legs out of my pants, then sat up to take the rest of my clothes off, Cole’s admiring gaze, and growing arousal putting me instantly at ease.

  “Now, I know we have to take it easy, and I need to be gentle,” he said huskily as he settled between my thighs. “So let’s see if I can give you …” He kissed my inner thigh. “… a nice gentle orgasm.”

  I doubted it was possible to have a gentle orgasm, but I appreciated the sentiment.

  His tongue slowly swiped up my centre before swirling around my sensitive nub. Careful fingers opened me as his hot breath blew against my wetness. His actions were measured and careful, not like the wild animal that I loved whenever Cole went to work.

  “I won’t break, babe,” I told him. “You don’t have to wrap me in cotton wool.”

  His eyes flicked up to meet mine, showing a glimmer of mischief, before latching on and sucking hard, making me gasp. That was better. I ran my fingers through Cole’s messy hair, lifting my hips to meet his mouth. I felt him relax as he lifted my legs over his shoulders and got comfortable. His tongue danced around my welcoming flesh, the sensation so unbelievable I moaned in response, my body writhing as his tongue flicked inside me.

  He pulled back, his breathing laboured. Our eyes met and the corner of his mouth tipped up into a sexy half-smile as he climbed back up, until he was sitting on his heels between my thighs. Cole’s hand glided down his stomach, all the while his eyes held me transfixed.

  “What do you want, Tara?” he asked, his voice so deep it gave me chills.

  “I want you. I always want you,” I replied hoarsely.

  Reaching forward, I slid my hand up Cole’s length and over the tip before running it back down, and angling him towards me. Moving forward, he pushed a little way inside me before stopping and holding still. My body was trembling as I grabbed Cole’s thighs and used them as leverage to pull myself further onto him.

  “Ah, that’s my girl,” he groaned. “All the way, baby.” With one subtle move, he tilted his hips, filling me completely. “We need to be careful.” He pulled back slowly, before cautiously sliding back in. “Tell me if it hurts, okay?”

  Nodding, I tried to push down on him, but he held still.

  “Okay?” he repeated.

  “Okay, babe,” I reassured him.

  Cole was so careful. The hard thrusting I was used to was replaced by slow, sensual movements. I watched Cole’s body, his muscles tensing in his arms and chest and down his abdomen as he controlled the depth. As his eyes ran up the length of my body to my face, I felt a heat radiating from him, making my heart race. Fingers dug into my ass as he gripped tighter, trying to control the urge to let go. The sensation was growing as slowly, Cole pushed himself inside me, over and over.

  “It’s all right, babe, you don’t have to hold back,” I breathed as our bodies moved as one.

  He groaned. “No, this is good.” He exhaled slowly. “This is really good.” His head dropped back. “You’d better hurry up, though.”

  Needing a little extra help, my hand reached down between us. Cole looked down to where my fingers had started rubbing.

  “Fuck, babe, you keep doing that and I’ll be gone in about ten seconds.” He moved my hand, taking over. “Let me.”

&nbs
p; As his thumb circled over me, stimulating the outside, his deep, slow movements continued inside. Closing my eyes, I focused on feeling every sensation, and listening to Cole’s breathing and moans with every controlled thrust.

  “Come on, babe,” he growled, his free hand gripping tighter on my hip, lifting it slightly to change the angle.

  It was all I needed. My thigh muscles tightened, the tension working its way through my body. I opened my eyes as the first wave hit me to find Cole’s hungry, emerald eyes locked firmly on mine. Unable to shift my gaze, I watched as Cole’s jaw clenched, his chest and arm muscles tensed, and he grunted a couple of times as his smooth movements became jerky.

  Finally he relaxed, his breath coming out in hard bursts.

  Totally spent, I rolled over to cuddle up to Cole as we tried to catch our breaths.

  “Before you go to sleep,” he said in his sexy gravelly voice, “I want to give you your birthday present.”

  I raised my head to look up at his face. He kissed my nose, making me smile.

  “It’s not my birthday for a couple more days, but if you insist …” I joked.

  Cole jumped up and went to his backpack before producing a tiny little box wrapped in silver paper with a silver ribbon bow.

  “Can we go outside on the deck?” he asked, extending his hand to me.

  “It’ll be freezing outside. Let me get some clothes on.” I went to pull on my pants and jumper, but he stopped me.

  “Here,” he said, handing me a beanie before pulling one on his own head.

  Laughing, I pulled it on. “I don’t think this will keep us warm.” But he’d already grabbed the quilt off the bed and had started wrapping it around us so we were bound together.

  We waddled out to the deck together, still wrapped in the quilt, and found a wide lounge that we managed to manoeuvre ourselves onto. Once we were comfortable and made sure all exposed skin was covered and warm, Cole pulled out the gift again.

  “This is for you, baby. I hope you like it.” He held the little box out to me, his hand shaking slightly.

  From the size of the box, it was obvious it was a ring, and I looked at it, puzzled, before carefully untying the ribbon and opening it.

  It was breathtaking. A huge pink cushion-cut diamond, surrounded by sparkling white diamonds.

  “What …” I couldn’t speak. I didn’t know what to think.

  It’s not an engagement ring.” He smiled, watching the confusion on my face. “That will come soon, when everything has blown over. This is a promise ring.”

  “This is a freaking rock and a half. Oh my God, Cole, it’s too much.”

  He was shaking his head. “It’s not too much, Tara. I want to give you everything. I’d give you the world if I could. This is just the start.”

  I was still just looking at it, dumbfounded, so he took it out of the box and slipped it on my right hand.

  “Like I said, it’s not an engagement ring, but it symbolises my promise to you.” He held my hands and gazed into my eyes. “I promise to love you and little Sprout with all my heart for the rest of my life. I promise to take care of you, and always put the two of you first. You’re my family, now—you are my reason for being here, and I will do anything I can to protect the two of you.” He kissed my knuckles. “And I will never leave you, no matter what happens in the future. We will work it out because I can’t be without you, babe. You have my heart.”

  Tears were running down my cheeks by the time Cole stopped talking. He leaned forward, kissing my cheeks and brushing away the tears with his lips.

  “I love you, Tara. You’re everything I’ve ever wanted …” He wrapped the quilt tight around me. “… all wrapped up in the perfect package.”

  It was too much. The ring was one thing, but Cole’s declaration of love left me lost for words of my own.

  “Everything you just said,” I sniffled, trying to compose myself, “I feel the same about you, I really do, Cole. I don’t know what I would do without you—you mean everything to me.” I placed my hand on my bump. “And you will be such an awesome dad to little …” I felt movement in my belly and quickly grabbed Cole’s hand, placing it over the area.

  “Sprout just moved. Did you feel that?” I asked excitedly, trying to stay still and concentrate.

  Cole shook his head, trying to focus as well. “I can’t feel any …” There was a distinct flutter. “I felt it,” he said, his face lighting up.

  We sat there in silence for the next ten minutes, trying to feel every little movement as Sprout made himself comfortable in my belly. When the acrobatics finally stopped, I cuddled up to Cole, resting my head on his chest and wrapping the quilt tighter.

  “Have I ever told you how hot you look in a beanie?” I murmured, as my eyes started to grow tired. “I remember the first time I saw you wearing one. You were sitting outside that little coffee shop that I could see from the balcony of my old apartment.”

  I felt his chest vibrate as he chuckled. “If I remember correctly, we’d had words, and you weren’t talking to me. I was missing you something terrible.” He kissed the top of my head. “I just wanted to feel close to you, and I knew you could see me from the balcony.”

  “I watched you for a while.” I squeezed him tight. “I thought I’d better flash my lights at you to say hi before you overdosed on caffeine.”

  “I never could keep away from you.”

  I tilted my head up but Cole met me halfway, pressing his full lips to mine.

  “Thank goodness you don’t have to.”

  THE WEEKEND away had served its purpose. I was feeling totally relaxed, but what was even better, I felt totally loved and cherished. My promise ring was just that—a promise of a life together where no one would come between us again.

  I flicked through the mail on the counter that Phil had collected for us on Friday. There were a few birthday cards that had come from family and friends, and a handwritten letter with a foreign postmark. Recognising the script instantly, I knew it was from Riley.

  The somersault my stomach did when I saw the envelope had me instinctively tuck the letter in between the pile of mail as Cole entered the room.

  “Anything for me?” he asked, grabbing his keys. I knew he was playing piano tonight at Songbirds, filling in for me, so he would be leaving in a few minutes.

  “No, just birthday cards for me.” I kissed him on the lips, wrapping my arms around his broad shoulders. “Say hi to everyone for me. I’m just going to have an early night.”

  As soon as he left, I made myself a cup of hot chocolate and took my mail over to the couch, flicking through until I found the letter. It wasn’t so much that I didn’t want Cole to know that Riley had written to me—I would tell him that I had heard from Riley. I just didn’t know what the letter would contain, so I wanted to read it privately.

  Hey Foxy Lady,

  I just wanted to write to wish you a very happy birthday, and to let you know I’m thinking about you. I can’t tell you how wonderful it was to see you, it was one surprise that was truly welcome. To have a little piece of home come visit raised everyone’s spirits, and the guys are all still talking about it.

  Watching the show you put on for us made me realise something that I should have told you while you were here. I should have supported you, because seeing you perform showed me that you really are made for the stage. Even dancing in barely-there costumes, you remained beautiful and classy, and I loved every minute of it.

  I also loved every minute of the time we spent together. Being able to touch you again is something I will hold onto for the rest of my life. All my memories of you don’t even come close to how it feels to be inside you, to kiss you, to taste you. You helped me so much, more than you will ever know. I was feeling so unworthy, but you showed me that it is possible to see past the scars, or maybe even embrace them.

  It was also the closure I needed. Don’t get me wrong—I will love you until the day I die, but I know you have moved on, and your heart
is with Cole now. I just hope that you have managed to talk things through with him, that you fought for him, and that he has stood up to his family to be with you. You deserve someone who can commit to you 100% and put you above everything and everyone else.

  I wish that someone could have been me, but I have a different calling, a mission that I can’t ignore, so my own happiness will have to take a backseat for a while longer.

  Bear says hi. He’s doing really well, and funnily enough, he had some leave where he managed to get home to see his wife. Needless to say, she’s just written to tell him she’s pregnant with baby number 4 so he’s copping all sorts of jokes from the guys.

  How are Kelli and Noah doing? I bet he’s growing so fast; they do at that age. I hope she’s managing OK and please, if she needs anything, or if I can do anything for her, let me know. Coop was my best mate, and I know he would have wanted me to step in. He even spoke to me about being a godfather when the baby was born, so please let her know I’m here for her.

  I know we said we weren’t going to write regularly and I won’t be waiting for a letter from you, but if you want to fill me in on any news, I’d love to hear from you.

  Until then, I hope you are happy and everything is working out for you, Tara.

  You will always have my heart,

  Irish xx

  I read the letter a second time with a smile on my face. Riley sounded like he was in a good headspace, which made me happier than I could say, and to remember my birthday and send me a letter was really thoughtful. Looking down at my promise ring, I sighed contentedly. Everything was working out, and I was living a life that so many only dreamed of with Cole, not to mention the impending birth of little Sprout. Life was exceptionally good.