He clammed up and ran a hand down his face. “Oh, man, what was I thinking?”
“You weren’t,” she said. “I think I like the reckless Cole the best. The guy who doesn’t think too hard. The guy who gives way to his impulses and takes what he wants.”
“That’s not me.”
“It could be.”
“Yeah?” He lifted her chin and gave her a tender kiss. “You think so?”
“I do, babe. I really do,” she murmured. “So answer my question. When you look at me, what do you see?”
He chuckled and shook his head.
“You’re laughing? Now you have to tell me? Am I that much of a mess? Did I disappoint?”
“No, no. God, hardly. Okay…you look like a double scoop of my favorite ice cream and I’ve only taken one delicious bite.”
“Chocolate brownie with nuts,” she whispered. “I love that’s how you see me.”
He nodded.
“You know what I think?” she asked.
“I’m sure you’ll tell me.”
“You need another bite.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and that was all the encouragement he needed to claim her lips in a mind-numbing kiss. But too soon, he was pulling back, regret filling his eyes.
“I don’t have any more protection.”
“The nightstand drawer, Cole. There’s a whole box.”
He arched his brows, his face registering surprise and a sense of awe perhaps, realizing she’d saved the condoms and herself for him.
“Wow.” He grabbed the condoms from the drawer and then turned to her. “Day,” he began, tapping the box back and forth in his hand. “If this messes up our friendship, I’ll never forgive myself.”
She couldn’t imagine that ever happening. Having Cole here in her bed meant something and she refused any negative thoughts on the matter. Not now. Now was a time for joy.
“It won’t, Cole. It just won’t.”
*
Cole woke at first light and for a second forgot where he was. In that moment of disorientation he blinked, noting the surroundings. A small bedroom, soft blue curtains, a computer desk, a maple dresser and the full-size bed he was lying in—suddenly, what happened last night came rushing back. He was in Day’s bed and they’d made love twice, before falling asleep in each other’s arms.
He hadn’t expected to stay the entire night. But he owed it to Day. She wasn’t a one-night stand kind of woman. He wouldn’t ditch her in the middle of the night and if he was being honest, once he’d wrapped himself around her body, a sense of peace had eased into him. Holding her during the night wasn’t a hardship and falling asleep beside her seemed to come naturally. She’d expect him to be here once she woke up. He wouldn’t disappoint her.
But geesh, he’d never expected her innocence. He’d never expected her to be a virgin. The weight that carried was…hell, he didn’t know what. He’d been shocked, for sure, and felt responsible and unsure of what she’d expect from him now. But a part of him had also been pleasantly pleased. He’d been her first. It was humbling and she would always hold a special place in his heart.
He sighed deeply and rolled over to watch her sleep. Her back was to him and he admired the contours of her body, the slight curve that dipped below the small of her back to her beautiful bottom. Her hair created an inky pattern all over the pillow and sheets. It was so long, so shiny. He reached out to touch it, to slide his hands through the locks and watch how it curled around his fingers.
Cole’s body immediately reacted, his groin tight, his pulse pounding, and he swore a silent oath. He was lying in bed with a sexy woman—what should he expect? But this was Day and he wasn’t going to touch her again this morning. After making love last night, he imagined she wasn’t ready for round three.
Gently, he rose from the bed and grabbed his clothes. Tiptoeing out of Day’s room, he headed for the bathroom down the hallway. A cold shower was in order. And then a jolt of coffee to help clear his head.
Minutes later after his shower, he was halfway dressed when an engine roared to life outside. He zipped up his pants and tossed his wrinkled shirt on. Barefooted, he walked to the front window and peered outside.
“Damn.”
He yanked the front door open and walked out. Brisk morning air hit his chest like a cube of ice. He’d forgotten his state of undress and began buttoning his shirt. “Collier, what are you up to?”
Brett turned from his stance on the street and the look of shock on his face was almost comical. Almost. The guy bit his lip before asking what Cole was doing here. It was obvious he’d slept over and Cole wanted to kick himself for not being more discreet for Day’s sake.
“Cole? Uh, good morning.”
He finger combed his wet hair back to keep it from dripping down his face. “Mornin’.
“I was going to jump Day’s car. I told her I would and I’m about to head out. Didn’t want to leave her stranded…”
Cole pursed his lips. He didn’t like Collier, or anyone else, protecting Dakota. It just didn’t sit right and he had to rein in his…jealousy. Lord above, Day had been right. He was jealous of Collier. “That’s nice of you,” he said, trying not to spit the words out. “But, I’ve got it covered.”
“Right.” Brett nodded, hesitating a bit. “Okay, then.”
“Oh and, Collier,” he said, staring him straight in the eyes. “I wasn’t here this morning—you got that? This is between me and Day and it’s not for all of Hope Wells to know.”
Brett gave him a solid look back. “I got that, loud and clear. Seems your night went better than mine,” he added.
Cole ground his teeth. Collier was just being Collier, but he wasn’t about to acknowledge anything about how his night did or didn’t go.
“There you are,” Day said from the front door. They both turned to find Day in her pale pink bathrobe, barefooted, her long hair flowing down her back and a rosy glow on her face. Making love agreed with her.
Man, was he in trouble.
She floated down the steps to where they stood on the street, sunshine trying to break through the clouds. Day had a smile only for him and he couldn’t deny her his attention. She walked up to his side and he tucked her under his arm, resting his hand on her waist.
Collier took it all in and smiled at Day. “Morning, May Day.”
“Hi, Brett. How was your appointment last night?” she asked.
“Just okay.” He frowned.
“Sorry, Brett.”
“Yeah, well…that’s how it goes. Listen, I won’t keep you. I was going to jump-start your car, but seems like Cole’s got it covered. I’ll being taking off now. Have a good one.”
“Bye, Brett,” she said giving him a wave.
They watched him walk off. Then Day glanced up at him. “I thought you’d left.”
“I wouldn’t do that to you,” he said. “C’mon, let’s get back in the house. It’s cold out here.”
“You’ll stay for breakfast? I make a mean pancake,” she said. “And it is Sunday.”
“Sounds…nice.”
Nice didn’t cover it.
It sounded pretty near perfect.
*
Day bustled around her small kitchen, heating the hotcakes on the griddle, making coffee. She knew exactly how Cole liked both and she could barely contain her grin as she cooked for him in her bathrobe. It was oddly natural to have him at the table, ready to share a meal. She’d done it a zillion times in her life minus the bathrobe and though her body felt different on the inside after an incredible night with him, on the outside, all seemed kind of normal.
She wouldn’t have expected it to be so.
“Let me help,” he said, coming to stand beside her as she flipped hotcakes. “What can I do?”
“There’s butter and maple syrup in the fridge. Plates are in the cupboard. I’m just about ready to dish these up.”
He left her side and grabbed both items out of the refrigerator. After setting them down on the tabl
e, he grabbed two plates and handed her one. She filled it with four hotcakes and then loaded four more onto the other plate. “Oh darn. I forgot to put in the blueberries.”
“It’s okay, sweetheart. These are gonna be delicious just as they are.”
She could so get used to the endearment. “Next time, I promise.”
“Uh…yeah.” Cole blinked and she took note. This was all new to him. It was to her too, but she wasn’t going to muddy up her mind with any doubts.
“Have a seat, Cole. Coffee’s almost ready. I’ll bring it over.”
She fixed two mugs, Cole’s black and hers with one cube of sugar.
“I can come get it, Day.”
“No way, boss. I’ve got it.” She chuckled and walked the mugs over just as Cole ran a hand down his face, a gesture he made whenever he was troubled.
He plunked into his seat. “Don’t remind me.”
“What? That you’re my boss?”
His face crinkled up. “Yeah. I’m your boss.”
She set both coffees on the table and then sat down on his lap. He leaned back, giving her room, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. “You’re more than my boss, Cole. In fact, I don’t think of you that way at all.”
His warm gaze fell to her mouth. “You don’t? How do you think of me?”
“Well… after last night…I only have very, very good thoughts of you. Not as my boss. Although that could be fun too.”
“Dakota May Jennings. What am I gonna do with you?”
She touched his face tenderly. “What do you want to do with me?”
“For one, I want to see what’s going on underneath that robe.”
“How about I show you after breakfast?”
“How about you show me now?” He lifted the lapel of her fluffy pink robe, taking a quick glimpse. “Oh man, Day. It’s one of those Barely There thingies.”
Soft on her skin, the one-piece made of velvety lace gaped in all the right places and had called to her when she was making purchases at Barely There. “It’s called Red Velvet. You like?”
He pulled on the tie of her belt. The robe fell off her shoulders, and Cole stared at her, his dark eyes liquid and smoky hot. Masking a groan, he cleared his throat. “What’s not to like? You look sexy as hell in that getup.”
“You think I’m sexy?”
Cole smoothed his hand over her waist, caressing the fabric with fingertips urging her closer, nudging her forward. “Uh…yeah, sweetheart.” It was as if it was a given. It was as if she was silly for asking. That made her smile inside.
And then he bent his head down and kissed her, their mouths melding beautifully, the kiss hotter than the griddle on the stove, hotter than the steam rising up from their mugs. Already she sensed what was happening to him, the same thing that was happening to her—their bodies tensed, their breathing escalated and she knew in that moment her hotcakes weren’t going to get eaten this morning.
Cole ended the kiss and nuzzled her throat, his mouth reaching her ear. “I want you again, sweetheart,” he whispered in a regretful tone. “But it’s too much for you—”
“It’s not, Cole. I swear. I want the same thing.” Yes she was a little sore, but Cole would make her forget the pain. He would bring her to an easy safe place again soon, and she wanted that more than anything.
She lifted up and straddled his legs, crushing her body to his. In this position, there was no doubt he wanted her and boldly she rubbed against his nearly full erection. Both let go a pained moan that hopefully proved her point: she was more than ready to share their bodies again.
“Day, you’re so damn…”
“What?” she whispered. “Persistent, pesky, persuasive?”
“Perfect.”
She wasn’t. Hardly, except in one respect and she believed it with her whole heart. “Perfect for you,” she corrected softly.
He drew breath in his lungs and nodded and then rose holding her against him. She wrapped her legs around his waist and they kissed their way down the hallway to her bedroom.
She didn’t know what tomorrow would bring at the ranch, but today was turning out to be pretty spectacular and that’s what she was going to concentrate on right now.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
Chapter Six
Cole walked outside after two cups of fortifying coffee that helped take the chill off a cloudy gray morning. He crossed the road to the corrals where Day and the crew usually discussed the day’s schedule. Keeping a straight face, he tried like hell not to picture Day naked underneath her jacket, shirt and jeans. Her hair, once again, was plaited in a long braid down her back. She looked like the same old Dakota Jennings he’d grown up with, only now, he knew her intimately, sexually and oh Lord, he was having a hard time separating Day, his friend/employee, from Day, his lover.
Nothing that had happened this weekend was clear in his mind. He just knew he couldn’t have walked away from her that night, no matter what. Her willingness, her passion and her openness were hard to overlook, especially when he liked her so much already. And now, he was in deep trouble. Trying to keep a work ethic while secretly wanting to…
“Hey, Cole.” Sam greeted him as he walked up. Jerome, Rusty and Day acknowledged him as well.
“Mornin’, everyone.”
By now, news of his jealous outburst at the fundraiser had probably traveled the length and width of the Hope Wells grapevine. Yet, he had to keep his cool. Nothing about his relationship with Day was going to be public. Ever.
“We’re just going over the morning chores,” Day said, her face beaming bright and happy. He had to look away, to avoid smiling along with her, to hide the hum he felt inside just seeing her this morning.
He nodded, drawing his brows together while turning to Sam. “How’s the foal?”
Sam gave him an odd look and took his time answering. This was Dakota’s territory. She was in charge of the foal. “Doing well,” Sam said, “attaching to her mama just like she should. I think that little Faith is one healthy filly.”
Cole nodded. “Good news.”
Hard pounding coming from inside the stable caught his attention. It dawned on him Brett was already here, building the new stalls. He’d almost forgotten. Now, he’d have to face him. He hoped to high heaven Collier heeded his warning about Day. She didn’t need to be the subject of small-town gossip. Somehow, though, Cole believed Brett was a good friend to Day. Grudgingly, he conceded the fact that Collier only had Day’s best interests at heart.
Man, that was a hard pill to swallow.
“Cole?”
Day’s voice carried to him. “Hmm?”
“I’m going to ride out this morning with Sam and check on the strays down by the stream. So can we push up the inventory report until this afternoon?”
“Yeah, that’s fine, Day,” he said, finally having to look at her. Their eyes met and a spark sizzled inside him, little jolts of electricity that stemmed from her being so damn close. He’d left her yesterday afternoon after making love again and eating cold pancakes in bed. He couldn’t remember pancakes tasting so darn good and they’d laughed their heads off about it afterwards.
He’d had to force himself to leave her house in mid-afternoon, when all he really wanted to do was to hang out with her, maybe watch a movie together, maybe have some dinner.
But the honorable thing to do was leave and not run the risk of ending up in the sack again.
Not that it was a bad thing, but Cole vowed to never take advantage of a girl again. And he was still having trouble getting over Day being a virgin after all this time.
He knew she didn’t date much, but wow, going twenty-six years, waiting.
And then there was the tiny fact that she’d been waiting for him.
Wrapping his head around that wasn’t easy. But he’d explained to her going in that he didn’t know where this would lead. Didn’t know if he could give her what she needed. Didn’t want to screw up their friendship.
<
br /> “Okay, I’ll see you later then,” she said. “If I’m back in time, we’ll have lunch.”
Cole bit his lip, darting glances at his crew. It was nothing they hadn’t heard before—he often had lunch with Day, and sometimes with the entire crew too, but now everything seemed highlighted. Everything seemed obvious. “Sure thing. If you’re back in time.”
He left them standing there and walked into the stable, finding Brett taking a water break at the back of the building. He watched him chug half a bottle. Even though the temps outside were brisk, Collier had already worked up a sweat. Cole had to commend his work ethic. The guy was on time and worked long hours to get the job done.
What was it with all these generous thoughts? Maybe Day was rubbing off on him.
“Mornin’,” he said.
“Hey.” Brett put down the bottle and wiped his brow with the back of his hand. “How’s it going, Cole?”
“I was about to ask you the same thing. Any problems?”
“Nope, no problems. I’m right on schedule. If the weather holds, my guys will be here this afternoon to help speed things up. You’ll have your new paddocks in a few days. Then I’ll get to the other repairs and I should be out of your hair by the end of the week.”
“Well, okay then.”
Cole was ready to turn away.
“I see Day got here on her own wheels today,” Brett said right before gulping down more water.
“She did.” Cole rubbed the back of his neck. He’d jump-started her car before leaving her place yesterday afternoon. “For the life of me I don’t know why she doesn’t buy herself a newer car. That thing’s on its last legs.”
Brett shrugged a shoulder. “Guess she’s saving her money.”
“Must be something important, if she’s willing to drive that old heap until it falls apart.”
“It is,” Brett said. And then he squeezed his eyes closed in a brief second of remorse as if he knew he’d flapped his lips too much.
“What is?” Cole crossed his arms over his middle, contemplating. Why in hell would Brett know more about Day’s plans than he did? Did the guy also know he’d taken her virginity the other night?
Redeeming the Texas Rancher Page 10
