by Elisa Leigh
My stomach rumbles at the thought of food. “I could eat,” I say laughing.
I follow him into the kitchen, and I’m in kitchen heaven. “Cole, this kitchen is incredible. It’s like my dream kitchen.” I rub my hand along the granite countertops and take in the six-range gas stove with double ovens. All the appliances are stainless steel, and the fridge is huge. I open the door, and I’m struck by all the space inside. “What I would give to bake in this kitchen.”
“You like to bake?”
“Ruby really didn’t tell you anything about me, did she?” He shakes his head no. “After I got my degree in baking and pastry arts, I came to work with my grandmother at Berry Delicious. That’s actually why I moved here, it’s been a dream of mine since I was a little girl.”
“You’re Ms. Molly’s granddaughter?” He asks looking a little shocked and happy.
I nod. “Why?”
“It’s just a small world is all. Your grandmother is an angel. She looked after us when Dad had to work a job late or on the weekends. She would always bring something sweet with her. She’s just always been there for us when we didn’t have many people in our corner.”
“She is the best person I know. My parents aren’t the warmest people. They have always been more concerned with their law firm and winning cases than having a family. That’s not the life I wanted for myself, and I missed the time I got to spend with my Grandma Molly. I decided when I was little that I would come back here and work with her.”
“How did your parents take that?”
“They didn’t like it, but there wasn’t much they could do once I turned eighteen and went to school on a scholarship. I’ve seen them a couple times since graduating high school and talk to them a few times a year, but we aren’t really in each other's lives. I think once they realized I wouldn’t be following in their footsteps, they gave up on me.”
Cole pulls me into his arms and hugs me close. “Do you miss them?” He asks and places a kiss on the top of my head.
I smile against his chest. “Not like I thought I would. I miss what I never had from them, a family that wanted to be a part of my life. Gram gave me that though, so I’m happier than I’ve ever been now that I’m home.”
Five
Cole
I’m tempted to track her parents down and demand that they be there for her and acknowledge what an amazing daughter they have. The only reason I don’t is that I can hear the truth in her words. She really is happy now.
I check the time on the over, and it reads seven forty-five. Damn, I need to get dinner cooking before it’s too late. “I was thinking of asparagus and baked potatoes with the steak. Does that sound good to you?”
“Why don’t you go grab a quick shower, and I’ll do the sides. When you get out, you can cook the steaks?”
“You sure you don’t mind?”
“Of course not, it gives me a chance to try out this kitchen. Plus, you haven’t had a chance to unwind since you were finished with work. I feel like that’s partly my fault.”
I lift her chin to meet my stare. “That was all Ruby being a sneaky sister. I still owe her one though because I’ve found you.” I place a chaste kiss on her lips and pull back far too quickly. I could spend days memorizing her lips but now isn’t the time. “Give me ten minutes gorgeous, and I’ll be out to cook the steaks.”
“Take twenty, so I have time make something good.” She grins and turns toward the fridge.
I leave her in my kitchen, and I head to my shower. I start stripping as soon as I get to my room and leave the door open in case she needs me, or heaven bless me, wants to join me. Once the hot water hits my back, any tension that was left fades away. I can’t help but wonder if my bear was preparing me for her. Ruby is going to be so excited to learn that I have found my mate, I bet Gabe has told her by now. Slate is such a hypocrite. He’s been searching for his mate for months now. I don’t understand why he’s so upset that I’ve found mine. He wasn’t jealous, it was something else.
Once I’m dressed in jeans and a long sleeve t-shirt, I walk back out to find my mate has pulled her dark hair into a bun on the top of her head and is listening to some country song while sautéing mushrooms and onions at my stove. She looks completely edible, and I need another taste. Coming up behind her, I help her set the spoon down and then turn her around slowly in my arms. I lead her in the only dance I know, a two-step I memorized when Ruby made me practice with her for a dance she was going to in high school.
When I slide my hand around her back and dip her backward, I pull her back up slowly then kiss her enticing lips. Pushing her up against the counter, I devour her mouth, tasting every ounce of sweetness she’ll let me have. This time it’s Aubree’s turn to pull back. I rest my forehead against hers knowing if that went on any longer, I’d have her spread out on my kitchen counter tasting her everywhere, dinner forgotten.
Aubree turns around and stirs the food. “Thank you for the dance, Cole.”
“Never thank me for loving on you sweet girl. I’m finding it hard to keep my hands away from you.”
I can tell she’s smiling when I get a look at her from the side when I grab the steaks, I’d set out earlier today. “How do you like your steak?”
“Medium rare to rare. But I’m not picky, I’ll take it however you make yours.”
I can’t help the smile that takes over my face. How did I get so lucky to have her as a mate?
“What?” She asks.
“You are making this a perfect night.”
She rolls her eyes at me. “Go cook the steaks.”
Holding the steaks in one hand, I sault her with the other. I fire up the grill and wait for it to be ready to put on the meat. While I wait I start going through the email, I didn’t have a chance to go through earlier. I see an email from Mathias, the alpha of a bear clan out in North Dakota. We’ve met on a few occasions, and I’d consider him an ally. His email is warning me to be careful. Someone has been causing his clan trouble, and one of his bears were seriously hurt. I’m going to need to call him and find out what happened. Maybe he needs some help, although now would be the worst time to go after finally meeting Aubree.
By the time I’m done cooking the steaks and bringing them into the house, Aubree has the table set for two, and the sides prepared. She’s sitting at the table drinking one of the hard ciders I keep in the fridge for Ruby when she’s here. She’s staring down at her phone with a giant smile on her face, her fingers flying across the phone.
“Steaks are done,” I say gruffly setting them on the table.
She slides her phone into her pocket, but I can’t help but wonder who it was that made her smile.
“I didn’t know what you wanted to drink.”
“Hmm?” I ask placing a steak on her plate.
“What do you want to drink?” She asks laughing.
“Oh, I’ll get it,” I say distractedly. I get up and grab a beer from the fridge then pop the top before sitting down with her again. She’s in the middle of cutting up her steak when I can’t take it anymore. “Who were you talking to?”
She stops and puts her knife down to look at me. “When?”
“Just now, on your phone when I came in.”
Her forehead crinkles when her eyebrows draw together. “I wasn’t talking to anyone.”
“So, you weren’t texting anyone before I walked in? Because it sure looked like you were. I’m not going to share you with anyone Aubree. Don’t sit at my table texting another man!”
She sits back in her chair and levels me with her best ‘eat shit and die’ glare then crosses her arms across her chest. “And if I were texting someone else, would I need to tell you? Is it your business who I talk to? Do you want the password to my cell phone, so you can check it whenever you’d like? Better yet, here check for yourself.” She says unlocking her phone and sliding it across the table toward me.
I grab it and look down. I’m torn between needing to know who she was talking
to and giving her the privacy that she deserves. I shove the phone across the table angry she just won’t tell me what I want to know. I’m too old to be playing these games.
Throwing her napkin on the table, she stands abruptly. “This was obviously a mistake. Please take me home Cole.”
I push back from the table and grab my keys. Fine, if she wants to leave, I’ll take her. We’re both silent as I help her into my truck. She doesn’t bother making any conversation, and neither do I for the twenty-minute drive back to her grandmother’s house. By the time I pull up to the house, it’s almost nine o’clock. She’s upset, and I swear I can smell her tears. My bear and I are at odds. He wants me to comfort our mate, but I’m still angry. She doesn’t wait for me to get her door once I park, and I’m left trailing after her as she makes her way up the walkway. Ms. Molly is waiting at the door and is looking at both of us in confusion.
“I thought you said you would be home late and not to wait up.”
“Change of plans Gram,” Aubree says before slipping inside, not giving me a backward glance.
“Well, what on earth happened from the time she messaged me a half hour ago until now?” Ms. Molly asks with her hands on her hips.
“It appears that I made a mess of things.”
“You better make this right Cole Major.” She says pointing at me. “Your Daddy raised you kids better than that.”
“Yes, ma’am.” I sigh and watch as she closes and locks the door behind her.
Jesus, what the hell did I just do?
Six
Aubree
It’s Saturday morning, and I’m standing here waiting for Cole to come into Berry Delicious for his morning order. He has come in every morning for the past week trying to talk to me. Each time he comes in I take his order and give him his food then send him on his way. I’m not ready to give in. I refuse to be with someone who talked to me the way he did the other night.
Ruby thinks I should just talk to him about why he acted that way and get it over with. I have a feeling there’s something she’s not telling me, but I’m not going to pry. She’ll tell me if she wants to. The day after our blind date, Ruby showed up at my house bright and early and offered to drive me to Remy’s to pick up my Jeep. We didn’t talk about her brother much, but she mentioned that he called her and told her about what happened. Ruby said no matter what, we would still be friends. Um, duh, she’s the first girlfriend I’ve ever had that I can be myself around.
Gram has asked me each time he leaves when I’ll ‘let the poor boy off the hook.’ Part of me knows I’m being ridiculous for acting so childish about the whole thing. The other part of me is furious he even asked me if I was talking to another guy. Of course, I wasn’t. But even if I was, that wasn’t his business, right?
None of it really matters though because I can’t get him out of my head. He’s all I think about, and it’s getting worse every day I don’t get to spend with him. I’ve tried reading books to get him off my mind, but I just end up picturing him as the guy in my book, making it hard for me to see him as the bad guy. I keep thinking about the kisses we shared and how intense that one moment was. It was powerful and all-consuming. How can he feel so important after only a few hours?
I’ve checked the clock a hundred times by now, and I can’t help feeling disappointed that he isn’t here. Not only is he not here, but he’s also over an hour late. Maybe he gave up, and I’m really not the woman for him like he made me believe. Maybe everything he said to me the other night was a load of bull shit. I throw the spatula that I’ve been icing the cupcakes with down on the counter and icing splatters all over me.
“Just go see him,” Gram says handing me a clean dish towel.
I’m about to protest when she puts her hands up to stop me. “Don’t try and deny it Aubree. You two need to talk. Get it all off your chest and see what he has to say. Maybe he’ll surprise you. Or maybe you’ll find out he wasn’t the guy he seemed to be. You won’t know until you try though.”
I take my apron off and hang it on my hook then kiss my Gram on the cheek. “You’re right. I’ll be back, maybe late.” I say winking at her. She might be older, but she’s awesome and winks right on back. “Have fun dear.” She calls as I walk out the door to my Jeep.
After about five minutes of driving, I start freaking out. That little pep talk Gram gave me has worn off. What the hell am I doing? I feel like a stupid girl chasing after a boy. I keep driving, knowing I’m not that big of a chicken. Thankfully I remember how to get to his house and arrive without getting lost. When I pull up the long drive, I’m surprised to see him standing over the hood of his truck wearing nothing but jeans and some boots.
I can’t help getting a good look at what he was hiding the other day under his shirt. Oh dear sweet baby Jesus, I can’t do this. The man is too sexy with muscles on top of muscles. Compared to him we are on completely different levels. Cole could have any woman he crooked his finger at. I sit in my car for over a minute watching him work on his truck, and it dawns on me, maybe there was a reason he didn’t come in this morning. Finding the courage to face him, I get out of my Jeep and walk up beside him. I watch his muscles tense the closer I get, but his face stays glued to the engine he’s been looking at since I arrived.
When he doesn’t look up, I start. “I’d offer to help, but I would probably end up breaking it.” I laugh awkwardly not knowing what else I can say. His hard shell doesn’t crack, and I worry that I’m too late. I swallow hard and try again. “Cole, I just wanted to stop by and-” His dark eyes meet mine when I can’t find the words I need to say fast enough. “Can we talk?”
Cole’s lips crash into mine, and he consumes me with his kiss. He grabs my hips and lifts me up off the ground while continuing to kiss me stupid. I wrap my legs around his waist and hold on tight as he walks us up the stairs. Stopping to kiss me, he pushes my back against the side of the house and presses is hard dick against my stomach. He pulls my jacket off, dropping it on the front porch before walking us into his home. The closer we get to his bedroom, the more clothes I lose. By the time he throws me on his bed, he’s already gotten me half naked. He kicks off his boots and pulls at the button of his jeans. I lose my bra and shimmy out of my jeans, laying against his pillows wearing only my panties.
“Goddamn Aubree, I’ve missed your sweet scent.” He growls, stalking closer to me. I clench my thighs together, but Cole grabs ahold of my ankle and pulls me to him where he’s standing at the end of the bed. Leaning over me, he starts at the apex of my thighs and runs his tongue up over my soaked panties, over my belly button and up around one of my breasts, before sucking my nipple into his mouth.
Spearing my fingers through his hair, I hold him to me, not wanting him to stop. Cole groans when I pull his hair and sucks my nipple harder before he finally switches over to my other breast. I’m about to tell him I need more when I feel his hand dip under my panties and a thick finger stroke through my wet pussy lips. I shudder, never having felt anyone touch me there before. He strokes between my lips, back and forth, then finally, slowly pushes inside me. The air catches in my lungs, and I swear I can’t breathe. When his thumb rubs slow circles over and around my clit, I moan as pleasure shoots through me. In and out his finger goes, slowly going faster and faster. I mewl out from the blessed frenzy he’s creating inside me.
“That’s it, baby, let me hear you.”
Giving into the euphoria, my body is ready for his second finger when he pushes them both inside, stretching my already tight pussy further than before. Cole crooks his fingers to the side and hits a new spot. I can’t take it any longer, and I cry out, as I convulse around his talented fingers. I open my eyes when I feel my panties being dragged down my thighs. I watch with heavy-lidded eyes as he wipes my essence in a line down my stomach, like an arrow to my pussy. Cole licks down the line, sucking and nibbling until he gets to my pulsing core. He licks me from bottom to top, and I buck up from feeling his tongue against me for the first tim
e. All of this is new for me, and I wasn’t expecting it to feel so good.
“I knew you would be even sweeter here.” He says before sucking my clit into his mouth.
“You’re going to make me come again.” I moan breathlessly.
“I didn’t think that was a bad thing.” He smirks and does it again while pushing his skilled fingers in and out of me.
“But, but I want you to come too.” I manage to get out while he’s making me mindless.
I’m about to come again when he stands quickly. My eyes go wide when I see that his dick is out of his jeans and white cum is covering his long, thick shaft. He follows my line of sight and then looks back at me with a devilish grin. “I couldn’t help it, baby. When your pussy strangled my fingers, I had to come with you.”
Damn, I want nothing more than to taste him and see if it’s as good as I’m imagining. Okay, that’s a lie, there’s something I want more than that.
Cole positions his dick at my entrance, moving it through my folds and up around my clit. He teases me until I’m squirming. “Cole, that’s enough. I need you inside me.”
“Ready?”
I lick my bottom lip then suck it into my mouth and nod, telling him to do it, to take me. I should tell him I’ve never done this before, but there isn’t any time. He thrusts inside me at just the right speed, tearing through my virginity and making me his. The small pinch of pain is nothing compared to the overwhelming feeling of belonging to this man. Our eyes meet, and I know that he is going to be mine until the end of our forever.
He looks down at me in wonder, and I hope that I did the right thing. Leaning over me, he brushes my hair out of my face and kisses me slowly. “You should have told me, baby, I would have gone slower, been more careful.”
“You were perfect Cole. Absolutely perfect.” I say and clench around him making him groan.
Kissing along my neck, he starts moving in a steady maddening rhythm inside me. Suddenly the urge to have him bite me hits, and my pussy spasms imagining what it would feel like. Cole scrapes his teeth against my skin, and I silently beg for him to bite down. “Hard.” I moan, “Bite me hard Cole. I need it.” I swear I feel his dick grow inside me, stretching me tighter, hitting me deeper.
