Love Unspoken (18 page)

They were. She was made for him. That had to be the only explanation
for how well they fit together. Noelle Williams had been created just for him.
Every inch of her lovely frame was molded to please him, right down to the achingly
sweet spot between her thighs. When he thought he wouldn’t bear it a second
longer, the pressure in his groin, the fullness of his balls seething with cum,
Cole slid his fingers over the tip of his cock.

Eyes closed, he sank deeper into the pillow, his breathing
shallow. All that was missing was his Noelle lowering her head and gliding her
tongue over his flesh. She knew how much he enjoyed the warmth at the back of
her throat

His throat felt dry. He missed her so much. He brushed the back
of his hand against his sac, stroking them exactly as he remembered Noelle
would do it. Her soft hands cupping him and murmuring how good he felt. Then,
she’d dart out her tongue, lift her long lashes and tease him until he squirmed
beneath her mouth. His little vixen would grin and slide her tongue across him,
gently hold his cock between her hands and lick it like he had offered her the
tastiest treat.

He jerked his hips and gripped his cock, pumping hard. After a
hard day’s work what he wouldn’t give to unleash some of that tension on
Noelle. To feel her hands smoothing the muscles on his back, soothing him as he
emptied inside her.

His cock went impossibly hard. Slickened wetness spilled onto his
fingers. He stroked harder. Could almost see himself sliding into her hot
pussy. Was Noelle petting her juicy clit at this very moment, on fire for a
taste of him? He hoped so. He was burning for her too. Needed to feel her
fingertips caressing the sweat-dampened skin on his back. Was desperate to her
hear begging him to ease up because he was fucking her too hard and in the next
breath pleading for more.

God help him
and
her. The next time he saw Noelle, he’d
waste no time in pushing her thighs apart and sinking balls deep inside her.
Fucking and fucking her hot little cunt until every fiber of his being was
embedded in Noelle and outside her womb. He would ride her until her knees gave
out with pleasure and she realized they were meant solely for each other. Cole shut
his eyes at the feel of his cock twitching, sending a thick spurt of cum
flooding onto his stomach. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d masturbated
and came so hard. It had to be because he was so close to finding Noelle again,
Cole thought as his breathing leveled and sleep overtook him.

Chapter
Seventeen

Noelle was pissed…and worried. After months of not receiving a
single message or email from Cole, out of the blue a week ago a SMS from him
popped up. Stunned to the core, Noelle had assumed he’d deleted her number and
moved on before summer ended.

Noelle. I’d like to speak with you. See you.

She’d texted him back of course, and although the cold keypads
beneath her fingertips made it real, it felt like something out of the hundred
or so dreams she had of him. To finally know that he remembered she
existed…just when she was trying so hard to erase him from her mind.

Because she hated herself for getting her hopes up, Noelle
replied the only way she knew how.
When?
A single word.  She didn’t
trust herself to write more and reveal how much she still cared about him or to
let him know how much he hurt her and still had the power to do so.

Her ploy failed. Once again, Cole trampled on her hopes. The
swift reply she had expected never came. It was killing her.

And now, left without a choice, but to see and put to rest their
relationship, she was on her way, miles away from Copper Mesa armed with
nothing but an address Mr. Somerset had given her.

Noelle glanced at the GPS, her brows knotting when it led her
onto a dirt road, indicating she had arrived at her destination. It was a
ranch. That much she could decipher. A dozen head of cattle grazed in an open
field strewn with fresh sprinkling of snow on the golden orange grass. A black
metallic sign that read ‘Tumbling Y Ranch’, hung gracefully from three wooden
poles. Behind the welcoming sign, a small one story house, resembling a log
cabin stood out with it’s zinc roofing. Noelle’s heart skipped a beat. This
was
the house she had seen in Cole’s photograph. She looked around the narrow
driveway. No sign of Cole’s red pickup. Disappointment tinged with heart
pounding anticipation caused Noelle to slow her car. She took another look at
the house and contemplated turning around, going home. She was risking so much
by putting her heart on the line to be assured Cole was all right.

Killing the engine, Noelle went to the entrance door. Finger on
the doorbell, she paused as an older, slightly plump woman turned the corner, a
basket of eggs in her right hand. Her round face appeared worn, tired, as if
she hadn’t slept in days.

Noelle blinked. Oh sweet Jesus. The woman had the same piercing
black eyes she had grown so used to staring into. Noelle shifted her feet. Had
Cole mentioned her to the woman? If so, what had he revealed?

Cole’s mother pushed a limp strand of gray hair from her pink
cheeks. “Can I help you?”

Noelle stepped back from the doorway. “I’m here to see Cole
McKinney. Is he here?”

Dark eyes stabbed into hers before the woman placed her basket of
eggs on the ground. “You’re Noelle, aren’t you?”

His mother’s tone conveyed no attitude or censor toward. Noelle
felt relief rush into her face. Cole must not have mentioned everything about
her.

“I’m Noelle.”

Two plump arms swung out and wrapped around her shoulders. Taken
off guard, Noelle stiffened for a few seconds then relaxed somewhat into the
hug. The woman pulled back and smiled, revealing the wrinkles around her puffy
eyes. “Forgive me. I didn’t think we’d ever get the chance to meet.”

Noelle’s eyes widened. Did she know all about their relationship?
“Cole told you about me?” she finally asked.

Mrs. McKinney blushed. “Not outright, but I’ve heard enough about
you from what he’s told his father. I’m so happy to meet you, Noelle.”

She was? Noelle swallowed hard. “It’s nice to meet you too,
Ma’am.”

“Now that we know each other, I have to tell you, my son isn’t
here right not. No worries, however. He should be back anytime now.” Her face closed
up. “My husband, Cole’s father is in the hospital. Fell ill with a bout of
pneumonia last week. Cole went to visit him, does so every chance he gets.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. Will he be all right?”

Mrs. McKinney’s lips tilted upward. She lifted a round shoulder.
“We certainly hope so. He’s a tough one. So is Cole. I don’t know what I would
do without either of them, especially with my other son away at Colorado State.” The woman shook her head and smiled. “Mercy but look at us out here. Come
inside and wait, Noelle. I just know Cole will be delighted to see you.”

Noelle was beginning to doubt that. If Cole was fine, he had to
have a reason for not contacting her after that first message. She should
leave, return to Copper Mesa and wipe him from her heart and mind.

Noelle followed Mrs. McKinney inside the house and into the cozy
living room. She wasn’t ready to leave yet. Good or bad, she needed to see him.
Every cell inside her body yearned to look upon his rugged face and gaze into
those obsidian eyes.

Seated on the sofa, Noelle felt uncomfortable despite Mrs.
McKinney warmth and easy-going nature. Underneath the chatter, Noelle sensed a
worry and anxiety in her tone that transcended her husband’s illness. It was
the same tension she had felt too many times, emanating from Cole. They both
seemed to be carrying the weight of the world.

In the middle of their conversation, both women paused at the
sound of an engine pulling up in the driveway. Cole. The older woman glanced at
the window. Noelle didn’t fail to see the way she wrung her hands together,
avoiding her gaze. “Noelle, would you mind waiting here for a minute? I want to
hear from Cole how things went at the hospital.”

Noelle nodded. She wasn’t born yesterday. In her heart of hearts,
Cole’s mother was unsure how her son would react at her presence and wanted to
spare all of them the embarrassment.

Without another word the woman sprang out of her seat. Noelle
shook her head and pressed a hand to her face, watching as the front door
opened and closed. Mrs. McKinney greeted her son.

Her eyes darted to the cloth curtains surrounding the windows.
Eavesdropping was wrong. She didn’t care. She had to see him, had to know if he
felt any degree of pleasure by her visit.

Noelle sneaked behind the curtains. Mrs. McKinney signed while
she spoke to Cole whose forehead creased with each word the woman uttered. A
scowl settled on his face, a face which much harsher and angular than she
remembered. His entire frame looked thicker, more muscular if that was even
possible. Noelle shivered with longing. Everything about him seemed harder,
unyielding… and she wanted him more than ever.

She continued to watch, her heartbeat quickening with each
frantic and harried movement of his hands. He wasn’t happy. But not just that,
Cole looked downright worried.

Mrs. McKinney’s frantic voice ripped through her reverie. “But
she came here to see you. That has to mean something.”

Noelle struggled to keep up with his furious hand movements, from
her spot behind the folds of curtains. She watched as Cole made an exaggerated
gesture toward the ranch.
“I don’t want her here.”

“You don’t mean that. I’ve spoken with her. She seems like such a
sweet young lady.”

His jaw clenched.
“I don’t care. There’s nothing between us.
It has to stay that way.”

Noelle didn’t want to witness anymore or hear Mrs. McKinney
defend her against the man who once cherished and cared about her. She opened
the door and stared at him, the flames of betrayal burning all the way down to
her soul.

 “Noelle, he doesn’t mean—”

She snorted and turned on the well-meaning woman. “With all due
respect. I really don’t give a fuck what your son intended. Cole can speak for
himself. He doesn’t need anyone to twist or try to soften his meaning.”

Wiping away the hot tears threatening to complete her shame,
Noelle shoved past both of them.

Fucking tears
.

Her body trembled under the weight of her heartbreak. It felt
like an invisible force had sucked the air out of her lungs. Her knees wobbled,
threatening to give out and her stomach lurched. She wanted to fall to the
ground and vomit, purge him from her system. Noelle pressed her hand against a
tree for support. Lashes spiked with tears, she could barely see, couldn’t
think beyond the pain.

In that moment, she hated him. Noelle hung her head and scrubbed
at the offending tears, wetting her cheeks. She lifted her head to see Cole
pounding toward her. Noelle quickened her steps and took off racing, no
direction in mind except to get away from him. She glanced over her shoulder.
Cole stood, no longer following, just shaking his head as if he too was in a
state of upheaval and confusion.

She was done with him. Noelle spun on her heel and screamed. “I
hate you!” She didn’t care that he could see the disgusting tears coursing down
her face. Stupid tears that ignored her pleas not to fall. Her heart was
shattered, would never be whole and he was responsible for it.

She clutched her stomach to not keel over in anguish. Cole knew
she’d come to see him and for him to not want to see her. As if she had meant
nothing, even if it was just as a girl who gave him sex. That had to count for
something, maybe five minutes of his time. At least she deserved an explanation
why he was so hell bent on hurting her.

His face lost color and Noelle jumped on it, yelling more words
of hatred to him. She wanted to curse, rail at him forever but her voice
cracked from exertion.

He held up a large hand in warning. Noelle shook her head and
took off running. She had to get back to her car. Had to get off the ranch and
leave Cole McKinney behind and in the past.

Heavy footsteps sounded behind her. Her heartbeat sped. A tremor
of fear stirred to life in her. She didn’t know this person anymore, didn’t
understand why he wanted her gone, yet wouldn’t leave her alone.

Noelle quickened her pace and grabbed a hold of the barn door.
Closing it, she raced toward a stack of hay, laying low on the ground between
the dried grass.

The door flung open. A heavy gust of wind swept through the
enclosed space. Cole stood in the doorway, his large frame taking up the entire
space, wisps of brown hair falling across his face.

Noelle crawled backward, biting her lips to keep a cry of alarm from
escaping her. His wide chest rose and fell as he stared her down at her.
Furious, his eyes flashed with emotions she couldn’t discern, he reminded her
of an angry warrior on the warpath. And God help her, as much as she hated him,
she wanted him with every breath in her body.

The thought of it made her weep in silence. That strong, raw
depiction of masculinity standing in front of her, no longer belonged to her.
Entranced, Noelle jumped as the door slammed shut with Cole’s long powerful
legs eating away the distance between them in two strides. She straightened,
preparing to run again. His strong arms gripped her shoulders firm. He held her
as she struggled against him.

“Don’t touch me.”

Cole did just that, grazing his coarse knuckles over her face so
tenderly she wanted to cry all over again. Eyes closed, he lowered his head.
Her breath stopped when his lips brushed against hers.

Noelle broke away and tore her mouth from his. It was too much.
“Never again,” she managed. “Don’t ever try to kiss me or touch me again.”

He wasn’t listening. His lips sought her face, kissing her cheeks,
eyes, and everywhere else he could touch. Noelle heard the soft intake of his
breath as he inhaled the scent of her hair. His face lowered, the prickly hairs
along his jawline rubbed against the thin fabric of her shirt, heightening the
sensation of his face caressing her breast. His large hand closed over the
neglected breast, kneading gently. Her nipple beaded with want.