Authors: Theresa Ragan
CHAPTER 21
Lindsay stood by the bar, waiting for The Terminator to return from the Men’s room so he could take her home, since Kari had left without her. It was midnight, and she had a long day ahead of her tomorrow. For the first time in twelve years, she wouldn’t be home in the morning to greet the kids at her daycare. Jenny would be in charge while she was at DLS. But in nine months, she’d have a family of her own, and her life would be complete.
As she waited, she saw Cole heading her way. His broad shoulders were hard to miss.
“Come on, sweetheart,” Cole said as he jangled his keys. “I’m taking you home.”
“I have a ride,” she said tartly, “with The Terminator.”
Cole shook his head. “Sorry honey, but he and Rebecca left through the back door five minutes ago.”
She grabbed her purse and headed out the door. The Terminator wouldn’t have deserted her. She scanned the parking lot. The Terminator’s car was gone. “Why would he do that?”
She looked at Cole. He lifted his shoulder in a shrug, but the truth was in his eyes. She put a finger on his thick shoulder. “What did you do? What did you tell The Terminator to make him run off like that?”
“I told him the truth.”
She arched a brow.
“I told him you were mine.”
“Ridiculous. I’m not yours. I’m not anybody’s. I’m my own person. I do what I want when I want. I have nobody to answer to. I do things my way.”
As she continued with her tantrum, Cole took a gentle hold of her elbow and ushered her to his car. He opened the passenger door, and she slipped in without question, muttering something about men and how they were a lot like dogs except dogs could be counted on.
He shut the door and came around to the other side. He climbed in and started the engine. “Let’s get one thing straight right now,” he said before they left the parking lot. “You can dance all night long with whomever you want, but as long as you’re my girl, you’re coming home with me.”
She crossed her arms tight against her chest. “I’m nobody’s girl.”
He reached over and outlined her jaw with one finger. That same finger moved upward to trail across her lips. Shivers coursed through her veins.
“Come home with me,” he said, his throaty voice sending another round of tingles up her arms.
“I have an appointment in the morning.”
He leaned toward her and kissed her closed mouth. Then he pulled away and smiled at her. “I’m hoping to change your mind.”
Her heart thumped against her ribcage. Cole Fletcher always managed to make her feel like a teenager on her first date. “That’s not going to happen, Cole.”
“Come home with me. In the morning, if you’re still set on going to that place, I’ll take you there myself.”
He didn’t stop kissing her, his lips warm and inviting, making her crazy with desire. One last night with Cole Fletcher wouldn’t kill her. “Promise you’ll take me there in the morning?”
He drew away. “Cross my heart, hope to die.”
#
Kari watched Max in the dark as he unbuttoned his shirt. After turning Derek Hoffman down, telling him the truth, that she had it bad for Mad Max, she drove halfway home before she realized she didn’t want to go home. She wanted Max. No more games. That’s when she made a U-turn and headed for Santa Monica Boulevard. Breanne had just been heading out the front door when she knocked. Breanne let her inside and wished her luck before heading off for a visit with friends.
“I didn’t think you’d ever come,” Max said.
“I was halfway home before I realized I couldn’t spend the rest of my life never being held in your arms again.”
“I’m glad.”
He left his shirt on the chair and stepped closer to the bed. “I’m sorry about the situation at the lake,” he said as he unbuckled his belt. “I shouldn’t have asked you to marry me in front of Molly.”
She didn’t say anything.
“Did you enjoy dancing with Hoffman?”
“Did you enjoy watching me?”
“You’re a tease.”
“You’re too stubborn.”
“I was hoping you would show up long before tonight. What took so long?”
She laughed. “You can’t always get what you want, Max.”
“I can hardly see you. Are you naked?”
“Completely.”
“Then you just proved your own theory wrong. All I ever wanted since I first met you fourteen years ago was to have you naked in my bed again.” He pulled his pants and boxers off and climbed onto the mattress, reaching out his hand until he touched her face. He brought his forehead to hers, resting there for a moment. She could feel his breath on her neck. “Tell me I’m not dreaming.”
She smiled and reached out for him. She wanted him. She’d wanted him for most of her life and it was useless fighting him any longer. No matter what happened after tonight, she’d be okay with it. “You’re not dreaming, Max.”
He brushed his hand over her cheek. His bare chest brushed against hers as he leaned over her, reaching for the lamp. He turned it on, leaving a soft glow in the room.
His gaze roamed over her, soaking in her nakedness. She refused to squirm. His eyes met hers. “You’re beautiful.”
She watched him watch her as her hand rested on his jaw.
“I’m afraid to look away, afraid you’ll be gone when I look back.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“Promise?”
“Cross my heart.” She used her index finger to make a lazy trail over his chest, across one hard nipple before continuing downward to his stomach. “I still have your shirt,” she whispered.
“My shirt?”
“The one you loaned me after you spilled punch on my blouse all those years ago.”
“No kidding,” he said as he nibbled on her ear.
“Do you ever think of Alyssa?”
He tucked her hair behind her ear and nibbled some more. “Alyssa?”
“The girl who broke your heart that same night you took me upstairs all those years ago?”
“I don’t even remember what she looks like. I have that dress you were wearing tonight down to a tee though.”
“Is that right?”
“Yeah, it is. I don’t want you dancing with Hoffman again.”
“Jealous?”
“Envious.”
“But not jealous?” she asked, her fingers brushing over his corded neck and down over his broad shoulders, her mouth following.
“I was beyond jealous. There is no word for what I was feeling.”
She curved her open palm over one muscled arm and smiled.
He kissed the corner of her mouth, then moved her hair out of the way so he could kiss her neck.
Tingles covered her body. Tiny explosions detonated inside her body. His warm hand cupped her breast. She sucked in air.
He rolled over and pulled her with him until the entire length of her was laid out on top of him. His mouth was hot, his tongue hotter. Using his body as a mattress was more than she could handle. Blood pulsed and throbbed between her legs. His skin was warm. Everything about him was hot, and she felt a frenzy of excitement inside her belly as she kissed his chest, her tongue circling one hard nipple and then the other before he groaned and rolled over again, sandwiching her between his body and the mattress.
Every part of her ached for him. By the time he kissed her good and passionately, she was a lost cause, pulling him closer and arching her hips against him, her fingers gliding through his thick head of hair.
He had to pull away to catch his breath. “I forgot what a vixen you are.”
She laughed.
He laughed too, and then used his tongue to make her squirm with desire. “Max,” she whispered, ready to explode.
He sat up, leaned over her and reached into the top drawer of the bed table where he retrieved a condom. The anticipation of having him inside of her made it difficult to breathe. It had been way too long. His muscles contracted as he slid on the condom. His mouth covered hers again. This kiss was different...sizzling hot, and yet he still took his time, tasting and nibbling. She clutched at his shoulders, felt him hard against her thigh. Nothing existed but the two of them.
Kari left a trail of kisses across his neck as he slid into her, setting off a round of explosions she hadn’t expected. He was bigger and better and hotter than she remembered. Everything he did, every touch, every kiss, added to the fire as their bodies danced. One last final thrust caused her to burst into a million pieces.
#
Lindsay awoke in Cole’s arms. She turned to read the neon numbers on the clock. It was five-thirty in the morning. She had to leave by six or she’d never get to DLS in time.
She wriggled her way out of his arms, climbed out of bed, gathered her clothes, and headed for the bathroom. After a quick shower, she towel dried her hair and slipped on her dress and heels from last night. She looked into the mirror and scrunched her nose. Her eyes looked tired and her hair had seen better days, but she didn’t care. By the end of the day she could very well be pregnant. Her insides fluttered with anticipation.
She opened the bathroom door, tiptoed across plush carpet, and stopped at the foot of the bed before heading out. The comforter had slipped downward, revealing Cole’s broad and muscled chest. She longed to climb back into bed with him. What if he was the man for her, the one who would actually stick, the one she could count on to stay by her side through thick and thin? Maybe Cole Fletcher was destined to be the father of her children.
Then again, maybe not. She exhaled.
Stick with the plan.
As she headed downstairs she got her first good look at Cole’s house. Enormous only began to describe the monstrosity. She hadn’t taken the time to look around last night, too consumed with Cole as he rocked her world and made her forget everything but him. His house was amazing. Cole was amazing.
She picked up the phone in the kitchen, pushed a few buttons, then asked the operator to connect her with a taxi company. Before the operator came back on the line, Cole reached a hand over her shoulder, took the receiver from her and placed it back on the cradle.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“You weren’t going to say goodbye?”
“I was going to call you later. I’m late and I didn’t want to wake you.”
“Let me grab my keys and I’ll take you home.”
“I don’t have time to go home. I need to go straight to DLS. It’s Downtown.”
“You’re still going through with this?”
She nodded.
“Nothing will change your mind? Not even when I tell you I think we’ve got something incredibly special going on here.” He raked his hand through his hair. “You are something else, you know that? I’m desperate here. Help me out because I don’t want you to do this. You’re not even willing to give us a chance.”
“I can’t.”
“You mean you won’t.”
“Okay, I won’t. But you don’t understand.”
“Then help me to understand.”
“I want to be with you Cole. I wish I could give us a chance. But I also need to do things my way. When I was a child I did everything my parents asked of me. I went above and beyond the call of duty to get good grades, do my chores, etcetera. I was a loving, doting daughter. But what good did it do me? My father was furious I was moving away after high school, so he disowned me. Just like that.” She snapped her fingers. “My first serious boyfriend did the same thing after I told him I wanted to have lots of kids someday. One day he was there and the next day he wasn’t. Another man I dated for three years left two days after proposing. I could go on, but I’ll spare you the gory details. Bottom line: I don’t understand men. I never will. So, what do I do? I make a life for myself. I start my own business, which thrives because I care about each and every child as if they were my own. I date when the mood strikes me. I’m not a horrible person, Cole. I always compliment Mrs. Diller at the Post Office. Twice a week, I bring dinner to the old lady who lives across the street because she lives like a hermit, afraid of the world. I spend a month out of every year collecting canned foods and coats for the homeless. I do it because I want to. No expectations. But then, for once in my life, I decide to do something for myself. Something that I know will make me the happiest person on this earth. Something to make me feel whole and alive. I decide to stop waiting for the perfect man and just go for it, have a baby of my own. I’m not a selfish person. I’m strong though, and I know what I want. I’m going to have a child, Cole. And if you would like to be a part of my life and my child’s life, you know where to find me.”
He raked his fingers through his hair and said, “I know how you feel about children and you haven’t seen me disappear into thin air. I love kids too. And I care about you, more than you know. But I can’t make any promises today. It’s too soon, and I don’t think you could make me any promises either. We need time to let our relationship grow, time to make sure the foundation is sturdy enough to go the distance. If you do this—knowing how we both feel about one another—knowing you might be giving up something great, then I guess this is it for us.”
She remained firm. “I have to do this. I want to do this.”
“Then I guess this really is goodbye.”
She didn’t want to choose between him and having a baby, but she’d known all along it would come down to a moment like this. Her throat tightened as she watched him walk off to find his keys.