Vessel (Cutting Cords Series Book 2)

by Mickie B. Ashling

  “I can’t help what I feel.”

  He grabbed me by the arms and shook me, trying to knock some sense into my skewered brain. “Snap out of this! You’re not some passing fancy nor an experiment. The relationship wouldn’t have lasted five years if you were. Hell, it wouldn’t have lasted five months if he didn’t love you. And in all those years, has he ever mentioned an interest in women?”

  “No.”

  “Then how the fuck can you allow such stupid thoughts to mess with your head?”

  “Maybe it’s because he’s been dishonest from the start. He and his father planned this behind my back with no regard for my feelings.”

  “Which was wrong, but there might be extenuating circumstances we don’t know about. What you need to get straight in your self-effacing head is this; Cole is in love with you. Has been from the get-go. Christ Almighty, why are the most beautiful people in the world the most insecure? You are exactly like all my other models. I thought you’d outgrown this stage after all your success. Grow some balls,” Max stressed.

  “I’m not a loser,” I protested, although my voice had a pathetic whine to it. “I’m defending my relationship. How can that be wrong?”

  “Because you’re not thinking clearly. Cole’s desire for Noriko is completely self-serving. She’s an organ donor in every sense, donating her uterus, and two years of her life, to give him the children he so desperately wants. It’s a business transaction, and money is her motivator, nothing else. She doesn’t know Cole from the man in the moon, just as you know nothing about her. Why do you think she has an agenda?”

  “Who the fuck knows?” I yelled out my frustration. “My gut is telling me something’s not right. Shouldn’t I pay attention?”

  “You’ll never find out if you keep pushing her away. Medicine is a lot more palatable with a teaspoon of honey. Try being charming instead of an asshole.”

  “Fuck off.” I jogged away, desperate to put some distance between us. Max didn’t bother to follow. After several minutes, I stopped running and turned to see what he was doing. He’d crossed his arms over his chest, and waited patiently. He knew me so well. When I returned, he opened his arms, and I walked into his embrace, letting myself be comforted. “Help me do the right thing, Max.”

  “I’m trying, but you keep fighting me.”

  “What should I do?”

  “First order of business is to stop assuming Noriko wants your man.”

  “Not until the investigation is over.”

  “God, you’re a tenacious shit.”

  “Maybe so, but I won’t quit until I know what her true motives are.”

  “Will you stop acting like an emotional teenager?”

  “I’ll try.”

  “You swear?”

  “Don’t plotz!”

  Max laughed. “You sound like my aunt Phoebe.”

  “What a surprise. I’ve been around you every day for the last five years.”

  “Then stop kvetching already,” he said, grinning.

  I stuck out my tongue.

  Max cuffed me. “Don’t be disrespectful.”

  “Come on, old man. I’ll race you to the horses.”

  “Brat,” Max called, but I was already gone.

  Chapter 10

  Cole and Noriko were already eating when we walked in. I stooped to kiss Cole on the cheek and he made a moue of disgust.

  “You smell like a horse.”

  I reacted badly and retorted with a nasty zinger “And you’re a veritable bloodhound, Shogun. Have you thought of a career with Scotland Yard?”

  Cole stiffened. “There’s no need to get defensive, Sloan. I don’t know where you’ve been, but it had to involve horses.”

  Being scolded in front of Noriko was humiliating, and I swore to show better restraint in the future. “Right on your first guess. Max and I went horseback riding along the beach.”

  “Sounds wonderful,” Cole said wistfully.

  “It was great. Come with us next time. You know Rose won’t mind.”

  “Rose?” Noriko interrupted.

  “That’s the horse’s name,” I replied.

  “I see. Cole-san”—Noriko shifted her gaze—“you are able to do such dangerous things?”

  Tempted to smack her upside the head, I replied rather caustically instead. “He’s only blind, not mentally challenged.”

  “Sloan,” Cole warned. Turning toward Noriko, he explained. “We piggyback. Sloan’s an excellent rider and I’m safe with him.”

  “Damn right.”

  Cole reached for my hand and squeezed it, a little too tightly, to my mind. His not-so-subtle way of telling me to cool it, which pissed me off even more. “Do you ride?” I asked Noriko. “Horses, that is.”

  “No.”

  “Too bad.”

  Cole dropped his napkin on the table, knocking over a water glass. Noriko was on her feet instantly, sopping up the spill with her napkin. “It’s all right, Cole-san. I’ll get you another glass.”

  “Thank you,” Cole replied. As soon as she left, he pounced on me. “You agreed to lighten the fuck up.”

  “I was only asking her a question.”

  “You’re coming across all wrong.”

  “Oh, please. I’m not pussyfooting around her.”

  “Your attitude is seriously pissing me off.”

  “Fine,” I said, sighing dramatically. “I’ll try to behave.”

  Noriko returned and placed a fresh glass within Cole’s reach. “Is there anything else you need, Cole-san?”

  “Weren’t you going to drop the honorifics?”

  “It doesn’t bother me,” Cole intervened. “In fact, I rather like it.”

  “Of course you do.”

  I glared at Noriko and her triumphant smile fried my ass. I wolfed down my tuna sandwich, barely tasting it. In between mouthfuls, I watched Noriko cutting into her sandwich with a fork and knife. Her table manners would have made Miss Manners jump with glee. She knew I was watching her every move, and I wondered if she was for real or playing some kind of role.

  “Do you work?” I asked, interrupting her flow.

  She put down her utensils. “No, I’m too busy at home.”

  “Doing what?”

  “My mother is elderly and needs my help.”

  “Who’s watching her while you’re away?”

  “My grandmother.”

  Flabbergasted, I had to ask. “How old is she?”

  “Eighty-something.”

  “Isn’t she too old to be a caregiver?”

  “She’s very healthy.”

  “What wrong with your mom?”

  “She has Parkinson’s disease,” Noriko said in a low voice.

  “Isn’t that genetic?” I turned toward Cole. “Were you aware of this, Cole?”

  “Noriko mentioned her mother wasn’t in good health, but not the exact nature of the disease. We can test for the gene.”

  “Sure,” I grumbled. “One more thing to worry about.”

  “Parkinson’s is not considered genetic,” Noriko interjected quickly. “Only fifteen percent of cases have a first-degree relative with the disease.”

  “How do you know if you fall into that percentile?”

  “As Cole-san suggested, we would test for the gene mutation normally found in familial Parkinson’s.”

  “Didn’t you say it wasn’t genetic?”

  “It’s not considered a genetic disease. However, they have discovered a certain gene mutation in people who have Parkinson’s.”

  “It sounds genetic to me.”

  “We’ll test for it,” Cole repeated.

  Getting back to Noriko, I asked, “Why are you willing to surrogate? Is it the money?”

  “The money is important, of course, but there’s also the commitment I can’t break.”

  “I don’t understand. Who are you committed to?”

  “I’m not at liberty to discuss it.”

  We had a right to know the whole truth, but
I pushed aside my impatience for now. “Have you done this before?”

  “I have never been with a man.”

  “You mean you’ve never been married or been a surrogate?”

  “I mean I’ve never had sex or offered to surrogate.”

  Cole spat out a mouthful of tea and had a violent coughing fit. His face turned an unhealthy shade of purple, and for a moment, I thought he was choking on something. Even Freddie began barking, adding to the confusion. Finally, Cole caught his breath and turned toward Noriko with a look of pure astonishment. “No one mentioned you were a virgin.”

  “Does it matter?”

  “I… suppose not, although I would think you’d want to have your first child with someone you love?”

  “I am doing this for someone I love.”

  “I don’t understand,” Cole replied.

  “It’s the Immaculate Conception all over again,” I said disparagingly. Unfortunately, Cole heard.

  “I beg your pardon?” Noriko said, looking confused.

  “She has no idea what the hell you’re talking about, Sloan.”

  “Gentlemen, I am right here. Please stop referring to me as she.”

  “I’m sorry,” Cole apologized. “Noriko, this may change everything.”

  “Why should it? You needn’t worry about having to initiate me.”

  “Who is making you do this? We have a right to know,” I insisted.

  “No one is forcing me.” Noriko addressed Cole not me. “I’m doing this willingly, but I will not discuss it any further.”

  “Wait a minute,” I argued. “You can’t throw out such a monumental statement without any further explanation.”

  Noriko stood abruptly. “I would like to retire for a few hours. Please excuse me,” she said and left our table. She moved like royalty, with her back as stiff as a board and her head held high. Every bone in my body screamed for answers, but her oblique references to some unknown person only left me with more questions. I’d have to find out on my own somehow.

  “Well, ain’t that a bitch,” I muttered.

  “It’s certainly a surprise,” Cole agreed.

  “I guess she’ll only be the second virgin in history who mothered a child?”

  “Sloan, I can feel a migraine coming on, and you’re not helping.”

  “Come on, Shogun. I’ve got the perfect solution for your pounding head, if you’ll pardon the pun.” I grinned.

  “You’re such a shit sometimes.”

  “At least I’m predictable.”

  “Enough already.”

  I grabbed his hand and drew him close. “Let’s take a nap, dear. Everything feels so much better after an orgasm or three.”

  Chapter 11

  I stopped for a second at Max’s table and crouched down to whisper in his ear. “Guess what? Miss Thing is a virgin.”

  The astonished look on his face was classic. “You’ve got to be joking.”

  “Not at all, but we’ll catch up later.” Cole was tugging on my hand impatiently. As soon as we got to the room, he toed off his shoes and was about to climb on top of the quilt when I stopped him. “Take off your clothes.”

  “But…it’s the middle of the day,” Cole protested.

  “So what?”

  “Everyone’s awake and they’ll probably hear us.”

  “No one gives a damn what’s going on up here. Unless you’ve changed from moaner to screamer, I doubt they’ll even notice we’re gone.”

  Cole lifted his arms and silently allowed me to tug off his T-shirt. Next came the jeans and boxers. I noticed with satisfaction that he was already hard. I helped him onto the bed and tore off my own clothes before slipping between the sheets. I held him close and instead of enjoying the contact, another bout of insecurity sprang forth and I blurted, “You realize this new development underscores my original theory. She may renege on the contract.”

  “Why?”

  “She’s never had a child. How can you predict her reaction when they put a baby in her arms? Any mother worth her salt would have second thoughts about giving up their firstborn. Or the twins, if you’re determined to have more than one.”

  Cole sighed heavily. “Can we please postpone this conversation for at least ten minutes?”

  “Ten minutes? Come on, babe, you know we can do better.”

  “Not until you shut up.”

  I responded with a heated kiss and rolled on top of him, enveloping his warm body with mine. Cole wrapped his legs around my thighs and we moved against each other frantically, our leaking cocks adding the necessary lube for the familiar. I peppered his neck with possessive kisses, marking my territory like a frightened dog. Normally, he’d object, but not this time. The scent of lemon verbena, his favorite aftershave, was particularly potent, and I wondered if he’d applied it with a heavy hand for Noriko’s sake. The very notion pissed me off, and I latched on to a brown nub and sucked savagely, drawing out a whimper. Instead of easing off, I nipped at the puckered skin growing hard against my lips. There were a few hairs sprouting around the edges, and I tugged at them with my teeth while my hands ran up and down his hard flanks.

  “Fuck me,” Cole begged, apparently turned on by my turbulent mood.

  I turned him on his side, taking up the spot of the big spoon while he curled into position, bracing for the initial push. I yearned for his tight ass as fervently as ever, eager to feel him open up and suck me into his warm depths. Cole had thoughtfully placed the travel size lube in my favorite spot under a pillow, and I squirted a generous amount on my cock and fingers before inserting two digits into Cole to prepare him as best as possible. After a few minutes, he nodded, and I positioned my cockhead at his sweet pucker, and pushed past the tight ring of muscle. Instinctively, I held my position to feel his reaction. He was quivering, and a loud groan rumbled up from deep in his chest. “Jesus, you’re splitting me in half.”

  “Should I pull out?”

  “No,” he said emphatically. “Give me a second to adjust.”

  My cock was encased in his tight channel, and I braced for the signal to get going before I ran out of patience. I slid an arm under Cole’s neck, threw my right leg over his hip, and yanked him closer, sending another zing of pleasure to my throbbing organ. My free hand snaked across his stomach and ended up circling his engorged shaft, which was slippery with precum. He made tiny mewling sounds and moved against me, communicating his ready state.

  “Do me,” he whispered.

  Fuck, yeah. I buried my face into his thick hair and began to rock, pushing in and out with increasing speed. It didn’t take but a few minutes to feel his urgency as I hammered into him relentlessly. Cole cried out, seconds before he erupted in my hand, and a stream of warm spunk spilled over, coating my fingers and soiling the sheets as I milked him dry.

  I saw stars when his muscles squeezed my cock, pulsing in time with his rapid heartbeat, and I soared as he massaged me from the inside out.

  We ended up falling asleep, still connected and blissfully at peace. When I woke up, Cole was standing by the window in his boxers, combing out his wet hair, leaving droplets of water on his brown shoulders. “Why didn’t you wake me up?”

  “I was about to.”

  “Are we going somewhere?”

  “I thought we could walk around town and give Noriko a short tour.”

  Hope plummeted, but I put on my best game face to keep the status quo. “Give me a minute.”

  We took Max’s Land Rover into town and spent several hours perusing the specialty shops. Even though Cole couldn’t see anything, he was delighted by Noriko’s obvious enthusiasm as she explored the different stores lining Main Street. She led the way, and we followed hand in hand as she picked up and discarded candle after candle. Finally, she settled on a purple lavender-based candle shaped like a lotus flower. She found it at Willow, a tiny store featuring handcrafted, one-of-a-kind items.

  “Where are you sending it?” I asked, after she had the cashier wrap it for
shipping.

  “To my mother. She loves candles.”

  “They don’t have candles in Japan?”

  “She doesn’t get out much.”

  “I see. Will they deliver it to her front door?”

  “Yes,” she said, nodding.

  “Who’s going to watch her if you and Cole sign a contract?”

  “When we reach an agreement, I will have the funds to hire someone.”

  “So this is about money.”

  She inclined her head and gave a half-smile in reply.

  I peered at her, trying to see behind her mask. On the surface, she appeared harmless, but my instincts were on high alert. Noriko was a stranger with secrets she refused to divulge. I would never get an honest answer given our mutual hostility.

  I decided to talk to Max about the logistics of hiring a private detective. Cole had given me permission to investigate on my own, although he probably didn’t think I’d carry it this far. Wrong. Noriko posed a severe threat, in my opinion, and wild horses couldn’t stop me from getting to the bottom of her story. There had to be more than met the eye.

  That evening, after dinner, while Cole and Noriko shared a brandy, I snuck into Max’s bedroom to enlist his help. He was sitting in front of his oversized computer monitor, browsing through headshots.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Looking for the right face.”

  “For what?”

  “Harrods and Bergdorf are joining together for a project in late fall. They want me to pick models who epitomize the British male, or what they believe a true Brit gentleman should look like.”

  “Why don’t they hire Prince Harry?”

  “That’s actually the look I’m hoping for. I’ve already got several people lined up, including you, but I need a redhead, preferably one without freckles.”

  “Good luck.”

  “Well, he exists. I just need to find him.”

  “Speaking of finding, I need a detective.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Can you help me?”

  “I’m sure I can come up with a few names. You want someone Japanese, don’t you? You don’t want to pay for travel expenses and assorted bullshit. Get someone from over there.”