Fault Lines

by Rebecca Shea

  His square jaw ticks as he pulls his hands to his face and rubs his eyes. I fight the urge to reach out and pull his hand into mine as he wrestles with what he's going to say .

  Pulling my feet up, I tuck them under my bent legs, Cole watching every move I make. We both study each other carefully as we settle in .

  "Cole," I start, breaking the silence and pause for a moment. "Why are you here? In Los Angeles ?"

  He clears his throat and sits up straighter. "Work…and you." His eyes soften when he mentions me .

  "Work?"

  He nods. "I had to come inspect a car and decide whether or not I was going to take the job." I scrunch my forehead in confusion and he sits up straighter as he begins to explain. "In addition to the garage, Carter and I restore cars. We did one, just for ourselves, about eight years ago and sold it at one of those luxury car auctions. We made a killing." He chuckles. "Anyway, we decided to turn it into a business. We've been very lucky to pick up several high-profile clients along the way — "

  "That's why you're in L.A.?" I'm shocked, but not surprised to hear of Cole's accomplishments .

  He nods again and rubs his cheek. "Yeah. I needed to see if this was a car we could restore. And when the client just happened to be in Los Angeles, my gut told me it was for a reason, Frankie…and I needed to seize this opportunity ."

  "With the car?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper .

  He grins smugly. "And you ."

  "Cole—"

  "Frankie, just hear me out." He slides over closer to me on the love seat. "I've never been a believer of fate and all that bullshit. But when you left the other day, I was convinced I'd never see you again. A few hours later, my phone rings and it's fucking Jack Vanderbilt wanting me to restore his car ."

  I audibly gasp when I hear him say Jack Vanderbilt. The Jack Vanderbilt—the guy who essentially owns Hollywood .

  His gaze holds mine as he continues. "So there I sit…a plane ticket in my hand for Los Angeles and I know it's now or never, Frankie. You left an engaged woman, and I respected that…but now—" He takes a breath, gathering his courage I assume. "Now you're single, Frankie." He shifts closer to me, and I can smell the lingering scent of his cologne mixed with the whiskey from his breath. "I wanted you to live your dreams—and your dreams were bigger than me. But the one thing I never admitted to you…hell, to myself, was that you were my dream. There wasn't a day in the last ten years I haven't fucking missed you—haven't regretted what I did ."

  He reaches for my hand and I let him take it. His hands are just like him, a complete contradiction. Rough and soft. Old and new. He places his other hand over mine and the warmth of it seeps into me. God, I've missed his touch .

  "Come back to me." The whites of his eyes are tinged pink and his lip quivers as he waits for me to respond .

  A lump grows in my throat as our entire past flashes before me. Running hand in hand with him to the fault line. Our first kiss. Our first fight. Every first I had was with Cole .

  He rushes on, as if he’s afraid I’ll say no right away. "I don't know how it would work, Frankie. You're here, I'm back in the Ridge…but if you'd give me a chance, I'll do anything—if you'll just let me try. I love you, Frankie." His voice cracks and a tear falls from his eye, down his perfectly tan cheek, disappearing into the light scruff that lines his jaw .

  "I love you, too," I respond. It's the truth. I'll always love him. Hearing myself say the words, though, reaffirms it. Cole inhales sharply and waits for me to retract what I said. But I won't. I can't. "I love you, Cole. I never got over you—or what you did, but I forgave you a long time ago. I had to, for my sanity…I just don't know that — "

  He stops me, such intensity and desperation in his eyes. "Try. Fucking try, Frankie. You've never given up on anything in your life— try ."

  I exhale loudly, a million thoughts running through my mind. He moves even closer, cupping my cheek with his hand. I close my eyes and allow myself to sink into his touch, to just feel him .

  "Try," he whispers, gently sliding his hand over my ear .

  A soft sigh escapes me. I am weak to him. I will always be weak when it comes to Cole .

  "We'll take it slow, Frankie,” he promises me. “We'll figure it out one day at a time. Just give us another chance." His lips press against the corner of my mouth and I let him kiss me. "Please," he pleads against my lips. "I've never needed anything in my life. But you, Frankie…I need you ."

  Fifteen

  I would beg, plead, and sell my soul to the devil for one more chance with Frankie. When I kissed her, I could feel her entire body tremble under my touch, like it did all those years ago. She still feels the connection we have—just like I do .

  Now she sits wrapped in my arms that are locked like a vise grip, and I ignore the growing cramp in my forearm. I won't let her out of my embrace. Her head rests against my shoulder, turned just slightly so I can feel her soft breath against the side of my neck with each exhale .

  We talked until she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer and she slid right into my arms. I'll hold her just like this all night if I have to, but I want her to be well-rested, and propped against me as she is isn't going to achieve that .

  So I carefully release my grasp and slide an arm under her knees, shifting her carefully. She weighs next to nothing and it's easy for me to carry her to the bed. As I get her tucked in, her hand reaches out and wraps gently around my wrist .

  "Stay," she mumbles, settling into the pillow. Everything inside me screams to climb into this bed with her and hold her—love her, but I promised her a million times over the course of the night that we'd take this slow .

  I press a kiss to her forehead. "I'm going to let myself out," I whisper, not wanting to fully wake her up .

  "Please…stay." Her voice is hoarse and sexy .

  "Probably not a good idea, Frankie ."

  "Just lay with me. Hold me like you were." She shifts in the bed and pulls the comforter back further, making space for me right next to her .

  My heart races and my cock stirs, knowing I'll be close to her in bed .

  "Please," she begs one more time, and I nod, kicking off my shoes as she rolls to her side and tucks her hands under her cheek, falling back into an easy sleep. I stand and watch her for a minute. She's angelic—the pink curve of her lips, her long eyelashes and her wavy hair all tucked perfectly into the white sheets .

  Taking off my jeans and t-shirt, I fold them neatly, placing them in a pile on the dresser. I slide into the bed, careful not to wake her. Once I'm settled, I pull her into my arms and hold her tight against my chest. She feels exactly like I remember. Running my hands over her soft skin, I inhale the scent of her coconut lotion. This is what I envision heaven to feel like…Frankie and me together .

  I finally drift off to sleep to the soft sound of her breathing, knowing there is nowhere else in the world I'd rather be than in this hotel room, in Los Angeles, with Frankie in my arms. While uncertainty still looms all around us, for the first time in ten years, I finally feel whole .

  * * *

  S oft fingers brush over the curve of my chin and up my cheek, and for a brief moment I'm utterly confused at who's touching me. I haven't had a woman in my bed in months, but the light hint of coconut brings it all back to me .

  Frankie.

  "Morning." Her voice is gravelly and utter perfection as she rests her arm across my chest. If I could wake up to her skin on mine every morning for the rest of my life, I'd die a happy man .

  "Morning," I manage in return as her finger draws circles on my chest .

  "You stayed," she remarks and I turn from my back to face her. We lie face
to face, like we’ve done so many times, but this time I study every detail of her face. Every freckle that peppers her nose, and that tiny mole that rests on the edge of her bottom lip that is almost always covered by lipstick. I reach out and run my thumb over it .

  "You asked me to," I answer her, and her fingers continue their exploration, tracing my lips. Her touch is gentle, almost ticklish, but I savor it .

  "I'm glad you did." She moves closer to me and rests her hand on my abdomen .

  I close my eyes, fighting the growing erection just south of her hand. But the silk strap of her camisole hangs off her shoulder, exposing her delicate shoulder and the swell of her breast, making it fucking impossible to think of anything else .

  "Frankie," I moan, letting her know she's edging into dangerous territory .

  "Cole..." Her voice trails off as she leans in and presses a kiss to my lips .

  My dick is rock hard now and it's going to be hard to hide it under this thin sheet. She snakes her leg between mine and I roll to my back, bringing Frankie with me. Straddling me, she presses her center against me and rolls her hips. I clench my teeth, amazed at how this girl can unravel me in a split second .

  Grabbing her hips, I hold her still as she tries to move on top of me. She pulls her bottom lip into her mouth and my adrenaline is pumping so hard, because I know that if we go here, I'll never be able to let her go. I'll never be able to walk away from her. But fuck it, I want nothing more than to be inside her. I clench my fists and groan as she continues to roll her hips over my rock hard dick .

  "Touch me," she says, lifting my hand from her hip and sliding it under the hem of her camisole. She guides it over the soft skin of her stomach, inching higher until her heavy breast sits inside my palm. I squeeze gently, accepting her invitation as she closes her eyes. My other hand naturally makes its way to her other breast. Her nipples are rock hard and I give each one a firm squeeze, causing her to gasp .

  "Cole," she mumbles my name as her head drops back. I pinch each nipple even harder, causing her hips to rock against mine. I push myself up, wrapping my arms around her waist as I press my lips to her neck, tasting her. Her arms dangle over my shoulders and play with my hair at the base of my neck as my tongue explores the soft skin behind her ear .

  Lifting the hem of her camisole up and over her head, I toss it to the floor beside the bed. I kiss my way to her full breasts, pulling a nipple into my mouth and biting gently. My tongue lavishes each puckered bud and my cock hardens further as her body reacts to my touch. Her body has changed since the last time I touched her. She's more woman and less girl now. The curve of her hips and the heaviness of her breasts are all new territory for me, territory that I plan to explore for the rest of my life .

  Reaching behind her, she palms my dick through my boxer briefs and I groan, almost losing control. “Wait, sweetheart, wait.” I roll her off me and pin her beneath me. Pushing myself back, I drag her silk pajama shorts down her legs, discarding them at the foot of the bed .

  Frankie lies completely naked underneath me, a sight that, twelve hours ago, I never thought I'd see again. My breath catches at how beautiful she is just as my self-control wanes. I swallow hard as I slide my hands up her calves, over her thighs, and up to the apex of her legs—to the very juncture that calls to me .

  "I don't have any protection," I tell her as my finger brushes the soft lips that no longer bear the soft curls she had as a teenager .

  "I'm on birth control," she gasps as my thumb finds and begins circling her clit. "And I'm clean. It's only ever been you and Ted." I snap my eyes shut when she says Ted's name. I want to put my fist through that man's face when I think of him touching Frankie like this. I push those thoughts aside and bring attention back to the woman I have writhing beneath me .

  "I'm clean, too," I tell her, leaving it at that. I couldn't even come up with the names of the faceless women I've fucked trying to get Frankie out of my system. Women who were nothing more than a means to an end. A quick fuck .

  I pull my boxer briefs down, kicking them off my ankles and onto the floor next to her pajama bottoms. As much as I want to dive into Frankie, I want to savor this moment and her. I want this to last more than the ten minutes I'm afraid it won't if I dive into her .

  I lower my face to her stomach, kissing the silky skin of her belly and leaving a trail of kisses behind as I move lower, finding the spot I've been dying to taste. My tongue slides easily through her soft lips, finding that hidden and throbbing little bud. Frankie gasps and bucks her hips as my tongue works her into a frenzy .

  My body’s reaction to hers is about to send me over the edge. Her hands grip my hair as her breathing quickens and her thighs try to clamp closed around me .

  "Cole!" she yells between ragged breaths. "Jesus, Cole!" Her entire body shudders underneath me as she comes undone. Then her hands fall from my head to my shoulders, where her nails dig into my flesh as her body begins to come down from its high. I want to savor this woman for hours, but I know that we don't have that much time .

  I sit back and position myself at her wet entrance, her knees falling open wide as her body continues to shake from the intensity of her orgasm. Nothing makes me happier than seeing her pleasure, and her chest rises and falls quickly with each rapid breath she takes .

  Her blue eyes open and find mine as I hover over her, taking in this moment. Her dark hair is wild against the stark white sheets of the bed. As if every star in the sky is aligned, I press myself into her. For the rest of my life, I'll never forget this moment .

  I lower myself down and press a kiss to her lips and she returns it with as much intensity. A kiss that tells her I love her without ever saying the words. A kiss that seals our fate, whether she knows it yet or not. I will never let her go again—or lose her ever again. This moment bonds us, seals us together as we should’ve always been .

  She gasps, wrapping her legs around my waist as I sink further into her. This is home for me. Frankie is my home. She owns every good memory I have—she is what I live my life for. Her .

  As much as I'd love to fuck her fast and wild, that can wait. This is us reconnecting. This is us apologizing, forgiving, and forging a new beginning. This is what making love feels like. It's safe and comforting, pleasure and peace, intensity and passion all in one act. It's letting go of the past and forging ahead with one simple connection .

  I slide in and out of her while she peppers my lips with gentle kisses. The act of sex has never been more intimate for me—this is me pouring my love into Frankie and her accepting and returning it back to me. Her soft moans tell me all I need to know and I finally lose myself in her .

  "I love you," I whisper against her lips as I feel my release spill into her. "God, I love you ."

  She wraps her arms around my neck and pulls me down on top of her. Her arms hold me against her tightly as we both catch our breath. We lie like this for minutes until I finally slide out of her and roll onto my back, immediately missing our connection .

  Frankie pulls the bed sheet over her, tucking it under her arms before she rolls to her side and watches me. Awkward silence fills the space between us as I roll to my side to look at her, wondering what she's thinking .

  "So now what?" she asks. I can see the fear in her eyes, and it just about kills me. She just gave herself to me, and we solved nothing last night. There are no answers to our situation, only pleas to start over .

  My heart stammers as her eyes mist over. I don't have the answers, but I'll do whatever it takes to make her happy. "I don't know, Frankie. I just know that I love you—and I want you with me, I want us together…but I won’t ask you to leave Los Angeles for me. I can’t do that ."

  She reaches out and places her hand over my heart as her lips tremble. She closes her eyes and I see a tear slip out and roll down her cheek. My heart breaks
for how she must be feeling. I imagine she thinks I'll abandon her again. She has to know I’d never do that again, never .

  "My business is back in Crescent Ridge…" I pause. "So I think we just need to take some time to figure this out. We can try this long distance while we figure it all out." She gives a shaky nod, and I add, "I want you to know, Frankie, that whatever you decide about us, I love you more than anything in the world. I always have ."

  She opens her eyes, the whites tinged pink .

  "More than anything," I whisper .

  I lean in and press a long kiss to her lips before sitting up. "I have to go. My flight leaves in a little over two hours and I still have to get back to my hotel and get my things." I dress quickly as Frankie stays tucked in bed, doing her best to hide her concern and sadness .

  "Cole," she says my name softly. "Thank you for the best night ever ."

  I swallow hard and my heart drops, as if she's saying a final goodbye. She offers me a crooked smile, a smile that holds fear of the unknown…a smile that wants to trust, but is still hurt .

  Holding back my own fear, fear of losing her again, I wink. "This was nothing." Then I bend over, pressing one more kiss to her lips. "This was just the beginning ."

  Sixteen

  "G irl, you better tell me who that handsome lumberjack of a man was that was standing in this office yesterday afternoon looking for you," Eduardo says under his breath as he follows me into my office. He's on my heels and pressing for answers. Eduardo knows how to charm answers out of anyone. It's what makes him an amazing attorney. He knows when to smile, knows when to focus and be serious, but it's his charm that seals the deal every time .

  "I don't know what you're talking about," I throw over my shoulder, walking as fast as I can in these damn heels. The safety of my office is still out of sight. I juggle my briefcase and purse in my arms as I lift my arm to glance at my watch, hoping Eduardo takes a hint that I'm busy, when in fact I'm just late. I don’t have any current cases and my calendar is still clear from my extended absence from when I went back to Crescent Ridge .