His woman. Ha! No way. Cole would not claim Rini Herelius as his woman. Sure, he might lust after Fire Eyes in a weak moment, but lust was where he drew the line. Clearly and unmistakably.
As for giving her a second chance, well, his friend would just have to understand. He couldn't do it. He'd been burned going down that road one too many times.
He tossed a twenty on the bar and headed for the door.
She was not his woman, and she would not be getting a second chance. And going to some harmless childbirth class with her would not change that one bit.
No sir. Not one little bit.
* * *
"Are you out of your everlovin' mind?"
Rini winced. Alexa always did cut right to the chase.
"You're the one who wanted me to be nice to him," Rini reminded her.
After a call to Dr. Morris just to be sure her spell wasn't something to worry about, Rini had gone upstairs for a nap. Afterward, she had managed to get through Christmas Eve dinner and opening half the presents under the tree without Cole being mentioned once. But now she and Alexa were in the kitchen washing up while the boys played with their new toys, and Rini knew she was in for a grilling.
"Temporary insanity. After the way that despicable man treated you at his office, I can't believe you would even speak to him, let alone take a walk with him. What were you thinking?" Alexa's angry tone demanded an explanation.
The familiar pain of wanting to please and not make waves stabbed through Rini's chest. She'd grown up with that feeling, always trying so hard to keep from doing or saying anything that would vex Mama. Never being a bother, always doing what would please her—so Mama would love her. The hurt felt so natural to her, she'd never even noticed when David had started making her feel the same way, always finding fault, never giving support.
But, finally, she'd seen what was happening and had begun to heal herself by leaving David and breaking the dysfunctional pattern, even with her mother. She wasn't about to back down with Alex.
Composing herself, Rini carefully shook a dash of nutmeg into a glass of eggnog. "He just brought me cookies, for crying out loud. And I picked the fight at his office, not him."
Alexa huffed. "So what changed your mind?"
"I thought it was best to patch things up. For the baby's sake."
"I see." Her sister slammed the dishwasher door shut and spun the dial. "What did you two talk about?"
She stirred her eggnog absently, thinking about Cole. "Oh, this and that. What I'm studying. You know."
"No, I don't know." Alexa stood ramrod straight, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. "I don't like the idea of him sniffing around you, Rini. It's some sort of lawyer's trick. I swear—"
Rini looked up when the words suddenly halted in midstream. The expression on Alexa's face could only be described as scandalized. "My God! You think you're still in love with him, don't you?" Her sister's eyes widened. "You're hoping he'll— Oh, Rini!"
"Love? Don't be ridiculous," Rini snapped crankily, staring into her eggnog to avoid her sister's suspicious gaze. "Besides, he doesn't want any part of me. Except this part." She put a hand on the baby. "Cole told me tonight he's adopted. I imagine that's why he's so adamant about being part of the baby's life, regardless of his feelings for me."
"Oh, Sis." Alexa dropped into a chair, her expression filled with understanding. "What are you going to do?"
Laughter echoed through the kitchen door from the living room, where Brad and Kenny were engaged in a rowdy new game on the computer. "I'm going to let him."
Her sister set her jaw stubbornly. "Then, please for the love of God, will you at least make him help you financially? So you can finish your degree?"
Rini shook her head. "You know I can't ask him for money. Maybe that degree just isn't meant to be."
"My Go, no. You've worked too hard to quit now. All those nights you spent studying till dawn, all those weekends in the library. Your dreams! There has to be a way."
"The baby is what's most important now."
"It's just not fair! That bastard." Alexa jumped to her feet, banging her fist on the table. "I swear if I ever see him again, I'll kill the man for doing this to you."
* * *
Cole squinted at the huge black garbage bag sitting by her front door, then looked up at Rini. "Pillows?"
"Mm-hmm. For the class."
Grabbing the bag, he shook his head. "If you say so."
He'd worked hard all week since the cookie incident to regain his composure and mental distance from Rini. But in one fell swoop she had his imagination working overtime, trying to figure out just what they'd be doing that involved so damned many pillows. And him with such a healthy imagination.
Taking in her brightly colored leggings and long angora sweater, he decided she looked especially pretty tonight. He opened the Z's door for her and handed her in, then dumped the bag of pillows into the back on his way to the driver's side. "I thought these classes were just supposed to teach you that breathing stuff. You know, ha ha, he he, ho ho ho."
She rolled her eyes. "I think you're mixing them up with Santa Claus classes. Must be the season. So, how was the rest of your holiday, by the way?"
He flashed her a wry smile. "Good."
Except for a slight hangover Christmas morning. He couldn't remember the last time he'd drunk more than two beers at a sitting, and those straight tequilas had wreaked havoc on his stomach and head. "Had dinner with my parents. My mom sends her regards."
She smiled wistfully. "You're really lucky."
He darted her a suspicious look. "How so?"
"My mother… Well, your mom sounds really nice."
"I take it you don't get along with yours?"
She shook her head. "Between Alexa and me, we talk to Mama three, maybe four times a year. I can just imagine what she'll have to say when she finds out I'm pregnant."
"You haven't told her?" He couldn't hide his surprise.
She sighed. "I can do without the lecture she's sure to give me. She doesn't think much of my ability to make choices, and this will just confirm what she's always told me."
Cole scowled. "And what's that?"
Rini bit her lip and looked away. "Wouldn't want to bore you with the extensive litany. Like I said, she doesn't think much of my abilities. And she's sure to resent the thought of being a grandmother. She's still in denial over having two daughters who've nearly hit thirty."
Cole was shocked. He thought about having a mother like that—one who made her own daughter afraid to tell her she was having a baby in less than two months. He couldn't even imagine it.
Or maybe he could.
He glanced over at Rini. That might explain the shy, almost disbelieving pleasure she'd shown whenever he had complimented her. He made a mental note to do it more often. Her mother must be blind. Certainly, what he'd experienced of Rini's abilities had warranted compliments, and more.
Especially the physical ones. Even now, he continued to be plagued by the memory of her silken body under his, moving expertly to the rhythm he'd played on it. What he wouldn't give to be able to experience those particular skills again.
But that would only complicate things. And the situation was already much too complicated for his liking.
He brought his wayward thoughts back to the conversation. "Well, someday I'm sure your mother will realize what she's missing, and regret it."
Rini shrugged noncommittally. "Maybe. I'm just glad Alexa and I have each other." She pointed to a large private home coming up on the left. "Here we are. This is the house."
When Cole followed her into the family room where the Bradley Method childbirth class would be held, dead silence fell around him, as though he was a prisoner taking his last walk down death row. The only sound was the cracking and popping of a fire burning in the corner fireplace. It sounded ominously like a firing squad.
Drawing in a deep breath, he ignored the guarded stares of the couples scattered around on the f
loor, and plastered what he hoped was a pleasant expression on his face.
Rini addressed the group. "Everyone, this is Cole, my baby's father."
Judging by their expressions, he was definitely a condemned man. "Hi." He glanced around. No change. The four men glared at him distrustfully and their women looked plain angry. One woman sitting by herself in front of the room—presumably the instructor—gave every indication she was about to go into cardiac arrest.
Damn, this was going to be a fun evening.
Rini led him to the closet, where they hung up their coats. She motioned for him to remove his boots and put them next to her shoes.
"Sorry," she murmured. "The others might be a little hostile. Alexa may have mentioned you once or twice. She tends to be a bit"—she lifted her gaze apologetically—"dramatic."
He turned a lopsided grin on her. "No problem. I'll just be my natural, sweet self and win 'em over in no time."
She actually snorted in response. He had the irrational urge to pinch her butt in retaliation as she turned to look for a space on the floor where they could sit. He jammed his thumbs into his jeans pockets. Jeez, he had to control these primitive impulses.
Baring his teeth in the smile he always used for judges about to ream him out for a courtroom transgression, he helped Rini to sit, then squatted down beside her.
She leaned over and whispered, "Relax, Lonetree. It's not a lynch mob."
"Tell them that." His cheek muscles already hurt from holding his smile in place.
"Pretend you like me. I know it's a stretch, but it could help your case."
He glanced over at her as they settled onto the floor Indian style. Jesus, she looked serious. He supposed he had been trying pretty hard to keep his distance. She might really think he didn't like her. If only she knew.
He slid a hand onto her thigh and winked. "All right. I'll give it a try."
Her eyes grew wide, fastening first on his hand, then on his grin. A soft flush crept up her neck.
He knew instantly the move had been a mistake. Her flesh was warm and firm under her thin leggings, and his hand was suddenly seized with a will of its own. In a barely discernible movement, his thumb began kneading the slight hollow just above her knee.
He watched her tongue peek out and moisten her upper lip, then retreat hastily.
A big mistake.
Aw, hell.
He suddenly realized the instructor was speaking to him. A few of the others chuckled knowingly. "Uh, sorry, what?"
"I'm Linda. We're glad you could make it, Cole. Have you been doing any of the reading?" Her blood pressure appeared to have come down considerably since his unexpected entrance.
He glanced at Rini. "Uh, no. I didn't realize—"
"That's okay. Just follow along as best you can. The method is fairly simple. The role of the father is mostly to encourage the mother and make her comfortable. We'll start out with a little theory and then move on to the relaxation exercises."
Linda went on to explain, with charts and graphs, exactly what happened during the three stages of labor. Cole was fascinated, and when the lecture was over he found himself thigh-to-thigh with Rini, his arm nestled familiarly between her leg and the baby. His other hand had crossed over his lap to continue rubbing her knee.
He closed his eyes, instincts warring with common sense. It was one thing to create an illusion for the benefit of the other couples, quite another to relax into the role in reality. On the other hand, it wouldn't do to pull back now and spoil the effect. Not just because he was breaking out in a sweat.
"Remember, the very worst part of labor is that ten to twenty minute transition between getting your body ready to deliver and actually starting to push. If you can make it through those few minutes without any anesthesia, the pushing part will be much easier because you won't have all those drugs numbing your muscles."
Cole looked at Rini, not envying her the coming experience one bit. Still, he'd really like to be there. He wondered if she would let him.
"And dads, be sure to check the time when transition starts, so you can help her through it. Okay, once more, when do you look at the clock?"
"When she starts swearing and calling us names," the men chanted in unison, snickering.
Linda grinned. "Right. Or she says she's changed her mind and doesn't want kids." She looked at her watch. "Okay, everyone, break time!"
The couples rose and stretched, then wandered over to a table that held a couple carafes of juice and some plates of healthy-looking snack squares. Not a cup of coffee in sight. He grimaced, filling two cups with pink stuff he was sure would prove lethal, and stepped over to where Rini stood conversing with a couple of the women. He offered her one of the cups.
"Thanks. Cole, this is Valerie and Liz."
They exchanged greetings. Valerie looked vaguely intrigued, but Liz seemed resentful of his presence.
"So, are you two an item now?" Valerie tipped her head curiously.
Cole glanced at Rini. "Um, we're still working through things."
Liz sneered. "Just like a man. Refusing to take responsibility."
Cole set his jaw. "I—"
Rini jumped in. "Not at all. He's being very helpful." She looked at him pleadingly.
He forced the corners of his mouth up. He didn't want to make trouble for Rini, so he said, "We both want what's best for the baby."
"I'll just bet." Liz rolled her eyes.
His temper flared. "What's your—"
"Cole, I'm feeling a little hungry." Rini looped her arm around his elbow and tugged. "Let's check out those granola squares, okay? Excuse us." She pulled him forcibly toward the snack table. "Sorry about that," she muttered, snagging the first food item she laid a hand on.
"What was her problem?" he demanded around a piece of frosted carrot bar, which Rini stuffed into his mouth as soon as he opened it. He chewed, swallowed and, with his tongue, worked loose a walnut that had jammed between two teeth. "Attacking me like that—"
"I thought you Native Americans were supposed to be all stoic and harmonious." Scowling, she crammed another bite between his lips, but this time he caught her wrist in his hand and held it.
"Only after we've tied the person annoying us to an anthill and poured honey over her. Remember?" He flicked his tongue out and licked a spot of frosting off Rini's forefinger before dropping her hand.
Then silently cursed himself. Hell, he was getting into very dangerous territory again, reminding them both of the moment they'd met at the powwow.
But there was just something about having a woman feed him that turned him on in the worst way. Make that, the best way. Resolutely, he slugged down the dregs of his pink stuff. He almost choked on it when Rini put the remainder of the carrot bar into her mouth, forefinger and all, and licked the remaining crumbs off the spot his own tongue had been.
His expression must have given him away, because she suddenly looked at her forefinger, blushed furiously, and snatched up a napkin from the table to finish the job.
Mercifully, she hurriedly excused herself to use the restroom, so he had a chance to regain his composure. Between the hostile natives and the guilelessly sensual mother of his child, if he made it through the evening without some kind of major screw-up it would be a pure damned miracle.
It was when she climbed into his lap a few minutes later that he knew with dead certainty no miracle would be forthcoming anytime soon.
"Relaxation," Linda the instructor called it.
Torture was the term he'd use. Who needed an anthill?
He was supposed to sit on the floor encircling Rini with his legs, her knees resting against his, her back to his front. Her body was pressed up so close to his there wasn't even enough space between them for an illusion.
Linda had turned out all the lamps, so the only light came from the crackling fire and the moonlight pouring in from outside the window. She spoke softly. "Let's start out by feeling where the baby is. Rini, you'll have to show Cole how to do t
his."
He felt Rini draw in a breath, hesitating. Then she gently guided his hands to her stomach, and, whispering what he was feeling, traced over the baby with his fingers.
Her angora sweater was downy soft under his fingertips, the baby warm and round. Unbelievably, he could feel his son's head, and his bottom, and a plump arm and fist that shifted to keep up with Cole's touch when his hand would have moved on. His throat closed around a lump, and for a moment he was sure he would lose it completely.
Oh, God.
Rini let her head fall back against his shoulder, and relaxed against him as he fought the watermelon in his throat and stroked his son's arm.
He was barely aware of Linda's voice quietly telling the couples to visualize the baby beneath their hands, that they should remember this moment when things got rough during delivery. That this was why they were going through the whole birth ordeal—to be able to sit like this afterward, with their baby in their arms. Cole stared up at the firelight shadows flickering on the ceiling, wishing the moment would never end.
When it did, and Linda instructed the dads to get the pillows for the next exercise, he was able to meet the quiet smiles of acknowledgment from the other men. Affirmations of the emotional experience they had shared, of the love they were feeling. A love for the families they were all becoming.
As he dragged the bag of pillows over to her, Cole thought about Rini and where she fit into his equation of family. Would it be possible to be on the best of terms with her after he had made it clear he wouldn't, couldn't, include her in that equation on more than a superficial level?
Truth be told, right at the moment he didn't much feel like excluding her at all. His lap and chest were still warm from her body heat; his arms still carried the memory of her within their embrace. And he realized, to his sorrow if not exactly his surprise, that he liked her. He liked her a lot. He liked her quiet determination, her serenity in adversity, her little flares of temper, her affectionate nature.
Lucky 7 Bad Boys Contemporary Romance Boxed Set Page 59