Cole smacked her butt when she bent to give Bear the bone cookie she had retrieved from the cookie jar on the counter.
Cole’s warm breath fanned across the back of her neck.
“So when do I get my treat?”
Ava closed her eyes and sighed. Fighting him took a lot of effort. Especially when telling him no was the exact opposite of what her body wanted her to do.
She bent her head back to grant him easier access to her sensitive neck. He licked and nibbled and teased. His hand slipped into the front of her robe, toying with her breast before she could swat him away.
She turned to face him. She stood on tiptoes to kiss his mouth, then pulled away and glided toward the refrigerator, opening the door to block him from reaching her.
“I’d offer you something to eat, but I’m out of everything. Never made it to the grocery store today.”
“I’m only hungry for one thing.”
She rolled her eyes at him and peered back at the empty shelves.
“Water?”
“Water’s good.”
She retrieved two glasses from the cabinet next to the fridge—thank goodness she had kept up with her dishes that week— poured the water, and brought the glass to him. He didn’t make eye contact. She glanced down to see what he was looking at with such intensity and jumped, splashing water over her arm, when she discovered her breast hanging out of her parted robe.
Kevin would have been disgusted by this display of her physical self. He’d make sure she knew it, too.
Cole grabbed the water from her, setting it on the counter. She turned away, ashamed and humiliated and wishing she hadn’t let Kevin destroy her self-image.
Cole wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her neck.
“What happened just now?”
“What do you mean?”
“Something passed across your face, and I want you to tell me what you were thinking.”
“Nothing, I was just giving you your water.”
“Don’t lie to me.” He turned her around. “You looked ashamed.”
She studied his chest—so strong, so hard, so out of her league.
He cupped her chin and forced her face up. She closed her eyes. He kissed her eyelids.
“You do know how beautiful you are, right?”
A snort escaped her nose before she could contain it.
“Ava. You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known.”
“Yeah, okay.” She tried to pull away, but he held on.
“That’s not just a line. Whoever made you feel otherwise was wrong. You are stunning.”
She wanted to believe it. Oh, how she wanted to believe that she could be worthy of his touch, his desire. Yes, she knew he wanted her, but she also knew it was in spite of her lack of sex appeal.
“We need to talk.”
Ava stiffened at his words. Why so serious all of a sudden?
He must have finally remembered the reasons he ditched her before.
He led her to the kitchen chair. He sat directly across from her after retrieving their glasses of water and placing one in front of her. She sipped at it, praying her now-slippery hands wouldn’t lose their grip on the glass. She’d had enough embarrassment for one night.
“I want to hear about your fiancé.”
She studied his face, dumbfounded.
“What?”
“The man you were engaged to marry. I want to hear about him. What happened? Why aren’t you together anymore?”
Ava leapt out of her chair, shaking the table in the process.
“I think I have some bagels if you’re hungry.” She brushed an escaped curl out of her face.
“Don’t change the subject, Ava. I want to know.”
Ava sauntered into the living room, nervously flipping through chocolate boxes until she settled on one. She bit into a piece of chocolate, then tossed the other half back in the box.
“Mind if I ask why you have so many boxes of Valentine chocolate?”
“Seventy-five percent off.”
“Oh.”
What man would ever understand that reasoning?
Cole sat beside her. She removed another piece of chocolate from the box, eager to keep her mouth busy. As soon as she popped half of it into her mouth, he kissed the sweet chocolate from her lips.
“Talk.”
“We can just keep kissing.”
“Believe me, there will be more of that. But while we’re reasonably calm, we need to have this conversation.”
“Why?” She jumped up, her quickening pulse and tightening chest prepping her for a fight. “You really need to hear how undesirable I am?”
She had to hand it to him—he could feign shock better than the most experienced Hollywood actor.
“You think I want you to put yourself down? Where would you ever get that idea?” He stood up, too, and she didn’t miss the fact that his hands had tightened into fists.
“Go ahead and look at me like I’m crazy. Kevin looked at me that way, too.”
Cole stroked her arm. Even through the terrycloth, his touch managed to soothe.
He wrapped his arms around her, and though she struggled a bit, he pulled her down to the couch, positioning her on his lap. She closed the bottom of her gaping robe over her legs, wishing she had never decided to indulge in a bubble bath tonight.
He kissed the top of her head and held her hand. She marveled at how perfectly her head fit in the spot just below his shoulder. His heartbeat was a lullaby with the most soothing effect imaginable.
“I already know Kevin was an idiot.” Cole said her ex’s name with incredible disdain.
“What makes you say that?”
“He let you go.”
“So did you.” She regretted the words as soon as they escaped. She didn’t want to remind him of the humiliation she had endured when he turned her away at the end of that summer.
“Like I said, an idiot.”
Why did he sound like he had regrets?
“So how did you meet him?”
Lulled by his gentle breathing and the comforting way he stroked her hand as he held it, she spilled everything. How she had met Kevin at school after Cole had left, after Ava had heard rumors of Cole dating some model he met while traveling (Cole admitted to being an ass), how nice Kevin had seemed. How they had dated for a year before Kevin proposed, and how Ava’s mom had pressured her into accepting. How Kevin had gradually become more angry with her over what she perceived to be silly things. How it seemed like he was always looking to start a fight. How he suddenly never wanted to go out with her alone—they always had to go on double dates with one of her colleagues and his girlfriend. How Kevin started coming home late and saying he was playing cards with their friend.
“So anyway, Kevin was turned off by me. He never really admitted it, but I could see it clearly. I kept trying to figure out what I was doing wrong, why we never had the chemistry that you and I had. No matter what I did, nothing changed. So one day, I walked into our apartment to find Kevin in bed with my colleague. Nice, huh?”
Ava tried to pull away, but Cole wouldn’t release her. He had been painfully silent through her entire speech.
“Did you ever suspect he was gay?”
“No, I had no idea. He blamed me for the lack of excitement in the bedroom. Shortly after I moved out, he called me. He never apologized, but he did mention that my cold indifference was what drove him toward men.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“It made sense at the time.”
“Ava, you realize it’s impossible to turn someone gay, right?”
She averted her gaze, studying their linked hands.
“What Kevin did was not in any way your fault. You didn’t deserve to be cheated on, nor did you deserve to be lied to.”
She sniffed, but after the crying frenzy she had endured earlier, she knew she couldn’t produce any more tears today.
Cole turned her in his lap so she was facing him
more directly.
“Believe me when I tell you that you’re the most desirable woman I’ve ever met. You’ve kept me wanting you since the first day I met you. Remember when you kept trying to figure out how to strap on that tool belt, and it kept falling off? I’ve been mentally undressing you pretty much every day since then.”
She studied his face. He looked so sincere. But the idea of him thinking about her—never mind wanting her—while they were apart was beyond anything she could believe.
“I’ll make you believe me, Ava.”
His lips were a magnet and she could no longer resist the force. Their hunger reignited immediately.
She pushed his shirt off his shoulders. Cole pulled her robe free and eased her out of it. His hands drifted along her curves. At the last second, she remembered to suck in her belly, but he distracted her so much with his touch that she realized she didn’t care.
He wanted her.
Her “off” switch malfunctioned. She couldn’t stop now if she wanted to.
And she clearly didn’t want to.
His fingers crept down her body to further explore between her legs at the exact moment her blasted dog decided to howl again.
“We’d better not ignore him this time.” Cole’s breathless words made her want to cry.
And put the dog up for adoption.
“He probably needs to go out. He’ll keep howling if I don’t take him now.” Ava bent to pick up her robe. “I’m sorry.”
Cole stopped her from covering herself. “Don’t ever be sorry.”
The way he looked at her made her think he meant something other than the inconvenience her dog had caused.
He pulled on his shirt, covering the muscles she desperately wanted to see. And touch. And lick. And bite.
“I’ll take care of the dog.”
“Of course not!” She protested. He silenced her with another kiss. When he pulled away, she felt like she had run a marathon.
“No arguing.” He lifted her legs to settle her on the couch. His callused hand stroked her cheek. “Kevin was a fool. But if he had been better, you wouldn’t be here with me. That’s the only thing that keeps me from wanting to kill him.”
He brushed away the tear that slipped over her cheek.
If only he’d feel this way about her once the lust-induced mania wore off.
The second her head rested against the arm of her couch, she felt herself drifting.
This entire day had been emotionally draining.
She wished she could believe Cole’s words.
She figured he meant what he said—as far as she knew, he hadn’t lied to her before. But that didn’t mean he was willing or able to give her the love or the partnership she craved.
And she couldn’t give him the casual relationship he seemed to be after. Not this time.
She closed her eyes and cuddled into the couch, hugging her robe, and hoped Cole wouldn’t mind letting himself out.
When she finally opened her eyes, the first thing she noticed was morning sunlight streaming through her bedroom window. The second thing was Cole. Naked.
Chapter Seven
Water dripped from his dark hair, forming a wet trail down his broad shoulders, his incredible chest, over his rock hard abs, disappearing into the skimpy towel with the lace trim that barely covered him.
“Good morning, beautiful.”
Ava rubbed her tired eyes, wondering if she had conjured this magnificent wake-up call. She studied her surroundings and found herself in bed. She was naked, as well.
She jerked the sheet up to cover her embarrassingly bare body.
“Hope you don’t mind me using your towel and shower. Figured I’d get in there before you woke up. Didn’t want to trespass on your morning routine.”
Having him here in her bedroom, both of them naked, could definitely mess up her routine.
The indentation on the bed next to her was messing with her even more. She never rolled around in her sleep—she was very good about occupying only her own space. Clearly he had slept beside her.
“Did we, um, I mean, we didn’t?” Ava hated herself for stuttering. How could she possibly ask him what she should have remembered? How tired had she been?
Cole plopped down on the bed beside her, the skimpy towel rising dangerously high on his powerful thighs. His heat scorched her confused—and already blushing—body. He wrapped his hands around her shaking ones, bringing them to his lips for a kiss across her knuckles.
“Believe me, my love. If we did anything, you would most certainly remember. You wouldn’t need to ask.”
His dimple nearly sucked her in.
She smiled in relief.
She hated the idea of missing out on what surely would have been the sexual event of the decade. For her, anyway.
Her confusion must have shown on her face, because Cole smiled and brushed hair away from her eye.
“You fell asleep on the couch. I carried you to your bed. End of story.”
He smiled in a way that made her think he wasn’t telling her everything.
She had been having erotic dreams about him lately. What if she had talked in her sleep?
“I stayed to make sure you got up for work in the morning. I didn’t want you blaming me for missing a day.”
“Thank you,” she muttered. How would he know that she always woke up before the alarm?
“I’m done in the bathroom. It’s all yours.”
She started to get up, but when he stood and she noticed his fabulous erection making a tent of the towel, she didn’t trust her legs to hold her.
He dropped the towel and reached for his pants.
She thought she may have gasped out loud.
“Ava.” His voice was low and husky, etched with warning. “If you keep looking at me like that, neither one of us will make it to work.”
She was on the road to insanity. No doubt about it. She might as well slip into the straight jacket willingly, because she was far too gone to ever claim indifference.
Ava never missed work, but exploring the sculpture in her room might be worth taking a sick day.
She shook her head and willed her hormones to calm down.
After this year, she would have earned tenure. She was on the fast track to becoming the youngest curriculum leader in the school. She had worked her butt off, devoted tons of extra time, and knew better than to jeopardize her career for an erotic journey that would only leave her dragging herself off the floor, anyway.
Cole moved into the other room to answer a phone call. She listened to his commanding voice as he gave work orders. Was there anything unsexy about the man?
She rushed through her shower, hoping she’d make it out before he finished his phone call.
Her shoulders slumped when there was no sign of Cole.
Well, no sign except a brand-new, unopened box of her favorite chocolates, left on the kitchen table with his phone number written on a piece of scrap paper.
***
If one more person remarked on Ava’s exceptional cheerfulness, she’d scream. She made it a point to always be cheerful. Her good mood had nothing to do with Cole. Nothing at all.
So what if every moment of downtime was spent fantasizing about him? Totally unrelated to her happiness.
Ava pulled into her driveway after a quick stop at the grocery store on her way home from work—she couldn’t bring herself to eat one more peanut butter and jelly sandwich this week. Mrs. Reynolds stood outside signaling for Ava to come over. Good thing, since Ava had a bag of groceries to deliver, anyway.
“I’m so glad you’re home.” Mrs. Reynolds smiled at Ava, but her lips quivered a bit. “They sold the house.”
“Already?”
“A cash buyer.” Mrs. Reynolds gestured for Ava to bring the bag into her apartment.
Ava began unpacking the groceries and putting them away.
“That’s crazy fast.”
“He’s out back mowing the lawn already. The grass real
ly sprouted up after last week’s rain.”
“The new owner is mowing? Don’t they usually hire someone to do that?”
“None of us old biddies are complaining.”
Ava smiled at Mrs. Reynolds’s lecherous grin, then followed her to the window to catch a peek.
She knew that glistening bare back.
Sweat dripped over his sleek muscles. The mower stalled, and when he pulled the string thingy to start it again, his biceps rippled. Hercules would have envied that definition. His tapered waist teased, and his tight, denim-encased butt made her want to rush across the yard to squeeze it.
“Cole bought your house?”
“You betcha.”
“Why?”
“I’m not one to question the motives of a generous soul. He said he has no intention of raising our rents. And he forbade me from doing any landscaping whatsoever.”
Ava laughed. She knew the man was full of flaws, but she couldn’t think of one right now.
If he was buying up properties in town, maybe he intended to stay. And if he stayed, maybe he intended to be with her.
In a daze, Ava left the apartment. She felt him watching her as she walked back to her driveway.
He had bought the house. To help her sweet neighbors.
That had to be the most selfless act Ava had ever witnessed.
She knew if he didn’t raise the rents, he’d be operating at a loss.
And he did it anyway.
She met his eyes as he pushed the mower through the overgrown grass. She didn’t try to hide the tears in her eyes. He shrugged his shoulders in an exaggerated gesture. Laughter bubbled up from somewhere deep in her gut—the place where impossible dreams made their intentions known.
She couldn’t contain her joy. Without thinking, she blew a kiss to him and began emptying her groceries from her car.
As she went out for a second trip, she caught Cole—still gloriously shirtless—carrying in the rest of her bags.
“You didn’t have to—”
“Can you get the door?” He winked as she hurried to follow his orders.
He set the bags on her kitchen table and wiped sweat from his brow. She smiled at him and thanked him for his assistance.
Stay (Healing Springs, Book 2) Page 7