by Lauren Canan
“Say what?” Wade asked, total innocence on his face.
“I know you’re about to say something crude having to do with my relationship with Dr. Finley. She is just an archeologist doing some work on land I happen to own.”
Wade finished chewing and wiped his mouth. “I was merely going to suggest you put it in a higher gear before someone beats you to it. The way you looked at her? The way she looked at you? I know how much you were hurt by Gina. But that was over three years ago. If you let this one get away, you’re an idiot.”
“Well, thanks for sharing your thoughts.”
“Hey, any time, brother.”
Eleven
Cole continued to watch Wade with a knowing eye. Often Wade’s glance would trail back to Tallie, but he never said another word about her, which was the norm for Wade. He would speak his mind once then drop the subject. The problem was that Cole saw the same thing. He felt what Wade described. The one thing he was dead wrong about was assuming three years was long enough to get over what had happened with Gina and the baby she’d carried.
The emotions that ran through Cole were strong, deep and confusing. His wife had been pregnant with another man’s child yet had vowed that she loved Cole. She’d sworn her love to him while all the time she’d pledged that same love to someone else. That was if the woman could love at all. If there was even such a thing as love. If Cole had it to do over, knowing what he knew now, he’d just give her whatever she wanted. Then, perhaps, he wouldn’t have ordered her from the house and she wouldn’t have driven so recklessly that she went over the cliff, killing her and her baby. But she had played him. And he’d sworn he would never be caught with his pants down again. He wouldn’t be the idiot twice.
He’d assumed what he felt for Gina in the beginning was love. But the bitterness that rose within him at her treachery trumped any other feeling. He didn’t know, would never know, what love was or if there really was such a thing. The entire concept was dubious, at best, and eventually he’d grown weary of trying to make sense of it. If he needed a woman, he’d find a willing one and that would be the end of it. Never again would he be made such a fool.
He looked toward Tallie. She was talking and laughing with her friends. It hit him hard: this was the first time he had really seen her laugh and show true happiness. A sickening knot grew in his throat as he remembered all the mean pranks he’d thrown her way. Any one of them could have caused her to be hurt in some way. From now on he would do anything necessary to ensure her safety. And that included getting her to move into the house and out of that shack.
“So, what’s your schedule like?” Cole asked his brother. Anything to distract himself from thinking Tallie might be a crook in archeologist’s clothing.
“I have a full day tomorrow, meetings back-to-back, then a return to Paris for the meeting with Yves Bordeaux.” Wade laid his napkin next to his empty plate. “I’m afraid I’m gonna have to cut out on you early.”
“I understand. Before you leave...has there been any news on Dad’s will?”
“Not a word. Apparently it’s more involved than we thought.” Wade shrugged. “Valuing a company whose holdings continue to change and grow daily will be a challenge. I don’t envy the team of attorneys and CPAs whose task it is to figure it all out.”
“I agree. I only mentioned it because I don’t like something hanging over my head. Dad acted so different the last few years of his life. There are several deals hinging on what’s in that will. It’s been months. People are starting to call. I’d just like to get it off my plate.”
“I’m with you, bro. That thought has run through my head more than once.”
“I’ll call the attorneys tomorrow. Whatever Dad decided in the will, all we can do is agree with it or contest it, but it’s past time we got to it.”
They finished up the business and Wade got Cole’s signature on some legal papers. Then, with a handshake-turned-man-hug and a quick slap on the back, Wade made his way to a waiting car that would return him to the county helipad where he would fly back to Dallas.
Cole took one last look at Tallie before he followed his brother out the door into the warm night air. In the parking lot he sat in his car, his finger poised over the start button. About then Tallie and her friends walked around the corner of the building. The younger man hugged her goodbye and got in his small car and drove off. Tallie slipped inside her old Ford wagon and the older man got into his vehicle. He turned his car toward the exit. Tallie followed. Both turned right.
Where were they going? The route to the ranch was in the opposite direction. His hands on the steering wheel and foot on the gas seemed to take over as he pulled his car out behind them. Regardless of telling himself no, that he had no right to do this, he kept going.
Within three blocks the first car turned into the parking lot of a small motel and she drove in behind him. Cole had his answer. He drove past in time to see Tallie walk toward one of the rooms. His hands clenched the steering wheel while his jaw muscles worked overtime.
At the next light, he made a U-turn and headed back to the ranch.
When he got home, he closed the door and tossed his keys on the kitchen counter then made his way to the bar and poured two fingers of Crown Royal before flopping down onto the overstuffed leather sofa. The window gave him a distant view of the acres he’d purchased adjacent to the family ranch for the purpose of building the lodge and cabins for the corporate retreat project. Usually somewhere out in the darkness he could see a small glow from Tallie’s barrage of candles she’d begun to leave lit while she’d slept. There were no lights on tonight.
Cole finished the drink and headed to the bar for another. Enough of these and he wouldn’t give Tallie another thought. Maybe. Nah. With no conscious decision he opened the French door and stepped out into the evening shadows. Still no sign of any light from the shack. Was she still at the motel? He huffed out a sigh. Let it go. She’d most likely be there all night. Feeling anxious, he decided to make a quick drive over just to make sure everything was as it should be.
He pulled out his cell phone, called her number and listened to the ringing on the line.
“Hello?”
It was the deeper voice of a man.
“Sorry,” Cole said. “I must have the wrong number.”
“Are you calling for Tallie?”
“Yes.”
“You’ve got the right number. She’s stepped away for a few minutes but she’ll be right back. Would you like to hold or leave a message?”
The man’s voice sounded tired, sluggish. Cole had to wonder what the guy had been doing to make him sound so fatigued. Not your business.
“No,” Cole replied. “This is Cole Masters. I had a question for her but it will wait until tomorrow.”
“I’ll let her know you called.”
Cole terminated the call. So, the good doctor had a man in her life. Good for her. He had to admit he was surprised, but why should he be? She was an incredibly beautiful woman. She probably had men lining up around the block.
Cole felt a sinking sensation in the pit of his stomach. This time he knew exactly why. He wanted her. In his mind he saw her lying back in his bed, those green eyes welcoming, calling him to come to her. He knew how she tasted and he wanted more. He wanted to again run his hands over her silken skin; he wanted to feel the heat from her body. Feel her quiver in anticipation. Anything she wanted of him, he would give her.
Damn. He had to stop this. She was obviously involved with someone. Even if she wasn’t, their time together hadn’t exactly been a whirlwind of friendship and, in a matter of weeks, she would be gone. But the governor was right. Cole needed to take care of her: see that she slept in safe, cool surroundings and had appropriate food and water. He could also try harder to find someone to help her. First thing in the morning he would put
the idea into motion.
Whether she liked it or not.
He heard the ringtone on his phone. It was Tallie.
“Hey.”
“Stan said you called. Is everything all right?”
“I just wanted to make sure you were planning on sleeping at the house tonight.”
“Oh.” She sounded hesitant. If she was coming from another man’s bed, how could he expect her to sound any other way? He swallowed back the bile that rose in his throat at the thought of another man touching her, making love to her.
“Tallie, I won’t allow you to live in that shack one more minute. It isn’t good for you.”
“We can talk about that when I get back. Now, if there isn’t anything else...?”
“No. Nothing else.”
She ended the call and his anger surged. Maybe he had been a bit overbearing but she had to see it was out of concern. He glanced at the lighted dial of his watch. Ten o’clock. Why not just wait for her at the old cabin? He was sure she wouldn’t come back to the house. And he knew that if he stayed there and waited for her, he’d have a restless night.
Two hours later there was still no sign of Tallie. Was she really going to spend the night with that man? A red glaze of anger obscured Cole’s vision and, with no further thought, he got into his pickup and headed to town. He drove straight to the little motel, walked up to the room he’d seen her enter and beat on the door.
Finally, after another round of knocking, the man opened the door. He’d obviously been asleep.
“Where is Tallie?” Cole almost barked.
The man looked confused. “She went home. Rather, she went back to her dig.”
“I just came from there. Her vehicle isn’t there and neither is she. When did she leave here?”
“Right after she talked with you. She was upset.”
“She isn’t the only one.” Cole glanced at the bed. There was no indication that two people were sharing it. The unused pillow was still draped in the cheap bedcover.
“Look, man,” Stan said. “She was just here going over some pics on my laptop of my latest dig. If you feel this way about her, you really should be up front. Tell her. She was hurt once. The guy went as far as to ask her to marry him then disappeared when some woman he thought was better came along. Not even a note. Nothing. Personally, I don’t think you can find a better woman and, if my wife wouldn’t get all bent out of shape, I might pursue Tallie myself. Now, is there anything else?”
Cole muttered an apology for disturbing the man and returned to his truck. When he arrived home, he entered through the back door and trudged up the stairs to his room, shedding his knit shirt as he went. Out of curiosity, he opened the door to the bedroom he’d given Tallie the night she’d been sick. Sure enough a small glow from the lights outside showed a sleeping form. He flipped on the overhead light.
“Oh! Turn off that light,” she whispered and pulled a pillow over her eyes. “Where have you been?”
“Out looking for you.”
At that she pushed the pillow away and rolled toward him. “Why? Did I misunderstand your demand?”
“No, you didn’t. You’re in exactly the right place.”
“Then turn off the light and leave me alone.”
Cole ran his hand over his face. The entire time he’d waited for her by the shack, she had been in his house asleep. He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He flipped off the light and moved toward her bed, sitting on the edge.
“Tallie.”
“Hmm?”
“Are you and your friend in a serious relationship?”
The minutes passed until he thought she wasn’t going to answer. She sat up and twisted around until she could see his face. “You mean Stan?”
“Yeah.” Cole nodded.
“I told you, Stan is an old friend.” She glared at him. “He is also married with three kids. You must not think very much of me at all to ask me that. It’s discomforting you think most of what I say is a lie.”
“Most people lie.”
“Well, I’m not one of them,” she snapped.
Cole didn’t know what to say. Once again he’d put his foot squarely in his mouth.
Tallie threw aside the covers. “I’m going back to the cabin. I should not have come here in the first place.”
“Tallie.”
“First you strong-arm me into coming here, which I only did because you were right about getting out of the heat. But I am not about to stay with a man who thinks of me that way. You are an arrogant snob. So disappointing.” She slid out of the bed and went to the bedroom closet to pull out a pair of jeans and a shirt. “And don’t you dare try and boss me around again.”
In a heartbeat Cole sprang from the bed and beat her to the closet door. Tallie looked up into his eyes and he saw the glimmer of passion in her emerald depths. Without waiting for permission, he scooped her into his arms and carried her to his bed.
“What are you doing?” she asked. “Put me down.”
He set her on her feet but rather than turn away, he slowly began to unbutton the tiny buttons of her nightshirt. When it fell to the floor he removed her panties and she was standing naked in front of him, the memory of a beautiful vision coming true. Her curves were more luscious than ever; roughing it in the trapper’s cabin had had no impact whatsoever on her incredible figure.
His erection was straining almost painfully against his jeans. Before he could release himself, Tallie was there, her hands unsnapping then lowering the zipper. Without saying a word she pushed his pants over his hips, freeing his erection.
Cole kicked off his jeans, picked her up and placed her on the bed.
Pushing her back on the bed Cole was once again enthralled as the taste and the scent of her surrounded him. His mouth came down over hers as his larger body molded to her. She was his. He wanted to brand her so that no other man would ever touch her this way.
Tallie writhed beneath him. He remembered how she moved, how she whimpered with need, and how those light, feminine sounds made him fight to keep his control. How she sent him whirling like no other woman he’d ever bedded. He kissed her neck, nibbling on her ear before going farther down her body. Her breasts were ripe and when his mouth closed on a swollen rosy tip, her hands grabbed his hair and held him to her. She arched her back, her breasts swelling beneath his touch.
He rose and with one hand positioned himself at her core. She was hot and moist. He pushed in gently, savoring the feel of her. Her breathing intensified. Then as his body began to move, he had no clear thoughts of anything or anyone but Tallie.
The passion between them grew until he felt his body quiver with the need for release. He knew she was close by the way she responded. He pulled out and kissed her belly then farther down. Tallie grew still then cried out as she climaxed. Cole held her until she calmed.
He reentered her and as he pushed in deep he knew he couldn’t hold out much longer. He brought her to the peak once again and felt the tingling sensation in his lower back telling him there was no turning back. This time when Tallie climaxed, Cole was right there with her. Then he kissed her gently, pulled the covers over them and held her close.
* * *
Tallie loved making love with Cole. She loved being with him even though at times he was overbearing and demanding, always wanting his way. So far, his intentions had been good, but the reality was that she would soon be several months along and someone like Cole Masters didn’t appear in public with a pregnant woman at his side. It would ruin his playboy image and the tabloids would go crazy. And, honestly, it was more than she wanted to put herself through.
Cole was devoted to his business, as she was to her job. Both required them to be gone for months at a time. He lived in a world of money and privilege. Hers was a quiet life of digging in the
dirt. She couldn’t think of one single thing they had in common other than the baby he didn’t know about. According to the internet articles she’d read about him, he was a man who hadn’t changed his lifestyle in all of his adult life. But having a baby with Tallie would be a big change. For him and for her.
He would have to deal with a stubborn woman who would not listen or follow his demands. She did not do demands. He would have to realize when she’d had enough and know when to back off. She was independent while Cole was overprotective. It was a hopeless situation. Her mind kept silently screaming for him to just leave her alone. Her heart said to take what he was offering and just love him. But how much would he love her when he found out about the baby?
Tallie felt like a rug had just been pulled out from under her. Hopefully she could find proof of her family’s beginnings and leave before Cole was ever the wiser.
Twelve
When he’d made love to her last night, it was like their shared night in the Big Easy on steroids. The passion was just as hot as it had been the first time only without the fear involved in opening herself to a complete stranger. He was so strong and, she had to admit, there were times when she didn’t mind his demands so much.
Why couldn’t he have been a normal guy? One who drank beer instead of imported hundred-year-old whiskey? A guy who liked to watch sports on TV with his buddies instead of from a box on the fifty-yard line? A man who drove his car to work every day, not one who got in one of three helicopters and flew away. He was a billionaire. And Tallie didn’t know how to relate to such a person. Or even if she wanted to.
If she could view him as normal, there were a hundred-plus things to love about him. But the hard fact was that he was not a regular guy and never would be. The ego, the arrogance, the expectations, the demands. Life was too short to put up with that. She’d lived through eight long months with John, who’d had the same qualities, and she’d ended up being dumped, her heart and her pride shattered. No way would she put herself in that situation again, especially with Cole. She knew if she ever let her barriers down, the love she had for Cole would be so much deeper, more profound. And if he walked away she might never recover.