by Sarah Curtis
And although he couldn't leave her house fast enough the other day, he had stared at her in the diner, giving her foolish brain a tiny sliver of hope she wasn't alone in this attraction. An attraction so strong, it pulled against the very make-up of her being. It shoved her shyness to the side, making her do something completely out of character and totally out of her comfort zone, leaving her in a situation she'd never dreamed in a million years of being in—taking steps to purposely attract a man's attention. Her biggest problem? She had no idea what she was doing nor what to do with Cole if she did manage to attract him.
The scent of freshly baked, chocolate chip cookies filled her nose as she took a deep breath, exhaling it slowly, trying to calm her jitters. Last night, while trying to fall asleep, she'd decided that making Cole cookies to thank him for helping in her hour of need was a neighborly thing to do. Never mind the fact, it gave her an excuse to see him again.
People in L.A. didn't know much about being neighborly. Hell, you were lucky if your neighbor bothered to call 911 if they saw your house on fire. But Abby had watched a lot of TV over the years and learned people thanked one another in small towns with food. Fortunately for Abby, she kicked ass in the kitchen.
Abby took another deep breath, holding it for a count of five before slowly releasing it. It was a relaxation technique she'd learned from yet another TV program. Unfortunately for Abby, the technique didn't seem to work because she still felt nervous.
Should she get out of the car? She needed to decide soon. She couldn't sit parked in front of Cole's house forever. In fact, the reason she'd driven to Cole's house instead of walking was so she wouldn't have time to ponder the pros and cons of visiting Cole. He was only a mile up the road from her—a distance easily walked even holding a plate of cookies—but Abby had worried the walk would give her too much time to think, giving her a chance to change her mind and chicken out before she reached her destination.
But her plan clearly hadn't worked for here she sat, debating anyway, no closer to deciding whether or not to get out of the car and go knock on Cole's door.
The dilemma she faced was almost too much for her to process. Thankfully, the decision was taken out of her hands by a loud tapping against her driver's side window.
* * * * *
As Cole came around the side of the house, the white Ford Fusion parked out front stopped him in his tracks. Abigail O'Neal seemed to have that effect on him. When she'd first walked into the diner yesterday, all done up in her sexy schoolteacher outfit complete with four-inch "fuck-me" heels that made her legs look fantastic, he'd nearly choked on the bite of burger he'd just taken. Even though it had gone against his natural instinct, he'd forced himself to stay away from her, once in his life wanting to do the right thing and think of someone else before himself.
He knew she'd understood his "brush-off" the day at her house. Saw her shut down and retreat back in her shell right before his eyes, and it had killed him. Little did she know, his rejection had been for her benefit, not his. He was a selfish bastard, but something about Abby made him want to be a better man, and a better man would keep his filth far away from someone so sweet.
But now she'd come to him, and that was a game changer.
He tossed the saddle on the ground and pulled off his leather gloves. He was dusty and sweaty from working Apollo, his latest acquisition, a three-year-old American quarter horse he'd been hired to train. He needed a shower desperately but found his feet taking the steps to Abby's car, regardless.
As he neared, he spied her through the window. She seemed in deep concentration, and he couldn't contain his grin. His little mouse was debating the consequences of getting out of her car. Yeah, she was his now, her actions today sealed the deal. His struggle with taking what he wanted ended today. Little did she know, the consequences she weighed were high, but she was about to find out.
So lost in thought, she didn't notice him standing just outside her car door until he rapped on her window with his knuckles. The sweet sugary smell of baked goods hit him as she rolled down her window. He took a deep whiff, his stomach rumbling and his mouth watering in anticipation. Whoever had said a man could be bought through his stomach had not been wrong. Cole's stomach and dick usually ruled the show and right now, Abby and her goodies—all her goodies—had command over both those organs.
With his arm draped across the roof of her car, he leaned into the open window. "Something smells good," he drawled, his tone suggesting he might be talking about more than baked goods and an eye sweep of Abby that would confirm any uncertainties she might have of his meaning. She was dressed casually today in a body-hugging, yellow T-shirt and cutoff jean shorts that had those little teasing strings dangling from the hem, drawing his attention to her tanned thighs.
Their faces were close, giving him a good view of her lips as she licked them before speaking. "I made you some cookies." Her voice was a throaty whisper that sent goose bumps up his arms. "For um..." She licked her lips again. "To say thank you for helping me the other day."
He slowly took in her features. The bright blue of her eyes surrounded by long thick lashes that weren't aided by any helpful goop. Her small, pert nose atop lips so full and lush he knew they would feel fucking fantastic wrapped around his cock. But it was her blush that made her cheeks a becoming shade of pink that sealed her fate.
Taking a step back, he grabbed the handle and pulled the door open. "Get out of the car, Abby."
* * * * *
This was it, the moment of truth. Did she get out of the car, stepping out blindly into the unknown or did she hightail it back to the security of her home, forever to wonder what fate would have held in store for her? She wasn't a risk taker, never did anything that wasn't planned or thought out, but the allure of Cole, the way he made her feel, longings she'd never felt before were too much an enticement to pass up. Reaching a decision, she picked up the tin foil covered plate from the passenger seat, and with Cole's helpful hand on her arm, stepped out of the car.
As if he'd deduced her internal struggle, he leaned in and spoke close to her ear, "There was no choice, Little Mouse. That was taken from you the moment you stopped in front of my house."
She shivered but was unsure if her reaction was from his hot breath playing across her cheek or the ominous sound of his words. The plate tipped in her hands, and he was there to steady it, pulling it from her shaking fingers.
"Hate to lose this," he said, peeling up a section of the tin foil, trying to peek inside. "What kind did you make?"
"Chocolate chip." She hated that her voice sounded shaky. She wanted him to see her as worldly and sophisticated, someone that would entice his interest and not the scared little mouse he so obviously thought she was.
He reached two fingers under the foil, scissoring a cookie, and popping the whole thing into his mouth. He chewed a few times, his powerful jaw working, before giving her a grin. "Mmm, that hit the spot."
Again, his words sounded like a double entendre, and she wasn't sure how to respond without sounding like a fool. Clever and witty comebacks were not her forte so thought it best to keep her silence.
He led her into his home. From the outside, she knew his house was large, much bigger than her own but from the inside, with so much open space, it appeared massive. There wasn't much furniture—a brown leather sectional with matching chair and ottoman, an oversized, wood coffee table with only a remote for decoration, and a big, flat-screen TV hanging on the wall presumably the mate to the lone remote. That was it. Nothing else adorned the walls, no knickknacks lined the fireplace mantle, not one personal object displayed anywhere.
She stepped farther in, following Cole with her eyes as he traversed the living area, his boot heels pounding on the wooden floor, creating an echo as he made his wa
y to the kitchen. She followed slowly behind, stopping at the long breakfast bar that separated the kitchen from the main living room and that Cole had set the plate of cookies down upon on his way to the fridge.
A cooking lover's dream, the spacious kitchen held a wide variety of shiny appliances and ample white, marble countertops. It even had a kitchen-island at its center with its own sink. Abby could spend hours lost in cooking heaven.
"You want something to drink?" He asked, coming out of the fridge with a beer bottle in his hand. He twisted the cap before taking a long pull, and she noted for the first time, he looked as if he'd been working. His clothes held a layer of dust, and his dark-blue T-shirt had barely visible sweat stains under the arms and down his chest. Even his face held a layer of grime. But instead of a turn-off, Abby thought his state of dishevelment made him sexier in a rough and rugged way that had her squeezing her thighs together for relief.
He watched her, and she realized she'd never answered his question. With her throat suddenly parched, she gave him a small nod. "Water would be great."
He reached into the fridge, coming out with a bottle of water then slowly made his way over, stopping about a foot in front of her. "Tell me why you're here."
He reached out and softly traced a path down her cheek with the water bottle, and she shivered when the icy, plastic cap hit her skin. "I'm not sure what you mean," she spoke softly, barely above a whisper, but they were close, and the room was quiet so knew he heard her. "I'm here to thank you."
He continued his trail with the water bottle down her neck, over her collarbone, coming to rest in the V of her T-shirt. "That's the excuse, but what's the real reason?"
His eyes bore into hers, daring her to look away. She couldn't even if she wanted to. They held her mesmerized. She'd been right, his eyes were light, jade green with a darker shade of moss ringing the edge. Shiny, golden flecks caught the light, making his eyes appear to glow and the longer she stared, the more transfixed she became in their depths.
She couldn't bring herself to tell him the real reason she was here—that he fascinated her, made her feel things she'd never felt before, made her long for something she'd never known she wanted—so instead took the chicken's way out repeating her earlier words. "To thank you, it's the neighborly thing to do."
"Neighborly?" His lips turned up into a small smirk. "Okay, we can call it being neighborly if that helps you sleep better at night. But know this," he leaned in close, his lips but a hairsbreadth away from hers, that if she moved forward but a fraction, their lips would touch. She held her body as stiff as the marble counter she leaned against, not even daring to breathe. "I plan on eating more than just your cookies."
She watched his hand approach, as if in slow motion, hovering so close to her cheek, only to be gone in a blink, quickly disappearing over her shoulder. He took a large step back, a cookie pinched between two fingers. "I need to take a shower. I'm sweaty and dirty from working the horses. Make yourself at home, I'll only be a few minutes." He popped the cookie in his mouth, gave her a grin then disappeared up the stairs.
She tracked his movements until he was out of sight, her rigid body deflating against the counter. She was thankful for its support. Now that Cole had gone, her head somewhat cleared, and she realized she was in way over her head. He was way out of her league. So far out, she wasn't even part of the league, but a spectator, sitting in the nosebleed section of the stands.
Out of his presence, she wasn't even sure she liked him. So far as she'd encountered, he had very few redeeming qualities. He was gruff, blunt, and wasn't afraid to share his dirty thoughts. Was she that superficial to get all hot and bothered over a sexy body and handsome face? And did it even matter? It's not as though they were entering into a meaningful relationship.
He thought her a little mouse, and to a point, he wasn't wrong. She sorely lacked experience with the opposite sex. Hell, who was she kidding, she had zero experience. She'd never even been passionately kissed. Not that she was holding on to her virginity for any special or noble reason, she'd just never felt consuming desire to step out of her box. Until now. He did something to her, made her feel yearnings and desires she'd never felt before and if she were honest with herself, she really wanted to explore them. And it seemed, with his cookie comment, he wouldn't mind obliging her. Who knew when or if she would ever feel such an attraction again. Did she really want to miss out on such an opportunity?
She looked toward the stairs, knowing decision time was almost up, and she worried she would choose poorly. She needed to think about the big picture—they were neighbors after all. What would happen when he was done with her, could they still be neighborly (her definition of neighborly, not his), did she have that in her? She had no doubt she'd be just a passing phase. A man like him, with not one personal object in sight, didn't stick to one woman long or put down roots. She may be naive, but she wasn't stupid. If she stayed and allowed this, she knew she was walking into a whole lot of nothing but sexual gratification. Now, it was up to her to decide whether she could live with that.
She drifted out of the kitchen, snagging the bottle of water off the counter, and made her way through the living room to a set of large French doors that looked out over the back of the property. A barn, so big she couldn't see the whole of it from her current angle, was off to the right while a large, fenced-off area took up all she could see on the left.
Growing up in the city, she knew nothing about horses, and it seemed horses were a big part of Cole's life—just another thing they didn't have in common—and if she remembered correctly from the conversation at the diner, one of the girls had mentioned he'd been in the rodeo. There was so much about Cole that she didn't know, but running from him was not a way to fix that situation.
Gazing out the window, lost in thought, she didn't hear Cole come up behind her until he spoke. "You didn't run."
Chapter Six
She didn't turn around but could see his reflection in the window. His hair was damp and swept back from his face, but little sections around his ears and down his neck were already starting to curl. The spicy scent of his soap surrounded her, it was a rich, strong, manly smell that suited him perfectly and intoxicated her. "Were you expecting me to?"
She felt a tug on her ponytail and knew he played with a lock of her hair. His eyes were penetrating, even through the window, and it was slightly scary how easily she got lost in them, how he created a hypnotic pull she was powerless to escape.
"Yes."
He didn't elaborate or explain, and she was curious why he thought she'd run but lacked the bravery to ask not wanting to know his answer. If she tried really hard, she could imagine herself the fierce lioness she wanted to be, worthy of the mighty lion standing at her back but hearing the truth from his lips would bring reality crashing around her, and she wasn't quite ready for her delusion to end. Sadly, that would happen all on its own the first time she did something foolish or silly, and she, by no means wanted to speed the event along sooner.
"What happens now?"
"Don't you know?"
She slowly shook her head. No, she didn't know. Did they talk, get to know each other a little first or go straight to the sex? She didn't know the proper protocol for hooking up.
"That you don't know means I should probably stay the fuck away from you."
Her stomach gave a little lurch. Was he going to back out just as she was feeling brave?
"Come, I want to show you something." He reached his arm around her, grasping the patio door handle then took her hand, entwining their fingers, leading her to the barn.
Stepping inside, the interior, while not dark was definitely murky with only a few sunbeams from some high windows cutting the shadows, showcasing dust motes dancing in the light.
Abby had no idea horses were so big in real life. Truth be told, Apollo was a bit intimidating. "Is that what you do, train horses?" she asked, edging a bit closer but still staying far out of Apollo's reach.
Cole rubbed Apollo behind his ear. "For the last three years, yeah."
"And before that, you rode in the rodeo?"
He looked over his shoulder, giving her a smirk. "Someone's been talking."
She gave him a small smile back. He seemed more relaxed around his horses and that in turn, calmed the lingering jitters she still had in his presence. The last trace of rigidness in her muscles loosened and her small smile turned into a grin.
Cole's features transformed before her eyes. The playful smirk on his lips changed into a flat line of seriousness. He took the few steps that separated them and lightly pinched her chin between his fingers. "Do you know how beautiful you are?" His voice was deep and husky and vibrated through her senses, though he barely spoke above a whisper.
As usual, his eyes held her spellbound, and she was soon lost in his penetrating gaze. She didn't think he expected an answer, but she slightly shook her head anyway.
"So fucking beautiful, you take my breath away."
He leaned in closer, and she knew he was going to kiss her. Her heart rate picked up speed, and her breath came out in tiny pants. Her lids slowly drifted shut, and she waited... but the kiss never came. Her eyes flew open, her face quickly heating. He'd stood back up but still stared down at her with a deep scowl on his face.
She took a step back, dislodging his grasp on her chin and crossed her arms over her chest. Her stomach was one big knot. How could she have misread things so badly, again? No, her mind yelled. You didn't misjudge anything. He'd even said you didn't have a choice. It's him that's confused, just like before, sending mixed signals.