Not that those things didn’t factor in. But Cole had been with some of the sexiest, most beautiful women in the world and not one of them had held his interest for more than a few hours. It had been a month since he’d laid eyes on Julianna, and he grew more and more captivated by her the more he learned about her.
So, after he’d watched them run to her car, he’d noticed Anthony had left his bag behind. He’d figured it would be the perfect excuse to show up tonight. Then he’d made one stop over at his hookup apartment to hand his landlord the keys. He knew he no longer needed it. From the moment that he’d laid eyes on Julianna, Cole had not had any desire to step foot in that place.
He was still looking at the pictures on the wall when Cole heard the water in the shower shut off. For the first time since middle school, his palms were a little sweaty and he felt nervous about what he was going to say to a girl.
A few moments later a door opened and Cole’s heart picked up speed. The soft sound of feet padding down the hallway made Cole smile. This is it, he thought. He wasn’t a beat-around-the-bush kind of guy. When he wanted something, he went after it. And he wanted Julianna.
“Feeling bett–”
“Ahhh!” Julianna screamed and jumped up, spinning around towards the front door, where he was standing. Her hands were clutched to her chest and her big, brown eyes were wide as she asked, “What are you doing here?”
Holy shit.
Cole’s mouth went dry, his heart clenched, and his balls pulled tight to his body. Julianna stood before him in a white V-neck T-shirt, cut-off sweats, and Scooby Doo slippers. Not a drop of makeup was on her freshly washed face, and wet hair was hanging down almost to her waist.
She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.
“God, you are perfect,” he breathed in awe.
“What?” Her brow pulled, causing a wrinkle above her nose, like she had no idea what he was talking about. “Why are you still here?”
Oh, right.
“I needed to talk to you,” he said, in an unintentionally husky tone.
“Okay…” She eyed him warily and protectively crossed her arms over her waist.
He knew he was screwing this up. Big time. It was just… She did something to him. He didn’t just lose his train of thought when he was around her—he lost his mind.
“I can’t stop thinking about you.” It wasn’t the best opening line, but it was the truth.
Julianna stared at him, having no reaction to his out-of-the-blue announcement at all. But since she hadn’t kicked him out yet—even though he’d showed up uninvited and unannounced—he figured he would continue.
“I’ve tried, but I can’t. Since the moment I saw you, you’re all I can think about. I tried to ignore it, tried to ignore you, but it’s impossible.”
Shaking her head, she waved her hand dismissively. “You don’t even know me.”
“Yes, I do. Maybe not firsthand knowledge, but over the past month, I’ve gotten to know Anthony, who’s an amazing kid, by the way.” He saw her eyes soften for the first time since this ambush began. “And in getting to know him, I have gotten to know you. I know that you are an incredible mom. That you would do anything for your son, including work three jobs, and never complain about it. You love lists. You live by a strict schedule. You look at life with a glass-half-full attitude. When you’re nervous or worried, you twist your hair or bite your lip. That one I figured out on my own by watching you when Anthony is out on the field.”
A small smile crept up on her face, and Cole used it as an invitation to step forward.
“All I want is the chance to get to know you better. To get firsthand knowledge of you.” The last sentence came out in a gravelly tone.
Julianna’s eyes dilated and her lips parted as she sucked in a harsh breath. He wanted so badly to reach out and thread his fingers through the damp strands of her hair and crush his mouth to hers. To taste her, kiss her, feel her soft curves against his. But he knew that, even though her body was giving him the green light because that was what she wanted too, it was too soon.
“I’m not… I don’t… I can’t…” She stumbled over her words, unable to finish a sentence. Not that he wanted her to. From the sound of those starters, he wasn’t going to like what would have come after.
“That’s a lot of negatives,” he teased.
She grinned and blew out a breath; an amused or exasperated breath, he wasn’t sure which. Either way, when she did, the fresh smell of peppermint fanned his face. Now he had an idea of what she would taste like, and it was not helping the thin thread of self-control he was holding on to.
Looking up at him, sincerity shining in her gaze, she said softly, “It’s not negative. It’s just reality. I’m not interested in a relationship.”
“How about a friendship?” he countered.
Her milk-chocolate eyes narrowed as she tilted her head to the side, revealing the sexy slope of her slender neck. Cole swallowed a groan at her exposed skin. He wanted to lick it, kiss it, tease it.
“That’s what you want? A friendship?”
“Yes,” he replied honestly, staring directly into her questioning eyes.
She chuckled in disbelief. “Really?”
“Yes. I want to be friends with you. All healthy relationships are built on friendship.” Cole gave her the smile that had always gotten him anything he wanted. He wasn’t delusional enough to think that would be the case now; but if it provided him with even the slightest edge, he would take it.
The grin on her beautiful face grew as Julianna crossed her arms. “I told you. I’m not looking for a relationship.”
“I know,” he agreed with her. “That’s why we’re going to be friends.”
“Nothing more,” she said firmly.
“Fine.”
“Nothing physical.” Her brows rose in a challenge.
Stepping closer to her until they were merely an inch apart, he lowered his head and brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Then her breath caught and he saw a shiver run down her body.
“Nothing physical,” he repeated before adding, “Not until you’re ready. Until you’re so ready you’re begging me to touch you, to kiss you, to make love to you.” His voice grew even more gravelly as his pants became tighter at the thought of Julianna begging for him.
A flare of heat rushed up her cheeks before she let out a forced laugh. “Yeah. That’s never going to happen.”
Yes, it will.
“Okay, then. Just friends.”
Cole could see the battle that was raging behind Julianna’s expressive eyes as she debated what her next move was going to be. He didn’t want to push too hard—he knew that if he did, it would be a one-step-forward-two-steps-back situation. Plus, he had a feeling that, with Julianna, coming back from those two steps would be like walking upstream with cement shoes. He figured he’d get out while she was still smiling.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, just friend.” He turned to leave.
“Tomorrow?”
Her voice stopped him and he pivoted back. She looked a little dazed and confused.
“Yep. I’ll bring pizza. You and Anthony can pick the movie. I’ll be here at six.”
“Do people ever tell you no?” she asked as he stepped out of the front door.
“Yeah. You did when I asked if I could take you and Anthony out for pizza. That’s why I didn’t ask this time. Don’t forget to lock the door behind me,” he said just before he shut the door.
When he turned to walk down the front path, he saw that Megan was peeking out from the curtains next door, so he lifted his hand in a small wave. She smiled and waved back, not seeming the least bit upset that she’d just been caught snooping.
Once he heard the click of the lock, he let out a relieved rush of breath as he headed to his car. He knew that he’d just taken a big chance back there by inviting himself over, but he’d just had a talk with his mom, who’d told him how hard it was as a single mom being the only
one making decisions, having all of the responsibility on your shoulders, and, now that she was married to his stepdad, how nice it was for him to take the lead.
Cole had no problem taking the lead. He just hoped Julianna liked playing follow the leader.
Chapter Five
Sleep is overrated. At least that was what Julianna was telling herself as she sat on the front porch and watched the sun rise while sipping her first—but definitely not her last—cup of coffee for the day. After Cole had left last night, she’d tried to make sense of what had happened, the things he’d said to her, and how in the world she was supposed to handle it.
Six hours—that’s how long it had been, and she was no closer to any answers than she’d been since his bossy ass had told her to lock the door behind him. She’d spent the entire night tossing and turning like a kid on Christmas Eve. Her mind was spinning with confusion as to what she should do.
“Don’t be mad at me,” Megan whispered as she stepped out onto their shared porch, dressed in a robe and slippers, a baby monitor in her hand.
“What?” Julianna looked up at her, her mind still in a Cole cloud.
“He just showed up, and Anth was so excited. And then he said he wanted to wait for you to get home, and then, when you went to take a shower, he said he needed to talk—”
“It’s fine.” Julianna held up her hand, stopping her friend’s explanation mid-stream. “I’m not mad.”
Megan sat down beside her on the swing and made a rolling motion with her hand. “Okay, spill. What did he need to talk to you about? Did he ask you to marry him and have his babies?”
“What? No!” She laughed at her friend’s ridiculous statement, but she had to admit she liked the sound of that.
No! She absolutely could not let herself go there. This was not a fairytale or a movie. This was real life. And in real life, famous playboy athletes did not end up with the single mom. It just didn’t happen.
“He said… We’re just… He wanted…”
“Wow.” Megan leaned back on the swing, causing it to rock. “He’s not even here and you’re stuttering.”
“I just didn’t sleep. That’s all.”
“Really?” Megan’s brows rose. “Hmmm. I wonder why not…”
“Ha, ha.” She knew that Megan was just giving her a hard time, but she really didn’t know what to say or think about last night.
“Seriously though.” Megan snuggled into the corner and the swing rocked again. “What did he say? Inquiring minds want to know. This is way better than all the gossip magazines and blogs I read.”
Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea if I told Megan? She was a good friend, and although Julianna made it a point never to get too personal, even with someone she considered her best friend, she thought it might be worth it to have a sounding board.
“He said that he wanted a chance to get to know me.”
There. That wasn’t too hard.
“Annnnndddddd,” Megan prompted.
“And I said that I wasn’t interested in a relationship.”
“Annnnndddddd,” she repeated.
Annnnddddd…this is not going to be as easy as I thought.
“And…he said that we could be just friends.” She decided to skip the part about how he wanted more, and about how she was soon going to be begging for him to touch her, kiss her, and make love to her. Basically, she left out the portion of last night’s conversation that was playing on a loop in her head, causing a deep, aching throb between her legs that even her handy-dandy toy had not been able to satisfy.
Megan eyed Julianna suspiciously. “That’s it?”
“That and he’s coming over tonight with pizza and a movie.” Julianna figured she might as well let her friend in on that little piece of trivia since she would more than likely see him coming or going. Not to mention, she was sure Anthony would tell her. If Cole actually showed up…
“I knew it!” Megan excitedly clapped her hands together.
“Knew what?”
“Julianna and Cole sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a baby carriage.”
Julianna couldn’t help but smile at her friend’s enthusiastic rendition of the playground song. But she still said, “I told you. We’re just friends.”
“I know.” Megan smiled smugly; her blonde curls springing around her shoulders as she nodded. “And you can keep telling me that, but I saw the look in his eyes when you walked in last night, and I saw the look in your eyes when you saw him on the couch. I was surprised the entire house didn’t go up in flames with all the heat that was coming off of you two.”
There was no way Julianna was going to try to deny the chemistry between her and Cole, but that didn’t mean anything.
“Look, I’ve known you for four years now,” Megan said, her voice turning serious. “And I’ve seen countless guys hit on you, ask you out, and you’ve turned them all down. I’ve kept my mouth shut and not said a word. Remember when Robbie tried to set you up with some of the guys from the station? I had your back and told him to leave you alone. Do you want to know why?”
Julianna nodded. Her friend had never pushed the issue with her, never tried to set her up or even ask why she was so against dating. Not like the women she worked with, who might as well open up a matchmaker business for as much as they tried to meddle in her love life.
“Because I knew not one of those guys was worth the risk. I don’t know a lot about your past, but it’s blatantly obvious that you have trust and control issues.”
“I do no—”
“Stop.” Megan raised her hand. “My husband’s one of Miami’s finest, I’m your neighbor, and it still took you over a year before you let me watch Anthony. You never ask for or accept help, and I have to assume that has something to do with your past. But my point is, I think this one is worth it.”
Julianna shook her head. “He’s a professional athlete. They’re not really known for their fidelity and stability.”
“I know, but I think he’s different. And I have a good picker,” her friend wagged her brows up and down.
Robbie and Megan had been together since high school. They broke up for about a minute in college, but quickly got back together when they both realized that they couldn’t live without each other, and the rest was happily ever after history.
“What you and Robbie have is special and rare.”
“I know”—Megan’s lips turned up in a knowing grin—“which is why I can spot the real thing.”
“You were around us for two seconds!” Julianna was convinced that her friend was going off the deep end. Either that, or she was a closet football fan.
“That was long enough to see what I needed to see.”
Julianna picked up her coffee again. She wasn’t going to argue with her friend. If she wanted to take a stroll down Delusion Lane that was on her, but Julianna did not plan on joining her.
“Fine. I know that my sixth ‘love’ sense is not exactly scientific proof, but look at the facts. Cole Carson spent four hours, on a Saturday night, with three kids and a babysitter waiting for you to get home.”
“Have you seen the kind of women he dates?”
“Yes, and none of them can hold a candle to you.”
“How about the sheer number of women he dates?” Julianna argued.
“Yeah, about that. You know that I tend to follow all the gossip sites and reality shows. Well, just last week, I read not one, but two articles about how Mr. Cole Carson has been noticeably absent from his normal watering hole—a.k.a. his hookup spot—for the last month. I didn’t really pay that much attention to it until I heard Cole and Anthony talking last night. You know, when he was at your house, waiting for you, about how the clinics have been going on for a month.”
“I think you’re reading too much into this,” she said dismissively, even as a small glimmer of hope sparked in her chest.
Julianna was about to change the subject so tha
t her nonexistent poker face didn’t reveal her unwanted flicker of hope. But Chloe beat her to it. The light on the baby monitor flashed and the soft sound of crying came through the speaker.
“Maybe.” Megan stood from the swing. “But promise me this. Just don’t hold his job or his past against him. Give him a fair shot.”
Julianna nodded as Megan disappeared inside.
I will, a fair shot at being a friend…
Even as she said the words in her head, she knew she was lying to herself. The last thing she wanted from Cole Carson was friendship. And that terrified her.
* * *
“Okay. That’s all of them.” Cole moved to the kitchen sink at his mom’s house to wash his hands. He’d come over to help her bring down some boxes from her attic. His stepdad, Ralph, had just had knee surgery and was out of commission.
“Thanks, sweetie.” His mom set down the newspaper she was reading, took off her glasses, and sighed.
Uh oh. When Hillary Carson took her glasses off and followed it by a pointed stare, it was serious.
Cole immediately felt like a teenager who had been caught with a girl in his room, which might have happened once—or a couple of dozen times. His mom had been a strict disciplinarian. She’d had to be to raise a boy on her own. But the punishments she’d handed out weren’t the thing that had gotten to Cole. It was the long-winded lectures that felt like they went on forever.
As he dried his hands, he leaned back against the marble countertop and waited for whatever lecture she had lined up for him. He was actually curious what it could be about, considering that he’d been living like a choir boy for the last month. Staying in every night. Working out every day. Dreaming about all the things he wanted to do to Julianna… Okay, so not complete choir boy behavior.
“What’s up?” he asked, when his mom didn’t immediately launch into her spiel.
“Who is she?” Her left brow rose.
There was no way his mom could know about Julianna. No one knew about Julianna. Alex hadn’t said a word about her since the first day of the program. Hell, he’d only told her last night how he felt about her.
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