Beach Reads Boxed Set

by Marie Force

  The surprise registered on his face. “You liked that?” he asked, his voice hoarse with emotion and desire that she could see in the darkening of his eyes.

  She nodded shyly.

  “So did I.” He lowered his mouth to hers.

  The next morning, after they’d both showered and packed, they had breakfast in their room. Olivia fought through a riot of emotions, highs and lows so extreme she found herself wanting to laugh one minute and cry the next.

  Cole studied her over the top of his coffee mug. He took a long drink before he put the cup down and reached for her hand. “I’ve been thinking about something and I want to ask you about it, but you don’t have to answer me now, okay?”

  Intrigued, Olivia said, “All right.”

  “Before I say anything else, I want you to know this was the very best weekend ever. I love you, I love being with you, and I hate the idea of spending even one minute without you now that I’ve found you.”

  Tears pooled in her eyes as she wrapped her hand around his. “Cole.”

  He kissed her hand. “I know things are kind of weird at home right now, and you’re making this big change at school. What I want you to know is that I’d love to have you come live with me in Chicago.”

  He rested a finger over her lips to keep her from saying anything. “It would be a big move, I know. Your life is here—I know that, too. But we have art schools in Chicago—good ones that would be lucky to have you. And you wouldn’t have to work if you lived with me. You could focus only on school and finish that much sooner. I don’t want you to say anything now. Just think about it. We can talk about it the next time we’re together.”

  “You’re so sweet to even ask,” she said, overwhelmed by him.

  “I have a big place, and you could do whatever you wanted to it.” He grinned as he sweetened the deal. “And lots of friends who would love having you around. Of course, I’d still be gone four or five nights a month for work, but you could get all your homework done then so you could play with me when I’m home.”

  She smiled at the picture he painted. It was so tempting to just say yes, to take what he offered without a thought to the implications.

  “Will you think about it?” he asked, his heart in his eyes.

  Nodding, she leaned over to kiss him. “Thank you for asking.”

  He brought her onto his lap and into his arms, holding her close for several minutes. “I hate to say it, but we have to go. I need to catch the noon flight back to Chicago so I’m ready to fly at four.”

  “I know,” she said but didn’t let him go.

  “A week from Friday,” he reminded her. “Four whole days together.”

  “That’s years from now.”

  He laughed as he kissed her neck. “Coffee on Wednesday around four? I’ll have about half an hour between flights if everything’s on time.”

  “Whoo-hoo. Half an hour.”

  “Better than nothing?”

  “I guess so.”

  “I’ll call you tonight. I’ll call you every night.”

  Knowing she couldn’t delay any longer, she got up from his lap, zipped her suitcase, and rolled it over to the door.

  He got up and crossed the room to her. “This is just the beginning.”

  She stepped into his embrace and held on tight.

  “It’s going to be great. I promise.”

  “Thank you,” she whispered. “I had the very best time.”

  “Me, too.”

  They drove to the airport in silence. In the passenger seat, Olivia felt like the air was being squeezed from her lungs as she tried to breathe.

  “Keep the car for as long as you want,” he said.

  “I’ll turn it in when I go to work this afternoon.”

  “Whatever you want.”

  In no time at all, he pulled up to the curb at the departures level. Her heart beat fast and her stomach twisted as she fought hard not to cry. She wasn’t going to cry. Later, for sure, but not now.

  He retrieved his bag from the back of the car.

  Olivia got out and met him at the curb with a smile that she hoped didn’t look too forced. “Until Wednesday?”

  When he nodded, his jaw shifted ever so slightly, which was the only indication he gave that he was fighting his own emotions. He drew her into a tight hug.

  “Love you,” he whispered.

  “Love you, too.”

  “Just remember that any time you start to think it’s hopeless.”

  “I will.”

  With his eyes open and fixed on hers, he cradled her face in his hands and kissed her, just his lips on hers, nothing more. Just enough. He pulled back, took a long last look at her face, and then kissed her forehead. “See you next time.”

  “I’ll be here.”

  “Counting on it.”

  She did her best to smile as she watched him go.

  From inside the terminal, he turned and waved. And then he was gone.

  Still struggling to breathe, Olivia got back in the car and called Jenny’s cell phone. “Hey, where are you?” Olivia asked when her cousin answered.

  “Just got home and put Billy down for his nap. What’s going on?”

  “Cole just left.”

  “Are you okay?”

  “Not really.”

  “Come here, Liv. Right now.”

  “I have to work at three.”

  “You can get changed here. Come on.”

  Since the last place Olivia wanted to be was at home with her mother, she agreed.

  Jenny was waiting at the front door when Olivia arrived. She fell into her cousin’s embrace and held on tight, determined to get through this without completely falling apart.

  “It’s all right, sweetie,” Jenny said softly. “Everything’s going to be fine. He’s wild about you. Even Will said so the other night.”

  “So much happened this weekend,” Olivia said when she had recovered some. She followed Jenny into the kitchen and filled her in on what was going on with her parents.

  “A hundred and fifty thousand?” Jenny gasped.

  “That’s what my dad said.”

  “Jesus. Are they getting divorced?”

  “He didn’t use that word, but he inferred he was done with her.”

  “I can’t say I blame him.”

  “Me, either. I don’t know how he’s tolerated her this long.”

  “He’s such a sweetheart,” Jenny said. “He deserves to be happy.”

  Olivia took a sip of the coffee Jenny had poured for her. “Cole asked me to come live with him in Chicago.”

  “Shut up! What did you say?”

  “Nothing yet. We’re going to talk about it the next time we’re together.”

  “When’s that going to be?”

  “A week from Friday. We’re going away for four days.”

  “To where?”

  “He won’t tell me. He wants it to be a surprise.”

  “He’s lovely, Liv.”

  Olivia smiled. “Isn’t he?”

  “Are you happy?”

  “When I’m with him, there’s nothing else in the world I want. But watching him leave today was so hard. The hardest thing ever.”

  “What do you think about moving there?”

  “I don’t know. He just mentioned it this morning. I haven’t had two seconds to think about it.”

  “You don’t have to decide anything right away.” Jenny reached for her hand. “You’ve waited such a long time for this. I want you to enjoy it. Even if you’re not with him, he’s out there and he loves you, Liv. He really does.”

  “I know.”

  “It’s amazing, isn’t it? To be loved like that?”

  “I never thought it would happen to me. Not like this.”

  “Well, it has, so try to relax. It’ll work out.”

  Olivia sighed. “You’re right, and I’ll try. It’s just…”

  “What, honey?”

  “You should see the way other women stare at hi
m. Everywhere we go. They’re like predators. I hate it.”

  “What does he say about it?”

  “He doesn’t even seem to notice it most of the time.”

  “Then you shouldn’t worry about it. His mind is clearly on you, Liv.” Jenny raised an inquisitive eyebrow. “So what happened with the condom?”

  “It ripped.”

  “That doesn’t just happen. You must’ve given it a hell of a workout.” Jenny’s expression shifted from inquisitive to amused. “Do tell.”

  “There was this black bra and a wall.”

  “Holy shit! Against a wall?”

  Olivia’s face burned with embarrassment.

  “How was it?”

  “Better for me than it was for the condom.”

  Jenny howled with laughter. “You know the odds of you being pregnant are really low, right?”

  “Yeah, but part of me kind of hopes—”

  “That you are? Pregnant?”

  Olivia shrugged. “Is that awful?”

  “You want a baby? You’ve never said that before.”

  “Someday, I guess. I’ve been so focused on school that I haven’t really thought about it much. What I do want is Cole, and having a baby together would kind of seal the deal, you know?”

  “That’d be an awful lot of pressure on a new relationship,” Jenny said. “What will you guys do if you are?”

  “He said we’d handle it together, and that I shouldn’t worry about it.”

  “That’s probably good advice until you know you have something to worry about.”

  “Somehow I think that’ll be easier said than done.” Olivia stood and went to the sink to rinse her mug. “I should get home and drop off my stuff before I have to be at work. I’ve got to turn in the rental car before my shift.”

  “Liv, why don’t you stay here until you figure out what you’re going to do? We’ve got the guest room all ready, and I hate the idea of you having to deal with Aunt Mary every day.”

  Olivia nibbled on her lip and contemplated Jenny’s offer. “It’s too far from the Metro.”

  “I can take you to the station and pick you up. I wouldn’t mind at all.”

  “Sometimes it’s pretty late.”

  “So what? Stay, take a breather here for a while—for as long as you want.”

  “What about Will?”

  “He’d love hearing all our gossip real time, rather than post-call recaps.”

  Olivia laughed. “Could you at least pretend you don’t tell him everything?”

  Jenny shrugged sheepishly. “So what do you say? Let us be your safe house for a while.”

  “I’d love to,” Olivia said with a hug for her cousin. “Thank you.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Olivia’s cell phone rang when she was on the Metro that night. She saw Cole’s number on the caller ID, and her heart skipped a happy beat.

  “Hi,” she said.

  “Hey, honey. How’s it going?”

  “Better now. How are you?”

  “Fogged in.” He sounded annoyed and tired.

  “Where?”

  “Cleveland.”

  “Are you staying there tonight?”

  “We’re giving it another hour before we bag it. How was your day?”

  “All right. Nothing special.”

  “No one got punched out in the store?”

  “Not today,” she said with a laugh. The sound of his voice had lifted her spirits. “I’m hoping that was a once-in-a-lifetime event.”

  “Once was just enough, right?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “I miss you. Bad.”

  “Me, too,” she said softly. “I was just thinking about you when you called.”

  “What about me?”

  “About the wall, actually.” Her cheeks heated, and she was glad no one was sitting near her on the train.

  He groaned. “Don’t talk about that! I’m at work.”

  She giggled at his distress. “I’m not.”

  “Behave. So where are you?”

  “On my way to Jenny’s on the train. She invited me to stay with them for a while until I figure out my living situation. I can’t stand to be anywhere near my mother right now, not after what I found out about her yesterday.”

  “I don’t blame you. I’m glad you’re going to Jenny’s. That’s a great idea.”

  “She offered me a ‘safe house’ until I make some plans.”

  He laughed. “Cute.”

  “My dad thought it was a good idea, too. He’s going to bring me what I need from the house.”

  “Don’t forget my offer.”

  “How could I?”

  “I know we said we wouldn’t talk about it until next time, but are you leaning in any direction on that?”

  “Not yet.”

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”

  “You can ask.” She paused and then added, “You know I want to, right?”

  “Do you?”

  “Cole… Of course I do. Watching you leave today was so hard.” Her voice caught. “The hardest thing ever.”

  “We could be together every day, baby. Every day.” His tone was urgent. “God, I’d love that.”

  “So would I, but I just need to—”

  “What, honey?”

  “I think I need to be on my own for a while. How can I go from my father’s house to your house without ever knowing if I can take care of myself?”

  “You don’t have to take care of yourself. I want to take care of you.”

  “And I love you for that, but I need to do this for me. Will you hate me if I want to live by myself for a while before we decide anything?”

  “Yes.”

  Olivia was speechless.

  He cracked up. “I’m kidding. Did I scare you?”

  “Nah. I knew you were kidding.”

  “You did not!”

  “Come back, will you? Fly through the fog and come back. I need you.”

  “Don’t say that,” he whispered. “You’re killing me.”

  “It’s not like you don’t have a plane available, right?”

  He laughed softly. “Are you encouraging me to commit a plane-napping?”

  “How much time would you do?”

  “I think it could be a pretty long stretch.”

  “More than two weeks?”

  “Much more.”

  “Damn.”

  “Hang on a sec, hon.”

  Olivia heard him consulting with someone in the background.

  “Hey, I’ve gotta go. We just got clearance.”

  “To go where?”

  “Chicago.”

  “Will you call me when you’re safe?”

  “I’m safe in the plane.”

  “Safe on the ground.”

  “It’ll be late.”

  “I’ll wait.”

  “All right.”

  “Love you.”

  “Love you, too.”

  Olivia was in bed at Jenny’s house when the phone rang two hours later.

  “Safe,” he said.

  “On the ground?”

  “Yes, and on my way home. Finally.”

  “Oh, good,” she said, releasing a long deep breath.

  “Hey, I don’t want you worrying about me when I’m flying. It’s as natural to me as breathing or driving a car.”

  “Only without the breakdown lane.”

  “It’s much safer than driving a car. Far fewer people die in planes than in cars every year.”

  “But people do die in planes.”

  “I’m not going to,” he said firmly. “Just put that right out of your head, or being with me is going to make you nuts.”

  “Too late.”

  He sighed. “You’ve got to be tired. What are you doing still awake?”

  “I was waiting for you to call, and I’m having trouble getting used to sleeping alone again. Thanks for ruining that for me, by the way.”

  “Happy to help.”

/>   She heard him choke back a yawn. “You’re beat, huh?”

  “Yeah, it was a long day, and I had someone messing with my sleep the last few nights.”

  “You loved it.”

  “You bet your life I did.”

  “What time are you working tomorrow?”

  “Noon flight to Orlando, then Atlanta, D.C., and back to Chicago.”

  “You’re going to be in D.C.?”

  “Very briefly. It’s a short turnaround time, so I won’t see you.”

  She moaned. “That’s so not fair.”

  “I shouldn’t have told you.”

  “No, you shouldn’t have. Let’s talk about something else. What’s your house like?”

  “It’s a town house. Three floors, three bedrooms, two bathrooms. Nothing special.”

  Nothing special? It sounded like a palace to her.

  “Like I told you,” he said in a cajoling tone, “there’s plenty of room.”

  “If I were going to take on a roommate, you’d be my first choice.”

  “You’re really going to do this? Get a place of your own?”

  “I think I am.”

  “Don’t sign anything more than a six-month lease. Will you promise me that?”

  “Is that long enough to prove my point?”

  “Actually I think one month would do the trick.”

  “Not long enough. Just think, though, if I have my own place you won’t need to stay at the Sheraton on your D.C. overnights.”

  “Well, there is that. And maybe I could hang out with you on some of my weeks off.”

  “Really?”

  “Why not?”

  “I’d love that.”

  “I’d have to figure out how that would work with my other gig, though.”

  “What other gig?”

  “I, ah, fly kids and young adults with cancer to their treatments a couple of times a month.”

  “That’s amazing. Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I don’t know. It’s just something I do since my mother died. Something I can do to help the cause.”

  “Do you always take the same people?”

  “Most of the time. I have one I take to Sloan-Kettering in New York and another to MD Anderson in Houston. I can’t always take them because of my work schedule, but I see them most often.”

  “You must get attached to them.”

  “I try not to.”

  “And how’s that going?”