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He lowers me to the couch and settles on top of me, the soft rug tickling my legs while his breath whispers against my lips. “I love you. Is that confusing?”
“No. No, it’s not.”
“Just in case I didn’t make that point clear, let me show you, not just tell you.” He drags his shirt over my body, and then his mouth comes down on mine, and he is kissing me, a gentle caress of tongue against tongue, a kiss that is a seduction. His lips part mine and drag over my cheek, down my neck, and his hands caress my nipples; his tongue follows. And when he slides between my legs, his mouth on my belly, he lingers there, tenderness in the way his lips caress the delicate skin. His mouth travels lower, but he doesn’t lick that most intimate part of me. He kisses my thighs, my knees, every part of me it seems, before yes, he licks me there, but this is not about sex. This is about making love and he doesn’t linger, doesn’t make me shatter under his mouth.
He presses inside me, kissing me, rocking with me, and we don’t rush. We just feel what it’s like to be us, to be married, to be in love. And it’s a long time later when we lay on the couch with my head on his chest, his heart thundering under my ear, when I realize why tonight was so different. He faced a demon tonight, we faced a demon tonight: His father. And that must have been the biggest, or even the entire army of demons, because his demons were not with us. I had Cole. Just Cole, the man I love.
The next day, Cole and I laugh as I end up in a red silk blouse under my black skirt and jacket, and he’s in a black suit with a red tie. He proclaims us a “power couple” and we head to the office in good spirits. We’ve barely settled into his office with Ashley to review a variety of agency business that Cole will be going over with Reese tonight, when Reese’s secretary, Maria, pokes her head in the door.
“Flower delivery, Ashley.”
Ashley, who is looking lovely in a floral print dress, frowns and gets up. “I have no idea who would send me flowers. We all know my love life is about as toxic as it gets. Let me just eye the card. I’ll be right back.” She stands and exits, and I look at Cole. “Is there any news on her ex?” I whisper. “So much happened, I never really got any details on that situation.”
“The FBI got involved. She was cleared. We were all pushed out.”
I glance at the door and back at him. “Cleared of what?”
“I can’t even tell you that. It was that top secret, which is why I haven’t said much. There wasn’t much to say.”
His phone rings and when he reaches for it, I decide to go see the flowers. I exit the office, glance at the stunning bouquet of at least three dozen pink roses, and then search for Ashley, who is nowhere to be seen. I eye Maria who points toward the door. Frowning, certain something is wrong, I hurry toward her. “We were in a meeting. Did she say anything?”
She leans forward a bit and whispers, “No, but I’m pretty sure she was holding back tears.”
“Okay, thanks.” I hurry out of the executive office, through the lobby and into the bathroom. One of the two stalls doors are shut. “Ashley?”
“Yes?” she calls out and she tries to hide her sob, but she fails.
I knock on the door. “Open up. Talk to me.”
Seconds tick by and she finally opens the door, her mascara streaked down her cheeks. She shoves a mini-card at me. “Read it.”
I glance down and read: Nothing was what it seems. I promise you, baby, I love you. I’ll explain. I’m coming for you just as soon as I can. All kinds of alarms are going off in my head and I glance up at her. “What’s your reaction?”
“I don’t know if I should be scared, relieved, or what, really. I loved him. The idea that he lied and never loved me still guts me. But he was involved in some big international—” She throws her hands up. “I don’t even know what. Cole couldn’t find out what.”
“Let’s go talk to Cole now.”
“I can’t. I’m a mess.”
“You could be in danger. We need to talk to Cole.”
“I need a few minutes,” she says, swiping at her cheeks.
“Okay. I’ll go talk to him. Come find us.”
She nods, and I hug her. “It’s going to be okay.”
“Thank you. Thank you, Lori. I have no one. I moved here from Houston and my family is gone and—just, thank you.”
“You have us.” I hurry out of the bathroom and run smack into Cole, his big hands catching my arms.
“I have to go to Reid’s office. Ride down with me.”
I nod and we step into the elevator where I hand him the card. “Holy hell,” he murmurs, looking at me. “I’ll make calls and find out where he is and what he is. And tell her I’m having Walker Security send someone over to look out for her for the next few days.”
“She’s pretty confused.”
“Of course she is,” he says. The elevator dings and we exit to the lobby, pausing just outside the door. “I’m going to Reese’s place after my meeting. We’re going to sit in the bar downstairs and pick through a few strategic moves, namely what to do about the Houston office. I’ll meet you at their place for dinner. Yes?”
