Page 19 of Vanessa’s Bravery

“It sounds a little like you’re opening up to me right now,” she teased him.

He tapped her nose with his index finger. “That’s because I’m paying you to listen.”

She dropped her lids, avoiding his gaze. Was he saying that he could be honest and open with her, because she wasn’t girlfriend or wife material? Would he treat her differently if he knew that she wasn’t a sex worker?

“Did I say something wrong?”

She quickly shook her head and looked at him. “No, it just made me think.”

“About what?”

“Why you feel you can’t open up to other women, I mean women you date.”

“I don’t date.”

“You know what I mean,” she pressed.

Cole let out a breath. “I don’t want you to get the wrong idea. I am the way I am, and I can’t change that. And the few women I’ve been with didn’t like what they saw. They judged me. And I don’t like being judged for something that I can’t change.”

She heard the pain in his words and instantly regretted having asked the question. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry and dig up old wounds.”

He put his fingers under her chin and tipped it up, drawing her closer. “That’s why I like being with you. You understand me. You know what it’s like to be judged.” He gave her a featherlight kiss on the lips.

She nudged closer to intensify the kiss, and Cole wrapped his arms around her and responded to her just as passionately as he’d pleasured her. Vanessa shifted on top of him, and found herself with her legs to either side of his hips, and the apex of her thighs aligned with his groin. Cole slid one hand down to her ass, pressing her to him while he moved his hips to rub himself against her center.

Excitement flooded her. He would finally fuck her. She moved to the side a little so she could get to the closure of his pants, but before she could, he stopped her and severed the kiss.

He breathed as if he’d been running a sprint, and she felt his heart thunder just as fast.

“You’re a very seductive woman.” He brushed a strand of hair from her face.

It looked like he wanted to say something else, but then a cell phone rang, and he looked in the direction of the sound.

“It’s not mine.”

Vanessa recognized the ringtone and sat up. “It’s mine.” She jumped off him and reached for her purse to pull out her cell. The name on the display confirmed who she’d guessed was calling. She turned to Cole. “I’m sorry, work.”

She answered the call. “Lydia?”

“Where the hell are you? Are you okay? Did you run into any trouble?” Lydia’s words came as if shot out of a pistol.

She cast a sideways glance at Cole, who’d sat up and was watching her.

“I’m all right. But there was an attack. I had to help out. Can you take Quinn instead? I’m gonna have to go by the office first.”

“Yeah, I can do that. What happened?”

“I’ll fill you in later. Thanks, Lydia.”

Vanessa disconnected the call, and cast Cole a regretful look. “I’m sorry. I have to go to work.” She reached for her clothes, when Cole rose and pulled her to him. “Stay here. I’ll pay you for the whole night.”

“I—”

As much as she wanted to stay, she couldn’t. She had to get the dead vampire’s belongings to HQ so they could identify him. And right now, she didn’t have the time to explain to Cole that she wasn’t a sex worker, because it wasn’t a one-sentence explanation. They would have to have that conversation later when she wasn’t pressed for time. She’d already spent too much time here.

“Can we talk later?” she asked. “I just have to do this one thing.”

He looked dejected. “Fine. We’ll talk some other time.”