Katherine’s back arched off of the bed and a gasp burst from her when Cole’s mouth met her heat; his lips and tongue devouring her. His silky hair brushed against the inside of her thighs and she found herself gazing down, her hands plunging into the soft waves as she begged him for more, and Cole could not have been more than happy to oblige. His teeth nipped at her swollen and throbbing nub and he heard her sharp intake of breath as she dug her heels into the mattress, arching her hips to bring him closer, her fingers fisting in his hair. His hands slid beneath her and he raised her closer, cherishing her.
His eyes swept up and met hers, a low growl vibrating from his chest and sending shockwaves through her entire body, causing her climax to ricochet throughout her like a sonic boom. It stole the very breath from her body and curled her toes into the mattress.
“Cole!” she cried out, throwing her head back against the pillow as she rode out wave after wave of pure sensation. Her eyes slammed shut as she fought to get the air that she so desperately needed into her lungs. It was as if all the oxygen had suddenly been sucked from the room as colored lights burst and scattered behind her lids.
He moved up her body slowly, sliding the sweater that she still wore from her as he did. He undid her bra and threw it across the room to join her torn panties. He took one hardened peak into his mouth and lavished it with sweet attention before moving to the other, his mouth firm, hot, and demanding.
Katherine reached between them and tried desperately to unbutton his fly, needing the feel of him inside her, his heated flesh against hers. He laughed softly at her impatience and moved away from her. He slipped off of the bed, quickly shedding his clothes and leaving them in a heap on the floor. He stood there silently a moment, just gazing down at this beautiful creature. She was pure perfection, and it caused a strange tightening deep in the recesses of his chest.
Cole slid between her thighs and rested above her on his elbows, looking into her eyes as if he were staring at a priceless work of art. As if he was burning each feature into his brain.
His lips met hers once again, and he kissed her slowly, languidly, glorying in the feel of this woman beneath him, so willing to give herself to him so completely. When he knew that he could not hold back a moment longer he thrust his hips and entered her sublime heat, a shudder rippling through his body. He stilled, allowing himself to feel being surrounded by her sweet warmth. He fought every instinct that he had to take her hard and fast. That wouldn’t due with her. He found that he wanted tenderness with this woman; something that he had never cared for before her. He needed to feel this connection, and it was earth-shattering. It was a strong, powerful force that was swiftly becoming his obsession.
***
Katherine wrapped her legs around him, raising her hips towards his, her body crying out for him. He filled her so completely that she found it impossible to think of never having this again. No matter what she told herself, this man had gotten into her head…as well as her heart.
Cole began moving his hips with an urgency and demand that had his body shaking with need, and Katherine met his pace to perfection, as if they were made solely for this purpose. Their bodies slid against the others, slick with the perspiration of their lovemaking. Yes, with her it wasn’t just sex; it was making love. Something he had never experienced before. And it was spectacular.
When Cole was sure that he couldn’t hold back a moment longer, he felt Katherine’s body tighten up around him as a purr of pure, sensual release swept past her lips, sending him over the edge. That one sound and the feel of her heat clamping down around him was his undoing. He ground his teeth together as his climax hit him full on, rocking his body to its core. He buried his face against her neck, nipping gently at the pulse there that was beating out of control as his body shuddered with his release.
***
Katherine raked her nails down Cole’s back, eliciting another sexy as hell growl from the man above her, and she sucked her bottom lip into her mouth, fighting back the urge to tell him how much she was coming to care for him. He suddenly flipped over onto his back and pulled her with him, keeping her close against his body.
They lay there in silence, each trying to get their heart rates to even out. Katherine snuggled against his warm, solid frame with her head on his chest, listening to the strong, steady beat of his heart…and she found comfort there. This man was different from anyone she had ever known before. He was kind, and tender; yet was forceful. The realization that she trusted him with her entire being hit her hard. She didn’t do trust. Trust for her walked hand in hand with… She stopped the thought short, refusing to even think about going there. No! She didn’t care…she didn’t love. It caused way too much pain and loss. She had become so very adept at closing herself off; so-why was it then that this amazing man seemed to be changing all of that?
“Cole,” she spoke softly, her voice husky and sated. He could still detect that hint of fear in her tone. That hesitation.
“Yeah, Baby?”
Katherine smiled slightly against his chest, the endearment causing her heart to do that strange little flip against her ribs.
“When did you want to leave?” she asked, her belly fluttering. It had been close to six years. What would Stewart say to her? Would he hate her? Despise her for ruining his life, simply because they had been friends? Of course he would! Why wouldn’t he? He had every right to. It was all her fault that he was rotting away in prison for something that he didn’t do.
***
Cole rested his chin on her head, breathing in that scent that was all Katherine–soft, flowery… freaking amazing. It emanated from her life a sweet summer breeze and he didn’t think he had ever experienced anything like it before.
“I’ll have to make a few calls, but I’d like to leave as soon as possible.”
She nodded against his chest, her hand toying with the sprinkling of hair that covered it. “I have to make arrangements with Jeff to take care of the store if he can.”
“Jeff?” Cole asked, lifting his head and looking down at her. “Who’s Jeff?”
Katherine looked up and caught his gaze, wondering if that tiny bit of heat she saw was jealousy. She dismissed it as just wishful thinking and gave him a gentle smile. “He’s the manager at the store,” she explained softly and saw him visibly relax.
“I’ll need all the information you have on him as well,” Cole murmured, pulling the covers over their cooling bodies.
“Jeff?” She questioned, her eyebrows rising. “Jeff’s wonderful. He’s been with me since I opened the shop almost two years ago.”
“Still,” he replied, pulling her up so that her mouth was hovering over his. He sucked her bottom lip into his mouth as his hands slid down her body to the curve of her backside. She could feel him hardening against her stomach and wriggled; eliciting a deep, sexy as all hell, moan from him. “I’m checking out everyone that is in your life, Katherine. Christ, I’d check out my own mother if it would keep you safe,” he said finally, right before his mouth took hers.
***
Cole was on the phone as Katherine walked out of the bathroom the following morning, her hair damp from her shower. She could hear him making arrangements for them to leave first thing in the morning and her stomach tightened painfully. She was finally going to face Stewart. Face the anger that she knew had to be there. Face a part of her past that had haunted her for years.
She fought to control her nerves as she grabbed her cell phone and called the shop, seeing with a sinking feeling of guilt the four missed calls from Jeff.
“Katherine! Where on earth have you been?” he asked in a rush when he answered his phone. “I have been trying to get a hold of you. I was damn near calling the cops!”
“I know, Jeff…and I’m sorry,” She glanced over to where Cole sat and noticed him watching her as he barked orders into the phone. He gave her a quick wink and her heart skipped a beat. So normal. This all felt just so blasted normal! “Listen, I hate to do th
is to you, but I need to go out of town for a few days and…” she hesitated, not sure how much to tell him. Jeff worried about her, and if he knew who she really was, and what was going on, his fear would go off the charts. “I have to take care of some personal things…back home.”
“Katherine, is everything all right?” he asked, and she could clearly hear the worry in his voice.
“Yes,” she replied, hating the fact that she was lying to him. “I hate to dump this on you. If you can’t do it, I understand. Just close the store until I get back. I’ll handle things then.”
“Not gonna happen. It’s not a problem at all, Katherine. Besides, we have those huge shipments coming in next week, and I have absolutely no life…so, go take care of what you need to do and get your ass back here, boss.”
Katherine smiled, once again thanking the powers that be for sending this man to her that day. He had been such a blessing. He was dependable, laid back, and a savior. “Thanks, Jeff. Call me if there are any problems at all.”
“Will do. Take care of what you need to do, and I’ll see you soon.” With that she ended the call. Cole gave her a smile as she did and hooked his finger in her direction, indicating for her to come to him. She happily obliged and settled herself on his lap.
***
When Cole finished his call, he set his phone down and wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling her neck. Damn, but she smelled wonderful, he thought with a wicked grin.
“We leave in the morning,” he murmured against her skin, causing that never-ending buzz to assault her body. Dear Lord, what his touch could do to her. “I’ve made all the arrangements and he’s agreed to see us.”
Katherine nodded slowly as another bout of nerves hit her. Would he ever forgive her? Or…had Stewart only agreed to see them so that he could tell her how much he despised her? If that were the case…she’d accept that. God knew that she deserved it.
Cole felt her body tense slightly against his and looked into her eyes. “Katherine, I’ll be with you every step of the way,” he reassured her, and she hugged him, unable to make a sound. She couldn’t have if she tried.
Chapter 6
Katherine lay in Cole’s arms that night, nervously chewing at her bottom lip as her mind spun and swirled in a million different directions. She was facing her past in a way that was long overdue, but frightening as hell. She had wanted to see Stewart so many times over the years, but just hadn’t had the strength, but now… She snuggled closer to Cole’s solid frame, loving the warmth that she found there.
This man had come into her life like a thunderclap and made her feel things that she had never felt before. She knew that he would keep her safe, but there was still a small part of her that wondered if he could. You didn’t feel violated for nearly ten years and not understand and know how smart your nightmare was. How easily they could move in and out of the shadows of your life. A phantom that was never far away, always waiting...always watching.
“What’s worrying you?” Cole asked softly, his voice drifting over her like a warm, soothing blanket, warming her to her core. Damn it! This man had smashed through her walls like a runaway freight train, leaving nothing behind him but a pile of rubble.
“Nothing,” she lied, not wanting to dump all of her insanity on him at once. She couldn’t take it if he ran from her. Not yet. He would in time…but not now.
“Katherine, I know you feel that this is somehow your fault. But, it isn’t. You tried to tell them.”
“I should have done more,” she agonized. This guilt had eaten away at her for such a long time now that it was as if it had been tattooed on her. “You can’t understand,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “You’re damn near perfect. You don’t know what it’s like.” She wasn’t angry with Cole, she was just angry period. She was angry that she had to live in fear. Angry that Stewart was rotting away in prison simply because he had been her friend. Angry that she had no control over her life whatsoever! She was tired. Tired of running. Tired of being afraid. Tired of living only half a life! This tiny taste of heaven with Cole made her want so much more and it just wasn’t fair that it would only be for a fleeting moment. She knew without a doubt that the time would come when she would have to run once again. Start yet another new life. Hide from who she had become.
“We all have our demons, Katherine,” Cole said, his voice low. “I’m no Saint; believe me.”
“You’re a cop. You’ve spent your life saving and protecting others,” she argued, and Cole felt that familiar wrenching to his gut.
“I’d like to believe that, but nobody’s infallible. We all make mistakes. I used to work with Ray,” he said so quietly that she had to strain to hear him. “I was fresh out of the Academy and my first job was on the force in Seattle. Ray was stuck with me as his partner,” he laughed softly, his voice filled with genuine affection. “We got a call that there was a man trying to break into some apartments,” he took a breath. “When we got there, we found one of the apartment doors ajar…” she felt his body tense and held her breath, sensing how hard this was for him. “When we walked in, he came at us from one of the bedrooms.”
Katherine leaned up on her elbow so that she could look at him, and the pain that she saw in his eyes nearly did her in. It was raw and deep. “What happened, Cole?”
“He had a gun in his hand…so, I took the shot.” He squeezed his eyes shut, his features tense as he re-lived it once more. “He was just a seventeen year old kid,” he rasped, and Katherine felt her eyes filling with tears. “Just a damn kid. The damn gun wasn’t even loaded. I hit him in the leg, his artery, and, he bled out…fast. So damned fast. I was told that it was justifiable. He was aiming right for Ray but...” He shook his head and the look on his face broke her heart into a million tiny little pieces.
“Cole, you were trying to save Rays life,” she whispered. “There was no way that you could have known that the gun wasn’t loaded.”
“I never wanted to have to shoot a kid,” he choked out, his voice thick with emotion. “It hit me hard. I just couldn’t get that boys face out of my head. If I had just hit him in the arm… but I was brash and arrogant and didn’t think; I just reacted. It affected Ray and me in a lot of different ways. Not long after that, he left and took the job as Sheriff, and I came here. I needed to get out of a big city. I needed to get away from children carrying guns,” he said softly as she wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him close. Wanting so much to take his pain from him. “I let that boy down. I could have shot him anywhere else. I just wanted to stop him. I reacted much too fast and made a decision that I’ll regret the rest of my life. So…I know about guilt, Katherine,” he said, his own arms sliding around her and pulling her closer. “I know how damn debilitating it can be. How it can eat away at you until there’s nothing left.”
She didn’t say a word; she merely pressed her lips against his softly, tenderly; trying to convey everything that she couldn’t say. But it was only a moment later that it changed. It became deep, desperate, and Katherine gave herself over to the feel of this man. Life.
They both had their demons, but together they seemed to chase them away with one simple touch. It was almost as if they were healing each other.
Katherine moved her body with the grace of a dancer as she straddled his hips, her mouth on his, and she braced her hands on his chest, kneading that steely muscle beneath her fingers. She felt his erection pressing against her and moved her body against it, drawing a deep shuddering moan from the man beneath her. A man who made her feel strong, alive, wanted…and normal. Yes…they both had their demons, but when this man touched her, they seemed to disappear like the mist burning off from with the morning sun.
***
Cole sat on the plane next to Katherine, that muscle in his jaw twitching slightly as he went over her case file; the file depicting the night that she had lost her mother in full blown, vivid detail, and he found himself feeling sick. He hated that she had suffered so damned much.
> “This was a piss-poor investigation,” he grumbled, closing the file and leaning his head against the back of his seat. He took her hand in his and intertwined their fingers, settling them on his thigh. She found the gesture so darn calming and leaned her head on his shoulder. He turned his head and kissed her temple, his lips lingering. Jesus, but she felt good.
“It’s a small town, Cole. Ray did everything that he could.”
Cole sighed and closed his eyes. He knew that she was right. Ray had done the best he could. Cole knew damn well how tight resources in a small town could be, but damn it! Why hadn’t someone done something to protect her? He knew that he was overreacting, but knowing what she had been through just set his teeth on edge.
The pilot announced their decent and Cole felt Katherine’s nerves beginning to hit her. He felt her hand turn cold and start to quake ever so slightly, and he gave it a gentle squeeze. “I’m right here, Baby,” he whispered against her ear. “I’ll be right beside you all the way. No worries.”
Katherine nodded and slammed her eyes shut, praying that she had the strength to see this through. Seeing Stewart Camden was a demon that she was long overdue to face.
***
Cole kept his hand protectively at the small of Katherine’s back as they walked through the corridors of the prison; for which she was extremely grateful. Her legs were trembling so badly that she feared they would give out on her if he let go. His touch was the only thing keeping her upright at the moment and she needed it more than she needed air. The prison scared the ever loving hell out of her. She detested the claustrophobic feel of the building. The sounds of cell doors slamming shut reverberating around them. The feeling of utter confinement was stifling.