12-Alarm Cowboys (95 page)

Was that what she’d done? Made the path to her heart so complicated nothing Cole did would solve the maze she’d created? She wasn’t like Adriana who enjoyed her one-night sex adventures. Lacey wanted a home with a man who believed in her. Maybe, down the road, even some children. Cole would make a great father. His integrity was impeccable, even if she’d ended up on the other side of it.

She glanced at the clock in the main gathering area. Maybe he wouldn’t come.

Maybe Angel was worse off than he thought. An innocent horse being abused broke her heart. That Cole cared enough to make a place for such animals made the walls around her heart fall a little more. His parents had to have been furious. They were so proud of their horses’ lineage. She could see them refusing to help him. He’d stood up to them for his horses. Why couldn’t he have done the same for her?

Because he didn’t want a relationship with an arsonist. It all came down to that. But would Cole want to try again if he still believed she’d started the Orson fire? He must have had a change of heart. That had to be why he kept trying to start their relationship again. Hope rekindled in her chest, burning any remaining defenses she had.

She pushed away from the wall, a new excitement bubbling inside. She hurried through the gathering room, the indoor bar, and outside to the pool area. Scanning the nudists lounging about, she spotted Buddy. He always wore a baseball cap because he was balding and didn’t want to burn. The rest of him had a dark tan, like his wife.

Refusing to look toward the bar where she was sure Adriana would be smiling and winking at her, she brought the net over. “Here you go.”

Buddy looked up from his book. “Ah Lacey, I knew we could count on you. Do you want to join us?”

She waved her finger at him. “Now you know I can’t do that. I’m on the clock. All employees must be clothed while working.”

He glanced over at his wife, who wore a look of “I told you so.”

“I guess I lost that bet. Ginger said you wouldn’t because you follow the rules, always.”

She smiled at Ginger before nodding to Buddy. “That’s right, and don’t you forget it.”

Buddy laughed and she turned away to return to the front desk. She waved at a few of the guests and answered one person’s question, then entered the indoor bar. She stopped short.

Cole stood there, hat in hand, wearing a blue collared shirt, black hat, blue jeans and brown cowboy boots. The man in a t-shirt was a tease, but dressed up, he made her belly do somersaults.

“Hi, Lacey. Ready for dinner?”

She would prefer to go straight to dessert and simply have him, but that was out of the question. Adriana’s suggestion flitted across her mind before she shook her head. “Wow, you look nice.” She glanced down at her long beige skirt and yellow flowered top and felt downright dowdy. “I didn’t know we were dressing up.” She smirked. “Usually people don’t wear clothes to dinner here.”

He stepped closer, his woodsy scent flooding her with memories. “Where do you look?”

“What do you mean?” He glanced over her head and she turned. “You mean with the guests?”

“Yeah.”

She turned back, ready to give him a set down, but he appeared honestly curious. She calmed down her immediate defense. “I look them in the eyes like I do with everyone. At first it was strange, everyone walking around naked, but now…” She shrugged. “I don’t really notice anymore. It becomes the norm.”

“I admit if you walked around naked, your eyes wouldn’t be the only thing I’d look at.”

Her body heated as his gaze focused on her.

“Do you still wear sexy lingerie beneath your clothes?” He blatantly stared at her chest and her nipples responded.

“Cole Hatcher, stop that.”

His gaze moved to her eyes and he winked. “Are you hungry?”

The double entendre was not lost on her. The man was laying on the charm and she may be weakening, but she could set him back with the rest of them. “Yes, I am and I know for a fact Selma made her double cheese beef quesadillas today. They smell wonderful.”

Cole’s look of disappointment was perfect. She congratulated herself on keeping control of their conversation, and relationship, such as it was.

“Actually, I brought pizza.”

She looked around but didn’t see any. “You did?”

He motioned with his hat. “When you weren’t at the front desk, I went into the back room, but I left it there when I couldn’t find you. It’s sausage and extra cheese.”

“That’s my favorite.”

“I know.” His smile faded. “I thought we could take it back to your casita. That way you wouldn’t have to worry about the rest of the staff watching us have dinner.”

She grimaced. “Yes, my new family can be a bit nosy.”

“It
would
give us more privacy.”

“Good point. No need for anyone to listen to our conversation.”

Cole stepped closer. “Lacey, I want more than conversation with you.”

His warm green eyes threatened to drown her. She could always count on Cole to be straightforward. He never had a hidden agenda. He always came right out and said what he wanted and now he wanted her. She swallowed hard, not sure she could handle that no matter how much her body wanted her to.

He touched her cheek, gently. “You know I would never ask more of you than you are willing to give, right?”

His touch, so familiar, had her leaning toward him. She nodded. Cole was foremost a gentleman. There were many parts of him she could put her trust in. She just wasn’t sure about giving him her heart again. That he had a good heart wasn’t the question.

She stepped away, needing a little space. “How is Angel doing?”

“Better.” He looked away, his face serious. “She seems to know we are trying to help her, but she’s afraid of us too. If she had her way, she wouldn’t let us in the stall with her at all. When we have to touch her, she shivers.”

“Oh Cole. That’s heartbreaking.” If only Angel could understand how lucky she was to have Cole taking care of her.

One corner of his lips quirked up. “But I found her weakness.”

“What’s that?”

“Jellybeans. I have Elsa to thank for that. Wade will be bringing her here. I often keep jellybeans in my pocket for her and Angel sniffed them out. By the way, one of your Belgians, Daisy, likes them too.”

Lacey smiled. Cole’s love of horses hadn’t changed at all. It was another one of his qualities that pulled at her heart.

“Hmm. It seems all the ladies like jellybeans.” He gave her a calculating grin. “Do you?”

“No, I’m afraid I don’t. But I do like pizza that’s not cold, hint, hint.”

“Then let’s go get it.” Cole swept his hat to the side to allow her to lead then fell in step next to her.

His long stride, punctuated on the tile floor by his boots, was twice the length of hers. He used to tell her he liked that because she moved so quickly it was the only way he could keep up with her.

Everything about him reminded her of their past. All those pieces were good, perfect even, except the day he dumped her. Maybe she needed to forget about the old Cole and learn about the new one. That he believed in her was a huge difference between the two Coles. Obviously, something had changed.

With that plan in mind and a bit more confidence about having him over for dinner, she logged off her computer, let Kendra know she was done for the night, and brought Cole home.

*

Lacey popped the
last bite of pizza into her mouth and sighed. “That was heaven. I haven’t had pizza in over a month. Living here where everything is provided doesn’t exactly induce me to leave much.” She lifted one shoulder then reached for a napkin.

Cole caught her hand before she could pick it up. “Allow me.” He brought her hand near his mouth and then proceeded to lick and suck each finger clean.

Her throat went dry and her limbs weakened, along with her resolve. She’d thought making him sit across from her would be safer, but it made looking at him over dinner that much easier.

More than his physical appearance had changed since she’d last seen him. His laughter was more relaxed now. He’d matured, become comfortable with himself, as if he didn’t care what others thought anymore, something that had been very important to him when they were in high school. She definitely liked this new Cole.

Not that she was discounting the strong physical aspect of the man who sat there holding her hand, his tongue sweeping down one finger before taking that digit into his mouth. He’d rolled up his sleeves and the muscle in his forearm moved as he held her wrist, turning it slightly to better access her fingers.

Then he stroked his tongue up her palm and a sizzle of desire ran straight to her core. She pulled her hand back. “Thank you.”

His gaze was warm. “My pleasure.”

Oh gosh. He was pouring on the charm again and her fortifications were crumbling. Adriana’s words flitted through her mind.
Your body misses him. Take him to your place, fuck his brains out and then cut him loose.
But that wasn’t who she was. The fact was, she still loved him deeply despite the hurt he’d caused. She
wanted
to give him another chance.

“Lacey, what’s wrong?” Cole’s face showed so much concern, she couldn’t hide her fears anymore.

“I’m afraid.”

He immediately rose and grabbed the chair next to her, moving it to face her before he took her hands in his. “I’m here. I won’t let anyone harm you, I promise.”

That wasn’t what she meant, but his sincerity blew away her final defense. “I believe you. I feel completely secure with you here. I know no one could hurt me…except you.”

Hurt flitted across his face so quickly, she could have imagined it.

“I can’t undo the past. I wish I could.” He hesitated, as if trying to find the right words. “Now that you’ve come into my life again, you’re all I think about. We had something special. I think we still can have that.”

She opened her mouth but he released one of her hands to put his finger against her lips.

“You probably have a million reasons why we shouldn’t try again, and I probably have a million to argue against you, but the bottom line is, I love you. And my gut tells me I’ll never love anyone like I love you.”

Hope, that illusive human frailty, took root in her heart and began to grow.

He squeezed her hand gently. “I don’t expect anything from you right now. All I ask is that you give us a second chance.”

A second chance, like she’d been given at Poker Flat. Her mind said it was only fair. Her heart clamored for her to agree. Her body yearned to feel him inside her again. She couldn’t deny it any longer. “I guess we could—”

Cole pulled her up into his arms, taking her breath away. He cupped the back of her head and lowered his lips to within an inch of hers. “You have the most beautiful heart.”

Her breath hitched and then his lips were upon hers, firm against her own, urging her to open to him. She gave him access and his tongue swept into her mouth, exploring like he’d never kissed her before.

She grasped his broad shoulders, feeling so tiny against the new Cole, his tongue making her toes curl in her cowboy boots. Tentatively, she pushed her tongue into his mouth and he throttled back, allowing her to explore, until he moaned.

The sound of his need made her more confident. The man was hot and she wanted him. She moved her hands to around his neck and pressed her breasts against his massive chest. He was so big, he enveloped her as if he could protect her from the world. She’d always loved that he was so much taller, but now, every feminine nerve ending focused on being loved by him.

Cole broke away, his breathing heavy. “Bedroom?”

She nodded toward her left.

He scooped her up and carried her with ease, something he hadn’t been capable of before. Just the thought of his hard chest and what she’d seen of it at the barn had her licking her lips.

Cole set her on the side of the bed and knelt at her feet. Like a prince checking to see if the glass slipper fit, he carefully pulled off her boots. Then he rolled down her knee socks and draped them on the boots.

He took one bare foot into his large hand and kissed the arch. A tingle of anticipation wove its way up her leg. This was definitely a new Cole. There had been times when they’d been so anxious to have sex that no clothes came off at all. They’d simply been pushed aside.

He held her foot with one hand, and ran his other up her calf, across her knee, and over her thigh. But he didn’t touch her where she wanted to be touched. Instead, he repeated the same actions with her other foot and leg. She held her breath as his hand moved up her other thigh, but he didn’t go any farther.

When he pulled his hand from beneath her skirt, he brought his palm to his nose. “Fresh Linen. I love that scent.”

He remembered. His words fed her heart even as his gaze fed her soul. Gosh, she’d missed him.

Still kneeling, he unbuttoned the first button of her shirt. When she moved her hands to help, he caught them in his own. “Let me.”

The green of his eyes was darker, the blue flecks more pronounced and she caught her breath before agreeing. Unhurriedly, he unbuttoned each button, pulling the blouse from beneath her waistband to tackle the last two. Then, as if opening a precious present, he spread her shirt apart and stilled.