The Trouble With Love (38 page)

He grabbed her shoulders when she went to spin around and haul tail up the stairs
, then slid his hands down to her hips to pull
her against him
.  He grinned and told her,
"I'm just messing with you, sugar
,
I have no idea if she has a birthmark or not."

Sabrina punched his shoulder lightly then put her head there taking short breaths.  "You are an asshole, Cole," she
whispered fiercely then
lifted her head
and smiled at him.

"You call me an asshole, but then smile at me...gotta watch those a mixed message
s
,
sugar
," he told her playfully then leaned in and caught her lips in a heated kiss.  Her arms slid around his neck and she tilted her head so she could deepen the kiss wi
thout knocking their hats off.

When he pulled back, he grinned at her and said, "We need to get you a step stool at home...this is the perfect height for kissing you.
..and other things
,
"
he added nibbling the side of her neck.
 
He whispered by her ear, "You sure you want to stay here and watch the rodeo?" then sucked her earlobe into his mouth and nipped it.

Her response was a moan, right before she tightened her arms around his neck
and
took a little jump
to wrap
her legs around his waist.
"Take me back to the hotel, Cole..."
she whispered right over his lips before she put hers against hi
s
in
a fiery kiss
.  She
pulled back and said,
"I'll get Gabe to talk to Wade..."

"Now, you're talking, sugar," Cole told her then turned toward the exit with a smile on his face
, and his cowgirl in his arms
.

They stayed in
Dallas
for the weekend, but didn't go back to the rodeo.  Cole knew all kinds of fun places to take her, but they picked the zoo on Saturday then he took her to Billy Bob's on Saturday night where they listened to great music and danced until three
in the morning
.
 
Early Sunday morning, too early considering how late they were out the night before,
he got her up.  She was surprised to look at the clock and see it wasn't really
that
early after all, it was nearly
ten o'clock
. 

"Get up sle
epyhead, we're going to brunch," he told her entirely too chirpy for her liking.

"Last time I was in
Dallas
, I went to this bar that serves breakfast on the East side.  It's really awesome...great biscuits and gravy," he told her with a smile then added, "Not nearly as good as yours, but decent, and you don't have to cook 'em."

She got up and
dressed
, then they went to brunch at the Libertine bar, and he ordered pull
ed
pork tacos, biscuits and gravy and the best Eggs Florentine she'd ever had in her life
, it
was one of her favorite dishes.  She might think about adding something like th
at
to the menu at the Blue Bird.  The big conjoined muffin they'd served them
as an appetizer
when they sat down was a delicious idea too.  It was basically four different muffins all cooked together, and
it was h
ot and fluffy. 

Between she and Cole they drank a pot of coffee and by the time they were finished, Sabrina had to unsnap her shorts and lean back to breathe.  "You trying to fatten me up, sugar?" she'd asked Cole.

He laughed at that then sobered and told her, "I'd take you in any way shape or form you come darlin'.
..I love you.
"

That had made her eyes burn, and she'd pushed back her chair and walked around the table and sat in his lap and kissed him, right there in front of all the blue hairs, families and others in the bar.  Cole Jackson was as close to her version of Prince Charming as she would ever find, and she loved him with all her heart. 
And she didn't care
if Wade liked it or not.

Spending time with Cole in
Dallas
had been a blast
, even though they hadn't seen the rodeo they'd gone there for.  If Wade hadn't acted
like
such an ass, they would have, but he did
, so
they found other ways to occupy themselves.  Like making love
as many times as they could.  Now, they were riding the high of their great weekend and driving back to
Bowie
.

"Thanks for a great weekend, Cole," she told him then leaned up and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

He blushed then put his hand on her thigh, "My pleasure, darlin'.  I had a good time too...we'll have to do that again soon."

"Yeah--minus the rodeo," she said then laughed.  "I'm sorry for all that mess with Wade."

"Let's not talk about Wade, my mood is too good," he told her then grinned down at her.

"Okay, let's talk about the Blue Bird..." she suggested then finished, "I take over on the first, and that's right around the corner.  I haven't told Cassie yet, and I know she has to find someone else to help her with the horses."

"You can tell her as soon as you get
back to the Double B
..." he told her then looked down at her again with a strange glitter in his eyes.  He cleared his throat then said, "I'd like for you to come home with me though."

Looking deeply into his eyes, she told him, "I'd love that, Cole."  Then he turned his gaze back to the road and she added, "That's something we need to talk about too."

Glancing back at her he asked with his brows knit together, "What's that, sugar?"

"Our wedding...when did you have in mind?"  Sabrina couldn't wait to marry him...she do it tomorrow without fuss and fanfare, but she wanted to make sure it was special for him since it was his first time.
  Her wedding to Kenny had been huge, over four hundred people, with the big dress and bigger cake, she didn't need all that again.  She just needed Cole.

"How long would it take to throw something together like Cassie and Luke had?" he asked then he laughed, "Without all the drama of the fire,
the
killing and
the
fight, of course...I can do without
that
."

She snorted and said, "What's a
Texas
wedding without a good fight?"

"I never did tell you thank you for that kick you gave that guy to get him off of me.  That was pretty impressive, darlin'," he chuckled then said, "You laid him out pretty good."

"That seems like a hundred years ago..." she said dreamily then, "
Big Oaf
will
not
be invited to our wedding.  In fact, I'm putting a guard at the gate with a description
of him
and telling them to shoot him on sight if he tries to get in."

"
Now, now
, darlin', I said no killings," he hooted and squeezed her.
  "I could make an exception where he's concerned though.

She chuckled and said,
"I can probably get that together in a month, or less...how about right after the harvest?  That way Luke won't be stressed out."

"Sounds perfect, sugar," he kissed her hair then looked back at the road. "Let me know if you need my help with anything."

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Sabrina picked up the hem of her white apron and swiped the beads of sweat that had accumulated on her forehead and then picked up the spatula to flip the hamburgers on the grill.  A fine layer of grease coated her skin and the smell
made
her nauseous.  It had been two weeks since she'd taken over the Blue Bird, and not for the first time she wondered if she'd bitten off more than she could chew.

It was lunchtime, and the place was packed front to back with people waiting on her to finish cooking their food, so they could eat and go back to work.  Buying the cafe had seemed like a great idea for a new career, because she liked to cook and was good at it. 
She wasn't enjoying cooking now that
she
had
to do it, though.  People were depending on her to f
eed them, paying her to do it.

When Cole had dropped her off here early this morning on his way to the station, it had been cool, a nice
late summer
morning.  Now though,
at
midday
, things had definitely heated up, and the window air conditioner in the kitchen was on its last legs.  It blew out lukewarm air that smelled just like the kitchen grease that was making her stomach toss and turn.
 
In fact, the heat in the kitchen was getting to her so bad right now and she felt lightheaded along with being nauseous.

The old saying, 'if you can't stand the heat...' popped into her head and made her want to run, not walk, out of this kitchen.  Julene, her
kitchen help
was slapping burgers on buns, as fast as Sabrina gave them to her, dressing them, adding fries then shoving them out the window to
Wanda Sue
her overworked waitress.
  This was not how she envisioned her pretty little cafe would be. 

She should have taken the week before she
'd taken
over to plan her new menu and interview a couple of more people for the kitchen, instead of running the roads with Cassie picking out her wedding dress and making plans for
the wedding.
 
That
was next weekend, and she hadn't even put the notice in the paper, even though she had sent out a few invitations.
  Sabrina felt like she was failing on all fronts
,
she was so overwhelmed.
Tears burned her eyes from a lot more than the onions she was
now
slicing.

"You okay, hon?" Julene walked up behind her and asked.  "Your face looks a little green."

"I'll be fine..." Sabrina sniffed then rubbed her nose on the shoulder of her apron and went back to slicing.  Julene put down a basket of
breaded
chicken
to fry
to restock their daily special
,
and the wave of heat rising from the fryer blasted her
, along with the smell,
and a wave of dizzi
ness hit her
so hard
she staggered.  "Oh, man..." she said weakly then started toward the door, "I've got to get some air."

"You take your time, I'll handle it in here
,
"
Julene told her with concern.
  Sabrina nodded and then her legs
got weak and dots filled her vision right before her ears started buzzing.  She grabbed a counter on her way down to the floor trying to stop herself, but it didn't help.  She hit the floor and darkness surrounded her.

Icy cold wetness pressed against her forehead,
her
cheeks and finally her throat made
Sabrina turn her cheek into the blissful coolness, and sigh.  The buzzing in her ears faded then she opened her eyes and looked around.  Cole had her head in his lap and he was bathing her face with a cold rag.  His worried, pale face was very close to hers and she heard him moan.  When she opened her eyes fully, he bent down and kissed his way around her face then said, "Oh, god baby, you had me worried...are you okay?"

He moved back from her a little and that's when she noticed she wasn't in the kitchen of the cafe...she was in an office.  "Where am I?"
she asked slightly disoriented.

"My office, sugar.  When Julene called me
,
I ran over there then brought you back here.  It was too damned hot in that place."

Sabrina caught a whiff of the greasy spoon smell that wafted up from her clothing and she sat up and put a hand over her mouth, then pushed up and wobbled down the hall.  Cole ran behind her and helped her to the bathroom. 

"Lord, baby...are you okay?" his voice was frantic and worried.  "I'm going call Doc Percival, he's just right down the street."
  Sabrina nodded then walked into the bathroom and shut the door.  She didn't lock it in case she passed out again, which was a distinct possibility the way she was feeling right now.
  Hanging over the toilet, she took deep breaths trying to calm her stomach down.  When nothing happened, she leaned back against the wall and slid down the
cool tile, and closed her eyes, then put her head down on her knees.

A minute or two later, Cole burst into the ladies room and ran over to her dropping to his knees.  "How are you feeling, sugar?"

"A little better.  It's cooler in here," she mumbled into her knees. 

She fel
t his hand stroking her hair as he said,
"Doc Percival will be here in a few minutes," he told her then sat down beside her on the floor and took her hand.  A second lat
er he pushed up to his feet.  "
I'll be right back, you need some water. That'll help your stomach," he told her then ran out the bathroom door.

Cole came back in the door a moment later and handed her a cup with water in it.  She lifted her head then took
the cup
and drank it down.  The cool liquid did help soothe her pitching stomach a little.  She handed him the cup back and tried a smile.  "Thanks, sugar..."

The door behind Cole opened and a bald older man in a white coat came inside and smiled at her.  He set a black bag down on the sink, then knelt down to the floor in front of her. Cole stepped back and leaned against the wall.

"Hello, young lady...I'm Doc Percival.  What's your name?"
  The man's gray eyes moved over her face and then he lifted one eyelid and then the other looking deeply into her eyes.

"Sabrina Roberts," she told him weakly.

"So tell me what happened to you today, Sabrina," he said then put his fingers to her throat, feeling her pulse there.

"I own the Blue Bird and was in the kitchen cooking, and just got a little overheated, I think...I'm feeling a little better now," she told him then tried to get up and her stomach roiled again and she sat back down and put her hand over her mouth.

His eyes twinkled and he asked, "I understand you and Sheriff Jackson are engaged?"

Sabrina wondered what that had to do with his medical examination and looked at him curiously, but answered, "Yes, we're getting married next weekend."

"When is the last time you had your period?"

Sabrina quickly
figured out where he was going and she gasped and felt the blood rush from her face.  She closed her eyes and thought back then opened them and said, "I'm two weeks late."

"Are your breasts tender?" he asked her and she looked up at Cole and felt the blood rush back to her face.

"Yes, I noticed that the other day." Cole had too when he'd tried to touch her and she'd pulled back from him.

"I'd say that in all likelihood, you are pregnant, Sabrina."

Since that first slip up
,
it had been hit and miss as to whether they could keep their heads on straight and use a condom when they set each other on fire.
  She looked up at Cole again and he was grinning from ear to ear and his emerald eyes sparkled.

Sabrina groaned and put her hand to her forehead.  He was beside her in a split second and
put
his hand on her shoulder, his grin
had disappeared
and
worry filled his eyes again as he asked,
"You, feeling sick again, darlin'?"

She shook her head then told the doctor, "Thanks Doctor Percival.  I'll get a pregnancy test and find an
OB
doctor.  I'm new to town and haven't set all that up yet."

"Well, I delivered Cole here, but I'm not set up with all that new fancy technology, so I don't deliver anymore.  I have a few referrals I can give you though," he told her and smiled.

Cole
put his hands under her knees and behind her back then lifted her up into his arms and said, "Thanks, Doc.  I appreciate you coming over."

"Congratulations, Cole...and Sabrina," he said and
winked at her, then
picked his bag up off the sink then walked through the door.

Cole rained kisses over her hair then on her cheeks before he took her mouth and kissed her tenderly with so much emotion it made Sabrina's eyes well
.  He
pulled back and whispered near her ear, "Thank you,
baby."

She grinned and put her hand on his cheek, "No, thank you, darlin'.  I told you I'd be the happies
t woman in the world, and I am," she told him then wiggled in his arms.  "Now, put me down, I have to go back to work."

"No fucking way.  You're going home, and I'm going to get someone to fix that damned air conditioner.  You're not going back over there until it's fixed and cold as an igloo.
..and maybe not then.
"

Sabrina raised an eyebrow at his tone and said, "Is that right..."

She saw Cole mentally back up a few steps
,
then he rephrased, "I don't think you should go back today, darlin'.  It's too hot over there, and I don't want you passing out on me again
,
"
he told her then kissed her lips.

She smiled at him and ran her thumb over his lips, "Thank you for caring about me, Cole. I agree with you, I'll just go home and rest."

The thousand watt smile he gave her caused her heart to skip a beat.  He looked so proud of himself she wanted to laugh, but she didn't, instead she said, "Why don't you take the afternoon off too?  We could stop by the drug store on the way home and confirm what Doctor Percival suspects."

"That sounds like a great idea, darlin'.  Let me call Gabe and tell him I'll be out," he told her then gently eased her back to her feet and pulled out his phone.

"How're things working out with Gabe?" she asked with concern, wondering how her brother was fitting in with the Bowie Sheriff's office.

"Feels like he's been there for years...he's a perfect for the job," he told her and dialed then put the phone to his ear.

She'd only seen Gabe in passing
since he'd been in
Bowie
, and she'd been so exhausted when she got home in the evenings, she hadn't thought to ask Cole, until now.

Sabrina noticed he didn't mention she might be pregnant when he talked to her brother, and she was glad.  She wanted to confirm things first then tell her brother at the right moment.  When she'd gotten back from
Dallas
and he'd come to
Bowie
, she had asked him to call Wade and talk to him, and he had. 

Supposedly, Wade had calmed down and was a little more receptive to the idea of she and Cole getting married.  When he found out she was pregnant
though,
he'd probably blow a gasket
...
again
. 
So, s
he wanted to be sure about the pregnancy before she made Gabe step off into
that
with Wade
too
.
  Maybe she wouldn't even tell Wade, until it was obvious.  He wasn't around
Bowie
anyway...he was all
over the country with the rodeo, so he wouldn't know.