graceful riding and I doubt any of them will fall in the river. And then when I saw you walk in to the restaurant with that girl, I thought, 'well she looks more like who he should be with.' I'm not fit like them and..."
Cole interrupted, "Stop it. That's enough."
Claire gasped at the harsh sound in his voice. Her heart jumped to her throat. She had fucked up this relationship before it could get started.
Cole looked her dead in the eyes, "I'm not going to stand here and listen to this."
Claire's eyes filled with tears as she turned to hurry out of the barn, "I understand," she whispered.
A moment later, Cole caught her by the elbow and spun her around, "I'm not going to listen to anyone talk shit about you, not even if the words are coming out of your mouth. I can stand up for you against anyone - and I intend to - but I can't protect you from yourself. If you want to tear yourself apart, I can't stop you. You can see where that's got you, so you are going to have to figure out a way to trust that I am right when I tell you that you are beautiful, smart, fun and sexy as hell. You are also going to have to find a way to learn to trust me or this will never work. I'm not your ex. I have never fucked around on anyone and I would never do that to you. You are the only woman I want to be with, but if you push me away, I will go."
Claire stood in front of him, tears streaming down her face, "Okay," she nodded, "I'm a bit fucked up right now, but I'm not broken beyond repair. Do you think you can be patient with me while I work this out?"
Cole reached out, taking her hands in his, "That depends, Claire," he paused for a moment and looked at her with a little gleam in his eyes, "Are you going to finish your striptease for me or not? I couldn't think of anything else all afternoon."
Claire gave a little laugh through her tears, "You've got yourself a deal, Cowboy. Can I give you a rain check on it though? I'm still feeling really embarrassed, which would come through in my performance, making the whole thing awkward rather than sexy."
Cole nodded his head, "Good point. What if we just go back to my place to grab something to eat? I'm starving."
"Sounds perfect. I forgot you didn't have supper. I actually didn't eat either. There's leftover salmon in the fridge at the restaurant. Do you want to stop in and pick it up?"
"Mmmm, yes," Cole took her hand and the two walked over to the restaurant.
Chapter 19
Claire unlocked the door to the kitchen and flipped on the light by the backdoor, "Okay, let's get some food into you." She reheated the salmon and some rice, and put together a salad. Cole opened a bottle of wine from the cooler and poured two glasses. He took them into the seating area and lit some candles to brighten the nearly black room. He hooked up his phone to the stereo and selected a Coldplay album for background.
When Claire walked through with their plates, she stopped and smiled at him. How could he be so romantic after she had been such a shit earlier?
They ate quietly, both needing the nourishment after such an emotionally draining evening. Cole spoke up first, "This might be the best salmon I've ever eaten. Even if you weren't the sexiest woman on the planet, I would want you for the food alone."
Claire smiled at his compliment, "Well, thank you sir. I'd keep you around just to watch you eat."
When the meal was over, Claire got up to clear the table. Cole stood and took her hand.
"Come here," he said, taking her in his arms, he danced with her slowly to Fix You . He held his head low, so his cheek was touching her temple.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, tearing up again at his tenderness.
"It's over. Let's move on. It was a learning experience for both of us. It will be a long time before I try to shush you again," Cole said, looking down at her with wide, teasing eyes.
A loud laugh escaped Claire's mouth, "You learn
Cole interrupted, "Stop it. That's enough."
Claire gasped at the harsh sound in his voice. Her heart jumped to her throat. She had fucked up this relationship before it could get started.
Cole looked her dead in the eyes, "I'm not going to stand here and listen to this."
Claire's eyes filled with tears as she turned to hurry out of the barn, "I understand," she whispered.
A moment later, Cole caught her by the elbow and spun her around, "I'm not going to listen to anyone talk shit about you, not even if the words are coming out of your mouth. I can stand up for you against anyone - and I intend to - but I can't protect you from yourself. If you want to tear yourself apart, I can't stop you. You can see where that's got you, so you are going to have to figure out a way to trust that I am right when I tell you that you are beautiful, smart, fun and sexy as hell. You are also going to have to find a way to learn to trust me or this will never work. I'm not your ex. I have never fucked around on anyone and I would never do that to you. You are the only woman I want to be with, but if you push me away, I will go."
Claire stood in front of him, tears streaming down her face, "Okay," she nodded, "I'm a bit fucked up right now, but I'm not broken beyond repair. Do you think you can be patient with me while I work this out?"
Cole reached out, taking her hands in his, "That depends, Claire," he paused for a moment and looked at her with a little gleam in his eyes, "Are you going to finish your striptease for me or not? I couldn't think of anything else all afternoon."
Claire gave a little laugh through her tears, "You've got yourself a deal, Cowboy. Can I give you a rain check on it though? I'm still feeling really embarrassed, which would come through in my performance, making the whole thing awkward rather than sexy."
Cole nodded his head, "Good point. What if we just go back to my place to grab something to eat? I'm starving."
"Sounds perfect. I forgot you didn't have supper. I actually didn't eat either. There's leftover salmon in the fridge at the restaurant. Do you want to stop in and pick it up?"
"Mmmm, yes," Cole took her hand and the two walked over to the restaurant.
Chapter 19
Claire unlocked the door to the kitchen and flipped on the light by the backdoor, "Okay, let's get some food into you." She reheated the salmon and some rice, and put together a salad. Cole opened a bottle of wine from the cooler and poured two glasses. He took them into the seating area and lit some candles to brighten the nearly black room. He hooked up his phone to the stereo and selected a Coldplay album for background.
When Claire walked through with their plates, she stopped and smiled at him. How could he be so romantic after she had been such a shit earlier?
They ate quietly, both needing the nourishment after such an emotionally draining evening. Cole spoke up first, "This might be the best salmon I've ever eaten. Even if you weren't the sexiest woman on the planet, I would want you for the food alone."
Claire smiled at his compliment, "Well, thank you sir. I'd keep you around just to watch you eat."
When the meal was over, Claire got up to clear the table. Cole stood and took her hand.
"Come here," he said, taking her in his arms, he danced with her slowly to Fix You . He held his head low, so his cheek was touching her temple.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, tearing up again at his tenderness.
"It's over. Let's move on. It was a learning experience for both of us. It will be a long time before I try to shush you again," Cole said, looking down at her with wide, teasing eyes.
A loud laugh escaped Claire's mouth, "You learn
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