Cole (The Ride Series) by Megan O'Brien

Sal. There was definitely a story to be told there and I was
looking forward to the distraction.
    I lay in bed trying to collect myself
for a few minutes when Cole returned, already showered and dressed. He leaned
over me with a hand on either side of me, kissing me soundly. He smelled like
soap and Cole. I breathed him in.
    “I gotta go
babe, shit to do,” he explained.
    “Okay, I’ll call you after work,” I
said sleepily.
    His brow wrinkled for a moment and
something flashed in his eyes before he sighed. “Call your boss, take some time
off,” he directed in that bossy way of his that drove me crazy.
    “What? No,” I said as I shook my head,
suddenly more awake.
    “Were you not here last night?” he
demanded. “Until this fucker is dealt with you’re not going to give him an invitation
to get near you,” he said, his voice low and intense.
    “Well I couldn’t be around many more
people than when I’m at work,” I retorted. We stared at each other for a few
minutes and I softened when I saw how worried he was. “I have bills to pay,
honey,” I explained. “I’m not going to hide away for God knows how long. I
promise to be careful, but I still have to live my life,” I said, putting a
hand on his cheek and grazing it gently down to his neck where I could feel his
pulse. “I’m going to go to the gym, too. I’ll go stir crazy otherwise,” I
explained.
    “If I can’t take you home, promise me
you’ll wait until somebody from the club collects you,” he ordered. “From anywhere
you go,” he added.
    I was tempted to quip that I really
couldn’t picture Wes or Sal jogging next to me on a treadmill, but I decided to
bite my tongue.
    “Cole!” I protested.
    “No, darlin ’.”
He shook his head. “Even that’s less than I’m comfortable with. You agree to
that or you get chained to the bed.”
    Something about those words sent an
unexpected thrill through me. “Chained to the bed?” I smiled seductively. “That
sounds fun,” I said, biting my lower lip.
    His eyes dilated in response and he
groaned. “Shit, I really have to go. Otherwise I’d stay and play, baby.”
    “Damn,” I muttered.
    He leaned in and kissed me, closed
mouth. If he let it become more we both knew he’d never leave. And with that,
he shoved off the bed and stalked from the room. I heard him set the alarm and
soon after his bike roared off.
    Kat came home as I was finishing up in
the shower.
    “Spill!” I exclaimed after I’d thrown
some clothes on and she was flopped on my bed.
    “Oh God, Scar, I am in trouble,” she
groaned.
    I laughed knowing the feeling all too
well.
    “I take it you had fun?” I asked and
cocked a brow at her.
    “He’s so fucking hot,” she sighed. “I
didn’t plan on spending the night at his place, but Cole called and said it
probably wasn’t a good idea for me to come home. Which I want to hear about, by
the way,” she noted.
    “Later,” I said dismissively. I was so
tired of my shit. I wanted to talk about someone else. “So what happened?”
    “We stayed at the bar for another
drink and we just hit it off,” she sighed dreamily. “Then after he talked to
Cole he took me to his place and we watched movies and made out,” she said as
she giggled.
    I smiled, happy for her.
    “He was a perfect gentleman, until I
forced him not to be,” she said.
    “Good for you,” I said.
    “He is amazing in bed, Scar. Like
AMA-zing,” she emphasized.
    I nodded knowing all too well what she
meant.
    “He’s having a thing at his house
tonight, you’re coming,” she said, pointing a finger at me.
    “I’ll see if the warden will allow
it,” I muttered.
    “What’s going on?” she asked.
    I sighed and gave her a brief recap of
Henry’s visit.
    “God, Cole must want to kill that
bastard,” she said when I was done.
    “He’s not pleased,” I agreed.
    “What about you, how are you?” she
asked, concerned.
    “I’ve been better,” I admitted. “All
the more reason for