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 this 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.
“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.
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