Love, Again, page 10
Heart racing, I nodded. “I agree.”
He looked down at our clasped hands. “I want to see you tomorrow night, Bree.”
“What do you have in mind?” I trembled when his eyes met mine.
“You’ll see. How about I pick you up after I leave the station tomorrow? I have a twenty-four-hour shift that starts in a couple of hours, and then I have forty-eight hours off.”
It was the same kind of schedule he worked all those years ago. “Okay,” I murmured. “I’ll be ready.”
We stared at each other, and I could tell he wanted to kiss me by the way his gaze landed on my lips, but the roar of Bennett’s truck broke the trance. He slowly let my hands go, and smiled. “See ya tomorrow.”
I walked to the edge of the porch and joined Emilia as the guys drove away. We both sighed, then looked at each other and laughed. “We’re in trouble, aren’t we?” she said.
Nodding, I watched as Cole’s taillights faded in the distance. “You have no idea.”
Chapter 14
Cole
“What’s up, fucker?” Devon shouted as I walked through the station doors. He was by the firetruck, going through a bag of medical supplies, while Kevin was inside the truck. We all played football together. I was the quarterback, and they were two of the best defensive linemen. They were the tallest and biggest on the team. By the sneaky grin on Devon’s face, I had a feeling all the guys knew. Most of the men I worked with grew up with Aubrey and me. They knew our past, and everything that’d happened before.
I walked over to Devon, and Kevin nodded from inside the truck. “Morning, Haywood. Did you have a good weekend?”
Gaze narrowed, I glared at him and Devon. “Spit it out, assholes. What do you want to know?”
Devon snickered and patted my shoulder. “Dude, you gotta tell us about Aubrey. We heard she’s back in town.”
“You heard right.”
Kevin moved closer. “Is it true that Emilia Hart is here too? If she is, I want to meet her.”
“So do I,” Devon cut in. “You can’t keep them all to yourself.”
“Who all knows about this?”
They turned to each other and chuckled. “Uh…everybody,” Devon replied. “Aubrey and Emilia have been the talk of the town. They’re fucking famous, man.”
I slapped a hand on both of their shoulders. “Sorry, boys. Aubrey asked me to keep you guys in line. If any of you show up at her house uninvited, I’ll kick your ass. This is your first and only warning.”
Kevin snorted. “Dude, that’s not fair. How can Aubrey do this to us? All we want is to catch up with her.”
That made me laugh. “Yeah, and to hit on her friend who happens to be an A-list movie star. She wants to keep a low profile while she’s here. And anyway, you’re too late with Emilia. She chose Bennett.”
Their mouths gaped, and I burst out laughing as I carried my bag into our sleeping quarters, which was similar to a dorm room with bunk beds. Devon’s and Kevin’s groans echoed through the station, both of them whining about not getting to meet Emilia. Thinking about Bennett and Emilia, I just hoped and prayed like hell that she wouldn’t up and leave him. I had to believe Bennett knew what he was doing.
Opening my bag, I pulled out my running shorts so I could work out. So far, there wasn’t much going on in Dusty Valley. We rarely had any life-threatening tragedies that happened in our small town. Most of those instances were in other states, mainly when we battled wildfires. I was always one of the first to sign up and go.
“Haywood!” Chief Brody shouted. I turned around and he stopped at the door when he noticed me. “Ah, there you are. I need to talk to you.” He nodded toward the hall. “My office.”
I tossed my shorts onto my bag and followed him to his office. For someone in his early sixties, he was in excellent shape. Only his gray hair hinted at his age. “Everything all right, Chief?” I asked.
He shut the door behind us, but I remained standing while he walked over to his window that overlooked the parking lot. “Everything’s fine, son. I wanted to give you the good news.” I raised my brows, and he smiled when he turned to me. “I’m retiring at the end of the year.”
“Congratulations, Chief.”
Chuckling, he rummaged through all the paperwork on his desk. “Thank you. You wouldn’t believe all the shit I have to do before then.”
I laughed with him. “I bet. What are you going to do when you retire?”
He blew out a sigh. “Things I never had the time to do before. My wife wants to travel, so we’ll probably be going from place to place for a while.” That reminded me of Aubrey. She was lucky to be able to travel the world whenever she wanted. It made me realize I didn’t want to wait until I retired to be able to do those things.
I held out my hand. “That’s amazing, sir. One day I hope to be able to do that.”
Chief Brody shook my hand. “I’m sure you will. However, this brings me to why I needed to speak to you. As assistant chief, you’ll have to step up and take over at the beginning of the year. Is that something you’re still interested in?”
My grip tightened on his hand. I’d worked my way up the ladder for ten years. “Hell yeah, Chief. I’m more than ready.”
His grin widened. “Good. I have faith in you.” He nodded toward the door. “You’re free to go.”
I walked out and leaned against the door. My time had finally come.
Chapter 15
Aubrey
Emilia and I had worked in the house all day, getting everything cleaned and put away. It was strange being in my old bedroom last night, and hearing the crickets as they chirped all night. Everything was so quiet. I had the best sleep I’d had in a long time.
Emilia was on the couch when I came down the stairs, dressed in a simple pink T-shirt and denim shorts. She whistled at me and giggled. “Don’t you look cute. Where’s Cole taking you?”
I’d opted for a pair of jeans and a sleeveless denim top with my old cowgirl boots. I looked at her and shrugged. “No clue. He said it was a surprise.” A truck rumbled in the driveway, but it didn’t sound like Cole’s. Emilia perked up and closed her eyes, blowing out slow, steady breaths. “Are you okay?” I asked.
She opened her eyes and nodded. “Just nervous. We’re ordering takeout from Mathie’s and watching movies here.”
Bennett knocked on the screen door, and I motioned for him to come in. He smiled, and there was something about the way he looked over at Emilia that warmed my heart. Maybe it was the twinkle in his eyes. The Haywood brothers had a way of making women feel special.
Opening his arms, Bennett hugged me tight. “Cole was right behind me. You two have fun tonight.”
“You too.” I let him go and waved at Emilia. “I’ll see you later.”
Bennett snorted. “Whatever you say, Bree. I, of all people, know what goes on when you and Cole are alone with each other.”
He flopped down on the couch beside Emilia, and she tried to hide her smile. “They do have a lot of tension, don’t they?”
I held up a hand. “All right, that’s enough. Why don’t you two find something else to talk about other than my sex life.”
Emilia shrugged. “Sweetie, you don’t have a sex life.”
Bennett moved his lips close to her ear, but I could hear everything he said. “Neither does Cole.”
They both chuckled, and my cheeks flamed. Cole knocked on the door and opened it, dressed in a pair of jeans and a light blue polo shirt. He noticed my reddened face and lifted his brows. “Did I miss something?”
Bennett and Emilia burst out laughing, but I grabbed his arm and led him outside. “Nothing at all. Let’s go.” He smelled like he’d just gotten out of the shower. I recognized the scent of his soap. Cole opened the passenger-side door, and I hopped in. “Can you tell me where we’re going?”
He shook his head. “Not yet.” From the tenseness in his shoulders, I detected a little nervousness in him. My stomach clenched as he closed the door. When he got in, he released a heavy sigh and led us on the way.
“Should I be nervous too?” I asked.
His gaze shot to mine. “Who says I’m nervous?”
I pursed my lips. “Seriously? I may have been gone the past ten years, but I’m not blind. I can tell when something’s on your mind.”
“You were always able to see right through me. I hated it.”
I smiled, and turned my focus to the road. “It was a good thing we could read each other so well.”
“But yet,” he murmured regretfully, “we were blind when it came to the end.”
I had no clue what to say to that. He was right. Maybe our insecurities were our downfall. I’d loved him so fiercely for so long, I don’t see how he could’ve ever doubted it when I chose to leave.
We headed down the road toward the part of the Haywood land that belonged to Cole. My nerves were all over the place. Was I ready to be alone with him at his house? There were way too many memories there. I’d wanted to ride by his home when I got into town, but there was no way to do that without being seen. Before I left town, Cole had a small house all to himself. His parents had built it for him, and gave it to him as a graduation present. It was perfect for a bachelor, but we always knew we wanted a big family. That was why we designed a much larger house to have built when we were married.
“I guess we’re going to your house?” I said, hoping I didn’t sound nervous.
Cole’s grip tightened on the steering wheel, and he kept his eyes on the long driveway. “We are.”
We were surrounded by wheat fields, but the closer we got to his house, the more I could see how much it’d changed. There wasn’t just his old house on the land, but a much larger one…and one I clearly recognized. Cole parked the truck and remained silent while I took it all in. I’d always wanted a log-style home, and that was just what it was. It looked exactly like the drawings the architect drew for us all those years ago.
“It’s beautiful,” I whispered. A tear slipped down my cheek, and I wiped it away. “I didn’t think you’d build it after I left.” I couldn’t bring myself to look at him just yet.
Cole sighed. “A part of me always thought you’d come back. Building it reminded me of you. Guess I couldn’t really let you go.” I opened the door and slid out. The house had a wraparound porch, just like my parents’ house. It was one of the things I had to have. Cole came up beside me, our arms slightly touching. “Want to go inside?”
Words seemed to fail me so I nodded. I followed him inside, and my breath got taken away. It was exactly how I pictured it when Cole and I told the architect what we wanted. High vaulted ceilings in the living room, and windows all around to give the house natural light. It was modern, yet rustic and homey.
I circled around to take it all in. “It’s beautiful,” I said in awe.
Cole smiled. “It’s exactly the way you wanted it.”
A part of me wondered what I’d be like if I’d stayed and we had a big family like we’d planned. Would I be happy? Would I regret not following my dreams? Seeing Cole again, and being inside what was going to be our house, made me question everything. Suddenly, winning a gazillion awards and making movies didn’t mean so much anymore. What I left behind, and the years I lost, did.
* * *
—
Cole made us some bison burgers while I put together a salad and some fried potatoes as our sides. We ate outside on the back deck, overlooking the pool, and told each other stories of the things we’d done over the years. He was interested to know what it was like to direct a movie, and I happily walked him through it. I’d love to be able to take him to Hollywood so he could see what it was like, but I was too afraid to mention it. Maybe it’d open up more wounds.
The sun had disappeared from the sky, leaving only pink and orange traces behind the clouds. It was serene.
“Does it bother you being here?” Cole asked, grabbing my attention.
Finishing off the last of my wine, I met his gaze. “Surprisingly, no. Although it does remind me of the life I used to have.”
“I didn’t bring you here to make you sad, or to shove all of this in your face.”
“Oh, I know,” I said quickly, seeing the concern on his face. “I never once thought that.”
He focused on his beer. “So we’ve talked about what we’ve done the past few years, but we haven’t said what’s really on our minds.” His eyes lifted to mine, and my heart stopped. There were so many things I wanted to say, and if I told him, I’d be baring the deepest parts of my soul. Was I ready for that? Was I ready to tell him I was still in love with him?
Grabbing my plate, I stood and stepped away from the table. “Um…I’m going to take this inside before it draws bugs.”
Cole cautiously held out a hand. “Bree, wait.” I hurried inside and placed my plate in the sink. My chest was so tight I couldn’t catch my breath, at least not until Cole’s soothing hands rested on my shoulders. He slid them down my arms and pulled me in close, the stubble on his chin tickling the side of my neck. Instantly, my body relaxed.
Placing my hands over his, I pulled his arms in tighter. “It’s been too long since you’ve held me like this.”
A low growl rumbled in his chest. “It has. Now that you’re here, I don’t think I can let you go.”
His arms loosened so I could turn and face him, eyes boring into mine as I wrapped my arms around his neck. “That’s the last thing I want.”
My gaze dropped to his lips, and he moved closer. “What do you want, Bree?”
“I want you,” I whispered. “I know I don’t deserve a second chance, but—”
His lips closed over mine before I could even finish. The feelings that shot through me were like fire and electricity coursing through my veins. It was so powerful I thought I’d explode. His mouth was warm, his tongue demanding as he tasted me. I could barely breathe from him holding me so tight, but I didn’t care. It was raw and powerful, just like my feelings for him.
Gripping my face with his strong hands, he broke the kiss and placed his forehead to mine. I rubbed my hips against his, and he groaned. “I want you too, Bree. Fuck, I’ve wanted you my whole life. I can’t let you go this time.” He kissed me again. “I love you too damn much.”
The breath whooshed out of my lungs, and I gasped. He loved me. That was all I needed to hear. I looked up into his heat-filled gray eyes. “I love you too.”
Those words were all it took to spark the fire that had been burning between us since the moment I saw him. I wanted to feel him inside me, to feel his hands touch all the places that had craved him relentlessly.
Picking me up in his arms, he set me on the kitchen counter, never once taking his lips away from mine. His fingers dug into my waist, and I bit his lip, sucking it between my teeth. The passion in his gray gaze made my whole body tremble. He nuzzled my neck, pushing my hair out of the way so he could kiss his way up my jaw. Tilting my head to the side, I moaned and closed my eyes. Goosebumps raced across my skin and I shivered, leaning against him to steal some of his warmth. He chuckled in my ear and pressed his hard cock against my stomach, lightly thrusting it up and down.
“I want more,” I murmured breathlessly. “You have no idea how much I need you right now.”
A deep, satisfied laugh echoed from his lips. “Don’t worry, I’ll give you more.” Lifting me up in his arms, I squealed as he squeezed the back of my thighs and carried me down the hall. “It’s been a long time for me, love. I promise I’ll make it up to you if—”
I pressed a finger to his lips. “Trust me, it’s not going to take much for me either. We have all night.” I knew the second he entered me I’d explode. He opened the door to the bedroom, and the next thing I knew I was on the bed, Cole’s body burying me into the mattress.
I thrust my hips against him and he groaned, trailing his kisses up and down my neck. “Do I need a condom? If you’re worried about something else, you should know I’m okay.”
Never once had we used one when we were together. I loved the feel of his skin against mine. He brushed my hair to the side, and I looked up at him. “I’m on birth control, Cole. We’re good.” The hungered look in his eyes darkened.
Sliding his fingers under my shirt, Cole lifted it over my head and threw it on the floor. He moaned deep in his chest when he gazed down at me with his sexy gray eyes, licking his lips. Kissing the mounds of my breasts, he lowered the fabric over one and began to suck on my taut, sensitive nipple while reaching behind me to unclasp my bra. I wanted to feel him inside me, to satiate the craving between my legs.
Already my body responded to his touch and I was achingly wet, so close to letting go. Fumbling with his jeans, I tried desperately to get them undone. Cole helped me out, kicking them off once I had them undone. I took him in my hands and squeezed, pumping him up and down.
“Fuck, that feels good,” he groaned, pushing himself into my palm. “Don’t stop.”
Harder and faster, I stroked his length, enjoying the contented rumble in his chest. His fingers deftly unbuttoned my pants and he slid them down my legs. I moved up the bed and he covered me, spreading my legs wide with his knees. He kissed me gently at first, then harder as he pushed his fingers inside me. Gasping from the sensations, I opened wider for him, loving the sound of his satisfied moans.
“Harder,” I begged, rolling my hips with his movements.
Moving faster and harder, I tightened around his fingers. He bit down on my lip and sucked as I cried out in pleasure, riding the waves of my orgasm. Slowly, he rubbed my sensitive clit with his thumb and swirled his fingers in the wetness between my legs. Keeping his gaze on mine, he traced my nipples with my desire, leaving wet trails in his wake. Then he bent down and sucked them both greedily. I could feel his arousal pressing closer to my opening, and as soon as he pushed the tip in, I gasped.
