Chapter Nine
“We should have sex.”
Sienna threw a sidelong glance at Cole. Her stomach flipped up and down after she made the suggestion, like she was being pummeled by a tropical storm.
He stopped dead in his tracks, staring at the cobblestone walkway before them, and massaged a hand over the back of his neck. “Uh...do you have any context you want to offer with that suggestion?”
They were standing at the edge of sidewalk in front of Jase and Emily’s house. Sienna was about to spend an evening with her father and brother for the first time in twenty years. The thought made her terrified, and fear made her say stupid things.
“You want to, right?” she demanded, turning to face Cole.
He looked down, desire and amusement both clear in his gaze. “Yes, but I don’t think that’s the point at the moment.”
“No one has seen us yet. We could turn right around and drive back to your house.” She held up her hands like she was showing off the grand prize in a game show contest. As if she were the prize, when they both knew she was anything but at the moment.
The words coming out of her mouth sounded crazy to her own ears, but she couldn’t stop them. “Or we could get a hotel room. Not The Bumblebee. That would be weird with Paige there. Does Crimson have any rent-by-the-hour motels?”
He shook his head. “Not as far as I know.”
“Your place then.” She grabbed his hand and turned for the truck he drove when he wasn’t on duty.
Cole didn’t budge, and trying to get him to move was like tugging on a mountain.
“Sienna.”
“Is it yes or no?” She tried to pull her hand away from his when it was clear he wasn’t moving, but he held tight. “Because I could find someone else.”
She gave a little yelp as she was suddenly plastered against the hard front of Cole’s body. “No one else,” he said, his voice a gravelly purr. “But right now we’re having dinner at Jase’s house. A dinner you invited me to about eight minutes ago. We couldn’t be late and all that.”
“Changed my mind.”
“No.”
“Yes,” she insisted, letting her tone become peevish. “It’s my mind and I get to do with it what I want. Along with my body.”
“Duly noted,” he said, infinitely patient. “I told you, tonight is going to be fine.”
She bit down on her lip when a whimper threatened to escape. She swallowed and shook her head. “It’s not going to be fine. I shouldn’t be here. I should never have come in the first place. If they’d wanted to see me, they would have. It’s been two decades and—”
“Jase said he came to Chicago last year. You didn’t see him.”
She spread her fingers out along his chest, letting the heat of his body seep into her palms. Wanting to curl against him but forcing herself to take a step back in case anyone inside the house was looking. “He was there because my mom summoned him. No one refuses Dana Pierce.”
She sighed when Cole grimaced.
“I know I sound harsh,” she told him. “But that’s how my mom is about things. She’s in remission now, and I’m grateful but I couldn’t be a part of it at that time. And now...”
“Now is your chance.”
“These aren’t my people,” she said, feeling miserable and alone.
“I’m your person.”
“You’re Jase’s friend,” she countered, refusing to allow herself to hold on to his words the way her heart wanted to. “You said so yourself.”
“Tonight I’m yours.” He laced his fingers with hers and started forward. “I’ve got your back.”
She allowed him to lead her, knowing she wouldn’t be able to make her legs move if he wasn’t next to her.
