Ezra nodded slowly, his grin faltering as his eyes lingered on Cole.Something unspoken passed between them–a silent, charged exchange.Then, as if breaking through an invisible barrier, Ezra’s voice dropped.“Dale’s death anniversary is coming up, isn’t it?”
Cole shot to his feet, his chair scraping loudly against the floor.“It’s late,” he said brusquely.“Ezra needs to go.”
Ignoring him, Ashley turned to Ezra, her brow furrowing.“Really?When is it?”
“Tomorrow,” Ezra said softly, his tone almost reverent.“September 6th.It’ll be exactly a decade since the accident, but Cole already knows that.I wonder why you don’t.”
Ashley froze the words settling heavily in the space between them.September 6th.Tomorrow.Her gaze flicked to Cole, who had gone rigid in his chair, his grip tightening around his glass.Suddenly, the pieces clicked together with an almost audible snap.He wasn’t just visiting Margaret.He was going to see her on Dale’s anniversary.
The realization sent a wave of heat through her chest–shock, embarrassment, and something sharper she couldn’t quite name.
“I find it interesting you’re having ababytogether and she still doesn’t have a clue who you truly really are, Cole,” Ezra added, visibly worked up.
“Enough!”Cole barked, his voice sharp and unyielding.“Ezra, a word.”
Without waiting for a response, Cole strode toward the living room, tension radiating from every step.Ezra hesitated, glancing at Ashley, who sat frozen, her expression a mix of confusion and hurt.
Ezra stood, offering her a faint, apologetic smile before following Cole out.Left alone at the table, Ashley felt tears prick her eyes.Her hands trembled as she clasped them tightly in her lap, her thoughts spiraling.
She knew the man she’d been with for the last five years, didn’t she?
CHAPTER5
The bedroom was dim, the only light spilling in from the hallway where Cole had lingered after seeing Ezra out.Ashley sat on the edge of the bed, her hands clasped tightly in her lap, her thoughts a whirlwind of hurt and unanswered questions.She’d barely looked at him when he’d walked in, his tall frame casting a long shadow as he leaned against the doorframe.
“Ashley,” he began softly, his voice steady but cautious.“You’re upset.”
Her gaze snapped to him, her hazel eyes sharp.“Upset?”she echoed, her voice trembling.“Upset doesn’t even begin to cover it, Cole.Ezra–your best friend–just implied that I don’t know you well enough to be having your child.And you let him say it.”
Cole closed the door behind him, his movements deliberate, his gray eyes never leaving hers.“He shouldn’t have said that,” he admitted, his voice low.“But he doesn’t know us.Not really.”
She let out a bitter laugh, standing abruptly.“Doesn’t he?Because from where I’m standing, Ezra knows things about you that I don’t even have a clue about.Your brother, Dale.The anniversary of his death–he had to be the one to tell me that.Not you.”
Cole took a step closer, but she raised a hand, stopping him.“What else don’t I know, Cole?How much of you have I married without ever really knowing?How much of you have you kept locked away?”
He stilled, his jaw tightening, the muscles in his forearms flexing as he clenched his fists at his sides.“You do know me, Ashley,” he said finally, his tone firm but measured.
“Do I?”she challenged, her voice breaking slightly.“Because right now, it doesn’t feel like it.”
Cole exhaled, running a hand through his hair before stepping closer.This time, she didn’t stop him.“You know me better than anyone ever has,” he said, his voice softening.“Better than Ezra, better than anyone.And I can prove it.”
Ashley crossed her arms, her expression skeptical.“Go ahead.”
“You know I can’t stand silence when I’m working, but I need absolute quiet when I sleep,” Cole began, his voice low, his gray eyes locked on hers.“You’ve noticed how I drum my fingers against my thigh when I’m about to say something I don’t want to admit.And you know I won’t drink coffee unless it’s strong enough to paralyze a normal human.”
Ashley blinked, the sharpness in her gaze faltering as he stepped closer.
“You know when I need space before I even realize it myself.When my mind gets loud, and I retreat, you never push.You just leave the deadly strong coffee on the counter and wait for me to come back to you.”His voice dropped, rough with emotion.“You always wait.”
She swallowed, her lips parting to argue, but the words slipped away as his hand found her waist, pulling her just close enough to feel his warmth.
“You know that when I kiss the inside of your wrist, it’s not because I’m trying to be sweet–it’s because I know it drives you mad.”His voice dipped lower, brushing over her skin like a touch.“And you know when I run my hands down your back, just so it’s not an accident.It’s because I know the sound you’ll make when I reach your hips.”
Her breath hitched, her knees weakening as he leaned closer, his lips brushing just above her ear.“Don’t tell me you don’t know me, Ashley.You know everything that matters.Everything.”
Her breath caught, her chest tightening with an ache she couldn’t name.She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came.
Cole took her silence as permission and lifted her hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to her knuckles.“And I know you too,” he murmured, his voice softening, “more than you realize.”
