“Claiming me? Like what, I Tarzan you Jane sort of thing? Isn’t that sort of old fashioned?”
“I guess I’m old fashioned then.”
“I’ll say.”
“Regina.” His voice, like his touch, was firm and soothing at the same time. “Stop fighting this.”
“I have to fight,” I whispered. “If I don’t fight…I’ll give in completely.”
“That’s it, baby. That’s what I want.” He pulled me closer, into his arms. His lips found my ear. “Give in to me.”
“You don’t understand. I’m afraid I won’t be able to stop. Cole,” I pushed away from his chest to meet his eyes. “You’ve always been my weak spot.”
Excitement flared in his eyes. “Then let go and give us what we both want.”
“I’m scared.”
“Baby. You can trust me. You know that.”
I nodded, and let him hug me again. I’d never felt anything so good as Cole’s arms around me, his firm chest under my cheek.
“I’m going to take care of you,” he said. “You know I will.”
“I do. I just don’t know why you’d want to.”
“Because you’re mine.” His hands slid up and down my back, setting every nerve afire. “You were always mine.”
9
Cole’s phone rang, breaking the spell between us.
He groaned. “I have to take this.”
I rolled out of bed as soon as he left the room, and went to the mirror. My ass was as red as expected, but not bruised…yet. All in all, it wasn’t as bad as I thought.
You were always mine.
Cole’s words echoed through my head. Did they mean what I thought they did? Or was he just stating the obvious? Of course I belonged to him. But was he mine?
The answer to that question would either break me, or set me up for life. Either way, fear gripped me.
Miserable, I crawled back into bed. I was so in love with him I couldn’t breathe. It overwhelmed me. This whole week I’d done everything on his stupid list. I scrubbed the man’s toilet for godssake, and felt blissfully happy. If that wasn’t love, I don’t know what is.
Did he reciprocate? Was all this business of “claiming me” teasing? Just a game to him? He had everything handed to him on a platter. Worse, he didn’t take it for granted. He worked hard. He was the finest, most upstanding citizen of Licking Hole, maybe even the entire state.
And I belonged in jail.
Cole’s voice echoed down the hall and I settled back on my side of the bed.
It wouldn’t work. The sheriff and the screw up. The golden boy and the girl from the wrong side of the tracks.
Cole finished his call and returned to the bedroom. “Regina?”
I didn’t answer. I lay on my side with my eyes squeezed shut, pretending to sleep.
After a moment, he lay down and fell asleep beside me. I let my breath out then, a quiet whine against the hurt I felt in my chest. Lying next to a man, knowing he could never love me—the pain of the punishment had nothing on this.
* * *
