Cole wasn’t trying to control her—he was letting her see his every vulnerability. This was what she’d been searching for. He was what she’d been searching for. “That’s why your brothers are here? To help you keep alookout?”
“Yeah, they don’t want you hurt any more than Ido.”
“And they know aboutyou?”
Clint and Carter had always been kind of wild, and she’d definitely heard rumors about their…sexualadventurousness.
Cole’s brows furrowed. “Aboutme?”
“You know…this—that you like to be in control sometimes.” Did she need to spell it out forhim?
Cole chuckled, his lips curling into the first real smile she’d seen from him yet. “Yes, they know I’m a dominant. They’re cool withit.”
Tomi felt the heat rise to her cheeks. And why was she blushing? It wasn’t like she didn’t know. “Oh, well, I guess that’s good then. Are they staying here, in thehouse?”
Cole shook his head. He shifted, leaning up onto his knees, and bracketed her with his hands on the mattress. “I told him they had to sleep in the bunkhouse. I was hoping for some privacy for you and me.” The scorching look he gave her left her with no doubt as to hisintentions.
“Such confidence,” she teased, melting more with each passingsecond.
“Not confidence,determination.”
“I need to know what’s going on. You promise to keep meinformed?”
“When it comes to anything that affects your life, I’ll tellyou.”
Tomi sucked in a breath, hope daring to flare inside her. If he could protect her, maybe he could protect Carrie. “Luis knew I was going to meet my friend in Mexico. He knew where we were staying. He might hurt her to get tome.”
Cole frowned. “Okay…”
“Can you find her? Maybe you have some contacts from the military? I need to know she’ssafe.”
Cole didn’t hesitate. “Done.”
The last specks of her resistance disappeared. “Then I’ll give you your threedays.”
12
Cole sat there for a moment,letting his mind process Tomi’s words. And then, without second-guessing himself, he lifted up and slanted his mouth across hers, taking her with the unrestrained hunger he felt whenever she was near. Tomi didn’t resist in the least—she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down on top of her. He was going to have to talk to her about trying to lead him around…after he satisfied hisneed.
“Cole,” she gasped when he broke the kiss. She tried to pull him back down to her again, but Cole resisted. No matter how much he wanted to shove her legs apart and bury himself inside her, he refused to make her first memory of their coupling that of a rushed quick screw. He dropped his head to her shoulder and inhaled her scent, savoring its sweetness. And then he shoved off the mattress and got to his feet, no longer kneeling before her but towering overher.
“Tell me your friend's name and where she’s staying.” Cole pulled a small notepad from his backpocket.
Tomi complied quickly and Cole wrote everything down and then stuffed the note pad back into his pocket. “I’ll take care of it. There’s a shower in there. It’s stocked with shampoo and conditioner—and all the other stuff you’ll need. Go use it. I’ll leave you some clothes on thebed.”
“W-what?”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “Do I need to repeatmyself?”
Tomi bounded off the bed and rushed into the bathroom before he could blink. He let his smile loose then, chuckling at her quick response to his command. She’d experimented some since him. And while the thought of her with anyone else made him insanely jealous, he was glad that she’d know exactly what a Dom expected. Cole waited until he heard the shower click on and then rifled through the bags of clothing Clint and Carter had left in theroom.
He used to dream about Tomi in white, but those dreams had changed with age and experience. Just like his tastes had. He longed for the bolder side of her—her fire, not her innocence. He wanted the real woman that was Tomi Tomlin now. Cole caught himself rubbing his hands in anticipation of seeing her in the outfit he’d chosen. He laid it out on the center of the bed, leaving absolutely no doubt as to what he wanted, and then left thebedroom.
He needed to getready.
* * *
Tomi rushed through the shower.She should have taken her time and tried to collect herself, but she was too eager. After quickly washing her hair and body, she got out, brushed her teeth, and then dried her hair with the small blow dryer packed neatly in the bottom drawer of the sink vanity. She wrapped the towel around herself and timidly peeped out the door, checking to see if Cole was still in the room. It wasempty.
