“Can’t give you that,” he answeredimmediately.
“Why the hell not?” I demanded.
“Waited thirty years for you. I’m donewaiting,” he whispered, his breath warm on my ear, making me shiver. “Baby, I’mgoing to act like a jackass sometimes. We’re still getting to know each other. Andneither one of us has had a healthy relationship to learn from before. Butwe’re going to learn how to do this together. So no, I can’t give you space.What I can give you is a promise that I will try my damnedest not to hurt youand to handle you with care. I’ll protect you with everything I’ve got, and I’mnot going to hold back who I am – not even if it might protect you in theshort term. Because in the long term, it’ll break us down,” he saidemphatically. “That’s what happened the other night and I learned from it. Ineed to find a balance between not scaring the shit out of you but also notburying shit so deep that it festers,” he mused. “It’s just not something I’veever had to consider before.”
“What were you holding back?” I askedturning to face him, his blue eyed gaze mere inches from mine.
He sighed. “I’d already had a fairlyloose hold of my temper since this whole bullshit started, but when you told meabout what those fuckers did to you and what they tried to do...”he trailed offas his jaw got tight. “I had to bottle that shit so tight, I’ve never feltanything like it,” he explained.
I nodded, biting my lip and looking away.
“Hey,” he said quietly, tilting mychin back toward him. “I’m glad you told me. Ineededfor you to tell me. I don’t ever want you to keep shit likethat from me,” he told me vehemently.
“Even if it means you can’t look atme?” I croaked out, my eyes filling with tears. God, I was so tired of crying.
“Baby, it was neveryouI couldn’t face,” he replied. “Ifucked up, I’m sorry,” he said, his eyes burning with sincerity.
I looked at this man who had puteverything on the line for me. Who made me feel things I never knew I could--wholoved me with a ferocity that I never thought I’d experience. I knew with thatkind of intensity that I’d occasionally get burned. But Cole had made merealize that I’d rather be in the fire than out in the cold.
“Okay,” I replied quietly.
He kissed me then, slow and sweet. Mymouth opened under his and my limbs liquefied as his tongue brushed with mine.I’d missed him more than I wanted to admit.
He squeezed me tight. “Come home.”
“Home?” I asked dubiously.
He rolled his eyes. “My place, babe.”
“Oh, right.”
“Are you not comfortable at my place?”he asked with a raised brow.
My eyes slid to the side as I debatedhow to answer him. There wasn’t anything wrong with his place, but for the timebeing it represented the fact that I couldn’t go home. I decided to keep thispiece of information to myself, though.
“No, its fine. I just miss my place, mythings,” I murmured.
“I want you to feel comfortable, bringwhatever you want over. Hell, redecorate for all I care,” he said with a chuckle.
“That’s not necessary,” I scoffed,wincing slightly as I shifted to my back.
He leaned up over me, his rough handslightly tracing my face. “Your bruise looks much better,” he murmured, gazingdown at me tenderly.
“Yeah,” I agreed quietly.
“How about the rest?”
I didn’t miss the double meaning ofhis words. “Getting there,” I told him honestly.
“Your strength completely slays me,”he whispered. My eyes opened in shock. “You completely beguile me, my littlewarrior,” he said as he kissed me softly.
Well that was pretty damn amazing. “Let’sget up and get you back to my place. I’ve been ornery as all hell not havingyou with me,” he admitted.
Selfishly, I sort of loved that.
I took a quick shower, redressed mywounds, and put on the clothes that Kat had thrown together for me. I leftConnie a note thanking her profusely for putting me up. Cole loaded his truckup with my things and I marveled at his ability to get me back so quickly, yetagain. The man had my number that was for sure.
“When’s the last time you ate?” heasked as he fired the truck up, looking over at me.
