CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Lori
Standing in the foyer with Cole’s hands on my body, his breath a warm trickle on my cheek, I feel like this is déjà vu of the night we met, only instead of a spanking, he’s asking for more. That spanking had been a getaway, a daring night that had no consequences until now. Going home with him has consequences. It means I’m sleeping with my boss. It means my career and my love life become tied together. Nevertheless, Cole really does feel like everything I have ever wanted in one perfect package. I want to say yes. I want to know where this goes, but right when I’m about to throw caution to the wind, just when I open my mouth to say yes, heavy footsteps head in our direction.
“You’re coming home with me,” Cole says, as if he’s read my unspoken answer, and he’s unwilling to allow me to change my mind. With that command, and it is a command, he releases me, and puts a good two steps between us.
Desperate to appear professional, I quickly say, and not quietly, “Did you want to go over that cheat sheet I emailed you for the party guests?”
“Not necessary,” Cole says, his lips giving a sexy little curve as he adds, “I’ll have you by my side keeping me in check, I’m sure.”
I’m still way too warm and ready for this man, and that is not good considering Reese rounds the corner. “That client I told you I was on the fence about,” he says, focused on Cole. “He wants to meet for coffee this morning.”
Cole motions to his clothes. “We’re not dressed for a meeting. He can’t come to the party?”
“If this guy is innocent, I want to help him,” he says. “But something is holding me back. I’d like to give him some time. I told him we’re on our way to run. He doesn’t care about how we’re dressed.”
“All right then,” Cole says. “Let’s do it.” He looks at me. “I’ll pick you up for the party at six.”
“I would say that won’t be necessary,” I say quickly, eager to sidestep any idea of this man coming to my crap apartment, a reminder that we are not equals. We are not the same. We are not right now. “Cat is never going to let me leave in time to change at home.” And because he’s obviously going to ask about my change of clothes, I reluctantly head him off with, “And I’m wearing one of her dresses anyway.”
His expression doesn’t shift, but I feel the probe in his stare. “All right then,” he says, this time to me before he glances at Reese. “We headed out now?”
“We are,” Reese says, glancing at me. “Take care of my girl.”
“You know I will.”
“I do, actually,” he says. “And I appreciate it.”
With that, they head to the door and disappear. The minute the door shuts, I breathe out, and not with relief. Those two just suck all the air in the room and you have to hold onto what you have. Like I need to hold on with Cole, but I’m not sure if that means hold onto him or hold onto my determination to not be “that” girl sleeping with her boss.
Right now though, Cat needs me and Lord only knows I owe her the world in friendship and support. She is fast becoming a sister. I round the corner and quickly make my way to the kitchen. I find her at the island, frowning at her computer screen.
“It sucks,” she says.
“Are we doing this again?” I ask, crossing to grab my coffee that is now cold.
“We never stopped doing this,” she says.
I stick my coffee in the microwave. “Have you found another assistant?” I ask. “Because being overwhelmed has to be part of this.”
“No,” she says. “I can’t find anyone worth hiring.”
“Tell me about it,” I say, grabbing my coffee and joining her again. “I’m looking for an assistant for Cole. Do you want me to keep an eye out for you, too?”
“Yes, please,” she says, setting her MacBook aside. “I don’t know how this city is this populated and we have no one worth hiring.”
“Just use me until you find someone,” I say, sipping my coffee.
Her rejection is instant. “I’m not going to do that to you. You have a new boss and a new career.”
And a whole lot more, I think. “How close are you to done with the book?” I ask, setting her up for my next point I plan to make.
“A few chapters,” she says, “but it’s not right. I know when it’s not right.”
“A new assistant can’t learn and help at this late stage,” I say. “It makes sense for me to help. I love this project. I want to help.”
Her expression is conflicted. “I’ll pay you.”
“You already paid me,” I say. “With help and friendship in all kinds of ways.” I key my MacBook to life. “Did you send me the file?”
“Not yet,” she says, but she makes no move to do so now. Instead, she just looks at me.
“What?”
“I’m waiting to hear the real scoop on you and Cole.”
“Why did I know this was going to be an issue today?” I ask, buying time to think. I want to tell her, desperately want to tell her, but Cat is married to Reese, and this feels like it needs to be between me and Cole; at least for now.
“You and Cole are throwing flames together. I’ve never seen either of you charge a room in the presence of another person you aren’t even touching.”
I don’t deny the truth. I might not tell Cat everything but I’m not lying to her. “Okay. Fine. We have a little spark.”
“Not little,” she says. “A big, big flame. What’s the real story with you two?”
“We aren’t going to work until we get past this, are we?”
“Nope. Not a chance in hell. And why wouldn’t you tell me? We’re fast becoming like sisters.”
She’s right. We are, and I love her to pieces. I just don’t want to lie to her or ignore Cole’s right to privacy either. “I literally ran into him outside your building a few months back,” I say, giving her something, and a portion of the truth, at that. “I dropped my garment bag in the process and he helped me pick it up,” I add. “He asked me out for coffee and I declined and now he’s my boss. Neither of us knew until we saw each other at the office.”
“Oh wow,” she says. “How weird was that for you and him?”
“Actually, it’s fine. We talked about it and we’re past it.”
“Yes, but you’re not. You have chemistry with him. I can’t believe you turned him down when he asked you out just based on that alone. Not to mention the fact that he’s an incredible guy and so good-looking, and you never date. I mean, my God, you should have at least made that one night stand with him, not some other guy.”
She’s obviously trying to find out if Cole was my one night stand, and I’m not going there. It’s not my secret alone. “How would that work?” I ask, sticking to the day I’ve admitted to meeting Cole. “Hey, sexy stranger. I just finished a job, have another to go to before I check on my sick mother, but about eleven I could pencil you and I in for sexy time.”
She crinkles her nose. “You could have at least gone for coffee.”
“Come on, Cat. I couldn’t think about a one night stand at that point in time. And what if it had become more? A girl like I was then, struggling, with no money, is either a charity case to a guy like Cole or someone who he thinks is after his money.”
“That’s crazy,” she says. “You have the world before you.”
“More so now, yes,” I say, “but we’re talking about when I first met Cole. That day, when I turned him down, everything was uncertain. I wouldn’t have wanted that imbalance. It would have affected us both.”
“And now?”
“We’re back to he’s my boss. That’s pretty imbalanced.”
“You can move to Reese’s team,” she says. “Now or at any point.”
“Reese’s team is full. Cole needs me. And the truth is, we connect more than physically. I can tell we’re going to get each other professionally. I studied his cases and track record. I’m lucky to get to work with him and learn from him.”
“Okay. Let’s just be straight with each other. When there’s the kind of spark you two have, it’s going to win.” I open my mouth to object and she holds up a hand. “Don’t say otherwise because this kind of attraction has a life of its own. So just entertain what I’m saying to you, okay?”
“Yes. Okay.”
“What if he’s your Reese?”
“Cat—”
“You said you’d listen.”
I purse my lips and she continues, “It starts with the kind of attraction you’ve never felt before. Intense. Uncontrollable. Palpable, like it is with you two. So, what I want to say to you is this: Cole is a good man. He will not let whatever this is with you two, hurt you. He won’t. And neither will Reese.”
“I don’t want to be the girl who slept her way to the top.”
“Be the girl who killed it in court and wins and that won’t happen. And if Cole wasn’t as damn good as he is, Reese wouldn’t have partnered with him.”
“I will,” I say. “We will.”
“Just communicate with him and us,” she says. “You’re with us and him. If you were with another firm, I’d give you different advice. But you’re not. It’ll be okay.”
“Thanks, Cat.”
“What are friends for?”
“Exactly,” I say. “So, send me your book.”
She pulls her Mac back in front of her and powers it up. “Here you go,” she sighs, punching a key on her computer. “Sent. Now I’m going to go pull out a few dresses you might like to try on. I can’t watch you read and I don’t want you to be nervous about what you can or can’t wear.” She disappears, and I flashback to the moment on the street when I’d walked away from Cole, and how much regret I’d felt. I’m where I belong and I’m going to stay the path. He’s in my path. I grab my phone from my purse and stare at Cole’s number, and finally I type: Can you call me sometime before the party?
He replies almost instantly: We’re about to meet with this potential client. I’ll call you after that before we run.
Can you text me first so I can go somewhere private?
Yes. Of course. Is this about your rules?
I consider that a moment and then reply with: I don’t know, Cole. I just want to talk to you.
I’ll call soon, he replies.
I’m not sure what I’m going to say to him besides giving him a heads up about what I told Cat. I’m not sure what I want him to say to me. No. That’s wrong. I want him to say something that makes going home with him tonight somehow as acceptable as he made me saying yes to that spanking. I want to be close to him again. I want to be naked with him again. I want to go home with Cole.