His Obsession Next Door (In the Line of Duty) (16 page)

Guests were already starting to arrive and Gemma held her hand out to greet each and every one of them personally. Plastering on a smile and trying not to worry about Cole’s whereabouts or why he hadn’t called last night, she spoke to the benefactors, thanking them for coming. Of course, deep in her heart she knew she shouldn’t fret too much about him. Cole was a stand-up guy who made good on his word, which once again had her wondering why he’d acted oddly yesterday when she’d said as much.

Once the majority of the guests had arrived and wandered into the lounge for cocktails, her mother came up to her. Worry moved into her eyes as she scanned the lobby. “I thought Cole was escorting you.”

“He is.” She glanced at her watch. “He must be running late.”

Her mother continued to go on about the importance of her having a date and how she should have let her fix her up with one of the eligible bachelors from her country club. But her litany faded to a dull drone because coming through the front entrance was none other than the most handsome man to cross the hotel’s threshold. Dressed in a midnight black suit that fit to perfection, with his hair freshly cut and his face recently shaved, he closed the distance between them. The dark intensity in his gaze had her stomach knotting once again and her intuition telling her there really was something wrong.

“Gemma,” he greeted, his hand going to her lower back. “You look beautiful.” He glanced at her mother, who was staring up at him in frank approval. “Sorry I’m late,” he said, bending to drop a kiss onto her mother’s cheek. “I had to get a new suit and alterations took longer than expected.”

As he guided Gemma through the foyer, she noted the way all eyes turned on them, the benefactors appraising her date every bit as much as they were judging her. Nor did she miss the way her body was reacting from his close proximity.

He gave a humorless laugh, put his mouth close to her ear and, in a self-deprecating manner, said, “I know I’m not the son of a rich benefactor, or what these people consider a respected suitor, but I’ll do my best not to embarrass you.”

Her heart thudded in her chest because that somber laugh had her realizing something very important—not only did he feel uncomfortable in her world, he felt these people were out of his league.

“Cole,” she began, lowering her voice to match his as she grabbed his hand to stop him. He turned to face her, and dipped his head. “Within ten minutes of finding out what was important to me, you were acting on it, rounding up the guys and finding a way to help me, the dogs and all of America,” she rushed out. “Sure these guys open their wallets, and I appreciate that, believe me I do, but none of them took action the way you did, helping me the only way you knew how. That means more to me than anything, and believe me, Cole, you’re in a league of your own here.”

An emotion she couldn’t identify passed over his eyes, then they darkened, a volatile storm brewing beneath the surface. Gemma swallowed and wondered what was going on with him.

The ballroom doors opened and everyone filed into the elegant, dimly lit room to take a seat. Cole grabbed a glass of champagne from the waiter when he walked by and swallowed it down in one gulp.

Looking out of place as benefactors milled about, he glanced around. Gemma nodded toward the podium and gave him an apologetic smile. “I have to go up there. But I won’t be long.” She hesitated and asked, “Are you going to be okay?”

His jaw tightened. “I’m fine, Gemma,” he said, even though she got the sense he was anything but.

Her mother stepped up to them. “Cole, darling, sit next to me. We need to talk. You promised you’d come to dinner and I’ve yet to see you.”

“Sorry about that, Audrey.” Cole pulled out a chair for her and she smoothed down her black satin dress before sitting. Her rings glistened in the light as she tapped the seat beside him. “Come. Sit. Let’s talk.” Cole sank into the chair, and Gemma’s mother went on to say, “Frank will be back from his business meeting tomorrow night. He’d love to see you. Say you’ll come by.”

“I’ll come by,” he promised.

“Gemma, you too,” she insisted.

Gemma excused herself and maneuvered around the tables as the staff delivered the first course of the five-course meal planned for tonight’s event. A hush fell over the crowd as the emcee introduced her and she took to the podium to begin her speech.

As she spoke about her cause, she looked out over the audience, but her gaze kept going to Cole. Everything in the intense way he was looking at her, his dark eyes unreadable, had butterflies taking flight in her stomach.

Her mother waved some man over, and she didn’t miss the way Cole glared at him as he sat down at their table. As they exchanged words Gemma couldn’t hear, Gemma stumbled over her own, completely thrown off her game. With the audience watching her carefully, she worked to get herself together. Normally she was poised in front of a crowd, but with her thoughts on Cole and the commotion that seemed to be going on at their table, she couldn’t quite focus on her speech.

Cole’s eyes met hers again and she sucked in a sharp breath, grasping for her rehearsed words as they abandoned her. She gripped the podium until her knuckles turned white and she willed her mind to settle. Cole leaned in, spoke to her mother and a second later he was standing. For a moment she thought he was leaving the room. Blood pounded through her veins when he began to make his way to the podium, coming to her rescue yet again.

Their gazes locked as he came close and she assumed he was there to escort her offstage before she made a bigger fool of herself, but when he stood at the podium beside her, her heart turned over in her chest.

“Cole,” she squeaked out. “What are you doing?”

“I’ve got this, Gemma.”

Before she could say another word, he adjusted the microphone. A quick flash of panic clutched her as she watched him. Why was he doing this when it was hard for him to put himself in the public eye? He hated to draw attention to himself like this. She could only imagine it would dredge up memories that could only be painful, memories from his childhood and memories from the battlefield? The truth was she’d rather ask her parents for help than to put Cole through this. But as she watched him, she knew the reason behind his actions and the answer to her questions. He was doing this for her, so she wouldn’t have to ask her parents for funding.

He cleared his throat and began. “I’m US Army Specialist Cole Sullivan, a tactical explosive expert and detector dog handler with the Company B, 2
^nd
Battalion, 12
^th
Infantry Regiment, 4
^th
Brigade Combat Team, 4
^th
Division Infantry.” He paused for a moment and drew in a fueling breath before continuing. “When I was overseas I worked closely with a service dog. His name is Charlie, and he’s not here with me tonight because he’s at a sleepover.” Even though it wasn’t meant to be funny, the audience laughed and there was nothing Gemma could do to swallow down the cantaloupe-sized lump pushing into her throat.

Once the sound settled, he continued. “Charlie isn’t just my dog or my comrade in the field. He is my friend. My confidante. And most importantly, he is my family.” A hush fell over the room and Cole gripped the podium harder. “Charlie has been with me for two years now and when we were overseas and all looked bleak, he was there to support me, unconditionally. To a soldier, one who is away from everyone and everything they hold close, the love and loyalty from their canine is the only thing that keeps them going sometimes.”

Gemma watched emotions move over the faces in the crowd. As Cole commanded the room, his words quietly powerful and genuinely passionate, it occurred to her how deeply in love she was with him.

He continued to talk about the unexploded explosive ordinances and how he and his comrades were personally training the dogs for the safety of all Americans. As he spoke, he was funny, charming and sincere, and within seconds he had the audience enthralled, each and every person hanging off his every last word.

He choked on his words but quickly recovered as he talked about his comrades, those who were soldiering on and those he’d lost, both human and canine, and how this cause was a tribute to them all. His hand closed over his chest, gripping at his dog tags, and Gemma knew he was thinking about Brandon as he stole a quick glance at her.

He turned back to the audience. “With your funding and my expertise, we’ll be able to train canines and get them into the hands of our soldiers. So you see, expanding the shelter isn’t just about saving unwanted dogs, it’s also about saving soldiers.” He paused and his voice wavered slightly when he added, “In more ways than one.” The audience started to clap but Cole held his hand up to stop them. “In closing I’d like to say that if I haven’t convinced you to invest, I’m not above siccing Charlie on you until you see things my way.”

With that the audience laughed and chairs scraped across the floor as they stood to applaud.

Cole walked away, and when he moved into the shadows, Gemma said a few quick closing words, handed the microphone off to the emcee, then went after him.

“Cole,” she said breathlessly, her throat closing when she caught up to him. He turned to face her and she wanted to thank him but words would never be enough for what he did for her.

He looked past her shoulders toward the door. “I gotta get out of here, Gemma.”

Cole raked his hands through his hair and when his gaze met hers, her heart nearly seized. Cole Sullivan was the toughest guy she knew, but tonight his bravado had been stripped bare. In fact, those big, brown, puppy dog eyes of his looked a little sad, and a whole lot lost.

He’d once told her everyone needed someone sometimes, but Cole was always giving, never taking, and tonight was a prime example. He’d run to her rescue once again, no matter the cost to him, no matter how many personal demons it resurrected. But no one had been running to him, and from the vulnerability in his eyes tonight, she knew he was in need of rescuing.

There was much more going on with him than met the eye, yet she’d been so caught up in her own wants and desires, so busy going after what she wanted she hadn’t stopped to consider what he needed, what was best for Cole.

As she considered the way she’d been acting with him, she mentally kicked herself. She’d been behaving like the young, impetuous girl from her youth. And while she’d always have that side of her, she was also a grown woman and it was time to start acting like one. After everything Cole had ever done for her, he deserved at least that much from her. His whole life had been about shouldering responsibility and taking care of others. Tonight she wanted to show him it was okay for someone else to take care of him.

“Come on,” she whispered, knowing there would be time for talking later. Right now Cole needed to take without giving. She needed him to release the tension in his body and let go of a few of the demons haunting him.

Cole swallowed and the raw emotions in his eyes when he said, “I should go, Gemma,” hit like a punch to the stomach.

“The only place you’re going is to my room, with me.” She grabbed his hand to prevent him from fleeing. He needed and deserved much more from her, even if he didn’t yet know it.

She led him to the elevators and, once inside, she slipped her arm around his waist, in desperate need of his intimate contact at all times. Looking antsy and agitated, he was about to say something but closed his mouth again, his brows furrowing together.

When they reached her floor, she led him to her room, and guided him inside. He stood there, his dark eyes looking so lost and haunted that her heart ached for him.

She nudged him backward until he fell on the bed. She dropped down in front of him and pressed her lips to his. She kissed him with passion and hunger, eager to make this night about him, eager to take care of him for a change. Her hands went to his suit jacket and she slipped it off his shoulder, then undid his shirt. Once she had his upper body bare, she turned her attention to his pants. She unhooked the button but he gripped her arm to stop her.

“What are you doing?” he asked, emotions thickening his voice.

She blinked up at him. “I’m taking care of you.”

Expression pained, he whispered, “You don’t have to do that. Not for me.”

“I know I don’t have to, but did you ever think I wanted to?”

“Gemma—”

“You know, Cole, everyone needs someone sometimes. You once told me that yourself.”

“But you don’t have—” She dipped her hand inside his pants and captured his cock in her palm. He threw his head back and let loose a tortured groan as she gently stroked the length of him, until he was hard and swollen and ready for her mouth.

As she continued to caress him her other hand went to his zipper. She drew it down and unleashed his hard cock from his shorts. Cole opened his mouth to say something, but when she bent forward to draw him into her mouth, his words of protest were lost on a moan.

“Fuck, Gems.”

She drew him in as deep as she could and he began trembling all over. Cole threaded his fingers through her hair, his hands following the motions. She ran her hands up his legs and he began to jut his hips forward, pushing into her mouth, taking what he needed from her.

“Jesus…I…”

He began pumping, rocking into her, his breathing becoming labored, his hands gripping her hair harder as a groan caught in his throat.