Outlaw (7 page)

He shook his head, and looked away. Then he leaned
forward, resting his arms on his knees, and looked at the floor. “You should
call home.”

When she didn’t reply he looked up at her.

She shook her head. “No.”

“Yes.” His tone made it clear this wasn’t up for
debate. “Tell him you’re okay. You need to keep Daddy from coming looking for
you, babe.”

“What you said last night, did you mean it?”

His eyes met hers. “Yeah. I meant it.”

She stared into his eyes.

He pulled her phone out of his pocket, and handed it
to her.

She stared down at it a minute, and then punched in
the number.

Cole watched her.

“Voicemail,” she mouthed. “Dad, it’s Angel. I got
your message.
Everything’s okay.
Don’t worry about me.
Umm, I’m going out of town for a few days, but I’ll call you when I get back.”
She hung up, and lay the phone down on the bed.

Cole held his hand out. He still didn’t trust her
completely.

She looked down at his outstretched hand, and then
his face.

He waited.

She handed the phone back to him.

He slid it in his pocket.

She watched as he stood up, and walked into the
bathroom. He came out a moment later, and held out his palm to her. There was a
little pill lying on it.

“Take it. It’ll help you sleep.”

She shook her head. “I’d rather not.”

“Just the same, you’ll take it,” he insisted.

She stared up at him.

“Look, I’ve got some club business to deal with.
I’ll be gone for a couple of hours. You need to get some rest, okay?”

“I’ll be fine.”

“Babe, I don’t claim to know you, but I think it’s
safe to say you’ll lay here, and replay that nightmare over and over in your
head. Am I right?”

Angel looked down, knowing it was true.

“Come on. Don’t fight me on this.”

She took the pill from his hand, and washed it down
with cola.

He brushed her cheek with the back of his finger.
“Good girl.”

She watched him leave again.

And once again she heard the bolt lock.

*****

It was well past midnight when Cole came back. He
undid the lock, and quietly entered the room. It was dark, except for a little
moonlight coming through the windows that framed either side of the bed. He’d
half expected to find Angel gone when he got back. Figured maybe she’d try to
climb out the window, and take off. But she was laying in the bed sound asleep.

Cole looked down at her as he pulled his cut off,
and tossed it on the back of the chair. He pulled off the shoulder holster he
wore, and set it down on the table next to the bed. Then he stripped off his
clothes, and took a shower.

Ten minutes later he walked out of the bathroom,
holding a towel around his waist. He walked over to the stereo, and flipped it
on, the volume turned low. He rolled the dial to his favorite blues station.
The mellow rich music flowed out of the speakers. He had to have music on at
night or he couldn’t sleep. He wasn’t even sure when it had become a thing for
him, but he accepted it. It just was.

Tossing the towel on the floor, he climbed into bed.

She was facing the opposite side of the bed, and he
put his arm around her, and pulled her back against his chest. It felt like she
belonged there. Her body was warm against his bare skin. She had stripped down
to her bra and panties, and his hand rested on her bare stomach. Her hair
smelled clean and fresh, and he leaned over, and kissed her behind the ear.

“Night, Angel,” he whispered, wondering at this unfamiliar
feeling of contentment seeping into him.

It wasn’t long before he drifted off to sleep.

Sometime during the night Angel woke up. The first
thing she noticed was the soft, blues music playing on the stereo, a stereo
that hadn’t been on when she’d lain down. She turned her head, and realized
Cole was in the bed with her. He was turned on his side facing away from her.
The covers were riding low on his hip, and she took in the beauty of his bare
muscular back. She could see, even in the moonlight, the paler skin at the
covers edge, and knew he was naked beneath them. She moved closer to him, and
slid her arm around his waist, drawn to the warmth of his bare skin.

A moment later he took her hand in his, brought it
to his mouth, and kissed her palm. Then he gave her hand a squeeze, and set it
back at his waist.

She snuggled closer, her breasts pressing against
his back.

After a few minutes, he felt her lips on his skin,
where his neck met his shoulder. A shy, tentative kiss at first, and then,
after a moment, another, this one open-mouthed. He lay there with his eyes
closed enjoying the soft touch of her mouth on his skin. He groaned softly, and
murmured, “Mmm, that feels nice, baby.”

Angel rose up on her elbow, and looked down at him.

Cole felt her move, and turned his head to look at
her.

They stared at each other in the silvery moonlight.

He slowly rolled to his back.

Her hand reached out hesitantly, and ran up his
muscled chest, her fingertips coasting lightly over his skin.

His eyes followed their movement, and then darted to
her face. He watched as she slowly leaned over him, lowered her head, and then
her mouth was on his.

The kiss was soft and gentle, barely brushing his
lips, but it kindled a fire in him like nothing else would have. Her mouth moved
to his neck. Soft, tender kisses trailing down to his
collar
bone
. He felt her tongue dip into the hollow at the base of his throat,
and desire shot through him. And then her mouth moved down further to his
chest. His little wildcat, she was
all soft
, purring
seduction now.

Cole slid his arms up, cupping her face in his
hands. Applying gentle pressure, he brought her face back up to his, and his
eyes searched hers. He needed to be sure this time. “You don’t have to do
this,” he whispered. “It’s not part of the deal, sweetheart.”

“I know.”

“Do you?”

She nodded.

“Angel, after everything you’ve been through, I
don’t think you’re ready-”

She cut him off. “You don’t want me, then?” she
whispered, starting to pull back. Wondering if it was because of what had been
done to her. Wondering if any man would ever want her after what she’d been
through.

Cole’s hands tangled in her hair, holding her there.
“No. You couldn’t be more wrong. I want you, babe.” He glanced down his body at
the proof making itself very evident. “There’s no denying that.” His mouth
curved into a grin. “It’s just…” he broke off, his eyes studying hers, his hand
reaching up to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear, and then his hand slid back
to her cheek as he cradled her face in his hands. “Are you sure this is what
you want, Angel?”

She nodded again, leaving him stunned.

He moved one hand to her back, and ran the tips of
his fingers lightly down her spine, watching her reaction to his touch. Was she
sure she could handle it?

She slowly arched her back as his hand moved over
her, and her eyes slid closed.

“Then say it,” he whispered.

Her eyes opened, and she looked down at him.

“I want to hear you say it,” he insisted softly.
“You asked me to stop last night,” he reminded her. “And I did. But I don’t
think I’ve got it in me to stop this time. So be sure.”

“I want this. I want you.” Her hands ran over his
hard muscled arms.

He rolled her over onto her back, moving over her.
Bracing himself on his elbows above her, he looked down at her, letting her become
accustomed to his weight on top of her. He knew after what she’d been through,
that having a man on top of her might bring back all the feelings of fear
again. He brushed her hair back from her face, and his mouth covered hers.

He was gentle with her. She hadn’t expected that.
For a moment everything Chuck had done to her flashed in her mind, and she
tensed, her hand gripping his wrist. She made a whimper under his mouth.

Cole
raised
up a fraction
of an inch, and looked into her eyes. “Shh,” he whispered, brushing her lips
with the barest of kisses. “Just relax for me, sweetheart,” he whispered
softly, seductively. He trailed kisses across her jaw to her ear. “Relax. I’ll
be gentle, baby. I swear.” He spoke to her softly, coaxingly. “I’m gonna make it
all better. Just relax for me, Angel.”

She gave in, melting against him, letting his hands
have their way.

“That’s it. That’s right.” His hand slid from her
jaw down her throat to her breastbone.

His palm was warm pressed against her. She watched
his face as his eyes followed the trail of his hand as it moved down the center
of her body to her soft belly.

He slid his hand to the curve of her waist, just
above her hipbone, and then up her side over her ribs to her bra. His eyes
returned to hers. “You’re beautiful, baby.” He lowered his mouth to hers and
kissed her softly, gently.

Angel slid both her hands up his neck, her fingers
threading into his hair at the base of his neck. She tilted her head to deepen
the kiss.

He rose up, breaking the kiss as his fingers curled
into the side of her bra, under her arm. “Can I take this off you?”

She nodded.

He slid his arm under her back.

She lifted slightly, giving him access.

He unhooked it, and pulled it loose as his hand slid
back out from under her. He ran his hand up her upper arm, his fingers curling
into her strap and he slowly pulled it down her arm.

She shimmied her shoulders, and he pulled it free.
His eyes fell to the beauty revealed to him, and he blindly tossed the bra to
the floor. His hand returned to her, and slid to the underside of her breast.
He cupped it, lifting it up, and his mouth closed over her nipple. He laved it
gently, tenderly.

She slid her hands up his biceps to his shoulders
and into his hair, watching his mouth and tongue as they moved over her. Her
breathing quickened, her breasts rising and falling. Oh, God, it felt so good.

He twisted his head, and his eyes met hers, and then
he sucked hard, and watched as her head went back, and her back arched off the
bed. He took advantage, and slid his arms under her, into the arch of her back.
He held her that way as his mouth continued its ministrations. He moved from
one breast to the other, treating her other nipple to the same.

His mouth trailed down between her breasts, and down
to her navel. His tongue dipped inside, and her body undulated. His hand closed
over her hip, stilling her as he continued kissing down over her soft belly,
his body sliding down.

“Cole, wait,” she whispered, panic starting to take
hold.

He stopped immediately, sliding back up over her. He
brushed the hair back from her temple. “Okay, baby. Okay. We’ll go as slow as
you want. I won’t do anything you aren’t ready for. Okay?”

She nodded, her voice trembling. “I’m sorry. I…”

He shook his head. “Nothing to be sorry for. It’s
all good
. If all you want to do is kiss, then that’s all
we’ll do. I’ll take whatever you want to give me, baby.”

“Okay.”

He kissed her for a long time, until it wasn’t
enough for either of them anymore.

She bent her leg, rubbing against him.

He rose up, and looked in her eyes. “Can I touch
you, sweetheart?” he asked, his hand sliding down. “Please, baby?”

She nodded.

His hand slid lower, his fingers slipping under the
edge of her panties, and curving down, finding her most sensitive spot. His
touch gentle, caressing. He watched her reaction to his tender stroking.

Her eyes slid closed, and her mouth parted.

He slid his middle finger inside her, and watched
her neck arch back as her hips lifted to his touch, seeking more. He slid back
out, caressing her again. “You’re so wet.”

Her eyes opened to mere slits, and her chin dropped,
her eyes connecting with his. Her breath was panting now, as the rhythm of his
strokes quickened.

“Do you like that, baby doll?”

She nodded. God, yes, she loved it. She didn’t want
him to stop.

“Let me take these off, alright baby?”

She nodded again.

He slid down, his fingers curling into her panties
at each hip, and pulling them down her legs. He tossed them to the floor, and
moved back over her.

His mouth found hers as he returned to stroking her,
over and over until she was moaning and writhing beneath him.

Her hands slid from his neck, down his chest and
skated along his oblique muscles.