Tangled Up Hearts (3 page)

Cole ignored the comment and grasped his sister's hand. “An elopement is definitely out of the question. Not only would you hate that but mom and dad would be upset too. Besides, you need to be with your family during a time like this and you must know you have our full support.”

Trisha gave them a small, sad smile. “I love the two of you so much. It really distresses me when you go at each other the way you do. I feel caught in the middle and I hate taking sides.” Since Cole had hold of one of her hands, she used her other to grab at Alyssa’s and squeezed it gently. “Please, Al, for me and the baby, call a truce with my brother. I’ll release you from the cease fire as soon as I know my baby is going to be fine." She glanced from one to the other then added with a glimmer of hope in her eyes, "Maybe by then you’ll both forget about these silly disagreements and get along once and for all.”

Alyssa was not going to argue with her no matter how much she wanted to. After all, the silly disagreements as she called them were mostly due to Cole's actions rather than hers. More often than not, she took her cue from him. “Maybe we will.” But she didn't believe that. Not at all.

Trisha remained skeptical as she glanced between the two of them. When she spoke, her eyes smoldered with warning. “No revenges are to take place for the next month or so ... if ever."

Cole nodded in agreement to her request and tugged his hand from hers so he could raise it in a manner of one taking a solemn vow. “Peace will reign or I’ll put us all out of misery and dispose of her.” He grinned when he said it but Alyssa took offense just the same.

“You see it's going to be a problem for him. He doesn’t even understand the meaning of the word let alone how to act on it.” She shot him a look full of the scorn she couldn’t keep hidden. “A true truce means no pot shots either.”

“Oh for heaven sake.” Cole stood and threw her an impatient look as he raked a hand through his thick, dark hair. “It was just a joke. I swear you have to be the prickliest person I have ever met.” He cocked a brow at Trisha. “Are you sure this friend of yours didn’t spring from a cactus bush?”

Alyssa’s eyes narrowed to slits as she too rose to a stand. If only she could summon a laser beam right now, she’d burn him to a crisp and mash his ashes into the ground. “Are you sure you didn’t spring up from the bowels of the earth?”

Trisha gave a small hiss and pressed her hands to her stomach. Both Cole and Alyssa immediately abandoned their stand-off to look at her.

“Trish, what is it?”

“Sis, are you all right?”

She heaved a defeated sigh. “You two can’t last five minutes without being at each other’s throats.” Shaking her head with resignation, her bottom lip trembling enough for them to notice, she spoke with a mutter of barely veiled disgust. “This is just not going to work.”

“But it will, Trish,” Alyssa insisted. She turned in earnest to look at Cole. “Won’t it?”

“Yes it will.” He reached down and gently cupped Trisha’s face. “I’d go through hell for you, sis, you've got to know that.”

His words sent a spear of hurt into Alyssa's heart. Did he really think it was going to be hell having to be nice to her? Was it really that much of an ordeal for him? Why? What was so God-awful about her that he couldn't stand the thought of leaving her in peace? He was so good with his sister. Very loving and concerned. But with her he was completely impossible. This constant waging of war was getting tiring and she didn't even understand why they engaged in it in the first place. Cole just couldn’t seem to let it go. Whatever "it" was. If only she understood why he hated her so much then maybe she could figure out a way to appease him enough to get him to leave her the hell alone.

Trisha smiled sweetly at her brother. “That’s great, Cole. Now I want you both to kiss on it and seal the deal.”

Alyssa’s jaw dropped
in disbelief.

Cole went as rigid as stone. Then his eyes narrowed, ruining the effect. “I don’t think it’s necessary for us to do that.”

Trisha’s features hardened into stubborn determination. “But I do. If the two of you can come down off your high horses enough to kiss each other into a pact of peace then maybe I can truly believe that this will work.” Her eyes filled with tears. "I really want a nice wedding but I am very serious about eloping if I can’t trust either of you to behave.”

“An elopement is definitely not going to be necessary.” Alyssa turned to Cole and swallowed her pride. Although it sat like a loathsome lump in her throat, she'd choke on it before she did anything to disappoint her friend. “I can set my feelings aside if you can.”

Cole’s light blue eyes met hers and Alyssa’s stomach dipped in response, the sensation making her breath stall in her throat. They very rarely met each other’s eyes and when they did it was for just fleeting moments at best. This prolonged contact was disconcerting, throwing her equilibrium out of whack.

It was a relief when he finally spoke for it put an end to the awkward silence. “I think a month or so of peace would be good for all of us.”

A twinge of disgust flitted through her but she let it go. No matter how much it galled her that his latest, spiteful stint was to receive no repercussions, it couldn't be helped. Trisha needed them to stop fighting and like it or not she would comply with the request. Reluctant but determined, she held out her hand. “A temporary truce, Cole, and when Trisha is better, all bets are off.” She could only hope that he did not mistake the promise of retribution in her eyes.

He stared at her for several long, interminable seconds then dropped his gaze to her hand. After a very brief but noticeable hesitation, he took it within his own, his firm grip putting Alyssa into another internal tailspin. In fact, she'd venture to say that the world had just tilted on its axis. At the very least it had undergone a momentous change.

They never touched. Twelve years of history together and none of it included any touching. At least not during the last seven anyway. Before that, back in the beginning of their relationship, such wasn't the case. No, back then things were actually pretty good between them. He was nice to her and she had even developed something of a crush on him. And then overnight it ended. Suddenly she was someone who did nothing but irritate him. Bewildered and hurt, she retaliated in kind. And it had been that way ever since.

“No," Trisha cut in. "This will not do.”

Alyssa pulled her hand from Cole’s and turned to her friend. Somehow she managed to speak despite the craziness going on inside her. “What?”

“I said I want you to kiss on it.”

Alyssa’s heart pounded so hard she was sure Cole could hear it. Good Lord! Kiss Cole? She couldn’t even imagine it let alone actually do it. The idea was beyond preposterous. Their handshake had caused enough of a stir, what in the world would a kiss do? Oh God! She couldn't do it. Biting her lip in distress, Alyssa turned back to Cole. His face was pulled together in a deep, displeased frown and that caused her stomach to tighten even more. The fact he was just as reluctant to kiss her as she was to kiss him made the situation even worse. How could Trisha make such an unreasonable demand?

“Oh, for heaven’s sake," Trisha snapped, her patience with them gone. “Put your lips together and get it over with.”

Cole stepped closer and Alyssa’s heart skipped a beat or two, went sluggish for a few seconds then once again resumed its hard pounding. A wash of heat flooded her skin and when she lifted her eyes to meet his, the heat intensified. His expression was at first wary and then resigned as he dropped his gaze to her mouth.

Alyssa wet her dry lips with her tongue then lifted her chin in defiance. Well a kiss from Cole was quite meaningless after all. She might as well do what Trisha asked and be done with it. Her bravado, however, was short-lived for as his head dipped to hers, her breath once again snagged in her throat and her eyes closed as anticipation thrummed like wildfire through her body.

And then his lips touched hers.

Cole’s mouth was cool, firm, and tantalizingly soft. Alyssa’s crazy heart gave a funny little lurch and she found herself wanting to respond, wanting to increase the pressure and move closer, but then the kiss was over.

Her eyes opened slowly, her gaze landing on his whiskered chin. Why couldn't he shave more often? This reckless look was more appealing on him than she liked. She preferred clean-shaven men and yet there was something so rakishly sexy about a man with a day's growth of beard.

Sure he was looking at her about as closely as she was studying him, Alyssa glanced away. Even so, she felt his eyes on her as surely as she still felt the gentle pressure of his mouth.

Although it was only a few seconds, it seemed like forever before he stepped back and turned to Trisha. “Satisfied?”

Trisha snorted. “Most certainly not. You both can do better than that, surely? Your hand-shake held more promise.” She gestured with her hands in an impatient show of disgust. “You both acted as if you were kissing a leech.”

Alyssa thought the description fit Cole perfectly but refrained from saying so. What she did instead, though, was round on Trisha in exasperation. She felt a little betrayed by her at the moment and couldn't contain her emotions. “Just what do you want? A passionate display of hypocrisy?”

Trisha’s chin warbled and her voice was faint when she spoke. “Never mind. I’ll tell Jack the wedding is off. We’ll get tickets and go to Las Vegas or something.”

Throwing up her hands in exasperation and letting out a small strangled sound of frustration, Alyssa waved away the suggestion. “Don’t be ridiculous.” With a determined glint in her eyes, she turned to Cole. “A friendly truce, Cole. One month of blissful friendship and then …” she paused to flash him a sweet smile. “I’ll plot your demise.”

Cole’s eyes dropped to her smile and then suddenly he grinned, his blue eyes warm and oddly compelling when they once again lifted to meet hers. “You’re on, sweetheart.”

Although his smile made her heart skip, the unexpected endearment caused it to flutter in her chest like a trapped butterfly. Her face stinging with heat, she lowered her head and prayed he didn't notice just how much he was affecting her. After all, meaningless endearments shouldn't be causing any sort of stir. Not his anyway.

Cole planted his hands firmly on her shoulders and drew her close, his eyes colliding with her startled ones as his head dipped. “To peace.”

Shocked that they were going to do this again, Alyssa parted her lips on a quick intake of breath and that’s when he covered her mouth with his. Her hands fluttered to his chest and she experienced the curious feel of his heartbeat against her palm. His lips were as firm as the first kiss only this time he drew her closer to his lean, hard body sending a rush of liquid heat surging through her veins. His mouth caressed hers in light, teasing movements confusing her until she realized what he was doing. He was putting on a show for Trisha’s benefit. Certainly he was not trying to tantalize her into deepening the kiss. Surely not. Much as she wanted to push him away and call his bluff, another idea clanged through her mangled brain. Maybe she'd just teach him a lesson instead.

Deciding to focus on her actions rather than Cole's body, she slid her hands across his chest, up around his broad shoulders then into his soft hair. Who would have guessed it would be that soft? What in the world did he use in it? But then her thoughts were redirected when his body jerked ever so slightly and he tried to draw away.

Oh no, not yet buddy boy
.

Alyssa’s arms tightened their hold and he went so still she thought he'd even stopped breathing. Smiling inwardly, Alyssa relaxed her body against him and increased the pressure of her mouth on his. No more of that skimming crap. If they were going to do this, they were going to do it for real.

When he once again tried to withdraw, she refused to let him go and became even bolder. His discomfiture urged her on and she grazed his lips with her tongue, delighting in how completely and utterly stiff he went in her arms. His obvious surprise made her want to crow with triumph. Take that you pompous ass!

She should have known he would not allow her to best him.

After the briefest hesitation, his tongue met hers and the sensation sent funny little tingles through her body. The stirrings of desire. It sizzled low in her belly and messed with her breathing, causing her lips to part on an intake of breath.

Cole was quick to take advantage and suddenly his tongue was tangling with hers.

Had all the air just been sucked from the room? Alyssa couldn’t breathe. Neither, it seemed, could Cole for he drew away and dragged in a quick breath before coming back for more, plundering her mouth as if he couldn't possibly get enough. It made her heart slam painfully against her breastbone and her traitorous body melted like hot wax against him. The pleasure spiraling through her turned her insides to mush and she feared she'd slide boneless to his feet. Thankfully his arms tightened their hold and insured she remained standing. If being plastered to his body could be called standing that is.

Much as she wanted to hide her response to him, she could no more control the tremor that shook through her than she could control the tempo of her heart. Her body, it seemed, had developed a will of its own and it wanted more. Before she could even give thought to it, her arms tightened, pulling his head closer and her body molded against the hard contours of his.

Cole deepened the kiss.

Every cell in her body came alive with excitement and Alyssa fought to regain some control on her wayward reactions. To say she was taken completely by surprise at the sensations flowing through her would be an understatement. She was aware of everything and focusing on all of it. His strong arms circling her, his hands splayed across her back, his firm chest pressed against her breasts, his leg insinuating between hers and his mouth stirring her senses into a frenzy of need.

It was the growing need that sent off warning clangs through her brain. Despite her clambering excitement, anger came to her rescue. That and extreme unwillingness to let him win. So that’s how he wanted to play it? Fine. She could give as good or better than him any day.