THE RED LED numbers on the alarm clock were blurry at first, but Bree forced her eyes to focus and saw that it was just before five in the morning. She was in Cole Caldwell’s bed. And she was alone. The coolness of his pillow told her he’d been gone a while. Her body ached in the sweetest way. She smiled into the dark, empty room. Who knew sex could be that good? No, it wasn’t just sex...well, some of it was. But mostly it was lovemaking of the highest degree. Intimate and hot and dirty and beautiful. And in between, they’d talked at length about random things like favorite foods and movies. It felt so natural to be in his arms. She stretched and stood. It was still dark outside, which meant they had time to share before turning into pumpkins in the light of the day.
His T-shirt was hanging on the footboard post, and she slipped it over her head, inhaling his earthy scent. It barely covered her bottom, but she was hoping she wasn’t going very far. Or keeping it on for very long. As tired as she was, she wanted more of him.
She found him on the balcony above the front porch, stretched out on a wicker chaise, staring toward the horizon, which was just beginning to blush pink. He wore only cargo shorts, unzipped and hanging low on his hips. Maggie was lying on the floor nearby, and her tail moved in a tiny wag when she spotted Bree in the doorway. Without moving his head, Cole spoke.
“You should be sleeping.”
“So should you.” She pushed the screen door open and walked over to him. His jaw tightened when he saw what she was wearing. The heat from his gaze started with her bare legs and rose all the way up to her face. She gave him a crooked smile. “This flowered chaise lounge doesn’t really look like something you’d buy.”
He grunted in typical Cole style. “It was a gift from Nell. I spent a lot of nights out here on an old fold-up vinyl chair, and she thought this would be more comfortable.” He shifted to the side. “Are you going to stand there and critique my decorating skills, or are you going to set yourself down and join me?”
“Such a romantic.” She sat carefully to keep the T-shirt anchored at her thighs, then leaned back and nestled her head on his tattooed shoulder.
“Why do you sleep outside?”
“I just do.” His tone was sharp. He worked his fingers up and down her back, and his next words were softer. “It’s a combat thing. Shelter isn’t necessarily good. You don’t hear things indoors. Your options are limited. You can end up trapped. I tried to sleep outdoors whenever I could when I was over there, and I still have times when I feel safer outside.”
“Safer from me?”
“If that was the plan, it clearly didn’t work, did it?” He gave her a quick squeeze.
She liked this version of Cole. Honest. Open. Just a little bit playful. Would this man really disappear when the night faded into morning? She rubbed her cheek against his skin and felt the bumps of his scars.
“You got the tattoo to hide the scarring?”
“Yeah.”
“And the scars are from...?”
Silence. His fingers were still moving across her skin. Back and forth like a metronome. She was just about to apologize for asking when he finally started to speak.
“Our vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. It flipped and caught fire. Those armored vehicles are built for protection, not for easy exits. The doors are small, and once a fire starts inside, there are only seconds to escape. I was near a hatch, so I was able to get out. I was burned when I reached back in to help...”
She was at a loss as to what to say. “Did you get them out?”
His fingers continued their path across her back, over and over.
“Not all of them. And the ones who did...”
His voice trailed off, and she knew he was back there in his mind, seeing flames. Hearing God knows what. She waited, knowing there was nothing she could say to help him.
“It was an ambush. They were waiting to shoot at us after the bomb went off. So the ones I pulled out...were shot at anyway. I got these burns for nothing.”
“No one else survived?”
“Two besides me. And Maggie. Three died, including Scott, her handler.”
“But you saved two, Cole. And you’re alive. I’m glad you’re alive.”
His hand stopped moving. He started to say something then stopped. It was time for her to change the subject.
“The sun will be up soon.”
“Yup.”
His fingers began moving again, now randomly tracing circles across her back.
“What happens then?” She lifted her chin and rested it on his chest, looking at his very serious face.
He stared back at her, and she could see him struggling. She waited.
“Tonight was insanely good, Bree. But it was also just plain insane. You and I are not a good idea.”
“So this was just a moment out of time? Do we have to go back to our antagonizing ways and pretend it never happened?”
“A moment out of time.” He sighed. “Everything in me is telling me to say yes, let’s pretend it never happened. I know that’s the smart thing to do.” His hand slid down her back to cover her behind. His fingers moved, and she felt the T-shirt being pulled higher. “But my body’s not done with you yet, Brianna. If you keep showing up at my door, I’m gonna keep pulling you inside. I’ll bury myself in you every night if you’ll let me, because I’m a man, and I’m not a total idiot.”
He kissed her forehead gently.
“But it won’t change anything in the long run. I’m bad for you. I’m bad for everyone. That story I told doesn’t begin to cover how or why I’m so screwed up. That day wasn’t the worst of what I’ve seen. It was just the last in a long list of terrible things. I have a hot temper and it has a hair trigger. I have some really dark days when I can’t be around people. I have pain that even you can’t take away. I’ll say things and I’ll do things that will hurt you. Not physically, but I will hurt you. And I don’t know if I’ll be able to cope with that when it happens.”
His hand was resting on her bare bottom now, and he gave a gentle squeeze.
“You should be walking away from me right now, Bree. I don’t want you to, but you should be walking away.”
They stared at each other silently. She didn’t doubt the truth of what he said. He could hurt her. He might even break her heart beyond repair. But she saw in his eyes what he couldn’t say. He needed her. And she wasn’t going anywhere.
She raised her hand and rested it on his cheek. He leaned into it just as he had last night. Was she strong enough to tame the beast inside him? She shifted and moved her body to straddle his. His eyes narrowed, but he smiled.
“Whatcha’ doin’, Hollywood?”
“The sun’s technically not up yet, Plowboy. And I’m not done with you...” She lowered her lips onto his and felt his hands lifting his shirt higher around her waist while they kissed. He raised his hips so she could lower his shorts then mumbled something and gripped her hips to stop her.
“Condom...”
“I haven’t been with anyone since Damian, and I’m still on birth control.” She kissed his lips lightly. “You know, just in case.”
“Just in case, huh?” He returned her kiss. “I haven’t been very active myself, and always careful. You’re the only one who can make me lose my common sense.”
As she lowered her body onto his, his lips parted and he groaned. She had the power to do this to him, and it was a wonderful thing. He shifted so he was sitting more upright, and they were face-to-face when they started moving together, skin to delicious skin. Her muscles were protesting, but that was soon forgotten in the heat of the moment, and it wasn’t long before he had her flying again, crying out his name and collapsing with her arms around his neck. He held her there as they both tried to regain control of their breathing and heart rates. She closed her eyes to the sound of his voice whispering her name, and the touch of his fingers in her hair.
The sun was very definitely up when she woke again, lying in Cole’s empty bed. She had a hazy memory of him carrying her inside. She stretched and smiled, looking at the clock. It was after eight. She felt like someone had taken a delightful but persistent sledgehammer to her body from head to toe. She stood and slid his T-shirt back on, deciding it may have just become her favorite attire. But she did pull her panties on this time before heading downstairs.
The house was empty. No Cole. No Maggie. She looked across the road to Nell’s place and smiled. His black truck was there, and the horses were out in the paddock. He’d gone to do her chores. She gave herself a quick, contented hug and headed into the kitchen. She’d repay him with breakfast. His kitchen was well stocked, and it wasn’t long before she had bacon frying, coffee brewing and French toast on the griddle. Through the window over the sink, she saw his truck pull around to the back of the house. She was singing “This Girl Is on Fire” to herself and really started to belt it out when she got to the chorus. She heard the screen door slam and grinned. What would Cole think about finding her dancing around his kitchen in his T-shirt?
But it wasn’t his voice that rang out from the living room. “Yo, Cole! I need a hand with some new equipment at the bar. Can you give me an hour or so this morn...”
Ty slid to a halt at the entrance to the kitchen. Bree froze with the spatula in her hand, feeling her face go twenty shades of crimson.
“Holy shit.” Ty blinked then blinked again and glanced away when she reached down to tug the T-shirt over her bare thighs. He grinned as he stared at the floor. “Good morning, Brianna.”
Before she could form coherent words, Cole came into the kitchen through the back door. He glanced from her to his brother and smirked. “You might want to try knocking, Ty.” He slid his arm around her waist, pulling her close. “Smells great in here. Got enough for my brother?”
She sputtered, and he clarified his question. “Got enough breakfast, that is. That’s the only thing I’m sharing.” He looked at Ty, who was staring stupidly at the two of them, as if he’d never seen Cole with a woman in his home before. She felt a flush of pride as she realized he probably hadn’t. At least not in a long time.
“We have plenty of food, but I’m not exactly dressed for company.” She handed the spatula to Cole. “Can you take over while I run upstairs?”
“Upstairs?” Ty repeated. She blushed again, and Cole laughed out loud. Ty stepped back at the sound and stared at his brother as if he was a science experiment of some kind. Cole shrugged at him.
“What? You thought I’d shag her on the living room floor instead of my much more comfortable bed?” She smacked him in the stomach and he laughed again. Ty seemed frozen in shock at this point.
“Turn around, Ty, so Hollywood can go fetch her clothes with at least a little dignity.”
Was it really necessary to emphasize yet again that she’d slept in his room last night? She shook her head. There was something appealingly caveman about his boasting.
“Turn around? Oh, yeah, of course. Sorry, Bree.” Ty turned to face the wall opposite the stairs.
She ran past him and up to Cole’s room to dress. He’d destroyed her bra last night, so she’d have to go without. She grabbed a cotton shirt from Cole’s closet and pulled it on over her tank top, tying it at her waist above her denim shorts. It gave her a little more camouflage on top so she wouldn’t be flashing her boobs at his brother. Her cheeks warmed. Cole still seemed to be in a playful mood. Maybe the sunshine wouldn’t ruin them after all. She hummed to herself as she headed downstairs.
Then again, she should have known it wouldn’t last. His eyes were stormy gray when they met hers as she joined them at the well-worn kitchen table. She smiled at him, but he just shook his head and went back to attacking his breakfast. Ty washed down a forkful of French toast with coffee before looking at her sheepishly and mouthing, Sorry.
Bree started her breakfast in silence, hoping the awkward moment would pass. But finally, she couldn’t take the drastic switch in mood any longer.
“Okay, what did I miss?” She asked the question brightly, hoping to lighten the tension.
It was Ty who answered. “I was just telling Cole about your generous gift to the bar and asked him for help hooking up the new sound system.” So he was angry because she’d hooked Ty up with a karaoke system? She’d forgotten all about giving that phone number to Tammy last week to pass along to Ty.
“It seemed the least I could do to repay your kindness, Ty. Helping with the car. Tammy and Emily being so great with getting me new clothes and a new look. Tammy mentioned you were saving up for one, so I made a few calls, that’s all. Do you like your breakfast, Cole?”
He raised his head and she was stung to see that flat look in his eyes. “It’s fine.”
Ty chuckled affectionately as he grabbed the last slice of bacon. “Cole, don’t be an idiot. It’s delicious and you know it. The sound system isn’t some charity donation. Bree just set us up with a supplier who sold it for less than wholesale as a favor to her. Why are you so ticked off about it?”
“Yeah, Cole. Why are you so ticked off?” She arched a brow in his direction. He glared back at her.
“It feels like charity. The rich starlet comes to the poor little country town and starts throwing money around to win friends...”
“Wow.” Before Ty could say more, Bree leaped to her feet, sending her chair scraping across the wooden floor.
“Is that really what you think? That I’m buying friendship? A few dollars for Ty and his family? Farm chores to win over Nell? And what about you? All I had to do was spread my legs and we were friends for a few hours, right?”
Ty had a violent coughing fit.
“Because if I didn’t give myself away, no one around here would want to be with me, right?”
“Damn it, that’s not what I...”
She left the room before he could finish. This felt sickeningly familiar. Leave it to Cole Caldwell to take an act of kindness and make it sound cheap and fake. She was almost out the back door when a strong arm wrapped around her waist. Her anger still burned bright, and she tried to pry his arm away by sinking her nails into his flesh.
“Stop.” His breath moved across her ear. “Just stop. Listen to me, okay?”
She gave up her attempts to escape but stood stiffly with her back to him.
“Look, I told you my anger is on a hair trigger. I told you that, didn’t I?” She nodded, her shoulders easing against her will as he pressed a kiss to the base of her neck. “When Ty said you got the bar a $20,000 sound system, I...reacted badly. I’m sorry.” She felt him smile against her skin. “Hell, I haven’t said those words in months, and you’ve got me saying them every damn day. I don’t know if it’s because you make me screw up more, or if you just make me care when my screwups hurt you.” Another kiss. “Don’t leave this house angry, Bree. Not after last night. Don’t leave angry.”
Her head dropped down, only to see Maggie sitting at her side, looking up with dark, worried eyes. “I’m sorry for what I said about spreading my legs...”
He chuckled into her neck and she relaxed against his solid chest. The fight was over. “Yeah, that was a little tough to hear in front of my brother, but I guess I deserved it.”
She turned and looked up at him, relieved to see a softer light in his eyes. “Is Ty still here? He must think we’re crazy.”
Cole shook his head. His hands rested lightly on her hips. “He’s headed back to town. Ty knows I’m crazy, and he’s now having serious doubts about your judgment. He didn’t seem all that surprised to find us together, though. And he certainly wasn’t surprised to see us going at each other’s throats. I told him I’d meet him at the bar later and help with the new system.” He kissed her lips softly. “Breakfast was great.”
She leaned into his kiss, but he brought her out of her warm thoughts with a sharp smack on her behind.
“Now get up to Nell’s. I cleaned stalls for you, but I have my own place to run.” She grinned and turned away. Her hand was on the back door when he spoke again.
“Brianna.” She looked over her shoulder, and the heat in his expression made her heart jump. “I’ve got to drive over to Bladenboro this afternoon to look at a cattle hauler, but I’ll be back tonight. I want to see you.”
She watched the emotions move across his face. Desire. Affection. Fear. She knew she was mirroring the same. This was uncharted territory for both of them. She lifted her chin and shrugged, acting far braver than she felt.
“You know where I live, Plowboy. If you forget, just follow your dog. She knows the way.”
* * *
“DO YOU HAVE any clue what you’re doing?” Ty handed Cole a drill while Cole balanced a speaker against the wall with his shoulder. Cole grunted.
“With this speaker? Yeah, I think I’ve got it covered. It will definitely be attached to the wall when I’m done.”
“I wasn’t talking about the speaker, and you know it. What’s the deal with you and Bree?”
“She showed up during the storm last night, and things...just happened.” He leaned into the drill and sank the last screw into the wall. “I gave her full disclosure on the odds that I’ll make a mess of things, like I did this morning. She’s still in.” He shrugged at Ty’s dubious expression. “Maybe she’s as screwed up as I am.”
Cole stepped off the ladder.
“I’m worried about Bree being hurt,” Ty said. “But I’m more worried about you. You’re my brother. She’s going to be back in California as soon as they catch whoever’s stalking her. Have you really thought this through?”
Cole frowned. He didn’t like to think about Bree leaving Russell. It just didn’t compute for him. But she was a product of Tinseltown. She’d been married to a movie star, and she’d probably end up married to another one. He was nothing more than a diversion while she hid out in his humble little part of the world. But maybe that was what made this thing between them work.
“Ty, having an end date is what we both need. I’ve been out of circulation for a long time, and so has she. Might be good to have a fling with someone who doesn’t expect long-term in any way, shape or form. We scratch each other’s itches, so to speak, and we already know how it’s going to end, so there won’t be any drama when it’s over.”
Ty handed him a cold beer from behind the bar. “Scratch your itch, huh? And am I right in guessing she takes care of your itch very nicely?”
Cole smiled and shook his head. “Between you and me? Best. Sex. Ever. Hotter than hell. But it’s more than that...it feels different with her...” He realized he’d said far more than he’d intended. “Ty...”
His big brother gave him a smile. “Look, if anyone deserves a few nights of hot, sweaty sex with a gorgeous woman, it’s you. Just be careful. With her heart, and with yours. I saw that adoring look in your eyes when you walked into the kitchen this morning.”
Cole slid onto a bar stool. “You’ve been hanging out with Tammy and Emily too much. You’re starting to sound like a girl. Bree and I talked it out, and we’ve established reasonable expectations.”
“Little brother, she made you laugh. Out loud.”
Yeah, there was that. He shook his head. He wasn’t ready to examine that too closely.
“We’re just two adults having a mutually beneficial, and very temporary, sexual relationship. Nothing more.” If he kept saying it out loud, he might just start to believe it.
Ty stared at him then grinned. “Okay. Whatever you say.”
The front door opened and Tammy walked into the bar with Emily following. Before the door closed, Emily bolted straight to the dance hall, eager to inspect the new karaoke machine.
Ty called after her. “I still have to finish programming it, Em.” Emily nodded as she examined the control board.
Tammy rolled her eyes and sat next to Cole, accepting the cold soda Ty offered her. “It’s all she’s talked about since you told her it arrived. She’s already making a list of the songs she wants you to order. Oh, and by the way, she announced that she expects her sixteenth birthday party to be held here at the bar. During the afternoon and alcohol-free, of course.”
Cole frowned. “Isn’t her birthday two months away?”
“Yup. That’s how excited she is about karaoke, Uncle Cole.” Her smile faded. “Umm...did you happen to watch the news this morning?”
Ty choked back a laugh but went silent when Cole leveled a glare at him and shook his head.
“The morning shows were all talking about Bree,” Tammy said. “There’s some story about her having a breakdown and running off to a rehab center in Utah.”
Bree had told him about the fake story somewhere around 2 am. Those whispered conversations in the dark felt just as intimate as the sex, if that was possible. The false rumor would hopefully force her stalker to make a mistake. She hadn’t mentioned anything about it becoming national news, though.
“They were showing a lot of pictures of her on television, Cole. I’m guessing tonight’s entertainment shows will all be doing the same. It’s a lot of publicity for someone trying to stay anonymous. Even people who never saw the reality show are now seeing her face.”
“Not that many people here in Russell have seen her...” he started, but Ty interrupted.
“Except for that Saturday night right here in the bar.”
Tammy nodded, looking guilty. “We were so caught up in changing Bree’s looks that we let our enthusiasm run away with our good sense. It’s hard to disguise that gorgeous face.”
Cole thought about how that gorgeous face looked last night, under him in bed. And later, on top of him on the chaise. Laughing in the back of Nell’s truck. Fierce with anger whenever they quarreled. The silence was broken when Emily started singing a Carrie Underwood hit on the karaoke system. Leave it to a teenager to figure out the technology faster than her dad. The sudden noise was enough to kick his mind back in gear. If anyone in Russell started asking questions about Bree, her safety could be at risk.
“Other than that night, hardly anyone has seen her, and they’ve all met her as Anna. Arlen and his dad saw her when we were putting up hay...”
Ty interrupted. “I’ll talk to Arlen. He and George can be trusted.”
“I know. But what about the crowd in here? All the guys she danced with...”
“It’s not the guys you have to worry about, Cole.” Tammy gave him a thin smile. “It’s women that watch entertainment news. Like Amber and her posse. Amber said Bree looked familiar, and that worries me.”
Cole’s pulse slowed and his body settled into battle readiness. This was a situation. And he knew how to handle situations. His response team was already gathered in this room. They just needed a plan.
“We need to keep Bree out of sight and off the radar.”
“Should she move out of the cottage? Maybe in with Nell?”
Cole hesitated just long enough for his brother to start chuckling again.
“Baby, if she moves anywhere, it won’t be Nell’s place.” Ty winked at his wife’s confusion. “Guess who was cooking breakfast at my brother’s place this morning, wearing nothing but his T-shirt and a satisfied smile?”
Tammy’s jaw dropped.
“Cole, you didn’t!”
“Hey!” He threw his hands up in defense while sneaking another glare at his big-mouthed brother. “We’re both adults, Tammy.”
His sister-in-law looked as if she didn’t know how she felt about this development, and he couldn’t blame her. He wasn’t sure how he felt about it, either.
“She cooked you breakfast?”
“Apparently they worked up an appetite.” Ty looked proud of himself until Tammy and Cole rounded on him. He busied himself wiping down the bar.
Cole thought for a minute. “Look, we basically live on a dead-end road. Other than the produce stand, there isn’t any traffic, so we can keep her out of sight. Tammy, do you think there’s any way Amber would listen to you and keep her mouth shut if you explained the situation?”
“Maybe, but I doubt it. We’re not exactly close, and I wasn’t all that pleasant to her in the bar. But...” She looked at him, tipping her head to the side with a smile. “She might listen to you.”
“No. No way.” He didn’t want anything to do with his former fiance.
“She’s a shrew, but she’s not completely evil, Cole. She had feelings for you at one time. She accepted your marriage proposal, after all.”
“And then ran out and cheated on me. Not a real good sign of true love.”
“Perhaps. But she still dumped you, not the other way around. You’re not the bad guy in this scenario. She might feel guilty enough to help you.”
He shook his head, but not quite as vehemently as before. Tammy had a point; it just wasn’t one he wanted to agree with. “I’d head straight home now, but I’ve got an appointment in Bladenboro...”
Tammy stood. “Don’t worry about it. Emily and I will go to Nell’s this afternoon and stay with her. Em can run the stand so Bree stays out of sight.”
Cole didn’t answer. He didn’t even notice when Tammy and Emily left a few minutes later. He’d not only let a woman break through his defenses and make him feel things. He’d also allowed himself to get pulled into her orbit and invested in her safety. That wasn’t supposed to happen, and he felt more vulnerable than he had in a long time.