His for the Taking

Thirteen



“Oh, man!” Noah shouted from the backseat of her car.

Filled with dread at the thought of Cole waiting for them at her house, Maddie took her eyes off the silver, tanklike SUV ahead of her to study Noah in her rearview mirror. His black head was lowered as he concentrated fiercely on the game he was playing on her cell phone. Glancing back at the SUV, she turned on the radio so she wouldn’t dwell on Cole.

Five minutes later, when she turned onto their street, Noah let out a war whoop. “Cops! Oh, boy!” he shouted. “How come they’re at our house? Hey, and there’s Tristan!”

Tristan, who had carrot-red hair and Harry Potter glasses, was their new next-door neighbor and Noah’s new best friend.

When she jerked the wheel toward the curb, Cole and Tristan, who’d obviously had time to bond, rushed toward them.

“Who’s that?” Noah demanded as he eyed Cole suspiciously.

Standing tall beneath the flickering shade and brilliance of her huge oaks, Cole’s carved features resembled those of a pagan god, harsh and ruthless but dangerously compelling.

“Just an old friend,” she whispered in panic.

His hard eyes on Noah, Cole’s large, tanned hands were clenched as he waited for them to get out.

She stared past him to the uniformed officers on her porch with false bravado. “What’s going on here?”

“There’s been a break-in. According to the police, there have been several in your neighborhood. Whoever did it broke a back window.”

Just what she needed, she thought wearily as Cole knelt to Noah’s level.

“Maybe when the officers finish, you and your friend Tristan here can help me board up the window,” Cole said.

“To keep the bad guys out?” Noah said, beaming up at Cole with immense excitement.

“Yes.”

“Cool,” Noah said.

“I’m Cole. What’s your name?”

“Noah. This is Tristan.”

“I already met Tristan. In fact, he and I are planning to play some football later.”

“Cool! Can I play, too?”

“You’d better believe it!”

“Cool!”

Introductions over, Noah and Tristan dashed up to the porch to watch the police do their work.

Cole stood up. “Good thing I was here to deal with the cops. You look exhausted. How can I help?”

She felt exhausted, both mentally and physically.

“I have the fundraiser to get through, as you well know,” she said. “Not to mention whatever ordeal you intend to put me through tonight. Now on top of all that—a break-in.”

“All I want is to marry you and take care of you and our son. That doesn’t have to be an ordeal, you know. It could be a mutual pleasure.”

She shook her head. “I don’t see how.”

“Looks like I’ll have to show you,” he said.

Before she knew what he intended or had time to steel herself not to respond, he pulled her to him and kissed her hard.

As always when in his embrace, she lost the ability to control herself or think coherently. His muscular body was rock-hard and her softer figure melted against him. Her wanton pulse raced while flames lit her nerve endings with a hunger that reduced her to a primal, craven creature.

She knew what he wanted—what she wanted—but she was determined to fight it. She wouldn’t let him break her heart as he’d done six years ago.

“Stop,” she pleaded, even as her body trembled beneath his onslaught. His caressing fingers on her flesh made her blood run hot. “Not in front of Noah!”

He tensed, and she sensed his reluctance to do as she asked.

“For now,” he whispered roughly, letting her go.

Shaken, too aware of Noah watching them, she hugged herself tightly.

For his part, Cole stepped back a few feet, as if removing himself from temptation.

* * *

Hell, Cole was stunned by how much fun he’d had tossing the football to his son and Tristan while Maddie dealt with the cops. He’d enjoyed helping the kids nail a board over her window, as well, while a flock of grackles fought noisy battles in the highest limbs of her oak trees.

How long had he spent hanging out with the boys while Maddie got ready for the fundraiser—a mere hour and twenty minutes? And already paternal pride swelled inside him. He’d liked Maddie watching them from the windows; he’d liked making himself useful to her while enjoying the boys. Even in this brief time he’d had with his son and the mother of his son, he was surer than ever that he wanted to be a permanent part of their lives, all the time, not just for weekends and holidays.

Noah, who was as bright as a new copper penny, was quirky and cute. He’d shown Cole the Shining Star medal he’d won at school and had liked it when Cole had teasingly started calling him Shining Star.

The boy had a good arm. He could catch passes, too, and run like the wind. Funny how in such a short time, Cole already felt like his father.

He had to find a way to make Maddie see they could be a family.

* * *

The fundraiser was under way in the ballroom of one of Austin’s fanciest hotels overlooking Town Lake. Shifting masses of elegantly dressed people danced, drank and chattered as Maddie seized the opportunity to slip outside while Cole was surrounded by board members.

Maddie wanted to stay furious at him forever for the high-handed way he’d treated her ever since he’d stormed into Austin. In one afternoon, he had rid her of Greg and made significant advances toward winning his son’s affections. Tonight, with her on his arm, he’d easily worked the crowd, seducing most of the shelter’s board members and important donors with smiles and witty remarks.

Maybe she hadn’t sold as many tickets this year, but Cole had dazzled everybody who mattered when he’d produced a second check that was more than enough to pay the shelter’s expenses for a year…and ensure her job.

Leaning against the railing, she stared at the shimmering reflections in the dark lake. He was outmaneuvering her by making himself useful. He’d helped straighten her house; he’d called her alarm company and arranged for them to rewire the window as soon as she had the glass replaced.

The music stopped. When Cole’s voice came from behind her, she shivered.

“There you are,” he said. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”

“It’s the first minute I’ve had to myself all day.”

The music in the ballroom started again.

“Dance with me,” he whispered against her ear.

When his arm slid around her waist, her heart began to beat to the seductive pulse of the music. Then he swept her around and around in a series of expertly executed turns. As they whirled, the brilliantly lit buildings of downtown Austin flashed by. Soon, she was breathless and feeling lightheartedly reckless.

He made her feel young and almost happy. She’d never gone to prom or done much dancing. She wanted the music to go on forever, to dance with him always.

Was he good at everything? Oh, why did it have to feel so treacherously wonderful to be in his arms?

“You look fabulous,” he murmured even as his hot eyes scorched her skin.

His gaze admired her body in her tight red dress before he snugged her closer. Then the hard feel of his muscular body rocked her senses.

“Don’t hold me so close,” she whispered as she fought a losing battle against physical arousal.

“I want you,” he murmured, ravaging the softness of her mouth. “Just as you want me. Why did you wear a dress that skims your body like a second skin if you didn’t want to tempt me?”

She flushed guiltily. When she’d selected the dress tonight, she’d known she should have chosen something less revealing, but yes, she’d wanted to entice him.

At some point, they stopped dancing. When he lowered his mouth to devour hers, she didn’t fight because she didn’t have the strength. She wanted him, more than she’d ever wanted anything in her life. Within dizzying seconds, he had her weak and clinging breathlessly.

“We’re going home, baby,” he said.

“The fundraiser isn’t over. I’m still on duty.”

“I’ll make your excuses,” he said in that supremely confident male way that could so annoy her when she wasn’t melting with desire.

Five minutes later, he’d made their excuses and they had exited the ballroom. Arms linked, he rushed her to his truck, which he drove with one hand while his other closed over hers with a fierce urgency that had her blood tingling.

Only when they were standing beneath the glare of her porch light did she come back to her senses.

“Good night,” she said without unlocking her door. “And thank you—for the check.” When he didn’t kiss her good-night and go, she said, “I can’t ask you to come in. Greg’s here, and Noah…wouldn’t understand.”

“No way am I letting you and Noah stay here alone after that break-in. I can sleep on the couch.”

“No!”

Then Greg opened the front door, and Cole stepped past her into the living room.

“Noah’s awake,” Greg said. “He had a dream about some witches in his closet, so I’ve been reading to him.”

“I’ll take over from here,” Cole said.

“No,” she began, but she was talking to his back. He was already striding down the hall.

Too tired to fight him, she thanked Greg. After he left, she went to the closet and pulled out a set of sheets and towels and two pillows and tossed them onto the couch.

Determined not to surrender to Cole, at least not tonight, she went to Noah and kissed his brow, promising that her kisses were magic and would keep the witches away.

Feeling too flustered to look at Cole, she crossed the hall to her own room and closed herself inside.

* * *

“One more story! Please! Please!”

“Good night, Shining Star,” Cole said as he closed their third book. “Sleep tight.” He leaned down and kissed Noah gently on the top of his head.

“If I close my eyes, would you stay here and guard the closet?”

“There aren’t any witches in that closet. Remember how we just checked.”

“The green one’s not there all the time. Just sometimes,” Noah stated matter-of-factly. “She looks sort of like an ugly, mean frog. She has snaky hair and big orange eyes. She comes up through a little hole in the floor. Then she grows bigger and bigger, while I grow smaller and smaller. When she’s crazy huge, she sneaks out….” Noah broke off, but his enormous eyes remained fixed on his closet.

“It was just a dream. Try not to think about her, okay?”

Cole lay down beside his son and put his arm around him. Shining Star’s black lashes lowered heavily to his tanned cheeks. It was amazing how calm and peaceful he looked when he was sleepy.

“Do you think my mommy’s pretty?” Noah whispered drowsily.

“Yes,” Cole admitted. “I do.”

But Noah didn’t hear him because he had succumbed to sleep.

Intending to stay with Noah for only a few minutes, Cole loosened his tie and the top button of his shirt. But the bed was soft and Noah was warm and cuddly. Within seconds, he was asleep, too.