Chapter Sixteen Cole
After licking Addie into a frenzy and then taking her against the wall, we collapse in a pile of limbs.
The reality of the situation is she’s got me right where she wants me—completely at her mercy.
And at the moment, satiated from an intense orgasm, I don’t even care.
I’m already thinking about tossing her over the back of the couch and driving into—
My phone buzzes, slicing right through that delicious little fantasy, and as much as I’d like to ignore it, I can’t.
Dragging myself up off the floor, I stumble forward, tripping over my pants still around my ankles, and Addie’s tinkling laughter makes me pause. God, I love it. It brightens my darkest corners, reminding me there’s more to this life than work.
I glance over my shoulder and grin like a fool. Her beautiful smile soothes my overworked soul, and she makes me want to steal her away to some exotic place where we can lay on the beach all day, drink fruity concoctions decorated with paper umbrellas and then make love under the stars.
I’m not sure what’s stranger. Me using the phrase, “make love,” or me wanting to take a vacation. Work dominates my life and that’s the way I’ve always preferred it. I haven’t taken time off since… Oh, hell, probably not since I became a detective over five years ago.
And make love? Inwardly, I roll my eyes and snag my phone off the coffee table. Love has nothing to do with a good fuck, and we both know it. Because that’s all it is… even though something more seems to be seeping in, but I don’t have time to obsess over that. Not now, not ever.
Glancing at the screen, I see it’s my mom. Since she lives so far away, I worry. Swiping the bar over, I answer right away. “Hi, Ma. Is everything okay?”
“Hi, honey. Everything will be okay if Nora Rivera doesn’t let her yappy shit-zu poop on my front stoop again. I swear, she does it on purpose.”
“It’s Shih Tzu, Mom. Sheeee,” I emphasize. “Not shit.”
“It should be, because that dog shits enough for three dogs and it’s always on my—”
“Stoop. Yeah, I know. That’s why you should move out here.” I’ve been trying to convince my mom to move to Denver for years. I hate that she’s getting older and all by herself.
My attention flicks over to Addie, who slips her leggings back on. Her panties didn’t escape me tearing them off, but I blame her. When she had her hand down her pants and started touching herself… well, what did she expect? I lost all self-control.
I spot the silky pink scrap on the floor and bend over to scoop them up, tucking them in my pocket.
“Cole!” she hisses. “Give me those back.”
But I only shake my head and give her a wicked grin.
“Who’s that?” my mom asks, not missing a thing.
“That’s Addie.”
“Who the hell is Addie? Do you have a girlfriend you didn’t tell me about?”
“She’s…” My voice trails off. Because how do I describe Addison Mills and what she means to me? I don’t even know myself. “A friend. We, ah, are working together.”
Addie scrunches up her nose.
“She works at the police department?”
“Not exactly.” I squirm, wondering when this became an inquisition.
Because, fuck, I hate lying to my mother.
But I know it’s not going to take her long to hit onto something uncomfortable, and I’d like to keep my relationship with Addison Mills under wraps.
Time to change the subject. “Ma, is there any particular reason you’re calling? Because I’m, ah, working.”
“You’re always working. You need to learn how to unwind and take time off before you keel over from a heart attack. Let me talk to your friend.”
“What?” Twin beads of sweat pop at my temples.
“You heard me. I want to talk to… Addie, is it?”
“Why?” I ask, not bothering to hide my suspicion.
“Cole Giovanni, put her on the line, please.”
And she middle-named me. “Fine,” I relent, “but I’m putting you on speaker, so behave.”
It’s impossible to argue with my mom, so I extend the phone to Addie. “She wants to talk to you.”
“What?” Addie squeaks. I nod, shoving the phone closer. “Why?” she mouths, looking slightly worried, and I shrug.
Addie clears her throat, sounding slightly unsure as she says, “Hi, um, Mrs. Vaughn.”
“Is Addie short for something?” my mother asks without preamble.
“Uh, yes, actually. My full name is Addison.”
“But my son calls you Addie. Hmmm. Makes me think there’s more to this than working together. Am I right?”
Addie opens her mouth, closes it. She looks at me like a deer caught in headlights.
“Ma! Don’t harass her,” I say.
“Well, excuse me for hoping my son, who’s pushing forty, finally found someone to warm his bed and renew my hope in the possibility of grandchildren.”
“Christ,” I swear and run a hand through my hair. My cheeks heat up. Only my mother can make me blush, and the urge to smoke has me reaching for my jacket, desperately searching for my pack of gum.
“Don’t use the Lord’s name in vain unless there’s a damn good reason, Cole Giovanni,” she admonishes, and I pop a stick of gum into my mouth as Addie snorts back a laugh.
“Giovanni?” she mouths.
“So, if you aren’t a cop, what do you do, Addie? How did you meet my son?”
I’m half-expecting Addie to make an excuse and escape, but instead, she chuckles, takes the phone from me and settles down on the couch where I just fucked her with my tongue. Thank God my mom didn’t video call, or she’d really know something is up.
“Well,” Addie begins, lowering her voice as though imparting a secret, “Cole has been pursuing me for quite a while now. He’s rather relentless.”
“Really?” My mom sounds absolutely delighted, and I frown. Suddenly, the idea of these two uniting—most likely against me—seems like a bad idea.
“Oh, yes. I finally caved in and let him take me out for coffee.”
“Coffee?” she echoes, clearly displeased. “Jesus, Cole, you can do better than that. Take her out for a nice Italian dinner. What’s wrong with you?”
Addie smothers a laugh behind her hand, and I glower at her. “What happened to not using the Lord’s name in vain, Ma?” I ask dryly.
But she ignores me and continues on embarrassing me like only she can.
“Did he at least kiss you? He moves with the speed of a tortoise sometimes. If he hadn’t dated Susie Perkins in high school, and I didn’t walk in on them getting it on, I might think he’s gay.
Which is perfectly fine, nothing wrong with that.
My neighbors two doors down—Miguel and Mike—are the nicest couple you could ever meet.
They keep their place immaculate and never hesitate to clean up that shit-zu’s crap if they find it on my stoop. ”
“Ma! Addie doesn’t care about any of that,” I interrupt, exasperated.
“Of course, I do,” Addie responds smoothly, sending me a wink. “I enjoy learning more about you, Cole Giovanni. And as for your question, Mrs. Vaughn, yes, he has kissed me.”
“Hallelujah and Glory Be,” Ma exclaims, and I seriously want to sink into the floor and disappear. This might be the most humiliating and strangest conversation I’ve ever been a part of.
Addie throws her head back and laughs, thoroughly amused by my complete discomfort and mortification. I really like seeing this playful side of her and the corner of my mouth quirks up.
Before they can gang up on me any further, I swipe the phone away from her.
“Hey! I’m not done talking to your mom,” she complains, pushing out her bottom lip at me in a full-on pout. And all I can think about is snagging that plump lip between my teeth.
“Oh, yes, you are,” I say briskly. “You’re both done. Love you, Ma, and I’ll call you later.”
“Love you, too, honey. Goodbye, Addie!” she calls.
“Bye, Mrs. Vaughn,” Addie responds cheerfully.
I hang up and shake my head. “I apologize. She has no filter.”
“I love that,” Addie declares. “I’m just trying to reconcile the fact that she’s your mother. You two seem very different.”
“Yeah, I have a filter,” I say, dryly.
“Maybe you take after your dad,” she suggests, and I look away, not wanting to talk about it. “Or a sibling?”
“No brothers or sisters. And my dad died a long time ago. It’s just me and Ma, and I’ve been trying to get her to move out here since I did almost ten years ago. But she refuses to leave the old neighborhood. Apparently, she’d much rather stay and complain about her neighbors.”
“You should try harder,” she tells me. “You’re lucky to have her, but if you never see her… I don’t know. That just makes me sad.”
I sit down next to her and take her hand in mine. “You miss your mom.” It’s not a question. I know they were extremely close. Always in cahoots and giving the Denver PD a run for its money long before I came on the scene.
“So much,” she whispers.
The rawness and hurt in her voice strikes a chord deep within me, and I pull her into my arms. “C’mere, baby.”
She climbs onto my lap, curls up against my bare chest, and I hold her, stroking a hand down over her long hair then resting it against her lower back.
Nothing has ever felt so right, and I’m not sure how to process what I’m feeling.
There’s nothing sexual about the way we’re holding or touching each other right now.
It’s just exactly the way it should be. Me and Addie.
Together. Connected. Complex. Yet supporting one another in a way no one else can.
“I miss her every single day,” she whispers, sniffing softly.
I feel a wetness on my chest and I know she’s crying. And it breaks my goddamn heart. Seeing my feisty, lovely thief break down and soak my skin with her tears leaves me unsettled and wanting to make things better.
“I know nothing I say can bring her back,” I murmur, “and I understand. I miss my dad, too. Losing a parent hurts in a way that never quite lets up.”
“Losing someone you can’t live without is the worst kind of pain,” she whispers. “I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.”
Immersed in this very uninhibited moment, I decide to trust her. To go with her plan. And if she takes off with the prize? Then I’ll look like the world’s biggest fool and probably get fired. It’s a gamble. But I’ll risk anything if it means keeping her close to me for as long as possible.
She burrows impossibly closer and discreetly swipes at her nose.
I don’t care if she gets a mixture of tears and snot all over me.
The fact that she’s being vulnerable, letting down her guard and truly opening up to me, means more than I thought possible.
Right now, right at this very fragile moment, I have the real Addie in my arms, pressed against my heart, and I don’t ever want to let her go.