Chapter 7
AVA
I took a minute to catch my breath... My traitorous heart galloped full speed ahead, building dreams of forever that I thought I had gotten over long ago.
I wanted to ask him what this meant. I wanted to ask for promises. But I was too afraid he’d give them to me, and then break them tomorrow.
"Cole..." I started, my voice trembling.
He frowned and reached up to brush my hair behind my ear, his calloused fingers lingering on my skin. "I’m not going anywhere, Ava. Not this time. I want—"
I pressed my fingers against his lips, silencing him. "Don't," I whispered. "Don't make promises. Not yet. I can't handle it if you break them." Just make me feel, I pleaded silently. Make me forget the years without you.
His eyes darkened, a mix of frustration and hunger. He pulled my hand from his mouth and kissed my palm hard. "Then let me show you."
We didn’t bother with the light, just reached for each other in the dark as we stumbled toward his bed. Our bodies had changed over the years, but mine still remembered his touch. Still responded to him.
This time, though, it was deeper. We were older, more mature, and knew exactly what we wanted.
His palm skimmed across my skin, setting fire to my nerve endings.
The lingering worry over my stretch marks disappeared when he traced them with his fingers.
He didn't just touch them; he mapped them.
"I hate that I wasn't there," he gritted out against my skin, his voice rough. "I hate that I missed this."
"You're here now," I gasped, arching into him.
I skated my hands over him, learning the new shape of his muscles. Our lips broke apart and I fumbled with his belt buckle, my hands shaking. He groaned and tore his own shirt off, buttons pinging against the floorboards.
“Impatient,” he murmured against my neck.
“Just hungry,” I breathed, moaning as his lips slid down my throat.
His fingers found my core and stroked against me. My hips rocked, my body desperate for him. “Please.”
He groaned. “I was going to take my time. Savor you.”
“Next time.” I spread my thighs and urged him to fill the space. “I need you now.”
When he slid inside, it felt right. As if our lives had been leading to this moment when we came back together. Six years ago, we weren’t ready for each other and the feelings we had. Now, we were. No wonder I never seriously dated. My heart had always belonged to Cole since I first met him.
We moved as one, our bodies racing toward completion in a way both new and familiar. And as we tumbled over the edge into pleasure, it was like finally coming home.
After, we lay wrapped in each other’s arms, neither willing to let go. He pressed a kiss against the top of my head. I told myself I’d wake up before Maisie, so she wouldn’t find Cole and I in bed together.
But as sleep tugged at me, a tiny sliver of fear remained. It was easy to be together in the dark.
I just hoped we survived the light of day.
I woke to the sound of Maisie’s giggles, mixed with Cole’s deep laughter. My eyes shot open, and I panicked, sitting up. But I was alone in the bedroom. Had Maisie come in while Cole and I slept?
I jumped out of bed and tugged on my clothes, which were strewn all around the room. My bra had somehow ended up under the bed. I ran my fingers through my messy hair and took a deep breath. Then I opened the door and stepped into the main room of the cabin.
Cole and Maisie stood next to the kitchen table with their backs to me. He heard me approach and glanced over his shoulder, shooting me a grin. “You were supposed to stay in bed. Maisie and I wanted to bring you breakfast.”
Maisie spun around and ran to give me a hug. She had dustings of flour on her cheek and T-shirt. “Momma. You took Mr. Cole’s bed.”
I raised a brow and looked over her head at Cole. He nodded toward the couch, where a pillow and blanket lay, and filled in the blanks. “I, of course, was a gentleman and slept on the couch, giving the lady my bed.”
“Thank you, kind sir.” I smiled at him. “Lucky me, both a comfortable bed and I didn’t have to make breakfast.”
“We’re having pancakes and bacon.” Maisie ran back to the table. “Mr. Cole let me mix the batter.”
I bit my lip to hold back a laugh as I studied the mess she’d made. There was more batter in the bowl than out of it, but not by much. Cole grabbed a cloth and wiped up the table as he grinned at Maisie. “She did a great job.”
He cooked up the food, and we sat around the table eating together, just like an actual family. My heart swelled, almost too big for my chest, and the last sliver of uncertainty I had about Cole throbbed, telling me to let go.
The thud of a fist against the door cut through Cole’s laughter at one of Maisie’s favorite knock-knock jokes. His brows drew together as he stood and strode across the cabin. A growl tore from his throat when he opened the door. “What are you doing here?”
An older man who strongly resembled Cole stood in the doorway, dressed in a suit, gray hair slicked back, and power radiating from every pore.
His gaze swept over the cabin, eyes sharpening when they landed on Maisie.
I pulled my daughter closer, every motherly instinct in me screaming to protect her from this man.
“You’re not welcome here, Grandfather.” Cole’s expression darkened.
“Someone’s been keeping secrets from me.” The man’s gaze on Maisie was predatory and cold. “This changes things. The child—”
“It changes nothing.” Cole’s jaw tightened, and he herded the man onto the porch. He glanced back at me, mouthing the words, I’ll be right back. Then he followed the man outside and slammed the door.
I rushed to the window, watching the two exchange angry words in the driveway but unable to hear anything. Cole’s grandfather shoved an envelope thick with papers at Cole and poked his chest with a finger before looking back at the cabin. His eagle-eyed gaze narrowed on me, his lips twisting.
He spun on his heel and stalked to a sleek black car where a man waited, holding the door to the back seat open. Cole stayed outside until the car drove away, his shoulders rigid. When the car disappeared from sight, he turned and came back into the cabin, face pale, eyes sparking.
“Cole?” I walked over, resting my hand on his forearm. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” He gave me a tight smile. “Just business.”
He was lying.
“Cole—”
“It’s handled, Ava. Don’t worry about it.” His eyes were darting around, his knuckles white. He looked like a man trying to hold back a landslide with his bare hands. “I’ll handle it.”
Just when I started to trust him. But he hadn’t changed at all. One appearance from his grandfather and he was already walking back from us. Maybe he didn’t see it that way. Maybe to him, it was nothing. But I was done with secrets.
“Maisie, let’s go.” I grabbed her shoes and coat. Normally I’d let her put them on herself, but I was in too much of a rush.
“Momma?” Maisie looked confused.
I zipped up her jacket. “We need to go get ready for the wedding. Aunt Becky will be waiting for us.”
We still had two hours before we were due in the bridal suite to get dressed, but Maisie didn’t need to know that. I took her hand and led her toward the door. Cole stepped between us and it, his brow creasing. “Ava? What’s wrong?”
“Don’t follow us.” I ushered Maisie outside before turning on him, my voice trembling with suppressed rage. "I saw him look at her, Cole. I saw the papers.”
He opened his mouth to argue, but I cut him off.
"I trusted you for twelve hours, Cole. And the first thing you did was lie to me." I shook my head. “He’s not just a businessman. He’s a predator. And you just gave him an opening.”
I slammed the door behind me and picked up Maisie, carrying her to our car and strapping her into the booster seat. Taking a shuddering breath, I forced the tears back. I wouldn’t let my foolishness touch my sister’s wedding day.
I just had to get through today. Tomorrow, Maisie and I would drive away from Cedar Hollow and Cole, and this time, I wouldn’t look back. This time I knew. He wasn’t worth it.