Chapter Three
Cole couldn’t remember ever having that instantaneous feeling of attraction for a woman that strongly before. Ever. The second he’d walked through the doorway into the foyer where the front counter was, his body had frozen mid-step. The heat of arousal immobilized him and took his breath away.
The cascade of dark brown hair that had flowed over her shoulders looked as soft as satin but had an untidy appearance about it, making it look like a lover’s fingers had combed through it.
Her slim body, although a foot shorter than his own, was curvy and luscious.
Exactly the way a woman should look. Her profile was delicate and feminine, with a small nose and wide, puffy lips.
When he’d finally seen her eyes, he felt even more unbalanced.
Her eyes were so dark they were almost black, with the longest eyelashes he’d ever seen.
He fought the urge to reach for her, throw her over his shoulder, and take her somewhere he knew she’d be safe and his.
He’d had enough of a mind left to pull himself back from frightening the hell out of her.
Is this what his friends had talked about, the overwhelming possessive feeling they got for a certain woman?
He’d always made fun of them, but now that he understood the irresistible need for Emily, he’d have to take back all the comments he’d made over the years.
A soft pink flush had filled her facial contours, and the tension that stiffened her shoulders showed she had been just as aware of him as a man.
A strong chin, a delicate neck, and slim, soft hands had finished it for him.
Cole had to ball his hands into fists to keep from reaching out for her and kissing her right then.
He shook his head. Jesus, that would have been great, dumbass.
Scare the woman off before you’ve ever had a chance to get her to know you.
He had been thrilled when he realized she seemed as intensely focused on him as he was on her. The flush of arousal on her face made even more blood pool in his groin than what was already there, making him slightly lightheaded.
Cole had chuckled at the expressions that ran across her face.
She was so incredibly easy to read. His smile died instantly when she showed shame and acute embarrassment.
He wanted to comfort her and tell her everything would be all right.
There was nothing to be ashamed of. He wanted to make sure that would be one of the first things they discussed.
He had gotten absurdly irritated over the fact she didn’t want him to help her. He wanted her to want to lean on him. Let him care for her, but they’d only just met.
Cole had been amused and aroused when she couldn’t focus on what he was saying.
What had hit him the hardest was the warmth of her flesh under his hand. Yes, it had only been her shoulder and top of her arm he’d touched, but if there really were soul mates out there, that one touch had told him he had just found his.
He was glad he had at least three months to get her used to him—plenty of time.
Hell, if he had his choice, she would be under him before the week was out, but he knew that wouldn’t happen.
Some of the shadows in her eyes held such sadness and insecurity, he knew it would take time to earn her trust.
Cole watched Emily arrive in the food barn.
He leaned back against the far wall, a beer in one hand and halfheartedly listened to what Neil, his foreman, was saying to him.
His eyes scanned her. She still wore the large short-sleeved blue shirt and jeans she had on earlier.
Heat seared when he caught sight of the curves she tried to hide behind the baggy clothes.
He watched, frowning, as she warily walked toward the buffet line, keeping her head down. She picked up a plate and, from what he could see, chose mostly salad. He expected her to get more, but she walked past the main dishes to the drink counter and snatched up a bottle of water.
His frown turned to a scowl. That shit didn’t slide with him. His ex-wife had hardly ever had a full meal. She was so absorbed with being skinny and what she and Hollywood perceived as beautiful. Lisa was always ordering fashion and diet magazines, trying to emulate the models.
The problems in their marriage had started soon after the wedding. Lisa’s obsession with being beautiful and having all his attention had angered him. She had known from the beginning he had a ranch to take care of, and it took a lot of his time.
The amount of money she’d used to buy clothing and diet pills could feed a small family for years.
Any love he’d had for her had died when he found out that since she wasn’t getting the attention she craved from him, she found other men to give it to her.
He had stuck with her because of their son but hadn’t touched her again.
It had been the final straw when he caught her using cocaine and other drugs around their son.
She was gone within hours, and because of a prenuptial agreement she’d signed, she received a small amount of alimony every month but was unable to take any part of the ranch or, most importantly, their son.
Cole shook off the memories and crossed his arms over his chest to see what his Emily would do next.
He knew people would call him crazy for falling for a woman that fast, having known her a little over an hour.
Cole shrugged. He didn’t give a shit. He was given this opportunity, and he wasn’t going to fuck it up and lose her.
His eyes narrowed as he watched her scan the tables, looking so lost he started to take a step to go to her.
Cole excused himself and threw his beer can into the waste bin as he made his way toward her and stopped when he heard Daisy call out to Emily and saw her wave her arm.
He was going to give his niece a raise. He watched Emily go from nervous and feeling out of place to smiling.
Yeah, Daisy definitely deserved a raise.
“Cole!”
Cole swung his head around at Neil’s bark. “What?”
Neil chuckled. “She told me what happened at the main house, but I thought she was exaggerating.”
Cole scowled. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Neil nodded his head at the table where Daisy and Emily sat.
“Daisy said when the two of you met, it was instantaneous combustion.” He laughed at Cole’s scowl. “She said she felt like a voyeur watching the two of you meet and...”
Cole’s body froze and his eyes heated when Emily’s gaze finally found and focused on him.
“Well, shit, I’ve lost you again, haven’t I? I think I’ll go eat with my wife and meet Emily. Nice chatting with you,” Neil said, then hooted sarcastically.
Cole never heard him. His entire concentration was on Emily.
He liked how her eyes grew large, then hazy and unseeing.
He got a glimpse of Daisy following Emily’s stare and waving his way jovially before turning toward her husband, Neil, who had sat down beside her.
He turned his attention back, his gaze raking boldly over the parts of her body he could see.
When he looked up at her face, he saw a haze of sadness and disbelief shadow her eyes before she bowed her head and turned her gaze away from him.
What the heck? Cole started toward the buffet to grab some food, intending to go to her and make her see him.
He wouldn’t allow her to ignore him. His frustration level rose when his cellphone rang.
He saw it was his employee who was watching a mare about ready to drop her foal.
Rick would only call him this late if it were important.
He took one last look at the back of Emily’s head. This was probably a good thing because the way he was feeling was out of control. He needed a little time to get himself restrained before he scared the shit out of her. There was time, he reminded himself.
She would be there for three months, so he didn’t have to rush. He walked out of the barn and headed to the one where they kept pregnant mares. He let himself think about her before he needed to concentrate on the mare.