Chapter Fifteen
Later that morning, they were woken by a knock on the front door. Cole stood, snatched up his jeans, pulled them on, and quickly made his way to the door.
“What?” he barked at whoever stood on the other side of the door.
Emily heard Daisy laugh at something Cole said and pulled the blanket up to her neck. Embarrassed, she decided to make a run to the bathroom and grab the clothes that were on the floor on her way. She dressed quickly and walked out of the bathroom.
She could tell that he noticed the way she stiffened when he got close. He ignored it, pulled her against him, and tilted her chin to take her mouth. He leaned away and lifted his head when she relaxed against him with a sigh. Emily opened her eyes and stared up at Cole. She cleared her throat.
“What did Daisy want?” she asked.
He smiled and tightened his arms when she tried to pull away. “She was just checking to see how you were feeling, baby. I was hoping you were still in bed. I wanted to hold you a little longer.”
Emily tugged her arm free and turned away from him, her cheeks flush with embarrassment.
“I can’t believe you answered the door like that? She knows what happened.” Her movements were jerky as she made the bed. “Oh, God. What is she going to think?”
“Stop it.” Cole pulled her around and back into his arms. “Look at me, Em. It doesn’t matter if she knows we made love.
” He tightened his grip when she tried to pull away.
“No. Don’t pull away. It doesn’t matter because I want everyone to know we’re together.
I want no doubt in anyone’s mind that you’re my woman. ”
Emily laid her forehead against his chest and took a deep breath. She let her hands graze over his sides, feeling the muscles and skin.
“I don’t know if I want them to know. We’ve only known each other for less than two weeks.” Cole chuckled above her.
“It doesn’t matter. All that matters is that we care about each other.” He waited for her to say something. “Right, Em?”
She looked up and stared into his eyes.
“Right?” Cole growled, his voice becoming more demanding, but also uncertain.
The exaggerated growl made her chuckle, which turned into a full laugh when his brows furrowed into an exaggerated, fierce frown.
“Not funny, baby. Now, answer me.”
Emily nodded. “Yes, I agree.”
One of his eyebrows cocked. “That we care about each other?”
She smiled up at him. “Yes. We care about each other.”
He bent and took her lips in a long, drugging kiss.
Emily pulled away reluctantly. “I need to check my emails and get some work done, and I’m pretty sure you do, too. You’ve been here for over three days.”
Cole bent and snagged his shirt, pulling it on before picking up his socks and putting on his boots.
“You’re right. I need to check on a few things. Will you promise to call me if you start feeling sick again?”
Emily smiled and nodded. “But I won’t.”
Cole looked at her as he tucked in his shirt. “I don’t care. I want a promise anyway.”
Emily rolled her eyes. “Fine. I will call you if I feel sick.”
Cole pulled her into his arms again. “Good girl. How about we meet at the food barn for dinner?”
“Sounds good.”
He bent and kissed her fiercely before pulling away. “I don’t want to go, but I know I need to. We both have things we need to get done, but I’ll see you later.”
Several hours later, she wiped a bit of lipstick off the side of her lips.
Emily sighed and tore her eyes from her reflection in the mirror above the sink.
This was as good as it got. She knew Cole seemed to like the way she looked, but years and years of being told she was unattractive had taken its toll on her self-confidence, and it was going to take a while to get it back.
Emily grabbed her jacket because the nights were getting cold. The beauty of the star-laden sky took her breath. She would never get sick of looking at the scenery here. Everything was spread out. The fields went on forever with cattle and horses dotted here and there.
She heard rather than saw the group of people that were gathered in the dinner barn. The barn was red with white trim and looked brand new outside, but inside it had the feel of an old barn. Old horse tack and black-and-white pictures of the ranch were spread across the walls.
The long buffet counter was to the left of the barn doors.
On the right and toward the back were old wooden tables and benches that covered the majority of the barn.
Emily stood just inside the doors, looking around for Cole.
She smiled at several people as they walked by.
The western music was turned low, but mixed with the sounds of several groups talking, it was hard for her to hear.
Her heart stalled, and she froze when her eyes landed on Cole, with his arms wrapped around a woman and lips pressed almost passionately against hers.
She tried to tell herself she saw just a friendly exchange, but the blonde, beautiful woman was wrapped around him almost possessively, and the fact she reminded her of the woman her husband left her for made it hurt worse.
She couldn’t seem to get her legs to work.
The only thoughts going through her head were how stupid she was to believe a man like him would really want someone like her.
To him, it was a summer affair, or a quick fuck to bury an urge or something to do with his leisure time.
Unfortunately, to her, it was already much, much more.
She tore her eyes from the couple and turned abruptly, making her escape before she made a fool of herself. A bigger fool than she already was.
A shiver coursed down her spine as a bit of cold crept through her jacket.
The darkness of night had fully descended.
There were yard lights spaced around the parking lot area to help the people go to and from their cabins.
She turned away from the brightness, needing the darkness to hide and try to pull herself back together.
She found her way to the small fenced-in area where Cole kept several of his horses.
Emily looked through the white fence slats and, for a moment, watched the beautiful animals eat the hay in the middle of the small pasture.
She whistled quietly until one of the horses came to her.
She climbed the wooden fence to stroke its muscled neck.
It was a beautiful gelding. It was black with dinner plate-sized white spots scattered over its body.
His forelock, mane, and tail were pure black and looked almost silver when the rays of light from the yard lights reflected against the sleek hair.
Emily scratched its ears. “Hey, big guy. You are so sweet.” A calm came over her as the thoughts inside her head settled.
“Do you want to meet a stupid human?” She laughed sadly and quickly wiped a stray tear that escaped her eye.
“I can’t seem to finally get it. And now it’s going to be uncomfortable around him.
I have eight and a half more weeks here.
I really don’t think I can handle it, but I won’t get any money back. ”
She kissed the horse’s muzzle as it nipped at her hair. “What should I do, boy?” Emily sucked in a startled breath. She felt the heat of him before he touched her.
“What are you doing out here?” Cole rested his chest against her back and wrapped his hands over the top rung of the fence on either side of her, blocking her in. “I thought we agreed to meet at the barn?”
Emily climbed down and pushed him away with her back. She turned when there was space between them. She was unable to look at him. Her emotion was too close to the surface. If she could just get back to her cabin, she’d be able to pull herself together.
“I decided I wasn’t hungry.” Emily shrugged. “Sorry.”
God, she just wanted to be by herself and cry. She couldn’t handle being near him at the moment.