Chapter Twenty-Five
Emily’s laughter caught in her throat when they pulled up to her cabin to see the door wide open, and Winston stood there in a shroud of arrogance like he owned the place.
Cole grabbed Emily’s hand.
“Don’t let him mess with your head, baby.” Emily turned away from Winston to look at Cole.
“Oh, I won’t. I’m just trying to figure out if I can slug him and get away with it.”
Cole hooted out a laugh and pulled her halfway over the console and planted a kiss. “As much as I’d like to see that, I don’t think it would be a good idea. I’ll have a few ranch hands help him off the ranch, and then we’ll be rid of him.”
Emily smiled and squeezed his hand. “You’re no fun.”
Cole laughed and left the truck. He walked around to open her door and helped her down, before wrapping an arm around her waist.
“Oh, for God's sakes, Emily. What the hell happened to you?” Winston yelled.
Emily and Cole stopped abruptly. Cole’s arm tightened on her, keeping her by his side.
“Why are you still here, Winston?” she asked.
Winston’s eyes skipped back and forth between them with a confused look on his face. “I already told you, Emily. I came here to take you home.”
Cole bent and pressed his cheek against the side of her head. “You didn’t tell me he was kind of slow.”
Emily snorted. “Yeah, sorry, but I didn’t remember it being this bad.”
Winston scowled. “I can hear you two?”
Emily rolled her eyes. “I don’t know what else to say to you, Winston. I’ve told you several times I don’t want anything to do with you. You need to leave and stay out of my life.”
Winston looked confused before something seemed to dawn on him.
He took a few steps and planted himself in front of them.
A sarcastic smile crossed his face, and he crossed his arms over his chest—the way he did it howled arrogance.
“You really think he’s going to keep you around?
For God's sake, Emily. Look at him and then look in the mirr—uhhh.”
Emily’s mouth dropped open as she stared at Winston flat on his ass on the ground in front of them, holding his nose, screaming, with blood dripping down his face. She scowled and turned to Cole. “Dammit, Cole, you told me I couldn’t hit him. Why can you, but not me?”
Cole hadn’t lost his grip on Emily. “Yeah. Sorry, but I couldn’t take his shit one more second.” He grunted when she elbowed him in the stomach.
“Well, I don’t think that’s very fair.”
His arm tightened around her waist and his other hand on her stomach. He bent over and kissed the top of her head. “I gotta say that your taste in men has definitely improved.”
Emily snorted out a chuckle.
He smiled at her laugh, turned them away from the man on the ground, and walked them toward the house.
“You just wait. He’ll get sick of you, and you’ll come crawling back to me,” Winton yelled from the ground.
Emily stopped and turned. She held back her cringe when she saw the damage Cole had done, a little sad she hadn’t been the one to hit him. If Winston’s nose wasn’t broken, it was damn close, and blood had already drenched the front of his shirt.
“I wouldn’t go back to you if you were the last man on earth, Winston. You’re a pitiful excuse for a man, and I deserve so much more.”
Cole tugged her around. “Let’s go, baby.
” They walked several feet toward the house.
“Neil,” Cole yelled at several ranch hands standing around watching the show.
“I need you and someone else to take this trash out.” He indicated Winston, who still hadn’t been able to get up. “I want him off my property.”
“You got it, boss.”
“One other thing. I need two others to go to the motel on Highway Sixty-Three, ten miles north of Bennet, and pick up Emily’s car. I put the keys under the driver’s side mat.
Cole and Emily walked up to find Daisy standing on the porch, her hands over her mouth in shock, but laughter danced in her eyes.
“Wow, Uncle Cole, I never would have expected that behavior from you. Badass.”
Cole grinned and tweaked Daisy’s nose.
“I guess you haven’t been listening to the stories about my childhood, Half-pint. I was a tough little shit.”
Emily chuckled and hugged him with both arms around his waist. “You still are, Cole. You’re my hero.” She batted her eyelashes for effect.
Daisy snorted.
Cole smoothed Emily’s hair from her face. They both must have looked a mess. Their clothes were damp and wrinkled, and their hair messy, their faces looking sleep-deprived.
“If you could make sure Beth hears about this, she might leave me alone for a bit.”
Daisy and Emily laughed.
“We’re going to head up and shower and get some sleep. Only wake me if it’s an emergency, okay?”
Daisy hugged Emily and took a step back. “I’m glad you’re back, Emily. I’m sorry I ever doubted you.”
Emily wrapped her arms around Cole’s waist. “All’s forgiven, Daisy. We’ve all made assumptions that turned out to be false.”
Daisy nodded. “Human nature. How about I send up some snacks for when you get out of the shower?”
Cole ruffled Daisy’s hair and chuckled when she grumbled. “That would be great. We’ve got some sleep to catch up on, but we’re also starved. We’ll see you later.”
They took a leisurely shower together. There was never a moment they weren’t touching, but neither had the energy for more than to get clean and warmed up. The soft touches were more soothing than passionate, something they needed after the emotional pain they had endured the night before.
Cole put on a pair of boxer shorts and relaxed against the headboard. He placed the platter of food that Daisy had brought them on the bed and waited for Emily. He took in several deep breaths and tried to calm his anxiety that still felt like a tight band around his chest.
His hands shook at the thought he’d almost lost her. Because he let his past wounds invade the relationship between them, he could well be sleeping alone for the rest of his life because there was never going to be anyone but Emily.
Having her in his bedroom, where she belonged, went a long way to calming his fears.
If he had his way, this was the last bedroom she’d ever live in, and he’d be the last man she ever slept with.
He hoped she wouldn’t balk at moving in here before they were married.
They’d been sleeping together already in her cabin.
For some reason, having her in his house, in his personal space, seemed more serious, more official to him.
Last night after they made love, he had suggested they fly to Vegas for a quick wedding. She had agreed. She hadn’t wanted another wedding, but she wanted her daughters, Kara and Holly, to meet him, and she wanted to meet his son, Cain, before they took such a big step.
He watched Emily in the bathroom mirror as she dried her hair. She had put on one of his white t-shirts. His mouth watered when he noticed her hard little nipples were vaguely visible through the thin material. When she raised her arms, her back arched a bit, which made her breasts stand out more.
As much as looking at her turned him on, he knew he didn’t have the energy to make anything happen then, and they were both so damn sore.
Give him a few hours of sleep, and he’d be all over her.
He watched the feminine sway of her hips as she walked toward him.
He would never get sick of looking at this woman.
Emily smiled at his stare and crawled up, sitting beside him with her back to the headboard. “Yum, that looks good. Daisy always outdoes herself.”
Cole grabbed a few grapes and pushed one into her mouth, making her laugh before shoving a few into his. They ate like that for several moments, with Cole mostly feeding Emily before feeding himself.
Emily pressed her hand against her mouth when she yawned. “I think I’ve had enough. Now I want to cuddle with you and sleep.”
Cole sat the tray on the bedside table, closed the drapes to make the room dark enough for them to sleep, turned off the lights, and crawled into bed beside her. He pressed himself up tightly against her back and wrapped an arm around her.
He pressed his lips against her temple. “I love you.”
Emily turned her head to look at him. Her eyes scanned his handsome features. “I love you, too. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” She screeched when he dug his fingers into her sides.
“Yeah, I knew that from the beginning. Just listen to the man from now on, and we won’t get into trouble again.”
“Oh, really?” She laughed but tilted up her head for another kiss. “Getting a little chauvinistic, aren’t we? I wonder what Beth would say to that?”
Cole went for a sensitive spot by her belly button, which made her screech. “You wouldn’t dare,” he growled.
“Oh, you have no idea how much I dare,” she laughed when he stopped tickling her.
Cole stared at Emily for a long moment before his eyes filled with sober but tender emotions.
“I am so thankful we found each other. I can’t see my life without you in it.
” He stroked his thumb over her lips before he bent and pressed several soft kisses to her mouth.
“Let’s get some sleep, baby. We’ve got a trip to Vegas to plan. ”
Emily blinked back the tears at his confession and snorted. “Night, Cole.”
“Night, honey.”