Edible

13

Several hours later, after the final customer had eaten and the last drink had been drained dry, the head chef, Ryan, walked through the dining room to lock the front door. “I’m getting ready to leave,” he informed Rachel.

Rachel was busy making sure everything was ready to go in the morning when she heard his familiar voice closer this time.

“Front doors are locked, but I found this guy out there. He said he was picking you up.”

Rachel poked her head out of the walk-in fridge to see Cole in her kitchen leaning back against a stainless steel prep table. His long legs were crossed, and he had a neutral expression plastered on his face.

As their eyes collided, she felt the air crackle with immediate sexual tension, and she knew he had come for her. Yes, I’m honest enough to admit that I can’t wait to come for him.

Belatedly, she remembered they were not alone, and she pulled her eyes away from his to nod over at the head chef.

“Yeah, that’s right. He’s here for me.”

“So, you’re good if I leave then?”

Rachel found her eyes had, unconsciously, moved back to the silent man who was dominating the kitchen more effectively than the man speaking.

“Yes, you can leave,” she replied dismissively.

Feeling Ryan’s eyes on her, she turned to see him looking back and forth between her and Cole.

One last time, he asked, “Are you sure, Rach?”

Rachel turned back to face Cole, and her eyes didn’t waver as she watched him pull a hand from his pocket with what she now knew was a caramel. He slowly unwrapped it and put it in his mouth.

Without a second glance at Ryan, she confirmed, “Yes. Positive. Go.”

As the words left her mouth, she noticed the left corner of Cole’s lips twitch as though he wanted to smile, but at the last minute, he held back.

It would have been comical to Rachel if she wasn’t so damn annoyed with all the men in her life who were suddenly taking an inordinate amount of time in securing her safety around the man she couldn’t currently tear her eyes from.

So, maybe it wasn’t just her that sensed who he really was. With all of that hidden strength simmering just beneath the surface of that pristine suit, he was giving off a sense of barely restrained control.

When I look at him, I swear I can feel the power radiating from him. It isn’t that he is trying to project it; it’s just such an innate part of who he is, Rachel thought as she felt his eyes watching her intently. At least I know I am not imagining it.

When the back door shut loudly, signaling that they were now alone, Rachel shut the fridge door and leaned her back against it. “I won’t be long,” she assured him. She walked to the prep table with a towel in her hand and put the utensils back in their proper locale. As she moved efficiently around the kitchen, she knew he was tracking her moves. Damn! The man still hasn’t said a word. And that made her nervous as hell. In my own domain, no less.

Several seconds passed until he spoke finally. “Don’t rush on my account. I like seeing you here. I’m only disappointed that I didn’t get to try any of your desserts.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Rachel’s feet stopped moving, and she turned her head. She let her eyes zero in on the immaculate suit, covering what she now knew was a wicked work of art, and Rachel found that all she could think about was what they had discussed this morning—a taste. Suddenly, she had a brilliant idea.

“So…” She moved closer to where he was standing. “You have a real sweet tooth, don’t you?”

Stopping in front of him, Rachel threw the small towel she was holding onto the bench. Removing his hands from his pockets, Cole pushed himself up tall, and she kept her eyes trained on him, tilting her head back.

“Yes, I suppose I do. You could call it a vice of mine.”

“Your only vice?” Rachel probed, stepping closer.

Raising her right palm, she placed it on the middle of his chest, directly over the blue tie that was hanging there. He glanced down at her hand for a moment and then lifted his gaze back to hers. The look that came into his eyes lit a fire deep in the pit of her belly.

“Definitely not, but it’s one of the few I am able to admit to in public.”

“I see,” Rachel murmured. She traced her hand down his chest to his abdomen where she then began to finger his belt buckle. “So, are you going to continue to deny me and yourself this for the second time today?” Leaving no question as to what she was referring to, she boldly ran her finger down over the hard bulge that was now pressing against his perfectly tailored pants.

“Technically, it’s not really the same day, and no, I was thinking that if you were still interested, I’d be up for the discussion.”

Rachel couldn’t help the sultry smile that spread across her mouth as she daringly flattened her whole palm against him and squeezed. Just the thought of getting her mouth around him was making her body heat and her thighs clench. “Well, you’re definitely up. I’m starting to wonder if you’re ever down.”

Cole was trying to remind himself that this was not the time or the place, but as Rachel leaned into him and squeezed his rapidly growing cock, he was having a hard time remembering anything at all.

Reaching down to cover her hand with one of his own, he pressed her palm harder against his throbbing frustration as he flexed his hips forward. “Around you, Rachel, I’ll admit that I find it close to impossible to remain decent.”

“Who said I wanted you to be decent?” she challenged as she licked her plump bottom lip, reminding him of exactly what she wanted to do to him.

Removing his hand from hers, he reached out and cupped the back of her neck, tugging her forward. “Go and get your coat or whatever else you need before I forget my manners.”

Still stroking him, Rachel let her eyes fall closed. “What are you doing to me? I can’t seem to think of anything but having you naked against me.”

Cole had no idea, but he knew she was doing it to him, too. He was a second away from bending her over the prep table and taking her, but that wouldn’t happen. He wanted her in private, and he wanted it as soon as possible.

Placing his mouth on hers, he licked her top lip and sucked it between his lips. As she continued to palm him through his pants, he groaned against her mouth and released her lip. “Get your things, and I’ll meet you in the dining room.” With that, he stepped away from temptation and moved out into the empty space, gathering and hanging on to what little control he had left.

Rachel was left standing in the kitchen, aroused and shaking. She didn’t know how he did it, but Cole had the ability to make her lose her ever-loving mind. All he had to do was glance in her direction, and she’d forget that she had specific plans for him or ideas of her own when it came to getting naked. Yep, one look from him, and I’m a useless, horny mess.

It should have bugged the hell out of her, but the more she gave in, the more she was learning to enjoy that side of herself again. It had been a long time since she had given herself permission to do that.

Moving back into her office, she stripped out of her smock and grabbed her sweater, tugging it on over her head. After she picked up her bag and switched off all the lights, she ran over to the fridge and pushed the large stainless steel door to the side. Reaching in to the third shelf, she grabbed a small clear container, and with a grin, she put it in a brown paper bag and closed the fridge.

Oh yes, this will be just perfect.

When they reached the condo at around one thirty in the morning, Cole let her in and took her coat from her. He couldn’t help but admire the tight fit of her purple turtleneck as she moved down his hall into the living room. It fit her like a second skin, and he wanted to see what was under it sooner rather than later.

Shrugging out of his coat and suit jacket, he hung them both on the coatrack and walked through the room to find her over by his microwave.

“Do you mind if I use this?” she questioned as she pushed the button to open the door.

Frowning, Cole moved to the opposite side of the island and took a seat on one of the bar stools. “Go right ahead. Did you bring home a late-night snack?”

She placed a microwavable container in the center, closed the door, and hit the button to start it, and then the microwave hummed to life. She turned back to face him, and without answering, she crossed the kitchen area toward him. He found his eyes slide down from the high neckline of her sweater to her firm perky breasts and tight abdomen.

“See something you like?” Her tone of her voice indicated that she knew he liked everything he was looking at.

Oh yes. If his rigid cock was any kind of indicator, it would seem this feisty side of her worked for him quite a lot.

“I don’t know why, but that top is really flicking my switch right now,” he admitted as he reached up to tug his tie loose.

“No, don’t,” Rachel told him as she rounded the kitchen island.

Keeping his eyes focused on the woman moving closer to him, Cole reminded her in a firm tone, “I don’t think you have been paying attention to how this works, Rachel. If you want something from me, ask me. Nicely.”

As she stopped in front of him, Rachel raised her eyes to his. She seemed to realize she had overstepped her line. “Please don’t take off your tie. I like it.”

Cole wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her forward. “What’s in the microwave?” he asked again, more curious now than ever.

“A surprise. Where’s that patience of yours?”

“So, you aren’t going to tell me then?”

Giving him a mischievous look, she shook her head. “Nope.”

“Troublemaker,” he accused lightly before reverting back to the statement she had made just moments ago. “What do you like about my tie?” As her breathing came harder, he pushed, “The fact that it makes me look—” He had been about to say educated, but she interrupted with a word that just about had him falling off the stool.

“Civilized.”

Cole felt his shoulders tense at the implications she was throwing his way. So, what is she trying to tell me? That she knows I’m not really civilized? Fuck, she is going to kill me.

“Lift your arms, Rachel,” he ordered in a tone that was almost a growl as he released her.

Immediately, she did as she was told, raising her arms above her head, and then she stood there, waiting for him. He gripped the hem of her sweater, peeled it off, and tossed it to the side, leaving her in a tiny black tank top, and from what Cole could tell, a lacy bra.

As she lowered her arms, Cole fingered the strap. “You don’t think I’m civilized, Rachel?”

Her breasts began rising and falling more rapidly, and as he stroked a finger down her right arm, she jumped as the microwave beeped loudly.

He gave her a look that screamed, Well? Answer the question.

She swallowed deeply, and with a slight tremble in her voice, she replied, “I think you can be.”

Cole lowered his head until they were eye-to-eye. “That’s an interesting choice of words. You think I can be…but? That is definitely an answer that is screaming for further explanation. Lift,” he instructed again. Gripping her tank top, he tugged it up and pulled it off of her as well.

Tossing it aside, Cole kept his eyes on hers as he brought his finger down to trace the see-through material cupping the curve of her breast. “So?” he pushed, his voice calm while his cock pounded between his legs. “You think I can be civilized, but—”

Her mouth parted, and her eyes were starting to glaze over in that delicious lust-crazed way. “But I don’t want you to be,” she admitted.

Rachel bit back a whimper as Cole’s fingers pulled the black lace away from her sensitive breasts. As he sat on the bar stool with his long legs spread apart with her standing between them, she felt her pussy tighten and her body moisten at the picture he made. He was so refined in his black pants, shirt, and tie, but he was looking at her like he wanted to fuck her into next week, and Rachel couldn’t help the way her body was responding.

When her breasts were free, he cupped her in his palms and lowered his head. Without any teasing at all, he took one of her hard nipples between his lips and sucked. Gripping his head, she pulled him tight to her chest as he repeatedly flicked his tongue over the hard tip.

She groaned loudly, pushing her flesh harder against his lips. “Cole,” she sighed as she spread her fingers through his hair, massaging his scalp as he continued his sensual torment.

She could feel his other hand as it slid up her back, and suddenly, her bra was loose and free. He pulled it from her and threw it behind him. Moving back a little, he reached up with both hands, plumping her breasts up to him like a meal, before he lowered his mouth to the neglected tip. He made sure to keep their eyes connected as he licked the tight, hard flesh. The sexy dark glint in his eyes was just as effective as if his fingers were sliding between her thighs. She felt her panties grow damp from his seductive play.

“Your breasts are fucking perfect, Rachel.” He sat back and pushed them together again. “I want to slide my cock between them.”

Rachel couldn’t help the small gasp that came from her mouth at the image of his hot thick cock pushing between her breasts while that piercing brushed close by her lips with every thrust he would make.

Oh yes, please. Can we do that?

Although she said nothing, her thought must have been stamped across her face because Cole’s talented lips stretched into a taut smirk. She knew his next words would be nothing short of a hot, sensual promise.

“You like that idea. I can tell.” With a clever finger, he flicked her hard nipple. “Some other time. Right now, if I’m not mistaken, you asked to taste.”

Rachel stood motionless as Cole got up off the stool and reached forward to the four buttons on her pants.

As his big hands undid them, he asked her again, “What’s in the microwave, Rachel?”

Blinking once, she was brought back to reality and her original plan. Taking a step back, she asked him nicely, “You’re like a dog with a bone, aren’t you? May I?”

Cole frowned, clearly intrigued, as she stepped away from him. He nodded, and Rachel couldn’t help the grin that hit her lips, knowing what was about to follow. Naked from the waist up, she moved back to the microwave, opened it, and pulled out the container.

When she turned around, she found that Cole had moved, and he was now on her side of the island. In fact, he was standing right behind her. Almost running into him, Rachel squeaked as he looked down into the container.

“What is it?” he questioned like a curious boy.

But this is no boy. Oh no, this is one hundred percent man, and I want to lick him all over.

“It’s my caramel sauce from the special this week.”

She watched his face carefully as his eyebrow winged up. Placing the container on the bench beside her, Rachel dipped her finger into the warm sticky mixture. Bringing it up to his lips, she whispered, “I wanted you to taste it since you are something of a caramel connoisseur.”

As his full lips parted, Rachel pushed her index finger between them, and she almost collapsed from the pleasure of him sucking on her finger. His wet tongue swirled all around her flesh as he reached up and gripped her wrist tightly.

After nibbling her finger and finally sliding it free, he demanded, “More.”

With smug satisfaction, Rachel dipped two fingers into the sauce and brought them back to his mouth. This time, she painted his lips with the thick mixture before pushing her fingers in between his lips.

As his eyes slid closed, she felt his tongue slip between her fingers and glide around them before nipping at the ends. He so erotically cleaned them with his tongue that she found herself reaching down with her free hand to cup her aching sex.

When her fingers were free again, no words were spoken as she loosened his tie just enough to unbutton his shirt. With a flirtatious look from beneath her lashes, Rachel pushed his shirt apart, leaving the tie in place, and then she slid it down his muscular arms, dropping it on the counter. Reaching between them, she unbuckled his belt, and he stood perfectly still and let her. He remained that way as she unzipped his pants and pushed them and his boxers off his hips.

As her eyes climbed back to meet his, he didn’t smile or frown. He just continued to watch her every move with unflinching focus.

Rachel knew exactly what she wanted as she felt herself inching closer to what she had been imagining ever since this morning. When she had him exactly the way she wanted him, she dipped her fingers into the caramel and gave him a sultry wink before she finally dropped to her knees.

Cole’s head and cock was pounding as he stared down at the vixen at his feet.

Fucking caramel.

This woman never ceased to amaze him, but when she’d whipped out that little surprise, he very nearly raised the white flag in surrender to her brilliance. He was glad he hadn’t though as she knelt down on the kitchen floor and fisted his cock with her sticky palm.

Fuck. Between her at his feet and her small hand around his cock, Cole couldn’t remember ever being this turned on in his fucking life.

She coated his shaft in the sweet, syrupy confection, and he couldn’t help but reach over to the small container beside him. As his fingers dipped into the thick amber liquid, he groaned from that erotic feeling alone.

It was wet and warm, and it reminded him of exactly where he wanted his cock to be. Glancing down to Rachel who was silent and kneeling on the floor, he gripped her chin with his clean hand and tilted up her face to him.

“Open your mouth,” he ordered in a gruff tone even he had trouble recognizing.

As her lips parted, he brought his other hand over her, letting the caramel drip from his fingers onto her waiting tongue and lips. As it coated her mouth, her tongue came out to flick over her glistening lips, and her eyes closed in pleasure from the sweetness that hit her taste buds.

Reaching back over to the caramel-filled container, Cole scooped up some more of the liquid, and this time, he let it slide down his fingers onto her naked breasts and nipples.

Jesus, she looks fucking edible, he thought with a groan, and I plan to eat.

Not being able to resist, Cole lowered his fingers to her lips, and as she parted them, he slid them deep into her mouth as she was still kneeling on the floor before him.

“Fucking hell,” he cursed as she sucked on his fingers in a way that made his cock jealous. When he finally pulled them free from her mouth, he released her chin and gripped her hair firmly. “Suck me, Rachel. Put those sticky lips around my cock and suck it good.”

As her eyes fluttered down to the task at hand, Cole couldn’t help but dip his fingers back into his favorite candy. As he lifted the dripping sweetness to his own mouth, she knelt up tall and finally flicked out her sticky tongue over his piercing.

Rachel was a hair trigger away from climax, and as she fisted Cole’s cock in her palm, she couldn’t help but lean forward and flick her tongue over the studs that pierced him. As she licked the bulbous head and sucked the tip into her mouth, she raised her eyes up his body, and what she saw made her orgasm teeter on the brink.

Cole was leaning back against the kitchen counter with his legs slightly parted where she was kneeling, and his blue tie was hanging down the center of his naked chest, like an arrow pointing to her prize.

That wasn’t the only reason her panties were completely soaked and her nipples were rock hard. The man who had the ability to render her speechless with just a look was currently staring down at her and sucking on his own fingers, presumably after coating them with the caramel sauce.

He had a look of such pure sexual ecstasy on his face that it was making Rachel want to stick her hands in her pants and her fingers in her hungry pussy. Instead of doing that though, she took her left hand and ran it up and over his rippling abs, past his navel, and as high as she could until her arm was stretched up across his body. She began fingering his nipple piercing as she fisted his cock.

Removing his fingers from his mouth, he reached down and gripped the counter behind him as he pushed his hips forward. “Quit fucking around, Rachel, and suck my fucking cock.”

Usually, a demand like that would have her pulling back as she thought about the tone and if she should be frightened, but as caught up as she was in the eroticism of the moment, all Rachel felt was turned on. Feeling playful, she tsked him and twisted his nipple. As she removed her hand, she leaned down to wrap her lips around the head of his impatient erection.

Lowering her lips an inch at a time, she took him as deeply as she could, and when she brought her mouth back up on a delicious drag, she made sure to rub the underside of him with her tongue. She reached the tip of his aching flesh, and she flicked his piercing with her tongue. As she removed her mouth, she followed it with a stroke of her fist up over his shaft.

“Rachel,” he groaned.

She raised her eyes to him, and bravely, she told him, “Stop being so civilized.”

And that was all it took.

Cole lost it.

Reaching down to the woman in front of him, he thought, Fuck messy hands, as he pushed them into her braid. Gripping her head hard, he tugged up her face and told her, “Open your mouth.”

As soon as her lips parted, he moved the tip of his cock against them, and he groaned as he pushed his hips forward, sliding inside against her tongue. When he was in as deep as possible, he looked down to see her eyes aimed up at him. As he held her stare, he slowly rolled his hips back and pulled his shaft free from her mouth before reversing the throttle to thrust back inside. Over and over, he pushed between her lips, holding her head exactly where he wanted her, as he watched her take all he had to offer.

He was about to stop and pull back when he felt her fingers grip his ass cheeks, pulling him forward. Parting his own sticky lips, he grunted as she swallowed, the motion squeezing the head of his cock.

“Fuck Rachel. Your fucking mouth,” he muttered as she sucked and licked with every thrust he gave to her.

He had thought he wanted to finish in her mouth. He had thought he wanted to watch her swallow every part of him, but he had been wrong.

Pulling himself from her abused swollen lips, Cole grabbed the container from the bench and went down to his knees beside her on the cool kitchen tiles. Dipping his hands into the sticky sauce, he brought his fingers to the lips that had just been wrapped around his cock, and he smeared them with the taste he craved. When her mouth was shining and wet, Cole pounced.

Wrapping an arm around her waist, he gently lowered her to the tile and kissed her mouth as though it were his last meal. Licking her lips with his avaricious tongue, he captured her moan as she thrust her hips up against his very hard and naked cock. All Cole could think was, More.

Dragging his hands down over her chest, he didn’t even care that the caramel was ruining his tie as he rubbed his body against hers while his tongue continued to plunder her mouth in a soul-destroying kiss.

He felt her hands drag up his stomach and over his nipples before they desperately gripped his biceps. She raised her hips up to him with a throaty cry as she gripped his tie with one hand. Pulling his naked chest to hers, she rubbed her sticky nipples against his.

“God, Cole, do something!” she pleaded as he started to yank her pants down her hips.

Tugging them down over her ass, he lifted his mouth from hers and moved so he could suck one of her sweet nipples into his mouth. Fucking hell, she is the best thing I’ve ever tasted.

Reaching into the container, for what he knew would most definitely be the last time, he raised his coated hand beside her. Her eyes locked on to his dripping fingers, and she didn’t even seem to care that he had just turned the tables on her.

Slowly, he brought his hand to his lips and sucked his thumb into his mouth, and as she kept her eyes on his, he pulled it free and then pushed it between hers, for her to finish the job. But Cole’s patience had run thin, and his thumb wasn’t the only thing crying out to be inside something hot, tight and wet.

He pulled his hand away from her and sealed his mouth over hers in a brutal kiss. As their tongues tangled in an erotic dance, he slid his hand down to cup her breast, letting his caramel-coated fingers slide all over her tight nipple. The sheer decadence of what he was doing was not lost on him, and if he could be certain he wouldn’t die from not putting his cock inside her, he would have taken a moment to lick her clean.

As it was though, with the way she was moaning and thrusting her hips up against him, Cole knew that his time was up. Pulling his fingers from her, he lowered his hand and shoved her tiny excuse for panties aside, lined himself up with her pussy, and firmly thrust his cock home.

The minute he was lodged deep inside her, she cried out, arched her hips, and screamed as he gripped her bare ass with his sticky hand and placed his other palm by her head.

“Rachel?” Although he was trying to get her eyes to refocus, he was putting forth more energy into trying to get his body under some type of control.

When her eyes opened and she looked up at him, he gave her a slow smile and leaned down over her.

Next to her ear, he whispered, “Thank you for my surprise. Now, I won’t be able to eat a caramel without thinking about being balls deep inside your sweet, warm pussy.”

As he bit her ear, he felt her core grip his cock tight as she screamed and pulsated around him. That was when he finally let go and pounded inside her. He lost himself in the sublime as she fell apart around him, dragging him down deeper into her soul. Nothing had prepared him for the way she destroyed his control with every glance, every action, and as he finally came on a loud roar, every breath she took.

She had crawled under his skin, and he knew he would never be the same.

After a warm shower, Rachel was naked and lying in bed beside Cole as she ran her hand down over his chest to the tattoo of the wolf.

This man, who she was currently pressed up against, continually threw her off balance. Tonight, she had expected that she would be on the giving end of the equation, but unlike Ben, she was finding that Cole had the ability to change and adapt.

He was capable of letting go of his rules and demands if something felt better. He also gave her the opportunity to explore her own desires without the pressure of punishment if she didn’t obey.

This whole relationship they had entered into felt different, yet it still evoked the same side of her that Ben once had. While Ben had been cruel with the power he wielded, Cole used his to persuade, arouse, and ultimately, bring her the most pleasure she had ever felt.

Cole was a man who exuded confidence. He projected strength and determination in every aspect of his life, and it only made sense that he would carry it over to the bedroom. This wasn’t a man who was playing at anything; this was a man who lived the only way he knew how. Yes, it just happened to roll over into the sexual aspect of his life. And aren’t I the lucky one?

She rolled over to her side, so she was looking down at him. “Do these all have some specific meaning?”

Cole looked down at her finger tracing over his skin. With a question of his own, he answered, “What do you think?”

Lifting her eyes from her finger’s path, Rachel stated plainly, “I don’t think you do anything without some kind of motive or meaning.”

“Well then, you have your answer, don’t you?”

Frustrated with him, Rachel lifted her hand and pinched the nipple near the wolf.

Almost immediately, one of his large hands came down on top of hers. “Careful,” he cautioned.

“Well, answer me. Why do you always deflect?”

“Why aren’t you more specific?” he countered, still pressing her palm to his piercing.

“Fine. What does the wolf mean? Even though I can probably guess.”

Cole lifted his hand and placed it back under his head. “Well, that sounds interesting. I want to hear your thoughts on it.”

Rachel pouted as she stared down into his twinkling eyes. “So, you can laugh at me?”

He reached out one of his hands and twisted a piece of her hair around his finger. “No, I want to see what you think you know about me.”

Rachel went back to her imaginary finger painting over the dark ink. The tat was of a wolf facing forward. With his tail in the air, his snout and two front paws stalked toward her.

“I think this has something to do with your personality and how you see yourself—possibly as a lone wolf. For me, I see it as stealth and power.” She stopped and stared up into burning eyes. “An alpha male.”

She knew she hit the nail on the head because Cole made a show of smiling at her while baring his teeth.

“All the better to eat me with?” she questioned with a small giggle.

He hugged her in close. Instead of answering, he asked, “Aren’t you tired, Rachel? I don’t know how you do all that you do.”

Rachel rubbed her cheek against his side as she ran her fingers down the center of his chest and then over to where the silhouette was intricately inked down his ribs. Shifting in the bed, Rachel scooted away from him to really look at the side profile of the lady. She was so delicate yet strong, etched forever into this complex man’s skin.

“Don’t deflect. What about this one?”

“No theories?” he pushed.

Rachel didn’t really want to voice the one thing that came to mind, so she remained silent.

“Really? Nothing comes to mind?” he pushed as he stroked a finger down her scrunched up nose. “I think you’re thinking of something. Tell me. Nothing you say will annoy me, and nothing you say will make me mad.”

Rachel took his finger in her hand and looked up at him with cautious eyes. “A girlfriend?”

Shaking his head, Cole swore solemnly, “Nothing on my body is a souvenir of long-lost love, Rachel. I don’t believe in making something permanent unless I am one hundred percent sure I won’t regret it.” Reaching up to the back of her head, he stroked a palm down her hair. “That being said, this is for my mother, whom I love very much.”

Rachel felt her heart swell at Cole’s intimate confession.

“Is she…” Rachel paused, not quite sure how to ask the looming question.

“Alive? Yes, but she’s no longer with me.”

Frowning, Rachel was confused by his answer. She pulled herself up, so she was hovering over him. Daring to cup his cheek, she turned his face, forcing his eyes to fixate on her instead of the ceiling.

“What do you mean? Did she leave you?”

Cole’s eyes took on a haunted look, fracturing a part of her that she hadn’t realized she had taken him into, as he whispered, “Yes, and she’s never coming back.”

Before Rachel could ask more, Cole wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest. “No more questions tonight. Sleep, Rachel. Sleep, and have peaceful dreams for the both of us.”

Closing her eyes, she rested her cheek on the wolf and placed her hand on his chest, trying to soothe the beast. As she drifted off to sleep, she found herself wondering if Cole Madison knew that he had somehow managed to infiltrate her body, mind, and soul.