Part 27 (1/2)

She spared Todd a glance. What the h.e.l.l had she seen in him? Compared to Cole, Todd didn't seem to be the same species even. And the difference wasn't only physical. It was in the way Cole carried himself, so sure, so comfortable in his own skin. For the life of her she couldn't fathom why she'd agreed to marry Todd. She hadn't loved him, not really; she knew that now. She had settled, nothing more. At the thought of Cole, that burning ache in her chest intensified. Fighting tears, she continued packing.

There was a loud knock on the door. Wow, it was the first time the cab company had come through for anybody.

”That must be the cab I ordered,” she yelled to Todd from the room.

Without waiting for her to open the door, Todd went ahead. She reached the living room in time to see Cole standing on her porch.

Deciding he must be the cabby, and before Christy could say anything, Todd tried to give him money and wave him off. ”We won't be needing your services, buddy. You can go.”

”Who is this?” Legs braced apart, a scowl on his face, Cole spoke to Christy. His voice was low and threatening, but she wouldn't let him intimidate her.

”Cole, meet Todd, my ex-fiance,” she said, looking at Cole, and then she turned to Todd. ”Todd, meet Cole, my current ex-boyfriend.”

Neither of them seemed too happy about the introduction, but she was past caring. Let them hash it out.

Cole stared at her. ”What's he doing here?”

h.e.l.l if she knew. His guess was as good as hers, although she suspected Todd's casual appearance had more to do with the fully paid vacation in Mexico they had bought with her credit card half a year ago and that was due in several weeks than with anything else. Either way, she wasn't going to let Cole divert her attention. ”What are you doing here?”

”You know the answer to that. We need to talk, Christy. In private.”

”Weren't we in a hurry?” asked Todd as he leaned on the wall, a smug smile on his face.

Cole's frown deepened, but he said nothing. He didn't even move a muscle.

Christy sighed. ”Todd, please give us some privacy.”

He looked around. ”Where am I supposed to go? This house is a miniature. I'll hear you from virtually anywhere.”

”Go outside,” Christy ordered.

For once he did what he was told without any more snide comments.

Christy squared off in front of Cole. She was in a hurry, but she wanted to talk to him. She desperately needed him to convince her that it had all been a misunderstanding. To pull from his hat a plausible enough explanation for what she'd seen. Not only because she had declared herself to him yesterday and she couldn't bear to be such a poor judge of character, but mainly because she loved him and knew without a shred of a doubt that getting over him was going to be a lot more difficult than getting over Todd, if it was even possible.

”Where did you leave your groupie?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest and looking around him to the door. ”Outside, warming the seat of your bike?”

His lips quirked into a satisfied half smile. ”You're jealous.” She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of admitting to that, but she couldn't refute it, so she kept quiet. He came closer. ”Listen to me, babe. She yanked the towel when she lost her balance, and I tripped while trying to get it back. I swear nothing happened. I'm not the cheating type.”

She studied him. She was p.i.s.sed as h.e.l.l, and hurt-this didn't change it-but she knew Cole didn't have a deceptive bone in his body. He did what he wanted, and he always said what he meant; he wouldn't bother with deceit. And the more she thought about what she'd seen-Rose sprawled on the couch, legs over the arm, and Cole naked, looming over her reaching for the towel-the more she was inclined to believe Cole was telling the truth. That or she was so pathetically in love with the guy that she was ready to believe anything. Probably the last one. Either way, though, cheating wasn't his style. And he'd looked quite livid with Rose.

”No, I guess you aren't.”

He came closer still and put his arms around her. She tried to wrench away from him, but he didn't budge. ”I'd never cheat on you, sweetheart. I'd never do that to you.” He kissed her chin, her eyes, her nose. ”My c.o.c.k is all yours. Along with any part of me you want. I'm all yours. n.o.body else's.”

In spite of herself she softened to his touch. He took her hands and put them on his chest, but she yanked them away. She wasn't ready to show affection yet. ”We haven't made it that far yet. You were naked between another woman's thighs. What am I supposed to think?”

He stroked his thumb over her lower lip. ”Did I look aroused to you?”

She shook her head. He'd been naked, yes, but he hadn't been hard.

”Do I look aroused now?” he asked while he pressed against her, where she could feel his d.i.c.k stirring and lengthening. ”The only thighs I'm interested in being between are yours, babe. It wasn't Rose I allowed to tie me. It wasn't her I let my defenses down for. It was for you. You have to believe me, sweet thing.” He kissed her mouth gently, a barely there caress that left her panting for more.

”Why would I believe you?”

”You have to believe me because I lo-”

He stopped dead in his tracks.

”What's that?” Cole said with his eyes fixed on the bedroom, where the mild draft had blown the ajar door open completely, leaving her almost packed bag in plain view on the bed.

”Ah, that. I'm packing. I-”

”I see.” His eyes had gone glacial, his tone too. He released her and took a step backward. She opened her mouth, but he cut in. ”You don't have to explain anything to me. Not a d.a.m.n thing.”

Cole crossed his arms on his chest, his face void of expression.

A complete emotional shutdown.

She shook her head. ”You don't understand. My-”

”I understand perfectly. You're leaving. Guess the sabbatical's over after all.”

”Yes, no. Let me explain, Cole, dammit.”

She reached for him, but he took another step backward. His eyes were filled with nothing. ”No need.”

”You are getting the wrong impression.”

”I don't think so.”

She looked at him, at the flat line of his mouth, at his impa.s.sive eyes that were now already looking beyond her, and she wanted to weep for the injustice of it. He'd shut her out. There were no emotions visible on him. His face was blank. Deadpan. She could drop a bombsh.e.l.l, but it wouldn't faze him. He was totally out of her reach.

”But-”

”Save it,” he interrupted her, his tone hard. Ice-cold. ”Do me the favor of not treating me like a moron. You're leaving. I don't want to hear any excuses. I've already wasted enough time with you.”

That snapped her out of it. Arrogant b.a.s.t.a.r.d, he wouldn't let her explain.

”Fine. Have it your way,” she said, lifting her arms as she went to the bedroom to finish packing. She had been ready to forgive him, but now she was p.i.s.sed at him all over again. He had been the one caught buck naked with Rose, and she was the one having to justify herself? f.u.c.k it. Let him think whatever the h.e.l.l he wanted. Besides, it was too late for explanations. She'd been tried and convicted already.

”Good I thought of coming. I'd have missed your departure otherwise. What were you planning to leave me, a note for all my trouble?”

His condescending tone infuriated her. ”You're an emotionally unavailable r.e.t.a.r.d, that's what you are! And a coward! You hide behind that mask of indifference because you're too scared to take a chance on me. You prefer to shut me out rather than risk yourself. You don't even want to hear what I have to say. Look at you-a f.u.c.king piece of wood would show more emotion.”

”Don't flatter yourself. Maybe I just don't care enough, sweetheart.”

His words tore through her like a knife. Tears threatened again, but she refused to give in. ”f.u.c.k you, Cole. You expect me to believe nothing happened with Rose, you want me to take a leap of faith, but you won't even allow me to explain these,” she said, waving to the bags.