Читать книгу Ultimate Romance Collection - Rebecca Winters, Amalie Berlin - Страница 46

Twelve

Coop wrapped his arms around her and took over the kiss. The moment their tongues touched, getting reacquainted in the most passionate way, liquid heat seemed to spread through, burning him from the inside out.

His body leaped to life. He was now a man very much aware and filled with a yearning so deep it ached. Yet at the same time the yearning calmed the beast within him. Made him accept that Bristol could affect him in ways no other woman could.

He hadn’t counted on her kiss being as greedy as his, her need just as insurmountable. Their tongues were mating in ways that sent a crackle of energy escalating between them. From the very first, he’d known she was different. He just hadn’t known what role she would eventually play in his life. He had no idea that one day she would become the mother of his child.

He had given more of himself to her than he had to any woman. Even now he felt a need for her in every cell, in every pore. How could she get under his skin this way? To the point where he confessed to thinking of her while being held captive. Remembering her while being in pain. He’d never shared that much about one of his missions with anyone. There had been no one to tell. His parents hadn’t wanted to hear the gory details. And he hadn’t been able to open up to the psychiatrist the military had ordered him to see. Only his SEAL teammates had known the hell he’d gone through. And now Bristol knew. Not everything but enough.

They needed to come up for air, so he slowly ended the kiss, pulling his mouth away on a guttural moan. Still needing a connection, he used the tip of his tongue to lick her lips from corner to corner, before grazing his jaw against her ear.

He dropped his hands and couldn’t recall at what point his fingers had become buried in her hair. Now it looked unruly. Sexy as hell. The sight of her kiss-swollen lips made him even more aware of how much he wanted her. Desire pulsed through him and he felt hard as a rock.

He took a step back, because otherwise he would be tempted to sweep her off her feet and carry her upstairs to that bedroom he’d refused to enter earlier. “I’ll be back to get you and Laramie around four thirty.”

And then he headed for the door. He came close to making it out without looking back. But temptation was too much. Overpowering. He stopped and glanced over his shoulder. Bristol was standing there looking more beautiful than any woman he’d ever seen. There was heat in her eyes.

A hungry throb stirred inside him and he drew in a wobbly breath before forcing himself out the door and closing it behind him.

* * *

Bristol released a breath before burying her face in her hands. What on earth had she done? What on earth had she started? That kiss had made her come unglued. No, she’d lost her composure long before that kiss. The intensity of her sexual need had begun to affect her the moment Coop had walked into her house that morning.

She could no more deny the carnal attraction between them than she could refrain from breathing. And today, just a few moments ago in her living room, they’d both unleashed pent-up, held-back desires. Her body knew him, desired him, ached for him. Closing her eyes, she felt a surge of yearning trying to take over her senses again.

Opening her eyes, she refused to let it. At that moment she heard her cell phone ring and wondered who was calling. Coop had her number. Would he be calling her? There was no way he’d made it to the corner already. Maybe he’d decided dinner wasn’t a good idea after all and was canceling. If that was true then she agreed with him. Sitting in a restaurant across from him might push temptation to a new level. She wasn’t certain if their son would be enough of a buffer.

Pulling her phone out of the back pocket of her jeans, Bristol saw the caller wasn’t Coop but Margie. She quickly clicked it on. “Yes, Margie?”

“You okay? You sound kind of breathless.”

She swallowed. Did she? “I’m fine.”

“I called to see how things turned out with your soon-to-be ex.”

Bristol frowned, confused. “My soon-to-be ex?”

“Yes. You can divorce him on the grounds of desertion, you know. I can refer a good attorney you can use.”

“Desertion?”

“Yes. At least that’s what I call it. You thought he was dead. Granted I understand the military made a mistake, but if he had cared anything about you—even if he didn’t know about your son—you were his wife. He should have moved heaven and earth to find you. Showing up now after all this time won’t cut it.”

Bristol didn’t like what Margie was saying. But then her manager didn’t know the whole story. “Laramie and I have things to work out.”

“What’s there to work out? I talked to Steven and he’s concerned about a dead husband reappearing. But I explained things to calm him down. I told him it was all a mistake and you would send your ex packing in no time. I assured him that there was no way you would hook up with Laramie again.”

Frissons of anger ignited in Bristol’s spine. Margie was believing just what Coop said people would believe about him. And it was all her fault. Furthermore, who gave Margie the right to tell Steven anything?

“Look, Margie, I have to go.” It was either end the call or end their relationship, Bristol was just that mad.

Her manager didn’t say anything for a moment, then added, “You sound upset, Bristol, and I hope it’s not with me but with him. I’m aware you loved your husband. And I can understand you having feelings for him now. But I hope you’re not thinking about tossing aside a chance with Steven for a man who didn’t come looking for you.”

Bristol lost it. “I don’t know how many times I have to tell you that I’m not interested in Steven. Now goodbye.”

She then hung up the phone.

* * *

Coop released a deep sigh the moment his hotel room door closed behind him. What a day. It had started out with him enjoying breakfast with his son and then it had ended after lunch with him kissing Bristol like he couldn’t get enough of tasting her mouth.

He licked his lips. He still hadn’t.

He never knew a woman’s taste could mess with your taste buds and block out your other senses. But he had found out today. He just didn’t understand it. Once he’d returned to his team to hang out for New Year’s, after spending those three days with her, he’d been fine. She hadn’t totally consumed his mind.

But he had thought about her...

And he had thought about her even more while being held hostage, because when your thoughts were filled with orgasmic pleasure it could erase the pain. The more those bastards tried to break him, the more he’d thought about Bristol.

Was that why he was so consumed with her now? He had thought about her so much that the memories of the time they’d shared in Paris were now a part of him? He rubbed his hand down his face. Maybe he was thinking way too hard.

He was removing his jacket when his cell phone rang. He recognized the ring tone. It was Bane. He pulled his phone from his pocket, chuckled and said, “With triplets, don’t you have more to do with your time these days?”

Bane laughed. “No. That’s where the benefits of belonging to a large family kick in. Everyone wants to help out. There haven’t been triplets in the family since Quade’s babies and everyone’s excited. I couldn’t tell you the number of visitors we’ve had. And more of them are planning to visit for the holidays. I told the family about your son. They’re ecstatic and want pictures, so I need you to text me a few. You know the routine so get with the program.”

Yes, he knew the routine. He had pictures on his phone of Mac’s four kids. His phone was also filled with pictures of Bane’s triplets. In the beginning, it seemed like Bane would text him a new picture every other day. Now it had decreased to only one a week. “No problem. I’m taking them to dinner and will take a photo then.”

“I take it things are going well. I assume you had that talk you said you were going to have with her.”

“Yes, I had it. She wasn’t keen on the idea of sharing support for our son. I had to explain that I don’t operate that way. She didn’t like it but she finally gave in.”

“That’s good. What did the two of you decide about the fake marriage?”

Coop rubbed the back of his neck when he remembered that particular conversation. “Bristol doesn’t want to be married any more than I do. But we have Laramie to consider now. She suggested we just tell everyone we’re getting a divorce. That will release her from the fake marriage. She sees that as the easiest and simplest way out.”

“Is that what you want?”

Coop dropped down in the wingback chair. “No. But then marriage isn’t what I want, either. At least it wasn’t until I met my son. At first I convinced myself being a single dad wouldn’t be a big deal since I’d be gone on missions most of the time anyway. But then I began thinking about those times I would be around. What if she began seeing someone who didn’t want me to have access to my child the way I wanted?”

“You can work out visitation rights with an attorney, so there shouldn’t be any problems with that. Why do I get the feeling there’s more, Coop?”

Because there was more. It was at times like this that a part of him wished Bane didn’t know him so well. He, Bane, Viper, Flipper and another friend by the name of Nick Stover had gone through the naval academy together. Mac had been a SEAL several years before any of them. For the longest time, Mac had come across like the big-brother SEAL looking out for them, like he figured they couldn’t take care of themselves. Over time they’d learned how to look out for each other. A few years ago Nick had given up being a SEAL to take a job with Homeland Security after his wife had triplets.

He, Mac, Viper and Flipper had wondered if Bane would do the same thing because of his triplets. But Bane had assured them he wouldn’t. Whereas Nick and his wife didn’t have any family to help out, Bane had more family than the law allowed. Bane’s triplets were the third set born in the Westmoreland family. There were Westmorelands all over the place. In several states, including Alaska.

Coop was close to all his team members but he and Bane shared a special bond because they’d been roommates at the academy.

“Yes, there’s more,” he finally said. “It’s Bristol.”

“What about her?”

“I’m more attracted to her than ever, man. She’s beautiful. She’s also headstrong, independent and a wonderful mother to Laramie.”

“Sounds like you’re falling for her all over again.”

Coop leaned back in the chair. “To be honest, I don’t think I ever stopped falling. I told you how she was constantly on my mind while I was in Syria and how those memories of us together were how I held on to my sanity.”

“Did you tell her that?”

“Yes.”

“And did you tell her that the minute the hospital released you to travel that you headed to Paris, hoping to see her?”

“No, I didn’t tell her that. Maybe one day I will.”

“Women like to know they were thought of. Remember how I kept all those cards and letters over the years for Crystal. It meant a lot to her.”

He and Bane talked a little while longer. When they ended their conversation, he glanced at his watch. He needed to make another call, namely to his parents. He also needed to follow up with his attorney. Afterward, he would go to the hotel’s fitness center and work off that delicious breakfast and lunch Bristol had prepared.

He thought about their kiss again. What he’d told Bane was the truth. He was attracted to her more so than ever. Visitation rights with his son weren’t the only thing he was concerned with. Visitation rights with his son’s mother were also on his mind. The thought of her marrying someone else bothered him.

If it bothers you so much, then maybe you should marry her yourself.

What the hell! Why did an idea like that pop into his head? Anyone who knew him would attest to the fact that he wasn’t the marrying kind. He liked his freedom. He enjoyed not answering to anyone but himself. He...

Loved his son.

His lips firmed in a straight line. Yes, he loved his son, but what did that have to do with desiring Bristol? Suddenly, he knew the answer. His love for his son affected everything. Even his son’s mother.

He groaned in frustration. He had suggested the option of making the marriage real. She had immediately rebuffed it. At the time, it hadn’t bothered him one iota. That idea hadn’t been at the top of his list anyway.

So why was he thinking about it now?

Once again the answer was the same. He loved his son. Unlike his parents, who believed their love for each other weighed more than the love for their child, he didn’t hold such beliefs. Although he’d seen his child for the first time only last night, more love than he thought he could ever have for any other human being had seeped into his heart and it was going to stay there.

He loved his parents. He loved his SEAL teammates as brothers. But the love he had for his child was so amazing that more than once today he’d had to pause to make sure he hadn’t dreamed the whole thing.

That little face looked so much like him it was uncanny. Maybe the next time they would have a girl and she would look more like Bristol. Coop went still.

How could he even think what he just had? A daughter? With Bristol as the mother? Jeez.

He stood and began pacing. He was really losing it to even think such a thing. He needed to stay focused. The only person he needed to be thinking about was his son. But how could he think of his son and not think of his son’s mother? The woman who’d given birth to him? The woman who made sure he got all the things he needed? The woman who was already teaching him a second language?

Hadn’t he decided earlier today that they came as a package deal? But that had only been regarding financial support and nothing more. Hadn’t it? Then why was he thinking all crazy? Why was he thinking beyond the financial to something even more? To marriage?

Because she’s the woman you want.

Want and not love.

He knew love had nothing to do with it. Whatever feelings he had for Bristol were purely physical. That kiss today proved it, as well as the sexual chemistry surrounding them whenever they were together. That conclusion about the nature of their relationship didn’t bother him and he doubted it bothered her.

Coop stood and checked his watch. He needed to go to the fitness center to work off his sexual frustrations, and he had plenty. When he arrived at her house to take them to dinner, maybe he would have worked some sense back into his brain.