One of the guys was at the jukebox. He turned and yelled back to one of the girls in their group, “I played your song, Melissa!”
“Tommy, you didn’t! Why do you guys always have to embarrass me everywhere we go?” She laughed.
Angel turned in Cole’s arms and leaned back against him, watching the fun. Cole’s arms closed around her.
The song started, and they heard The Allman Brothers come on, and Gregg was singing, Melissa. When he got to the chorus, all the guys in their group sang along, serenading the girl. Soon the whole bar was singing along at the top of their lungs.
Cole and Angel swayed to the music. When the song was over he turned her around and kissed her again. It was a long, slow kiss.
One of the group yelled, “Hey, you two, get a room!”
“We already have one,” Cole replied, grinning down at Angel.
She raised her eyebrows. “Maybe we should go use it.”
Cole smile got bigger. He stood and threw some money down on the bar. “Yes, ma’am.”
***
They walked out, got on the bike, and headed back. They drove down a winding road, and when they came out of the tree line, Angel could see the ocean below. The moonlight was shining on it, lighting it up in a soft, silvery light. She could see the surf breaking and rolling in, sparkling in the moonlight. It took her breath away.
Cole pulled off onto the shoulder at an overlook, and they got off the bike.
Angel wandered over to the guardrail to look at the view. “Wow. It’s gorgeous,” she breathed.
Cole stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her. “Yeah. The views of the Pacific are one of the best parts about living in California.”
They stood quietly for a while, taking it in, listening to the surf break.
Angel took a deep breath. “I can smell it. The ocean.”
Cole smiled. He rested his chin on the top of her head. “Have you forgiven me?”
She nodded.
“We can get it removed or covered over if that’s what you want.”
She didn’t know how to answer that. She didn’t know how she felt yet. She’d only known Cole a few days, and already she didn’t want to think about leaving him. But she guessed he wasn’t looking for anything long-term. “Is that what you want?”
He turned her to face him. He brushed the hair back from her face. “Hey, I like having you around. I do. And I don’t want this to end, but… I’m not very good at this shit.”
She frowned. “Good at what?”
He looked off at the coast, and then at her. He shrugged. “Relationship stuff.”
She looked down and nodded.
“Can we just take this one day at a time?” he asked.
“Sure. Whatever.” She pulled away.
He sighed, catching her arm and pulling her back. “Look, I’m not brushing it off. I just…” He looked away. “Try to understand me, baby. I don’t want to hurt you, but I don’t want to lie to you either.” His eyes came back to hers. “You and me? I don’t see how it’d ever work long-term.”
“Why?”
He shook his head.
“Tell me,” she insisted.
“I don’t know. Maybe because you looked like you fit in better with that group tonight than with me.”
“Maybe you’re wrong,” she whispered.
He looked off at the ocean and smiled. “Yeah. Maybe.”
She stepped closer and ran her hands up his chest. “Maybe I could change your mind.”
His eyes came back to hers. The way she was looking at him must have affected him, because he murmured, “Maybe you could.” He cupped the back of her head in his hand. His gaze dropped to her mouth. “You do have some persuasive lips, girl. The kind that can make a man go crazy.”
“Is that a fact?”
“That is a fact.” He nodded, running his thumb over her bottom lip. “Bet you could persuade a preacher man to lay his bible down.”
She closed the distance, melting against him. She tilted her head back and stretched up to press her mouth to his. Her kiss started soft, barely touching.
That didn’t satisfy him for long. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer and deepened the kiss. They were oblivious to all around them, including the truck that roared past them, until the gust of wind blew over them in its wake. The air horn sounded and broke the spell.
He pulled back. When the sound and wind died away, he said, “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”
A few minutes later, Cole was pulling her through the cabin door. Without a word, they came together. His hands tangled in her hair, tilting her head back for his kiss. He couldn’t get enough. He backed her into the bed and pushed her down on top of it. The bedsprings squeaked under their weight. His mouth moved over hers, delving, hungry, devouring.
She loved the feel of his weight pressing down on her. There wasn’t the tenderness of the times before. This time it was all aggressive male, claiming a female, and she wanted it that way. It stirred a fire in her blood that had her responding with as much passion, tearing at his clothes.
Cole lifted off of her and stood, shrugging out of his cut. She lay there and watched as he reached to pull the shoulder holster off. His eyes held hers as he wrapped the straps around the holster and set it down on the bedside table. Then he ripped his t-shirt over his head. His eyes never left hers as he tossed it aside, and he reached for his belt.
Angel’s eyes ran over his chest and arms as he unbuckled. The primal look in his eyes touched something in her. Her breathing quickened. She watched as if hypnotized as he reached down and grabbed her ankles, pulling her toward him. She gasped as she slid across the bed.
He leaned over, undid her pants, and yanked them off her legs. His soon followed in a pile on the floor. His hands hooked in her panties at either hip and pulled them down her legs as well.
She sat up and peeled her shirt over her head. She reached behind her, unhooking her bra and pulling it free. She tossed it aside.
His stood motionless, his eyes gliding over her and his breathing accelerated. And then suddenly his big palm was flat on her breast bone, and he was pushing her back onto the bed, his body coming down on top of her, the urge to take her, to dominate her, surging through him. He took her hands in his, lacing their fingers together and pinned them above her head. He watched as her eyes widened, flaring with desire, her mouth falling open, her breath panting. It excited her, his dominance, his aggressive, all-male side. He thought he’d seen it before, it had been in her eyes briefly that night in the desert before the fear had taken over.
***