Cole Cameron's Revenge

He told himself that all the way up to the penthouse, thought it as he carried Faith up the curving staircase and into the dark bedroom. Wait. Go slowly. Don't hurry the moment you've waited for, for so long.

But when the door swung shut, Faith sighed his name, framed his face in her hands and drew his head down to hers. She kissed him, her mouth soft, her taste sweet, and he was lost.

"Faith," he said, and he kissed her throat. "Faith..." "Make love to me," she whispered. "Make love to me. Please."

Cole's fingers shook as he unzipped her gown. Beneath it, she wore a black silk camisole, panties, a garter belt and black hose. He kissed her nipples through the sheer silk, cupped her wet warmth, groaned when she trembled. He wanted to tell her she was beautiful, far more wonderful than in all his remembrances, but she was undoing his tie, his studs; she was easing his jacket off. She was opening his belt, his fly...

With a growl of need he pushed her hands away, finished undressing them both, lifted her in his arms again and carried her to the bed.

"I wanted to make this last," he said roughly. "But I can't, baby. I need you. I've always needed you."

"Cole," Faith said, and held up her arms, "now. Oh, now..."

He knelt between her thighs. "I love you, Faith," he said and then he entered her on one long, deep thrust. She arched toward him, cried out his name, and the world shattered into a million fiery bits of light.

CHAPTER TWELVE

IT WAS as if the years had slipped away.

Lying in Cole's arms, feeling his body hard and warm against hers, Faith could almost believe she was seventeen again and that life was a bright ribbon stretching ahead.

How could she have thought that she wasn't still in love with this man? She turned her face until her lips were against his shoulder. She had never forgotten the taste of him or his scent, or how she felt when he held her this way. Safe. Protected.

Loved.

I love you, Faith. That was what he'd said, just as he had that night so many years ago. And even if he hadn't meant it then, he had to mean it now. He wasn't a boy anymore, he was a man. He had married her for the wrong reasons but those words, those three wonderful words, had conviction now, and meaning. They had to because if they didn't, if they didn't...

"Baby?" Cole leaned on his elbow and gently stroked her hair back from her temple. "Are you all right?"

"Oh, yes." Faith raised her hand, cupped his jaw, felt the faint stubble of his beard abrade her soft flesh as he clasped her hand and brought it to his mouth. She caught her breath, shivered with pleasure as he took a love bite from the pad of flesh just below her thumb. "I'm fine."

"I didn't mean to go so fast." Cole gathered her against him, slid one hand slowly up and down her back. "It's just that I wanted you so badly... It's been so long, baby. Sometimes it feels as if a century's passed since the night of the prom." He kissed her mouth gently. "I've never forgotten that night, Faith. I couldn't believe I'd finally made you mine."

The softly-spoken words sent a swift, sharp pain through her heart. Then, why did you leave me? she thought, but she didn't ask the question. This wasn't the time to hear the answer.

She smiled and toyed with the lock of hair that had fallen over his forehead. "It was a wonderful night. You were wonderful."

Cole grinned. "Well, if you insist..."

Faith laughed softly. "My modest hero."

His smile faded. "I'm no hero, sweetheart. If I were, I wouldn't have left you." He rolled her onto her back. "We need to talk about what happened, Faith."

"No," she said quickly. Oh, no. They couldn't. Not now. She knew he was right, that the only way to build a future was to face the past, but there were so many painful secrets to divulge, the truth about Peter and, inevitably, about Ted... The miracle of their rediscovered love was too new. Too fragile. Surely, things that had been hidden for so long could wait for morning. Faith clasped her husband's face and kissed him. "I don't want to talk," she whispered. "Not tonight."

"You're right. Tonight is special."

She smiled. "Yes."

"When I think of all the time we've been apart..." Cole stopped in midsentence. This was all that mattered, that she was his again, that she would always be his. "We have our whole lives ahead of us, Faith," he said softly. "I'm never going to lose you again."

He gave her a slow, deep kiss, then drew back just enough so he could see her face. "First thing tomorrow morning, I'm going to call my attorney."

She looked puzzled. "What for?"

Cole smiled. "I'm going to tell him that he can tear up that prenup you signed."