Ignited (Most Wanted 3)

"Yeah, but talk about a snafu. The call must have come when Liz wasn't here." I'd hit Liz up before I told my little fib on the loan application, and she'd promised to back me if the underwriters called.

"Shit. What happened? Tyler didn't say a thing to me."

"Apparently Cole got the call."

Her eyes widened. "Oh, really? When?"

"It's been over a week."

"And he didn't say anything?"

"Not until just a few minutes ago," I said.

She held her hands out, gesturing for me to continue. "Hello? What did he say?"

"That I owed him," I admitted.

Her laugh was filled with pure delight. "Well, that's convenient, isn't it?"

"Excuse me?"

"If he said you owed him, you just need to ask him how he wants to get paid."

I crossed my arms over my chest. "And what exactly are we talking about?"

"Oh, please, Kat. Don't play coy. I'm a cop, remember? I know how to read people. And that goes for you, too, Katrina Laron, even though you think you're impenetrable."

I did think that, and it was a little disconcerting to know that I was wrong. This was why I'd spent most of my life avoiding making close friends. They got into the cracks of your life, knew you too well, and made you vulnerable. But Sloane was right--as a former cop, she was used to watching people and noting the details. More than that, it wasn't that long ago that she'd been in a similar position, plotting out a way to seduce Tyler Sharp. Considering she and Tyler were now desperately in love and deliriously happy, I had to figure she understood the game.

She looked me up and down, the movement very deliberate. "Nice dress." Her mouth curved in a wicked grin. "Seems like the kind of thing Cole would appreciate."

"Bitch," I said, but I was laughing.

"So other than the dress, what have you got in your repertoire?"

"Isn't that the question of the day? You're right about the intentions," I admitted. "But I'm doing a piss-poor job on the execution." I ran my fingers through my hair, remembered the clip too late, and cursed.

I gave her the rundown of what had happened in the gallery while I freed my hair and fluffed it with my fingers. "But I'm not sure if he was really interested, or if it's just me being hopeful."

"Please tell me you aren't really that naive," she said. "The guy's completely gone on you."

"You are such a liar," I said. Frankly, I couldn't imagine Cole being gone on anyone. He was too damn good at keeping everything in check. As far as I'd seen over the years, that temper was the only thing that managed to escape his walls--and even that burst out like a rocket and was quickly snuffed.

"I've seen his face when he looks at you," she said. "Or, more accurately, I've seen his face when he looks at you and you're not looking back." Her mouth quirked up. "You know as well as I do that Cole doesn't give anything away that he doesn't have to."

"There's one of the century's biggest understatements."

"I'm serious," she said. "When Tyler looks at me the way I've seen Cole look at you, I know to expect a very long night, with very little sleep."

"Oh." I drew in a breath, then licked suddenly dry lips. "That's something," I added, unable to keep the smile out of my voice. "Thanks."

"Sure," she said. "But, listen. Are you--" She cut herself off with a shrug. "Never mind."

"Oh, no," I said. "No way are you pulling that with me. You've got something to say, and it's about me or it's about Cole. And I want to know."

"It's just--are you sure about this? And why now?"

"Yes," I said, because despite my nervous moments and hesitations, I'd never been more sure about anything. I took her arm and steered her to a far corner, where there were no paintings displayed on the walls and therefore no guests to overhear us. "And as for now, I don't think I have a choice anymore. I can't get him out of my head," I admitted. "He's getting into my dreams. I've never had a guy get this far under my skin, and it's driving me a little bit crazy."

"So this is an exorcism?"

"Maybe. Hell, I don't know. Why?"

"Because we're friends, Kat. All of us. Me and Tyler, Angie and Evan. And even you and Cole. I don't want it to get weird, and I don't want--" She shook her head. "Sorry, that's none of my business. Shouldn't go there."

No way was I letting her get away with that. "Go where?"

"I just don't want you to get hurt," she said.

"What are you talking about?"

She dragged her fingers through her hair. "I just happen to know that Cole doesn't date. I don't want you disappointed. And--to be perfectly selfish--I don't want to lose the dynamic between the six of us."

"I don't, either," I said truthfully. "But I need to do this." I didn't try to explain that if I didn't, the dynamic between us would change anyway. I'd crossed a mental line, and no matter what, I couldn't go back to being Friendly Kat, the girl with the secret crush on Cole. Because this wasn't a crush. This was a need. This was a hunger. I'd opened Pandora's box, and even if I'd wanted to, I couldn't shove everything back inside.

"What do you mean he doesn't date?" I pressed.

"That's what Tyler told me. He fucks," she said with a quirk of her brow. "But he doesn't date."

"That's part of what makes him perfect," I admitted, because although I had no way of knowing for sure, I'd watched him long enough and intently enough to guess that Cole was at least as fucked up as I was. "I just want to scratch this itch. And if you're right, then Cole has the same itch, and this should work out just fine."

"So you're just looking for a fuck buddy?" She narrowed her eyes, obviously dubious.

"Yeah," I said, though I hadn't really put it in those terms before. "Yeah, I guess I am."

"Kat . . ." She trailed off, and there was no way to miss the censure in her voice.

"What?"

"That's a load of total bullshit."

"No," I said firmly, "it's not." And it wasn't. I'd admit--at least to myself--that the attraction I felt for Cole pulsed hard and drove deep. But that didn't mean I wanted to date the man--or, more specifically, it didn't mean that I would date him, no matter how much I might want it.

Not that I could explain all of that to Sloane. We might have become friends since she'd rolled into town late last summer, but no way was I opening my closet so she could see all of my skeletons.

I didn't need a degree in psychology to know I was fucked up, and I didn't need a degree in human sexuality to know that I wanted Cole's hands on me. The second one I could do something about. The first one I just had to live with.

"Trust me, Sloane," I said, hoping that I wasn't about to screw up royally. "I know what I'm doing."

For a second she didn't answer, then she nodded. "It's your life. Go get him."

I laughed, then signaled to a passing waiter. He paused in front of me, and I grabbed a glass of chardonnay.

I held up my finger as I downed it, silently signaling the waiter to stay. Then I exchanged my empty glass for a full one. "Liquid courage," I said, more to Sloane than the waiter, though his lips twitched as well.

He tilted his head in both acknowledgment and farewell, then slid off into the crowd. I watched him go, knowing that my turn was next. Because Cole was somewhere in that throng, too.

I caught Sloane's eye, and took strength from her encouraging grin. "Here goes nothing," I said, then moved away from her and back toward the throng, determined to see this through.

It took a moment, but I finally found Cole surrounded by a group of well-heeled guests, all of whom were gazing with rapturous expressions at a canvas that seemed to be in motion, it was so full of color and life. I couldn't hear Cole, but I saw the animation in his face, the way he got when he spoke of art.

He used his hands, his body, and with every word and motion he captured the crowd. Hell, he captured me, too, and I moved closer and closer, until finally I could hear his words and I just stood there, letting his smooth voice roll over me and give me cour

age.

After a moment, he wrapped up his spiel and left the guests to contemplate the painting on their own. When he did, he turned and saw me, and I felt the impact of that connection all the way to my toes.

There'd been heat between us earlier tonight--of that I no longer had any doubt. But Cole had been in control then. This time, I'd caught him unaware, and I could plainly see the pulsing hunger that raged through him as he took in the sight of me.

Go. Now.

I drew in a breath for courage. Yeah, it was time to do this thing.

And so I took one step, and then another and another. Each taking me toward Cole August. Each fueling that fire inside me that raged for him--a fire that had the power to either raise me up or reduce me to ashes.

I could only hope that tonight I would capture the man, and not destroy myself in the trying.

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