Cole's Mistake (Haven, Texas 8)

“Then I’m coming in with the two of you?” He looked from her to Julian.

“Yes,” she said firmly.

“Open the door,” Julian added.

3

Julian watched Cole warily as he opened the front door to their shack. He was still smarting at the other man’s words and part of him wondered why the hell he was letting him inside.

Because he was attracted to him. Because Keira was attracted to him. Because there was just something about Cole—his power, his authority—that spoke to him. That tugged that part he’d buried deep, that desire to submit.

He drowned that thought as Cole held open the front door, glaring down at it for some reason.

“This lock wouldn’t keep a child out,” he muttered.

Julian stiffened, but decided not to reply. Th

e lock was perfectly decent. Stepping inside, he carried Keira straight down the hall and into the kitchen at the back. This house had two bedrooms and a bathroom at the front. The living room and kitchen/dining room were at the back.

As he walked through their tiny house, he saw it through Cole’s eyes. Shag pile carpet that should have been retired forty years ago. Stains on the ceiling from the leaking roof. Cracks in the walls. A strange smell that couldn’t be explained. And that was just the start of it. He walked into the tiny kitchen with its wooden cabinetry that someone had the great idea to paint a sickly green. He set Keira down at the tiny dining table they’d managed to fit in there. It only had three chairs as the fourth side of the table was pressed up against the wall.

Cole moved into the kitchen behind them. He looked around, dominating the space even though he was smaller than Julian.

“Have a seat,” Julian said gruffly.

Keira watched the other man with eyes filled with a mix of wariness and hope. He hoped to God this was the right decision. He didn’t want Keira hurt. And, yet, he couldn’t turn Cole away. Because what if they could make it work?

Julian crouched down in front of Keira and reached out, raising her chin so she had to look at him. “Want to tell me about this juice diet you’re on and how come I knew nothing about it?”

Guilt flooded her face. “I just wanted to lose a few pounds before we, uh, went to the, uh . . .” she trailed off, looking at Cole.

Julian firmed his face, sending the other man a warning look. But Cole was staring at Keira intently.

“To the club,” Julian finished for her.

“Yes.”

“How long?”

“Um, about a week?”

All right. That wasn’t so bad.

“Closer to three, I’d say,” Cole said, making Julian stiffen again. How had he not noticed over three weeks? But then he thought of all the times she’d told him she’d grab something to eat at work. And most of the time he couldn’t meet her for lunch because of their schedules. But they usually tried to have dinner together.

“I noticed a couple of weeks ago that all she was having for lunch was this disgusting looking green stuff. Every day.” Cole raised his eyebrows at her. She flushed guilty. “When I asked her, she told me she was on a special juice diet. You didn’t know about this?”

“No, I didn’t.”

“I told her I wanted to see her with a real lunch the next day.” He frowned. “She brought a chicken salad, but after that I don’t remember her being around at lunch.”

“I’m right here, you know,” Keira grumbled. “And I don’t need anyone to dictate what I eat.”

Julian shared a look with Cole. Seemed he’d gotten an ally in making certain Keira took care of herself. Or, even better, getting her to let them take care of her.

How good would that feel? To share this with Cole? Sometimes it felt like he needed eyes in the back of his head, and Cole would be there when he couldn’t be.

Getting ahead of yourself.