He sounded so serious, Holly faltered, unsure what to say. Before she could formulate a response, Cole cursed, and Holly’s gaze jerked in his direction. He was holding his hand where he’d burned it, his jaw clenched in obvious pain.
“Oh crap,” she said, followed by, “Hold on,” into the phone, as she jumped off the bar stool to go to Cole’s aid. Then to Cole, “Are you okay? How bad is it?”
“I’ll live,” he grumbled, turning on the water and shoving his hand under. “Burns like a bitch, though.”
Holly flipped the heat off the bacon, the phone still at her ear. “Abe?”
“I’m here,” he said. “And that’s what I was trying to tell you. Cole’s a menace in the kitchen,” he added, obviously overhearing the entire mess. “A downright danger. Always has been. Get him the hell out of there before he burns it down.”
Holly’s chest filled with barely contained laughter because it appeared so true, but now wasn’t the time to jest with Cole. Still, it was quite comical that with the steely tough exterior and firm resolve Cole radiated, a kitchen skillet had him grumbling in pain.
“I will,” she vowed to Abe. “I’ll get right on that.”
Cole surveyed his wound as she watched and, with a grimace, he shoved his hand back under the water. “Tell Abe the meeting is pushed back to four o’clock.”
She started to repeat the message. “Cole says—”
“I’ll be there,” Abe said. “But do your womanly, kiss the-wound-and-make-it-better thing and have him call me back. We’ve got trouble with that guy who Jacob scrabbled with at the bar. He came up to us at a gas station last night and tried to start something. I held Jacob back, but I was damned tempted to pop the guy myself.”
Holly cast Cole a concerned look. “Yes, okay. I’ll make sure.” She ended the call and set the phone aside.
“Once I sign the final papers on the bed-and-breakfast, I want you to come see the place,” Cole said as Holly grabbed a towel and filled it with ice.
It pleased Holly that Cole wanted her to see the bed-and-breakfast. “I’d love that.” She stepped to his side at the sink and turned off the water. “Wrap this around your hand and call Abe back. You’re going to want to talk to him.”
He ignored the ice and studied her. “What’s that look you’re giving me? What’s up?”
She sighed. “That guy who Jacob tussled with at The Tavern tried to pick a fight with Abe and Jacob last night at some gas station.”
“That son of a bitch,” he said, ignoring the towel, the burn apparently forgotten as he reached for the phone. He dialed Abe and then glanced at the towel. He leaned over and kissed her forehead. “Thank you.”
She tried to hand him the towel again, but Abe answered and Cole launched into conversation, towel forgotten again as he paced and talked. Holly sighed and set the towel down, shoving a hand through her sleep-rumpled hair, before digging in to try and save breakfast. By the time Cole hung up the phone, she’d concluded it was a hopeless effort. The eggs were watery and the bacon burned and greasy.
Cole set his phone back down, hands on his lean hips, his lips a thin, hard line. He was clearly not happy. “You’re meeting Sheriff Jack today about those research questions, right?”
“Yes,” she confirmed. “This afternoon. Hopefully, before my sister gets in. She’s already on the road. Should be here by dinner.”
“Good,” he said, his tone firm, decisive. “I’ll ride along. We can get some food on the way. I want to talk to the sheriff before this situation with Jacob gets any more out of hand.”
She shook what felt like cobwebs from her head. “Wait. You’ve spent a week-plus hiding me away in your house, and now suddenly you decide we’re going public? You think you might want to ask me?”
A dark challenge flickered across his handsome features. “You have a problem with people knowing we’re dating?”
That drew her up short. “What? Dating? Are we dating? Is that what this is?”
He picked her up and set her on the counter, gently but firmly, nudging her legs apart to step between them. “You got a problem with that?” he challenged, his deep-chocolate eyes daring her to answer wrong. “Because I have to tell you, Holly. I’m done pretending this is nothing. And if you think I’m letting you hide me away any longer, you’re wrong.”
“Me?!” she demanded. “You’re the one who hasn’t suggested leaving the house.”
“Because you have a gossip phobia,” he countered.
“I don’t!” she said. “I didn’t want to get caught in your truck with my dress up to my waist. I thought you—”
His hands slid to her face, an impassioned look etching his features. “You thought wrong.” His eyes searched hers. “Holly. I’m not letting you go back to Houston without finding out why you make me so crazy.”
Her heart squeezed and she struggled to form words. “I make you crazy?”
“Yeah, baby,” he said, pressing his forehead to hers. “You make me over-the-top crazy.”
Sweet wonder slid through her. “You make me crazy, too,” she whispered.
She smiled inside and out. This big, gorgeous, wonderful man was crazy about her. And she was crazy about him.
Still. The moving-home situation twisted in her gut. “Cole.” She bit her lip, a bit nervous. Pressing her hands on his chest, she leaned back. “I need to tell you one thing.”
He tensed, a muscle in his jaw jumping. “There’s someone back in Houston.”
“No!” she said, her hand brushing his cheek. “Nothing like that. I just . . . well . . . I came home for the holidays thinking of moving back to Haven. No one knows. I didn’t want to be pressured to make a decision. But I need you to understand that if we don’t work out, well . . . I won’t be tucking tail and running back to Houston. Stay or go, I’m deciding based on what is right for me.”
His eyes darkened, dilated. “Fair enough. As long as you know I plan to influence your decision.” His palms pressed her T-shirt up her legs. “Starting now.” He nibbled her ear. “I’m going to eat you for breakfast. Then you can take me to lunch.” He went down on his knees, inched her legs farther apart, and then, with a gentle repositioning, he lifted one leg, and then the other, over his shoulders.
He leaned into her, his breath warm as it feathered her clit. “I’m going to taste you now, Holly.” His eyes held hers, and he lowered his head, watching her as he suckled her sensitive nub into his mouth.
Holly gasped at the intimate contact and waves of pleasure shimmered through her limbs. Suddenly, he was licking her, exploring her with a firm, confident tongue that quickly built sensation into writhing desperation.
“Cole,” she panted, asking for that untouchable, unbelievable place that only orgasm could deliver.
“Easy, baby,” he murmured, brushing two fingers across her cleft before penetrating her, curving his fingers just right.