Whether or not I am ready doesn’t seem to matter though, does it?
He already had a hold over her, and as she stood staring out at the buildings surrounding them, she reminded herself that it was time to surrender to her feelings, not to second-guess them.
Time to give in, to trust.
“My father used to work in a building like this,” she told him as she glanced over her shoulder.
Cole slid his hands into his pockets and moved over to stand behind her. He didn’t touch her anywhere, but she could feel the heat emanating from his body.
“Did he? What did he do?”
“He was an accountant.” Rachel laughed softly. “A boring numbers man, he would say.”
“You say was. He passed away then?”
Rachel felt her heart ache as she nodded and wrapped her arms around her waist. “Yes. Both my mother and father have passed away.”
He didn’t touch her, and Rachel wondered how he knew that if he did, she would crumble to the ground. Instead, he offered condolences.
“They must have been amazing individuals to raise such a unique and beautiful woman.”
Rachel felt a small smile touch her lips. “My dad always encouraged us to be ourselves—hence the crazy hair and the fact that Mason loves to cook, which isn’t the manliest occupation.”
Without touching her, Cole’s mouth was by her ear. “I love your hair. It was the first thing that drew me to you…well, that and your miniscule skirt. As for your brother, he seems to be doing okay for himself.”
Rachel agreed, “Yes, he is. He’s a wonderful man, just like our dad was. It’s almost funny how similar they are. Dad used to teach us how to cook, and he would dance with me around the kitchen.”
She felt two large hands on her shoulders as they gently turned her, so she was looking up into concerned hazel eyes.
“How is it that you make me want so many things I had sworn I could do without?” Cole asked her.
Rachel felt a lump form in her throat as he reached out to cup her cheek.
“I don’t ever want you to change, and I will never make you do something that you don’t want to.”
Leaning down, he pressed his firm lips to hers, all the while keeping his eyes locked with hers.
“And, Rachel, for the moment, I am yours. And you? You are mine.”
As she stared up at him in breathtaking silence, he asked softly, “Well, now that I know you had the best dancing lessons available, will you come to a function that is being held for the new DA tomorrow night?”
Is there even a need for him to ask? Of course, I’m going to say yes.
But like he had said just a moment ago, he would never make her do something she didn’t want to.
With a warm smile, she placed her hand on his chest and spoke the only words she could think of. “I’d love to.”
15
Toward the end of her shift that night, Rachel moved up to the service window to hand one of the waitresses the dessert for table twenty-three, and that was when she caught a glimpse of Cole out of the corner of her eye.
Sitting by himself in the same seat he had been in the night before, he was looking up at Meredith the youngest server on staff, smiling at her as she scribbled notes down on her pad. Rachel noticed that Meredith was paying a little too much attention to the lone man at the table, but Cole…well, he seemed to be just ordering.
Rachel rested her hip against the stainless steel counter and continued watching, not out of jealousy but more curiosity. She supposed she was watching to see if Cole had the same effect on others that he did on her.
And God knows, he has the ability to reduce me to someone with one thing on my mind: sex. Hot, sticky, kitchen floor sex.
As Meredith tipped back her bleach-blonde head and laughed—louder than one would think was necessary—Rachel had her answer.
Rolling her eyes at the sheer absurdity of a man wielding so much power over the opposite sex, Rachel pushed off the counter and moved to turn, only to come face-to-face with Wendy, who was looking in the same direction she had been.
With a smirk on her face, the restaurant manager made her way toward Rachel. When Wendy stopped on the other side of the window, Rachel waited, knowing what was coming.
“Two nights in a row? Since Meredith wasn’t on shift last night, I guess she missed the memo on which staff member he belongs to. By the way, he must really like the food.”
Rachel almost choked on the laugh she held back at the thought of Cole belonging to anyone, let alone her. Placing her hands on her hips, she tried to glare at the petite blonde with the sleek ponytail, but she knew she was failing.
“Really? I hadn’t noticed,” Rachel said nonchalantly.
Wendy laughed and leaned over the window as she whispered, “Well, honey, you better because every other single woman on staff has, not to mention the female customers sitting at the bar.”
Rachel frowned and turned back to look in Cole’s direction again, and this time, she found his smoldering gaze focused on her. Swallowing slowly, she felt her palms begin to itch as a smile so decadently sexual spread across his lips.
I’m going to melt into the floor.
It wasn’t until Wendy spoke up again that Rachel realized the manager was still standing there.
“Yes, I can see you are completely unaffected.”
Without breaking the heated stare she now held with Cole, Rachel responded absently, “Huh?”
When Wendy chuckled, Rachel finally pulled her eyes away from Cole’s to look at the snickering manager. It also happened to be the moment Meredith reached them with a little extra pep in her step.
“Oh, Rachel, hey. You’re just who I need.”
“Oh?” Rachel responded without giving anything away.
“Yup. See the guy in the suit at table twenty?”
Rachel made a show of looking over at Meredith’s table to where Cole was seated. He inclined his head slightly, just enough for her to notice but not enough to draw attention.
Turning her attention back to Meredith, Rachel nodded. “Yes, I see. What about him?”
“Well, first, look at him! Damn, that man is hot.” Meredith turned around to get another look, but she quickly spun back when she realized Cole was looking in their direction. “Oh shit. He’s looking over here.” She giggled.
As Rachel noticed the waitress’s cheeks flush, she had to try and hold back her own laughter. Wendy was obviously having the same issue because she couldn’t even bring herself to say anything.
When did we turn into teenage girls?
“Yes, he is, isn’t he?” Rachel replied, not actually knowing which statement—him being hot or him looking at them—she was answering. “You want to tell me what he wants?”
Meredith sighed dramatically and placed a palm over her heart. “I wish it was me.”
“Oh my god. Rach?” Wendy finally busted up with uncontrollable laughter. “Please put the poor girl out of her misery before she goes on.”
“Huh?” Meredith questioned, looking between the two of them.
“Shut it, Wendy,” Rachel told her friend and manager with a fake grin. “Now, what does he want, Meredith?”
“Well, he said he knows it’s not on the menu, but if he asked nicely, could you serve your caramel sauce a little different for him?”
Rachel felt her lips part and her thighs twitch as she thought about the things they had done with her caramel sauce just the night before.
Oh, the places I had my tongue and the places he had his fingers.
“He’d like a scoop of vanilla ice cream with the sauce served warm over it.” Meredith stopped talking when she realized Rachel’s attention had moved to the man across the room. Then, she prodded, “I told him that would be okay. Is it?”