Feeling somewhat disappointed, Cole understood rebuilding their relationship was going to take some time. “Sure. I’ll put your dinner away. Maybe when you wake up, you’ll want to eat a little something.”
She wouldn’t look directly at him but focused on something behind his head. “Thanks.”
Cole started walking out of the room, then turned back around. “Call me if you need anything…anything at all.”
Jade nodded.
He walked out and closed the door behind him. Briefly, he leaned on the door thinking, Cricket just needs a little time. Eventually, he hoped they would get back to where they were.
*****
Cole was downstairs in his office hunched over his desk reviewing paperwork. He couldn’t concentrate to save his life. Frustrated, he leaned back in his chair and looked up. Jade’s room was directly above his office. She was as skittish as a cat. Kevin had not just stolen the only person in this world that he knew without a shadow of a doubt loved him for him, but he’d taken a bit of her soul. He could not describe the anger he felt about it. He wasn’t a vindictive person, but at this moment he wanted to crush him. He wanted to hear him squeal. It was too bad there wasn’t much he could do, at least not right now. Cole had found out that Kevin was already locked up. He’d better thank his lucky stars because those bars were the only things keeping Kevin safe from him. Cole made a vow; Kevin would pay for the pain he’d caused.
His cell vibrated. Cole picked it up and saw Elise’s name on the screen. There was a moment where he started not to answer but decided to get this conversation over and done. “Elise.”
“Cole. I thought you were going to call me back?”
“Right. Time got away from me.”
“Is she there?”
He sighed and wiped his hands across his face. “Yes, Jade is here.”
“You do realize she hasn’t even been living with you but for a few hours and you’re already blowing me off.”
“Elise, you are being ridiculous. What do you think is going to happen?”
“Do you really want me to answer that? You pulled this girl off the street and brought her into your home! There is a thing called being generous, but this is too much. I don’t understand it or how you can just ignore my feelings.”
Cole wasn’t ready to give her their backstory just yet. “Elise this really isn’t about you. It’s about helping a friend in need.”
He could hear her frustration and thought she might scream. “Apparently not! What don’t you understand about her being a stranger? What do you even know about her? I’m not talking about who she was umpteen years ago. I mean now. Furthermore, how do you think it makes me feel knowing we’ve been together for the last year, and I can’t even leave an overnight bag at your house? Yet, you’ve moved this woman into your home.”
Cole closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Elise, I’m sorry if I’ve hurt you. That was never my intention. This is just something that I’ve got to do. Jade needs me.”
“And, I don’t? This is ridiculous. You’re being a fool. I’ve got to go.” Pissed Elise hung up without giving him a chance to respond. Cole didn’t know how to make it up to her, but there was also no way he could let Jade think he’d abandon her—again.
*****
Two hours later, Jade startled awake in a room bathed in darkness. She looked toward the windows and noticed they were still open to the night sky. Quickly, she rolled over and grabbed the remote to close the draperies. Privacy window or not, she just didn’t like them open. The peace a clear night like this would have once given her was no longer appealing. Being in Cole’s house and in a strange bed left her feeling uptight. She sighed. “Maybe a hot bath might help.”
Jade crawled down off of the bed, grabbed her bag with her robe, and went into the bathroom hoping a tub of soothing hot water would calm her nerves. It didn’t take very long for the whirlpool to fill up. Jade dipped her toe into heaven. It was absolutely perfect. She flipped a switch to turn on the jets then immersed herself underneath the bubbles. Jade reclined back into the water, and just for a moment, all of her problems melted away. She wasn’t sure how long she was lying there before falling asleep.
There was a light tap on the door. “Jade? Are you in here?”
Her eyes snapped open. Luckily the bubbles covered her naked body. “Cole! What are you doing in here?” He had already opened the door and was entering the room. When he realized Jade was in the bath, something about the bit of her flesh that swelled above the water captured him. He couldn’t pull his eyes away or mask the flash of heat in them when he looked down at her. The fire in his eyes took the words out of her mouth. There were times when Jade would have given her soul for him to see her in this way; as a sexual being - a woman.
Her words came out huskily. “I’m taking a bath.”
His lazy smile was almost her undoing. “I can see that.” His voice was so low that she’d almost missed it. “You’re beautiful.”
Still unable to tear her eyes away from his, she responded breathlessly. “Thank you.” This is what she didn’t want, to expose her real feelings, but it was too late. Jade hadn’t been under his roof for a full twenty-four hours and already she could no longer hide behind her anger, not when he was looking at her with such longing. She wondered if it would matter if he knew how she felt. If he knew that she was aware of him sexually and that she had never thought of him as a brother. The look he was giving
