20. Epilogue Cole

20

EPILOGUE: COLE

I stifle a yawn as I step into the Platinum Security office. Ryker looks up from the billiards table and shakes his head as if disgusted.

"Look at this, guys. He's barely walked in the door and we're already boring him."

Grayson smirks and takes his shot. The cue ball clacks into a jumble of solids and stripes, sending them into a chaotic dance that somehow works out in his favor.

"He's not bored. He's just tired from driving two hours to his girlfriend's place every night."

Lexi perks up from her seat on Griff's lap.

"How are things going with Emory?"

"Good, especially now that the media attention has died down. Easton did tell me the news cycle would find something else to gnaw on in a couple of weeks." I shrug. "But it's been great for Emory's choreography business. She's booked up solid until the end of the year with gigs."

Lexi kisses Griff on the cheek and then gets off his lap. A look of concern crosses her face.

"Are you guys moving past the way you met, yet? I mean, it can't be easy."

She's not exaggerating. Terror and death are entwined with the beginning of our relationship. I mean, I shot her ex-boyfriend in front of her, and we lied to the police about it.

"You would think it would cause us problems, but it doesn't. Not really." I smile to reassure her. "There was plenty of good stuff balancing out the bad. In fact, it was the way we made each other forget about the bad things that brought us together, I think."

"That sounds too insightful for a one-man army," Ryker says, jabbing his pool cue at me. "Apologize! For going against your archetype."

I shake my head and sigh.

"You've really let Hollywood go to your head, haven't you, man?"

Everyone has a good laugh at Ryker's expense, but he's a good sport about it. I check the time.

"I'm supposed to meet Emory in a couple of hours. Do you know why Jax called me into the office?"

"Yeah, Harlowe wants to talk to you."

I frown. I'm not a tech minded guy, and that's what she's all about. I'm not sure what she wants to talk to me about, unless I screwed something up.

"All right. Where is she?"

"In her office," Grayson says, "but I would knock first."

Unfortunately, I started opening the door right before Grayson finished his sentence. Thus, I catch Bastian and Harlowe kissing, hard, with his hand inside her shirt.

"Oh shit, sorry."

They look up at me, less embarrassed than I am.

"I told you to lock the door," Harlowe says, elbowing Bastian in the ribs.

"Sorry. We'll pick this up later."

They share knowing grins and I step out of the way so he can exit. I clear my throat.

"So, you wanted to see me?"

"Yes. I need a favor from you."

She was instrumental in helping me save the life of the woman I love, so I don't even have to consider my answer.

"Name it."

She sighs, and covers her mouth with her hand.

"It's my brother, Dane."

I sit down and cock an eyebrow at her.

"Is he in some kind of trouble?"

"No, not really. He'll be getting out of the Navy soon, and I'm worried about him adjusting to civilian life. I was hoping maybe you'd, I don't know, watch out for him, I guess."

"He's in the Navy, huh?"

"Yes. He's a sniper."

I grunt low in my throat. I get it. Snipers bear a heavy burden. I get the impression there's some baggage Harlowe's not telling me about, too.

"I'll do what I can, but I'm not a psychiatrist."

"No, you're not, and that's what makes you perfect. I'm not expecting a miracle or anything, but he carries around a lot of guilt. I thought you might understand that."

"I do. Believe me. All right, I assume he's been put on the pipeline to a job with the firm?"

She chuckles. "You assume correctly. But he keeps turning down offers to join Platinum Security. I really don't want him to be on his own after he gets out, you know? He's a good man, maybe a little too serious. I really appreciate this, Cole."

"Don't mention it. When's he due to get out?"

"Pretty soon, a matter of weeks."

"All right. I'll do my best."

"That's all I can ask."

I head to the door, and stop for a moment before heading out.

"You want me to send Bastian back in here?"

She laughs and shakes her head.

"No, now I've decided I'm hungry. He doesn't know it but he's about to go on a food run."

I chuckle and rejoin the others in the office. I say my farewells and hurry out to my truck.

"I hope traffic's not too bad," I grumble on my way out the door.

"Just move in with her already," Ryker shouts right before the door closes. "You'll save a fortune on gas–"

The door shuts behind me. I can't help but consider Ryker's suggestion. I'd been mulling the idea over in the back of my mind for weeks. It would be a lot more convenient, and it's not like I don't sleep over at her place as often as not.

I'm running about twenty minutes late when I finally make it into the city. I shoot her a text to let her know I'm running late, but she doesn't even read it.

We're meeting at a beachside café for dinner. It's ostensibly a date, thrown together at the last minute when her latest gig wrapped a day early. Now it's become the night I'm going to ask her to move in with me. Or maybe I should move in with her. Her place is a lot nicer.

The valet takes my keys and I enter the café. Super upscale, the lobby has no less than four water features. Trendy adult contemporary music wafts through an excellent sound system as the hostess approaches me.

"Hello, and welcome. Do you have a reservation?"

"I do. Cole Drake. Has my dinner guest arrived yet?"

"Let me check on that for you, Sir."

She scrolls through the tablet in her hands, brow furrowed in thought.

"Your table is ready, but your guest has yet to arrive."

I frown, and just as I'm starting to worry, my phone dings.

"Perhaps that's her now," the hostess says helpfully.

Emory finally got back to me. She's running late because her father was released from the hospital and she wanted to see him before she went home to change. I kill time by ordering a gin and tonic and scrolling through moving company websites. Just in case.

Jake used to say that when you moved in with a woman, that was the death of the relationship. When I asked him what about it leading to marriage, he said that marriage was the eulogy of a relationship, and definitely the funeral for sex.

I'm not sure I share Jake's cynicism. Maybe he died before he had a chance to experience the kind of thing Emory and I have. Moving in is a big step, but I think it's a step up, not down.

I'm so lost in my thoughts that I totally miss Emory's approach. She clears her throat and I almost drop my phone.

"Hey, gorgeous." I stand up quickly and pull her chair out for her. "Is it going to rain?"

"I don't think so, why do you ask?" She settles into her chair and I return to my own.

"You're wearing a coat and boots."

"Oh. It's a little bit chilly."

I don't consider high sixties chilly, but I'm too worked up to think any more about it. The subject of our moving in together beats like the tell tale heart in the back of my mind. I can't just bring it up out of the blue. I should at least wait until the entrées arrive, or preferably, dessert.

"You're looking radiant tonight."

"Thanks," she says, ruby red lips stretching into a smile. She's had her hair done. It falls in light golden curls tumbling down her shoulders and back. Eyeshadow and liner make her blue eyes pop in a haunting, almost unworldly way. The diamond earrings I bought her last week glitter in the overhead lights.

I'm starting to feel bad that I didn't freshen up my shave at least before I came to this date.

The champagne arrives, along with a steaming basket of rolls. I pour each of us a glass of bubbly. Emory purses her lips, blue eyes inscrutable.

"You ordered champagne. What's the occasion? Did you get a raise or something?"

"Jax? Give a raise? No, we've just been busy the last few days and haven't had a chance to see each other. I guess I'm celebrating the fact I no longer have to miss you."

Her blue eyes sparkle, matching the glittering champagne.

"You're so sweet. Now I'm really getting suspicious."

We share a laugh, order our entrées, and talk a little bit about our respective days. It turns out we both have a common problem.

"I'm so sick of driving," she groans. "The latest shoot is at two different locations. I've been running up and down the coast all week."

"On that subject, I think I have a solution that will lead to less driving for both of us."

"Oh?" she grins. "Is it to retire to a private island in the Caribbean?"

"I wish. No, I was thinking…"

I take a sip of champagne to bolster myself.

"You were thinking?" she prompts.

"That we might move in together."

Her eyes widen, and her lips form an O.

"Oh! Um, okay, sure!"

"That was easier than I was expecting it to be."

"Come on, Cole. You practically moved in already. We might as well make it official. Wait."

Her eyes narrow, and her nose twitches.

"You're not expecting me to move into your dingy little apartment, are you?"

"Hell no."

"Okay, then, glad we got that sorted out." She laughs and sips her champagne. "And here I thought you were going to ask me something else."

That gives me pause.

"Wait a minute, what did you think I was going to ask you?"

"Oh, I don't know, specifically. I was hoping for some kind of freaky sex thing."

That pulls a laugh out of my core.

"Last Saturday wasn't freaky enough for you?"

"Let's say it was a good start."

I laugh, but she looks like she meant every word. I don't think either of us will be getting much sleep tonight. At least, I sure hope not.

After dessert, I walk her back out the door, holding her hand.

"Do you want to do something? Catch a concert or a show?"

"No, I want you to take me home and screw me senseless," she says, opening her coat just enough to make it clear she's not wearing anything underneath but the boots.

My heartbeat kicks into overdrive, and I find myself licking my lips in anticipation.

"You're so bad," I say, and rush to retrieve my truck from the valet.

It takes every ounce of self-control I have to keep from climbing atop her right there. Once we finally make it to Emory's place –no, our place– I slide my arm around her shoulders and we make our way up the sidewalk.

We barely make it inside before I pull her in tight and kiss her sweet lips. She pulls away after a moment, gasping for air.

"Alarm," she pants. "I have to turn off the alarm or we're going to have the police here."

She turns and punches in the code. I make things a little challenging for her, feeling her up through the coat. As soon as she finishes the code, Emory plants her hands on the wall beside the keypad and thrusts her bottom out toward me for more attention.

I step in close behind her, until my body spoons over hers. My arms encircle her, hands roaming freely around her soft curves. Emory moans softly, clutching at my arms but not to tear them away. She grinds herself against me, which has the predictable and desired result. Making me hard as all hell.

My lips seek and find the back of her neck, dragging the coat out of my way. She tilts her head back, soft hair brushing against my face. The coat slides further down. My fingertips light up with the sensation of touching her bare skin.

I yank the coat down to her waist, kissing and biting her on the bare shoulder. She gasps as I run my tongue down her back, leaving kisses down to the curve. The coat falls on the floor. I kiss her rounded, perfect bottom, privy to all of her secrets.

"Oh god." Her guttural groan is music to my ears as I use my mouth to give her pleasure. I swirl my tongue around her pussy, then slide it inside her folds. My hands grasp around her hips and work her up from the front, too. At first I stroke her clit softly and slowly, and then faster and more firmly. Her heady scent fills my senses. I love making her feel good.

Emory tilts her head back and screams. She half collapses onto me. I catch her easily in my arms and cradle her naked body to me.

She laughs as I carry her into the living room and sit down on the sofa.

"Why haven't you taken off your clothes yet?"

In response, I pull my shirt off and put it around the back of her neck. I use it like a leash to draw her into my kiss. She moans into my mouth, her soft body melting into my own.

Her hands busy themselves beneath my waist, undoing my fly. Emory lifts her hips while I drag my trousers down, baring my lap.

Emory plants her hands on my shoulders and slowly lowers herself down onto my steel cock. Her eyes flutter closed, her mouth flying open to suck in a sudden gasp of air. She swivels her hips, moving like the sea during a storm.

I caress her luscious skin with fingers, palms, and mouth. Her body's dynamic movements are gorgeous to behold, and magnificent to feel. It's times like these I wonder if I didn't die and this is really heaven.

Our bodies move in sync, reaching for the peak of pleasure. Emory, ever flexible, leans back further, and further. I grab her hands as she arches her back over my knees, changing the way our bodies connect on the inside. My eyes water as I struggle to hold myself in check. I want to release so bad. My body practically demands it.

But I want her over the threshold first. Emory cries out as I pull her back up to sit straight on my lap. Her arms fly around my neck as she clings on, grinding against me like her life depends on it. Emory's nostrils flatten as she sucks in a great gasp of air.

She lets it out a moment later as a guttural scream. I let myself go at last, and the two of us share in the sheer ecstasy of ultimate intimacy. Emory clings to me, our bodies clasped together tightly.

"I'm starting to wonder if it's a good idea for you to move in," she says at length, her breath soft on my shoulder.

"Why is that?" I stroke her hair gently as I cradle her to my chest. She lifts her head and locks her gorgeous blue eyes on me.

"Because, it's obvious we'll never get any sleep."

I laugh and shrug helplessly. "True, I'm just that into you. Maybe things will calm down after a while."

A look of dread crosses her blue eyes. "You really don't think so, do you?"

"No, but I was trying to convince you to move in together."

"Well, that's not the way to go about it."

I chuckle and kiss her lips.

"Duly noted. I don't think we'll ever slow down. Obviously, we'll both die of sleep deprivation within the first week. But oh what a way to go."

She playfully slaps me on the arm and rises from my lap. Her heeled boots clack as she crosses the floor. Emory turns on the sound system with a touch of her finger. A pulsing, heavy bass beat reverberates through the room.

She looks over her shoulder, naked back sinuously swaying to the beat. My eyes widen as I drink in the sight of her glorious dance. I really am the luckiest SOB on the face of the Earth.

"You're so fucking hot," I hiss through clenched teeth. I can't help but reach down and feel my throbbing pulse between my thighs.

Emory bites her lower lip. She so enjoys the effect her movements have on me. For that matter, so do I. The impressive play of muscles in her legs, back, and abdomen have me growling like a hungry wolf.

She puts her hands behind her head, gathering her hair up from her neck. Emory saunters over to me, kicking her leg up in the air and planting her booted calf on my shoulder.

I grab her by the waist and flip her over onto her belly. Emory moans when I bend her over the armrest, raising her hips in the air.

I move up on my knees behind, and plunge my cock inside her, our bodies entwining once more. I'm so supercharged, I'm ready to explode. Her body feels amazing beneath me, the softness in juxtaposition to my hard edges. Kind of like me and Emory outside of the bedroom. We just complement each other.

I pull her up against me, cupping her breasts, kissing her neck as our bodies move in harmony. Emory cries out, her hands clutching at me as her pussy attempts to draw me in even deeper. With a powerful thrust, we both go over the edge, and I swear I see stars.

We settle onto the sofa, Emory draped over me. Her body shivers, but not from the cold, as I wrap her in my embrace.

"I love you," I whisper in her ear. A profound sense of peace settles over me. Emory is safe, we're together, and we're home.

"I love you, too, Cole. I think this moving in together thing is going to work out just fine."

"Maybe," I say, caressing her back. "But maybe we should experiment a little bit more. You know, just to be sure."

Emory laughs, and then our lips meet in a kiss. No, there will be no sleep tonight.

And we wouldn't have it any other way.