Love in Electric Blue (Westlake Enterprises) (7 page)

“I’ve noticed,” she said dryly.

“But it’s not all anger.”

I’ve noticed that too.

His grin told her he’d heard what she hadn’t meant to share. “Yes, well, you both have feelings for each other. But he’s mired in the past, not sure what he thinks he knows and what his heart tells him can’t be true. You have a hard road ahead of you, in more ways than one. But you’re a strong woman. If anyone can beat Carter and carry J.D. out of the fire, it’s you.”

She glowed with pleasure. “Thank you, Max.”

“Believe it. I don’t just say things to be nice. Ask Cole.”

They both grinned.

“But I will warn you to be wary of my nephew,” he advised. “He’s got something up his sleeve, so watch out.”

“Cole and his practical jokes.” But he hadn’t been kidding about a date, had he? She hoped not. She had some issues to put to rest before she could focus on the mess of J.D. and her uncle. Talk about the Monday from hell.

She left the office and went in search of some much-needed coffee, yet all the while, her thoughts remained on J.D. and how much she still liked thinking of him as “her Joshua”. Man, she had it bad.

J.D. ran his hands through his hair in frustration. He didn’t feel like searching the databases for Hunter’s missing criminal or for the information Jurek needed to appease some dumbass governor who couldn’t keep his dick in his pants. In fact, he couldn’t have felt less like surfing the waves of energy that normally took him to new heights. He couldn’t stop seeing Cole and Remy alone in that office, looking entirely too comfortable with each other.

Why the hell should he care? He kept asking himself that question as jealousy rode him hard. Remy could have any man she wanted. He knew for a fact women liked Cole. Hell, he’d seen the man in action. He liked the guy. Usually. And who was to say Cole and Remy hadn’t already been together at some time in their past?

He broke a pencil in half as he stared at the computer monitor. None of his damned business. His feelings for Remy were all in the past. He’d fuck her, forget her, and ignore the ache in his gut whenever he remembered her winsome smile.

Hunter Greye paused in front of his door and stared at the broken pencil in his hands. J.D. hastily covered the pieces and frowned at the big man.

“I brought you a visitor.” Hunter smirked then walked away.

Hell.
Cole lounged in the doorway wearing a smile J.D. itched to wipe clean. With his fists, or maybe some electric shock therapy.

“Mind if I come in?” Cole asked.

J.D. frowned. “I just saw you a few hours ago. You couldn’t have shared this then?”

The hard features that looked so beautiful feminized on his sister’s face made Cole irresistible to most women. He was almost as good-looking as J.D. The bastard. J.D. wondered if Remy saw the square jaw and deep-green eyes, and thought them fascinating. She’d claimed not to be swayed by a pretty face. She’d made an exception for him, or so she’d once said.

God. Stop thinking about her already.
He blew out a breath. “Look, man, I’m busy. Can this wait?” He turned his irritation back to his monitor, hoping Cole would get the hint and leave him the hell alone.

Unfortunately, Cole shrugged and plunked his ass down across from J.D.’s desk, on the only chair not covered by a stack of paper. “No problem. I’ll be quick.”

J.D. waited. Cole remained silent. Swearing to himself, J.D. glanced away from the computer screen to see his friend—soon to be
ex
-friend—laughing at him.

“What the fuck is so funny?”

“Never seen you unhappy with a computer before. Nice to see you’re almost human.”

“Ass. What do you want?”

“I’d say the truth, but, you know, I don’t think you know what that is.”

J.D. let out a breath. “This is about Remy, right?”

“Yeah, it is. You and she nearly fried each other a few days ago. Now you’re both playing nice. I like her and you. And this Carter dude seems like a bad guy.”

“You got that right.”

“I don’t want to see this op go sideways because you two have a history. So I’ll tell you what. Why don’t I go down to Mexico in your place? According to Remy, he’s after her, not you. Better for all of us if I—”

“Stay the hell out of it. I got this. I’ll handle Carter
and
Remy. She and I have a few things to work out. We don’t need you interfering.” That nagging jealousy that Remy might prefer Cole worked through him again, and he pushed his hands from the desk, linking them together so he didn’t wrap them around Cole’s throat.

Cole buffed his fingernails on his shirt and studied them carefully. Then he glanced up at J.D. with a guileless expression. “I think you dropped something.” He leaned down and picked up half of the pencil J.D. had snapped. The thing must have rolled to the floor. Terrific.

As expected, Cole froze for a moment. Picking up on J.D.’s raw emotion, no doubt. Cole returned the pencil to the desk, trying without success to hide a knowing grin.

J.D. snapped, “Oh, fuck you and your tele-touch shit. I’m busy.”

Cole chuckled and stood, then moved to the door. “If you change your mind about going to Cozumel, let me know. But don’t try to reach me tonight. I’ll be busy. I’ve got a date…with Remy.” The bastard walked out with a wave and shut the door behind him.

J.D. stared at the back of the door. Anger surged, never as banked as he’d hoped it might be, not since seeing Remy. “Date, my ass,” he said as he realized Cole had deliberately baited him. But why?

He wanted to think clearly, to figure out why her dating would bother him so much, but all he could envision was Remy wrapped in Cole’s strong arms.

His fury found its way through his keyboard and traveled through to the computer, the monitor, and blew the surge protector before he reined it in.

An alarm sounded outside his office.
“Shit.”
He drew back his power and hurried to use the fire extinguisher to put out the flame in his desktop. Thank God he’d backed up everything periodically throughout the day. Still, Jurek was going to chew him a new one.

He hadn’t lost control of himself in years. But since seeing
her
again, he couldn’t seem to
stop
losing it.

Hunter flung the door open and stuck his head in. “Good meeting with Cole, I take it?”

“Get out. Can’t you people see I’m busy?” J.D. shouted as he shot another blast of the extinguisher at the tiny flame creeping along the power cord.

Hunter shook his head and left. But the real problem wasn’t going anywhere but out on a fucking
date
. Max Buchanan’s asshole nephew and the witchy temptress working for him had
plans
.

J.D. gritted his teeth and finished putting out the fire, then left his office. He ignored the security guys frowning at him and continued out the building. Had Cole really thought he could change J.D.’s mind about going to Mexico?
Bullshit.
“Change my mind? Yeah, right. Time to change yours, buddy.” A few shocks to his system would show the man J.D. meant business.

Friend or no friend, Cole had no business involving himself with Remy. She belonged to J.D.…until he decided what to do about her.

Chapter Six

Dinner and a movie. A nice way to end a tension-filled Monday. Except Remy’s stress hadn’t gone down, but up since she’d joined Cole on their first date. She stood inside her living room and stared as he drew closer, their time coming to an end. She’d actually enjoyed the film, though her appetite had left her. Even the crème brulee hadn’t been enough to tempt her to overindulge.

She’d been frank with Cole about her expectations tonight—that this would be a friendly, casual, not-quite date, yet he’d acted overjoyed to take her out anyway.

“I really appreciate you doing this.” She wrung her hands as she stared up into his laughing eyes. He didn’t have the same perfection J.D. had, but Cole’s rough masculinity was its own kind of beauty. She knew his social life had never been less than active. “I hope you didn’t have to cancel any dates for me.”

“Don’t worry. There’s enough of me to go around.”

“So it says on the bathroom walls.”

He laughed with her. “I like you, Remy. Now why don’t you tell me what’s really going on with you and J.D.? Because when I told him about our date earlier, he had visions of tearing my head from my shoulders.”

“He did?” Why that gave her pleasure, she didn’t want to think about. “I mean, well, we have a history. Young love gone wrong.” Way wrong. “It was all innocent and years ago. There’s nothing between us now.”

“Uh-huh.” He crossed his arms, looking a lot less than believing.

“Really.” Why did she have to explain herself? “I don’t appreciate the third degree. I had a nice time tonight. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Cole’s lips quirked. “I know you hate to hear this, but you are so cute when you’re mad.”

“Shut up.” She tried to glare at him and ended up smiling. “You’re so annoying.”

“Yet women love me. It’s part of my curse.” He dropped his arms to his sides and closed the distance between them. “Now tell me what you need. A friendly ear? A warm hug? For me to tell you again how cute you are when mad? Or how hot you are, and that all the guys at work want to do you?”

“Cole.” She flushed.

“Yeah. It’s that sexy innocence. You’re a beautiful woman, Remy. And I’m your friend. So come clean. What’s really with asking me out on a date?”

“I need you to kiss me.”

He blinked. “Why?”

“Because you’re handsome?”

“I am, but that’s not why.”

She rolled her eyes. “Forget it.”

“Now, now. I can’t have you telling everyone I’m a tease.” He drew her closer, his warmth welcoming. “You want a kiss? Okay. Just promise you won’t zap me if you don’t like it.”

She tentatively put her hands on his shoulders, amazed at how much larger he was up close. “I won’t, I swear.”

He cupped her face in his hands. “I won’t lie and say I haven’t been wanting to do this,” he confessed before settling his mouth over hers.

Remy stilled as his soft breath met hers. He kept his hands on her face as he deepened the kiss. A gentle trespass, but no more than she allowed as he sipped at her lips. She felt a spark of interest, but it was nowhere near the intensity of what she’d felt with J.D.

Cole tasted like crème brulee, and he kissed with a smoothness that spoke of experience. He moved carefully with her, and she appreciated his consideration. He was a good friend, but nothing more.

“Not bad,” he said as they parted. He studied her. “But not great either, hmm?”

Remy blushed, wishing she hadn’t been so obvious.

Cole laughed and pulled her closer for a hug. “I’m teasing you, Remy. Relax. Be honest—our kiss was pleasant, but it didn’t rock your world.”

“You could tell?” She swore she’d felt something hard brush her belly when they hugged, but she didn’t want to be presumptuous and think she’d aroused him. Could she? Had she?

“You kissed me back, but you aren’t breathless. No squirming, either. Definite tells. I have enough experience to know these things.” He touched her nose and pulled away. “I’m betting you don’t. Do me a favor. Make J.D. work for his kiss. Trust me, he can stand to give you a little romance. And you’re worth it.”

She blushed again but smiled as he left. The awkwardness she might have expected after their date hadn’t been there. Her friend at work—and outside of work, apparently—Cole remained her protector.

If only she could have felt a deeper connection with him. Who knew where their night might have ended? Not with sex, though she looked forward to that day. But intimacy with Cole wouldn’t have been outside the realm of possibility. She liked him. She knew him, and the fact that he had psychic ability made her feel at home.

She moved into her bedroom and slipped on a slinky nightie she’d purchased ages ago, her one concession to dressing sexy. The rose-colored satin gown ended at midthigh and had spaghetti straps. Wearing it made her feel like a real woman, and the matching robe that went with it would keep her warm while still letting her feel feminine.

She’d just filled a kettle of water for tea when someone knocked at the door. Setting the kettle down, she hurried to the peephole, wondering if Cole had returned. And if he had, should she let him see her like this?

She peered out to see J.D. staring over his shoulder. Her heart raced and she had to consciously catch her breath. What was
he
doing here? It had to be close to eleven at least. She unlocked and opened the door a crack. Before she could say anything, he burst through.

“Where is he?” he asked grimly. He looked around her living room before stalking down the hall toward the bedrooms. Remy followed in his wake, more than a little annoyed.

“What are you doing here?” She tried to tamp down the thrill at the thought that he might be jealous. She shouldn’t want that, yet she liked him not wanting her with anyone else. Because she felt the same way about him, even though she had no right to such possession.
God, I’m such an idiot.

She waited in the hall while he stormed through both rooms, oblivious to the fact that he had no right to do so.