Cole: Black Bear Outlaws #3 (Mating Fever) (4 page)

“Sure. But you came back to visit, didn’t you? You must have some memories. Hell, by the time I was five, I’d already watched my pop take down a gator and then butcher him for the meat. That’s not something you forget.”

“That’s...oh, God,” she said, shaking her head in horrified amusement. “We led very different lives as children. Before today, I had never even been out on the bayou.”

“You’re kidding, right? Was it your first time seeing a gator?” Holy shit. She really was an L.A. princess. Not that I had an issue with that.

“Oh, no. My grandmama use to take me down to the river. Every now and then we’d see a baby. And of course my best friend in the second grade had a pool and one decided to use it as his personal bathtub. She invited me over to see it, but her dad made us watch from the upstairs bedroom as the fish and game wardens removed him.” A spark of happiness lit her eyes as she spoke of the memory.

“If that had happened at our house, Cyrus, Chase, and I would’ve most likely been poking it with sticks until it went after one of us,” I said, grinning. “Of course Pops would’ve been on standby with the shotgun.”

“Of course he would. You’d probably have been eating him for dinner. But us? Uh, hell no. My mom always wanted to be the socialite my gran had been in New Orleans before she moved out here with her husband. When she didn’t get her way, she decided to live through me.” Her joy faded and her expression turned dark.

Anger flared to life at what must have been sad and lonely years for her, and I wanted nothing more than to wipe those memories clean. “Come here.” I held my arm out, inviting her to join me. “Let me show you what’s so special about this place.”

She gave me a dubious look but didn’t hesitate too much. With a half-shrug, she moved to stand next to me, and I wrapped my arm around her waist, happy to have her close. With a slight tug, I guided her down the old rickety porch and over to the dock. It didn’t look like much with the rough repurposed Cyprus wood, but we’d kept it up, the three of us spending a weekend each spring maintaining the property. Nothing was going to rot or be eaten away by termites on our watch.

“Do you see that?” I pointed down river toward a canopy of trees.

She leaned forward, her gaze following the direction of my finger. “What am I looking at?”

“The trees. See the rays of light peeking through, the creepy shadows, and the moss?”

“Yeah. I bet in the correct lighting conditions its breathtaking, worthy of a professional photographer with a gallery in the French Quarter.” She was animated now, one hand waving around as she talked. “I love those photos. I even have a couple in my bedroom at home.”

“See. I told you,” I teased. “Louisiana girl. Even if you didn’t grow up boating on the bayou.”

“Lots of people buy those prints, Cole,” she said, wearing a small satisfied smile.

“Sure, but the images don’t have near as much meaning to them as they do to us.” I pulled her tighter to my side as we stared into the trees. “To us this land is wild, untamed. It taps into our very beings, our nature, who we are deep inside. And this, the bayou, represents all those things within us.”

“Within you, maybe,” she said, staring up at me, curiosity shining in her eyes. “But I don’t think that represents who I am. It’s not my public persona anyway.”

“It’s not mine either,” I said.

She jerked back, a scoff of disbelief escaping her lips. “You’re kidding, right? Your security company’s name is Black Bear Outlaws. Everything about you says wild and dangerous.”

I glanced down at my scuffed boots, jeans, and plain blue T-shirt. I didn’t have tattoos, or keep my hair long. It was cut short, military style, and most of my days were spent doing background checks and internet searches. “My brothers wanted that name. It was a fuck-you to the town sheriff’s department when they tried to block our city permit to open the firm after we left the family business.”

“It must’ve been hard to overcome that type of reputation with a name like that,” she said.

I was surprised when she didn’t ask about the “family business,” though the entire town knew my father used to run a chop shop and had recruited his sons at a very young age to work for him. We’d done everything from boosting cars, to stripping them, to selling the parts. And when business was slow, we’d even been drug runners for Pops, though we’d had no idea at the time. Pops hadn’t just hung around with the bad crowd; he was the bad crowd.

And it wasn’t until Chase had been shot and almost died that any of us had thought to question our involvement. Cyrus had been the one to pull me out and set me straight, while my father continued on until he was killed a year later in a drunk driving incident. I owed my life to Cyrus.

I shrugged. “Cyrus never really wanted to shed the reputation. He wanted people to think we’d cross lines when we need to. It helps keep people in line.”

She gave me a side-eye glance. “And do you? Cross lines, I mean?”

I was quiet for a moment while I decided how to answer that question. Did she really want the truth? “Does it make a difference?”

“Depends,” she said, staring out at the water again.

“On?”

She turned her head, and her eyes glinted with a challenge. “If you’re honest with me or not. You’d be surprised what people can deal with if they trust someone. But once that’s broken, all bets are off.”

Holy fuck. I’d already known there was something brewing between us. The chemistry was off the charts. There was no denying that. But her words sparked something deeper, a respect and a desire to get inside her head and let her inside mine. To bare my deepest secrets in a way I’d never done before. “I cross lines,” I said, my tone deadly serious. “I do what I have to in order to keep people safe.”

“I figured.” She laced her fingers through mine. “It’s why I called Black Bear Outlaws in the first place.”

“I thought Brex Holt referred us.”

“Oh, he did. But it was your reputation that swayed me.”

I glanced down at our entwined fingers, tightened my hold and lifted her hand. “You’re not concerned about how far I go over those lines?”

She leaned into me, brushing her shoulder against mine. “No. You guys are protectors. It’s clear in everything you do. That’s all I need to know.”

“Not that I’m complaining, but that’s an awful lot of trust to give three guys who grew up criminals.”

She turned to me and pressed her other hand against my chest. “And I had a selfish, drunk mother who put me in the entertainment industry when I was eight years old. And from the time I was twelve, she planted false stories about me in every tabloid rag across the country just to keep my name in the media. Do you think I’m a spoiled drug addict who’s difficult to work with and has dated every co-star, male or female, I’ve ever worked with?”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Outrage made my voice shake with anger. “Your mother planted the stories?”

She nodded, decidedly calmer than I was. No doubt she’d come to terms with the betrayal years ago. “Does any of that change your opinion of me?”

“What?” I frowned and shook my head. “Hell no. Even if any of that was true, it wouldn’t define who you are today.”

Her lips twitched into a satisfied smile. “Exactly, Cole. We aren’t what we were in our past, only what we are in our present. And I trust who you are today.”

Admiration and something very close to adoration filled me as I stared down at the breathtaking creature in front of me. How could one person who’d been given so much, been fawned over for so long, and revered in the public eye be so giving and
real
? It seemed nearly impossible. But here she was, standing in front of me, giving me a precious piece of herself. Something I was sure she didn’t hand out to just anyone. Whatever was happening here was special, worth protecting.

Worth my life if need be. It was at that moment I knew I was screwed. She was more than just a client with a pretty face. She was my one. The signs had been there since the beginning. The attraction, the electricity that sparked between us, the easy way we related to each other. There was no doubt that once we kissed, the fever would start.

Then we’d both know. Fated mates.

But that would have to be her call. Anyone she got involved with would be fair game for the media. My history and relatives would make great tabloid fodder. The type she’d already endured enough to last a lifetime. No, she’d have to make the first move, decide for herself if she wanted to go down that road again.

And when she made her choice, I’d be waiting.

“T
he clean linens are in here,” Cole said, pulling a small closet door open. He’d spent much of the afternoon checking over the security on the property, while I’d scrubbed the bathroom and kitchen. Neither had been exactly dirty, but it made me feel better knowing I wasn’t sharing either room with any unwanted visitors.

I nearly cried with relief when I spotted the sheets and blankets sealed in clear vinyl storage bags.

“There’s also extra cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, fresh toiletries, and pretty much anything you might need for our hopefully short stay.” He pointed to the bottom shelf as he grabbed a broom and a box that looked suspiciously like rat poison.

I would not ask. Nope. No way. Couldn’t make me do it. Ugh, rats. The thought of the creepy critters running over my head while I slept made me shudder with revulsion. 

“Relax, princess,” he said, with a chuckle. “It’s just a precaution. It hasn’t been that long since we’ve been out here.” He bent down and kissed the top of my head before striding off.

Tingles ran down my spine, and I had to shake myself out of my sudden lust-induced stupor. Good God. The man managed to turn me on with what could only be described as a friend-zone kiss. Had it been that long since I’d been with a man?

No. It wasn’t like I was celibate or a nun. Hadn’t I dated that director a few...crap...years ago? Years. I was twenty-six and my dating cycle was years. I needed help.

Hell, I needed Cole Doucet. Naked.

Heat crawled all over my body and butterflies took up residence in my belly.

“Snap out of it, Matthews,” I scolded myself. “This isn’t a date.”

Shaking my head, I grabbed the linens and headed to the closest bedroom. I grimaced. It housed a stained, lumpy futon, and until very recently, the decayed rodent. Cole had taken care of it, but I couldn’t get it out of my mind. I wrinkled my nose at the stale stench, opened the window to air the place out, and then moved on to the next room.

Ah, there it was. A queen-sized bed that didn’t look like it’d been dragged in from the landfill. I strode in, opened the window, and pulled the sheets from the bag. The fresh lemon scent from the detergent filled my scenes, putting me at ease. I could sleep here.

By the time I was finished and fluffing the pillows, Cole walked in with our suitcases.

I eyed his small bag and raised an eyebrow.

He mirrored my expression.

“You’re sleeping in here?” I asked, not sure which response I was looking for. On the one hand, it was all I could do to keep my hands off him. On the other, I didn’t know if I wanted him to just assume we were sharing a room.

He cast his gaze down my body, slowly perusing my long limbs. And when he finally met my gaze again he said, “That’s completely up to you.”

I opened my mouth, but no words came out. Hell, I had no idea what to say to that. I knew with one hundred percent certainty that my body wanted him there, but my head was flashing a warning signal. Getting involved in the middle of this mess was likely the worst idea ever.

Cole’s brilliant blue eyes turned almost gray as he moved toward me. The stormy desire raging there nearly brought me to my knees. And when he slid his hand up my bare arm, my skin burned from his touch. The craving inside me grew as my body tightened with anticipation.

I wanted him.

Needed his hands on me, his lips covering mine as we devoured each other.

“You seem a little flushed,” Cole whispered, trailing his fingers up my neck until he brushed his thumb over my rapidly beating pulse.

I cleared my throat and whispered back, “It’s a little warm in here.”

“There’s a light breeze coming off the bayou,” he said, nodding his head toward the window. “Join me out on the porch?”

I nodded, so turned on I was ready to follow him anywhere.

“Good.” He bent his head, stopping just before our lips met. He held his gaze there for a just a moment before he met my eyes. “I meant what I said, Amberly. This, whatever’s happening between us, it’s completely up to you. It’s obvious I want you. I want you so much it hurts. But it won’t be me who starts it. Not now anyway. Your choice.”

Then he let me go and disappeared from the room.

The breath I’d been holding came out in a whoosh as I tried to collect myself. My body ached with need. He’d barely touched me, just my arm and neck, but he’d reached that place inside of me that made me crave everything he had to offer.

Holy fuck.

I’d never make it. I wanted him. Now.

And why was I denying myself? Because he was my bodyguard? Because I’d hired him and was paying him? Because someone was hell-bent on harming me, possibly even killing me, and a distraction was reckless?

I moved to the window and spotted him leaning against the railing, studying the calm waters of the bayou. The moonlight shone down, casting him in an eerie glow—a hunter in his element as he guarded what was his.

His
.

I was already his. I hadn’t let him into my bed, but he was right there in my heart, already claiming it. There was no question. No matter how hard I fought it, or what I told myself, the choice was already made. All I had to do was give in.

After quickly freshening up in the surprisingly modern bathroom, I rummaged through my bag until I found my favorite lingerie. It was a silk camisole slip that was fitted and laced up on top, creating some serious cleavage. I’d only brought it along from L.A. because it was the perfect complement to one of my more dressy gowns. And in my business, one had to be prepared for anything. Maybe not living out in the bayou while your security team tracks down your stalker, but most things, anyway. And the lingerie was definitely going to be put to good use.