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I peer up to find Cole and Luke hovering over me. I finally manage a breath. “I’m okay. I just got the wind knocked out of me.” I glance around the backyard. Everyone’s quiet. Laura has gotten up and gone to Ben, who’s sporting a bloody lip. “Will you help me up?”
Cole wraps an arm around me and helps me stand, then keeps his arm around me protectively. I don’t know what to say to make them understand that this is what I want. If I can’t be with Cole, then I don’t want to live. Don’t they understand that? I open my mouth to speak, but Cole beats me to it.
“I understand you don’t know me and therefore don’t trust me. I love Kate, and that is a fact. Nothing you do or say will ever change that. She’s my everything. We didn’t want to tell you like this, but you didn’t give us a choice.”
I look at Cole and place my hand on his cheek. He closes his eyes, leaning into it. I peer out at my family. “Your right, I don’t know how I’ll make the power bill next month or the house payment. Maybe it’s time to try to sell grandma’s house again. But I know I love Cole. I want to be where he is, that’s my home.”
Nobody says anything, they just continue to stare, it’s their turned to feel punk’d.
“Let’s go.” I turn to Cole, who gives me his best sympathetic smile. I never want to go a day without seeing him smile.
“You’re sure you are all right?” He puts his other hand on my waist.
“When I’m in your arms, I’m perfect.”
“Katie, Katie!” Kurt comes flying down the back steps. My dad tries to grab him, but he’s too fast. He dashes straight at me, wrapping his arms around my waist. “Don’t go, please! I’ll love you more to make up for Cole. We will all love you more.”
“Captain, look at me.” He cocks his head all the way back, his lip is quivering, but there’s no sign of tears. “Kurt, I’m not leaving for good, I’ll be back. When Cole’s business is finished, we’ll be back for a while. And how are you supposed to love me more than I love you? I don’t think it’s possible.” I kiss his head and then ruffle his hair. I look over at my family again. I feel the tears threatening, but hold them back. I hug Kurt again. “Be good. Don’t get into too much trouble and make sure you keep an eye on mine and Cole’s house, okay? That’s your new mission.”
Kurt releases me and salutes. “Will do.”
My family just stares at me, unmoving. They’re really going to watch me walk away. Maybe that’s the way they feel about me. I turn to Cole and nod. We need to go now before I become more conflicted, lose my mind and stay. He walks me into the back door of my house. I feel my head start to spin. If I don’t get out of here now, I’m going to lose it.
“We need to go now,” I say, placing a hand on my aching side. Cole pulls me through the house. I stop him at the front door, turn around and grab a picture of my family off the wall. Cole takes it from me, then ushers me out the front door into the waiting SUV.
CHAPTER EIGHT
“Cole,” I sob as tears roll hot and heavy down my cheeks. He hitches me up on his lap, his arms encasing me.
“Kate, my sweet Cookie, they’ll come around, give them some time to let it sink in. They love you.” His words help, but I still feel like I’ve deserted them, that I’m a traitor. I chose Hot Ferrari guy, a guy I met four days ago. But I can’t deny the way I feel, I love him. I want to be with him always.
“I love you.” My words are hot and wet on his neck.
Cole dips his head, trailing kisses up my neck. Each kiss sends a shiver through me, dulling my pain and igniting that pleasurable fire within me only Cole can stoke. When he gets to my lips, he kisses me lightly, then breathes over them. “I love you.”
I mold my lips over his, delving my tongue into his mouth. I’m consumed by him; by his love for me and mine for him, and I forget my sorrow, at least temporarily.
The jet is a type of Cessna business class jet that is, like everything Cole owns, luxurious. There are several plush, oversized airplane seats and a very long sofa. Cole pulls me to the end of the sofa and helps me buckle my seatbelt. Luke and Morgan sit in the seats toward the front of the Cessna. My stomach is in knots, so I bend over to ease the pain. When the jet starts its assent, my stomach pains worsen, turning to nausea. All the blood feels like it’s drained from my face and I turn to Cole, my eyes pleading. His eyes go wide. He grabs a bag in the nick of time and holds my hair back for me while the contents of my stomach fill the bag. “It’s all right, baby,” he whispers in my ear, not even flinching at the situation.
Once the jet has reached cruising altitude, he stands, taking the bag from me. I try to protest, but he just creases his eyebrows automatically, quieting my objections. I undo my seatbelt and curl up on the sofa. Cole comes back with a bottle of water and a wet washcloth. He presses it against my face while I sip the water. He sits at the end of the sofa, then motions for me to lay my head in his lap. He feathers lightly up and down my arm with his fingers.
“Everything will work out, Kate. All they need is time, they’ll come around.” I hope he’s right; my family can be stubborn. This is my last thought as I drift off to sleep.
Cole wakes me up when the jet starts its decent. It’s steep, I feel like I’m going to tumble out of my seat and down the cabin. It doesn’t help that my nausea returns, and I get sick again. But like before, Cole is there with a bag holding my hair. He gets more water for me and comforts me the best he can.
“I don’t know why I keep getting sick. I’ve never gotten sick on a commercial flight before.” I put my head in my hands.
“It’s the drama from today, that’s all. When we get back to the villa, you can lie down. I’ll order some soup for you.”
“Don’t you have meetings?”
“Yes, but I will get you settled first. You’re my priority.”
How can I not melt over those words? I don’t know why my insecurities get the better of me, and I doubt myself, doubt the feelings that Cole has for me.
Back at the villa, Cole does just that; he orders me some soup and makes sure I’m settled before he leaves for his meeting. “I don’t know when I’ll be back, Cookie. If you need anything, just call me. The meeting could go all night.”
“I’ll be fine, don’t worry about me.” And I kiss him. I watch him walk up the steps. He turns back to me at the elevator, giving me that drop-dead gorgeous smile, and I smile back. I wait about ten minutes to make sure he’s gone, then get up. There’s no way I’m going to be able to eat anything. I pull out my phone. I have two missed calls from my Grandma Alice. I take a couple of deep breaths and dial her number.
