Collision Force (16 page)

Iain
. She paused, waiting for guilt to overtake her. She licked her lips, tasting Cole there, and held her breath. No assault of guilt or remorse. Andi wouldn’t question it now.

She met Cole’s eyes and her chest constricted. He paused, his jaw tight. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard.

Cole and Iain. Iain and Cole.

She still loved Iain, but…somehow… It was odd to think about Iain while Cole held her. What the hell was happening to her?

“I’ll just go,” Cole whispered. He sat up and shot to the edge of the bed.

“No.” Andi gripped his forearm. His muscles rippled under her fingertips. “Stay. Please.”

The hesitation in his body made her heart thud. His eyes asked,
Are you sure?

“He never wakes before six. I want you to stay.” She rested her palm on his chest and cuddled closer to him. “I don’t want you to go,” she repeated.

He slid his arm around her shoulders and settled beside her, pulling up the comforter. Cole smiled and kissed her with a tenderness that made her stomach somersault all over again.

That smile…that kiss…mean nothing.
His words meant nothing. There was no deeper insight to his assurance that no one had ever made him feel like she had.

They’d shared some incredible sex. End of story.

The intensity she’d experienced had to be because Iain had been her last lover, a lifetime ago.

Even as he held her, her head on his muscled chest, her body nestled close to his, Andi repeated those words like a mantra. She had to.

Otherwise, she would fall in love with Cole Lucas.

Chapter Fourteen

Andi studied the heat swirls of her coffee, her tongue thick and sour. Her cheeks warmed as she tried not to watch Cole fixing himself a mug. His back muscles rippled under his tight shirt as he reached for a spoon then the sugar.

Her gaze trailed down, following the curve of his tight buttocks. The dark, clinging jeans didn’t leave much to wonder about. She closed her eyes against the rush of memories…his body on hers, his mouth, his hands…them moving together, shattering together. A shiver slid down her spine. Then…sleeping in his arms… When was the last time she’d slept as well?

Ethan babbled away about day care, but Andi wasn’t paying much attention.
No mother of the year award for me.

It was a good thing her son didn’t notice as he shovelled eggs into his mouth, offering a bright smile and further chatter between bites.

Cowardice had made her sneak out of bed and into the bathroom to shower. Heaven forbid she wait for Cole to wake so they could have a much needed adult conversation. But chiding herself didn’t change how she dreaded—well, everything.

Looking at him, talking to him,
working
with him. They’d crossed a line they couldn’t step back over.

What was she supposed to do if he tried to kiss her, touch her? Melt into him, most likely.

Avoiding Cole’s touch now that she knew what it was like to be with him would be a hundred times harder than before.

When she’d finished her shower, her bed had been empty. The shower in the other bathroom had been running. Cole hadn’t even tried to come into her bathroom—she didn’t know whether to be disappointed or relieved.

Andi had shoved herself into clothes and hurried down to her son’s room, leaving the question unanswered. She needed an Ethan buffer in a big way. She gulped, shifting on her seat as Cole fixed himself a plate of the food she’d made.

It was natural, her new normal. Something she craved every morning. God, she was losing it.

One night in his arms and she could visualise the point of no return.

It couldn’t happen.
He was leaving after they arrested Maldonado. The day they’d met he’d told her how he felt about small towns. Besides, he had a bigger case to wrap up, federal stuff that would take him back into dangerous territory, and for some reason that scared her. Why did that scare her?

Before, Andi would have rejoiced at the thought of him leaving. Now…well… Her heart ached. Not seeing him every day?

Oh. Shit.

She was so screwed. For her own protection, she would have to pull back. Andi would tell him how things were going to be.

As soon as they dropped Ethan off, she’d explain that last night had been a one-time thing. A weakness she couldn’t repeat. She
wouldn’t
sleep with him again.

Andi didn’t regret being with him but, for both their sakes, it couldn’t happen again. Cole would understand. He was a professional. She’d seen him be professional, and would just have to get him to focus on that—the case, Maldonado. End of story.

Remaining his lover would be…messy. Andi didn’t
do
messy.

“Are you okay?” Cole asked as he slid onto the seat across from her. His gaze was intense and she swallowed hard.

Sit still.
She forced a breath and nodded. If she tried to speak, she’d stumble over her words.

Cole ruffled Ethan’s hair, causing her son to giggle.

“You’re awfully quiet,” Cole said slowly.

How the heck could he be so
normal
?

Andi cleared her throat, shooting a meaningful glance at Ethan before meeting Cole’s grey eyes. He nodded slightly and one corner of his delectable mouth lifted. So, he’d understood. But it didn’t make her feel any better.

“We should probably talk about it,” he said, sipping his coffee and holding her gaze.

Heat crept up her neck and she shifted in her chair. Maybe he hadn’t caught her subtlety after all. Or—more like Cole—he didn’t care. “Not now.”

“I know. But it’ll happen.” The promise in his tone made her heart skip.

She ignored the tenderness in his eyes. Andi
would not
cave. She’d made the right choice. Being firm with him was the only thing that would save her heart.

“We’ll talk,
later
.”

Cole nodded and took a bite of toast. He gave her a once-over that made her squirm. Her cheeks burned.

“Andi,” he whispered, but she looked down.

“Pete’s coming over for dinner tonight,” she said a bit too loudly.

“Unca’ Pete!” Ethan’s exclamation made her breath exit on a whoosh.

Saved by the kid.
Thank God.

Cole sighed and leant back in his chair, but said nothing.

“Yeah, Uncle Pete. It’s been too long since he’s been over. But he hurt his arm, so no jumping on him, okay, buddy?”

Ethan nodded and flashed a grin. Wiping the grape jelly off his cheek with a napkin, Andi ignored the face he made.

“Okay, Mama. Cole, you know my Unca’ Pete?”

Cole chuckled. “Yes, I do. It’ll be good to see him again.”

“We can play!”

“Sure thing, kiddo.”

Andi bit her lip. She’d always been transparent when it came to Pete. How would she deal with both men in the same room? They’d hit it off at the hospital, but Cole might act differently now that they’d had sex. And she’d have trouble avoiding Pete’s third degree. No doubt her partner would jump for joy when he figured it out. Andi had zero desire to hear it, and she certainly wasn’t about to volunteer information. She’d
kill
Cole if he told Pete.

“Something wrong?” Cole asked.

She shook her head. “No. Wrap up your breakfast, we need to go.”

Irritation flared across his handsome face. His full lips were set in a hard line, his eyebrows drawn tight. “You and I are not done.”

Ignoring him, she reached for her coffee. That was exactly what she was afraid of.

* * * *

“Thanks, Max.” Andi hung up the phone and Cole stepped towards her.

He planted his hands at his sides. Touching her at work was out of the question—he’d had to tell himself that about a thousand times in the two hours they’d been at the station. So far it’d been working, but Cole was dying to grab and kiss her into oblivion. To touch her, make love to her again. Hold her like he had the night before.

Their eyes met and she reddened. It was adorable the way a blush lit up the freckles across the bridge of her nose, but he admired the way she looked at him head on, for once, not glancing away. “Well?” he prompted.

Her discomfort at breakfast had led to a
very
silent ride to work. Andi hadn’t said one word to him after she’d come out of Ethan’s school. Was she going to ignore him all day?

Cole wasn’t about to let the subject drop. And he wasn’t about to let her get away from him now that he’d had her. He was going to be in her bed tonight—and every night—until they got Maldonado. He’d worry about
after
later.

“That was Max, from the ME’s office. The blood at the Reynolds’ was a match for the fourth, unknown type at the scene of the warehouse.”

“Of course it was,” Cole said.

Andi nodded and one corner of her mouth lifted. “Not often you’re wrong, huh, Agent Lucas?”

Whenever she called him
Agent Lucas
in that tone of voice, he wanted to laugh. It was endearing, not distancing.

Cole shook his head, grinning. “You doubted me? I’m hurt.” He clutched at his chest and she laughed. God, he loved that sound. This was the first time all morning she had some semblance of
normal
with him. It was a start.

“What now?” she asked

“Well, we’re up to five stolen cars, all used, not abused. Still no idea where the hell he’s staying.” He sighed.

“I’ve thought about that…” Andi said, head tilted to one side.

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah. There are two or three abandoned buildings not far from the warehouse this all started in. We’ve had to kick people out of them from time to time. I think Kurt and Sully caught a drug case there, too. Last year, someone was cooking meth.”

“Carlo would want to be left alone,” Cole said.

“Right. The place is private. The hotels are all full because of the rodeo. Besides, the three hundred dollars Berto gave him won’t go that far. And I really doubt he headed to the next town over to find a vacancy.”

“I thought about that, too. Bet he’s kicking the shit out of himself for losing the twenty-five K he stole from Caselli.”

Andi grinned. “Poor guy. And it’s not doing a damn thing but sitting in the evidence room. And that nice black Escalade in impound. No wheels for Carlo.”

Cole chuckled. “Caselli’s probably pissed about the cash and the car on principle. It’s not like he’s hurting.”

Wincing, she leant back in her chair. “All that from trading little girls for sex?”

“Among other things. He’s got his hands in drugs, too. And suspected to be behind a huge gambling ring. He’s a multi-tasker.”

“Nice.”

“Before I got involved, the Bureau was building a case on some major gambling, embezzlement stuff, under RICO. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a bust. The two agents undercover were discovered and barely managed to get out.”

“Did they get hurt?” Andi asked, concern evident in her expression.

Cole ignored his stomach somersaulting. Did she care about him like that? “No. But that’s when we turned our focus to the human trafficking. It was a miracle I could get in with him.”

“You did, though. You’re good at your job. You care about this case.”

He bit back a gulp. A compliment from Andi? He stared into her blue eyes, unable to speak right away. “Andi…” Her name was little more than a croak. He wanted to reach for her hand, connect with her, touch her somehow.

She broke eye contact, her face red all over again. “Not at work, Cole.”

“I’m not going to let it drop, like I told you at home.”

Andi looked up sharply, her eyes wide. “Home…” she whispered.

He cleared his throat.
Home.
The word had significance to her, but he didn’t know why the idea appealed to him so much. Andi’s home, his home? Cole shook his head. “Your house. You knew what I meant.” He shifted at his post on the edge of her desk.

They fell silent. He wasn’t used to the awkwardness of
the
morning after
. Precisely why he didn’t get involved with women from work. But Andi wasn’t
just
someone from work. She meant more to Cole.

“Do you want to check out the place I mentioned? Flash Maldonado’s picture around?”

Cole jumped. Andi raised an eyebrow, but the distraction was welcome.

He pushed away the much too serious thoughts about her. They’d had sex. It was the best sex he’d had in a long time. He banished the word
ever
as it tacked itself onto the end of his last thought.
No way
.

“Sure.” His voice cracked and he bit back a wince. “Couldn’t hurt.”

Rising from her seat, Andi threw an unsure glance over her shoulder. Cole straightened. Instinct screamed at him to settle his hand at the small of her back, like he’d done a dozen times. However, today was different.

Don’t touch her
. If he started, he wouldn’t be able to stop.

“What’s wrong?” Andi asked, looking him up and down.

I need you.
“Nothing. Let’s go.”

She nodded and turned on her heel.

The walk down the long hallway was silent. Sounds of life were amplified. Footsteps, voices in the offices along their path, phones ringing, radio chatter, doors opening and closing. Even the water fountain, where a uniformed cop was bending to have a drink. Cole’s ears rang with the obvious lack of Andi’s voice.

Still nothing as she opened the car door and got in. The click of Andi’s seatbelt made him sigh.

“Is it just going to be like this from now on?” Cole asked.

“Like what?” she asked, eyes wide. A pretty good impression of innocence, but he had no doubt she knew
exactly
what he was talking about.

“Shutting me out.”

“I haven’t…shut you out.” Her voice shook with the lie neither of them bought.

He gave her a long look. Andi’s statement didn’t deserve a contradiction. “You and me. Now. Let’s have it.”

“I don’t want to talk about this.” She shook her head.