Collision Force (18 page)

Them? They were a
them
after one night?
Damn straight.

She’d really flip if he kissed her, but he wanted to. Pull her into his arms right then and there and plant one on her. Pete would have no doubt what was going on between them. But that was a guaranteed one-way ticket out of her bed.

Cole scowled. He headed to the table and handed a bottle to Pete.

“Thanks,” Pete said, flashing a smile.

There was no reason to be rude to the guy, but he had to force a smile in return. He took a long pull after cracking open his bottle, then a deep breath. He set the beer down afterwards, lifting Ethan into his booster seat to keep his hands busy, then slid onto the chair next to the little boy, across from Andi’s partner.

Ethan gave him a high-five and Cole ruffled his hair, smiling genuinely at the grin on the kid’s face.

Pete was staring at them. The open appraisal made Cole want to grunt in satisfaction. He had an easy relationship with Andi’s son, too.

“So, how goes it?” Pete asked.

“It’s good. We’ll talk about the case after little man goes to bed,” Andi said.

“Of course,” Pete said.

“Anything you need help with, Andi?” Cole asked.

Her partner’s eyebrows shot up, but Cole ignored him.

“You can get plates, if you want,” she answered. “Glasses for the wine are over here, and too high for me to reach.” Andi gestured to the cupboard on her right.

He shot to his feet, feeling Pete’s eyes following his every move. If he wanted something, the guy should just open his mouth.

Cole got everything required for their meal, including Ethan’s cartoon character dish and cup. Pete helped him set the table in an awkward silence, his perceptive gaze never far away. Cole wanted to squirm.

“You two have been…getting along better?” he asked as Cole returned to his seat.

Reaching for his beer and fighting the urge to chug it, he nodded. “You could say that.”

“Ah,” Pete answered, leaning back in his chair, appraising him again.

Cole’s stomach knotted. Hadn’t he wanted all the cards on the table—for Pete to know about him and Andi? “Dinner smells great, Andi.” Words rushed, he looked away from her partner.

Coward. Is it for her sake or yours?

“Andi’s chicken magic,” Pete said.

She grinned. “You weren’t supposed to tell him, Pete. It was
supposed
to be a surprise.”

“Sorry,” he answered, an unabashed grin on his face.

“Chicken magic?” Cole asked.

“It’s awesome. My favourite thing she makes,” her partner said.

Favourite thing? As in, he was over for dinner a lot? Cole scowled. He didn’t like that. At. All.

“Can’t tell you what’s in it, though,” Andi said. “Or I’d hafta kill ya.” She grinned again.

Cole glanced at her, but their gazes locked. He sucked in a breath as her cheeks reddened and her freckles brightened. Damn, he needed to kiss her. Touch her, anything.

When he finally broke away, Pete’s eyes on him made him freeze in the chair. The guy hadn’t missed their little visual rendezvous, that was for sure.

Andi shifted on her feet, and tucked a non-existent lock of hair behind her ear.

Clearing his throat, Cole straightened in his seat. “I’m sure I’ll love it. You’re a great cook.”

“Thanks.” Her appreciation warmed him.

If Cole looked at her like that again in front of Pete, Andi would kill him. And he’d called her
babe.
No way Pete had missed that. God, she’d never hear the end of it later. Her partner was one of the most perceptive people she knew. It made him a damn good cop, and a damn nosy friend.

She bit back a sigh. What the hell was she going to do? She’d made up her mind and had told Cole they wouldn’t make love again.

Then he’d told her he
needed
her. A tingle raced up her spine.

Her resolve had been shot to hell, as well as her concentration for the rest of the work day. She’d tried to shoot him down again when they’d got home that evening. Cole wouldn’t hear of it, of course. She’d found it difficult to be mad at him when she’d been pinned between his hard body and the Challenger. He’d kissed her until her toes had curled.

They’d end up back in her bed tonight.

Andi bit her bottom lip. She needed to say no. She needed to stay away from him. But…she needed to have him kiss her, have him inside her then sleep in his arms.

She
needed Cole, too.

Her heart dropped to her stomach. What was she doing?

Pete watched them still, cataloguing everything he saw, no doubt to bring it up to her later. Where was her fun-loving, jokester partner? This
observer
was much too serious.

It wasn’t like she could avoid him for very long, either. Pete was a pusher, like Cole. He’d get her to spill her guts, no matter how much it
wasn’t
his business. Plausible deniability was long gone.

Andi didn’t have a leg to stand on after the look that had passed between her and Cole moments ago.

It’s about you, locking yourself away.
Pete’s words from the hospital echoed in her mind. Is that what she’d done?
No.
She’d lost the first man she’d truly loved. Ethan had been
six weeks
old. Andi had done what she’d had to do. Dating hadn’t been on the table, even long after Iain had died. She’d been a mess.

As a matter of fact, her partner had seen her through it when she’d been at rock bottom. Pete had stayed over, changed diapers, handled two a.m. feedings and held her when she’d fallen apart.

“Mama, I’m thirsty,” Ethan called from his seat at the table.

“I got it,” Cole said, grabbing the colourful cup and heading to the fridge before she could react. “Milk, buddy?”

Her little boy nodded. Things like that evaporated her resistance to Cole. He was so perfect with Ethan. She wanted to sidle up to him, have him pull her against him and kiss her. Even Pete and Ethan’s joint presence didn’t dim the desire.

Andi swallowed hard, ignoring the questions in Pete’s eyes. She looked away from the man who’d been her partner for the last five years, reaching for the Creole spices and sprinkling her creation with a heavy dose. Dinner was almost ready. Hopefully it would keep the reins on Pete’s tongue.

Despite Cole’s chair being much too close to hers—a fact Pete didn’t miss, though he said nothing—their meal was a pleasant affair. Under the table, Cole managed to brush her thigh with his, and even rested his hand on her knee a few times. Each touch melted her a bit more, and Andi had to stop herself from leaning into him.

She planned a short escape to put Ethan to bed, though her son whined until Pete agreed to carry him to his room. Andi didn’t miss Cole’s clenched jaw. The night before, her little boy had insisted he read to him before bed, but tonight Ethan was all about Pete. That was obviously bothering him. But why was he jealous? Why would he be? Ethan hadn’t seen Pete in a long while. Cole was his new constant. They were both great with him, but only seeing Cole with Ethan tugged at her heart.

Andi put it out of her mind as Pete retreated from her son’s room and she went in to get him into pyjamas and tucked in.

“Mama, I love Cole and Unca’ Pete,” Ethan muttered, giving into a huge yawn.

Her heart flipped. Pete loved him, no doubt. But did Cole? She dropped a kiss on her little boy’s forehead and caressed his soft cheek. “I love you, little man.”

He smiled and blew her a noisy kiss with his small palm. “Love you, Mama!”

Chuckling, Andi gave him one last caress and slipped from his room, closing the door halfway.

The hum of Pete’s and Cole’s deep voices made her smile. At least they were getting along as well as they had in the hospital. If Cole had noticed Pete’s speculative looks, he hadn’t acknowledged them.

“Hmmm, interesting,” Pete was saying as Andi joined them in the living room.

She declined the dewy bottle of beer Cole offered and didn’t dare slide onto the couch next to him. Andi sat on the edge of her oversized recliner and Pete pulled her ottoman forward and sat next to the glass-topped coffee table, facing them both.

“What’s interesting?” Andi asked.

“That Maldonado is up to about five cars and hasn’t damaged them,” Cole said.

“What the hell could he be up to?” Pete mused, his head cocked to one side.

“I thought he might be staying in Homeless Row,” Andi started.

“So we checked it out today, but nada,” Cole said, slicing the air with his hand.

Glancing at him, her heart sped up. He’d finished her sentence. Pete stared, a fair eyebrow raised and a smile playing at his lips.

Great,
her partner hadn’t missed it.

“Where else have you checked?”

“For possible residences? Nowhere.” Cole looked at her.

“Well, there’s the old trailer park. They’ve cleaned it out pretty well, but there are about eight or nine junkers still on the property,” Pete said.

“Ah. Yeah, I suppose we can go look tomorrow,” Andi said.

“Good deal,” Cole said. “Hope it’s the place, and we catch him sleeping.”

Pete chuckled. “This guy is one slippery bastard, huh?”

“Seems that way,” Andi said.

“I never thought he had in it him to evade me this long,” Cole said, his tone thoughtful.

“Well, I know y’all will get him.”

Andi smiled. “Thanks, partner.”

After Pete’s third degree and several more investigation suggestions, she excused herself to clean up her kitchen. The ticking clock above the sink caught her attention. Wow, already after nine.

The guys were still deep in conversation, but work and case talk had come and gone. It turned out Cole was a Dallas Cowboys fan. Pete’s face lit up with that admission, so the two had turned to stat and player talk Andi had no interest in.

Hockey and baseball were the two sports she claimed as favourites, but she didn’t really follow either closely. Iain had been into rugby and what he called football—soccer—and had had no use for American football. But he and Pete had got into some lively debates.

Andi shook her head. Instead of the normal wave of sadness, she was overwhelmed with loving memories. She rubbed her chest. Her eyes welled with tears she didn’t understand, but she swallowed them back. What was wrong with her?

The dishwasher had already been loaded, the table, counter and cutting board wiped down. Pete and Cole had both contributed, so all that was left was her electric skillet. She ran the water over it, grabbing her new sponge.

“Hey, Andi, I’m gonna take off.” Pete popped his head into the kitchen.

She jumped.

“Oh, sorry, partner, I didn’t mean to startle you.” He stopped by the sink and pulled her into a quick hug.

“Thanks for coming,” Andi said, smiling and meeting his green eyes.

“I can’t miss out on chicken magic.” He grinned. “You and I have a lot to talk about, partner.”

Her gaze slid away as she squirmed and she shut the hot water off.

“Ah, there’s that avoidance,” Pete said, amusement in his tone.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Andi said, her voice shaky.

Pete laughed. He cupped her face and tilted her chin up. “I’m happy for you,” he whispered.

Heat rushed her cheeks, but she couldn’t look away. She scowled. “Pete—”

“Goodnight, partner.” He pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Turns out Mr Fed isn’t so bad, after all?”

Andi pulled away and flung hot water at him. Pete darted out of the way and chuckled. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“Where’s Cole?” the question was out of her mouth before she paused to think about it.

Her partner smiled, warm and approving. “Checking on Ethan.”

She swallowed hard, ignoring the beat her heart missed.
Do not show your reaction.
“I’ll call you tomorrow if we find anything at the trailer park,” Andi said quickly.

Pete’s smile widened to a grin, but he said nothing.

“Good. Night. Pete.” She spaced the words and forced a breath.

He only laughed again and offered a wave. “I’ll see myself out.” He winked.

Andi rolled her eyes, but her whole body tingled.

She and Cole were alone in her house. Again.

Chapter Sixteen

She was at the sink scrubbing her electric skillet. Cole pressed a kiss to the back of her neck, then nuzzled the hollow of her ear, nipping her earlobe. He watched the shiver travel down her spine and slipped a hand around her waist, settling it low on her stomach. He pulled her bottom against him.

His cock shot from six o’clock to
midnight
in two seconds flat.

“I thought he would never leave,” he whispered against the baby hairs at the back of her neck. Her ponytail brushed his cheek.

“Cole…”

“Stop thinking, Andi.” He nuzzled her again, rocking against her firm bottom. “That’s half your problem.”

Cole whirled her around and covered her mouth with his. She yelped, but he smothered it with his tongue, exploring her sweetness. Kissing him back, she moaned after only a moment, shooting her arms around him.

He pulled back, staring into her half-lidded sapphire eyes. Warm, probably soapy water sank into the fabric of his pale blue button-down shirt—the only non-tee with him in Texas.

“You got me wet,” Cole said, his lips hovering over hers.

Andi bit her bottom lip, but she couldn’t hold back her giggle. “You grabbed me. It wasn’t my fault.”

After pressing a quick kiss into her lips, he took a step back. “Then I guess I just have to take it off.”

“You won’t need it,” she whispered. Her tongue shot out to moisten her kiss-swollen lips, and Cole bit back a groan.

She reached for a dish towel and dried her damp hands. After tossing it back on the counter, she stepped towards him, leaning up and touching her lips to his while her deft fingers worked his buttons.

He took control, cupping the back of her head to bring her closer. She whimpered, but he deepened the kiss.

Andi pulled away, face already flushed pink. “You’re distracting me from getting you naked.”