Claiming Sarah (Ace Security #5)(41)

“What about you? You’re going to be tired too.”

“Yeah, but all I have to do is show up and unlock the door to the gym. I don’t have to be friendly to anyone. They expect me to be frowny faced and grumpy.”

Sarah chuckled.

“God, I love that sound. Sarah?”

“Yeah?”

“I miss you too. I’ll see you soon. Good night.”

“Good night, Cole.”

She clicked off the phone and closed her eyes, holding her cell to her chest for a long moment.

Cole looked nothing like the man she’d always dreamed she’d end up with. But the thing was, it didn’t matter. He might not think he was a good man, but he was one of the best men she’d met in a really long time.

Sighing happily, she forced herself to her feet and headed up the stairs to the bathroom before going to bed. She thought she’d lie awake for hours thinking about Cole and their conversation, but almost the second her head hit the pillow, she was asleep.



Two days later, Cole pulled into Sarah’s driveway at seven thirty in the morning. It was too early to be showing up unannounced, but he wasn’t willing to wait any longer to see her.

Glad to see her car wasn’t in the driveway, that she was able to park in the garage, he jogged up to the front door, eager to see her in person. Knowing if he knocked, he’d probably scare her to death, Cole took out his phone and shot off a quick text.

Cole: Morning! You up?

Sarah: Barely.

Cole: Good. Come open the door for me.

After he hit “Send” on the phone, he rang the doorbell.

It took several minutes for him to hear her on the other side of the door, but when she opened it, she took his breath away.

Cole stared at her for a long moment, struck speechless. Her hair was in disarray, as if she’d literally just climbed out of bed. And imagining her climbing out of bed made him think about being in that bed with her. She’d pulled a thin robe on, and her legs were bare. The sight of her pink toenails made his stomach clench. It seemed intimate, and the color was perfect for her.

As he stared, she grabbed hold of the lapels of her robe and clutched them together as she looked at him with concern in her eyes. “Is everything all right?” she asked.

Even her voice turned him on. It was husky and cracked.

Without thought, Cole took a step forward. She gave him room to enter the house, and he absently shut the door and locked it without taking his eyes from hers.

“Cole?”

He didn’t give her a chance to say anything else. One hand went to her nape to hold her still, and the other arm curled around her, his hand splaying wide on her lower back as he pulled her into his body. Her hands landed on his chest, and she stared at him with wide eyes.

Cole’s head lowered, and satisfaction filled him when her eyes immediately shut and she raised her chin to meet him halfway.

The second his lips touched hers, Cole knew there would never be another woman in his life who meant as much as Sarah.

It felt as if electricity shot from her lips straight to his heart. He may have even grunted a little bit, but he didn’t pull away. He wanted more. Needed more.

He felt her fingers curl against his chest, and his dick went hard. Not caring that she would feel his arousal against her belly, he put more pressure on her back, and she went up on tiptoe to get closer to him.

Her lips immediately parted, but as eager as he’d been to taste her a second ago, now he wanted to take his time. Tease her. Make her as desperate for him as he was for her. He licked her lower lip, loving the whimper that came from her throat. Then he nipped her gently, prolonging the anticipation.

But when she reciprocated and nibbled on his lower lip, Cole lost it.

He pushed her backward until the wall in the foyer supported them both. He tugged on her hair, forcing her head back a little more—then he devoured her.

His tongue swept her mouth as if he owned it. Owned her. But instead of being passive against his onslaught, Sarah gave as good as she got. Their tongues twined together, their teeth clinked, and he felt her hands move down and slip under his shirt. The feel of her cold fingers against his smoldering flesh just made him harder.

Slanting his head to get better access to her mouth, Cole lost himself in the kiss. It was everything he’d imagined it would be and more. So much more. Sarah didn’t back off, she wasn’t shy when it came to kissing, and the passion she’d somehow kept hidden rushed to the forefront with a ferocity that surprised and delighted him.

Knowing he was seconds away from ripping the robe from her body and laying her down on the cold tile floor at their feet, Cole forced himself to end the kiss. He stared down at her, and felt his cock twitch when she licked her lips. Her eyes were still closed, and she sighed in satisfaction.

He couldn’t take his gaze from her now-rosy lips, the blush on her cheeks, and, when she opened her eyes, the pupils that were dilated with lust.

“Good morning,” he said softly.

“Hi,” she said.

“I woke up early, and the first thing I thought about was seeing you.”

“I’m glad.”

“I had planned on that third date today,” he told her sheepishly. “Then taking the kiss that I’ve dreamed about for weeks. But seeing you . . . I couldn’t wait.”

“Breaking my personal dating rules for you feels right,” she told him.