Claiming Sarah (Ace Security #5)(81)

“I fucking hate it,” Cole told Logan and the others. “But Sarah needs this. I think a part of her feels guilty for being scared of him, and another part feels as if it’s her duty as a decent human being to check on him.”

Ryder put his hand on Cole’s shoulder in sympathy, but didn’t say anything.

“I think as time goes on, and she gets busy with her baby, the visits up there will happen less and less,” Logan offered.

“I’m hoping so. I love Sarah exactly how she is, and I fucking love that she doesn’t have a mean bone in her body, but seeing her anywhere near him still gives me the creeps.”

“Have you told her?” Nathan asked.

Cole shook his head. “No. It’s my problem, not hers. But . . . she knows anyway. I didn’t sleep well after we got home the last two times we went up to see him.” He’d lain awake, holding Sarah in his arms, and relived the nightmare week he’d spent not knowing where she was, if she was even alive. And when his demons got too bad, he’d woken her up and taken her hard. Reassuring himself that she was there with him. Safe and healthy.

“I’m hoping, eventually, Owen himself will forget about her. The last time we went up there, it took him a moment to remember who she was, which I kind of thought was a relief.”

“Talk to her, man,” Blake suggested.

Cole shook his head. “No. I can handle it. I want what Sarah wants. And if she needs to see him, to keep the promise she made to him, then that’s what I’ll make sure happens.”

The men were all silent for a moment, and Cole knew they understood. He knew down to the marrow of his bones that the men standing in front of him would do whatever was best for their wives. No questions asked. No hesitation. Call them pussy whipped or obsessed . . . none of them cared. They loved their wives deeply, and nothing would change that.

“On another note, you gonna show her your new tattoo tonight?” Ryder asked.

Cole smiled. “Yeah. I had my last sitting a few days ago, and that was mostly for some touch-up work.”

“I can’t believe you’ve avoided letting her see it for so long,” Nathan said with a shake of his head.

Cole shrugged. “She falls asleep easily. The pregnancy has made her tired all the time. It’s been easier than you’d think. And when we have sex, I just let her ride me, then fall asleep on top of me.” He grinned. “I put a shirt on after she’s out.”

The others just nodded and grinned back. Cole had never been the kind of man to talk much about his sexual exploits, but he was close to these men, and they’d had more than one conversation about sex in the past.

Ryder lifted his chin, indicating the women. “Looks like their little powwow is over. We meeting in the morning to work out?”

The five men had started getting together a few mornings every week to go running, then lift weights at the gym before starting their day.

“I’m in,” Nathan said.

“Me too,” Blake added.

“See you then,” Logan agreed.

The four Andersons looked at Cole.

He took one look at his wife, her body beautifully rounded with his babies, and thought about how horny she’d been lately. That, combined with what he was going to show her later, made up his mind. “I’m gonna have to skip it. I’ll catch up with you guys later, though.”

Everyone chuckled and slapped him on the back and shoulders.

“Have fun!” Logan told him.

“I intend to,” he told him, then turned to meet his wife halfway across the floor.



Sarah sat on the edge of their bed and nervously stared at Cole. He’d been quiet on the way home, even though he’d rushed her out of the gym as if he couldn’t wait to take her to bed. Since they’d gotten back to their apartment, he’d been acting very mysterious.

“I love you.”

Sarah stared at him. Oh shit. This wasn’t starting well. “I love you too,” she returned.

“I’ve been keeping something from you.”

Sarah frowned. “You have?”

“Yeah. I mean, I’m pretty sure you’re gonna like it, but I wanted it to be a surprise.”

“I don’t like surprises,” Sarah replied, telling him something he already knew.

Cole winced. “I know. That’s why I’m kinda nervous about this one.”

The last time he surprised her, he’d slipped an engagement ring on her finger while she’d still been asleep in the hospital. She’d woken up to it, oddly heavy on her hand, and to Cole telling her they were going to get married that afternoon. That he’d arranged for the priest from the hospital to come up to their room and marry them. She had been excited and happy, and had agreed. Even though she didn’t like surprises, that one was pretty darn awesome.

And for the last five or so months, he’d been good, hadn’t sprung any over-the-top gifts on her and hadn’t done anything like, say . . . go down on one knee—which he did at their wedding reception after she’d gotten out of the hospital, surprising her by singing that goofy song made famous in the movie Top Gun, “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’.” It wasn’t even close to being a wedding song, but when all four of the Andersons had joined in, she’d laughed at their antics until she’d cried. She didn’t even care that the song was about someone losing their loving feeling—it was hysterical. That moment was one of her favorite memories from the reception.