His Obsession Next Door (In the Line of Duty) (15 page)

“Come here.” He pulled her to him as his heart ached for her. He held her for a long time, twirling her hair between his fingers. “I’ll take you.”

“I can’t ask you to do that. I know you’re not comfortable—”

“I’ll take you,” he said firmly, because the thought of her attending with another man, even if that man was mother-approved and he wasn’t, had his blood boiling. As he stroked her hair, she snuggled against him. Cole fought valiantly to suppress the things this incredible woman made him feel, because when it came to Gemma it was getting harder and harder to separate sex and emotions.

Chapter Eight

Gemma’s shoes clicked a steady beat on the shelter’s floor as she finished checking on the last animal. Adoptions had been going well for the last month, and Cole said he was making great progress with the dogs in the field. If the funding she needed to expand came through at tomorrow night’s banquet she’d never have to turn any animals away.

Feeling a sense of elation, she made her way to the reception area, a new spring to her step. Of course, that was probably because she’d been having the best sex of her life. Since that first night she’d eaten dinner with Cole a couple weeks ago, they’d been spending all their time together. They shared meals every evening, walked the dogs afterward, and the nights were usually capped off by a mind-blowing round of sex.

As she thought about the way Cole cared for her in bed, she knew his touch was anything but casual, but there was still a part of him he kept closed off to her. Even though she was in deep, had laid herself bare to Cole numerous times, he continued to maintain a degree of emotional separation. Which once again had her wondering about his demons and the secrets he held close.

“Hey, Victoria,” she said, checking the clock. The staff had gone to lunch already, and Gemma’s next appointment was still an hour away. Both she and Victoria had some time to kill until then. “I’m heading to the field to bring lunch and check on progress, would you like to come?”

Victoria’s eyes lit and she was already grabbing her purse. “Like you even have to ask.”

Gemma locked the clinic and grabbed a stack of sandwiches and drinks at the café next door for the guys. Arms full, they hurried back to her place, where her car sat in the driveway. Less than fifteen minutes later, they drove the long, winding road to the base.

She turned to see Victoria, who was watching Josh with bright-eyed enthusiasm as he played catch with one of the dogs.

“You be careful with that one,” Gemma teased.

Victoria turned to her. “What do you know about him?”

“He’s been through some rough times and doesn’t appear to be the settling-down type, but he’s definitely one of the good guys.”

“Well, who says I’m looking to settle down?” She shrugged and gave a mischievous grin. “Maybe, like you, I’m just looking to have a little fun, enjoy it while it lasts and take away a few good memories.”

Suddenly an apprehensive knot tightened in her gut. She wanted so much more than that with Cole, except while they were having fun together, they never talked long-term. In fact, Cole seemed to go out of his way to avoid it, which had her worrying their relationship could very well play out the way Victoria had just described it. Before she could give it more thought, Cole came out from the hangar. When he saw her, he waved and made his way over.

She climbed from the car and handed him a sandwich. Hoping to keep the worry from her voice she said, “Lunch is here.”

“I’ll deliver the rest to the others,” Victoria said, a devious glint in her eyes as she took the stack of food and drinks and made her way over to the guys.

Once she was out of earshot, Cole narrowed those perceptive eyes of his and she knew she could never hide anything from him. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” she said. “Just thinking about the banquet tomorrow night and hoping my speech goes over well.”

“I’m sure it will be fine.”

Redirecting the conversation, she said, “Why don’t you show me how Ralph is making out.”

Cole frowned. “He’s a great dog, but he still lacks direction.”

“Let’s go see him.”

Gemma made her way into the hangar and for the next half hour Cole went through the exercises with the dogs. When he finished, Gemma bent to pet Ralph, his long tail beating rigorously against her leg in response.

“He sure is a smart one.”

“But he has a mind of his own. After identifying the right box, he’s supposed to sit, bark and wag. Instead he wants to dig for the device because he knows it’s dangerous.”

“Ah, that’s why you have a soft spot for him.”

“What do you mean?”

“He’s a protector, like you.”

Cole frowned. “But the way he protects could get someone killed.”

“How?”

“If he digs at a device in the field, it could very well explode.”

Gemma crinkled her nose. “Maybe he’d be better served as someone’s watch dog.”

Cole arched a brow. “How long has he been in the shelter?”

“You’re right.” She blew a disgruntled breath. “No one is in a hurry to adopt a mature dog.”

“Like you said, everyone wants a puppy, and I’m not ready to give up on him. Besides, if I can train a wily guy like him, I’m sure I can train any dog. It would sure as hell go a long way in helping the animals, the soldiers and your cause.”

Her heart warmed and she was about to go up on her toes to kiss him when Jack poked his head in. Cole stiffened and inched away from her, his actions telling. Even though she wanted to scream their affair from the rooftop, he didn’t want anyone to know what was going on behind closed doors.

“Thanks for lunch, Gemma,” Jack said.

Gemma’s heart sank a little. “Anytime.”

“What time will you be dropping Stallone off?”

Originally her plans had been to shelter Stallone at the clinic while she was away in Dallas, but when Jack found out he jumped at the chance to watch him for her. “Right after work if that’s okay.”

“See you then.” With that he disappeared around the side of the building.

She stole a glance at her watch. “I need to get back.”

“I’ll walk you out.”

As they made their way back to her car, her mind went back to what Victoria had said about their relationship. She wanted to talk to him and get him to open up to her on a personal level, to figure out what was going on inside his mind. Except this wasn’t the time or place.

“What time are you leaving for Dallas?”

Gemma had hoped to share a ride there with Cole. The long drive would give them an opportunity to talk. But she had to go earlier and oversee some last-minute arrangements.

“Right after work. I’m catching a drive with my mother.” She rolled her eyes. “I was going to take my own car but she insisted I go with her. That way I can’t escape when she starts telling me about all the bachelors who will be attending and what great marriage material they’d make.”

She waited for a reaction to her bachelor comment, but instead he just said, “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

“Are you sure you don’t mind coming?”

“I said I’d take you, Gems, and I don’t—”

She held her hands up to cut him off. “I know, I know you’re a soldier and soldiers don’t go back on their word.” She grinned, brushed her hand along the back of her neck and said, “I can’t tell you how many times Brandon said that to me. He prided himself on his honor.” As soon as the words left her mouth, Cole’s face tightened warily and he gripped his dog tags like they were his lifeline. Gemma stared at him. What had she said to spook him?

“I gotta go,” he said and turned and disappeared back into the hangar.

After Gemma fought down an uneasy feeling, she and Victoria made their way back to the clinic. The rest of the afternoon sped by. After work she dropped Stallone off with Jack, and before she knew it her mother’s chauffeur was outside her condo, ready to drive her to Dallas.

She grabbed her overnight bag and as she made her way down the steps she spotted Cole in his window. She gave a small wave but couldn’t fight down the feeling something was very wrong. Very wrong indeed.

She had no time to consider it further, because when she climbed into the back seat with her mother and the car set into motion, her mother started in on her.

“So, Gemma,” she began with an efficient clap of her hands that rattled the gold bracelets linked around her wrist as she got right to the point, “since I haven’t seen you in ages, I’m glad we have this time alone. I’ve been eager to talk to you about a few of the men who will be at the function tomorrow night. I know Marie Johnson and Sandra Phillips will be attending with their sons who are both rich, successful, eligible bachelors. They’re very interested in supporting your cause.”

As her mother pushed, Gemma could feel a headache beginning at the base of her neck. She shifted on the leather seat, tucking her sundress under her legs. As gently as she could under the circumstances she said, “I’m sure they’re nice men, Mother, but I’m not sure if they’re my type.”

Her mother arched a disapproving brow, her blue eyes narrowing to mere slits. “Are you telling me rich, successful men who want to help your cause aren’t your type?”

Gemma folded her hands in her lap and glanced out the window to watch the city streets fly by. “That’s not what I mean.”

“Then what do you mean?”

Feeling a little angry that her mother thought only wealthy men with the right pedigree made good marriage material, she turned back to her and said, “There are lots of men who want to help my cause and they’re not rich. But that doesn’t mean they’re not successful, or good men.”

“Ah, I see.” Her mother pursed perfectly painted lips and folded her ring-clad fingers in her lap. If Gemma wasn’t mistaken she thought she caught a smug look on her face before she said, “Tell me what’s been going on with Cole.”

Unable to help herself, and wanting to talk about Cole, Gemma began rehashing everything he’d told her over the last few nights. She went on for hours explaining the work he was doing, even telling her mother about Ralph and how Cole was determined to shape him into a service dog. She was droning on about him, but she couldn’t seem to help herself. The guy was deep under her skin and pretty much consumed her every thought.

When she finished speaking, her mother sat there staring at her.

“What?” Gemma asked, suddenly uncomfortable under her mother’s scrutiny.

“Tell me something,” she said, unmasked hurt in her eyes. “If you have no problem with Cole and the others helping you, why is it you shun my help?” She waved her hand toward the hotel as the car approached. “These benefits are wonderful, Gemma, but the expenses associated with putting them together are high and the profits that go toward your shelter are low. I invest in many charities, why won’t you let me invest in yours?”

As her mother’s words bounced around inside her head like a rubber chew toy, the driver pulled off the highway. Her mother leaned forward to speak to him, saving Gemma from having to answer.

A few minutes later, the driver pulled up in front of a regal hotel, climbed from the front and opened the door for them both. Gemma stepped out. Even though the warm air hit like a slap to the face, Gemma was happy to escape the confines of the vehicle and find a moment of solitude in her room. With a headache brewing, she took a few moments to compose herself before she met with the event planner to go over the final arrangements in the ballroom.

She was supposed to meet her mother at the bar but hated the thought of another interrogation. Instead she excused herself and made her way back to her room. She took a warm shower and plunked down on her cushy bed. She lay there staring at the ceiling for a long while, wondering if she would hear from Cole tonight. As her mind drifted toward him, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something dark and destructive was going on inside of him. She picked the phone up to call, but the uneasy feeling mushrooming inside of her had her putting it back down again.

Deciding a good night’s sleep was in order before she faced a busy day, she turned her attention to her cell phone. She set the alarm and placed it on the nightstand. After tossing and turning for hours, she finally fell into a fitful sleep.

When her alarm clock went off, she groaned and stretched out her tired limbs. Even though she wanted to roll over and go back to sleep she still had a lot to do before the night’s events. She shoved off her blankets and checked her phone once again, only to find Cole hadn’t tried to contact her.

Pushing down the disappointment, she climbed to her feet, showered and busied her mind with activities until nighttime was upon her. With the event about to begin in less than an hour, she hurried to her room and took extra care in her appearance, leaving her hair down the way Cole liked it.

She applied the last bit of her makeup and finished off with her red lipstick. Satisfied with the outcome, she climbed into her brand new strapless black cocktail dress and stood back to give herself a once-over in the mirror. As she checked herself from the back, her phone rang. She nearly tripped in her too-high heels when she ran to grab it, but her heart sank when she saw it was the event planner. They spoke briefly, then Gemma made her way down to the foyer.