Cole guided Laura out the terrace door and to the patio area overlooking the
pool.
"So, where should we eat tonight?" Cole squeezed her hand.
"Where? I thought we were having dinner with your father?" Laura
replied.
"On your first night up here? Hardly. I thought we'd drive in to town,
check out a beautifully secluded, yet obscenely priced restaurant," he smiled.
Laura
eyed him for a moment and then laughed. "You're serious aren't you?”
"About you? Absolutely. About the expensive restaurant?
Always."
Laura
fidgeted slightly. She'd assumed her years as a detective had hardened her conscious
but she was wrong. She'd played roles before but never in an effort to win a man's
trust and attention over an extended period of time. It left a sour taste in her
mouth. Duplicity was a part of her job but right now two men were being duped;
Remington, the love of her life and Cole, a man she was genuinely fond of.
"Uh, if we're going out to dinner, I think I'd better get freshened up and
change." Laura said with a forced smile.
"Of course Des. I'll meet you in the foyer in say...half an hour?"
Cole smiled.
Laura
nodded and allowed Cole to lead her into the house and up the massive circular staircase
leading to the upper levels. Cole showed her where she'd be staying and told her
that his room was just down the hall if she needed anything.
"And I hope you will.” Cole said
deeply and pulled Laura toward him. Her arms instinctively went out in front of her
and splayed across his chest. It was meant to stop him but he took it as an
invitation.
"You
don't know how much I want you Desiree. It's all I can think about lately and that
isn't like me,” he concluded.
"Wanting someone?"
"God no. Wanting someone so much that it distracts me from everything
else. It's definitely a first for me,” Cole smiled and nuzzled her ear
with his nose.
"You
know what I'd love right now?" He whispered in her ear.
"What?" Laura croaked then cleared her throat.
"I
want to hear you tell me you want me as much as I want you,"
"Laura closed her eyes and tried not to hate herself. "You know I do
Cole,” She breathed.
"Umm. I don't know how I'm going to survive this weekend. I think we may
have to leave early; I don't want our first time together to be under my father's
roof, no matter how far his room is from here. I want you all to myself sweet
Desiree. Where nobody ear's but mine will be honored with your screams of
passion." Cole declared raggedly.
Laura
could feel what the conversation was doing to him and she pulled back slightly. She
put forth her best effort and wrapped her arms around his neck. When he went to
kiss her she would've turned her face but his hand grasped the back of her head and held
it firmly.
"Not a chance my luscious Desiree, I want to taste those sexy lips of
yours," Cole growled and crushed her mouth against his.
Laura
was surprised at the intensity of his kiss and had to fight down the urge to pull away
from him. He was as skilled in the art of kissing as he was playing with his
expensive toys. Laura was helpless against Cole's expertise and he didn't stop until
he'd coerced a response from her.
"That's much better. You'd think you'd never been kissed before as tense as you
were,"
Cole
had kissed Laura before but never quite like this. Before it was always playful and
light. But this kiss was hard, demanding and full of passion and want. Laura
could feel the stirrings within herself and she hated this assignment that much more.
"I think you'd better let me go get changed before your father comes by and sees us
necking in his hallway."
"He never comes into this part of the house, it's reserved for my guests. Of
course that may work to our advantage later tonight," Cole mused.
"Will you get going!" Laura laughed
and shoved him slightly away from her.
Cole
winked and headed for his room.
Laura
went into her room, closed the door and expelled a deep breath. "This is
getting too close for comfort."
She
looked around the opulent room briefly before sitting on her bed and picking up the
telephone on the nightstand. Dialing Daniel's number Laura waited patiently for him
to answer. When he didn't answer Laura hung up and fell back across her bed.
Thinking of Cole's kiss made her grimace. She may be in love with Remington but she
wasn't dead! She'd responded to Cole's kiss, despite her efforts not to. While it was obvious her reaction wasn't something
she could control, she still didn't like it.
"This is getting too dangerous. I've got to find that damn
gem…tonight." Laura whispered.
###
"So darling. Did I
exaggerate?" Cole smiled.
"About
the price or the ambience?" Laura countered.
"Why
both of course," Cole chuckled.
"In
that case, no you didn't. This place is beautiful and I'm sure this meal cost you
more than some make in a week." Laura said sipping her wine.
"I
don’t doubt that. So what would you like to do now? Take a stroll on the
beach? Catch a movie? Go home and make passionate love together?"
Cole said lasciviously.
Laura was
used to his not so subtle innuendoes and wasn't shocked by his boldness.
"Actually I think a walk on the beach would be just the thing. I need to walk
off this dinner," Laura moaned.
Cole gave
her a look like he knew she was trying to put him off but that he'd win eventually.
He signaled the waiter and sat back in his chair.
"A
walk on the beach it is," he winked.
"You don't mind?" Laura asked.
"Desiree darling, I'm a millionaire. I can afford to wait." Cole
chuckled withdrawing his platinum card.
###
Remington leaned against his car and lowered his binoculars. He had a clear view of the couple walking hand in
hand along the beach. Laura and her mystery
man were deep in intimate conversation and from the looks of it, having a wonderfully
romantic evening. He’d watched them all
through dinner and now taking a sunset stroll along the beach. Remington closed his eyes and his hand went of its
own volition to his stomach as if warding off a blow.
Throwing the binoculars on the passenger seat he climbed into his car and sped off.
Two words looped repeatedly in Remington’s head as he drove. How and Where. How long had Laura been involved with another man and where had he failed her? He’d turned his life upside down and around 360 degrees to be with her, near her. His whole identity has changed so that he could be everything Laura had wanted in her dream man.
He had looked forward to spending the rest of his life with her, but instead he’d just witnessed his heart being ripped out, shredded before his eyes and thrown back in his face. Laura had betrayed him and at this precise moment in time, the raw and intense pain Remington was consumed by knew no bounds.