Page 19 of Viper

“I wasn’t worried,” Bailey said, handing me a pan to dry. “I know you’ll protect me, even though I’ve been practicing self-defense. We’ll help each other,” I glanced sideways at her.

“I want you to promise me you won’t confront him if he shows up.”

“I won’t confront him. I’ll shoot him dead, is what I’ll do,” she replied.

“Tell me about yourself. Tell me about your life, about Jackie,” I said as we sat on the sofa.

“Jackie and I were ten months apart. Can you believe that we were born in the same year? When we were little, we had a normal life without a father. He left when Jackie was two. Our Mom always said he couldn’t handle the pressure of caring for two kids and a wife. She said he must not have liked having responsibilities. She thought he was different; she said she thought he loved us.

“They both sound like losers,” I said, wanting to hold her hand, but I knew better than to touch her. If I did, I would pull her onto my lap, which would be a big mistake.

“Jackie was so giving; she wanted to help everyone she met. I think that’s why she went out with Donnie Turner; it was because she felt sorry for him. After the second date, she broke up with him. He wouldn’t leave her alone; I wish I had known she was going to tell him to leave her alone. I never would have let her go.”

“Jackie was the only one I had. She was the only one I ever loved. I knew I would never love anyone again when she was gone. It hurt too much. Is that why you will never love anyone? Did you lose someone you loved?”

“I lost my parents when I was seventeen, but that’s not why I’ll never fall in love. I don’t have the passion to love someone so much that I want to stay with them and only them. That’s why I know I’ll never fall in love.”

“Oh, phooey, you just haven’t met her yet. I’m sure you’ll fall in love one day.”

“Well then, I’m sure you will fall in love one day too.”

“I won’t argue with you; I’m going to bed. I will see you in the morning.”

“Goodnight, Sugar,” I lay there for hours before seeing Bailey standing in the doorway. “Cole, for Pete’s sake, come in here and sleep. I can’t sleep knowing you are in here waiting for it to turn daylight.”

“Are you crazy? I’m not going to sleep with you,” I couldn’t believe she wanted me to sleep with her.

“I’m scared to sleep alone; please come to bed. I’ll stay on my side, and you can stay on yours.” I threw the blankets off and walked close to her. “You stay on your side of the bed.”

“Don’t you worry, I will,” Bailey said, smiling. She climbed into bed and scooted to her side of the bed. I knew this was a mistake. Her pillow had her scent of vanilla and strawberries, and I was hard within the first thirty seconds of getting under the covers.

“Cole,” she said, and I had to stop the growl that wanted to come out of my voice.

“What?”

“Is making love and being in love different?”

“Goodnight, Bailey.

“Goodnight, Cole,” I was surprised. I went to sleep and stayed asleep until a leg and an arm flopped over me and a warm body snuggled into my back. There was no way in hell I was going to go back to sleep with her body as close to mine as possible. I turned over and woke her up.

“Sugar, you promised to stay on your own side.”

“What?” She asked in a drowsy voice.

“You are on my side,” I saw her eyes pop open, and she looked at me as she moved her leg and arm.”

“Sorry,” she said, “you were so warm my body gravitated to you. It won’t happen again.”

“Bailey, this isn’t going to work. If I stay in this bed, we will be having sex before ten more minutes pass.”

“Okay.”

“What?”

“Okay, I want to have sex with you. I’ve never wanted to have sex before, but with you, I do. My body is on fire for you. I want to have you touch me like you can’t keep your hands off of me. I want to feel you deep inside me, I want to feel your tongue driving me wild. My body aches for you.”

“Stop talking like that right now! I can’t make love to you.”

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