Collateral Read Online Free PDF Page B

that”—
    nodding toward Dar, who just then faded
    into her room—“I probably better get
    to bed. That, or scare the bejeezus out
    of you in the morning.” Cole accepted
    that with a not-hot kiss, then asked,
    Don’t suppose you’ve got an extra
    blanket? It’s cooling off fast in here.
    I went down the hall, pulled the spread
    off my bed. By the time I got back, he was
    lying there, still as stone, eyes closed.
    I covered him, turned away, and heard him
    say, Thanks for the blanket. And for
    the great evening. See you in the morning.
    I liked how that sounded. And although I
    was critically tired, it took a while to fall asleep.

WHEN I WOKE UP
    It was full-on morning, light crashing
    through the window in brilliant waves.
    It took a few minutes to figure out why
    I felt so anxious to get out of bed. Then
    I heard a muffled male voice, Darian’s
    high-pitched laugh, and the night before
    tumbled back. Marines. Right. I went
    straight for the bathroom to shower,
    brush my teeth, and put on makeup.
    Slid into silk panties, knee-length satin
    shirt, a sexy-casual compromise. When
    I slipped into the hall, the place was silent
    except for the creak of Darian’s bed
    behind her closed door. God. How
    many times could you do it in a twelve-
    hour period? I tiptoed past, not wanting
    to bother them, or Cole, who I thought
    must still be asleep. But no. The couch
    was empty, the bedspread folded
    neatly. He wasn’t there, hadn’t even
    bothered to say good-bye. Disappointment
    clawed. I went into the kitchen, noticed
    the glasses on the counter, dishes
    in the sink. When did that happen?

CLUTTER ALWAYS BOTHERS ME
    But the irritation I felt at the state of
    my kitchen bordered on irrational.
    I knew it, but couldn’t say why.
    I unloaded the dishwasher. Loudly.
    And, even more loudly, started
    loading the crusty dirties. Hey!
    Stop! I planned on doing that.
    I jumped at the voice, strange but
    not, falling over my shoulder; spun,
    pointing a fork like a tined bayonet.
    Cole’s eyes glittered humor. Careful.
    I’m trained in hand-to-hand combat,
    you know. Put down the weapon.
    Slowly. Better yet, give it to me. Please.
    I handed him the fork, which he put
    in the dishwasher. “Jesus. You scared
    the crap out of me. Where did you
    come from? I thought you’d left.”
    He shook his head. Everyone was
    still asleep when I woke up, so I sat
    outside and . . . wrote. Hope you don’t
    mind I borrowed a piece of paper.
    â€œOf course not.” It wasn’t the paper
    that bothered me as much as the idea
    of him rooting around for it. “In fact,
    you don’t even have to pay me back.”
    He smiled. Maybe I want to. Then
    he looked at me so intently I had to
    turn away, inventing some necessary
    chore. “You a coffee person? I think
    I could use a cup.” I reached up
    into the cupboard for the Folgers.
    Let me help. The weight of my long,
    still-damp hair lifted suddenly. Mmm.
    You smell good. His lips brushed
    my neck, and it was like stepping
    outside in a thunderstorm—a hint
    of lightning initiating goose bumps
    in places both seen and hidden.
    I turned into him, and he lifted me,
    sat me on the counter. Wrapped
    my legs around his ripped torso,
    pulled me into him until the pulsing
    between my legs rested against
    the throbbing beneath his breast bone,
    zero between them but silk and skin.
    It was nothing I’d ever experienced
    before, this sudden blush of desire
    so intense I couldn’t believe it belonged
    to me. And significance infused our kiss.
    I think we both knew it then, though
    it took time to acknowledge that some
    brilliant stutter of fate had connected
    us in such a profound way. I can’t speak
    for Cole, but for me, the world as I
    understood it to be ceased to exist.
    In that exact moment, I couldn’t have
    reasonably claimed to have fallen in love
    with him. But in that exact moment,
    I still