Page 43 of Master Cole

Chapter Seven

“Alicia,”Janie called, as she saw her friend enter the baggage claim area at the airport.

“Janie.” Alicia ran to her. Janie closed her arms around her best friend in a hug.

“I’ve missed you like you wouldn’t believe.” She needed this hug. Until now, she hadn’t realized how much she missed embracing another person or just a casual friendly hug. Cole was avoiding all contact with her again.

She knew he’d read her journal because when she’d awoken yesterday afternoon, her journal and a new book had been waiting for her. The new book was How to Deal with Trauma. She sighed. Yes, she’d lost it because of the storm, but trauma? Cole was blowing how she reacted to the storm out of proportion. Plus, she’d already read the book during her time in college.

Case in point, this morning he’d told her he was going to drive her to work, then pick her up and take her to the airport to get Alicia. Told her, he didn’t ask, just used that firm Dom tone of his.

Well, she was having none of it. She’d marched right up to him and flatly told him she was fine, she would drive herself to work and to get Alicia. Cole had grinned at her and patted her on the head like she was a child, then proceeded to tell her he’d ordered her a new vehicle, and it would be arriving in two days.

At that point she’d stomped her foot and looked him square in the eye. She didn’t need a new vehicle, hers was just fine. The storm was as rare as a unicorn, and he needed to stop acting like a jerk. And then she’d stormed out of the house.

Her cell phone had rung every five minutes on her way to work. She never answered her phone while driving, so when she got to work she’d called Cole. He’d been livid, still yelling when she hung up on him.

She didn’t mind his control in the bedroom or the playroom, but in the rest of her life, absolutely not. She was her own woman, and she wasn’t about to give up her personality for any man.

Alicia studied Janie’s face. “Something tells me all is not well in the Cole universe.”

“You don’t know the half of it.” Janie laughed, trying to make light of the situation, but her belly tightened in dread.

“I want to hear all about it. Let’s get my luggage.” Alicia pulled her toward the luggage carousel.

“So spill,” Alicia said, as Janie pulled out onto the freeway.

“There’s so much to tell.”

“I know, the last time we talked, you and Cole had started playing together. Start there.”

“Yes.” A lump formed in Janie’s throat. Was that the only time Cole had been honest with her? She couldn’t think about that while she was driving. “We played, we had sex.”

“What? When? Was it good?” Alicia almost bounced out of her seat.

“Don’t go crazy, it didn’t mean anything to Cole.” More the shame she had to push him even further away from her.

“He had sex with you. It has to mean something.”

“Just part of his training.” Janie let out a sigh. “I love what he’s doing to my body. I enjoy his control and the responses he wrings from me.”

“I hear a big ‘but’ there.”

“I want more.” There, she’d admitted it.

“Of course you do.” Alicia patted her arm. “You’ve taken psychology classes, Janie. Men are just as emotional as women, they just don’t show it.”

“I know. But at times Cole is downright icy.” Janie switched lanes to pass a semi-truck. “It’s funny. He can go from the most loving, tender guy I’ve ever met to ice man in the space of a few minutes.”

“Any idea why?”

“No, that’s the problem. I’ve tried to get him to talk, but he won’t.”

“Strong, silent type.”

Janie let out a bitter laugh. “You could say that, it’s just ... ” She blew out a breath. “I think I’m falling in love with him.”

“Oh, honey, I don’t know how to break it to you, but you’ve been in love with Cole since the first day I met you.”

---