Page 69 of Wasted

Staring out the window of Cole's truck into the endless darkness, I sighed. Closing my eyes, I sucked in a deep breath of the cool air as it blew through the window, whipping my hair around. Cole and I were on our way home from our wedding rehearsal dinner. The rehearsal that his mother and father didn't show up to. I knew it was a long shot, but I'd really hoped she would come around and even though I tried not to get my hopes up, I did, and disappointment hit me square in the chest.

Tomorrow was our wedding day, so tonight, I was going to the Coleman Ranch, and he was going to the Montgomery Ranch. After tomorrow, there would be no more Coleman and Montgomery; they became one because we became one: The Montgomerys on The Montgomery Ranch. Cole officially moved out of his parents’ house and into mine, and Bailey would be the official homeowner of her parents’ house and the bar.

I expected to be more excited, but the rift between Cole and his parents was like a black cloud looming over us and our special day.

"You okay?" Cole asked as he swerved his truck down the old dirt road. "You've been really quiet since we left." My gaze turned to meet his. "You getting cold feet?"

I smiled as I shook my head. "No," I paused, sucking in a deep breath and slowly exhaled, "but I feel bad that your parents didn't come."

He hit the brakes, slowing the truck to a stop and throwing it in park before killing the engine. My gaze swept over the open dirt road and into the dark pastures surrounding us. He twisted in the cab and reached across the bench seat, unbuckling my seatbelt. My eyes narrowed as they followed his every move.

"What are you…" My words were cut off with a squeal when he hooked an arm around me and jerked me into the center of the bench.

"Well, first, this is where you ride," he said, helping me guide my leg around the gear shift as the skirt of my white summer dress hiked up my thigh. A warmth spread through my chest, and I caught myself biting my lower lip to contain a grin.

Where we came from, you only rode in the center of a man's truck if you were his girl and growing up, I'd never ridden anywhere else, but even after he'd asked me to marry him, I hadn't moved to back because I hadn't felt like it was my place anymore. I'd thought I lost that right when I married Caleb, but Cole just gave it back to me.

"Second, we have no control over what my mother does, and we can't live our lives for her. She will eventually come around, and she may or may not regret all of this once she finds out the truth." He shrugged. "If she ever does find out."

"Why wouldn't she?"

"I'll never give her ammunition to use against you."

I smiled. "I just wish it didn't have to be like this. It was never my intention to hurt her."

He sucked in a deep breath and slowly exhaled as he brushed a strand of hair from my face tucking it behind my ear. "I know my mom was like a second mom to you, and I know it hurts to lose her, but this is her choice. Don't let it ruin your day, our day."

I nodded and my heart warmed instantly. I didn't know I could love him more today than I did before he left for Nashville, but I did. I was getting a second chance at my first love, and I knew I shouldn't let his mom's anger hurt me, but I couldn't help but feel that overwhelming feeling of guilt churning in my chest.

"Taylor," he said like a parent who knew their child was about to do something they were not supposed to.

I smirked. "Yes?" I feigned as much innocence as possible.

"You have to let this play itself out. I know what you're thinking, and that won't work. She's still mourning her son. She's angry, and she wants to be angry. If you go tell her the truth, it will backfire, I promise."

"I wasn't…"

"Yes, you were," he laughed. "I know you. I know that look. You can't fix this."

Blowing out a sigh, I sank back in my seat, letting defeat sink in. "Maybe you're right."

His large hand curled around my knee. Heat flooded my veins as my gaze dropped to his hand and I was no longer thinking about his mom. I was thinking about getting home as fast as possible and having him one last time as Taylor Coleman. "I think you should stay with me tonight." My hand covered his and my gaze slowly lifted, meeting his as my tongue swept out, wetting my dry lips. The air between us felt different, almost electrically charged, and every one of my nerve endings was suddenly awake.

"That wasn't part of the plan." His hand tightened around my leg just above my knee, and my insides melted with desire. "It's bad luck for me to see my bride tomorrow before you walk down the aisle."

My lips twitched, and I bit back a grin. Cole was so traditional when it came to love and marriage, and I loved that about him. My gaze fell to my hand covering his. "Well," my fingers tightened around his hand as I guided it up my thigh until it disappeared under the skirt of my dress, "then I guess you should be gone before I wake up in the morning." My voice was a breathy whisper with a hint of desperation.

I spread my legs wider, shifting in the seat, giving him access to everything I needed him to touch. He dragged his knuckles over my damp panties and groaned. "You win." He removed his hand, and I immediately missed his touch. "I'm staying with you tonight."

I smirked. "Then let's get out of here." I nodded toward the key hanging from the dash.

He twisted the key, but nothing happened. His body shifted, and he tilted his head to the side to see the keys, as if maybe he had done it wrong. He tried again. Nothing.

"I think it's broken."

I laughed. "Seriously?" This was funny for many reasons. One, because he had a brand new three-quarter ton sitting at his house, but he preferred Old Blue and two, because this was the exact spot that we'd supposedly broken down all those years ago. "You don't have to fake a breakdown to spend more time with me. I'm all yours."

A grin spread across his face. "I'm not faking," he twisted his body toward me, dropping his chest to me so that his mouth was centimeters from mine, "but I'm not mad about it either." The heat of his breath feathered across my lips.

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