Page 19 of Cole
“Sleep,” she whispered. She bent down, kissing his forehead, then gasped at her own brazenness. “Oh! I’m sorry, Cole. I don’t know why I did that.”
“I don’t care why you did that,” he smirked. “Truth is, if I weren’t hurting I was going to kiss you like you’ve never been kissed before.”
“Well, that would be easy,” she said under her breath. Cole stared at her, shaking his head.
“You’re this beautiful and you’ve never been kissed?”
“Well, not really,” she said nervously. “I mean, when I was training at the hospital another doctor shoved me into a closet and tried to kiss me. He was old and disgusting. Thankfully, the bodyguards didn’t see him or he would have died. I was able to get away but it wasn’t a pleasant experience.”
Cole gripped her upper arm, lowering her to his prone body. She stared, wide-eyed into his handsome face.
“Hear me clearly, Hala. I will kiss you and when I do, you will know that it’s the last kiss you will ever have.” Cole smiled at her, then closed his eyes, relaxing against the pillows.
Hala frowned, slowly standing and taking a seat across the aisle. His sister turned and smiled at her, leaving Angus’ side to take the seat beside her.
“All of our men are like that,” she smiled.
“Like what?” she frowned.
“They know what they like, what they want, who they want and they aren’t afraid to go for it. My brother won’t be any different. He cares for you.”
“Cares for me? He doesn’t know me. I’m just the woman who got the stubborn donkey to pull him from the well,” she said shaking her head.
“No. No, you’re far more than that,” said Bailey. “You’re the woman that offered to save him, to lower the rope, to getthe donkey to move. You bandaged his wounds, carried him to safety and stayed with him.”
“This is a lot to take in,” she whispered. “I know medicine. I know bodies. But I don’t understand the heart, the emotions that go along with relationships because I’ve never experienced them, other than in fear.”
“Well, you’re going to be around dozens of women who will help you and guide you, including my mother, grandmother, aunts, and so many others.”
“It must be wonderful to have all of those people available to support you,” she smiled.
“I’ve been very, very blessed. Cole and I are triplets, as I said. Our sister, Ambry, just got married and is expecting triplets.”
“Oh, wow,” she laughed. “That’s remarkable. In Syria, it’s unusual for multiple births and unless you’re in a major city the chances of something going wrong is very high. I don’t think I’ve ever known a multiple.”
“Well, you’re about to meet a lot of them. Our mother is a triplet, and her father was a triplet.”
“Oh,” she said in a barely audible sound. She looked back at Cole and then at Bailey. Bailey reached for her hand and smiled.
“I think you’d make beautiful children.”
“I don’t know him. He doesn’t know me!” she cried.
“He will. And you will. You already know what’s really important. He’s protective, he’s kind, he’s intelligent, funny, smart, and handsome.”
“Very handsome,” she muttered under her breath. Bailey smiled, nodding.
“Yes.Very handsome.”
“What if your family won’t let me stay? What if they say I have to go back?”
“You have to trust me,” said Bailey. “They would never, ever do that. You will be welcomed with open arms.”
“What about you and him?” she said nodding toward Angus. Bailey turned to stare at the wide back of Angus.
“I wish I knew. He was just suddenly there. I was a child when I saw him last but he’s different. Bigger, stronger, more handsome. But also, I don’t know, something is different for me.”
“You’re a woman,” smirked Hala. “Even I know that. You’re seeing him now through a woman’s eyes, not a child’s eyes.”
