“That we’re together?” He stopped and looked down at her, his arm cradling her closer. “No one questioned it when we were dating.”
Was he kidding? His friends probably didn’t ask or care. She wished she had been so lucky. Her relatives teased her about how opposites attract. Her female clients asked if she used any sexual expertise in grabbing Cole’s attention. One acquaintance had asked why Cole was dating her when he could have any woman.
She guessed no one dared to ask Cole those questions. Lucky him. “I mean that no one would think I would hook up with a stripper.”
It didn’t help that she had done nothing different with her appearance. Angie knew she should have worn something suggestive or pretty. She winced at the thought. Instead she wore her favorite standbys. The white long-sleeve T-shirt and black track pants were comfortable and her running shoes were top-of-the-line.
She should have given her appearance more thought. After all, she was going to stand next to Cole Foster, whose masculine beauty was emphasized in a blue henley shirt and jeans. Most guys in Seattle wore that combination, but for some reason, Cole stood out in the crowd. It wasn’t just her opinion. She had seen more than one person in the hall give him a flirtatious glance.
“But it’s not unreasonable that you would backslide,” he argued. “Ex sex happens more than you think. Why do you think they give it a name?”
Ex sex. She didn’t like that label. It made something that was so emotional into something very casual. She imagined most people had sex with their ex because it would offer some familiarity and comfort. She never had that with Cole. When they were together it had been an exciting roller-coaster ride.
Sometimes the intimacy they had shared felt risky. There were moments that had changed her and made her see Cole differently. Those were the times when she felt they had formed a stronger bond. Backsliding wouldn’t let her recapture those life-transforming experiences.
She stumbled to a stop and pretended that she was reading the room numbers. Why was she thinking about that? They weren’t backsliding. Cole had no interest in having sex with her. If she responded to any of his gestures or touches, then she would be in trouble. She felt jittery and alive next to him. She was very aware of his clean, masculine scent, how warm and large his hand felt against her shoulder.
“Okay, Heidi’s room is over there.” She pointed at the door across the hall. “Ready?”
“Yes.” He squeezed her arm and drew her closer. “Just follow my lead.”
“Wait a second. Let me do the talking,” she suggested. “It would look weird if you started asking questions.”
Cole showed no expression but she felt the tension in his body. Did he think she would mess up? Or was it hard for him to give up any control in his case? He obviously didn’t like it if she took charge in or out of bed.
He nodded. “Fine.”
“Really?” She wasn’t expecting him to yield. But then, he had surrendered quickly in bed and then she paid for it weeks later. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, absolutely. She’ll talk to you because she knows you.”
“Okay, let’s do this.” Angie thrust out her chin and walked out of Cole’s embrace. She knew he wanted to enter as a loving couple, but that would distract her. It was bad enough that she already felt the loss of his touch. That bothered her. A year without Cole and she was craving for him more than ever.
Angie knocked on the door and peered inside the room. “Heidi? Do you feel up for visitors?”
Heidi’s hands flew to her face. “Oh, I look horrible.”
“No, not at all,” Angie insisted. It was the truth. The woman’s short hair was ruffled and her face was pale, but she was still stunning. The hospital gown did nothing to detract from her fragile beauty.
“Who’s that?” Heidi asked as Angie set the bouquet of flowers on the bedside table. “Wait a second, you look familiar.”
“This is Cole.” She only paused for a second before she hooked her arm around his waist and leaned into his body. It felt as good as she remembered. “He was one of the strippers last night.”
“You two got together last night?” Heidi stared at Angie, her mouth hanging open with shock. “You landed a stripper? You did?”
Angie cast an I-told-you so look at Cole. He seemed more confused by Heidi’s reaction than anything. “Well, last night was crazy,” she said as she returned her attention to Heidi. “Don’t you remember?”