Outlaw by Nicole James

except for a little
moonlight coming through the windows that framed either side of the bed. He’d
half expected to find Angel gone when he got back. Figured maybe she’d try to
climb out the window, and take off. But she was laying in the bed sound asleep.
    Cole looked down at her as he pulled his cut off,
and tossed it on the back of the chair. He pulled off the shoulder holster he
wore, and set it down on the table next to the bed. Then he stripped off his
clothes, and took a shower.
    Ten minutes later he walked out of the bathroom,
holding a towel around his waist. He walked over to the stereo, and flipped it
on, the volume turned low. He rolled the dial to his favorite blues station.
The mellow rich music flowed out of the speakers. He had to have music on at
night or he couldn’t sleep. He wasn’t even sure when it had become a thing for
him, but he accepted it. It just was.
    Tossing the towel on the floor, he climbed into bed.
    She was facing the opposite side of the bed, and he
put his arm around her, and pulled her back against his chest. It felt like she
belonged there. Her body was warm against his bare skin. She had stripped down
to her bra and panties, and his hand rested on her bare stomach. Her hair
smelled clean and fresh, and he leaned over, and kissed her behind the ear.
    “Night, Angel,” he whispered, wondering at this unfamiliar
feeling of contentment seeping into him.
    It wasn’t long before he drifted off to sleep.

 
    Sometime during the night Angel woke up. The first
thing she noticed was the soft, blues music playing on the stereo, a stereo
that hadn’t been on when she’d lain down. She turned her head, and realized
Cole was in the bed with her. He was turned on his side facing away from her.
The covers were riding low on his hip, and she took in the beauty of his bare
muscular back. She could see, even in the moonlight, the paler skin at the
covers edge, and knew he was naked beneath them. She moved closer to him, and
slid her arm around his waist, drawn to the warmth of his bare skin.
    A moment later he took her hand in his, brought it
to his mouth, and kissed her palm. Then he gave her hand a squeeze, and set it
back at his waist.
    She snuggled closer, her breasts pressing against
his back.
    After a few minutes, he felt her lips on his skin,
where his neck met his shoulder. A shy, tentative kiss at first, and then,
after a moment, another, this one open-mouthed. He lay there with his eyes
closed enjoying the soft touch of her mouth on his skin. He groaned softly, and
murmured, “Mmm, that feels nice, baby.”
    Angel rose up on her elbow, and looked down at him.
    Cole felt her move, and turned his head to look at
her.
    They stared at each other in the silvery moonlight.
    He slowly rolled to his back.
    Her hand reached out hesitantly, and ran up his
muscled chest, her fingertips coasting lightly over his skin.
    His eyes followed their movement, and then darted to
her face. He watched as she slowly leaned over him, lowered her head, and then
her mouth was on his.
    The kiss was soft and gentle, barely brushing his
lips, but it kindled a fire in him like nothing else would have. Her mouth moved
to his neck. Soft, tender kisses trailing down to his collar
bone . He felt her tongue dip into the hollow at the base of his throat,
and desire shot through him. And then her mouth moved down further to his
chest. His little wildcat, she was all soft , purring
seduction now.
    Cole slid his arms up, cupping her face in his
hands. Applying gentle pressure, he brought her face back up to his, and his
eyes searched hers. He needed to be sure this time. “You don’t have to do
this,” he whispered. “It’s not part of the deal, sweetheart.”
    “I know.”
    “Do you?”
    She nodded.
    “Angel, after everything you’ve been through, I
don’t think you’re ready-”
    She cut him off. “You don’t want me, then?” she
whispered, starting to pull back. Wondering if it was because of what had