No Place Like Home: The Coming Home Series, Book 1 (8 page)

“Gram already fed you. You had a corn dog and some chips.”

“But I’m hungry again.” She drug the last word out as only a four-year-old could do.

“Sorry, small fry. You know the rules. Nothing for you after 7:30. I don’t need you running around the house like a monkey when you need to go to sleep.”

“Hi, Charlie. I’m Pam, Cole’s mom. AKA Gram.”

She shook her hand and smiled. “Bianca Charleston, but everyone just calls me Charlie.”

“Very nice to meet you, Charlie. Cole’s told me a lot about you since yesterday. I hear it’s you I need to thank for our spaghetti dinner last night.”

“No big deal, it was my pl—”

“Bisghetti!” Addyson yelled and broke into a fit of giggles, which she covered her mouth for. “You bought me bisghetti?”

“Well, I guess I did.”

“Hold me.” Didn’t take Addyson two seconds to sort of lunge in her direction. Thankfully Cole had a good hold on her and held her until Charlie could lift her under her arms and prop her on her hip.

“Addyson, you know you’re supposed to ask. Remember? Ask. Not demand.”

“Oh.” She twisted in her arms to hold Charlie’s cheeks. “Will you hold me? Puhllleease?” Then she made the
pretty please
hands, and Charlie couldn’t help but laugh.

“You’re already here so I think you should definitely stay awhile.”

“Cool. Daddy, did you hear? She’s gonna hold me.”

“I heard. As did the rest of Buffalo.”

Addyson held a fist out, kind of wiggling her fingers, and glaring at it the whole time. Then she waved it in front of Charlie’s face. “Hep.”

“Help, please. And here.” Cole lifted her thumb and curled the rest of her fingers around to make a thumbs-up. She showed it off to Charlie, and Charlie couldn’t help but rub her back.

“She’s gorgeous, Cole.”

“Thanks. She definitely keeps life interesting.”

“Cole, I’m gonna go. Seems you’re in good hands.”

“Hardee har har, Mom.” Cole hugged her close.

Pam kissed his cheek and then Addyson’s. “I’ll see you next Tuesday so I can keep my girl.”

“Thanks for watching her for me tonight so I could help out.”

“Love getting to spend time with her. You too. Nice to meet you, Charlie.”

“You too, Pam.”

Cole’s mom patted Addyson on the back one last time. “She’s been going for hours and missed her nap. So…good luck.” She winked at Charlie and then walked away.

“I like your earrings. Daddy and Gram say I can’t get any until I’m firteen, but that’s forever. Don’t you think I should get some now?” Her hopeful little eyes made Charlie laugh.

“I didn’t get mine done until I was fourteen, so I’d say your Dad and Gram are doing you a favor.”

“Oh. I’m ’dopted.” Addyson touched the necklace Charlie had on as if she hadn’t just lobbed another bomb her way.

Cole patted her back but never took his gaze from Charlie. “Adopted, sweetheart.”

“That’s what I said. ’Dopted. Where’d you get this?” She tugged on Charlie’s necklace.

“Umm…” Charlie shifted her higher, trying to focus again, and lifted the heart on the end of the chain. “I don’t remember. Had it forever.”

“You have purple in your hair.” A tiny pause lasted about two heartbeats. “Daddy, can I have—”

“No.”

She just smiled. “’Kay.” She laid her head down on Charlie’s shoulder and started humming to herself.

Cole rolled his eyes. “Not an ounce of stranger danger in her. Obviously.”

Charlie patted her back and rocked her from side to side. The noise from the dwindling crowd disappeared and she couldn’t take her eyes from Cole. He stared straight at her. She had so many questions for him but nothing she could grasp with his daughter going limp against her chest. “I don’t know what to say.” She whispered it, not wanting to wake Addyson.

He closed the distance between them and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “Say you’ll have dinner with me.”

“But—”

His fingers against her lips silenced her. Though she had no idea what she would have said afterward.

“I know I haven’t been completely open and honest.”

Her single lifted eyebrow seemed to convey quite a bit if his slightly self-deprecating chuckle was any indication.

“You don’t live here. I didn’t think we could have any kind of long-term relationship. It was supposed to be sex and that was it. Wasn’t that what you went into this thinking? Or am I being a dick?”

Charlie laughed and shook her head. “I sure wasn’t looking for some kind of relationship.” Ugh. Complicated. Addyson’s forehead lolled against her throat and Charlie held her close as she slept. “Didn’t think?” She repeated his earlier phrase. “As in past tense.”

“Didn’t think. Past tense.” His fingertip sliding across her cheek made her heart thump hard in her chest. “I’m actually kind of angry at you.” He didn’t look mad though. Perplexed maybe.

“And why is that?”

“You swoop in here—”

“Swoop?” She laughed silently as he nodded.

“Absolutely. I think you purposefully showed up to throw my life into chaos.”

“Oh really? And it’s all me?”

“Yes.”

“No it isn’t, mister. You have to be all smart and sexy and nice. You protect the world.” She looked around. “Help charities. Have a precious little girl who smells like cotton candy. And you kiss like I always dreamed someone would kiss me.”

“So, it sounds like maybe we could share the blame?”

“Possibly.” Addyson shifted against her and mumbled something she couldn’t understand.

“I need to get Little Bit there home and in bed or she’s going to be a bear tomorrow. Want me to take her?”

“Since she’s already asleep, why don’t you let me carry her to your vehicle? That way she’ll only have to be jostled once.”

The look on his face heated her insides. “Are you sure?”

“I like holding her.” It was the truth and it meant something. Charlie wasn’t anywhere close to figuring out what it was, but she knew she didn’t want to let her go yet. Or her dad.

Cole leaned forward and the distance between them disappeared. His lips? Soft. His hand on her cheek? Warm. Strong.

“Best money I’ve spent at one of these carnivals ever.” He led them toward the parking lot and they remained quiet for most of the way. “You didn’t agree to have dinner with me again.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“You’ve got questions, I assume. About Addyson? About this?” He motioned between them and waited.

“And you’ve got all the answers?”

“Hell no. But I’d like to tell you about her. Though I don’t normally tell anyone my business.”

“Why tell me?”

“Again. No clue. I still blame you.” He pushed a button on a key fob and lights blinked on his vehicle a few spaces further down.

“Well, far be it from me to withhold the opportunity to allow a man to talk about his feelings.”

“Feelings, gah.” He made the gagging sound and opened the back passenger side door. Thankfully the person parked next to him had already left so they had plenty of room to maneuver.

Charlie lifted Addyson into her car seat and gently buckled her in. She wiggled a few times, rubbed her face once, but never woke up. Once Charlie stepped away, Cole belted Addyson in and tucked a blankie around her from the seat next to her. Her little mouth popped open and Charlie’s heart melted just a little bit more. She moved a tiny bit and one of her shoes peeked out from beneath the pink fleece.

“Ruby slippers.” Pivoting around Cole right next to her, she reached up and touched the sequin shoes. “
The Wizard of Oz
.”

He nodded. “Her favorite movie. She watches it constantly. So your ‘man behind the curtain’ comment? That’s why it threw me so hard.”

She was already a little bit in love with him, which didn’t bode well for when she left. In just a few days.

Cole closed the door softly. “Have dinner with me.”

“When?”

“Tuesday? It’s my mom’s night to keep her so I already have a babysitter. I’d love for it to be sooner but I honestly have so much on my plate at work, I need to get some things handled. And all that’s true but total bullshit.” He moved her back against the SUV and kissed her.

Senseless.

“So you do or don’t have a lot going on at work?” Her entire body reacted to him. Instantaneously. Concentrating on not jumping him in the parking lot took more effort than she really had to muster.

“Do, but that’s not the reason I think we should take a few days.”

She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. Softest lips. “Why take a few days then?”

“Perspective, I think. I’m looking to find my
I am an island
mantra again. It’s been gone since you walked into my office with that dress on.”

She smiled again. Seeing him discombobulated delighted her and she tunneled her fingers into his hair. “Then Tuesday sounds perfect. I leave next Wednesday.” Saying it was for both of them. No matter what they felt, wanted, she was still going to be gone in less than a handful of days. “And does
perspective
mean we aren’t talking or anything so we can get back to that sex-only phase that lasted less than one date?”

“Absolutely. I’m totally going to cut you off. Cold turkey. It’s the only way to deal with this kind of obsession.” His sarcasm delighted her.

“So by cut me off you mean text as much as we can like we’ve done all day today and talk on the phone too?”

“Yep. Pretty much.”

“Got it.” She giggled and hugged him close.

“I love your giggle.”

She sighed and looked up at him.

“It’s like I’ve known you forever.”

“We kind of have.” Even if he didn’t remember her. He knew her now and that was all that mattered. “We just lost some time in the middle.”

“Then I’d say we need to make the most of it.” His kiss. It was a promise. A very, very dark and delicious promise.

Chapter Six

“I have to cancel our date.” Cole’s disappointment bled through the phone as Charlie sat in the coffee shop down the block from her hotel.

“Oh no, why?” Panic filled her system but she tried to keep it out of her voice.

“Something came up for my mom.”

“Hopefully everything’s okay?”

“Yeah. It’s fine, but now I don’t have anyone to watch Addyson, and I don’t trust her with just anybody.”

Charlie’s heart swelled in her chest, alleviating some of the disappointment. And she had a thought. “Umm, what if I brought the date to you?”

“What do you mean?”

“How about a picnic? I’ll bring a picnic and we can eat in the backyard. Assuming you have a backyard. I can be there at…” She looked at her watch and figured out how long it would take her to put it together. Kia was at work so she could use her kitchen to get it ready, and the grocery store was on the way. She was supposed to stay at her place tonight anyways, had already checked out of her hotel. But then Kia’d picked up another shift. It might work out perfectly. “Six-thirty-ish. I’ll bring enough for the three of us and we can have a picnic in your backyard.”

Silence.

“Umm. Maybe that was completely too forward of me and I should take it all back and we could just reschedule?” Charlie made a face that he thankfully couldn’t see.

“You’d do that?”

“Which option are we referring to? The picnic option? Or the remove foot and reschedule option?”

“The picnic option. You’d really drop whatever you’re doing to put a picnic together for us and you’d be okay spending time with me and my daughter?”

“I’d love to.” Understatement of the summer.

“Six-thirty-ish sounds awesome.”

“You or Addyson allergic to anything?”

“Nope. But she’s a ridiculously picky eater. As in I keep expecting her to be a corn dog when I go in to get her up in the morning.”

“Picky eater. Got it. See you at six-thirty.”

“See you then, and Charlie?”

“Yeah?”

“You rock me.” He hung up without saying anything else and Charlie bit her lip to keep from giggling out loud.

She didn’t succeed.

* * * * *

Addyson squealed and ran around their makeshift picnic in the living room.

“You made us a
Wizard of Oz
picnic.” Cole’s voice was a little bit disbelieving and a little bit awed.

For a few hours of work, Charlie decided it was more than worth it as she sat down with Cole and Addyson in their living room to have a picnic. The outside idea hadn’t worked out due to rain.

“Yes, I did.”

Addyson plopped down in Charlie’s lap and squealed again. “Daddy, look. There are fairy wands.”

“Made out of celery and rice cakes. Held together with peanut butter.”

Addyson picked one up and took a bite. “Mmm…”

“She wouldn’t eat that to save her life this morning,” Cole mumbled under his breath. He looked incredibly handsome wearing a dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up and the top two buttons undone, along with his suit slacks.

Charlie wore a tank top and shorts, but she hadn’t packed many clothes. For her last day before the flight back to Dallas she couldn’t be too picky.

“Red mashed potatoes,” Addyson said with wide eyes.

“For the poppy flowers and the ruby slippers, of course,” Charlie added helpfully as she tapped the red slippers on Addyson’s feet.

“And little sandwiches shaped like the Lion’s crown.”

“With turkey and ham and cheese inside because that’s what the Lion would eat to stay strong to help Dorothy.”

Addyson grabbed a sandwich and took a big bite. “I want to help Dorothy, too.”

Charlie kissed her head before she thought better of it. “She should be so lucky.”

“And the fruit?” Cole questioned. “I’m missing something on the fruit.”

“The horse, Daddy, the horse!”

Cole closed his eyes and shook his head. “Of a different color.”

“Yes! And over the rainbow. Red watermelon, orange cantaloupe, yellow pineapple, green kiwi and blueberries.” Charlie held her hand up to Addyson. “High five.”

The little girl slapped it and then held it up to Cole. “High sive, Daddy.” He slapped her hand. “Now, Charwee. She needs a high sive, too.” Addyson urged her hand up, and Cole slapped it.

“She’ll be getting more than a high five later.”

“Yay!”

Charlie smiled and felt her cheeks heat. She cleared her throat. “And the final touch are the witch’s hats.”

“Oreos and kisses.” Addyson giggled behind her hands and bounced on Charlie’s lap. “Daddy, Daddy. Can we watch the movie after we eat?” She scrambled up and over to him and held his face. “Pwease pwease pwease!”

Cole looked sternly at her as if he were debating the merits of her plan. “Yes. Uh-uh-uh, not so fast.” Addyson had started jumping up and down but she stopped and faced Cole again. “Count them off.” He held up a finger and so did she. “You have to take a bath after dinner.” They added another finger. “Brush your teeth.” Another finger and Cole had to help her. “And vitamins.” Another finger with a little bit more help. “Then go to bed right afterward.” They added their thumbs and he clasped their hands together. “And no fussing.” He pulled her close so they were forehead to forehead. “Deal?”

“Deal.” Addyson nodded once emphatically.

“Kiss on it.”

Addyson had already kissed him square on the mouth before he’d finished speaking and she headed back to Charlie. This time she plopped down next to her. “We get to watch the moobie. I made a deal.”

“Yes, you did. Your dad drives a hard bargain.”

“I know,” she whispered behind her hand conspiratorially. “No sussing is really hard.”

“Well, let’s dig in so you can get to your bath and we can sing along to the movie.” Charlie grabbed a paper plate and put food on it for Addyson.

“You sing, too?” Addyson wanted to know.

“Of course. Doesn’t everybody?” Setting the plate down in front of the little girl Charlie would have thought she hadn’t eaten in a week.

Around a mouthful of food she confessed, “Daddy does, but he says I’m not supposed to tell anybody.”

“But you just told Charlie.”

“’Course. She’s not anybody. She’s Charwee.”

A cough really didn’t cover her snicker very well, but Charlie kept her head down and made a plate for herself.

“Think that’s funny, do ya?” Cole asked as he bit into a crown sandwich.

“Possibly. Guess we’ll see how funny during the movie when you start singing.” Charlie copped to it and started in on some fruit as she winked at Cole.

He shook a fairy wand at her and ate the star off the top. “We’ll just see who’s still standing at the end. I’ll get you my pretty,” he added in a very good Wicked Witch of the West voice.

Addyson then launched into talking and carried the conversation for the rest of the meal.

All the while Cole stared at Charlie. She knew it. Felt it. Didn’t know what to do with the look behind his eyes so she remained silent and enjoyed listening to Addyson chatter.

Less than an hour later, Addyson had eaten almost everything on her plate other than what was left on her face and shirt.

“A napkin, little girl. This is why I want you to use a napkin.”

Her sleeve was used and she smiled, knowing she was funny.

“That’s it. Now I’m going to chase you upstairs and wrestle you into the bathtub.” He threw up his hands as if it were a foregone conclusion and there was nothing he could do about it.

A shriek of delight preceded Addyson jumping up and running behind the couch to hide. Cole stood as well then crouched low as if he were on the prowl.

“Can’t catch me. Can’t catch me,” she taunted.

They faced off for a few seconds and then Cole went after her. Addyson eeped and made a break for the stairs. He caught her halfway up and tickled her, making a game of getting ready to take a bath. When he let her go, she scrambled the rest of the way upstairs and Cole called after her. “I’ll be right there. I have to help Charlie with the food real quick. Get undressed and get those dirty clothes in the hamper, not on your floor. Don’t even think about getting in the bathtub before I’m there.” No answer. “Addyson?”

“Yes, Daddy. Clothes off. No tub. Got it, dude.”

“Dude. So help me.” He headed back into the living room.

Charlie had already started gathering the food and taking it into the kitchen. “Don’t worry about me. I’ve got this part handle—”

Cole’s mouth was on hers before she could finish her thought, much less her sentence.

A growl rumbled through him. “No one has ever taken the time to do something like that for my daughter.”

Charlie latched onto his shirt since her knees started to shake. “It was as much for me as it was for her. I love that movie.” Yes, she downplayed it but… “It really wasn’t that big a deal.” The last part was supposed to be in her head but it came out anyways.

“Yes. It is a big deal.” He kissed her again a bit roughly, deliciously. His five o’clock shadow seemed to light a match to her already primed libido.

“Why do I say things out loud with you?”

“Only one four-letter word that I can think of.” He maneuvered her against the wall and pressed his cock against her stomach, not giving her enough time to contemplate what he meant. Love. That four-letter word. “You wreck me. The need to take you again, to make you come? It’s been eating at me for three days now. I hope you know what’s in store for you after the movie and once I get the munchkin to bed.”

“Daddy, I’m ready!”

Charlie jumped when Addyson called downstairs and tried to move away. Thankfully they were around a corner so they couldn’t be seen.

Cole pinned her arms above her head and leaned in close, trapping her body against the wall. “Think about how many times you want to come before I fuck you. I’ll need an answer before the movie’s done so I know how we’re going to proceed.” He looked down at the small amount of cleavage she had showing above her tank top. “You make my mouth water.” He kissed her again and moaned into her mouth. “I hope you took a nap today because you’re going to need it.” He stepped away, releasing her wrists. “Coming.”

She didn’t know if he was talking to her or to Addyson, but she sure as hell watched him until he rounded the corner.

Distantly she heard him make it upstairs and water running in the bathtub, but her brain was sluggish in the best of terms.

After a few minutes she convinced her muscles to respond in order to pick up the rest of the food. It was thankfully an incredibly mindless task since her head was quite occupied with the question he told her he needed an answer to by the time the movie was done.

“Charwee, Charwee! I’m Dorofee.” Addyson called her name before she was even downstairs. The sound of tiny feet warmed her inside. The sweet girl with wet hair tore around the corner wearing a nightgown that looked just like Dorothy’s blue gingham dress in the movie. She spun in a circle and jumped up and down.

“Perfect. All clean? Ready to watch the movie?”

“Mmhmm. Daddy said I needed to hep you.”

“All done.” Charlie held up her hands and showed her the Tupperware she had to take back to Kia. “Everything’s put away and the living room’s all ready to watch a movie.”

Cole’s footsteps coming down the stairs created quite a different sensation inside her.

She was prepared for him. For her reaction to him.

She was.

Until she rounded the corner and saw he stood there in nothing but a pair of running shorts. His body was a sight to see.

“Do you have jammies?” Addyson asked her as she took her hand and led her to the couch.

Charlie sat down, collapsed, whatever, and Addyson scrambled up next to her and tucked herself into her side. “Nope, but that’s okay. I’m super comfy and I’m not sleeping here tonight anyways.”

“You’re not? But Daddy said you might and then we could have pancakes for breakfast.” Addyson’s face lit with joy and she didn’t know what to say.

Charlie looked toward Cole for a little help. The back of his head greeted her as he put in the DVD and got it started. “Cole?”

“Uh huh?”

“Don’t you
uh huh
me.”

His shoulders shook with silent laughter as he walked over and plopped down on the other end of the couch. His arm automatically went to the back of the furniture and the space between them disappeared as he touched her shoulder. “Just thought you might like to stay. It’s going to be late when the movie’s done.”

“Do you want to stay?” Addyson asked with those bright blue eyes.

“Yes, do you want to stay?” Cole parroted and gently pulled on a piece of her hair as he got into the menu of the Blu-Ray to skip all the previews and warnings.

“Maybe.” That’s all she could come up with as the warmth of Cole and his daughter sank inside her.

Cole stared at her.

“Good,” father and daughter answered together.

“Ooh, ooh, ooh!! It’s starting!” Addyson focused on the TV, already lost in the magical world of Dorothy and her dream beyond the rainbow.

* * * * *

“Your voice, it’s actually not half bad, Agent Johnson.” She half whispered it to cover her nervousness as Cole walked back in the living room. “Did she stay asleep?”

“Out like a light. Not surprising after all that bouncing and general rowdiness you just got to experience firsthand. Who knew
The
Wizard of Oz
could be so full contact.”

He turned off the main light in the kitchen, leaving on just the light above the stove. It gave them enough illumination to see by, but it was now more intimate. Probably had something to do with the fact they were completely alone.

Not knowing exactly what was going to happen, Charlie decided to stay lying on the couch and leave it up to him.

“You’re amazing, you know that?” He moved toward her and her heart sped up.

She flipped her hair over her shoulder. “I could give Judy Garland a run for her money.”

“Or even Glenda. You’d look wicked hot in that big-ass pink dress.”

She expected him to jump her, take her down onto the floor and get right to it, but that couldn’t have been further from reality. Like a bulldozer he pushed between her and the back of the couch and then tucked her body into his in front of him.