No Place Like Home: The Coming Home Series, Book 1 (4 page)

“I’m also surprised you aren’t jaded.”

“I’m sure I am, but I try not to let it show. Work can get me down but I had to learn a long time ago to leave it at work. I’ve seen some great people hit rock bottom because of some of the shit we see. I never wanted that to be me. Life’s hard in general. No point in making it harder. What about you? I’m not a big fan of hearing about myself, so fill me in. What did you do after graduation? Where’d you go?”

“I went to Columbia and got a bachelor’s in English. Then to the University of Texas and got my master’s in Art History and my teaching certificate.”

“Why Texas?”

“My parents moved down there to get away from the winters up here.”

“They can be brutal.”

Charlie nodded. “Dad died several years ago, long battle with cancer. My mom was a college professor and my dad was in school administration. So you can say being a teacher was kind of in my blood.”

“No doubt. Destined for it, I guess. What do you teach?”

“Art history right now. At a high school in Dallas.”

“Oof. That’s gotta be rough. I’ve worked cases down there before. Public school, right?”

“Yes. Public. I’d love to teach private. I’d also love to teach younger kids but the positions are very hard to come by. Waiting lists are insane for those teaching positions and to be considered, you have to get some pretty impressive recommendations.”

“It’s all about who you know, not what you know. I get it.”

“Exactly.”

“But with your parents, don’t you know some pretty influential people? Not to mention Kia. Sounds like you’re really close to her, and she’s head of the Cardiac ICU here. That has to count for something.”

“Sure, but I don’t want to use my relationships to earn a position at one of those schools. Nepotism isn’t a way for me to be proud of my accomplishments.”

“I hear that.” After eating the last of his lasagna, he moved his plate aside and wiped his mouth with a napkin. “There are some really great private schools around here. Ever thought of applying up here? Or do you fear the winters enough to stay away?”

“Actually the one I’d love to work at is here in Buffalo.”

“Buffalo Academy of Arts?”

Charlie froze with a bite of lasagna halfway to her mouth. She set her fork down. “How’d you know that?”

“I have a bit of a vested interest in that school. It’s a great school.”

“Yes, it is. Ugh. But the winters.”

“Come on, snow is awesome.”

“When you’re four and you don’t feel the cold, it’s great. But when you’re an adult? Salt and sand everywhere. Snow days. Power outages.” She wrinkled her nose and he laughed.

“The notion of you being a wallflower doesn’t compute in my brain.”

“I sure was. Pudgy. Glasses. No confidence. High school was pretty awful.”

“What changed? How did you turn it around?”

“Uhh…my cat, actually.”

“I’m not following.”

“When I moved to Texas and got my own apartment I decided to get a cat. I went to the pound just to look around.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m a big sucker when it comes to cats.”

“I had one growing up. Mr. Whiskers.”

Warmth spread through her chest and she did her best to tamp it down. Falling for Mr. FBI wasn’t a smart move. “So they had cage after cage of cats. Most of them playing with their cage-mates, completely disinterested in any of the people looking at them. Then I came to my kitty. He was off by himself, watching the others play. A wallflower.” Getting choked up was not on the schedule of events.

Cole’s hand covered hers. He didn’t rush her, make a joke or cover it up with some flippant response. He just sat there with her.

It was a moment she would never forget.

She wiped a tear from her cheek and then took a deep breath. “I took him home that day. Lord Voldemort.”

Cole’s eyebrows went up and then he laughed with a shake of his head. “Great name.”

“I know, right? I gave him a bath. Not an easy task with a cat but at least he was still pretty small at that point. I cleaned him up and brushed out his fur and he was absolutely gorgeous.” Cole laced his fingers with hers and rubbed her thumb with his own. “He loved me. Bad hair, glasses, horrible fashion sense. Chunky. None of it mattered. So I decided to change.”

“Brave,” Cole muttered under his breath.

“Why do you say that? It wasn’t brave.”

“Sure it was. You went from invisible to a knockout. You draw attention I bet anywhere you go.”

“No I don’t.”

“I know you saw all of the guys on my floor staring at you while you left earlier. Your presence did not go unnoticed.”

“I just figured they were looking at something else.”

“No. They were looking at you, Charlie.”

She wrinkled her nose again. “It’s really strange thinking that. I just don’t see it. I’m still me.”

“Which makes you humble as well as brave. Very very rare qualities these days.”

“Why aren’t you married? Or were you married? And what about kids? I bet you’d make a great dad.”

He paused for a minute as if formulating exactly what he wanted to say. “Never found the right one to get married to. Just never felt that impetus to pop the question. Dated some really great girls, but
something
just wasn’t there. Always wanted to have kids. Especially being an only child. Here’s hoping I’ll be a great dad.” Sucking down the rest of his Coke Zero, he gestured toward her. “What about you? Marriage? Kids?”

“Well, I—”

“How was your meal?” Greg stepped up to the table. “Anything for dessert?”

“Charlie? Anything?”

“No. I’m so stuffed you might have to carry me to my car.”

“Me neither, Greg. Just the bill when you have it ready.”

He pulled a paper ticket from his apron and laid it upside-down between them. “They’ll take care of this at the front whenever you’re ready. Thanks for coming in and I hope to see you guys back again.”

“Thank you.” Charlie reached for the bill and Cole snatched it out from under her fingers.

“Ain’t no way.”

“At least let me pay my half.”

“Uh, no. I asked you on a date. You paying for your meal doesn’t go along with that whole date scenario.”

“Well, thank you. It was wonderful.”

“My pleasure. Truly.” He pulled his credit card out and stood. “You stay here for just a second and let me pay and then I’ll walk you to your car.” He slid into a suit jacket with the tail of the tie he wore earlier sticking out of the pocket.

He’d come right from work.

That somehow made her feel special. She tried to tamp down her attraction to him again and didn’t have any more luck than what she’d had earlier.

“Miss, is your husband still here?”

She looked up and Greg stood there holding a to-go box in a bag. “Oh, he’s not my husband. It’s our first date.” Probably their only date, but she didn’t want to say that one out loud.

“I forgot his to-go order of spaghetti and meatballs. I didn’t get it on his bill either.”

“Oooh. Let me take care of it. Can I pay you so it can be a surprise?”

“Sure.”

She pulled cash out of her purse and stood, handing it over.

Greg took it and smiled. “That dress is amazing. My girlfriend would give me the evil eye if she saw me staring but damn that dress is hot. Your date’s a lucky man.”

Smiling, Charlie took the bag and grabbed her purse. “It’s been a pretty good purchase. Glad I let my friend talk me into it. Thanks for the compliment and the food was amazing.”

“My pleasure.”

She turned to go and he headed back toward the kitchen.

“I needed an extra order of spaghetti and meatballs. I ordered it at the beginning of the meal and forgot all about it until now. If you can go ahead and add it, I can—”

“Nope. I got you covered. All taken care of.” She held up the bag.

“Excellent. I almost forgot to get it.” He faced the hostess behind the register. “How much do I owe you for it?” He pulled his wallet back out of his slacks.

“I paid Greg. So it’s all taken care of.”

“What do I owe you?”

“Nothing. It’s my treat. You wouldn’t let me pay anything for ours, so I’ll pay for whoever this belongs to. Paying it forward.” She smiled.

Then he kissed her.

Coletrane Johnson kissed her.

In the middle of Mario’s, with other people coming in and another couple walking up trying to pay, he kissed her.

His lips were soft and she loved the feel of his hand on the small of her back, pulling her body into his.

Some little noise of appreciation moved past her vocal cords and he lifted his head away. Before she could speak or ask a question or get a battery charger to jump-start her brain again, Cole scooped her up into his arms and strode toward the door.

“What are you doing?”

“You said you might need me to carry you to your car.”

“I said might.
Might
need you to carry me to my car.”

“Just wanted to make sure you got the full Buffalo date experience. City pride and all that.”

“You most definitely get an A+. Aren’t I too heavy for this?”

“Hot teacher giving me an A. That really shouldn’t turn me on as much as it just did. And too heavy? You’re joking, right?” He pushed open the door with his shoulder and pulled her closer when she shivered. “I’ve gotta have a good five inches on you without those heels you’re wearing and I’m a good fifty pounds heavier. I could carry you around for a while.”

His grip tightened and she hazarded a glance at him.

Strong.

Hot.

She needed to hightail it out of here before she made a fool of herself and did something ridiculous like ask him to her hotel.

“Charlie?”

“Huh?”

He grinned. “Where’s your car?”

“Oh, sorry. I got distracted.”

“By my dashing good looks?”

“Possibly.”

“You’re honest, too. Damn. Even when you’re blushing and sorta embarrassed. You’re so real. Not fake. That’s pretty rare in my line of work sometimes. And scratch the sometimes.”

“My rental’s that way.” Pointing in the general direction of the parking lot, she held onto the spaghetti. He took her toward the line of cars parked beside the building and she had to remember what her rental looked like. “It’s the blue Pilot.”

Didn’t take him but a few steps to set her outside the driver’s door. He took the bag with the food in it from her and set it on the roof.

“What are you—”

His lips… They were even better the second time around. He held her face between his palms, angling his head as he licked at the seam of her mouth. She opened on a sigh and held onto the lapels of his suit jacket.

“Your taste. I needed your taste.”

“You’re kissing me.” Out loud. Maybe if she said it out loud she’d believe it.

Again and again he kissed her until they both breathed heavy into the summer night. “And you’re kissing me back. Fuck, your lips are so soft, and you taste like watermelon.”

“Lip shmutz.”

He chuckled and put his forehead against hers. “You just said shmutz.”

“Not sexy at all, huh? Ugh. Sorry. I’m completely out of my element here. And my heart’s about to beat out of my chest.”

He lifted his head, staring down at her, then slid his hand from her cheek to rest on the side of her throat. Feeling her pulse. Learning what he did to her. Another reaction she couldn’t hide from him.

“So fast. Like a hummingbird.”

“Very fast.” She nibbled her lip and watched him lick her taste from his mouth. “Do you wanna come back to my hotel?”

“Hotel? I thought you’d be staying with Kia.”

She shook her head. “I like my own space and she’s dating another doctor from the hospital. Cramping her style or feeling like a third wheel just didn’t do it for me.”

Checking his watch was all he had to do to make her feel ridiculous for asking.

“Never mind.” She moved out of the cage he’d created with his body around her. “I’m sure you have other things you need to be doing.” She grabbed her keys right before he latched onto her waist and maneuvered her back around in front of him.

“It’s not that. I have to drop off the spaghetti before it gets any colder.” He grinned and tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear. “Going to your hotel sounds amazing. I couldn’t stay very long though. Maybe a couple hours. I have to get into work early tomorrow and I’ve been up for,” he glanced at his watch again, “a while.”

A car drove past and Charlie second-guessed herself. Maybe he wasn’t all that into her. She couldn’t blame him and didn’t want him to feel bad if he wanted to call it a night. Especially if he was tired.

He pulled her chin around until she faced him again. “Why are you chewing on your bottom lip?” Tugging it free, he leaned down and nibbled at it himself before kissing her again. He spoke against her lips. “Do I make you nervous?”

“Yes,” she hissed into his mouth as he deepened the kiss. Moving closer, he brushed against her and the hard length of him electrified every nerve in her body. “You’re hard.”

“Have been for hours.”

“For me.”

Moving against her, he kissed her one more time and she arched off the vehicle into his body. “You’re so responsive.”

“Never really have been before. Not gonna lie. I’m a little perplexed and a lot thrown by wanting you so badly. You could come to the hotel. We don’t have to do anything if you don’t want to.”

“You’re joking, right? Me not wanting you. That’s funny.”

“Well, you need to go drop off the food.”

“What food?” By the expression on his face she knew he was joking. “After I drop off the food I could meet you at the hotel. Give us both a few minutes to cool off and maybe we’ll both decide this isn’t what we should be doing.”

“Do you think that’s going to happen? Just so I don’t get my hopes up too high.”

“No, I don’t. I want you. Twenty minutes from now isn’t going to change that. We can just think about it as foreplay. Where I need to go is in the direction of the hotel. I’ll follow you a ways, take a short detour, and then meet you again.”

“So, you’re saying for a little ways after we leave the parking lot, I’m going to be tailed by an FBI agent?”