Rachel stepped forward and hugged Shelly tightly. “I still hate that I ruined your moment. You and Josh mean so much to me.”

“Oh, stop it. You didn’t ruin it. You gave us one of the most interesting nights of our lives. Not to mention, we were all blown away. You mean a lot to all of us, Rachel, and you caught us all off-guard. No matter how much fun I poke at it, I’m happy if you’re happy. Are you sure this is what you want?”

Rachel moved back and looked at Lena and Shelly before nodding and reassuring them both, “I know it’s crazy, but I don’t think normal applies to me. I love him. He’s unlike anyone I’ve ever met, and honestly, he has shocked the hell out of me.”

Shelly leaned down and lifted the glass of wine, handing it back to Rachel. “Well then, how about you two celebrate my amazing news? A baby out of wedlock. I love following the rules. My mother will probably die! Raise your glasses and congratulate all of us on our good taste in men. Damn! How did we get so lucky?”

Lena and Rachel laughed as they clinked their glasses.

“Because we are completely awesome of course!” Rachel decided as she took a sip of her wine and saluted them all.

* * *

Two hours later, Lena and Rachel were on their second bottle of wine, and Shelly was pumping for information on Josh.

“So, come on, tell me,” she coaxed as Rachel continued shaking her head. “I bet he was such a cute teenager, all of that floppy brown hair and big brown eyes.”

Lena giggled as she brought the glass to her lips. “I bet they both were, Mason and Josh. How weird that you knew them back then.”

“Well, one is my brother,” Rachel reminded dryly. She didn’t think it was weird at all. It was just part of her life, her history.

“Were they good boys? I bet they were always in trouble.” Lena asked with a grin.

Rachel chuckled at that. “Oh, as teens, they were always in trouble. God, Mom and Dad were forever looking for creative ways to punish Mase. They were also good guys though.”

Closing her eyes, Rachel leaned back in her chair. “Josh’s family was just like ours, but you know that.” Rachel opened one eye to look at a relaxed Shelly. “He has his brother and two great parents, and he was my brother’s best friend. He also happened to be the boy I—”

“Wanted to maaarrryyy,” Shelly sung like an idiot.

Rachel found herself giggling at that. “Yes, I guess I did. It’s a good thing you came along and weaved your sex spell. It rendered him deaf, dumb, and blind to all those around you.”

“Or you would have eloped with him instead?” Shelly quipped.

“Eww, no, you moron. Josh is like a brother to me now. After high school, he went to college with Mason, and my attention was diverted to a different type of man. A man I thought was good for me, but he wasn’t.”

Lena sat up and reached out to Rachel, squeezing her knee. As Rachel raised her eyes to her sister-in-law, she immediately knew that Lena knew about Ben. In the silent communication, Rachel felt the solid support from the newest member of her family.

“So, that’s why you were such a pain in the ass when Josh and I—”

“I was protective, not a pain in the ass.”

“Oh, come on, you were a bit of a bitch.”

Rachel’s eyes widened, and she looked to Lena for support.

Lena shrugged. “You kind of were, but it all makes sense now.”

Rachel slumped back in her couch and blew out a long breath of air. “Well, it’s just that I know what a good guy Josh is. I didn’t want you to jerk him around, you know?”

Shelly’s smile changed from smart-ass to sappy in the space of a minute. “I know exactly what you mean. Josh is a total sweetheart. Strong, caring, and god, he’s so good in bed.” She paused before asking, “Is that weird for you to hear?”

Rachel’s laugh exploded into the room as she shook her head, “Ahh, no. I’d be more disappointed if you said he was terrible.”

“Speaking of good in—” Lena started.

“Um, excuse me, you don’t get to contribute. I do not want to hear about my brother in bed.”

“But you just said Josh was like a brother,” Lena protested with a wink to Shelly. The wine was finally catching up to her.

“Yeah, but he’s not my brother. That’s the difference. Plus, I’ve kissed him. Guess I was always curious if he was a rock star in bed.”

Shelly licked her lips and sighed. “In bed, in his truck…oh, oh, and in the parking lot.”

Rachel’s eyes widened as she stared at the blonde doctor.

“What about Cole?” Shelly asked with a wink. “We’re not related to him.”

“What about him?”

“Bet that guy’s a rock star.” Lena giggled.

Rachel turned her eyes to her sister-in-law, feeling a smug smile pull at her lips. “Well, he has a real sweet tooth when it comes to caramel sauce.”

The satisfaction Rachel got from the way their mouths dropped open was probably unhealthy in some way, but she relished the feeling just the same. She was about to mention the library and the ladder when there was a loud knock on the door.

Looking around the room, Rachel asked, “Expecting anyone, ladies?”

As they shook their heads, the knock came again.

Getting up and placing her glass on the table, Rachel jumped over Lena’s legs, stumbling slightly and giggling as she righted herself. “Whoops.”

As the girls’ laughter filled the room behind her, she straightened her white shirt hanging off her shoulder, ’80s style, and wiped her hands on her black stretchy leggings. Tipping her head back, she shook her hair out behind her, and then she reached out and opened the front door.

* * *

All day, Cole had been thinking about getting back to Rachel. It was like she had infected his brain, and now, she was all he could think about. Originally, they had discussed that she would spend the afternoon and evening at her apartment, packing up as much as she could, and he would come and help her with the rest on the weekend. They had agreed to meet tomorrow for lunch, but as far as Cole was concerned, tomorrow was too damn far away. He wanted her now.

So, there he was. He hadn’t even bothered stopping at home to change. Instead, he had come straight from the office.

As the door opened and she came into view, he pounced. Stepping forward through the door, he reached out and slid his hands across her cheeks and into her hair as he backed her up into the small apartment hall.

Kicking the door shut, he kept his eyes on hers. As they widened, she went to open her mouth, but before a sound could slip free, Cole lowered his head and sealed her mouth shut with his own. Sliding his tongue deep between her lips, he turned and walked them back until she hit the wall. Dipping his knees, he pushed his body flush with hers until he was rubbing his cock up against that delicious warm spot between her thighs.

Running one hand down her neck, Cole moved the flimsy material of her shirt off her shoulder, continued sliding his hand down her arm, and then he wrapped his hand around her to cup her tight ass through those sexy black tights.

With his other hand in her hair, he gripped it tightly and tilted up her head to him as he raised his head from her lips to stare down into eyes that had clouded over with lust.

Fuck yes! Now, if I could just get these pants down, he thought as he dragged his palm over her ass, flirting with the elastic band around her waist.

Lowering his head, he placed his lips against her shoulder and bit gently before he swiped his tongue over it, and Rachel let out a loud moan.

“Well, as hot as this is, I think it’s only fair to let you know that other people are in the house.”

Cole’s head came up at the teasing flirty tone, and he froze where he was. He had a hand in Rachel’s hair, and his fingers inside the elastic at the back of her pants. He could feel Rachel’s heartbeat thrumming against his chest as he looked down at his wife.

“Thanks for the heads-up,” he mumbled as her eyes focused on him.

“I tried,” she offered with a giggle.

“Not very hard.”

Rachel arched out her hips and rubbed herself against him. “Oh, it’s very hard.”

Cole could now taste the wine on his own tongue from their thorough kiss. “And how much have you had to drink?”

“Enough to not care that they’re standing here, watching you rub all over me.”

He felt his lips twitch as he looked over his shoulder, still not moving away from Rachel. Right at this moment, she was the only thing hiding his massive hard-on.

“So nice to see you ladies again,” he greeted Shelly and Lena, who were both now standing at the end of the small hallway.

The blonde had a grin across her face and looked like she was barely holding back laughter, and Lena had her brows raised and was biting her bottom lip.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize Rachel was having company this evening.”

The woman Cole knew as Joshua’s fiancée, Shelly, winked at him and Rachel. “I’m sure she’s wishing right now that she didn’t have company either.”

“Shut up, Shelly,” Lena mumbled as she whacked her friend on the arm.

“What? After seeing that, don’t tell me you aren’t going to go home and jump Mason. I’m definitely going to find Josh. That was hot.”

“Oh god.” Rachel finally made a sound from where she was still pinned to the wall. It wasn’t oh god as in she was feeling ultimate pleasure. It was more, Oh god, make them stop.

Cole found himself starting to laugh. When he felt that his body was somewhat back under control, he moved away from Rachel and asked the women, “So, what have you three been up to?”

“Not as much as you,” Shelly pointed out, dropping her eyes to his pants with an inappropriate laugh.

Rachel finally snapped to. Stepping up next to him, she assured him, “Ignore her. We all do.” Slipping her hand into his, she looked up and asked, “I thought we were going to just meet up tomorrow for lunch?”

“Seems like someone was impatient. It’s quite sweet really,” Shelly interjected.

“Does she ever shut up?” Cole asked good-naturedly. He looked first to Lena, who was shaking her head, and then to Rachel.

“No, this is pretty much it. Isn’t it strange that someone as nice as Josh end—”

“Hey!” Shelly complained. “I’ll have you know that Josh totally understands and loves everything about me.”

Rachel leaned into Cole. “Yeah, I’m sure he does. Maybe that’s why he’s always occupying your mouth when he’s around. To shut you up.”

Lena giggled at that, and Shelly glared at her. “What? It was funny.”

Shelly moved back into the living room and picked up her purse and Lena’s before she strutted back to the hallway and handed the purse to her friend. “Well, one thing I do know is we should get going.”

Looking at the three of them, Cole grimaced. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

Shelly laughed and Lena pushed her non to gently out of the door as she tried to assure him, “You didn’t don’t worry. Have a good night.”

Shelly called back over her shoulder, “A really good night!”

As the door slammed shut behind them, Cole turned to look down at Rachel.

She shrugged. “I didn’t know you were coming.”

Taking her hand in his, Cole tugged her toward the bedroom and snagged the open bottle of wine. Over his shoulder, he told her, “I’m not, yet.”

And as she followed him with a wine-induced giggle, Cole shut the bedroom door, ready to have a nice long drink.

28

As the bedroom door clicked shut, Rachel turned to see Cole minus his jacket. He was leaning up against the door, holding the opened bottle of wine down by his side.

Rachel let her eyes run over him, and as she brought them back up his suit pants to the tailored white shirt and bright red tie, she couldn’t help the thrill that she got from knowing he was hers.

Keeping her eyes on his, she reached down and lifted her shirt up and over her head, flinging it off to the side. As she did so, Cole lifted his left hand and loosened his tie.

Without a word, Rachel pushed her fingers into the top of her leggings and stripped them down her legs. When they hit the floor, she looped them on her toe, and with a flirty wink, she kicked them toward him.

No words were needed as Cole removed the tie over his head and threw it on the floor. He then began to undo the buttons of his shirt from top to bottom as his eyes zeroed in on her lacy, white strapless bra and matching miniscule thong. When he reached the bottom of his shirt where it was tucked into his pants, he pulled the material free.