“Faster.” She pleaded, trying to pull him closer, trying to buck beneath him, needing to ratchet the heat up a notch so he wouldn’t look at her like that. Like she was all he ever wanted. Pressing her mouth to his, she closed her eyes, needing to put some distance between them, even if only in her mind.

“Look at me, Sierra.” Cole stated once more, breaking the kiss. “Look at me.”

The demand was unexpected, but she stared back into his eyes, hoping he’d see everything he wanted to find.

“I love you, Sierra.” He whispered the words, but Sierra’s heart heard them like they had been shouted through a canyon, the meaning ricocheting through her until… she shattered.

Cole groaned, his body tensing as he held still above her, his release filling her body while his words filled all of the dark spaces inside of her. For the life of her, Sierra couldn’t say the words out loud, but she knew…

She definitely knew she would never be the same.

* * *

Cole couldn’t have moved if he wanted to. Lying in the darkened room, Sierra’s soft body pressed up against his side, he accepted that he’d died and gone to heaven. That was the only explanation for what had just happened. He had made love to Sierra. And what they had just done couldn’t be categorized any other way.

He’d taken his chances coming to her house that morning. After spending the last two months sitting on the sidelines, waiting for Luke to make up his mind, to figure out what the hell it was he wanted other than mind blowing sex, Cole had somehow managed to fall in love with this one small woman. But that’s where normal ended, and unusual picked up, because what Cole was feeling couldn’t be described any other way.

Being pulled in two different directions was not uncommon for Cole, but when it came to his emotions, this situation couldn’t have been more outrageous if he’d dreamed it up himself. The night before, he’d wanted nothing more than to pull up to Luke’s house, barge in and demand the man wake the fuck up and take notice. Instead, he’d talked some sense into himself and gone home to an empty house. Too much had been at stake, and thankfully, Cole had come to his senses before he made the biggest mistake of his life.

Second biggest, actually. The first had been coming to Sierra’s that morning and giving in to the temptation that had eaten away at him for weeks.

Lying beside her, Cole recognized the mistake, knowing he’d never be able to just walk away from her again. It didn’t matter how he felt about Luke, there was a part of himself that was reserved solely for this woman.

Maybe he should have remained on the sidelines, played the third like he’d been doing for years. That would have been the easy way out. Unfortunately, he couldn’t sit back any longer. He did what was expected of him, he walked away from Sierra although it tore him apart to do so. He sat back and waited for Luke to figure out what he wanted and where did that leave him? It left him wondering just what the fuck he was doing.

Coming to see Sierra hadn’t been a calculated move. According to Sam, Sierra was leaving, and Cole couldn’t bring himself to sit back and let her just walk away without showing her – no, telling her – exactly what he felt for her.

Sierra stirred in his arms and he pulled her closer. Her slim thigh slid over his while her hand drifted over his chest, and Cole wished like hell that they never had to leave the bed.

* * *

Luke felt the tension in his shoulders the second he pulled into Sierra’s driveway, taking note of the all too familiar truck parked on the street in front of the house. There was no mistaking the huge black Silverado and that could only mean one thing. Cole had found another place to go the night before.

After last night, Luke wasn’t prepared to face Sierra or Cole, let alone both of them together. And he wasn’t sure he could explain the emotions churning through him. His brilliant idea to show up at Sierra’s house, pray that she would let him through the door, now seemed like a rash decision. What had he been thinking?

And wasn’t that the fucking question of the hour. Luke had done nothing but think for the last two hours. Ever since he woke up in his bed alone, he’d contemplated the result of his actions. The way he’d purposely pushed Sierra away, the way he’d denied whatever it was he had begun to feel for Cole, although, for the life of him, he didn’t understand it.

Explaining it away didn’t make things any easier. The fact of it was, Luke was so totally screwed. He’d gone and fallen in love with Sierra. That wasn’t all that surprising. The woman was incredible. In every single possible way. So sweet, so sensual, and so damn beautiful his eyes hurt to look at her. Those glowing blue eyes penetrated his very soul, and she saw so much more than anyone else had ever bothered to.

On top of that, he’d somehow let himself feel something for Cole. Sure, he’d been shocked by the way he had reacted to the man that night at his house so many months ago. When Cole had gone to his knees… fuck.

The top of Luke’s head had damn near come right off when Cole had gone to his knees and sucked him into the deep, hot recesses of his mouth. Until that moment, Luke had never known anything like it. He had only known his own need to possess the man, to own him. He needed Cole’s total surrender and he had received it. Cole’s rough touch had assuaged an ache Luke had thought would never be soothed. An ache that had taken up residence inside of him and longed to be sated.

Shutting off the truck, Luke opened his door and stepped down. His heart was beating like he’d just run a mile. What was he about to walk into?

No, he wasn’t naïve enough to believe Cole and Sierra hadn’t found solace in one another. Hell, he’d pushed them away. Both of them. And neither of them had done anything except try to be what Luke needed.

He hadn’t thought about Cole’s declaration from last night until he stepped out of his front door that morning. Cole had said, or more accurately, threatened, that he was coming by. Unless Luke had been too damn drunk, which was quite possible, but highly doubtful, Cole had never made it to his house. And seeing his black Chevy in front of Sierra’s house told him why.

With resigned steps, Luke managed to make it to the front door. He hesitated briefly before he pounded his fist on the wood, his heart suddenly lodged in his throat. What was he going to say to her? Would she even listen to him?

When no one answered, Luke tried the knob. Finding it unlocked, he pushed the door open and invited himself in. Gently closing the door behind him, trying to make as little noise as possible, Luke wondered what he was about to walk into. Before he could turn around, Luke found himself slammed chest first into the door, Cole’s impressive size pressed up against him from behind.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Luke bellowed, pushing Cole off of him, making him stagger back a couple of steps before Luke turned and Cole was up in his face.

“Me? What the fuck is wrong with me? That’s the same question I have for you.” Cole’s deep baritone reverberated through the room, bouncing off of the walls and back at them.

Luke felt the burning rage ignite inside of him once again, and he pushed Cole with everything he had, sending the man flying back into the opposite wall before Luke descended on him.

“Oh my God!” Sierra’s shriek startled them both, and Luke staggered back when Cole launched himself at him once again, this time losing his footing as both men went to the floor. Sonuvabitch. They landed with a thud on the carpet, rolling until Luke was on top of Cole.

“What are you two doing? Stop it!” Sierra screamed, scolding them both like they were children.

Luke ignored Sierra, staring down into Cole’s face, expecting to see rage, or anger, or anything except what he did see. The dark, midnight blue eyes staring back at him reflected none of those things, only… affliction.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Luke growled, trying to keep his voice low, but knowing Sierra would hear everything regardless of how quiet he tried to be.

“I want him here.” Sierra stated, answering the question for Cole.

Luke ignored her, waiting for Cole to answer for himself.

“She’s leaving.” Cole choked out, not trying to move.

What?

“What are you talking about?” With a huff, Luke pushed off of him and stood.

“Sierra’s going back to Nashville.” Cole stated, all of the anger seemingly draining from his body as he pushed himself up off of the floor, his eyes darting between Luke and Sierra, finally landing on Sierra. “She’s leaving.”

Luke stared at the beautiful woman standing in the middle of her living room, draped in a black sheet, her hair in disarray, looking like she’d just… crawled out of bed. Shit. He was too late.

“What does he mean you’re leaving?” Luke asked Sierra pointedly, trying to ignore the fact that Cole and Sierra must have just come out of the bedroom. Sierra didn’t answer; she simply glanced at Cole as though trying to figure him out.

“Sam called me last night.” Cole admitted, taking a step closer to Sierra. “She told me you were going back to Nashville.”

Fully expecting Sierra to set the story straight, to reassure both of them that she wasn’t going anywhere, Luke held his breath as he waited for her response.

“I am.” Sierra whispered, a single tear rolling down her cheek.

“What?” Luke’s stomach knotted, and he clinched his fists at his side. The sudden need to hit something overwhelmed him and he had to remember where he was. “Why?”

“There’s nothing for me here.” Sierra said, wiping that lone tear away. “I tried. I really did.”

Was she trying to convince him or herself? Luke knew she’d tried. She’d done everything that could be expected of a woman and he still succeeded in pushing her away. And now, as he stood in Sierra’s house, only feet from the two people he needed more than he needed oxygen, Luke felt his body come to life. Apparently heartbreak wasn’t even enough to dispel the sensual need these two aroused in him.

“Shit.” Cole stated, turning his back on Sierra.

“I’m sorry.” She said, taking a step closer to him, not looking at Luke.

Cole surprised Luke when he turned around quickly. “You don’t have anything to be sorry about.”

When his penetrating glare landed on him, Luke knew what Cole was getting at.“What do you want from me?” Luke growled back at Cole, fury lighting him up from within.

Cole turned to face him, and Luke noticed Sierra was stepping backward, leaving them alone in the living room. He wanted to call out to her, but the intent look on Cole’s face captivated him.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with you, man, but this shit has to stop.” Cole said, his voice low. “You’ve been running for too long.”

“Fuck you.” Luke barked, his hands clenching at his sides. He was sick and fucking tired of being told that. He hadn’t run last night, had he? No, he’d gone home where he was supposed to go, looking for Sierra and waiting for Cole. Neither of them had shown up. But he didn’t fucking run. “What the fuck does it matter to you, anyway?” Luke asked, suddenly feeling like the outsider.

“Are you serious? Are you that fucking dense, Luke?”

“Why are you even here?” Luke choked out. “Why aren’t you with Lucie?”

“Lucie? Why the hell would I be with Lucie?” Cole asked, sincere confusion contorting his features.

“I saw the way you two looked at each other. I know you’re paying the doctor bills. I know you care about that little girl.” Luke found himself rambling, but couldn’t seem to stop.

“Yes, I care about her, and I care about Lucie. She’s a friend of mine, and that’s what friends do.”

“Friends? I saw the way you looked at her. That looked like more than friends to me.”

“No, Luke. You saw what you wanted to see. Lucie and I are friends. That’s it. That’s all it ever will be.” Cole’s tone had cooled considerably.

Was that true? Had Luke projected his own thoughts on Cole? Had he tried to find something to explain the wedge he’d inserted between them all on his own? Yes, damn it. That’s exactly what he had done. The same thing he had done with Sierra…

Sierra.

She was leaving.

For good.

“You’re full of shit.” Luke said, his voice coming out as a choked whisper. He wasn’t sure if he was talking to himself or to Cole. All of the adrenaline drained from his body as he leaned against the wall thankful there was something to hold him up.