Operation Date Escape

Kelsie lowered her gaze to the cotton tee stretched across his muscular chest, determined to avoid that sexy grin and the desire he had once again stirred in her.
    Sex with Cole was the last thing she needed to think about. Not when she had been trying so hard to get him out of her system. Unfortunately that wasn’t going to happen as long as she and Cole were in such close proximity.
    He cupped her chin, lifting her face to his. “Come on. I was just teasing you.”
    Oh, he had done more than that. He was making her want. Bad.
    “I know that,” she muttered, trying to ignore the throbbing between her thighs. “But I really do owe you an apology for the other night. I never should have called you when I was somewhat inebriated.”
    He arched a challenging brow. “Somewhat?”
    She laughed softly. “Okay, so maybe I was a lot inebriated.”
    His husky laughter joined hers. “You were adorably inebriated. And I honestly didn’t have a problem with anything you said to me the other night, except the part about you wanting to end things with me. Oh, and maybe the part where you insisted I try wearing your bra to see how it feels.”
    She gasped in embarrassment, the heat in her cheeks rising. “What?” She’d wanted Cole to cross dress in her clothes?
    “Well, not me in particular. Or your bra in particular for that matter. You just seemed to think men don’t appreciate the amount of suffering it takes to wear them.”
    She groaned. “Shoot me now and put me out of my misery. I’m so embarrassed.”

    Cole chuckled and pulled her closer. It felt so damn good to have her in his arms again. Something he might not have had the chance to do without her mother’s help.
    He smiled into her hair. “Has anyone ever told you how sexy you look when you’re blushing?” Hell, she was sexy no matter what she was doing.
    She groaned again. “Stop saying things like that. You’re only making it worse.”
    “Come on,” he said, releasing her. Taking her hand in his, he led her toward the festivities before he gave in to the urge to take her back to his place and make love to her again. “The guys are looking forward to seeing you again.”
    “ At least, I won’t be hanging from a tree limb this time,” she muttered. “I can only imagine what they must think of me after that fiasco.”
    “ They like your spunk,” he said as he led her across the freshly mowed front yard to the hinged gate at the side of the house. Unlatching the gate, he swung it open. “After you.”
    She stepped past him into the backyard. “You’d better watch it, Cole. Holding a gate open for a girl will put you back into the ‘too perfect’ category.”
    His gaze fell to her shapely backside and the jean shorts hugging it. If she could read his thoughts, she’d know they were anything but gentlemanly. But before he could set her straight, his date was swarmed by every single unattached guy at the picnic.
    Ignoring him, his buddies offered Kelsie chairs, drinks, you name it. It was almost comical. Almost. Having had more than enough of his buddies drooling over Kelsie, he laced his fingers through hers possessively. “You boys will have to find your own woman. This one’s mine.”
    He waited for her to argue that she wasn’t ‘his’ and put him in his place, but surprisingly she didn’t. A promising sign.
    “Finally,” Joe called out as he led Nanci, drink in hand, through the dispersing circle of grumbling males. “We wondered if you two were going to show up.”
    Cole nodded. “Joe. Nanci.”
    “I see the vultures are after your date, too,” his friend said with a wink in Nanci’s direction.
    “Well, they’re out of luck.” He turned to smile at Kelsie. “I worked damn hard to get this date set up. I have no intention of sharing my woman with any of them.”
    Kelsie looked up at him, pinning him with her green eyes. “Your woman?”
    “I was thinking the exact same thing,” Nanci said, looking his way.
    “Did I say my woman?” Cole teased. “I could have sworn I said my date.”
    “Nope,” Joe assured him. “It was definitely ‘your woman’ I heard come out of your mouth.”
    “Hmm...must be all that smoke I’ve been inhaling on the job lately.”
    Or wishful thinking.
    Joe nodded in agreement. “Yep, that’s got to be it.”
    Nanci stepped up to Kelsie, placing a hand on her arm. “Before you yell at me for Cole’s bringing you here, I want you to know that I’m innocent.”
    “I already know