Free Obsession (Ink & Iron #1) by Eden Bradley Page A

nodded, her eyes welling with tears. She swallowed them down. “Okay.”
    “Okay, Janie girl? We’ll do this however you need us to. Outside of the bedroom—or the shower or the kitchen counter or wherever we happen to be—you take the lead.”
    She let out a low chuckle. “You have a tendency to take the lead no matter where we are. No matter who you’re with. You’re not the lead singer in the band for nothing. Although how you manage to be so laid back and so bossy simultaneously, I’ve never been able to figure out.”
    He winked at her as he released her face, giving her cheek a gentle pinch. “It’s one of my secret charms.”
    “You’re incorrigible.”
    “Ah, just another one of my secrets.”
    This time she did laugh aloud. “God, I love you, babe.”
    She gasped when she realized what had slipped out of her mouth. But all he did was smile as he pulled her into his body once more, one hand on the back of her head, holding her close. He whispered into her hair, “I’ve always loved you. You know that truth. And this is why us being here…together again is so good. It’s love, my baby girl.”
    Her throat was going tight again. She swallowed, but this time it was a well of happiness rather than tears. “It is, Cole. It’s love.”
    He kissed her cheek, over and over, then she raised her chin to kiss his mouth, feeling his lips soft on hers, then his silky tongue slipping in. So sweet, as if she could feel every emotion between them in that kiss.
    “Should I…come back later?”
    They broke apart to see the waitress standing by the table. Cole ruffled Janie’s hair, laughing. “We’re good. Let’s order.”
    “Our Cadillac margaritas are the best in town,” the waitress said. “One for each of you?”
    Janie held her breath, waiting several endless beats to see what Cole would do. But he waved a hand and said “Iced tea for us both. She’ll have the number three plate and I’ll take the number six combo. Thanks.”
    She hated that there was still this small seed of doubt. But he’d hardly been paying attention to anything but the food. If he’d noticed her tension he didn’t mention it. Maybe he really was so far past it that alcohol no longer even registered on his radar. Maybe. Hopefully. Because the idea that it might scared the hell out of her.
    Cut him some slack. He’s been clean and sober for years.
    And she’d be a fool to allow herself to get so caught up in the past that she turned her back on the future they could have together.
    She took in a deep, cleansing breath and forced herself to calm. Reminded herself that she was spending the evening with the man she loved, and who loved her back in a way no other man ever had. She’d be crazy to do anything to sabotage things. They were together. And right now, that was all she needed to know.
    “You okay, my baby?” he asked, sweeping her hair from her face, stroking her head with his thumb, his gaze on hers.
    So much love in his eyes it overwhelmed her, suffused her soul.
    She smiled, reaching up to smooth her fingertips over his jaw. “Yeah. Everything is perfect, babe.”
    Dinner was easy, a relaxed warmth between them, as if speaking their feelings had loosened something for them both. And on the ride back to Cole’s place, she held onto him tighter than ever, the night sky whirring past them, laced with a blur of stars.
    They loved each other. Everything was going to be all right.
    Please let everything be all right.

Chapter Seven
    When they pulled into the big, spotless garage, Janie got off the bike and waited for Cole to help her with her helmet. She was perfectly capable of doing it herself, but it was one of those little things he did that made her feel taken care of. It was one of the things she loved about him.
    She shook her hair out as he hung the helmets on the wall hooks, then he started to strip off one of his black leather fingerless gloves.
    “Babe? Wait.”
    He raised an eyebrow. “Wait for