Page 57 of Cole's Command
Chapter Nineteen
Cole
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YOU CAN’T KEEP ME HERE.
Eden’s thoughts were coming over clearly, but the fire blazing in her eyes conveyed different needs. The woman was such a contradiction; a fiercely independent soul who had succeeded in her area of expertise, but one who expressed a need to be dominated and protected. Perhaps she’d only just realized she needed those things? Maybe meeting Cole had changed things for her, as well? He hoped so.
Taking her over his knee had been every bit as scintillating as he’d imagined, but getting his hands on her had only heightened his desire for more. He yearned to disrobe and devour the wonderful woman squirming on his thighs.
“Is that what this is about?” she whispered, only inches from his face.
“What ‘what is about’?” Gods, she was fascinating. If Cole could keep his brothers out, he’d happily hold her there in the lodge for weeks while they hugged, talked, and he hoped, fucked.
“Sex?” Her tantalizing breath washed over him, reminding him of the peppermints he used to like as a boy.
“If you’re asking if I want to take you to bed, then I’ve made no secret that the answer is yes.” Lifting his free hand, he swept the loose hairs from her face. “But I want more than just that.”
“My liberty?” A crease appeared in her flawless brow. Oh, God, he wants to keep me!
“Stop thinking that.” He couldn’t deny his chuckle. “It’s preposterously alluring.”
“Holding me prisoner?” Concern flickered in her gaze.
“No.” He frowned at the untruth, conscious that just because she couldn’t read his mind didn’t mean he should lie. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, having you tied up here permanently is a red-hot fantasy, but I’m a decent guy at heart, Eden. I wouldn’t do that to you.”
“What then?” She sounded breathless.
“I have to be practical,” he told her, listening to her scrambling thoughts to see how she really felt about his admission. Based on what he could garner, her feelings were in turmoil about her predicament. “I have feelings for you, little girl. Emotions I haven’t known before.”
She swallowed at his confession. Feelings?
“And those feelings mean that I trust you.” He smiled. “It’s why you’re such a good therapist, I suppose. But in finding that faith I revealed a secret about my family that I can’t risk getting out.”
“Dragon-shifters.” Her voice was barely a murmur.
“That’s right,” he agreed. “You’re a scientist at heart, and I understand why you want to study us, but I can’t let that happen. I owe it to my family to guard our genetics.”