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Taryn took her aunt’s advice She would never again consider hounding Cole, like she had that day a week ago when he’d informed her that her shoould record six episodes rather than a full season’s complement of thirteen Now she didn’t seek out his company and most certainly he didn’t seek out hers

As the days had gone by, she’d kept herself busy with one of two occupations She was either i crew, sponsors, studio ti people ould love to adopt a kitten

She did little socially, although when Rorabbed a bite beforehand, had enjoyed buttered popcorn throughout the show and had said goodbye in the co lot

Given he knew about the Cole situation, Taryn guessed Rohtful Nice But she was done with feeling sorry for herself

Over the past couple of days, her hope to stay with Hunter Broadcasting had dimmed She’d sed the six-show deal But then Cole had cut her budget in half Had told her that he could not agree to sign the host she liked Today he’d put the nail in her coffin His PA had passed on the news that rather than five people helping to put the show together, she’d have two, one being a seventeen-year-old graduate No experience equaled cheap labor

Technically, Cole ht have approved her show but, clearly, he still wanted her gone She hoped he slept well at night

Earlier today, Taryn had learned Guthrie was in, which happened less and less When Taryn had phoned through, his personal assistant had said he’d see her straightaway

Walking down that long corridor, Taryn guessed she ought to feel nervous, one of the reasons being that she didn’t normally do snap decisions Usually she foroal until said goal was attained Whereas the action she’d decided upon thishad seemed to come to her out of the blue Kind of the way she’d handled her conflagration of an affair with Cole Only, no ht hurt, she was certain this decision was the right one

She entered Guthrie’s office He stood by that long stretch of , studying that panoraers loosely thatched at his back Hearing her, he turned, smiled and asked, "What can I do for you, Taryn?"

They took seats and suddenly Taryn couldn’t find the right words While the son ht be difficult, Guthrie had only ever been supportive But, whether he knew it or not, Guthrie wasn’t in charge here If he were, she wouldn’t need to juh Cole’s endless hoops

Taryn looked Guthrie in the eye "I have to leave Hunter Broadcasting"

His eyebrows snapped together "Trouble with staff?"

"With ement" She sed "With Cole"

Guthrie studied her for a long queasy ht limp leftover from that last assault, crossed to his desk

"I’ll have a ith hi a button "Stay put We’ll sort this out"

"That won’t do any good" Having found her feet, too, she moved closer

Guthrie had the receiver to his ear "He has his own mind, but Cole listens when he knows I’m serious"

She was serious, too "He doesn’t believe inin his power to cut ain "My son’s motives can seem harsh at ti to take care of things"

"I believe you I do But it doesn’t work in this situation" Doesn’t work formore behind this? I was preoccupied that afternoon you both flew back from that survey, but"

"Whatever happened between the two of us doesn’t change his work attitude, then or now I’m unhappy here" Not appreciated or respected Cole had seduced her and, yes, she’d wanted to be seduced He liked to be in charge, but in this final stretch, she was taking the reins

"I wish it were different," she said, "but I don’t ever see that changing I’ll leave Hunters today"

Despite today’s heavy rain, Taryn had ventured out to collect some cat milk for Muffin and a bunch of roses fro the flowers in her favorite vase, thinking about dicing so lanced up She wasn’t expecting her aunt Her friends all had jobs during the week Perhaps it was a delivery, only she wasn’t expecting an order

As she passed by Muffin and her litter, ere snuggled and asleep in a large bed-box in the living rooht aside Guthrie had accepted her resignation and she didn’t regret thehad never liked her show’s pre consulted first No doubt, when all was said and done, Cole would be grateful to be rid of that headache She was relieved to have gotten rid of hers She was ain

Then Taryn fanned back the door and her heart leaped so high, she had to s to push the lu unhappy about being drenched because of the rain and, she supposed, being here Well, he could sio back to the office She certainly hadn’t invited him

Cole set his ainst the timber floorboards twice - to help shake off the water orattention?

"What’s this about you quitting?"

She feigned surprise "You’re only finding out now? I gave Guthrie o"

"Did you think to consult me?"

"Consider yourself consulted" Her hand still on the doorknob, she stepped back "Hope I don’t sound rude, but I was in theanother job?"

"Feeding the cat"

Her face and neck hot, sheblack leather lace-up slid out, acting as a stop

He said, "You don’t have to leave"

"It was a choice, Cole I don’t have to go I want to go" She slanted her head "Why are you here? You never likedyou could to have nored me day after day

"I’ll come in and we’ll discuss it"

"I’ain "Give yourself until next week You’ll have forgotten all about this by then"

Setting his ued a hand down his face as if this were all too hard

"Look, I’m sorry I had to otten Now please leave"

He cast an exasperated look back at the rain tee down beyond her porch and exhaled

"I can’t help the way things are," he said "You knehat my life was froer threatened to overtake her, she closed her eyes and shook her head If he felt guilty about the way he’d treated her, that was his bad luck She only wanted hietting that man ever existed

"Let me in We’ll talk - "

As he ames, she moved, too And shut the door

But Cole’s barrier noas a thousand times more effective than the one he’d used earlier He reached out and, without apology, hooked one arm around her waist then hauled her close until her breasts were pressed against his shirt and she felt the boo of his heartbeat too near her own

She opened her mouth to tear him down After what he’d done, how dare he handle her this way But in one blinding heartbeat, histhe sly deep Fla her bones, causing her to beco doll in his arms

But when his palainst her belly, her strength returned Making fists, she pushed with both barrels against his chest She ht as well have tried to shift a mountain He was on a

As his head angled ainst her cheek, gradually, bit by bit, her fight drained away He was so determined, so hot, what hope did she have? But she wasn’t beaten so much as temporarily tamed If he’d only quit with the caveh for her to get her thoughts together - she’d tell hie her mind

never

ever

By the ti twice as fast Not only were her breasts aching, begging for his touch, the throbbing at the apex of her thighs told her that past indiscretions were forgiven Forgotten

As his lidded eyes searched hers, Taryn couldn’t bring herself to move away She could only remember the heaven she’d experienced on that island when he’d coaxed and adored her body, teasing her nipples, stroking her curves, loving her to the point where nothing and no one else had existed

Then, over the pounding rain, she heard another noise His cell phone sounding Rather than take the call, he pressed soft ers rode a drugging circle low on her back But his cell beeped again, and again Giddy ant, she felt his hesitation and forced herself to focus The sound of the rain drifted back in Behind her, Muffin meice When Cole carefully released her, the fir this out but he also needed to read that text

Crawling out fro, Taryn remembered Aunt Vi’s advice Keep the door open because once it’s shut, there’s no going back But when Cole held up one finger to ask her to hold on a ood measure of the stardust faded and fell away She watched hier to an ear, shutting out a roll of thunder while he turned his back to concentrate fully on business

Taryn blinked and thought, but when she’d made up her mind, she didn’t bother to interrupt She siain, no matter how hard he knocked

With two chilled beers in hand, Cole sidled up to the chair next to Brandon’s Talking above the din of the local club, he handed one over and asked, "So, anything to report?"

"Judge and I have exhausted every lead frouy who threw himself under that car If he was connected to those earlier incidents and this latest one, whoever’s pulling the strings has done a fine job of caned a private detail for Guthrie’s and Tate’s protection I also suggested one for your stepmother, but she declined"

Cole nodded then downed a mouthful of beer

Brandon went on to describe in detail the areas he would sweep next: again questioning neighbors and also e up surveillance cameras that reached outside of normal parameters Cole absorbed it all at the same time as his brain switched to a different box in his head Lately,there and wanting to stay

He thought he knew hi out why he’d bothered showing up on Taryn’s doorstep the other day She was right Although he’d enjoyed their tione for her show’s concept Obligation had caused hie it Guilt had sent hiize? Make amends?

Hell, he was a fool and he knew it

"Any questions?"

Cole blinked back "About what?"

"You didn’t hear anything I just said, did you?"

"Of course I did This isabout"

"Whichyou must be important"

Cole swirled his bottle No reason he couldn’t share with his best friend If anyone would understand, it was Brandon

"It’s a woman Taryn Quinn"

Brandon sat slowly back "You blew it?"

"I let it go"

He explained the story froo to woe

"Holy crap," Brandon said when Cole had finished "No wonder she’s pissed at you You sleep with her like there’s no toe her because of a contract To add insult to injury, you set her show up for a slide into the mud"

Cole cocked an eyebroed beer "That’s pretty ht be company obsessed, but you’ve never treated a wo at his beer, Cole confessed, "Taryn’s special"