Because you're Mine (Chapter Four)

Cole came through the backdoor, sweating and breathing hard. He just finished his mile run.  Familiar smells of Haven cooking breakfast reach him, before the sounds of her laughter did. What does he have to see when he gets back? Derrek, Haven's bodyguard was flirting with her. Of course he felt jealousy burn through his body.  Couldn't a man for a run without seeing some man flirting with his woman?  Just because she had no idea he wanted her, didn't mean she wasn't his!  Derrek, the bodyguard, knew exactly how Cole felt.  He would be a horrible bodyguard if he didn't.


Haven looked at up at him laughing at something Derrek had said.  Looking at the other man, he began to wonder if he had hired the right guy to protect Haven.  His mind ran wild for a few seconds. 


"She didn't" Haven asked?  Her eyes widened and her face turned scarlet. Derrek was telling her about what happened with some random girl at The Club last night. 



"She did, right there at the bar," Derrick laughed.


"You two seem to be having fun."  Cole looked sharply at them, narrowing his eyes.  He hadn't intended to snap at them. He wondered what trash Derrek was telling her about his love life.  He had moved up close beside Haven, crowding her.   


Cole looked around the kitchen anywhere, so he didn't have to look at them.  Haven had almost finished the bacon and sausage for breakfast. He knew that there would also be biscuits in the oven.  Their large, orange cooler sat on the floor next to the door.  He didn't have to open it to know Haven had packed it already.  Every day she iced down water and other drinks for them. There would also be enough food or drinks for others on the job site. 


"I suppose we are."  She smiled at him, but he didn't hear her.  He was too busy staring off into space.  Turning back to the stove, she continued cooking.  Wondering what had his mind so preoccupied?


"Cole " Haven called to him. 


"Yeah" he snapped out of his thoughts. 


"I'll be done here soon,"  she told him, nodding at the food. 
 

Was she trying to tell him something?  Was she trying to get him to leave them alone?  His mind racing again, there was that burning jealousy again.  He had to get all his feelings out in the open.  His imagination was driving him crazy.


"Don't you want to shower first?"  He was acting so weird today.  Earlier, as he left for his run he reminded her "we need to talk".  How could she forget?  Now he was zoning out?  Cole was the most focused person she knew.  She would have to ask him about this, away from the others.


Haven thought about little else as she packed their cooler with drinks and food.  She always made extra, what if one of the other guys that didn't have anything?   


"Yes,” he grunted before walking off.


"He's driving you? He must want to talk,"  Derrek asked, with a grin on his face.  His southern boy twang amused her. 


"He is driving me crazy" Haven told him. What did Derrek know that she didn't?  Why was he laughing?  So many questions, one bothered her the most.  Why was Cole acting so strangely?


Just as she was putting the food on the table, Meir and Jay walked in.  Smiling she looked at her watch.  7:00 on the dot, they were rarely late. They greeted Derrek, with nods and simple hellos.  Skye the middle brother came in from the back yard.  He still came over for breakfast some mornings.  Not long after Cole came back in too.


A few years back the brothers, and a few close friends, started a construction business together.  Haven worked in the office now that they were busy. 


Derrick joined them at the table; they all began filling their plates. Meir fixed her oatmeal.  It was the same every morning.  Meal time was her favorite time of the day.  Her whole family was together in one place. 


She did notice everyone seemed tired and tense this morning.  No one was talking or looking at her.  They were polite, but none of the normal chit-chat.  Even Derrek seemed more on edge this morning.  He closed up as soon as the others came in.  Haven really hated this.  Even Skye, who is normally full of energy all day, was slouched over his plate. His face was a little flushed.


"Skye, are you feeling ok?" Haven reached over to touch his forehead.


"I'm fine I just didn't get any sleep last night."  He batted her hand away.  He looked at her for the first time today.


The morning continued, quietly and tense, until someone commented again about Skye acting sick. He wasn’t eating, just looking down at his food looking lost.



"Skye are you sure you feel ok?"  Haven asked again, she was really concerned. 


"Damn it Haven, I'm fine.  I'm a grown man, I don't need a mother." He yelled, and then paled as soon as the words where out of his mouth.


Haven didn't know how to feel about his statement.  Of course he needed a mother.  His mother, but she was dead.  She felt the tears pouring down her face.


Skye didn't see Cole's large fist, but his jaw felt it.  He wobbled in his chair, but Skye's bulk kept him from crashing over. No one moved for a few seconds.  It was like they were waiting for someone else to react.  Skye recovered first. 


"What the hell?" he roared, coming to his feet. 


"Don't talk to your sister that way."  Cole said calmly, looking up at the younger man.  He didn't want to fight Skye.  It wouldn't be a fair fight and they all know it.  He just couldn't control the urge to hit Skye in the face. 


"Dude, just fuck her already and get it over with.  This crazy attitude is a little annoying." He spat the words down at Cole.  Skye didn't think Cole would kill him, but instantly there was a killing rage in the large man's eyes. 


Without any warning Cole stood up and reached for Skye's throat.  Before Skye could do anything but open his mouth, Cole was dragging him across the kitchen table. 


"Oh shit," someone said, they all jumped up, moving away from table. Dishes and food when flying, 


"You ungrateful, little prick," Cole dropped Skye into a heap on the floor.


"Cole, why did you do that?"  Haven asked still shocked.  Were they really fighting at the breakfast table? Stopping herself from yelling at Cole, she wondered why she wasn't yelling at Skye. 


She turned to her bruised brother.  "Cole should fuck me already," She asked?  "What the hell does that mean?  Why would you even say that?"  Haven could feel her face warming.  This was so embarrassing.


Skye didn't say anything he didn’t even look up at them.  He was too busy wiping food off his shirt.


"Why is everyone acting so crazy?"  She asked while looking from one to the other.  "I feel like this is about Billy's letter." She was tired of pretending none of this was happening. "Why is Cole the only one that will even talk to me about the nightmares?"  She looked down at Skye.  "What have I done to you?"  She wanted to cry, but she wanted answers more.  Crying over her mother's broken table would have to wait.


Frowning, Cole nudged Skye with his boot.  The boy was going to show some respect for his sister.  He was happy to beat it into Skye. 


"I don't know" Skye rubbed his sore face.  "I really am sorry" he said.


"You already said that."  Haven said to him.  No one else in the room answered her. 


“Why don’t you go get ready? I'll drive you to work."  Cole said.  He didn't even want to look at the kid anymore.  Turning to Derrek, he said. "I'll drive her.  Please give us some time to talk."  With that he ushered Haven out the house.


"What about the kitchen," She asked?  Haven couldn’t just go to work, the place was a mess.


"Skye will clean it up, to show how sorry he is."  Cole announced over his shoulder.


There was a lot of yelling and cleaning going on in the kitchen when they left a few minutes later.  The drive took ten minutes.  They sat staring out the front window. Cole’s hands were tight of the wheel, and Haven gripping her together.  It was an awkward silence, both thinking too hard.  He parked his truck in front of the building they used for their office.  It was just a plain, brown brick building. 


"Cole, you wanted to talk?"  She questioned him.  What the hell was going on in his head?


“Haven, I" He paused. One of his bloodied hands ran though his hair.  He closed his eyes and sighed.  He had his moment, now what?  Could he really just tell her what was in his heart?  Was words would express how he felt?


"Why can't you look at me?"  She hadn't meant to say anything, it just blurted out.


He did look at her then, it made it worst.  He seemed to be searching her eyes.  Cole's blue eyes had turned a darker blue. Concern filled her, he looked worried. 


"Cole, just say it already!"  She wanted this over with.


For the second time that morning he surprised her.  His large hand wrapped around the back of her neck.  Strong fingers tunneled into her hair, cupping the back of her head. Too stunned to stop him, she was pulled across the truck seat.  Luckily the console was up. 


The first kiss was a little rough, but when his lips touched hers the second time.  She snapped out of it, and lined in to him.  She didn't understand what was going on here.  The questions were trying to distract her. 


She's kissing me back.  His mind screamed, thank you God she didn't push me away.  He didn't know what to say, so he showed her.  Kissing seemed like a great way to show someone you what them. 


Cole is kissing me?  Haven couldn’t began to name the emotions running though her at that moment.  He paused, pulling back to look at her.


"Haven, I'm going to kiss you again" he whispered.  Cole felt light headed with relief, he didn't know what he was saying. That wasn't their first kiss, but this time it meant something completely different.  He was drunk the first time, and he didn't really remember it. 


"You want to kiss me again?"  She seemed just as dazed as he was.


"Of course," he leaned in again.  Later Cole would berate himself for getting seen making out in the car with Haven.  It was so worth the bullshit the guys were going to give him. 

They didn't notice the other that pulled in and laugh as they walked by the fogged up truck. 


They finally hear the voices and broke apart to see a small crowd at the stand a few yards away. 


"I'm too old to be caught making out in a parking lot."  Cole said, but he was grinning.  Looking at Haven’s swollen lips and wide eyes, his heart skipped a beat.  "Come to the gym with me after work?"  He suddenly asked. 


"What, we aren't going to talk about this?"  Haven waved a hand between them.


He nodded, then continued, “I’ll let you hit me," his voice husky and low. 


"Maybe" she frowned.  He was trying to seduce her with violence? Since she was still mad about the fight earlier, it might just work. She leaned in to give him a parting kiss.  "Why did you kiss me?"  She asked after opening the door.


"I wanted you to know how I felt."  He said, as simple as that.  "See you later, love" he grinned. 


She got out the car speechless, and he pulled away.  Cole had left her to deal with their laughing family and friends.  Yes, I will be going to the gym with him later.  She might be confused and a little embarrassed about what just happened.  But she knew today would be the best or worst day of her life so far.