"This isn't a cabin. It's like a freaking palace in the woods!" Wynona stood in disbelief before the sprawling log mansion that was Cole's vacation home. With a four car garage, wrap-around porch, and a grand entrance that would rival those of some five star hotels, she was more than impressed.
The lodge was tucked away in the privacy of the snowy, Aspen-filled forest and was only minutes away from the best snowboarding in Breckenridge. Though the ground was covered in freshly fallen snow, the sky was a radiant blue, illuminated by what felt like an unnaturally bright sunlight.
Colorado.
She couldn't believe they'd had the audacity to enact their cunning scheme, but she was profoundly grateful. Five days alone with her boyfriend seemed like a dream, but it was her reality.
"C'mon," Cole said, taking her by the hand and leading her inside.
She gasped, turning a circle in the foyer. "Wow, you'd think I'd be used to luxury, but this... this is..."
Cole grinned. Wynn wasn't one to suffer from a loss of words. "Have a look around, and I'll bring in our bags." He took a step toward the doorway, only to be drawn back into Wynona's amorous embrace. His arms encircled her slender waist as he touched his forehead to hers. She pressed her palms to either side of his face, her eyes meeting his. The silent promise that passed between them held more significance than any spoken word.
He was unequivocally hers, and she, his.
She placed a lingering kiss on his lips before setting out to explore their temporary home, and he knew he was in trouble.
The good kind.
He was pleased that their secretive efforts had led to something new and exciting for his beloved and wanted nothing more than to make it an experience she would never forget.
...
"No, sweetheart!" Cole shouted, stifling a laugh. He was coaching Wynn down the slight incline of the practice hill, watching from afar as she veered and flailed along. "Lean forward! No, back! Watch your edge!" He moved his body in vain, a futile attempt to compensate for her lack of coordination.
She tumbled backward, landing butt-first in a heap of powdery white. He unstrapped his bindings to free his boots from his board, shuffling through the thick carpet of snow and around countless kids in the throes of their own instruction. When he reached her side, he wasn't sure what to make of her state.
Upset? Injured?
She dissolved into fits of giggles falling backward, her long dark hair spilling about her face in stark contrast with the bright, crystalline terrain.
Beautiful. She was beautiful.
"Damn, girl," he uttered, his eyes roaming the length of her form before he dropped to the ground beside her. "I've never seen anybody fall with such dignity or class before."
"Shut up!" She elbowed her beau in the ribs just before he slid an arm beneath her shoulders, tugging her toward himself until they were face to face. Though they were surrounded by winter, their bodies were alight with a consuming warmth.
"I'm not very good at snowboarding," Wynn admitted, her words laced with embarrassment. Cole smiled then, running a finger over the swell of her rosy cheek. He found her bashfulness endearing.
"Alright, I have a deal for you," he began, his nose brushing hers. He was desperate to kiss her, but it would have to wait, as he had some good old-fashioned gloating to do first. "Admit that I am the ultimate snowboarding champion, never to be matched in skill, and we'll retire our boards for the day."
"I need more," she teased. "Sweeten the deal, Galloway."
"Okay." He nipped at her lower lip, knowing that it turned her into putty every time. "We retire our boards, and we take a ski lift up the mountain and back. I'll even throw in a couple of chai lattes."
"Done and done," she agreed, a brilliant smile gracing her lips. "You're quite a negotiator, babe."
...
"Cole, please tell me who did this to you!" Wynona demanded, examining the extent of his injuries that spanned the length of his torso with her shaking hands. He also had a purple jaw that was swelling to a concerning size.
"You can't fix this, Nono, trust me." Cole shuddered as her feather light touch skimmed his sore shoulder. It had taken one hell of a hit. He seated himself on the edge of her bed, catching his breath.
"I will make them pay," she swore, rising to her feet with clenched fists. "What were you doing? Did you walk down a dark alley? Was it some South high footballers? Who, Cole?" She shook, her temper flaring as she paced, working through the countless scenarios.
"Listen." He captured her hand in his, bringing her fretful marching to an end.
Her wide eyes were filled with outrage and fear as she struggled to look at him. The bruising on his jaw line made her sick to her stomach, as she had few remedies aside from ice and ibuprofen for his pain.
"It's my father," Cole said simply, his tone calm and matter-of-fact.
"Come again?" She shook her head in disbelief. Harris Galloway was a family man and a philanthropist. For him to be the monster that had caused these injuries was unseemly.
"It's true," Cole persisted, feeling a modicum of relief. Wynona was the first person he'd ever told about his abuse. "The great Harris Galloway can throw a helluva tantrum, and a damn good punch."
Wynona willed herself to meet his gaze. He smiled sadly, and she knew that it was true. Her eyes overflowed with tears as she knelt to his level.
"Why?" The question was barely audible.
"It's just his way. It happens sometimes, mostly if I disappoint him. That's why I always try to be my best. Makes things easier on me."
"Do you fight back?" She choked on a sob, glancing toward his hands, clasped tightly in her own. The skin was broken on a couple of knuckles, but there was no swelling.
"Sometimes." He shrugged, as if they were speaking of something as inconsequential as what to eat for dinner. "Oftentimes, I just let him have at it. I'd rather be the target for his fury than my mother or sister. Hitting my jaw was out of the ordinary, though. He typically aims for places that can be hidden by clothing. He was unusually angry this time."
He looked away, unwilling to confirm the thought that he knew was forming in her mind.
"My fault," she cried.
"Mine," he affirmed. "I knew what I was doing when we took that trip. It was worth it."
He smiled genuinely, and her heart shattered.
This thing between them could not continue. She refused to be a part of any equation that could lead to suffering for Cole.
She'd known better than to fall.
It was then that she decided to rely upon her mind to keep him safe, knowing that following her heart would only bring him to ruin.
YOU ARE READING
Make You Mine (Book Two)
Teen Fiction**Completed** Cole Galloway has always had just enough of an ego to believe that the women falling at his feet were deserved. With an abundance of charm and looks to die for, who wouldn't want him? Wynona Caldwell. That's who. When Cole sets his s...
