wanted, it might get him through the night, but heâd still have to face his nightmares again and again.
âYouâre damned right itâs nothing to do with you.â Cole crossed the room, to stand in front of her. The top two buttons of his jeans were carelessly unbuttoned as if heâd pulled them on hastily and exited his bedroom as fast as he could.
Maia refused to be intimidated. She knew he was being blatantly sexual on purpose, hoping to scare her away or get her into his bed. The knowledge gave her the confidence to walk right past him and she set her mug on the coffee table.
Using her most casual voice, as if they were conversing over a trivial matter rather than one that cut so deep, she said, âIt doesnât matter, Cole. We just believe in handling things differently. It doesnât mean Iâm right, and youâre wrong, it just means I wouldnât do things your way, and you wouldnât do them my way.â
His cool blue gaze drifted over her. âWhat would you do if you lived here with ghosts?â
It sounded taunting, like a challenge.
She raised an eyebrow, turned to look around the spacious room. âI wouldnât let him drive me out or ruin my life. Iâm mean like that. If I could actually have a home, no one would take it from me.â
Maia wanted a home, but for some reason wouldnât stay too long in any one place. Cole filed the information away for future use. âGive me an example. Jase hates Christmas. It wasnât a nice time of year for him. He doesnât even like to hear the music, it brings on nightmares. If I cranked up âJingle Bells,â Iâd just be making things worse for him.â And for himself. Heâd looked death in the eye a thousand times, courted it, spit at it, and heâd never so much as broken a sweat. But the thought of hearing Christmas music, seeing decorations, reliving nightmares every moment scared the hell out of him.
Maia nodded. Cole might be telling the truth about Jase, but in the scenario he was describing his and his brotherâs names were interchangeable. She took a deep breath and let it out. She wasnât a psychiatrist, and she didnât have anything but her instincts to go on, but she knew someone had to reach out to Cole Steele before it was too late. He shut out the world, preferred to live in isolation, but Jase had provided him with a small window of opportunity to get his life back. What Cole would not do for himself, he might be willing to do for Jase, and heal them both in the process.
âEveryone is different in how they handle these things, but the truth is, Christmas comes every year. Jase is going to have to face it year after year. And the season seems tocome earlier every year. What happens if he wants to get married and have children? It doesnât mean he canât have a great family life without celebrating Christmas; but if he falls in love with someone like me, someone who loves Christmas, it might be difficult.â
Someone like me. Coleâs heart did a funny somersault. Maia did love Christmas, and he could see with her sunny, outgoing, giving personality, she would. She was happy and cheerful, and she wanted a home. Families celebrated things like Christmas. He nodded, feeling more alone than ever. âIâve considered that. I just donât know how to go about getting him to enjoy the season. If we go into town, and he looks at all the decorations, thatâs enough to trigger the nightmares.â
âIt started here, didnât it? With his father?â She asked it carefully, not looking at him, not taking a chance heâd see the knowledge in her eyes. She was treading on very dangerous ground. Cole would be lethal under the right circumstances, and she didnât want him to feel as if he had to defend himself.
âYes.â He bit the words between his teeth. It wasnât talked about. Jase wouldnât be happy