Page 140 of Shelter
“Cole,” I whispered, already regretting my decision.
He shook his head, a gentle admonishment in his eyes. “It’s alright.” He tugged on my hand. “Come here.”
And then I was pressed against him, his arms tight around me. I snuck my arms under his to clasp him just as tightly. His chest was now my favorite place to nestle. The muscled slope of his pec… the reassuring thump of his heart… and the warm and sensual reminder of his scent all washed me in comfort.
He kissed the top of my head. “Go home. Do your thing. Sleep in your own bed.” He brought his lips down to my ear. “But I want pictures.”
The brush of his whisper tickled me with a tempting heat. I couldn’t help my giggle. “Okay. I’ll send pictures,” I agreed.
A hand came up under my chin. “Kiss me goodnight,” he murmured, lifting me up to face him.
“But it’s only three in the afternoon.”
He gave me a wicked stare. “I could always come over tonight and tuck you in.”
“Goodnight,” I teased, making us both laugh.
“Funny girl,” he murmured before sealing his lips over mine.
My laughter ended on a gasp. His kisses had the power to stun me. Wipe my mind clean. And leave my body loose-limbed and heavy.
When I didn’t think I could take anymore and still stand on my own, I drew back. “Goodnight,” I echoed, whispering this time.
Regarding me with his heated gaze, Cole lifted a finger to my swollen, humming lips and traced the sensitive flesh. “Goodnight, beautiful.”
Knowing I had to move then or risk caving to my assaulting desire and the pull he exuded over me, I backed away to my car. I watched him watch me. His unrelenting gaze was like a weighted blanket over me. Moving away from it was so hard.
He watched until I was safely in my car, and then he moved to his. I managed to start the engine and pull away without jumping out of the vehicle and shouting that I’d changed my mind.
My head was so crammed with thoughts and worries that the drive across town to my apartment seemed to take only seconds. I found my place empty and entirely too quiet. With nothing else to distract me, I did what I’d told myself I’d do. Laundry.
But as I washed, dried, and folded, I relived every moment of the weekend with Cole, my stomach dipping or seizing as I remembered this touch or that look. I stopped myself from texting him about four times.
After plowing through a bowl of Frosted Mini-Wheats, I drew myself a bath and sunk to my shoulders in the tub. Alberta came home two minutes later.
“Tell me everything,” she said through the locked door. When I heard athunkthat rattled the medicine cabinet mirror, I knew she’d plopped down in the hallway, leaning against the door to wait me out.
So, I told her everything. Well… noteverything.
But enough so that when I opened the bathroom door wrapped in a towel, Alberta was bouncing on her toes and clapping. “Eeeeeeek!” she squealed. “It’s so romantic!” She grabbed me in a hug and planted a kiss on my cheek.
Blushing, I shrugged away. “You know I’m naked under here, right?”
Alberta snorted and smacked my bare shoulder. “Oh, c’mon. I’m just happy for you. I get to be happy. I watched you moon over him for years, remember?”
I ignored my best friend’s dig and crossed the hall to my room. Alberta followed and flopped on my bed.
“How was camping with Ross?” I asked, wanting to move out of the center of attention.
She gasped and put a hand to her heart, gazing at the ceiling. “If you’ve never made love outside under the stars, I highly recommend it.”
I had to smother a laugh and promptly cleared my throat to disguise the sound. “I’ll keep that in mind.” Alberta didn’t seem to notice my struggle for composure. Wearing a dreamy expression, she appeared to be lost in her own memories of starlight trysts.
“You look pretty contented.”
She propped herself up on her elbows and smirked. “I guess I like camping.”
I rolled my eyes and shimmied into a pair of panties beneath my towel. After I pulled my favorite cotton nightgown over me and dropped the towel, I found Alberta eyeing me.
