Page 123 of The Heart Breaker

This is so out of character for us, especially with the way we started, but I’ve heard enough about what a shit excuse for a boyfriend Chase was, and I’m not making that mistake. He had her and treated her like an afterthought. I’ll do whatever I have to do to make sure she knows exactly how she should be treated.

She lets out a breath and I already know something bratty is about to leave her lips. “I don’t know. I think I have another date that day.”

I huff out a laugh, lean in close, and grab her ass, squeezing once. “Like hell you do.”

I pull her closer and kiss her before she can get another smartass answer out. She kisses me right back, making that soft little sound I’m addicted to as her arms slide around my neck. By the time I pull away, she’s flushed and I’m grinning like an idiot.

If someone had told me six months ago this would be my life, I would’ve called them insane.

Now, though, I’ve never been happier to be wrong.

33

COLE

Ilean back on my hands and watch as Aurora smooths her hand over the back of her jeans for what has to be the fifth time in the last two minutes. She tugs down her top and buttons her blue cardigan and then unbuttons it.

Most people would probably think she’s just fussing with her clothing because she’s into fashion, but I know her. I can see the tension in her shoulders from the way her mouth presses flat, can see how nervous she is by how she can’t stand still.

She adjusts the hem of her top one last time, exhales through her nose, then turns around to face me.

“Is this okay?”

There’s a crease between her brows I want to smooth out with my finger and press my lips to. I know how nervous she is, and I wish there was something I could do to ease those nerves.

I push off my elbows and reach for her hand, tugging her closer until she’s standing between my knees.

“You look beautiful,” I tell her, sliding my hands to her waist and pulling her in, pressing a kiss to her stomach where her top has ridden.

She lets out a breath above me, her fingers brushing through my hair, and I kiss her again, because no matter how many times I touch her, it’s never enough.

“I’ve just been thinking about this day for so long,” she says. “I’m scared of what’ll happen.”

Aurora doesn’t get nervous. She usually gets mean, throws out some cutting comment, and acts like she couldn’t care less. So the fact that she’s standing here between my knees, letting me see this instead of covering it up with attitude, does something to me. Makes me feel protective over her.

I push to my feet and tip her chin up until she looks at me. “Any man should count himself lucky just to know you, Prescott.”

Her eyes lift to mine, her brows pulling together slightly, and I just stand there looking at her, hit all over again by how much has changed. How she leans into me now without even thinking about it. How I’m the one she lets see this side of her, and Christ, I love that. Love being the one she comes to. Love that somewhere along the way, this girl who used to look at me like I was the last person on earth she’d ever trust started handing me the most vulnerable parts of herself.

A smile pulls at my mouth, which only makes her narrow her eyes at me. “Why are you looking at me like that?” she asks.

I shake my head, because there’s no way I’m saying any of the shit in my head right now, so I go with, “Just thinking about how lucky I am that you decided to be a stripper for a day.”

She scoffs and shoves at my chest. “You’re an idiot.”

There’s my girl.

I let my gaze drift over her face a little slower this time, and some of the amusement slips out of me when I catch the nerves still there. I hate that one person makes her this nervous when the girl standing in front of me usually walks into a room like she owns it without even trying.

My thumb brushes over her cheek, and her eyes flutter for a second as the smallest smile tugs at her mouth.

Fuck, I could look at her forever.

I never saw this coming. I had no idea how obsessed I’d be over every version of Aurora. Not just the vicious one who runs her mouth, but the soft side, too. The one she only lets out when it’s just me and her and she forgets to keep all that armor strapped on so tight.

I catch her chin before she can pull away and kiss her.

Her hands slide up my chest and loop around my neck, and she just sinks into me, some of the tension leaving her body as she softens in my hands.