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"Is it serious?"
"Not yet. But the doc made it crystal clear that if I keep pushing, I could do some real damage." He groaned and then I heard Susie in the background, telling him to sit down.
"Please don't feel bad,” I implored him. “Your health comes first. I’ll let Cole know.”
“Everything okay?” Lily asked as I hung up.
“Just peachy,” I said with a sigh. “I’m afraid I’m not going to be able to help out at the bookstore right now.”
“Oh?”
“I’ve got to go home and tell Cole that his dad’s out of action.”
Lily’s eyes widened. “That’s a shame. But . . . well, you know me. I definitely don't think it's a good idea for you to go and spend more time with Cole. Nope. I definitely don't think that you should make a sexy move on—"
"Lily!"
She grinned, all white teeth and dimples. She was a nightmare, but I wouldn't change her.
***
It took a solid two minutes of psyching myself up before I worked up the nerve to knock on Cole's door.
"You can do this, Elara," I mumbled to myself. "Just be a normal human being. You're here to pass on an important message, not to ask Cole to wedge his thigh between your legs again."
I took a deep breath, pushed down my swirling emotions, and knocked on the door.
"It's open!" a muffled voice called from within.
I hesitated briefly before stepping inside, only to be greeted by the sight of Cole shirtless, sweat dripping down his toned torso as he lifted two unreasonably large dumbbells.
Holy mother of pancakes. That body. I'd kissed the owner of that body last night.
As I looked at him, my eyes couldn't help but roam over the sinewy planes of his muscles. I’d never seen a six-pack up close before. And his low-slung workout shorts offered a tantalizing peek at the 'V' of his hips, an arrow pointing straight to paradise.
And just like that, I forgot how to human.
"Uh, hi," I finally managed, wrenching my focus from his stupidly sexy arms. "I didn't mean to interrupt your . . . exercise." I felt a throbbing ache that began in my core and spiraled outward.
"No worries," he replied, setting down the weights and wiping the sweat from his brow. "Wasn't expecting to see you today."
Don't say anything about the kiss, don't say anything about the kiss.
"Oh right, because of the kiss."
I don't even want to imagine how goofy the face I made was. Cole blinked, clearly taken aback, before responding awkwardly, "Yep. Because of the kiss."
"I'm not here to kiss you again."
Bad, meet worse.
He nodded. "Right. So."
"Your dad hurt his back," I blurted.
Cole's brow furrowed. "He did?"
"Ran into him at the diner. He was out for a walk, stopped to chat, bent down to pet Anthony, and couldn't straighten back up. Susie took him straight to the doctor."
