Cole’s grip on my waist. The fervor of his lips. He’s acted like a man possessed, kissing me like he plays—aggressive and confident, no hesitation, no fear.
I thought kissing him would be a punishment, but this feels like being worshipped.
And it’s intoxicating.
Cole slides his hand up my back. His fingers curl around the nape of my neck, threading through my hair. His mouth moves over mine with a possessiveness I can’t explain—as if he’s been waiting to claim me for years, like he knows exactly how much pressure to use, how long to pause, when to deepen to get me completely under his spell.
Footsteps and chatter blur away around us. I fade from reality, focusing on Cole’s lips on mine.
This isn’t a performance. Not for me, anyway.
With an aggressive tug on my lips, he draws air from my lungs.
Heat. Ignition. Fire.
Cole savors every part of my mouth with a frenzied, blazing exploration causing my legs to go nearly limp. I lean into him for stability and his hand tightens around me.
“About damn time, Sinclair. Get it!” One of his teammates shouts from what feels like two inches away. It’s all it takes for the bubble to burst. I blink back to reality and take a shaky step back.
“Fucking hell,” Cole whispers, shooting daggers at whoever just walked by.
My stomach sours at an all too familiar sight in my dating life—the PDA scowl. To this day, I haven’t been able to decipher if Dillon hated kissing me in public because he was embarrassed to be seen with me, or if he was worried one of the other women he was seeing might see us.
Considering how many times I’ve heard my classmates talk about their one night with Sinclair in passing, Cole’s reputation in that department is already cemented, so I doubt he cares about being seen kissing someone in public. It probably has something to do with who he’s kissing.
And then it hits me.
I didn’t even ask him if I could kiss him, I just attacked his face. And yeah, he freakingkissedme but maybe I should—“I’m so sorry.”
“For what?” His laugh comes out strangled and cracked.
“I didn’t—we hadn’t discussed if I could kiss you yet, and then I just attacked you.”
The corner of his mouth curls up. “If you hadn’t noticed, Natalie. I kissed you back.”
“Yeah but, I don’t know, maybe you felt compelled or something. Or maybe it was a reflex.” I hiccup.
“You think I kiss like that as a reflex?” he asks with a laugh. “That’s giving me a little too much credit.” He cups my cheek and brushes his thumb over my bottom lip. “What if I told you I always feel compelled to kiss these? You just finally gave me a green light.”
“I’d say you’re a dirty liar.”
“You’ve called me worse.” He shrugs with a step forward. His forefinger and thumb grip my chin. “It’s never stopped how badly I want these before.” He raises his eyebrow asking permission, and I understand nothing that’s going on or how anything Cole is saying could be more than a fever dream, but I’m fairly certain I’m awake.
All I know is my lips are parting on command and my head is nodding with an undignified desperation because IneedCole’s lips on mine again.
“Natalie, we’re going back to your apartment. Do you have everything you need to sleep at Cole’s?” My mom’s voice asks over the loud hum of the Zamboni, breaking whatever spell I was under.
My eyes widen in horror. I turn. “Cole’s apartment?” I croak.
“Honey, we just saw the way you two kiss; there’s no use pretending that you don’t stay over each other’s apartment. And you know I wouldn’t wish your father’s snoring on anyone. Ineed to shut my eyes ASAP, so I’ll leave your overnight bag outside your door just in case, but I’m sure you have a stash of everything at his place by now, right?”
“I—”
“She has all the things!” Tessa yells. “She can totally stay with Cole.”
I glare at my soon-to-be-ex roommate.
“You’re welcome.” She mouths.
