“Lisa, are you gonna point to everything on the table or eat something?”
I loaded up two plates and took a bite of everything, occasionally feeding Cole a forkful of something particularly delicious.
“Feel better?” He chuckled. I felt a lot better. Was I just hungry this whole time?
"I feel like I'm in a Snickers commercial." I laughed, and he joined me.
Cole grazed the pad of his thumb under one of my eyes, and I knew he was examining one of the bruise-like dark under-eye circles.
“I hate seeing you like this.” He sighed. “It makes me feel helpless. I want to throw you over my shoulder, march you on to that plane and take you home.”
"I knew it wasn't going to be easy, but I didn't expect it to be this hard." I wrapped an arm around his neck and rested my head on his shoulder.
“Would I be an asshole if I asked you to come home?”
“For the hearing?”
“No, I haven’t changed my mind about the hearing. I want you to come home for me.”
"Cole." I sighed. "I have eight weeks left in my contract."
"It's too bad you don't know anyone who could renegotiate a contract and was madly in love with you." He kissed me and grinned.
"That's tempting, but I can't."
Cole looked like he was going to open his mouth to argue, but he sighed and kissed me instead.
"I'm sorry if you think I've been keeping things from you, but I have a lot to tell you, and I want to wait until after the hearing when things calm down. I also don't want to stress you out any more than you already are."
"If you're serious about wanting to marry me, then we shouldn't have any secrets."
“Are you saying you’re ready to say yes to my ladybug ring?”
"I'm not saying that. I just want you to know that you can trust me with anything."
“I know that, baby. Of course, I know that.”
“Did you really charter a private plane to come here?” I asked.
“Yep.”
"Cole, I don't want you spending all of your money to come to visit me. I appreciate it, but this is too much. The plane, this luxury suite, all this food." I waved my arm at the table, "How long do you think you can keep this up?" I asked. He smirked at me, and I kissed it off of his face. "Promise me you won't do this again."
“Are you coming home?”
“No.”
“Then I can’t make any promises.” He kissed me again. “Are you done eating?”
I nodded and repositioned myself in the chair, so I was straddling him, wrapping my arms around his neck and pressing our foreheads together.
"Good." He shot me a grin that made the muscles between my thighs clench. He stood with me wrapped around his torso like a spider monkey and walked into the bedroom. "Because I'm just getting started."
After a long nap,a perfect dinner, and great sex, I felt better than I had in weeks. I was tucked in the crook of Cole's arm. We were silent, just enjoying the feel of each other, the warmth of our bodies, the sound of our contented breathing, and the aroma of our lovemaking mingled with the smell of Cole's body wash, cologne, and his sweat.
"Are you sure CJ's okay?" I was hoping my nugget would be miraculously awake so I could hold him in my arms, watch his eyes light up, and hear all of the new words he must be saying.
"They're in another suite on this floor, and CJ's been asleep for hours. He's fine."
