“Twenty-five.”
“You're a baby.”
“Seriously?” He chuckled. “I'm an old twenty-five-year-old.”
“What do you mean by that?”
"That's a story for another day." Cole was talking about the future, and I was suddenly annoyed at myself for getting this close and intimate.
“Yeah, you're probably right. It's getting late—or early—I should get home.” I picked up my underwear and pajama pants and began to get dressed.
“No, I didn't mean you should go. Stay.”
"Cole, I really should go. This was amazing, but..." I bit my lip and looked up at him through my lashes. He raised his eyebrows. "I'm obviously very attracted to you, and I'm glad we were able to move past our disastrous first meeting…and CJ is a great kid." I sighed. "I come with a lot of baggage. I just got divorced. I'm still trying to figure things out, and I'm not into casual hookups."
The throbbing between my thighs would beg to differ.
He paused, seeming to consider my words before speaking again. "That's fair." He nodded. "I come with a little of my own baggage."
He held the ice pack to his nose and walked me to the door.
"Hey, how about a goodbye kiss?" he asked, and I glared at him incredulously.
“A kiss? Cole, you’re holding an ice pack to your face. Maybe we should quit while we’re ahead.”
"I may never get this opportunity again. I'm willing to take the risk." He grinned down at me and waggled his eyebrows. I burst out laughing before nodding. He was making excellent points though I was sure it wasn't clear-headed logic that made me nod.
“But this is it. One last kiss.”
“One last kiss.” He smiled. “You’re not going to headbutt me, are you?”
"No promises." I smiled, reached up, wrapped my arms around his neck, and pulled him down. He tossed the ice pack on a nearby table, lifted me, wrapped my legs around his waist, and pressed me into the wall.
"Are you sure you have to go?" he asked with my lips inches from his, our noses almost touching. I wasn't sure of anything at that moment, so I smiled, leaned forward, angling my head to avoid contact with his nose, and pressed our lips together. My kiss was soft, sweet, and full of passion. He kissed me back, matching my intensity. Two seconds in, and I knew this was the best kiss of my life. I slipped my tongue between his lips, and he welcomed me with a little growl that made my entire body tense. I dug my fingers in his hair, grabbing handfuls, deepening the kiss. His face must have been throbbing with pain, but I didn't fucking care, and I don't think he did either. His hips thrust forward, pressing himself between my legs. I couldn't handle another minute of this without exploding. I broke our kiss and looked up at him.
“Lisa—” he began in a harsh whisper.
“I should go,” I interrupted. “Put me down.”
He did as I asked and took a step back. I handed him the ice pack, but I was tempted to stuff it in my panties to keep from climbing Cole like a tree.
His face was flushed, his hair was disheveled, and his chest was heaving as much as mine. He was so gorgeous, and I didn't want to go, but I couldn't stay.
"Thanks again, Lisa," he said, and my heart fluttered, hearing him say my name. My brow furrowed in confusion, and I was sure he was teasing me again. "For CJ…the whole teething thing." He smiled, and I relaxed, returning his smile.
"God, I almost forgot about that." I chuckled. It felt like I knocked on his door ages ago. Was it possible that all this happened in a couple of hours? "Sure. Anytime, Cole," I said.
His smile faded as I turned to walk down the stairs.
“Hey,” he called out. “Do you know anything about hiring nannies?”
“Not really.” I looked over my shoulder. “We had a couple of nannies growing up, but I wouldn’t know anything about hiring a nanny in New York.”
Our gazes lingered for a moment. We were clearly reluctant to end this conversation, though we’d run out of things to say.
"But," I said, and he raised his eyebrow, "I could ask around. Maybe someone at work might know somebody?"
“Thanks. I’d appreciate it.”
