Page 49 of Cole

He had trapped me against the bed, just like he had with the desk in his office. Just the thought of that encounter had my panties drenched.

He reached up and cupped my cheek. “I don’t have perfect manners, and I don’t have a refined palate. I don’t know shit about fine art, or fucking stock markets. I’d live in the woods before I lived in luxury. I don’t need any of that shit. I don’t care for it at all. But, correct me if I’m wrong… I have a feeling you like that.”

His thumb slid along my cheek, back and forth, before passing over my lips. Instinctively, I parted them, and his thumb pressed inside. His eyes were bright as I sucked on the tip, running my tongue over the digit, a thrill racing down my spine. This man made me feel like someone else. The strong, confident woman I’d always wanted to be.

“Tell me if I’m right, little sneak… or if you want to go back downstairs and hit the malt shop with Tyler.” His lips curved in a smirk, because it was clear who I wanted.

He pulled his thumb from my lips and clasped my chin in a firm pinch.

“Tell me, Isabelle, if you were waiting to see if I was coming back here for you tonight.”

This was a bad idea. Terrible. I knew it rationally, at the same time as I knew that I was going to disconnect my brain, and do whatever the hell I wanted. The message from my father sat in my phone, slithering like a venomous snake poised to strike and steal my future. I might not have a lot of time to do what I wanted to do…

… but I had tonight, and no one could take it from me.

“Yes, I was waiting,” I found myself saying, like I had no dignity whatsoever. Around this man, I really didn’t seem to have any. “Were you waiting for me?” I babbled. It didn’t really make sense, but Cole nodded, regardless.

“Yes. All fucking week, Goldilocks. You’ve made me wait,” he said slowly. My heart raced at his words. He’d been waiting for me after our last encounter? Had he wanted me to show up at the bar again? I was ridiculously flattered by the thought. God, I had it bad, already.

“You sneak around my office, tell me you want me, get on your fucking knees and drink my cum down like it’s your favorite smoothie, and then… nothing. You’ve made me wait, Isabelle.” His voice was almost surprised.

“And now?” I murmured, caught in his spell.

“And now…” his lips turned up again, slow and sexy. “Now, I’m done.”

He reached down and pulled his T-shirt off, tossing it aside.

I stared at his body. It was nearly too much to take in at once. He was inked to hell and back, but the designs never took away from the raw strength of his torso. He was strong, and scarred and… beautiful.

I brought my hand up to his chest. Just to the right of his heart was a scar that looked awfully like a bullet hole. I passed my fingers over it, tracing the raised skin.

“You—you’ve been hurt a lot before,” I stumbled out. Suddenly my heart was racing not just with lust, but fear. The thought that this man, so alive, and fierce and unfiltered, could suddenly disappear from the world, was unbearable.

“Hmm, and I will be again. My life is dangerous; I’m sure you’ve guessed as much.”

“I don’t care,” I interrupted, suddenly feeling certain that he was talking himself out of hooking up again, and I already couldn’t stand the thought. I’d already decided to let myself have this experience and deal with the consequences tomorrow. The thought that he might turn me away was making me panic.

“I’m too old for you, Goldilocks. Ten years too old,” he continued in a low rumble.

“I don’t care,” I repeated. “I like it.” I wasn’t lying. There was something so confident and adult about Cole. The way he handled himself, and took care of his business.

“Besides, ten years is nothing,” I murmured, thinking for a second of Grant Elwick and his twenty-year gap.

He narrowed his eyes at me, trying to figure me out.

“What’s the game, beautiful? Tell me now, or I’ll find out later,” he said simply.

I swallowed hard. I couldn’t tell him the truth right now, it would ruin everything. I could hardly admit I’d been trying to dig for info on him, and then expect anything to happen tonight, and suddenly, being touched by him didn’t feel optional. It was a necessity. So, instead, I told him a partial truth.

“You. I just want you,” I admitted softly. It wasn’t a lie.

His jaw tightened, and it was the only sign that he knew I wasn’t telling the whole truth, and it pissed him off. He cupped my face.

“Then you’ll have me. Every single inch.”

His lips met mine, his tongue pushing immediately inside my mouth. I gasped at the intrusion, and he only kissed me harder. His skin felt like it was burning my hands when I pressed my palms against his bare chest.

We fell onto the bed. He kissed me, and held me against him. We rolled back and forth, and I could feel his hard-on pressing into my middle. I felt like I was burning inside. His fingers moved to the straps of my cami, and he tugged them down, strong fingers yanking my bra south. Cool air hit my nipples, and then his mouth was closing around one, rubbing his tongue over it. I shivered, scratching at his shoulders. He moved from one breast to the other, rocking against me as he licked and nipped and sucked. One of his big, tattooed hands moved down my belly and pushed under the waistband of my jeans.