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I didn’t know he was hiding this gem. When he pulls into my driveway, I walk over, waving my hands in the air with a huge smile on my face. I can’t contain myself. I’m psyched to ride in his Jeep. I want to ride down the beach on the sand with the ocean on one side, the world on the other, and the salty breeze in our hair.
I remember riding down with my father in his … my sister and I bouncing in the back seat, our asses going airborne over and over. A mixture of laughter and music in the air meant all was right with the world. We were so happy even though my mother was never around and didn’t want to spend time with us.
Cole parks the Jeep and hops out. “You like?”
“Do I like? Are you crazy? This is awesome. I love riding in Jeeps. It’s been so long since I have.”
He smiles a big, wide smile I’ve never seen before. His reaction to me has me feeling all kinds of things inside. Things I can’t explain. Things I should not be feeling.
“Let’s hit the road, then.” Cole takes my hand and helps me inside. He kisses my hand—again, a move I’d never expect, but boy, does he do it so well. “Buckle up. It’s gonna be a bumpy ride.” With a wink, he hurries to the other side. “You look beautiful, Addi.”
I flush at his words. “Thanks,” I whisper.
With that, we’re off, the wind whipping through our hair, just as I’d hoped.
And my walls begin to crumble …
* * *
Cole takes me down a dirt road to a private beach he knows about. A customer from the shop lets him ride his Jeep down here, and it’s exactly as I imagined.
Well, besides the little detour we took when we almost drove right into a small bay of water. Or when a seagull shit on both our arms and we both flipped out, beyond disgusted. We laughed it all off, enjoying the time spent together outside of the shop.
After our little drive, Cole takes us to a restaurant overlooking the coastline. It’s nothing fancy, but delicious fried seafood and ice cream fill our stomachs. Then we decide to head back to the private beach, but this time, we get out of the Jeep.
Cole pulls me out of the seat, and I hop down, my bare feet hitting the sand. We walk along the shore in the water warm, the sun almost set. “It’s beautiful out here.”
I nod in agreement, admiring the swirls of color in the sky that paint a pretty picture. Cole stops, and we turn toward the water to take in the scene.
Shifting in place, I rub my legs together under my short black dress. Tonight’s dinner was a tease, and Cole was handsome as ever as we ate our food.
My shoes and wristlet dangle off my hand while the other holds my hair to the side, the ocean breeze ruffling my hard work. Cole’s eyes fall to my bare neck, and his tongue darts out, licking his lip a tiny bit.
“I want to take you home tonight, Addi.” His whispered breath tickles my ear, and I shiver. His words wash over me, and a rush of excitement sweeps through me.
Contain yourself. It’s still just sex.
Every part of me wants to go, but should we cross these lines?
Yeah, the first night we had sex in his bed, but since then, it’s been at work. Oddly, we haven’t taken it anywhere else. And maybe because we both know we can’t cross a certain line.
If I go home with him tonight, these lines become blurred.
“I … I’m not really sure that’s a good idea.”
Cole pulls my hand from my hair, the strands falling loosely around my face. He brushes one side back and tucks it behind my ear. “It doesn’t have to change a thing, I promise.”
“See, that’s the thing, Cole. It’ll probably change everything.”
“So what if it does?”
I freeze, not sure I heard what I think I did. Did he just say so what if it does?
That can’t be true because I know it’s not what he wants. He’s made it clear to me several times. And I can’t risk being heartbroken. I’d rather have Cole in some way than no way at all.
Ignoring what he says, I find myself agreeing to leave with him.
Maybe he is being truthful.
