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And yet...
I pull the shirt over my head. It hangs down to mid-thigh, but the material is soft and luxurious. Cole stares at me, the intensity of his gaze heating every inch of my skin. He scrubs his hand over his mouth, then abruptly turns and disappears into the bathroom, coming out carrying a new toothbrush for me to use. We both quickly clean up, and before I know it, he’s climbing into his huge bed and holding the covers back for me.
I slide under, but lying there next to him, I’m not sure what to do with myself. Cole doesn’t exactly seem like the spooning type, but then he rolls toward me and places his large hand on my stomach, the warmth of his palm seeping through the shirt and relaxing me.
We might not be cuddling, but being here with him like this still feels special. I think I might be smiling as I drift off to sleep.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-TWO
COLE
Iwake to something hot pressed against my side. My eyes fly open and immediately find the woman curled up next to me, her mass of dark hair draped over my arm, the rest of it partially covering her face. Her long, dark eyelashes flutter against her cheeks as she dreams.
I’m not sure what came over me last night when I asked her to stay. No. That’s not true. I know exactly what I was thinking. I was thinking that I liked that she’d cooked for me. I liked that she’d laughed with me. I really liked what she’d let me do to her afterward. Having her with me after a long fucking week of work had felt good. More than good. I hadn’t wanted that feeling to go away.
I hadn’t wantedherto go. And I don’t know what the hell to do with that.
I slide myself away from her and out of bed. She makes a little whimper and curls into herself, and I want to crawl right back under the covers, roll her onto her back, and bury my head between her legs. My thoughts are all over the place right now, and I need to focus on something else.
After using the bathroom, I dress in my workout clothes and head to my personal gym. I spend the next hour pushing my body hard, all to keep myself from thinking about the woman in my bed. The one who keeps working her way further and further under my skin. I force myself to think about my plans for the weekend. Today is our monthly catch-up with Mom, an event which my brothers and I—and Mom as well, I’m sure—dread equally. It’s been even worse since Dad’s arrest. Mom’s doing her usual routine of ignoring anything even slightly unpleasant, while Roman, Tate, and I are there for appearance’s sake. As soon as lunch is over, we’ll all go our separate ways. Duty done for another month.
Ten minutes later, I put my weights on the rack and turn, stopping when I see the slender form standing in the doorway. My dick stirs at the sight of her in my T-shirt. Her nipples are clearly visible through the white cotton, and all I can think about is getting my mouth on them. Then I notice the way her fingers twist together in front of her. She’s uncertain about being here. Probably as uncertain as I am about having her here.
Delilah walks toward me, and I take in the soft sway of her hips. I wait for discomfort to overwhelm me with the urge to rush her out the door. But I just stand there and watch her come closer. Rather than telling her I’ll call Jonathan to take her home when she stops in front of me, I step toward her, wrap my hands around her ass, and yank her against me.
Her wide eyes look up at me, and I’m overcome with the need to strip that shirt from her body and fuck her right here on the gym floor. I fist my hand in her hair and tug back her head.
“Cole,” she says. “Do you want me to—”
“Do you want to come to lunch with my family today?”
Her lips part and she stares at me. “You want me to spend time with your family?”
It sounds ridiculous when she says it, and I don’t know what I was thinking by asking her, but instead of backtracking, I double down. “Yes. Do you have anything planned for today?”
“I was just going to do some work.”
“You work too hard,” I growl.
She laughs softly. “Like you can talk.”
I angle my head toward her, breathing her in. “Feel free to distract me.”
She stares up at me, something soft and warm blooming in her eyes. Then she crosses her arms, grasps the hem of her shirt, and tugs it over her head.
* * *
I driveDelilah back to her apartment in my Maclaren so she can get changed. When she comes out dressed in a pretty blue sundress and high-heeled sandals, my fingers itch to slide the silky material up her thighs and sink into her. I’d love to take her back to my penthouse and spend all day in bed with her rather than go to this lunch, but appearances are all-important and our monthly family lunch must be maintained—a sign of our solidarity. It’s even more important after what Dad did.
I start the engine, pull into traffic, and head toward my family’s estate in Westchester County.
We drive in silence for a few minutes, the scenery outside the car window changing from the skyscrapers of Manhattan to leafy suburbs.
Delilah breaks the silence. “Will your brothers wonder why I’m there?”
I glance at her, taking in the furrow between her brows. Considering I’d surprised myself when I invited her, I’ve no doubt my family will be shocked, but the last thing I want to do is make her feel uncomfortable. “My brothers already know about you.”
“I know Tate does, but I didn’t realize they both do.” She bites her lip. “Won’t they think it’s strange that I’m with you today?”
