Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 80052 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80052 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
His gaze sharpened on mine, and he hoisted his hips just enough that I tipped forward, flat against his chest. My girlish yelp only served to satisfy him as he reached up to unclasp my bra. The soft material slipped off my bare skin, and I shivered in his arms.
“You want to be my friend?” he asked huskily, his mouth flush against my ear. “Be my friend, Paige. Grind down on me.”
Mama MIA.
That’s the thing about Cole, his dirty little secret. He might be a buttoned-up director of operations during the day, but at night, in the bedroom, Mr. Spreadsheets and Numbers takes no prisoners.
He looked me up and down with pure possession, trailing his eyes with his hands so he could unbutton my shorts and work them off my hips. I complied, trying to hide my desperation, but he saw it all the same; he heard it in the way I sighed with relief when we were skin to skin, flushed and sweaty. Warmth radiated from where we touched, and tingles skittered across my body.
He took me there on the couch, with my head thrown back and my hands propped behind me on his knees. It was a precarious position, and I’d have been scared I’d tumble back onto the floor if not for Cole’s tight grip on my waist. He thrust up into me, seating himself to the hilt, and once there, he groaned and closed his eyes like he couldn’t help it. It was too good. It might’ve been too much as he fought to regain his composure. When he opened his eyes again, his lips twisted up into a salacious smile.
“You are such a good friend,” he said as he started to rock his hips, and his teasing praise made me feel hotter than ever.
He hit a spot that undid me, and my lips parted as I sucked in a sharp breath. All the while, he kept right on talking. “The best friend.”
I became a passive participant, pliant in his arms as he hoisted me up and down using his grip on my waist. When he was deeper than ever, a weak cry spilled out of me.
Cole can be tender and sweet, but right then, he left the softness at the door.
He picked up the pace, faster, and my grip tightened on his knees. I was forced to close my eyes. It was all too much and I came too fast, too soon. His fingers bit into my waist as he felt me ride it out on him, and the delicious curses that wrung from his mouth sent me tail-spinning even harder.
I came out of it in a frenzy, almost angry at the way he made me feel. I blinked my eyes open, leaned forward, and kissed him hard as he continued, so close behind me it was only seconds before I felt him jerk and thrust, moan, and then go perfectly still. Our wild breathing was the only sound in the room.
Then I sort of chuckled.
He laughed.
I turned my cheek, and he kissed me, checking in. “You okay?”
“Barely.”
It’s a wonder we still have time for life outside of our relationship, but I make a point not to cut myself off from the rest of the world. At least not completely.
The next night, I took Cole with me to a bonfire Oscar and Théo were setting up. That’s right. I finally invited Cole to a bonfire. Big steps here, people. I halfway assumed he was going to don his most practical suit and tie and head down to the beach in penny loafers. The whole thing was going to be so awkward, I knew it. I was in the bathroom, finishing putting on my bikini and cover-up, and when I walked out, Cole was in gray board shorts and a T-shirt fitted enough that it wasn’t too loose or too tight, i.e., perfection. A gasp sputtered out of me.
“What are you wearing?”
He frowned and looked down, running a hand over his stomach. “My shirt?” he asked, clearly confused. “Is there a stain or something?”
So it turns out I was wrong about Cole. His wardrobe is far more diverse than I long assumed. And his people skills? Not half-bad either. He wasn’t the biggest social butterfly there ever was at the bonfire, but it’s because he’s reserved, not stuck up. He’s the quieter one out of the two of us, the yin to my yang, but he still chatted with Oscar and Théo, and when they were having trouble with the fire, he stepped up to help them when it was clear no one else really wanted to volunteer for the task. Afterward, with sparks fanning up into the darkening sky, we sat in a circle, all spread out on our lounge chairs, towels, and blankets. It was a smaller group than usual. Just the guys, Lara, Camila, and me. Everyone passed around the small cooler filled with cold, mismatched beers and seltzers. My contribution was snacks: the all-important marshmallows and a few bags of chips. Later, when we were filled with all the white sugary fluff we could handle, I tugged a bag of sour Skittles out of my pocket and secretly waved them at Cole like I was his dealer trying to entice him.