Addison (The Mitchell/Healy Family #6)(20)

When we finally took a second to catch our breath, neither of us let go. I clung to him now. It was easy, almost natural. “It took you long enough,” he said in a teasing manner.

“Fine. I’ll admit it. You broke me. You’ve got me where you want me. Now what?”

He kissed my nose. “Now we spend our time getting to know each other, instead of arguing about who wants who more.”

“We never argued about that.”

“That’s not how I saw it. Precious, you’ve been wanting this since the moment we met.”

“You were in the hospital. I felt bad for you.”

“At the church. We met at the church, and I know you haven’t forgotten.”

I let my head fall on his shoulder as I laughed. “You call me out on everything.”

He lifted my chin and softly brushed his lips over mine again. I could feel his smooth tongue licking over my bottom lip before he pulled away to speak. His own eyes opened so slowly. “Don’t be embarrassed. I’ve thought about you since that night. To be honest, I didn’t think you’d give in so easily. I thought I’d have to drop my shorts first.” While he chuckled at his comment I lightly smacked his chest. “You wouldn’t.”

“Oh, I was fully prepared to do whatever it took.”

“Really?”

“It doesn’t matter now. You totally caved.”

I brought one hand to my mouth and giggled. “I totally did.”

“Now is when the fun begins.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

He grimaced and licked his bottom lip. “That’s for me to know, and you to find out afterwards.”

“I’m not afraid of you.”

“Oh, I know. That’s why it’s going to be so damn good.”

“One day at a time, Cole,” I reminded him.

“Damn, I was hoping to get you naked.” He cackled to himself. “I’m playing. Don’t get me wrong, precious, I’d love to get a piece, but I’ve got a feeling you’ll be worth the wait.”

I wasn’t offended he was assuming we’d sleep together. I’d be in denial if I didn’t admit this encounter was making me feel things that had been dormant for far too long. I’d make him wait, but when it did happen we’d both enjoy it, I could guarantee I would.

Cole and I made out in the water until our skin was pruning up. He carried me to the beach, displaying his strength even more. I don’t remember disconnecting from him when we got down on the blanket. His warm body was against mine almost immediately. He hadn’t taken this thing between us any further than touching, and honestly, he wasn’t trying to grope. Cole held me, his lips staying around the area of my head and neck. He was gentle, passionate even. It swept me away.

A little while later we were still camped out on the blanket. “What would you have done if someone wasn’t here to buy a blanket and drinks off of?”

He shrugged. “I would have let you sit on my shirt while I stayed in the sand.”

“Why do you call me precious?”

“Because you are. You’re like a porcelain doll. You’re beautiful to look at, but you’re fragile. I need to be careful with you. We wouldn’t want you to crack.”

I wanted to smile, but Cole had brought up a good point. I was fragile. On the outside I appeared strong, but every day was a struggle. Now I’d let him into my life on a personal level. I feared it was going to break me down again, but I couldn’t begin to tell him to stay away, not after the day we’d shared.

He took our hands and laced them together in the air between us. “I feel like you get me. I don’t have to pretend to have all the answers to life. With you, I can just be me.”

“I feel the same,” I agreed.

“It’ll be our secret. If you decide I’m a waste of your time, no one has to know.”

“What if the opposite happens?” I couldn’t believe I was bringing this up on our first real day of being together like this. Was I glutton for punishment?

“You mean, what if you fall in love with me? Well, that can’t happen, Addison. You’re too damn good for me.”

I placed my hand on his cheek. “Don’t say that. You never know where life will take you.”

“Maybe. I do know your family would never approve of me. Since I like this thing between us, I’m not going to ask you to show me around. Keep it between us, okay?”

I didn’t understand, but I agreed. The less people who knew I was dating someone I was sponsoring the better. I would be a terrible role model to display my inability to keep things professional, especially in the first week of knowing someone.





Chapter 8


Cole


It was too good to be true. That’s what I kept telling myself while I had her in my arms. I’d gotten my way for now, but how long could it last with the big secret I was keeping? Once she put two and two together there was no way she’d want me anywhere near her. I wished I could choose where I came from – who brought me into this world. It would make things so much easier. I’d been abandoned, and from what I’d learned so far, it wasn’t much different from what happened to her with her own mother. Being estranged from your kids was what my mother knew. In some ways I felt sorry for her.