Assured (Soul Serenade #2)(43)

Love. That one word among the many that fell from his lips is the one I’m stuck on. I bite my tongue, not wanting to blurt it out that it was more than making love—it was falling in love as well. That my heart is invested. Sweet Cole has cast a spell on me, and my heart was all too eager to succumb to his advances.

“Stacy.”

I pull myself together and focus on him.

“Tell me you get that?” His voice is pleading.

“I do,” I murmur. “We made love,” I rasp out.

He nods and I lay my head back on his chest, breaking the intensity of his stare.

“I want to wake up like this,” he says on a yawn.

This man. No one would believe me. If I told them about sweet Cole and the things he says to me, the way he holds me firm yet gentle. No one would believe that rocker Cole Hampton, lead guitarist for Soul Serenade, is the man holding me tight, vowing to do so all night long.

I like that.

I like the idea that I get the real Cole. A side of him the groupies and the fans don’t get to see. I get all of him—the cocky rocker, the loveable uncle, and the man who goes out of his way to make sure I know he just made love to me. Something we both know is another first for him.

I get my Cole.



“Morning, beautiful,” Cole’s sleepy voice rasps in my ear.

I slowly open my eyes and search for his. As promised, I’m still in his arms. “Morning,” I say, placing my hand over my mouth. I don’t want to knock him out with morning breath.

“Where are you going?” He holds tight when I try to get up.

I can’t help but laugh at his expression. He looks worried. “I have to pee and brush my teeth.”

“I need a kiss,” he begs. Yes, begs. It’s cute as hell, and no one would ever believe me.

“After I brush my teeth.”

“Now.”

He reaches for me, but I quickly roll away from him and climb out of bed. “Trust me on this one. This is new to you. Morning-breath kisses are not something you want to experience.”

“It is if it’s with you,” he pouts.

I just shake my head at his antics and rush to the bathroom before I lose control of my bladder. Just as I finish washing my hands, Cole barges into the room. He relieves himself as if I’m not even there.

I leave the bathroom to find my suitcase, but the luggage isn’t there.

Shit.

I stalk back to the bathroom. I’ll just have to use my finger with the sample that the hotel gives you. I find Cole at the sink, doing that very thing. He flashes me a grin.

“I wonder what the hotel did with our luggage,” I say, picking up the toothpaste.

“I’d say the others have it.”

“Why didn’t they call or bring it to us?”

He winks at me. “They know we’re together. They saw you hand everyone a key but me.”

I was so wrapped up in Cole that I didn’t even think about the others and what they might be noticing.

“It’s no big deal. We’re solid.” He slaps me on the ass as he leaves the room.

I finish brushing my teeth as best I can before joining him. He stalks toward me and, before I have time to resist, his lips are on mine. Gentle yet firm, he kisses me until there is a knock at the door.

“The newlyweds have our luggage,” he says against my lips. He pulls away and tosses his phone on the bed. “Sweets, you need to either hide in the bathroom or throw on a robe or clothes or something.” He runs his fingers through his hair, gathering it together and pulling it into a knot at the back of his head.

The knock sounds again. “Cole, you said you were awake,” Kace calls through the door.

“Hold your damn horses,” Cole yells back. He turns to me, “Stacy, you need to get moving.” He smirks.

He knows I was checking him out. Nothing but his jeans on, and unbuttoned at that. His ripped chest on display.

“I’m just going to get in the shower.”

“Don’t come out until you know they’re gone.”

“It’s not like. . . .”

“Not with you. No one gets to see you but me.” He kisses me hard one last time and smacks my ass for the second time this morning. I yelp in surprise and scurry off to the bathroom.





It’s hard to believe that there are only four weeks of the tour left. I spent the first four chasing my girl and the last four enjoying every minute of her being mine. This week, we have a show in Cincinnati. Luckily, we have three days off after, so we’re going to spend some time at Logan and Kacen’s house here before hitting the road again. Logan is beaming that she gets to see her family. I guess Jase, her younger brother, is coming home from college for a few days. Apparently, he explained to all his professors that his sister, who is married to a rock star, is coming into town. Not that they would give him shit anyway; he’s the big man on campus, football star and all. We need to make it to a game sometime. I need to mention that to Kace; I’m sure Logan would be thrilled. Of course, with the baby due in just two months, not sure if it will be this season.

Lots of changes going on, for sure.

I know my relationship with Stacy is one of them. Kacen has finally accepted it. After that first night I spent with her, he asked me if I was sure about what I was doing—always the sensible one. Once I told him that Stacy was my Logan, he hasn’t said another word.