Assured (Soul Serenade #2)(65)

I do as he says and lift my hips, allowing him easier access to finish undressing me. I manage to move myself back on the bed and he stalks after me. His body is now hovering over mine. He leans in for a kiss and I drink him in.

Breaking the kiss, he reaches over and fumbles around in the drawer of the nightstand. I watch as he pulls out a condom. I reach for it, but he holds his hand out of reach.

“You can’t, sweets. I want this to be slow. I need to make love to you, but if I let you do this,”—he holds up the condom—“it will be over before it starts.”

Good to know he’s just as affected as I am. I watch unashamed as he rolls the condom over his length and settles back on top of me. He keeps his weight on his forearms, careful not to crush me.

His hands are in my hair, smoothing it back, his eyes intense as he watches me. A soft, quick kiss to my lips and he’s pushing inside. “I love you, Stacy,” he says against my lips.

I don’t reply. I can’t. All I want is for him to move, to take care of this ache that he caused. I bury my nails into his back and pull him toward me, lifting my hips.

“Slow,” he whispers.

“Cole.” My voice rests somewhere between begging and moaning.

He bites down on his bottom lip as his hips slowly rotate against mine. “Slow.” He groans it this time.

I can tell that it’s taking all his restraint not to let loose. I lift my hips again, moving my hands to his lower back and pulling him into me.

“Fuck,” he moans, burying his face in my neck.

“Yes, that’s the point,” I urge him.

“I want to savor you. I’ve wanted you in my bed for so long and now that you’re here—”

I interrupt him. “Now that I’m here, you’re going to f*ck me. I want you, all of you. Don’t hold back, please,” I beg.

I see the moment that he relents; his eyes grow darker and a wicked grin graces his lips. “Hold on, sweets,” he warns, and then unleashes at my request.

Holding on is all I’m capable of as he takes control, giving me exactly what I’ve asked for.

I meet him stroke for stroke, every thrust growing closer to the edge.

“You there, sweets?” he asks. His voice alone tells me he’s losing control.

“Yes!” I cry as we both fall into the blissful existence that is just us. Cole and Stacy.

Nothing else matters.





Today is the day Gavin and Kacen are meeting with Wilson. He thinks they’re going to talk to him about taking a deal, and they are, kind of. The plan is to get him to release us from our contract with the thought that Stacy will drop the charges. What he won’t know is that, unless we have an attorney there—which we won’t—it means nothing.

Our attorney already drew up the paperwork for terminating our contract early. Gavin has spoken to the board members and they’re all appalled at what Wilson did to Stacy. He claims they’re behind us.

I begged them to let me go, since I still have some payback to give him for hurting her, but Stacy shot it down before my boys could even open their mouths. Turns out, my girl is fiercely protective like me. I have to admit that, as I lie here holding her in my arms watching the sunrise, I think I got the better deal. Gavin and Kacen have to be at the label in thirty minutes.

I look down at my sleeping beauty and the last twenty-four hours replay in my mind. Once I had her in my bed, I wanted her everywhere. I want to be able to walk into my condo and see her. I want to be flooded with memories of our time together. Surely that will hold me over during the times she’s not with me, right?

Then again, once this place sells, the effort will have been lost, but not forgotten. I could never forget a single second of my time with her. We’ll just have to christen the new house, the one I hope to buy soon. The realtor sent me an e-mail; there is a house just down the street from Kace and Logan that just came up for sale. There isn’t even a sign in the yard yet. I know the place, and I’m crossing my fingers that she falls in love with it. I know she’ll love the idea of living so close to her best friend. Yes, I want her to move in. I want it all with her. Every f*cking cliché you can think of, I want it.

We’re supposed to see the house at ten this morning; I didn’t want to take the chance of someone buying it out from under me. Not to mention that I don’t want to wait to put my plans in motion. I want to build a life with her. It will also help both of us keep our minds off what’s going on with the label and Wilson. I trust Gavin, so I have to have faith that it’s all going to work out.

Regardless, I have her. She’s all that matters.

“Hey,” she says in her sleepy, sexy-as-hell voice.

“Morning, sweets.” I kiss her temple.

“How long have you been up?” She stretches and I’m transfixed by her naked body on display before me.

“Cole.” She giggles.

I f*cking love that sound.

“A while. We have somewhere to be at ten.”

She sits up. “What time is it? Where are we going?

“It’s just after seven. My realtor sent me an e-mail, and there is a house I want to go look at.”

“Really? What’s wrong with this place?” she asks, confused.

It hits me that I’ve yet to fill her in on any of my plans. “I think it’s time for a house.” I shrug as if it’s not a big f*cking deal, but it is a big f*cking deal. I just can’t let her know that yet. I have a few other surprises up my sleeve. “Things are changing. We’re going to be in town for longer periods of time. This was never a permanent solution.”