Broken Silence (Silence, #2)(34)

I snuggled back into the sofa, pressing my side against Cole’s. The brief conversation with my family had made it possible for this gesture to be comforting, rather than electrically-charged. Just how far would we have gone if they hadn’t have come home?

I didn’t want something to happen if it would just end up the same way it did four years ago. Breaking up with Cole was the hardest thing I had ever done, and that was saying something. Neither of us could go through that again. Even knowing all that, I didn’t feel fully in control. I knew if he kissed me, there was no way I could stop.

“So how’re you doing?” Jasper asked.

“I’m okay,” I replied, trying not to get irritated by the question.

He sat forward in the seat. “Have you heard anything from Linda yet?”

“No.”

Jasper’s mouth cracked open, probably to ask me why, but Cole shook his head, effectively shutting him up. The truth was, I couldn’t deal with it. It was already too much that my dad’s trial was starting today. I didn’t want to keep hearing about it too.

“You wanna come out tomorrow night?” Cole asked Jasper, changing the subject.

“Err, I have plans.” Of course. Plans with Abby.

“You can bring Abby too,” he said.

Jasper glared at Mum through the door. Obviously she wasn’t supposed to tell anyone. Cole’s jaw snapped shut as he saw the look on Jasper’s face. “Oops,” he whispered to me.

Jasper sighed. “I might meet you lot after.”

I turned to my brother and smiled. “Are you going to bring Abby too? It would be nice to see her again.”

“Maybe.”

“Okay.” I didn’t push it further; he looked almost sad talking about her. Jasper had carried on sleeping around in Australia and didn’t date anyone. I had a feeling he still liked Abby.

Soon after they arrived home, Mum and Ali excused themselves and went to bed, while me, Cole and Jasper continued watching TV.

“What are you guys doing tomorrow?” Jasper asked, filling the silence.

Cole shrugged. “Working. Some of us do that, you know!”

I stifled a laugh. “If you can call what you do work!” Cole’s mouth dropped open in protest.

“Oh come on,” I needled him. “You text me loads at work. You can’t be doing that much while you’re there.”

“Have you ever thought that maybe I’m just so good at what I do I can work and still have time to text you?”

Tapping my jaw, I pretended to think. “Nope.”

“Right,” Jasper said. “I’ve had enough of the flirting already. I’m going to bed. Night.”

“Night,” Cole and I replied at the same time.

Cole gasped in full teenage-girl mode. “Jinx!”

I laid against his side. “How old are you?”

It was getting late, and he had work in the morning, but I still didn’t want him to leave.

“Oakley?” Cole whispered against my hair.

“Hmm?”

“I need to go.”

“But I’m comfortable,” I mumbled, gripping his T-shirt, not wanting to let him go. “You could stay. If you want to?” As I waited for him to reply I felt wide open, vulnerable and totally bare.

He kissed the top of my head, and I hoped it wasn’t in rejection. “I’ll stay, but I’ll have to leave pretty early.”

Lifting my head off his shoulder, I was met by his beautiful blue eyes.

“Thank you,” I whispered. “Shall we go to bed then?” Cole as he stood up and offered me his hand. Well someone likes the idea of us sharing a bed…

Cole followed me upstairs. The closer I got to my temporary room the more nervous I felt. The futon wasn’t very big so we would be practically lying on top of each other, unless he wanted me to sleep in Lizzie’s bed? I shook my head. There was no way he would want that! Calm down!

I grabbed my oversized T-shirt, a pair of pyjama shorts and excused myself to the bathroom. Taking a deep breath, I looked in the bathroom mirror and smoothed down my hair. I grabbed the make-up removing wipes and swept it across my eyes slowly, giving myself some more time to calm my nerves.

Once I was ready for bed, I forced my legs to walk back to Lizzie’s room. “Hey,” Cole said, sitting up in the futon. His naked chest was staring me in the face.

My eyes widened. “Hi.”

Cole laid down, stretching his arm out for me. I swallowed my excitement and slipped into the tiny bed. I laid my head on his shoulder and threw my arm over his chest. His breathing quickened as I ran my fingertips over his soft skin, drawing a figure of eight.

“Are you okay?” I whispered in the darkness.

“Yeah,” he replied. I pressed my face into his neck and sighed happily. “When are you speaking to Linda?” Safe topic?

“I’m not sure. I’ll call her some time tomorrow if I haven’t heard anything.”

Cole’s lips grazed the top of my head. “If you want I’ll be here when you call.”

“Thank you but you really shouldn’t miss any more work, unless you want them to fire you.”

Cole chuckled quietly. His chest shook beneath my hand. “What if I came here on my lunch break and you called her then?”