Shades of Gray (KGI #6)(61)

“All comfy?” he asked.

“I couldn’t be any more comfortable,” she replied.

“I’ll just go get us something to drink and throw a bag of popcorn in the microwave and then we’ll crank up the end-of-the-world movies.”

“Awesome!”

She watched as he walked away and continued staring when he disappeared from sight. She was falling so hard for him and she was awash in the giddy sensations of a new relationship. When everything was new and fresh and every little thing was exciting. When each touch was a thrill and you savored even the briefest contact.

They’d already had sex, for God’s sake, but this was completely different. It was as if that one night they’d shared together was a lifetime ago and erased from the equation. They were starting brand-new, as if they’d just met, only the ease in which they got along hinted at a long-standing friendship that was charting new territory.

He returned five minutes later with a bowl of popcorn and two cans of cola. He handed her a drink and the popcorn and then went to the television to retrieve the remote.

As he settled onto the couch beside her, he turned on the TV and started flipping through the menu of movies they could watch.

“So what’ll it be? The world taken over by aliens or the world engulfed by a giant tsunami?”

“Definitely the aliens. Can’t kill a tsunami. The alien movie will have lots of gratuitous violence.”

“Excellent choice. Aliens it is.”

He leaned back, putting his arm over her head and then down around her shoulders. He pulled her close, and she was happy to snuggle into his side. The popcorn was sitting on his lap within easy reach, and she munched idly as the movie began.

“You realize how unrealistic this is,” P.J. said, an hour into the movie.

“I would have never guessed,” Cole said dryly.

“Well come on. Put KGI up against the aliens. We’d take them out in two seconds flat. These aren’t even scary aliens. Why do they keep fighting them hand to hand? Just throw a f**king grenade and take out the lot of them.”

Cole laughed. “You have a point, but then there’d be no action and no conflict, thus no movie.”

“Speaking of like dudsville for an alien movie, remember that Mel Gibson movie with the aliens and there’s all this tension and hoopla over the alien invasion and he and his kids survive the night and then they hear on the radio the next day that some tribe in Africa discovered a way to kill them all and boom it was over? Talk about total letdown.”

“Well, if I remember right, the aliens weren’t really the point of that movie,” Cole said.

“Yeah, well, they should have been. It was more interesting than the hokey come-to-Jesus moment the guy supposedly had.”

Cole laughed and shook his head.

“I don’t want to have to think during a movie,” P.J. said. “I just want brainless violence and lots of cheesy action.”

“Are you trying to tell me your IQ isn’t setting the world on fire?”

She elbowed him in the gut and he let out a yelp. He wrapped both arms around her, trapping hers against her body, and then he grinned triumphantly at her.

“If I didn’t have an injury, I’d totally kick your ass right now, Coletrane.”

“Yeah, yeah, all bark and no bite.”

His mouth hovered precariously close to hers, so close she could feel the warmth of his breath over her lips. She glanced up, meeting his gaze, wondering if he was thinking the same thing she was thinking.

“I’m going to kiss you, P.J.”

Evidently he was.

“I was hoping you would,” she whispered.

His mouth covered hers, warm and sweet. He relaxed his grip on her arms and slid one hand up to her face to cup her cheek as he deepened his kiss.

His tongue delved over hers, salty from the popcorn, with a hint of butter and the sweetness of the cola. His fingers dug into her hair, around to the back of her head and then down to her nape.

“Make love to me, Cole.”

He pulled back in surprise, his eyes narrowing with concern.

“I don’t want to push you into anything, P.J. It’s probably better if we wait until you’re ready.”

“I’m ready,” she said, plunging ahead recklessly. “I want this. I want you.”

He stared at her a long moment as if he couldn’t make up his mind. She pulled him down into another long kiss, this time making sure she was the aggressor.

When he broke away this time, his breaths came in ragged bursts. His chest heaved and it was clear he was battling his urge to give in.

“I distinctly remember you saying you were going to take me home and make me feel all better,” she said.

“Christ, P.J. Are you sure? This is too important. I don’t want to f**k this up.”

She stroked her hand over his jaw. “Please.”

It was the please that seemed to do it. He pushed himself up from the couch and then reached down, sliding his arms underneath her, and plucked her from the cushions.

He strode toward his bedroom and shouldered the door open.

“Get the light,” he directed.

She swiped her hand along the wall until she found the switch and then flipped it up, flooding the room with light. He carried her to the bed and gently set her down.