Love Thy Neighbor (Friend-Zoned)(22)

I mutter, “Yeah, yeah. Whatever, man. I’ll do it.” He looks like he might just man-hug me, so I raise my hands in warning. As Max backs away smiling like an idiot, he says, “I could kiss you right now! I mean, I won’t, but I could, dude. I owe you one.”

More like six, knucklehead.

With a wave of my hand, he leaves me in peace, so I continue to do what I’ve been doing all morning and watch Nat on the CCTV. I watch her fold clothes and greet customers. She’s so pretty when she smiles. I wish she’d do it more. Then I see something that turns my good mood to shit. I slap my hand down hard on the desk and glare at the screen.

***

Tina’s still away from work. I spoke to her this morning and Tatiana’s fever broke, which is great, but she’s still really stuffy. My poor little angel is frustrated. I mean, c’mon, I would be too if I couldn’t breathe.

Luckily, today has been an easy day. Serving customers and folding clothes have been my main job, and I gotta say, this makes me happy. I love an easy day as much as the next person. I hum and go about folding sweaters until hands cover my eyes and a deep voice in my ear says, “Guess who, sunshine.”

A full-blown smile breaks out on my face and I squeak, “Cole!”

He chuckles as I turn around. Smiling my head off, I slap his chest playfully and ask, “What are you doing here?” I narrow my eyes. “Are you stalking me?”

He’s dressed in black sweats and a white workout tank, obviously having come from training with someone. He scratches his head as if thinking, then answers, “I came to buy myself a new sweater.” He picks up the one I just folded and puts it to his muscular chest. I burst out laughing. The sweater is white and a small size, against his broad chest it looks like a baby’s bib. “It might not fit though,” he admits dejectedly.

His chuckles join mine and he pulls me into a warm bear hug. I wrap my arms around his toned waist, place my head on his firm chest and sigh happily. He whispers into my hair, “I missed you, sunshine. I couldn’t stay away.” I pull back and smile up at him. His eyes darken and his face turns serious. His hands move from my back, up my shoulders and into my hair. My breath catches. He holds my head steady and lowers his mouth to mine, planting a slow and sensual kiss on my lips. He pulls back a little and says hoarsely, “That’s a promise of what’s to come tonight.”

Through hooded eyes, I gaze up at him and whisper back, “Yay. Can’t wait.” And I really can’t.

Smiling a bright white smile, he lowers his gorgeous face to mine once more and kisses me deeply. Then he lets go of my hair, backs away and is out the door, all the while smirking and leaving me to my own thoughts.

What the heck was that?

I shake my head as if trying to clear it and go back to folding clothes with a huge smile on my face.

***

I spend an hour soaking in the tub when I get home from a great day at the store.

Knowing that Cole will be here soon is doing funny, fluttery things to my belly.

I haven’t felt this way about a guy in a long while. And secretly, I’m waiting for something to go wrong because, let’s be honest, I’m Natalie Kovac. It’s known by most of my friends in Cali, Tina included, that I have the worst taste in men. You name it, I’ve had it.

Cheaters, a man with a foot fetish, men who like to role-play and let’s not forget the guy who wanted me to pee on him. Role-play is fine. I’m into role-play. It can be seriously hot. I do not, however, think it’s hot to want to do father-daughter incest role-play.

Yuk!

I still shudder at that one.

I still don’t know what to make of this whole insta-relationship Cole and I have going on, but I know I did something today to cement where we are in this… this… thing. During my lunch break, I went over to see my friend Tanya at Bells and Whistles salon and got my hoo-hah waxed. So that pretty much means tonight Cole is going to get lucky.

Excited much?

Hell yeah! I’m getting the sex tonight!

Smiling, I let out a mini whoop, stand up in the tub, rinse my body and step out.

Time to get beautified.

I apply my makeup a little more dramatic than normal, just a little darker around the eyes with soft pink lip gloss. I want Cole to notice I’ve made an effort. Not that he will.

Sigh.

Stupid men.

Ever so carefully, I remove the tags off the brand new lingerie I bought, and slide the barely-there lace black and white panties up my legs. I put on the matching bra and check myself in the mirror. I can’t help the grin that forms. Not bad for the time I had to work with. I hop into a pair of tight jeans and finish my look off with a white see-through sweater. Actually, the very same sweater Cole was joking around with today. I look in the mirror once more and see my bra faintly through the sweater. Perfect.

Ding Dong.

Checking my watch, I smirk. He’s early, the eager beaver. I fluff my hair and apply some more gloss to my lips before heading barefoot to the door. I don’t wait this time; I open it and smile big. He looks gorgeous, dressed in black jeans, a black long sleeved tee and his white sneakers. As soon as he smiles, I grip his shirt and pull him inside.

It’s on.

We’re all over each other like PB on J. I’ve been waiting for this all damn day.

Frantically kissing and pulling at each other’s clothes, Cole manages to slip my sweater off me. I try to do the same to his shirt but it gets stuck around his head, and after a few seconds of pulling and getting nowhere, I burst out laughing. I hear Cole laughing too but can’t see his face which, of course, makes it funnier. I gasp through my laughter, double over and clutch my belly. He pulls himself free of the shirt and throws it to the side. The sight of that gorgeous toned body makes me sober.