I swallowed and looked up at this man whom I could not walk away from for some reason. His pale pink lips parted and I wanted to kiss him so bad. To let him wrap his arms around me and make all the loneliness disappear. Yeah, I wanted Cole Sawyer. I wanted him something bad. But sharing him would be difficult. I had no idea how to go about it.
"I want to be with you," I told him softly, biting my bottom lip uncertainly. "I just...I'm not sure how..."
"I am," he interrupted me with a determined look. "I'll take care of it. Just follow my lead. We'll be happy, I promise."
My heart leapt at the idea. I wanted to believe him so bad. I was twenty three and promises from someone I barely even knew should not sway me when it came to such huge decisions. But I had been alone for so long and here was this amazing guy who was asking me to give him a chance. It would definitely be weird but I didn't want to regret turning him down without even trying first.
When I moved closer to him until our bodies were touching, his breathing quickened and I smiled a little. "You'll take care of it?" I asked him and his nod was solemn like he was making his wedding vows or something.
"I'll hold us down, baby," he reassured me, his voice confident and seductive. "I got this."
For some reason, I believed him. Maybe it was hope or just plain stupidity. But I trusted him to keep his word. That he would make this work for us. He would be the one navigating and leading me through all the uncertainty. I just had to take that step and lean on him.
Which I did. My eyes closed as I allowed him to wrap his arms around me. He felt so warm and hard. So right.
Mine.
"Okay," I whispered, inhaling his clean, masculine scent and feeling more than a little intoxicated.
His grip on me tightened. "You sure?"
I nodded into his chest. "I want to try." My hands slipped around his solid waist and I hugged him back, giving him my trust and affection. Needing to believe that this was the real thing. That he won't hurt me.
Cole let out a long breath as though a weight had lifted off his chest and said, "Thank you. We'll take it slow. You're going to love every minute of it."
I giggled at that. Nobody loved every minute of being in a relationship. I was not that naive. But I let his words calm my wildly beating heart. He was just cocky by nature and so far, it was not something I found annoying. I could do this. I could learn to be happily in love with a great guy who cared for me. It didn't have to be complicated.
Then he said those dreaded five words that threw me inside out.
"Jasper wants to meet you."
~~~
"Aren't you nervous?"
"Nope."
"How come?" My eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Wait. Have you guys done this sort of thing before?"
He frowned. "What? No!" He paused and then added, "Um...not like this."
My expression grew incredulous. "Like what then?"
He hedged, loosening his work tie and switching lanes as the stereo in his car hummed. "It doesn't matter."
I sat back and folded my arms, pinning him with a death stare.
Cole glanced over at me and panicked a little. I wanted to laugh but kept my face impassive. We had not even been on our first date and already he was scared of me. I had that much power over him.
"It was just a few times. Pretty random. One night stands," he explained quietly and glanced at me to watch for my reaction.
"Men or women?" I questioned.
"Women. I don't really notice other guys anymore. Jasper is..." A smile curved his lips and a look of adoration crept over his face. I wondered if he was even aware. "He's enough for me in that area."
"You mean when you need dick?" I asked blatantly.
"Jesus, Skye." He laughed. "It's a little more than that."
I felt jealous. Which was surprising. That guy had been in his life for so long and they were in love. It did not stop Cole from wanting to be with me though. I needed to deal. He had promised me he would give this relationship his best shot.
"He really doesn't have a problem with me?" I asked skeptically. I would. Have a problem with it if I had been in a long-term relationship with someone and he suddenly told me he wanted to be with another person as well. This was beyond weird.
Cole turned into a side street in Barona and weaved through the heavy evening traffic like a pro. "Skye. There are two things you should know about Jasper Wells," he stated in a matter-of-fact voice. "He never goes back on his word. And he would do anything for my happiness."
I almost let out a snort. Jealousy sparked within me again. Cole sounded so much in love with his boyfriend. So in awe of him. So proud of their bond. I kind of hated that Jasper had met him first. That he had him first.
Then Cole's warm, heavy hand was on mine on the console and he squeezed. That was all it took to make me melt.
"Relax, baby," he murmured and my heart jumped inside my chest at the sexy, possessive way he called me 'baby'. I loved it and I never wanted him to stop.
"I'm the only one he likes to bite," my future lover told me about his current one while watching the road and caressing the back of my
