She closed her eyes and snuggled against his warmth.
COLE LAY IN BED FOR A LONG TIME, LISTENING TO THE sounds of Savannah’s breathing.
She’d fallen asleep right away, but it wasn’t an easy sleep.
He figured he’d hold her until she drifted off, then he’d get up and watch some TV. It was still early, after all.
But the way she held on to him—clutching him like she was lost at sea and he was her goddamn lifeline—made him rethink his strategy.
She’d gone it alone. Her entire life, she’d had no one. The success and position she held now had been her own doing. She’d had no parents along the way to help her, to cook her meals and make sure she did her homework, no one to kick her ass when she needed it, no one to kiss her boo-boos when she failed and tell her everything was going to be all right.
How tough did someone have to be to survive a childhood like that?
Pretty fucking tough.
Yet she was so sweet. She wasn’t a hard-ass, wasn’t jaded after all that had been done to her. In bed, she was giving and generous. And she smiled a lot. She seemed to enjoy life.
Whereas he’d been nothing but a giant pain in the ass, taking for granted everything that had been given to him. He’d had it so easy, while his parents had struggled to give him a good life so all he had to do was go out and live his dream.
He and Savannah were as different as night and day. How could she tolerate being around him? He was nothing but a spoiled football player who craved the spotlight. He didn’t deserve to be sharing a bed with her. She needed someone who cared for her, who thought of nothing but her, who’d give up everything just to give her the kind of life she deserved.
He sucked in a breath and realized it was time he made some serious life changes. It was time to go all in and stop hesitating about the things he really wanted in his career. In his life.
It was time to start taking some chances.
EIGHTEEN
SAVANNAH WOKE ALONE IN HER BED, FEELING A LITTLE disoriented and with a wicked headache, but fully aware of what had happened last night.
She sat up, drew her knees to her chest, and laid her head in her hands.
She’d been making a lot of boneheaded moves since she’d met Cole.
Having sex with him, of course, topped the list. But falling apart in front of him last night came in a close second.
What had she been thinking, unloading all her personal history like that?
He’d made it too easy, asking all those leading questions, and giving her the music box that had started the rush of memories. Not that it should have made a difference. She’d always been good at keeping her past right where it belonged—in the past. She was supposed to be helping him exorcise all his demons, not the other way around.
Instead, she’d wilted like some frail Southern flower that crumpled at the first sign of frost.
She gave herself credit for having more backbone and fortitude than that.
“Ugh. You’re becoming a marshmallow, Savannah.”
“Hey, I like marshmallows.”
Savannah’s head shot up as Cole walked in carrying two cups of coffee. Despite her irritation with her behavior last night, she couldn’t fault the company this morning. His hair was sleep rumpled, his jaw darkened with a day’s growth of stubble, his chest bare, and he looked utterly delicious wearing nothing but the tuxedo pants from last night, unbottoned and slung low on his hips.
“I didn’t know you were still here.”
“Obviously.” He handed her a cup and took a seat on the edge of the bed, sipping his coffee. “So what about you and marshmallows?”
Her coffee had been made perfectly, with a teaspoon of sugar and a dollop of cream. He’d been paying attention.
“Thank you. And nothing about marshmallows.”
He set his cup on the nightstand. “I’m a big fan of marshmallows, you know.”
“Is that right?”
“Yeah.” He took her cup and put it down, then leaned in and pressed his lips to her neck, sliding his tongue along the side of her throat.
She shuddered out a sigh.
“Marshmallows taste sweet.” He nipped at her ear, then pushed her back against the pillows and drew her camisole strap down her arms, baring her breasts. He took a nipple between his lips, flicking his tongue over the quickly hardening bud. When he sucked, sensation shot right to her *, making her writhe in anticipation.
He popped the nipple out of his mouth and grinned up at her. “Sweet and sugary, just the way I like my marshmallows.”
When he moved down her body, lifting her camisole to lick his way across her stomach, she sighed and relaxed against the pillows, knowing where this was going.
This was exactly what she needed. The tension she felt when she woke dissolved, but when his teeth grazed her hip bone and he drew her panties down, a new tautness took its place, a delicious, anticipation of what was to come.
And when he swiped his fingers across her * lips, she shuddered.