“I didn’t want him to see me like this.”
“You know how he is when it comes to you. I was about to leave when I received your text. He jumped in my car before I could stop him,” she says quickly.
Cole is zeroing in on us and he looks at me with shock and sorrow. I probably look like a complete mess.
He pulls me from Megs’ arms and envelops me in his. I close my eyes, letting the feel of his body soothe me. When I open them again, Simon is standing next to Megs, his hands shoved inside his Capri pants, speaking to Megs in a low voice.
Cole pulls back. He holds out his hand and says, “Keys.”
I blink at him, confused.
He points to my car. I nod and place them on his palm. He signs something to Simon, who nods and says, “We’ll see you guys later,” then takes Megs’ hand and drags her toward the car. Cole opens my car and jerks his chin for me to get in.
After telling Megs I will call her as soon as I get home, I get in the car. Cole follows me and slides in the driver’s seat. This Cole is kind of scary. He’s determined.
When we arrive at our neighborhood, instead of taking me to my house, he kisses my forehead and leads us to his. Nick is on the porch, playing race cars with a friend of his. After saying a muffled hello to them, we head inside the house. Maggie’s voice drifts from the kitchen. She’s talking on the phone.
Shit.
She is the last person I want to see today. I drag my feet on the carpet and Cole stops and raises his brows at me as if to ask “What’s wrong?” But I can’t tell him yet. I need a little more time.
Cole tugs me by the hand upstairs to the bathroom and locks the door. He turns on the shower, turns to me, and motions for me to lift my arms.
“I can undress myself,” I say quietly, but making sure he can read my lips.
He keeps his gaze on my face and shakes his head.
I sigh and take a deep breath, then lift my arms. He makes efficient work of undressing me and when he’s done, he nods toward the shower. I step inside and he pulls the doors closed. When I’m done I linger a bit longer, hoping Cole will eventually leave the bathroom. I finally give up and slide open the door. Cole is holding the towel out for me and wraps it around me, rubbing my body dry. He unhooks a T-shirt from his shoulder that I hadn’t noticed before and slides it over my head. Finally he leads me to his room, drops my hand and scrambles on his bed before urging me to go to him.
I blink back tears, and shake my head. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”
“I’m not sorry.”
Finally, the tears I’ve been holding onto fall down my cheeks. “I’m a mess, Cole. I can’t. . .” I suck in a deep breath. “I keep promising myself I’ll be better next time. God, I need to leave. You don’t want me like this.”
He scrambles out of the bed and grabs my shoulders. “I don’t care, Nor. Just come to bed. Let me hold you, all right?”
Those words breakdown the wall I’ve been erecting since I was in the shower. I fall into his arms and let him lead me to the bed. He gathers me in his arms. “It’s okay, Nor. I’m here.”
I lean back to look into his eyes. “I was standing in front of the shelves with razor blades. The urge to buy them was so strong. God, I’m weak.”
“You did not buy the razors. You won the fight.” He glances down at the red marks on my forearm where I dug the car keys in. “You stopped yourself. Don’t stop fighting, Snowflake. Fight whatever demons keep you awake at night. Just don’t stop fighting.”
Our lips are almost touching. I can feel his breath fanning the skin around my mouth. Sliding my hands to cup his face, I press my lips to his. A kiss seeking comfort. He kisses me back, softly at first and sighs under his breath, a cross between a moan and a groan. He cups my face with one hand, and wraps the other around the nape of my neck, pulling me closer. Holding me captive. I move and latch my legs around his hips momentarily disconnecting our mouths but not for long. His hand leaves my face, slides down my neck, the side of my breast and down lower. He lifts the edge of my dress and wraps his fingers around my lower back, holding me against his body.
A light blinks feverishly behind my closed eyes. I open them to see the little alarm light on the nightstand lighting up to indicate someone is knocking on Cole’s door. I scramble off Cole’s lap just as his mom walks into the room. My face is flaming as her gaze narrows on me and then her son.
“Staying within limits, okay?” She asks loudly at the same time signing. She has this rule that the boys can take girls to their room but never go beyond kissing.
Cole nods and looks at me, his face flushed and eyes dark. I can’t meet his eyes. I can’t meet Maggie’s eyes and not because she caught us kissing up a storm.