Chapter 9
COLE
Completely exhausted, I stir, coming awake, my muscles sore as I try to remember where the hell I am and why my body feels heavier than a bag of bricks.
I lie for a minute, and suddenly, I remember why I feel bone-deep tired as memories of last night race through my mind at the same pace my heart pounded from the heat and motion of last night’s events.
I barely slept because Mina and I stayed up all night, and now the sun is fully set high in the sky, glaring through the large hotel windows we forgot to close the drapes across.
Groaning at the distaste of having to get up, and with my body and mind hating me for burning the candle at both ends, I roll over in the opposite direction of the sun, then blink my eyes open, trying to adjust to the bright light.
My tired muscles scream at me to go back to sleep, but I know I can’t as I asked for a late checkout and I am pretty sure it’s around about that time now.
I roll onto my back again and dig my fingers into my eye sockets, giving them a good rub to wipe away the sleep, then raise my arms above my head to stretch out my muscles, smiling lazily as I remember just how wild things got last night.
My body’s still humming from the night’s chaos as we tangled our bodies around one another, exploring positions and our likes and dislikes.
Having never had a one-night stand before, I’ve no idea if that’s normal, but it felt so natural with Mina, and there wasn’t an awkward moment between us.
When I finally open my eyes and yawn like a bear emerging from hibernation, my vision shifts from cloudy to crystal clear, and that’s when I realize that Mina isn’t in bed with me, her side of the bed cold and empty.
The room is deadly silent; you could hear a pin drop.
There’s no sound of water falling from the shower either.
I catapult up into sitting position as mild panic takes flight… All of her things are gone.
I’m alone.
Fuck.
Raking my hands through my hair, I sweep it off my face and scan the room for any sign of her.
I have a moment of mild panic, much like Mina’s on the flight yesterday, heat crawling over my skin, sweat slicking my chest, not from the buzz I still have from last night, but from the absence of her, making my pulse jump around like a frog on hot sand.
The stark realization hits me that there’s nothing left of her but the smell of her perfume, and that emptiness hits harder than any sleep-deprived ache I’ve ever had.
As I look around the room again, my eyes land on a handwritten note on the night stand and hope pours back into my veins.
Faster than a speeding bullet from a gun, I wrestle with the bedsheets and snatch it, my heart racing and my fingers quivering, but a smile appears on my face when I read my name.
Cole,
I’m sorry, I had to leave. I received a text that my mom is sick.
You looked so peaceful, and I didn’t want to wake you up.
Thank you for an incredible night.
You’ve got my number, call me.
Mina x
Shit. I hope her mom’s okay, and I really wish she’d woken me up.
I rub my fingertips across my bottom lip, remembering what her mouth felt like on mine, awakening the ghost of her heat and the echo of her touch.
Of course I’m going to call her.
I was never not going to.