20. Cole
Twenty
Cole
I wake to the sight of Sal stretching in one of my chairs at my bedside. I might be the sick one, but he looks rough too.
“I thought you were a robber.”
My confession makes Sal freeze for a moment before giving me a half smile.
“I’m glad it’s you here and not a robber, or Tony.”
“Me too.”
There’s a shift in the atmosphere and I want to hang on to it, but he changes the subject.
He cracks open a Body Armor and hands it to me.
“I ordered one of each flavor.”
Damn, he’s so sweet.
I take the pink bottle with shaky hands
“This one is a strawberry banana.”
“Thank you,” I mumble before finally getting the drink to my lips.
It’s so cold but refreshing. I can’t stop myself from trying to down it as quickly and possible.
Sal’s eyes widen as he watches me.
“Don’t choke.”
I ignore him and keep chugging. My stomach gurgles in hunger and maybe gratitude that I’m finally feeding it.
“Cole.”
After a few more seconds, his hands gently start to pry the bottle from me but I keep chugging away.
“You’re gonna throw it up at this rate.”
He’s not wrong.
I give in and let him take it from me, sitting back trying to catch my breath.
“Jesus,” he mutters, putting the cap back on.
After he sets the drink on the nightstand, he leaves the room and comes back with a damp towel. Gently, he presses it to my face and down my neck.
“Do you feel any better?”
“A little.”
“Good.”
The exchange is simple but warms me. Then he leaves.
When he comes back, he settles in his spot next to me and I watch him snap open a pop and tear open a candy bar.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen him look so casual .
I mean, he’s still wearing his fancy office outfit, but he’s eating and drinking treats I didn’t expect.
“Do you want to change into something more comfortable?”
The question sounds innocent and initially that’s what it is. However the thought of him stripping and joining me in bed is highly appealing.
He shakes his head.
“You need a shower.”
I laugh. “Probably.”
“Definitely.”
We both laugh.
The thought of dragging my body from this bed exhausts me.
“Just rest for now, Cole.”
My eyes flutter closed as if his permission immediately relaxes me.
* * *
I wake in the dark to the sound of boisterous laughter coming from the living room. I’m propped up by a bunch of pillows now, I don’t remember doing it and figure it must have been Sal.
Straining to listen, I hear two familiar voices chatting away. Well, one person chatting, Tony, and occasionally Sal chimes in.
It’s so uncanny and my mind is boggled.
There’s something I’m missing out on and it bothers me. Not that I can do anything to change it. My body is heavy like a rock.
“You’re something else,” I hear Sal say to Tony.
“That’s what makes me lovable,” my friend says back.
He’s not wrong.
The light from my phone plugged in at my nightstand startles me. With a shaky arm I reach out and grab it. Unplugging it, I hold it close to my face and read Danny’s name pop up several times.
It’s like a punch to my gut.
Opening it up, I read the full thing. I have to scroll up because there’s a bunch of unread, and unanswered messages from him.
Danny: Hey
Danny: U ok buddy?
Ew. Why is he calling me buddy?
Danny: Cole?
Danny: U cant be that mad?
Danny: Can I come over?
Danny: On my way over
Panic stabs me in the chest. Fuck.
I start to type out a response telling him not to come when there’s a pounding on the front door.
Fuck.
Lifting the covers off me, I try to move my body from the bed.
The front door swings open and I hear a ‘Hello?’ from Sal.
There’s a long stretch of silence. Am I missing something?
“Boss man?”
“Yeah, what’s up?” Sal doesn’t miss a beat.
Then Tony is piping up. “Hey Danny! Your boo is in the room.”
“Oh, it’s a work party to check up on him, huh?”
I wish I could see what’s happening.
Instead, I throw the blanket over me, gently tuck my phone under with me and pretend to be asleep.
There’s a knock on my open door. Then footsteps.
“Cole?” Danny’s voice is quieter than usual.
I can feel him standing at my bedside staring at me. My nose itches and I try to ignore it.
“Cole?” A thick hand swipes across my forehead, making me jump.
I let my eyes flutter open. “Danny?”
God I know I’m being stupid but I don’t know what else to do.
“Hey, you okay?”
“What’s going on?” It’s not a lie because I don’t know why he’s here.
“Do you need the hospital?”
I blink, unsure of how to answer.
“You don’t look so good.”
“Thanks,” I grumble. “My friends are taking care of me.”
Danny smirks and lifts the blanket up to my chin. “I see that.”
I don’t bother to try and hide my irritation. I throw the accusation at him like a dart. “You left me here.”
He nods, his mouth twisting to the side. “Guess I’m not so good at this stuff.”
“What stuff?”
I want him to say it. To put the nail in the coffin himself.
“Being a boyfriend.”
I shake my head. “We’re not boyfriends.”
I expect him to bristle in anger. Instead, he shakes his head. “I’m sorry, Cole.”
We both know it’s over.
“Me, too. Thanks for stopping by.”
The words are right, yet somehow I feel wrong about saying it.
“Get better. Text me if you ever want to hang out. Play ball or something.”
Leaning down, he kisses my forehead, then leaves.
“Later fellas,” he says before the door closes loudly behind him.
Tony shuffles into my room seconds later. “What just happened? Why is he leaving?”
Letting out a sigh, my shoulders sag. “I don’t know.”
My friend frowns and sits at the edge of my bed. “Did you guys break up?”
We did, not that I thought of us as a couple. “I guess so.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” I’m surprised by how upset I am. He was just a once a week hookup, so why is my stomach churning?
Tony lifts his brows. “If only the boss was gay. I’d almost say he’s crushing on you.”
The comment throws me off and I end up in a coughing fit. It’s a surprising balm to the burn of losing Danny.
Tony pats my back as I sit up.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you!”
I chuckle to hide the other thoughts racing through my mind.
“I gotta go, but I can come check on you in the morning.”
I shake my head. “Go home, I’ll see you in a couple days. Thanks though.”
“Of course. I’ll order you lunch so keep an ear out.”
“You’re the best.”
“You know it.”
We bump fists and say goodnight.
“Night boss man,” Tony says and the door closes behind him.
I let out a sigh and bury my head into the pillow trying to process the evening. I’ve officially lost Danny. The pain of losing him hurts like a bee sting, something unexpected but quick.
All I want to do is sleep and get back to work, and move on from all the nonsense. The nonsense of trying to get a boyfriend. There’s so much else I could be doing. Finding some great events for my clients who will be coming out to California for a month. Or whatever big project Sal mentioned.
Sal! I forgot he’s still here. I listen for him to make a noise but he’s painfully quiet out in the living room.
I toss my phone onto the nightstand and trace the ceiling with my gaze.
“You okay?”
Sal’s voice startles me.
“I could use a shower,” I mutter.
Turning my head, I look at him but it’s dark.
“Come on,” he says, offering his hand.
Peeling away the covers for me, he helps me stand and leads me to the bathroom.
Flicking on the light, he helps me to sit on the toilet seat cover and starts the shower.
Grabbing a rag, he sets it in the sink and fills it. After a moment he hands me the warm rag.
“For your face.”
I’m skeptical as I’m about to get in the shower. I do as he says, though, and am pleased by the warmth of it on my skin.
When I pull it away, my mouth and throat clamp closed as he’s stripped himself down to his boxers. The rag is pulled from my hands and he begins helping me strip by pulling the shirt over my head.
Once he’s helped me to my feet he tugs my boxers down and they fall to my feet.
It’d be weird except he’s so gentle. I’m walked to the water, told to feel if the temperature is okay, then helped to step in.
I’m being a baby. I’d probably be fine without it… however, I love it.
The water is incredible against my skin.
I peel my eyes open to watch him pump soap into his hand, lather it, then apply it to my hair. I let him massage my scalp and listen when he tells me to lean forward to rinse it out.
It’s stupid but I can’t help the audible sigh that leaves my lips.
Occasionally his arm lassos around my waist to stabilize me.
Rubbing the water from my eyes, I greedily take in the site of him lathering his hands then scrubbing my body.
Sal takes his time roaming my skin. A shuddered breath escapes me the closer he gets to my dick.
“Touch me,” I order.
Sal shakes his head.
“Please.”
Dark eyes flicker up to meet mine.
“Unless you don’t want to.” Why is he stopping himself now?
“Of course I want to,” he hisses.
“Then do it.”
Sucking on his bottom lip, he lets out a heavy sigh.
I’m ready to tell him not to, until he inches closer to me.
His hands move in rotating motions around my thighs, from the outside to the inside and grip them.
I throw my head back as my dick goes from a semi to fully erect. Just him touching my body made me hard. The possibility of more drives me wild.
To my surprise, he strokes my dick from the base to the tip.
“Ohhh.”
How can his touch do this to me? The loss I felt before evaporates and I’m filling with only the desire to get wrecked by him.
“That’s right, baby. Moan for me.”
I didn’t realize I was letting out little whimpers but it only increases as he runs a hand through my damp hair. He’s touching me but consuming me with his eyes when our gazes lock.
“Fuck, Torey.”
My eyes roll to the back of my head as he strokes me at a tantalizing pace.
The pace quickens and I have to grip the shower walls.
I want to lean forward and kiss him but I simply stand still and let him touch me knowing I’m too sick to do more.
Eyeing up his boxers, my mouth waters at the sight of his dick straining in those little black boxers.
A fresh wave of exhaustion shoots through my body.
“I can’t… I don’t think…”
The words won’t come out.
“Should I stop?” He asks, his grip loosening.
“No!”
He chuckles then gently rubs his entire hand up and down and around my dick.
It feels so good.
But my body is beat. In a bad way.
“I’m… too tired…”
Immediately he stops.
“It’s okay,” he says soothingly when I meet his gaze, regret jabbing at me.
His dark eyes are full of that hungry passion. I want him to devour me, I want him to let that huge cock spring free from his boxers. I want him to shove me against the wall and rub our dicks together in long strokes with his hand while the other pins me to the wall above my head.
The little day dream ends when he gently glides a hand across my body from head to toe to clean off the suds.
Grabbing me by the elbow, he leads me out of the shower and in front of the mirror.
His muscles bunch and relax as he dries me off from head to toe. It’s embarrassing but I’m out of breath and have to hang onto the edge of the counter.
“Almost done,” he says in the most soothing voice. “Come on.”
Then I’m sitting on my bed as he clicks on the lamp and pulls a large white tee over my head. I’m being tucked in and he leaves to turn out the overhead lights.
“Are you leaving?” I ask.
Then I hear the front door lock closed. I almost think he’s left until he shuffles back into my room.
“I’ll leave in the morning after you wake up.” He parks himself in the chair. The offer is kind. Way more than I deserve. But I want more. Need more.
“Lay with me.”
His head tilts to the side as if I’m crazy.
Maybe I am.
“Please. I promise I won’t grind on your dick.”
Oh the reluctant grin he gives me is going to make it hard to keep to my word.
After another long moment of hesitation, he looks to the doorway in the lamplight and flicks off the light. I think I’ve lost my chance until he crawls over me and throws an arm around me.
“I’m sleeping on top of the covers.”
I adjust my ass slightly, like a beacon seeking his dick. Calling him.
“Cole,” he says as a warning.
“What?” I try to sound as innocent as possible.
Sal scoffs and I love the sound.
He shifts and his dick rests against my ass. I want to break my promise but I’m too damn tired and fall asleep immediately.