29. One Night Only
Chapter 29
One Night Only
Lila
Turning around, I crack my eyes open to find myself in a dimly lit room. The alarm clock on the nightstand reads 5:06 A.M., and as I try to bring myself back to reality, everything that happened last night comes rushing back through my aching head. I must’ve had more wine than I thought, because my head feels like it’s been stuffed with cotton candy.
Cole stirs slightly besides me, a reminder of my choices last night. I reach out to caress his face, enjoying the feeling of watching him sleep peacefully. He’s so gorgeous.
My eyes greedily take in his toned chest, making their way down to his tight, muscular abs. I pull the covers down, licking my lips as that part of him that gave me so much pleasure comes into view. I blush as memories of last night float at the back of my mind.
I’m embarrassed to admit that at almost forty years old, it was the first time I’ve had an orgasm. I lost count of the amount. I thought this multiple orgasm thing was only something men made up, but now I can speak from personal experience that it’s a real thing.
Reluctantly, I pull my eyes away from him and take in the room. It’s much darker than the other parts of the house I’ve seen so far but matches his dark, brooding personality perfectly.
My brows crease together as I try to collect my scattered thoughts. Still wrapped in his blanket, I walk to his window, looking through it to see that the snow has cleared up. The very reason I came home with him in the first place. My thoughts return to how freeing last night turned out to be. From finally getting the apology I never knew I needed to feeling safe enough to speak my own truth. Even down to those passionate moments I wondered if I’d ever feel again.
A silly smile stretches out across my face, the delicious soreness between my legs reminding me of things that make my body tingle all over again.
I catch sight of my dress draped over a chair in the corner. I don’t remember him bringing it in last night. My eyes land on the discarded sweatsuit in a messy heap on the floor, and just like that, reality comes crashing down on me.
Whatever happened last night, Cole is still Cole. Nothing’s changed. He’s still the man who’s had a different woman on his arm every time I’ve seen him over the last eight years. He’s the man who’s been hurt so badly that he doesn’t have any love left to give to any woman. He said so himself. That phase is over for him. I can’t offer anyone much anymore either, so it might as well be over for me too.
Last night was amazing, but that’s all it’s ever going to be. One night. And now, it’s over.
I slip into the sweatsuit quietly and grab my dress, careful not to wake him as he’s still peacefully asleep. I open the door slowly, glancing one more time at his beautiful sleeping form before I slip out of the door. By the time I make my way out of the house my Uber is already waiting for me outside.
After a hot shower back at my apartment and a cup of steaming coffee to wake myself up, I dress in a plain tee and some yoga pants. Curling up in bed again with my laptop, I try to get some work done, but my mind is in a distant place.
I squeal, unable to contain my excitement as a thought crosses my mind. “I was right. I knew I was right!” I squeal again.
Greg didn’t cheat on Sue. He would never hurt her like that, but Sue was so convinced, she almost managed to convince me too. She has been so worked up over this that she couldn’t even tell him they’re about to have a baby. Meanwhile the whole time, he’s been planning this beautiful surprise for her.
In reality, I was not convinced that I was ever going to get that information from Cole, but somehow the universe worked it out.
God, I wish I could tell her right now. But I’ll let her husband surprise her, just like I promised Cole.
Cole.
I’ve found out what Sue wanted me to—the main reason I’ve been working with Cole to begin with, so doesn’t that mean it’s over? I saw a side of him last night that I never imagined. He was gentle, letting himself be completely vulnerable with me, genuinely wanting to know about me, and truly listening to what I had to say. He’s the only one since Sue who I felt comfortable enough to share the biggest and most painful part of my life with. I told him about the thing that scares me the most in the entire world, and he looked at me and told me I was beautiful.
I wouldn’t take back anything that happened last night. It’s one of those nights I will carry with me for the rest of my life, but it can’t happen again. Not with him. I didn’t spend all these years waiting to find a love like my parents’, only to eventually fall in love with a man who no longer believes in love.
He’s been through so much, and I understand that he doesn’t want to risk it again. Not everyone can come back from something like that and still see the good in people, but I’m not willing to get my emotions tangled up with a man who can’t give me the love I’ve waited all these years for.
There’s no future for us.
I can’t give him a family, and he can’t give me love.