20. Cole
Cole
A weight pinned me to the mattress when I woke. It was too heavy to be Cinder, and when I blinked the sleep out of my eyes, I saw that Bridget was completely sprawled out on top of me.
This was new, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like it.
A calm settled over my soul at the thought of having her exactly where she belonged. I was a damn fool for ever letting her go, but I would never make that mistake again.
My hand smoothed over her short chestnut tresses, the light spilling in from the high windows of the foyer drawing my attention to the natural auburn highlights threaded throughout.
Her face was upturned enough that I could count the freckles dotting the bridge of her nose—there were exactly thirteen of them, same as always.
Goddamn, she was the most beautiful creature I’d ever laid eyes upon.
Before I could drink in my fill of her, Bridget moaned, shifting against me as she roused.
I bit back a grunt. My morning wood was so hard it bordered on painful.
“Morning.” The greeting came out sleep-roughened.
Black lashes fluttered against her cheeks before lifting to reveal her brilliant green stare.
Her forehead creased, confusion leaking into her tone. “Cole? How did you—” Then her memory must’ve kicked in because she groaned, covering her face with both hands. “Oh my God. I’m so embarrassed.”
“Why are you embarrassed?”
Her hands fell away, a huff flying past her lips. “Because last night you were earning the crown of consent king, and then I go and climb into bed with you without asking while you were passed out.”
I murmured against the top of her head, “You won’t hear me complaining.”
“I’m sorry,” she breathed out.
“No apologies needed. I liked waking up next to you. It’s something I never got to do . . .” My voice trailed off. “Back then.”
Nothing like a little reminder first thing in the morning that our past relationship was far less than what she deserved.
I hated that I hadn’t been brave enough to love her out in the open.
And it rubbed me the wrong way that we were hiding while getting our second chance, even if it was for her safety.
Someday—hopefully sooner rather than later—we could step into the light, and I would be able to let the whole world know that she was the woman I loved.
“Did you have a bad dream?” I asked, wondering what had compelled her to sneak into the hallway seeking comfort.
“No.” Averting her gaze, she confessed, “I couldn’t sleep after that kiss.”
That intimate moment had set my world on fire, and hearing that she’d been similarly affected by it sent my soul soaring.
I forced myself to temper my excitement that we were on the same page because our road to reconnection needed to be a marathon, not a sprint. Going slow was the name of the game, and I was determined to let her take the lead.
“It was an amazing kiss,” I agreed.
Bridget traced the tattoo over my heart. “What’s a girl gotta do to get another one of those?”
A smile tugged onto my lips. “Depends on the girl.”
Lashes lifting, she hit me with the mother of all eye rolls before correcting, “What do I have to do to get another one of those?”
“That’s simple.” My palm skated up her side. “You only have to ask.”
There was a beat of hesitation where she licked her lips. “Can I have a kiss?”
My nose skated along the edge of hers. “You forgot the magic word,” I rumbled.
Breathy, she tacked on “Please?”
“That’s my girl,” I praised, nipping at her lower lip.
She whimpered, her hips lifting impatiently, grinding against the side of my thigh. “Cole, I need—”
“I know,” I murmured against her mouth.
Her fingers fisted the fabric of my shirt, and she hauled me flush, taking control. Our lips fused together, and my erection came roaring back to life.
God, she tasted like sin and salvation, and I couldn’t get enough.
Tongues battled for dominance, and a throaty groan worked its way through my chest. Every instinct demanded I flip her onto her back and claim her as mine, once and for all, but there was just enough blood left in my brain to warn that if I did, it would scare her away.
And I refused to destroy the trust we’d been building.
So as much as it pained me, I pulled back.
A wrinkle formed between Bridget’s brows as her lips chased my withdrawal. “More,” she whined.
My thumb stroked over her cheek as I pressed a featherlight kiss to the tip of her nose. “It’s time for breakfast.”
Slowly, she opened her eyes to reveal they were filled with lust. Her hand on my chest trailed lower, my abs contracting beneath her touch. Just as she made contact with the waistband of my boxers, I circled her wrist, halting her progress.
“Bridget,” I chided. “Let’s take things slow, okay?”
She broke out of my hold, grumbling, “You sound like Dr. Marshall.”
Knowing I was on the same page as her therapist made it easier to do the right thing, even if Bridget wasn’t so pleased about it.
“Probably best if we listen to the professional, don’t you think?”
“Fine.” She sighed, climbing off the mattress.
Rolling over, I adjusted my hard-on before standing. “How do waffles sound?”
Bridget’s nose wrinkled. “You’re not gonna put protein powder into the mix again, are you?”
My laughter couldn’t be contained. “I’ll make you your own batch.”
“Deal.”
With our pinkies looped, we headed downstairs, and it struck me that this could very well be the first morning of our forever.
“Wanna go for a walk?”
Bridget looked up from where she was seated on the floor, playing with Cinder. Flashing me a brilliant smile, she dipped her chin. “Fresh air sounds nice.”
“Might want to grab a sweater,” I suggested. “The breeze coming off the ocean is a bit chilly this afternoon.”
A temperature in the high fifties in November wasn’t exactly considered freezing in most places, but for those of us native to Southern California, it was cold. Believe it or not, I saw someone bundled up in a ski jacket earlier.
“I’ll be right back.” Bridget rushed up the steps.
Slipping my feet into my shoes, I tugged on a hoodie just as she made it back downstairs.
When I saw she carried Cinder in her arms, I arched an eyebrow in question.
“Can we take him with us?” Bridget batted those long eyelashes at me. “Please?”
I sighed. It was impossible to say no to this woman.
But despite my desire to do whatever it took to make her happy, there was one problem.
“I have a leash for him, though I doubt he’ll be too thrilled about walking on sand.”
“Wait right here.” Passing Cinder off to me, she disappeared around the corner to the living room, only to return a few moments later carrying some type of backpack with mesh sides.
To my ultimate surprise, the cat eagerly jumped into the unzipped opening, purring as he made a nest of the blankets inside.
Chuckling, I said, “Not his first time, I take it?”
Bridget shook her head. “Maisie and Austin got this for him the last time I stayed at their place.”
That didn’t shock me in the least. Those teens were head over heels for Cinder and, more than once, had spent their entire allowance buying him gifts.
“You wanna carry him?”
I took the backpack from her hands. “Sure. You ready to go?”
Bending down to tie her sneakers, she popped up with a smile. “I am now.”
We walked through the neighborhood to reach the path that led to the beach.
The minute our feet touched the sand, Bridget removed her shoes, and I did the same.
Together, we trudged the uneven terrain toward the waterline, where the wet sand provided better traction, and let the rolling waves wash over our toes.
Our pace was lazy, the white noise of the ocean soothing. And like she did often these days, Bridget linked her fingers with mine while we strolled along the shore.
After a stretch of silence, I asked, “Do you think when things settle down, you’d like to go back to teaching?”
She mulled it over for a minute. “Maybe. I loved working with kids.”
I’d had the pleasure of watching her with Austin and Maisie, so it was easy to see that she had been incredible at her job.
“Is there another career path you’re considering instead?”
A corner of Bridget’s lips twitched. “Actually, there is.”
My ears perked up. “Oh, yeah?”
“I’ve really enjoyed helping out with Thorne Tough. Maisie’s an absolute inspiration—her passion for serving others—and I think I’d like to find a place within a charitable foundation.”
I was forever in awe of her.
“That’s a fantastic idea. I’m sure if you wanted, Levi and Arizona would be happy to offer you a permanent position within Thorne Tough.”
She nodded thoughtfully. “I would be honored to keep working toward Maisie’s vision, but a part of me wants to pour my energy into a cause that speaks to me on a personal level.”
“Like something involving those who have suffered from domestic abuse?” I hedged.
Bridget’s head tilted from side to side. “That, or research for glioblastoma.” The cancer that had taken Russ from us too soon.
This woman had a huge heart, and I would do whatever was within my power to support her new dream.
“You know, the San Diego Surf Foundation has partnered with Thorne Tough. I bet if I told them you wanted to start a charity in Russ’s memory, they would be on board to help get it off the ground. He’s not here anymore, but he will forever be a part of the Surf family.”
At my offer, she began to backtrack. “Oh, I don’t know that I want to create something new.”
“That’s okay. Just know that there’s an open door available if you ever want to walk through it.” I squeezed her hand. “And no matter what you decide, I’ll be there every step of the way.”
When she turned to face me, the setting sun cast a golden glow over her features. “Thank you, Cole. For everything.”
I lifted our joined hands so that I could brush a kiss across the back of hers, and murmured against her skin, “You’re welcome.”
We walked in silence after that, and I reveled in the quiet intimacy shared with my soulmate.
Bridget Russell was my other half, and in the years spent without her, I’d been a shell of a man. Now that I had her back, my life felt worth living again.
For the first time in a long time, I was truly excited about the future.