Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
SIERRA
Cole’s acting weird. Everything is strange though, so I’m not sure I’m reading him right.
A burning question pops out of me. “Have we spent a lot of time here together?”
Cole turns his head and his troubled gaze falls to the bed. He inhales swiftly and loudly. The flare of his nostrils coincides with his upper lids growing heavy. “Yeah, we’ve been here a lot.”
Husky voice and all.
I almost burst into flames. A tremble works its way through me. It’s subtle at first, but grows and grows until my hands start to shake.
I practically leap back from the bed and crash into the dresser.
Crap. Way to go, Grace.
Cole grabs for me, but I hold up my hands. He can’t touch me right now.
“I’m fine, just wasn’t looking where I was going.”
I do not tell him the reason.
He looks down at me, and as I look up into stormy eyes, my mind goes wild.
Do not imagine him naked on top of me in that bed.
But lord, I do.
That big, powerful body.
He would feel so good.
I’m about to break out in a sweat when he clears his throat. It’s a husky sound. A vibration hits my tummy.
Holy smoking panty fire. I’m gonna pass out.
I laugh awkwardly, but it comes out more like a weird groan. “Alright, then. Um. I guess I should pack.”
He grunts, but he’s also now staring at the bed. I hope he didn’t read my thoughts this time. We might not make that flight.
He breaks the staring match when he shifts and scrubs both hands over his face. “Let’s find a bag.”
Thank god, because I can’t stay in this room with him much longer.
“Maybe in here?’ I open the closet doors and peek inside.
“Got one,” Cole says behind me. He tosses the duffel on the bed. It’s pink with white stripes and it lands with a thud.
The bed.
No. Don’t look at it.
Instead, I focus on all the things that are mine…were mine. I feel like I’ve gotten a grab bag at the thrift shop and I’m looking inside for the first time.
There is a collection of books on the dresser. Paperbacks and hardbacks. Have I read them or is that my to-be-read pile?
In the closet there are two stacks of sweaters, all folded, neatly placed on the shelf. Like something you’d see in a boutique—organized by shade.
Shoes too. Clean. Tidy. Tucked in little cubbies. Dark colors fading to light ones from left to right.
I turn to Cole. “Who organizes like this?”
“You.”
Something about it feels very wrong. Like I can’t relate to this OCD person. Would I hang my clothes by color?
Yet somehow it feels like everything is right. So damned weird.
The closet organizer is even more impressive. Spaces for everything. Little drawers too. I peek inside them, feeling oddly thrilled.
Until I open a little drawer holding two blue sex toys. A penis-like vibrator and a hook-shaped thing. My eyes go extra wide.
“Oh my god!” I slam the drawer closed.
That did not just happen.
Thank god Cole doesn’t ask what I’m oh-my-godding about. But I get a flush of embarrassment that makes me fan my face and lift my hair.
With my other hand, I grab some clothes. Anything to dissipate the sexual burn that’s getting stronger in me by the second.
I try to make small talk. “I not only like turtles, apparently I like blue. Navy. Royal. Light. Periwinkle. Gray-blue. Even turquoise.”
As I rub my hands over the soft knit fabric of the sweaters, I close my eyes.
Come on. Something. I need something.
But being in this room means…nothing. That terrifies me. Shouldn’t I have a recollection of something?
“Are you sure—” I stop myself from finishing the dumb question.
Of course, this is my apartment. But I might as well be standing in an AirBNB.
“What’s that, babe?” Cole turns his head to look over at me. He’s got some books in his hands.
I gape a little. Once again, I’m shocked at how handsome the man is. So tall. Bulky and muscular, but not overbuilt.
But what he said has even more impact.
Babe. Those four little letters roll off his lips so easily.
I tumble the word around in my mind. Did I use it? Babe.
Honey. Sweetheart. Fiancée. He’s used them all.
Did I have a pet name for him? I’m not sure if I’d call him babe.
He’s still looking at me as heat creeps up my neck and warms my face. I almost forget to reply to his question. I wave my hand. “Nothing. Thanks for helping me pack. It’s overwhelming.”
Cole looks at me for a beat, then moves around the room, pulling a few things out of the closet, and passing them to me. I fold them and put them in the bag.
As I touch each item, I beg them to speak to me.
Nothing talks back. Except Cole’s eyes.
They do a lot of talking. Only I don’t know if I’m ready to hear everything they’re saying.
But other parts of me sure are.
Every time he glances at me with dark gray eyes full of heat, my insides smolder. Something deep in my tummy flutters. Then an ache grows until I have to shift.
How can I crave someone that I don’t remember?
“The bag’s almost full.” I remark to distract myself. But my voice comes out raspy.
“We could pack another if you like.”
“No, I think that’s probably enough.” I fan myself. “Let’s get going.”
The air sizzles around me, and all kinds of things happen in my body. A tingle here. The sensation in my nipples tickles. I grow aware of an emptiness inside my core.
Yes, indeed. My body knows Cole Strong.
Without a doubt, he’s been my lover.
I felt it before in the car, but now I know it. Right down to the deepest places inside of me. He’s done incredible things to me.
That or I’m a crazy woman in heat.
A dry laugh bubbles out of me. Again his eyes come to mine. This time they are full of questions. I know I’m not the only one that feels this. His body is vibrating with tension.
But he doesn’t say anything. And knowing how he’s treating me with kid gloves right now means he will not toss me on the bed and show me exactly what he can do.
When I try to swallow, I can’t. But I mange to mutter, “I’m just going a little crazy.”
I notice he doesn’t laugh. The edge is back and when he walks to the dresser and tugs open the door, his shoulders lock tight.
His breath sucks in fast. And I swear the temperature in the room goes up ten degrees.