Chapter 13
thirteen
T hat’s not what I really want.
Cole’s words bounce around my mind while I keep up my struggle. The rough bark scratches against the backs of my thighs, but they’re quickly going numb from being naked and out in the elements for so long.
He thrusts his knee between my legs, pushing against my core. I suck in an unsteady breath at the sensation.
“Cole, don’t,” I plead weakly. I don’t understand if I’m telling him to stop or to keep going with what he’s starting.
He freezes, eyes gaging mine and drawing down my body. “You have five seconds to push me away, and I’ll stop. But, if you don’t, all bets are off.”
I only make it to three before I’m surging forward. My lips crash against his for a second before he pulls away. With my arms secured against the trunk above my head and his body pressed firmly into mine, I can only strain my neck so far.
I give up, thudding my head back. “Change your mind already,” I bite out, suddenly self-conscious for letting my body take the reins instead of my overthinking mind.
“Fuck no,” he asserts.
In one swift move, my hands are free, and his knees hit the snow-covered ground. Nimble fingers snag the ties at my hips and pull. The strings untie, and my swimsuit bottoms fall from my body.
“Jesus, Cole.”
“Quiet, you wouldn’t want Zach to hear you struggling out here and come searching for you.”
He shoves into my freezing thigh and lifts my left leg from the ground to rest over his shoulder. His breath is hot against my pussy, and I revel in the warmth.
The wet trail from his tongue traces from my entrance to my clit. He flicks and then sucks the sensitive nub between his teeth, my lungs demanding a cry break free. I shove my fist against my lips, praying it muffles the sound Zach is intimately familiar with.
“Fuck. I knew you’d be delicious,” he groans between my thighs.
He feasts on my pussy, not breaking a second for air. I drop my free hand into his dark locks, pulling at the roots, desperate for any semblance of control. But I have a feeling that there isn’t any to be had with Cole.
My standing leg is starting to shake. The pressure of holding up my weight while my mind climbs a euphoric high is too much.
“Cole, please,” I beg on a quiet breath. “Please. Please.” They keep falling free from my lips, but all it does is spur him on.
It’s no longer just his mouth against me. His frigid fingers tease up my inner thigh, pushing into the mix. When they pump in and out at a punishing pace, I’m no longer at the water's edge; I’m drowning in it.
My muscles spasm as the orgasm takes control, warming me from the inside out, and my leg finally gives out. Cole moves in one quick sweep, moving from between my legs to catch me before my bare ass hits the snow.
My eyes scan the icy ground for my swim bottoms, avoiding his gaze as it bores into me. The bright contrast of the fabric catches behind him. But when I move to pick them up, he steals them first.
He stands, stretching to his full height. Not quite as tall as Zach, but still nearing six feet. He dangles the swim piece from an extended arm above my head like the immature asshole he seems to be.
“I think I should keep these; let you join Luke for some skinny dipping.” His hand drops, pulling at his swim shorts to shove the fabric inside.
I’m too flustered. The euphoria from coming is well forgotten. I’m nearly freezing to death in the elements to care about his childish games. Closing the distance between us, I meet his wicked gaze with a softened one of my own.
His shoulders relax, and his lips part as if he’s about to add another smart-ass comment to the mix. Before he can muster the words, I’m cramming my hand down the front of his swim shorts, completely ignoring what must be a very uncomfortable erection to steal my bikini bottoms back.
“We’re never doing that again.”
He steps back, resting against another tree, and watches me struggle back into my bottoms. “There you go again, little liar,” he says before turning on his heels to disappear back toward the path.
I let out a frustrated huff, the air puffing around me. I let his mocking words bounce around in my head, keeping my brain busy as I trudge back through the snow to the path. When I finally return to the heated pool, my high has been ruined, I’m frozen down to the bone, and both Jennifer and Zach are giving me worried looks.
“What!” I snap, peeling my top off and jumping back into the warm water to thaw.
“What took you so long? We thought you might have gotten lost. Would have been faster just to head back up to the parking lot.”
“I guess I walked out further from the path than I thought.”
“Don’t worry, little cuz. I made sure your girl came,” he says, pausing to let that statement hang in the air before fake coughing to clear something nonexistent from his throat. “Back in one piece,” he finishes.
I’m glad he has everyone’s attention because there’s no way I could play off the pure disgusted hate poised on my face. I don’t care that this guy just gave me one of the most earth-shattering orgasms in the middle of a frozen forest while our friends were a couple yards away. His cocky ass-holiness grates on every nerve ending that I’m slowly getting back from defrosting.
He tops the cake by throwing a wink in my direction once Zach turns his back to him in favor of making his way to me. My high has been zapped, which is extremely unfortunate for me. I’m no longer in the mood to sit and relax, but I’m also not enough of a bitch to ruin everyone else’s time at the hot springs.
I spend the next two hours keeping to myself, playing it off as if I had one too many gummies while I snuggle into Zach’s side as the conversation between my friends fills the quiet. I don’t look in Cole’s direction the rest of the day, hoping he understands my feelings toward him loud and clear. My body might want him, but my head understands he’s the exact wrong type of guy to be messing around with while I’m busy putting my bruised heart and ego back together. Not to mention the little fact I don’t want to explain to anyone why I’d sleep with cousins days apart.
Our time slot closes, and we pack it up, heading back to the parking lot. “Drive back with me,” Zach whispers, his fingers intertwining with mine.
“But what about?” My question is cut short when I see the one I was about to mention climbing into my seat in Jennifer’s car. I let out a soft chuckle. “Well, never mind then. Looks like I’m all yours.”
“Or is she?” Cole butts into the conversation while making his way to the back of Zach’s SUV.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Zach calls after him, then looks down at me.
“Who knows.” I shrug, playing for nonchalance. “Your cousin’s kind of a dick.” I try toning down my venom, but it doesn’t work.
Zach’s grip on my shoulder spins me around from opening the passenger door. “Did something happen? Did he say something to you?”
“Nothing that I can’t handle on my own. No need to make it a thing, but I’ll keep my distance from him.” I push up, popping a kiss on his lips, looking to break the tension building in his shoulders.
He doesn’t let me out of it easy, shoving me back against the cold door. The kiss deepens, and I have zero problem letting it. My body’s still ramped up from earlier, begging for more.
My head feels the pounding while my ears hear the muffled curse behind the window.
Zach pulls away slowly, a cocky smirk peeling out across his face. He doesn’t say anything, but his gentlemanly ways have him opening my door with a flourish. Cole’s mocking scoff only makes the gesture all the better.
They might be family, but they couldn’t be more different if they tried.