Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
A mber r ibbons of sunlight cut across his face. Sunglasses shielded his eyes, preventing me from seeing if he was awake. From the even rise and fall of his chest and the relaxed hands crossed over his ribs, he appeared fast asleep.
Well, too fucking bad.
Three empty, bottles of beer were discarded in the sand beside him, along with a pair of flip-flops. His features weren’t as harsh as usual, and it made him less intimidating. The fucker was attractive, too damn good-looking, and the steamy breath in my lungs caught for a heartbeat, forgetting myself.
Then like the surf rolling into the shore, the anger came back.
Before I thought about my actions, I kicked a pile of sand onto his chest, and when the asshole didn’t immediately wake up, I bent down and began scooping it onto him. It was either bury him alive or drag his ass into the surf.
By the fourth shovel, he roused, his hand forking into his hair, a soft, sexy groan tumbling from his full lips. My eyes immediately went to the hoop, a different warmth sneaking into my gut.
No!
I wouldn’t feel anything for Cole but contempt. Right now, I hated the asshol e, and I had to hold on to that feeling of disdain until the hurt eased in my chest.
Arms crossed, I loomed over him, waiting for him to shake off the last remnants of sleep and realize he had a pissed-off girl in front of him, ready to rip off his balls. “Have a good night?” My voice came out sharp, lashing off my tongue.
Sitting up, Cole brushed the sand off him. I couldn’t see his eyes behind the shades, but I knew they glared at me like hot coals. “What the actual fuck, Killer,” he snapped.
I wasn’t unnerved by his tone. “You stole the words right from my mouth. What the actual fuck, Cole.”
His lips curled down like a moody crescent moon. “You’re early.”
The urge to hurl shit at him grew strong within me, and I wished I had something to throw. “I’m done.” Acting before thinking became the theme of the day as I took the bag slung over my shoulder and swung it at him.
He ducked in time to not take the hit to his head, whacking his shoulder instead, and before I had the chance to snag it back, Cole grabbed a strap and yanked, sending me sprawling forward, right into his fucking lap.
You’ve got to be kidding me.
I landed with an oomph, his arms automatically going around me. If they hadn’t, we might have both ended up with a mouthful of sand. There was something to be said for having quick reflexes.
“From where I sit, Killer, you aren’t going anywhere.” His arms tightened when I tried to roll off him.
I spun, my hair flying out and smacking Cole in the face, producing scowl lines on his forehead. “Let. Me. Go,” I gritted with deadly calm, a stark contrast to the shit storm swirling inside me.
“Not until you explain what has gotten you in such a delightful mood,” he demanded.
I struggled to get off his lap, the close contact mixing up the turmoil sieging in my blood, except I only managed to make myself more aware of every part of him. “Apparently, I quit the fucking diner. Imagine my surprise when I showed up for work this morning and learned I had a fucking fiancé.” I poked Cole in the chest, shifting my legs so I straddled him, a maneuver I realized too late wasn’t smart. “Fiancé, Cole? You couldn’t have come up with a better lie?”
His fingers were firm on my waist, keeping me planted on top of him. “People tend to react better to lies than the truth. Also, I was protecting your reputation. I assumed you didn’t want me telling everyone I paid you to stay with me.”
“Is this some kind of sick, twisted game to you?” I pressed.
His expression cooled. “Contrary to popular belief, I don’t play games.”
My hair had come loose from its messy bun and ruffled in the wind. “Why did you have to say anything at all? Why did you go to the diner?”
He tucked one side of my hair behind my ears. “Because I needed you. Your job interfered with my plans.”
Rage flashed behind my eyes. “And everything is about you . What you need. Grow the fuck up, Cole. You’re acting like a spoiled-ass rich boy.”
Should I be riling Cole up? Pushing him? Probably not, but I didn’t stop to psychoanalyze why not.
Cole stared at me under lowered brows. “Whatever you think of me, my word is my bond. We made a deal. Next time, know what you’re getting into before you deposit the check, Killer.”
Gah! The impulse to scream again burned at the back of my throat. Adrenaline pumping through my veins, I clenched my jaw. “If I were a guy, I’d hit you right now.”
“Don’t let that stop you. If you need a punching bag, I’m your guy.” To show he was serious, he lifted his hands off my hips and put them into the air.
The sun glinted off something shining in the sand to my left. As reckless as every decision I’d made today, I reached over, plucking Cole’s phone up, and before he could stop me, I hauled my arm back and tossed his phone as hard as I could toward the ocean. I didn’t know who was more surprised at the splash, Cole or me. We watched as the device sank.
His hands dropped, and he looked like he was trying to process what the hell happened, but I refused to waste the small window of opportunity I was given and scrambled out of his lap.
Sand squished between my toes as I stood to my full height, but my edge l asted only seconds. Cole surged to his feet, glaring down at me. “What the fuck, Arie.”
“How does it feel to have someone screw with your life?”
Cole narrowed dark eyes on me, his body no longer relaxed but coiled tight like a poked cobra. Not so pissed off he would strike me but angry enough he might still hurt me. “Like that person needs to be taught a lesson.”
“Me?” I shrilled. “You’re the one who is out of touch. Your head is so far up your own ass you can’t see how the real world works. A new phone is the least of your concerns. I needed that job. You don’t need anything except a fucking hobby so you have less free time to ruin people’s lives.” I finished my rant with a heavy exhale.
He took a menacing step toward me, and I lifted my chin, unafraid of him. “Be careful, Killer.”
“Or what? You’ll hit me?” I knew I wanted to slam my fist into something— if I was a violent person, but I wasn’t. But people changed. I didn’t know enough about Cole to say who he was.
He could very well hit me.
Then what?
Cole’s jaw clenched. “Glad you have such a high opinion of me.”
“I don’t have much to go on.”
“I didn’t either, and yet…you’re here.” He brushed past me, strutting toward the ocean. He didn’t seriously think he’d be able to fish out his phone, did he?
Talk about a needle in a haystack.
But what infuriated me most was that he hadn’t given me the fight I’d been looking for, and I wasn’t letting him just walk away.
That would be the sane thing.
Nothing about me screamed rational today.
Stepping into his footprints in the sand, I headed after Cole. His toes sunk into the wet shore, the surf washing over his ankles. I came up behind him, and as I threw my arms up to shove him into the ocean, Cole twisted, latching on to my wrists and taking me with him.
We plunged into the water, Cole falling first, with me landing beside him, our legs twining. An icy wave dragged me under, salt filling my mou th as I took in a gulp of water. A hand fastened to my arm, tugging me upward, and plastering me against his chest.
I coughed as I gathered my bearings, my feet touching the shell-covered ocean floor.
“You’re out of your mind,” he growled, swiping a hand over his face followed by shoving strands of wet dark hair out of his eyes, which now zoned in on me. His arms were still wrapped around me.
“Why does that sound like a compliment coming from you?” I sneered as a wave came up behind me, pushing me against Cole’s chest. The white shirt I wore was soaking wet, outlining the lacy black bra I’d thrown on this morning in a rush when I couldn’t find my white one. Instant regret hit me at my earlier fleeting decision because my nipples, now pebbled from the cold water, pressed into Cole, creating a zip of sparks inside me.
Heat flared in his eyes, and the corners of his mouth twitched a breath before his lips crushed to mine in a hard kiss. My hands pressed onto his chest, and I assumed they were there to shove him away, but that was not what happened. I curled them into the wet material, taking his bottom lip between my teeth.
I didn’t know what the hell got into me.
But I bit him.
He jerked back, eyes churning like the storm we’d endured days ago together.
My tongue flicked out, tasting his blood.
Those savage eyes raked over my face, inching down to my lips where they lingered for a moment before moving lower still. My nipples hardened with the quick rise and fall of my breaths.
Why am I not moving away? What am I waiting for? What do I want from him?
Even as the questions dashed through my mind, I knew.
Lifting on my toes, I closed the distance between us again, sealing my lips to his. My fingers dug into his hair. I wasn’t gentle. We were as turbulent and reckless as the sea crashing around us.
What the fuck is wrong with me?
The hands around my waist move to cup my ass, pressing me firmly agains t his undeniable erection. He captured my whimper, pushing his tongue between my lips to dance and tease with mine.
God, he’s a skillful kisser.
I loved everything about the way his mouth moved on mine, the way he tasted, the way his fingers gripped me, and the hard length of him straining against his shorts.
This tense, achy hot feeling vibrated between us. I didn’t want it. I didn’t want him.
And yet…
Right now, he was all I fucking wanted.
I moved my hips, rubbing against him.
“Arie,” he groaned, his fingers roughly shoving at the wet material of my diner shirt, and then it was over my head, lost somewhere in the water with his phone.
The sound of my name sent a flood of warmth into my blood, chasing away the cold from my veins. “Touch me,” I demanded, nothing sweet in my command.
His gaze flicked down to my full breasts, aching to be given attention. A curl of water splashed at his back, but his eyes captured mine, and there they stayed as he glided a hand up my side and cupped the under swell of my breast. He touched me with an almost possessiveness that took me aback, and I nearly lost it when his thumb brushed over my budded nipple.
I sucked in a sharp inhale, my head falling back, and Cole took pleasure in my exposed neck, kissing, sucking, and nipping his way up my throat.
Sweet Jesus. I was moments away from ripping off my pants and riding his dick in the ocean in the middle of the day where anyone could see.
Hell, my dad could look out his window and see his daughter nearly half naked with some guy devouring her, loving every second of the pleasure he created.
One of us had to gain some sense.
I wasn’t sure it would be me.
“Wait,” I weakly nudged his chest, trying to hold this wisp of clarity before it was sucked away by the feel of his mouth on the sensitive spot I loved just under my ear. “Cole,” I murmured.
And suddenly his arms were no longer around me. His fingers no longer caressed my breasts. They fell to his sides. A glimmer of annoyance flared in his eyes, and I couldn’t figure out what I’d done.
He toyed with his lip ring, staring at me as if he couldn’t decide whether to pull me back into his arms. “You want me, Killer. Just admit it.”
Damn him. Damn that stupid lip ring.
I snorted, wrapping my arms around myself to put a barrier between us regardless of how weak, and to keep me from reaching out to him. I didn’t trust myself. “I don’t have to admit anything. Clearly, I’ve lost my fucking mind. That’s what you do to me. Make me crazy. Make me someone I’m not.”
“Or maybe I unlocked a part of yourself you didn’t know was there,” he challenged.
I stared hard at him, his words making me feel exposed and vulnerable, which i shifted lust into rage. “Get fucked, Cole.” The asshole tactic might work on most, and sure Cole might be a force to be reckoned with, but I might be his match.
Treading through the water, I left him to look for his stupid phone, stomping onto the beach, the arches of my feet sinking into the sand.
“Don’t forget, our deal starts tonight,” he said to my back.
I ignored him and kept walking.
“If you fail to show up tonight, Killer, I’ll be coming to get you,” he added in what sounded much like a threat. And I believed him.
I also cared little.
This time, he got the middle finger.