Chapter 19
19
LAYLA
Now we move on to the X-rated portion of the evening. Cole’s words echo through my head as he starts the car and shifts into gear.
“What do you have in mind, or is this a surprise too?” I ask as I stare at the side of his handsome face. His hair is slightly mussed from our time in the park. His golden eyes sweep my way, stealing my breath in a way I can’t describe. He gives me that wolfish grin once again. A tingle runs down my spine. My core tightens, making my body ache with the need to be touched. I’m more than a little intrigued.
“Let’s keep it a secret for now. Let the suspense build.” The deep timbre of his voice sends a shiver down my spine. He reaches over and runs a finger along my jawline and down my neck. “They say that anticipation is an integral part of life. Work is important, family is important, but without excitement, you have nothing. You’re cheating yourself if you don’t let yourself look forward to what’s coming. The wait will be fun, even though it might not be easy. Don’t you agree, Layla?”
This version of Cole Hendrix is not the same as the one I spent the day with. I got a glimpse at a different side of him this afternoon, but holy hell, I’m excited to explore more of this version as the night goes on. He’s right about one thing, the wait won’t be easy.
“I’m not known for my patience, Cole.” I tell him the truth as I slide my hand onto his well-muscled thigh.
“Nor am I.” He places his warm hand over mine, holding it in place. "Yet you made me wait for the better part of a year. I don’t think an hour or two will kill you.” He smirks.
Bastard.
“An hour or two?”
“Mmm. Maybe I want to take it slow. Pamper you a little. Who pampers you in your life, Layla?” The low rumble of his voice fills the car.
Jesus, his voice alone is enough to get me off as thoughts of what he did to me in Boston fill my head.
I look at him, moistening my lips as I try to recall what he has just asked.
“Pamper,” he repeats. “Who does it.”
“I’d say any pampering is by my own hand,” I answer as I shift my thighs and squirm in my seat.
His smile quirks and his dimples come into view. “Not this time. This time, all the pampering will come from me.” He leans over, closer to my ear, and whispers, “Pleasure too.” As he speaks, his warm breath tickles my skin.
“Only if it’s a two-way street,” I say, trying to keep the playing field even. “I can give just as good as I receive.”
“Don’t I fucking know it,” he growls under his breath. “But this isn’t a competition, sweetheart.”
“Isn’t it?” I bite my lip to hide my smile.
“No. I want to take care of you tonight. Give this to me. I’ve never wanted to do this for anyone else.” He chuckles. “Well, at least not to this extent. As you well know, I don’t have a vast history of relationships. I don’t know what’s real and what’s not real.” He glances over at me and winks.
“However, I do know a few things. I know you have a gorgeous smile that I’d like to see more of. I know I enjoy hearing your voice and your laugh. I know I fucking want more of your lips and whatever else I can get. That’s what I know.”
I feel my cheeks heat at his words. He glances over again. He smiles and they heat a little more.
“And it’s my goal to make you blush.”
“I don’t blush.”
“You do. You are.”
I press my hands to my cheeks to try and cool them down as I nod.
“Okay. I promise I’ll try to stay out of my head and just enjoy myself.
“That’s all I’m asking.”
We’re both silent for the rest of the drive back to our building. Are we going to his place or mine? Shit, there are clothes all over my bedroom. I practically threw everything out of my closet to get ready for him this afternoon. At least I shaved. So many thoughts whirl through my mind as he parks the car and shuts off the engine.
The air between us crackles with electricity as he looks over and smiles. My sex is throbbing and pleading with me to let this happen.
“Are you ready, Layla?” He licks his lips in appreciation as his eyes roam over my body.
I stare at him for a moment as I try to clear my arousal fog. “I’m ready if you are?” I answer. My voice raspy with need.
“More than fucking ready.”
He jumps out of the car, and before I can even get my door open, he is there. He holds out his hand to help me out. “I thought we would go up to my place, if that’s okay with you.”
I slide my hand into his and chuckle as he tugs me out of the car. “Take me to your lair, Mr. Hendrix.” My smile falters when I remember how many women he’s probably had up there. No, don’t go there. Just enjoy this, I chastise myself. I want this. He wants this. Nothing else matters.
I look up. When his eyes meet mine again, they’re blazing with desire. An undercurrent of darkness and tenderness runs between us.
“Let’s go,” he orders as he practically drags me into the waiting elevator.
“What about the basket…”
“It’s fine. I’ll sort it out tomorrow.”
As soon as the elevator doors close, he pulls me into him and kisses me deeply as he holds my face in his hands. “Stay with me, sweetheart. There’s only you and me here. There’s no room for anyone else…Okay?” he breathes.
I nod.
“I’ll take care of you, baby,” he whispers softly, which eases my fears. No one’s ever called me baby before. I don’t have time to ponder that right now, though, because Cole’s mouth crashes against mine, his tongue slowly sliding through my open lips with just the right amount of suction to make my toes curl.
My knees nearly buckle underneath me.
A quiet ding brings me back to my senses as the elevator doors slide open into a lovely foyer. I pull away, and we step out hand in hand. There is only one door up here besides the exit to the stairwell and Cole wastes no time opening it and pulling me inside the place where he lives.
“Take a look around, I’ll pour us some wine.” He leaves me standing there. The sound of his shoes clacking against the hardwood floor fades as he disappears from view.
I step further into Cole’s penthouse, taking in the gorgeous architecture and décor. Holy shit, this is incredible. I had no idea his home would be this—wow. I’m speechless.
My eyes widen as I take in handcrafted furniture and rich jewel tones. Persian rugs cover the gleaming floors, and lush velvet drapes frame floor-to-ceiling windows boasting panoramic views of the city’s iconic skyline.
I pass a sitting room, two powder rooms, one screening room and one gaming lounge before I enter the paneled office where he undoubtedly spends most of his time.
“The bedroom is far more interesting.” The sound of his voice behind me makes me jump. I turn to see him standing in the doorway with two glasses of wine in his hands.
“Your home is lovely.”
“Let me show you the rest,” he says as he steps forward and hands me a glass. He then slides his free hand to my lower back and ushers me out of the room.
We make our way up the curved staircase, and Cole points out a few more rooms as we approach the double doors at the end of the hall. I think he mentioned a gym and a guest room or two, but I can’t be sure.
He pushes the double doors open and his bedroom appears. The room is massive, but all I can focus on as I walk inside is the enormous bed front and center. I turn to him, and he steps toward me in slow motion. His face comes to within an inch of mine.
Our eyes search each other’s, and without a word said, he takes my glass and sets it down next to his. Then he grabs my ponytail and wraps it around his hand and gently pulls my head back from his face.
“There’s only you and me here,” he breathes, then leans down and licks my lips.
“Cole,” I say, suddenly feeling unsure about this.
He bends and runs one hand up my bare leg as he holds my hair in his other hand. His tongue licks up the length of my neck, which is stretched out for him, as his hand grabs my behind.
“There’s only you and me, Layla,” he whispers in my ear as he kisses it softly.
Ah…Why am I fighting this?
His lips take mine, and his tongue slides effortlessly through my mouth as my senses awaken.
He tugs me against the hard erection trapped beneath his jeans as our kiss turns frantic. He starts moving, walking me backwards until I’m up against the wall. Then he undoes my shorts with a skilled hand. His eyes darken as his thick fingers dip into my panties, another pair that he purchased. When he finds the slickness that is waiting for him, he growls deep and low.
“Fuuuck. I could blow just from feeling this hot, wet little pussy.”
I rock my hips, searching for a deeper connection, and the wolfish smile returns. I don’t know what the hell has come over me, but I suddenly find myself kneeling on the floor between his legs, unzipping his jeans with too much force.
He hisses as I push him back until he drops onto the bed, and then I spread his legs aggressively.
Our eyes lock as I pull him out, which—given the size of him—isn’t easy. When I have him free, I lick the tip and taste the pre-ejaculate as it oozes out. He cups my face, and I take him deeper, as deep as I can without choking.
“Fuck,” Cole growls in a whisper as his stomach contracts. “Holy fuck, Layla.”
I wrap my fingers around his girth and start pumping to help me out with the area I can’t reach with my mouth, and he lurches beneath me. He’s close.
I want him to come hard, quick…to lose control. I need this right now.
Pleasing him makes me feel good. I want to do this for him, but I also want to do this for myself.
“Layla,” he growls as he grabs a handful of my hair and tugs. My lips are forced to release his swollen cock with a pop .
“Get up here.” He yanks me onto his lap so I’m straddling him.
Our kiss is desperate as he flips me over and removes my shorts in one quick movement. I tug at his shirt, and when it’s gone, I work on removing mine while Cole kicks off his jeans.
We stare at each other, both in our underwear, both panting, both craving more.
Next thing I know, Cole is tearing my underwear from my body. His hungry gaze drops down the length of me as he drinks me in.
And there it is—the heat that this man creates with his stare could light up the earth. The way he looks at me is something I could never forget.
He nods to something beside me on the bed. I look over to see a string of condoms lying next to me. When the hell did he put those there?
“Put it on me. Do it now because you won’t have time later,” he commands.
So bossy.
My lips softly kiss his dick before I follow his instructions.
“Fuck, Layla, what have you done to me? I haven’t been able to think about anything else since I returned from Boston. Every detail from that night is burned into my brain.”
“Like what?” I whisper up at him. I lie down and he crawls over me.
“Like the way you looked at me, the way you tasted under my tongue.” His lips meet mine, and our kiss deepens. “I remember how every muscle deep inside you felt when your body rippled around mine.”
I smile up at him in wonder as I run my fingers over his stubble. Please don’t break my heart. I won’t be able to handle it.
“But it was the way you kissed me that I remember the most.”
My eyes search his. “How did I kiss you?”
“Like you’d been waiting your whole life to kiss me.”
He slides in deep, and my heart constricts. I bring my legs higher. “Maybe I had.”
We stare at each other, his body inside mine, and even though I know that this is just sex, it feels intimate and special…more than it should.
I’m in trouble. Stop it. Stop overthinking this.
“Is this part of the pampering you were going on about earlier?” I ask, trying to lighten things up.
He chuckles and pulls out, before he slams back into me, knocking the air from my lungs. “No baby, think of this as the warmup. The best is yet to come.”
Oh…my God. I think I’ve died and gone to heaven.
Cole pumps into me with his knees spread wide, harder and harder, and with every slam he lifts my legs a little higher and a little wider.
He holds himself still and then circles deep inside me. My head tips back to look at the ceiling as I lose all coherent thought. “Oh God,” I whimper as his teeth graze my neck. “That’s so good.” He keeps doing the delicious movement as his thumb circles over my clit. My body begins to shudder. He grabs my face and brings it to his.
Our eyes lock as my body arches and writhes beneath him.
“Look at me while you come on my cock,” he commands as he straightens his arms and puts my legs over his shoulders. The change in position deepens him inside of me, and I immediately start to convulse and explode as he slams into me. His body begins to take mine at piston pace, and I grip his arms as I stare up at him.
“Fuck yeah,” he growls.
“Fuck…fuck…” He tips his head back and cries out as I feel the telling jerk as he comes deep inside me.
We’re wet with perspiration, and he bends and tenderly takes my lips with his.
My heart races out of control as I stare at the ceiling, gasping for air. His head is in my neck, his lips trailing along my collarbone.
What the fuck was that? This wasn’t just sex—this was fucking epic.
I’m ruined.
I wake in the darkness; the glow of the New York city lights illuminates the room. We didn’t shut the drapes before going to sleep. Is it late—or early? I have no idea.
What a night. I wouldn’t have believed we could top our last night together. I was wrong.
We devoured each other until we had nothing left.
I stare at Cole as he lies flat on his back in an exhausted sleep. I don’t know what we are to each other, but I do know that he’s my sexual soul mate. If that is even a thing. Our bodies are like magnets, the pull is almost beyond our control. Neither of us can get enough of each other.
The thirst just can’t be quenched. If he were to wake up now, I would be instantly aroused, as I know he would be. He’s right, this is something different.
My sense of unease rears its head once again. I should probably get out of here. At least I don’t have far to go to get home. With a sigh, I climb out of bed and gather up my clothes.
It doesn’t feel right sneaking out after such an amazing day. Cole put a lot of effort into it, and I must admit I was pleasantly surprised by the picnic. It was so unexpected. I think we all had fun. And then last night—that was—well, I don’t have words for what that was. I’m starting to feel things I shouldn’t, which is exactly why I need to get out of here, at least for a few hours so I can think.
I find a pen and a piece of paper and scrawl out a note. I leave it in the middle of the kitchen island where I’m certain he will find it and then silently close the door behind me and tiptoe toward the elevator when my skin starts to tingle. I feel him before I hear him. He hasn’t even said a word yet, but I know he is there. His golden eyes piercing my back.
“Sneaking out again?” His voice is velvety smooth, but there’s no mistaking the serious tone behind it. I wince because he’s not wrong. I turn to face the man behind me. I owe him that much.
Cole is standing in the open doorway a few feet away in nothing but the jeans he discarded last night. His hands are shoved in his pockets. He is staring at me with the same intense stare I’ve become used to, but there’s a tick in his clenched jaw telling me this is different.
“Where the fuck are you going, Layla?”
“Home.”
“I thought we were past this shit by now. I thought maybe—just maybe—I had passed your test yesterday. I guess I was wrong.”
“Seriously Cole? I…”
“Forget about it. If you aren’t going take this seriously, why the fuck am I busting my ass to be someone you clearly don’t believe I can be.” He turns around and starts walking back inside. “You know the way out,” he tosses over his shoulder as he starts to close the door.
I feel that magnetic pull, telling me to go to him and explain. I follow him inside and grab the note I left on the island as I and stomp up the stairs behind him. Cole is sitting on the end of the bed with his head in his hands. I walk up to him until his head is pressed against my stomach. Then I lean down and hug him.
I take a deep breath and start speaking. This is something I’ve been working on since the early part of our relationship. I’m not sure if I’ve mastered it yet, but I’m trying. “I’m sorry if I gave you the impression that I was not taking this seriously. Trust me, I am. It’s just hard, but that’s on me, not you. Yesterday was amazing.”
He raises his head. His hands settle on my hips as his golden eyes lock on mine, encouraging me to continue. I start by handing him the note.
“You might want to read this.”
He takes the note and reads the few lines I scratched down on it. It basically says: Thank you for an incredible day and night… I’ve gone home to shower and change. I’ll be back in a couple hours with breakfast. Lx
He drops his head back to my stomach but pulls me closer. “I’m an idiot,” he mumbles into my tummy.
“Yes, you are. But so am I, so that makes us even. I should have woken you up.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Me too.”
I drop down into a crouch in front of him so I can see his face. “I like you—a lot—Cole. Like, a lot a lot. I want to see more of you. I want to see where this will go, but I’m also scared. Can we agree on something?”
“What’s that?” His eyes search mine, and what I see in them is the promise I’m looking for.
“Can we agree to always be open and honest with each other. To let each other know if this isn’t working, before walking away or getting involved with anyone else. I don’t think I can do this without knowing that.” My heart is racing, and I’m paralyzed with fear that he will reject me.
“Deal. I promise. If I want something or someone else, I’ll tell you before I do anything or take any steps. You have my word.”
I let out the breath I’ve been holding. “Thank you.”
“You know, you can shower here, and breakfast just happens to be my specialty,” he says, breaking the tension. “That is, if you want to stay. If not, that’s cool too, but I’d really like you to stay.”
My heart melts. He’s trying.
“Okay.”
I barely get the word out before he is removing my clothes and pulling me back into his bed.