Chapter 30
thirty
ISABELLE
We ate breakfast on the deck that overlooked endless pines, framed in the distance by the water. Sounds of the forest filled my head, easing the slight headache that had sprung up once I was vertical. God, I was quitting drinking.
I cradled my coffee like my life depended on it, alternating between watching the clouds moving, and Cole in the kitchen, through the open French doors. After a few minutes, he came outside carrying two plates. He put one in front of me and carried the other around the table.
“You did not make me pancakes and bacon,” I muttered, looking at the overloaded plate.
“You need fat, carbs, salt, and a little sugar to feel better,” he announced and sat opposite me. ”More coffee?”
“I shouldn’t. My head hurts,” I said, and pulled a face. “My own fault, I know. I’m sorry.”
“A swim after breakfast would fix that, and what are you apologizing for?”
“Um, I’m not sure. Being drunk and passing out?”
Cole just shrugged and speared a piece of pancake. “It happens. No big deal. You should have fun with your friends.”
“Hmm, but is that fair for the person who has to pick up the pieces?” I wondered, tasting the pancakes. Holy fuck, they were amazing.
“No complaints here, Goldilocks. I woke up coming halfway down your tight little throat, and even if I hadn’t, taking care of you isn’t a bother.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “You are giving me a lot of mixed signals lately, you know that?”
“I could say the same to you. You dump me at the diner, then come and risk your life to help me, then come around my bar and dance with other men in front of me… pretty mixed signals.”
“Well, you run me off and warn me never to get near you again, then bring me home to your… lair, so…” I waved my fork in his direction. “I guess we both have a problem.”
“I guess we do,” Cole agreed. “Eat up. I plan on fucking you on this table before I let you escape my lair.”
“I’m not sure,” I hesitated, eyeing Cole’s intimidating-looking bike distrustfully. He chuckled, walking behind me and putting a spare helmet on my head and buckling it.
“Don’t be scared, Goldilocks. Believe it or not, I know how to ride it. Anyway, I took you the other night.”
“Yes, but I was too freaked out by everything to notice how scary it was. Now, I’m painfully aware of how bad I could be at this,” I rambled. Cole just shook his head and got onto the bike, sliding forward to make space behind him.
“Climb on, just like you did this morning.”
I flushed scarlet, which thankfully Cole couldn’t see since I had the helmet on. I gave him the finger and he chuckled.
“If you want to get back to your dorm, you need to get on. If you want to stay, lose the clothes, and get back into bed, feel free. I’m game.”
“I have classes to go to, and an assignment to work on,” I muttered.
“Exactly, so get on and I’ll take you home. Do you know how many other women have tried to be the first to ride with me?”
I shook my head. “Wait, are you telling me you’ve never let a woman on your bike before?”
Cole just shrugged and pulled his helmet on. “If we don’t count the other night, seeing as it sucked, then, you’re right. You’re my first. Are you going to pop my cherry, or what?”
I huffed out a sigh and stepped closer, swinging my leg over the bike and settling onto it.
Cole turned the engine on, and the entire thing purred to life below me.
“Oh,” I breathed, the vibration winding up my legs and through my body. After last night, it was way too intimate of a feeling… but then again, I was a little tender between the legs.
“This feels…. kind of scandalous. Is this why people become bikers? Like that old tale about housewives and washing machines?”
Cole laughed. “Bikers do love to get off, but believe me, they have better options than driving around all day to tease their balls.”
“Right, I get it… bikers are hot, and women are constantly throwing themselves at you. I get it. No need to rub it in,” I mumbled grumpily.
He just chuckled. “I like you jealous, Goldilocks.”
Before I could protest, he took off. The ride was nothing like I imagined it would be.
Maybe riding with a less experienced biker would have made a difference, but on the back of Cole’s bike, I felt utterly safe.
He wove expertly around turns and bends on the coastal road, and took me through the imposing gates of the HHU campus before I was ready for the journey to end.
He drove me unerringly to my dorm and pulled up to the curb. Visitor vehicles weren’t usually allowed in the residential areas of campus. Did Cole care? Not one bit.
The sound of the motorcycle growling echoed around the courtyard, and people turned to look as I got off the bike and handed Cole the helmet he’d let me borrow.
“What’s the verdict?” he asked.
I grinned widely at him, and he chuckled in response. “Got it. Don’t worry, we’ll ride again soon.”
“And how did it feel to have a woman on the back of your bike for the first time? When you’re not furious with her, that is,” I wondered, deciding to write off our first ride after the shoot-out at the shipyard.
He nodded, watching me with a warm look. “Like you were born to sit there, Goldilocks. Now, run inside and be a good little student so you can come and see me at the bar later.”
“I don’t know if my friends will let me out so quickly after last night. The interrogation is probably going to go late. We are causing quite the scene already.” I looked around at the people watching us.
Cole latched a finger in my jacket collar and tugged me down, my face hovering just above his.
“Good. Let them see and spread the fucking word,” he growled.
“No one touches you, except me.” Then he kissed me, hard and demanding, a hand clamped around the back of my neck, holding me captive.
His tongue thrust inside my mouth, drawing a groan from me.
I melted into him, thoughts of assignments and catchups with my friends disappearing from my head under the onslaught of pleasure fueled by his dominant touch.
I staggered back when he released me, my head foggy and my skin hot. Cole pulled his helmet back on, giving me one last flash of his blue eyes looking satisfied and possessive, before he snapped the visor down and took off.
I watched him go until he turned the corner and vanished, then made my way inside on shaky legs.