Chapter 11
Cole
“Fuck!” I exclaimed, kicking over a few boots sitting beside my front door. I slammed the door shut and angrily undid the buttons of my shirt as I headed upstairs to take a shower.
Fucking Don.
He’d gone from somebody I barely noticed to somebody I wanted the hell away from Nora. And he kept showing up.
A fucking persistent pain in my ass.
I didn’t know what it would take for him to get the message.
Nora was mine!
No she isn’t, the voice in the back of my head announced as I stepped into the shower, ignoring the cold water pelting against my skin.
After that kiss, I’d gone back to the only rule that made sense: she was a client, I was the contractor, and anything outside the job was trouble. It would’ve been a decent plan if I could’ve stopped wanting her long enough to follow it.
And just when I thought I had some control again, Don had to show up. Again.
I could still hear his annoying voice asking if the date was still on. And I could still feel the anger that had rushed through me when she said yes. It was like that night at Jen’s all over again, and this time, I did everything in my power not to storm toward him and knock a few of his teeth out.
There was no way that date was happening.
Except it wasn’t my call. That fact did absolutely nothing to improve my mood.
* * *
That Saturday, when I went to work at the inn, I noticed she was over at Harper’s. They sat on the porch laughing like they’d known each other for years.
She’d barely been here and already she looked at home on that porch. My city-girl excuse was getting harder to believe.
I had no idea what they were talking about. My mind filled in Don anyway: Nora’s date, his stupid face, probably both of them laughing about him.
My teeth clenched as I watched.
“You planning to work today, or keep staring at that porch?” Jeremy said as he stood beside me, following my gaze.
I immediately looked away, trying to focus on the work at hand instead. “Mind your business. Get back to work.”
“Fine. If I were single, I’d ask her out myself.”
My gaze snapped to him, and after seeing the look on my face, he held up his hands in surrender and shrugged.
“Just saying. You might wanna make your move before some loser snatches her up.” With that, he left, and I stood there thinking about his words.
Don was the loser in this picture, and I couldn’t allow him to just ‘snatch her up.’
* * *
As the day wore on, I couldn’t even think clearly. All I could think about was Nora at some restaurant with Don, laughing at his lame jokes while he stared at her like he couldn’t get enough.
This was Nora Adams. I knew exactly why getting involved was a bad idea. The problem was I could list every reason and still lose track of the damn job the second she came near me.
I kept calling it attraction because attraction was supposed to burn itself out. This wasn’t burning out. Every day I wanted her more, and work, common sense, and Gregory Adams were doing a shit job of changing that.
By seven, sitting still had become impossible. I checked the time, cursed, and headed for the door before I could talk myself out of it.
I left the van. Nora’s place was close enough to walk, and I needed the extra minutes to decide whether I was about to do something stupid. I already knew the answer.
By the time I reached her house, my pulse was up and I knew exactly how stupid this was. I kept walking.
I stepped onto Nora’s porch, pulled in a breath, and was about to knock when the door opened.
My breath hitched in my throat and my stomach dropped when Nora stood there wearing a dress that sent blood rushing straight to my cock.
It hugged her body, stopping just above her knees. Every single curve showed—the flare of her hips, the narrow line of her waist, and the low-cut neckline that showed just enough cleavage to drive me crazy.
She had her hair up, with a few blonde strands loose around her neck. A little makeup made her blue eyes stand out, and her lips were a glossy pink.
All this for Don?
I clenched my teeth and met her surprised gaze.
“Don’t go,” I said, my voice slightly raspy.
She frowned. “What?”
“Don’t go on that date with Don,” I said, barely able to think with her looking so good and smelling so damn good it made things worse.
“Have you lost your mind? You have no right—”
I cut her words short with a kiss on her full, sweet lips. I cupped her face and kissed her deeply, reminding her of the first kiss we’d shared. She moaned against my lips, and the hesitation that lasted only a second melted away when she kissed me back with just as much urgency.
I held onto her as we stumbled inside.
Nora tore her lips away, shaking her head while her cheeks blazed with a blush.
“I can’t—Don’s waiting… You don’t get to avoid me and then show up jealous.”
“If you really want to go with him, say it,” I said.
“He’s nice. He asked me out. You kissed me, then avoided me.”
“He’s closer to your age. That makes more sense.”
“And you think that makes him a better choice?”
“No.”
“Then stop deciding what makes sense for me. And don’t look so pleased with yourself.”
I raised a brow. “Can’t help it. You think about me too.”
“You’re that sure of yourself?”
“Tell me you don’t and I’ll leave right now,” I challenged.
Her gaze dropped to the floor.
“Tell me,” I insisted.
She met my gaze and swallowed. “Fine. I think about you. More than I should. Happy?”
“That all it is?” I asked.
“Don’t push it.”
I stepped an inch closer. “I haven’t slept right since that kiss. You make me so hard I can barely think. I’m tired of keeping my hands off you.”
She licked her lips and looked away.
“You can already see how much I want you,” I said, glancing down at the bulge straining against my pants.
Her gaze followed mine, and her breath quickened.
I wanted to tell her to stay. Wanted to make the decision for both of us and be done with it. Couldn’t. If this happened, she had to choose it.
“Don’t go out with Don. Stay here with me. If you want him, go. If you want me, stay,” I said, waiting for her reaction.
Her blue eyes met mine again, her lips slightly parted. I wanted so badly to kiss her again, and when she kissed me, it took me by surprise.
Her lips crashed against mine, her tongue urgently seeking mine. I met it with my own as my hand traveled to the small of her waist. I pulled her against me so she could feel my erection pressing against her gut. She moaned, clinging to me while we kissed.
My hands slid down to her round ass. I cupped one cheek and squeezed gently, pulling another moan from her.
She broke the kiss and stared up at me, breathing hard.
“I’m staying.”
I answered with a kiss.