29. Chapter 29
Cole
I walked around the gym with my hands on my hips. This place was finally mine. I grinned at the smell of rubber mats and sweat. I didn’t know how things here worked, but I’d figure that out soon enough. I’d kept on all the staff, so they all probably knew what they were doing.
I couldn’t wait for Sadie to come in. I wondered if she’d feel the same excitement I did. She’d be meeting me here any minute.
This gym was smaller than the one we’d worked in, but it had everything a town this size needed.
Sadie came rushing over to me. Her green shirt and jeans looked new. She’d gone shopping with Alyssa yesterday, and from all the bags, I’d guess she bought a new wardrobe.
“You look nice,” I said, taking both of her hands in mine and entwining our fingers. “And by nice, I mean, my heart just bumped up three speeds.”
She smiled and gave me a quick kiss. “I’d say you don’t look bad yourself, but I think you already know that.”
I laughed. “Do I come off cocky?”
She ran her hand over my cheek. “Maybe a little.”
I caught her fingers before she could pull away. “Come on. I’ll give you the full tour.”
I pointed out all the equipment, showed her the different areas, and how to log into the computer system in the office.
“This will be your office,” I told her from the computer chair. “It looks like they use the system Bill did, so you already know it.”
“That’s a relief,” she said, leaning over me and squinting at the screen.
“I think employees should get to work out for free. What do you think?”
She nodded. “That seems fair. Bill was greedy.”
“Sure was.”
“I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do all day,” she said. “I mean, there has to be more to do than sit in here and wait for someone who wants to see the manager.”
“I’m sure it will take a while to figure out.”
She frowned for a minute, then looked at the door. “The office doesn’t have windows.”
“Is that a problem? We can put some in. It might be nice to be able to see what’s going on.”
“Not a problem,” she said with a mischievous smile.
She shifted closer and settled onto my lap.
“It might be… convenient.” She leaned over and pressed her lips against mine.
My arms enveloped her. A window definitely wasn’t necessary.
I wondered how long we could keep pretending this was just chemistry and not something bigger.
I was ready to admit it, but not confident she was.
I wasn’t sure how much time passed, but she eventually pulled back, but stayed where she was. “What are my hours?”
My head was a little foggy. “Whatever you want them to be.”
“Maybe eight until pep club?”
“Sounds great.”
She grabbed my face between her hands. “Are you even listening?”
I grinned. “Nope. I’m on a make-out high.”
“No such thing.”
I tried to look distressed. “If you believe that, I’m clearly not doing it right.”
She smiled. “You’re doing it just fine.”
Her lips were back. No real-life problems. Just how I liked it. I added more to the kiss, determined to muddy her mind just a little.
I deepened the kiss, slower this time. Not rushed.
Not playful. I wanted her to feel it. My hand slid to her waist, and I drew her closer until there wasn’t space between us.
If she were going to overthink this, I was going to give her something better to think about.
Sadie analyzed everything. I was determined to out-kiss her thoughts.
Her fingers tightened on my shirt. When I pulled away, her eyes didn’t open.
I smiled. Victory.
“Oh my heck, Cole, I love you,” she said, at almost a whisper.
I sucked in a breath. Did she mean that, or was it just the kiss talking? My stomach did a strange flip. I opened my mouth to respond, but her lips were suddenly back on mine, and whatever I’d been about to say disappeared.
Now I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Had I kissed the words out of her?
Was she caught up in the moment? And why was this happening in a smelly gym office?
If we were going to start making life-altering proclamations, I would have preferred somewhere with better lighting. And less rubber mat odor.
Sadie
There was no way I’d said that out loud, right? I wasn’t sure. It felt like it was in my head, but I could almost taste the words on my tongue. Cole wasn’t acting weird, so I probably hadn’t said them.
Why did I care? Shouldn’t I love him if I were kissing him like this? I wanted to live in a world where people only behaved like this when they were in love, but I knew that wasn’t the way reality worked.
I’d pretend I hadn’t said it. That was the safe road.
I pulled away. “Sorry,” I said, getting to my feet. “I guess the smell of sweat and Old Spice gets to me.”
He grinned. “I only smell like Old Spice, right? And are you saying you like the smell of sweat?”
I smiled sheepishly. “Not at all. It was a poorly executed joke.”
“Feel free to drag me in here any time the need passes over you.”
I must not have said it. If I had he would have reacted. Unless he was trying to block it out.
By the time I got home, I’d convinced myself I’d never said it.
Alyssa was watching TV when I went in.
“Hey,” I said. “What’s up?”
“Tiffany is great, but I’m tired of all the go-go-go with her. I’m moving in today. Is that okay?”
“Yes, that’s great,” I said. “I’ve missed you.”
Cole came in behind me. “Hey, Alyssa. Busy studying for your math test, I see.”
“I’ll get to it.”
“Alyssa’s ready to move in,” I said.
The humor left his eyes. “Great.”
It was great. But that meant I had to move into Cole’s room. And we’d have to convince Alyssa we were wildly, hopelessly in love.
Not that we didn’t act like it.
So, really, it shouldn’t be a problem.
“This house is really nice,” Alyssa said. “I think I’m going to like living here.”
“I bet,” I said.
“What room is mine?” she asked. “I thought you two were in the master bedroom, but you were making out in that purple room.”
I cleared my throat. “We have the master bedroom. You can take the purple room or the one next to it. They both have beds.”
“I’m going to go look at them,” she said, getting up and shutting off the TV. “Do I get my own bathroom?”
I glanced at Cole.
“Sure,” he said. “Take your pick.”
She squealed and ran off.
I glanced at Cole and tried to look annoyed. “Great. With Alyssa here, I’m going to have to pretend to like you.” I rested my hands on his chest.
He grinned and put his hands around my waist. “This could be fun. And just so you know, you do like me. A lot.”
I smiled. “Are you sure about that?”
“My tingling lips say yes.”
I didn’t know what Cole did to me. I’d never in my life wanted to kiss anyone the way I kissed him.
I just kept my smile and walked away. I’d wanted to take up where we left off in the gym, but I needed to feel like I had some kind of control.
“Oh,” I said. “I left all my stuff in the bathroom next to the purple room.” I rushed upstairs and found Alyssa in that very bathroom.
“Why is your stuff in here?” she asked.
“I figured we might as well use our own bathroom since there are so many,” I said, lamely gathering up my shampoo and conditioner. “You can go ahead and take over, though.”
She tilted her head and studied me.
“What?” I asked.
“Nothing.”
I grabbed my brush and blow dryer and took them to the master bathroom, then went back for my toothbrush.
“I’ll take the purple room,” Alyssa said. “And this bathroom.”
“Great.”
“Why are you acting weird?”
“I’m not.”
“You aren’t a hoverer. It’s like you’re worried I might discover some dark secret or something.”
I rolled my eyes. “Really? I’m just making sure you get settled where you want. Come down when you’re ready and we’ll talk about rules.”
She made a gagging sound but followed me downstairs.
Cole was sitting on the sofa. I still hadn’t tried it out. The furniture had only arrived yesterday.
“Rule time,” I said, sitting next to him.
Alyssa sat on the loveseat and gave me a defiant stare.
“Rules for me or Alyssa?” Cole teased.
“Both, I hope,” Alyssa said.
“Same rules as in the old place,” I said. “No TV until homework is done. No friends unless I’ve been warned. No boys upstairs.”
She crossed her arms. “That wasn’t a rule before.”
“We didn’t have an upstairs before. Keep your space clean and we’re all happy, right?”
Alyssa leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees. Her eye contact almost hurt. “Now for your rules.”
“You don’t get to make rules, little sister.”
“I think I do. Cole?”
He glanced between the two of us. “Uhh, I think she should get to make one rule.”
“Traitor,” I muttered.
Alyssa grinned. “No kisses over two seconds anywhere but behind closed doors. I don’t want to see it.”
Cole leaned back and rubbed the stubble on his chin. “I’m not sure I like that rule.”
“And I’m not sure I like watching you two exchange saliva,” Alyssa said sweetly.
“Fine,” Cole said.
He reached over, grabbed me, and pulled me onto his lap. I let out a small squeak.
Alyssa pointed at us. “None of that.”
Cole buried his face in my neck. “Nope. You got your rule. No adding to or changing.”
I giggled because his breath tickled. Not because I liked it.
Alyssa stood and sighed. “I can already tell you two are going to be insufferable. I’m going to Tiffany’s to get my stuff.”
“Do you need a ride?” I asked.
“Nope. I only have one bag. All my new clothes are here.”
When the front door shut, I tried to slide off Cole’s lap, but he shifted, and somehow I ended up sideways in his arms, cradled like a child.
“Cole,” I protested.
“Do we still have to be behind closed doors if Alyssa isn’t here?” he asked.
I looked up at him and couldn’t help smiling. “I feel ridiculous.”
He chuckled and helped me sit up, but kept me on his lap. “This is definitely the kind of deceit I can pull off. Do you know why?” He kissed my jaw, and I shivered.
“Why?”
His phone rang, and if he hadn’t had his arms around me, I probably would have fallen to the floor; it scared me so badly.
I stood so he could get to his phone, then went to the kitchen. I needed to breathe in a room without Cole. I wondered what he’d been about to say and hoped he’d been about to say that it was easy to pull off because it wasn’t deceit at all. He was in all the way.
I smiled. Cole didn’t have to say anything. His actions told me everything I needed to know.