Chapter 37 Cole
THIRTY-SEVEN
COLE
It’s early, I think. The first thing I’m aware of as I’m lured to consciousness is Eve’s sweet scent tickling my nose and her ass wriggling against my dick. Cracking my eyes, I find the room brightening with the first light of sunrise.
With a playful growl, my arm sweeps from its position around her waist to band around her hips, holding her still while I grind against her.
“Good morning,” I mumble into her hair.
“You’re up?”
I press my erection against the soft curve of her ass. “When I open my eyes to you in my arms? Always.”
“You’re awake, I mean,” she says.
“I am now. Someone was rubbing on me.”
If we were in our bed at home, I’d already have her gasping out my name to wish her good morning.
“Oops.”
She doesn’t sound sorry at all. I give her hip a light tug and she turns to face me with a yawn. I tip her chin up and give her a kiss.
“Did you sleep good?”
“Mhm. I think I was having a pretty good dream before I woke up.”
“Yeah?” Another kiss, this one more insistent. “Hey.”
She winds her arms around me. “Yes?”
“You’re mine.”
Her smile curves against mine. My embrace cinches, pulling her on top of me.
“I think you mean you’re mine,” she sasses.
“Nope. Definitely mine.”
“Oh yeah?”
I kiss her grin, tasting her stifled laughter. Her hands roam where she pleases, mapping my arms, shoulders, chest, down my abdomen.
“This? All mine.”
“I could say the same,” I say with a handful of her ass.
Her exploration moves lower. She peeks up at me through her lashes when she reaches my cock and gives it a tantalizing stroke. A low moan escapes me. She grips it firmer and jerks me until I’m rock hard.
I tease her with my teeth beneath her ear. She stifles a giggle when I roll her beneath me.
It’s early enough. We must be the only ones awake. There’s time before she has to leave my bed.
“Need me again so soon, baby? If we sneak into the shower, I’ll fuck you how you like. But you have to promise to be quiet. Your screams will wake this whole house.”
“No,” she says with a groggy laugh. “This is good.”
“I’m about to make it a whole lot better,” I promise, shifting to kiss my way down her perfect curves, intent on having my favorite meal.
We both freeze when there’s a short knock at the door before it swings open.
“Cole, would you give me a hand? I don’t want to spoil the surprise before Eve—”
Oh fuck.
Eve shrieks, yanking the covers up to cover herself. Somehow my bare ass ends up exposed. The color drains from my face. I gape at her, then whip my head around to face her father.
David is silent for a beat that feels like the longest second in history. Then he leaves without saying a word.
“Shit,” Eve hisses as she winds the blanket tighter around herself. “Shit, shit, shit.”
I sit up, drawing my girlfriend-turned-blanket burrito into my arms.
“Shh, it’s okay.” I don’t know who I’m trying to comfort more, her or myself.
“No it’s not!” She squirms out of my embrace and darts around the room, grabbing the first random clothes within reach. “This is so far from okay. My dad just caught us in bed with you about to go down on me. Oh my god, I don’t even want to think about it.”
An uncomfortable band pinches my heart when she gets overwhelmed like this. All I want is to make her feel better. I’m panicking too, except my instinct to help her overrides any of my own worries.
I stop her from flitting around the room to pace nervously, and trap her hands between mine to keep her from raking her fingers through her hair. “Hey. Let’s take a breath.”
She holds my gaze, taking measured inhales with me. Once she’s calmed down, I slip my arms around her and press my lips against her forehead.
“I’ll talk to him. You stay up here, okay?”
She nods, freeing her trapped arms to lock them around my waist. Her heart beats as hard and fast as mine.
“I didn’t want him to find out we’re together like this,” she says.
“I know. Neither did I.” My embrace tightens. “It’ll be okay.”
Eve buries her face against my chest, tucking her head beneath my chin with a tiny distressed noise that breaks my fucking heart. I drop a kiss to her hair and throw on clothes before I leave the guest room to find David.
Christ, what do I even say to him? It was easier with Benson once he got his head out of his ass. After his reaction, I anticipate the worst. An echo of David’s words from this summer haunt me. Not worthy.
I clench my jaw with a surge of determination. It doesn’t matter. If I lose my job for this, I’ll figure something out. I’m not leaving Heston Lake—or Eve. She matters more to me than anything else in my life. I’ll prove to him I’m worthy of loving her.
I find David in the kitchen, hands braced on the counter, faraway stare directed out the window to the yard where Benson, Eve, and I used to play.
Before he opens his mouth, I speak first.
“First of all, I’m sorry for being disrespectful under your roof.”
He grunts without turning around. I work my jaw, stepping further into the room.
“You’ve invited me into your home, your family, you’ve given me my dream job. It was wrong for me to deceive you by sneaking around.”
At last, he turns with a raised brow. “Are you dating Eve?”
“Yes.”
He nods once. “You were hiding it?”
It’s a struggle to read him. He sounds as stern as he does when he critiques the team for every little mistake they made in practice or a game. Despite working alongside him for a year, I feel like I’m permanently fifteen in his eyes.
“Yes.”
“How long?”
I’m expecting anger. For him to raise his voice for touching his daughter. Not his steady demeanor and mild interrogation. My stomach roils with unease, waiting for him to snap if he doesn’t like my answers.
“About a year.” I squeeze my nape.
He studies me somberly for an eternity before his next question. “What made you feel you needed to hide it?”
“I’m sorry. I know I messed up and that she’s off-limits.
” My shoulders roll back. “That said, I’m prepared to face any consequence.
I love being a coach for Heston, but I’d rather get fired than walk away from her.
I’m sorry I broke your rule. You can’t stop us, though. I won’t give her up for anything.”
His thick brows jump up. He hums into his coffee.
“There’s only one thing that’s important to me. Do you make her happy?”
I inhale sharply, stunned. “Yes. I care about her—love her,” I correct fiercely. “And, respectfully, sir… Eve’s the one who decides if I’m worthy of her.”
A wrinkle appears between his pinched brows. “Of course you are.”
My chest constricts. “But at practice anytime the guys got too friendly with her, and at the Fourth of July barbecue, you said—”
“I never meant you.”
The world rearranges. I’ve relived the conversation in my head countless times since then. Christ, it did a number on me to hear my girlfriend’s dad and brother remind me she was off-limits.
I scrub a hand over my face, the stubble shadowing my jawline scraping my palm. “So… You’re not mad about me dating Eve behind your back?”
“No. My daughter will always be my little girl in my eyes, but she’s an adult in charge of her own life.
As long as you take care of her and treat her right, I have no business getting between you two.
” He squeezes my shoulder. “You’ve always been family.
I’m proud of the man you’ve grown into, especially in the last year. ”
A lump lodges in my throat. I swallow thickly. His acknowledgement is everything I’ve been striving toward since I returned to Heston Lake to coach with him.
“Thank you, sir. That means a lot to me that I have your respect.”
“You have it as long as you don’t do anything to hurt my daughter. Then you and I will have a problem.”
Blood drains from my face at his serious tone. He breaks a moment later, chuckling. I recognize Eve’s mischievous side in his amused expression.
“I know I don’t have to worry about her.”
“No. Never,” I assure him.
He peers through the doorway to the kitchen. “Is she going to come down?”
“Eventually. She’s embarrassed. I’ll check on her.”
“Tell her I’m sorry for, er.” He gestures aimlessly.
“I’ll tell her.”
“I’ll see if Benson is up yet to move the camper.”
“Thanks.”
My heart beats double-time as I hurry back to Eve. The room is empty. Her slipper shoes are missing. My brows furrow.
I go downstairs and poke my head in every room, coming up empty. In the kitchen, Mrs. Lombard is yawning at the counter.
“Where’s Eve?”
She blinks at me, stirring her coffee. “Hmm? Oh, she said she was taking Bauer for a walk when I went to go get him. Did you both sleep well? I know the guest bed is due to be replaced.”
It’s my turn to blink. “What?”
“She came from upstairs instead of the side door. I figured you both spent the night in the house instead of going out to the garage. I don’t blame you, it was a cold one last night.”
My mouth opens and closes. She says it so matter-of-factly I’m not sure how to process what I’m hearing.
“Wait. You know we’re—?” I don’t know how to form the question. “How long have you known?”
“Of course. I’ve known for months. You two aren’t very subtle with all those longing stares. I worked it out at the end of summer when I saw you kissing from the kitchen window while everyone was here fixing her camper. I thought you were keeping it a secret, so I haven’t said anything.”
A short laugh puffs out of me. Maybe this whole time the only ones we’ve been fooling are ourselves.
It doesn’t matter now. No more sneaking around.
I need to go track down my girl and bring her home.