Twenty-One | Lyric
Twenty-One
Lyric
I hadn’t been able to stop smiling after seeing the surprise gift Cole had picked up for me while at the store earlier.
Finding the gummy worms and soda he had bought for me on our first date brought back a sense of nostalgia I had been missing for so long, and it made my heart ache.
I wanted nothing more than to climb back into that memory and live there a little bit longer.
“Thank you for the gift,” I said, setting the items down on my nightstand.
“My pleasure,” Cole replied, toeing off his shoes and putting them in the closet.
It felt oddly comforting how quickly we had gone back into old habits over the past few weeks living together.
It was like the last six years had never happened, and time had stopped for us.
The things that had once felt so big no longer took up the same space in my head.
Maybe that was just what happened when life priorities changed; everything else shifted as well.
“I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me,” I continued, feeling my stomach slip as the nerves threatened to take over as I struggled to say what I needed to. “I know that you don’t have to do any of this, so I really—”
“I want to, Lyric. I’ve always wanted to take care of you, and that won’t stop anytime soon.”
I licked my lips, hoping the wetness would help with the sudden dryness in my mouth.
“I know, but I still want to say thank you. You somehow always know what I need before I do. It’s like you’re constantly doing all of these little things that no one would even think of, but when you step back, you see how much of a difference they make.”
“It’s just what I do.” He shrugged and tugged off his shirt, tossing it into the hamper as I quickly looked away before I got caught ogling him again.
Not that it was my fault, he did have a perfect body.
I waited while he got changed, distracting myself by plugging my phone in to keep myself busy.
The bed dipped with his weight as he sat down beside me.
I noticed he didn’t lie down right away like he usually did, and felt a prickle along my skin as goosebumps spread across it in anticipation of his touch.
“I know you don’t want me to,” he said softly, the sadness in his voice lifting my head to look at him. “But I still love you, Lyric. There’s nothing in the world I wouldn’t do for you.”
“Cole,” I whispered, not wanting to break his heart while he was so vulnerable.
“You don’t have to say anything. I know that things have changed between us over the years and that you don’t feel the same way. But you wanted to know why I do the things I do, so you have your answer. I’m hopelessly in love with—”
Before he could finish his sentence, I leaned in and cupped his cheek as I kissed him.
I felt him stiffen for half a second before his body relaxed and he pulled me into his arms. I didn’t fight it as I nestled against his chest, feeling the warmth of his body next to mine as our lips moved in the same perfect rhythm they always had.
My arms linked behind his neck as his hands slid up my side, lifting the thin fabric of my tank top in the process. I was on sensation overload as his tongue teased mine while his calloused hands scraped across my skin, making me needier by the second.
A soft moan escaped my lips as I turned my head, deepening the kiss. He grunted softly as he lifted me until I was straddling his lap. The hardness of his erection pressed against my core, making me so wet I began rubbing against him, desperate for the friction.
His hands reached down and grabbed my ass, kneading it as I pushed down harder on his cock.
“Lyric,” he moaned, pulling away slightly to get his words out. “I don’t want you to do anything you don’t—”
“If you could feel my panties right now, you would know there was nothing I wanted more right now,” I rasped, nudging his head to the side as I kissed his neck, which I knew was his weak spot.
“We don’t have to,” he continued.
I stopped what I was doing and pulled back to look at him.
He was infuriatingly gorgeous with features I could get lost in for hours.
But it was the pure goodness etched on his face that made my heart stutter in my chest because Cole wasn’t just a good guy.
He was the best guy I had ever known, and I trusted that if I said no, he would stop immediately and pretend like this hadn’t happened. He’d do whatever I needed him to do.
“Cole,” I said firmly, making sure I had his attention.
“I know that we’re still married, even if we’re technically separated.
This is just sex—nothing more, nothing less—a physical act between two people who know and trust each other.
I know I want it, but if you don’t, I completely understand, because I can’t offer you anything other than a physical thing.
This isn’t going to change things between us, at least not right now—”
“I think you should know by now that I will give you whatever you want, Lyric. Even if I break my own heart in the process.”
“I don’t want that for you,” I whispered.
“I’ve been living with the loss of not being with you for years, Lyric.
Having you for one night is worth it, even if that’s all I ever get.
If I can bring you the pleasure that you’re seeking, then that’s what I want to do.
But I need you to make sure this is what you want to do.
We can’t go back and uncross this line once we cross it. ”
I chewed my nail anxiously as I considered what he was saying. A huge part of me didn’t want to cross this line because I knew that Cole would be the one to suffer if we did. But at the same time, I saw that same look in his eyes that told me he wanted this no matter what the cost was.