deceptive. I kept you at arm’s length , telling mys elf that those were the reasons—t hat it was to spare you.”
He’s walking towards me as he speaks. Uncertainty draws his brows together. Cole looks vulnerable . I see it in his hands, in the way he holds his shoulders back, like the weight of his mistakes is crushing him. “But it was a lie. I kept you away because I thought it’d be easier to never have you , than to love you and watch you leave me when you foun d out that I’d lost everything .”
“I’m not her—I’m not Sophia.” The wind blows gently, lifting my hair in the breeze.
“I know, but the fear was there. It’s always there. Everyone who—” he bites his tongue and shakes his head. “No, not everyone. Not you. I pushed you away. Everyone else left. It’s hard. This is hard. I can’t understand what you could possibl y see in me. Once the money is gone, no one stays.”
I stand there, staring at him. My mind is telling me to walk away, to say that he did this to himself. Live with it. But my heart takes control of my body. I step toward him slowly, like a battered cat, skittish and scared. My heart pounds inside my chest, but I won’t release the death grip I have on my arms. Cole watch es me, like he knows he lost me; like he knows these mistakes are beyond repair. I stand in front of him, nearly nose to nose thanks to my heels.
The grip on my arms loosen s, and I lean in slowly and say what’s been on my mind for weeks. “I don’t want your money. I want your heart.” I breathe the words, fearful that whatever spell he’s under will crack and I’ll lose him again.
Before I know what I’m doing, I lean in closer , brushing my lips across his. The sensation’s so light. Heat sears my skin from being so close, from touching his lips with mine. But Cole doesn’t move. The kiss slips across his lips and I nearly step away before his brain catches up with his body. Cole clutches my wrists hard, and he pulls me to his chest. He kisses my face and my cheeks, and finally my lips. My heart pounds harder. I don’t know how this happened, how this night turned out this way.
Cole breaks the kiss and presses his head to mine. “You have my heart, Anna. You’ve had it this entire time.” He grabs me , pulling me tightly to his body and kisses me harder. His kisses make my head spin. It feels like I’ve lost my mind, that this can’t possibly be happening, but it is. We realize we’re in the street and manage to get back to the apartment. Emma is still out, but will be home soon. W e head to my room. Cole pushes the door shut and locks it.
I stand with my feet slightly apart in these insane heels, feeling the cool air drift between my legs. My skin is so sensitive, I can feel every bit of me. I want his hands on me, I want him in me. I keep thinking this is surreal—t hat I’ll wake up and Cole will be gone.
He remains on the other side of the small r oom with his back to the door. Col e pulls out the desk chair and sits down. “Strip for me, Anna.” His voice is filled with desire. I want to do what he says.
My face burns when he speaks, but Cole ignores it. Slowly, I move my hips, and arms, taking off my jewelry one piece at a time. I have no idea what I’m doing. I’ve never stripped before, I just move the way my b ody tells me, knowing how much Col e likes to watch me. After I pull off my last ring, I raise my hand over my head, while the other hand trails down my neck, through my cleavage, and to my navel.
When I reach around behind me, I unzip the dress slowly, walking toward him as I do it. I’m just out of his reach as I turn and slo wly wiggle my body , making the dress slip lower and lower until it hits the floor. Cole’s jaw is tense. He’s straddling the chair and his arms are bulging so much that I think he might break the chair back. I’m wearing sheer black lace, and I know he can see through everything.
I look at Cole , thinking I’m done, when he
He’s walking towards me as he speaks. Uncertainty draws his brows together. Cole looks vulnerable . I see it in his hands, in the way he holds his shoulders back, like the weight of his mistakes is crushing him. “But it was a lie. I kept you away because I thought it’d be easier to never have you , than to love you and watch you leave me when you foun d out that I’d lost everything .”
“I’m not her—I’m not Sophia.” The wind blows gently, lifting my hair in the breeze.
“I know, but the fear was there. It’s always there. Everyone who—” he bites his tongue and shakes his head. “No, not everyone. Not you. I pushed you away. Everyone else left. It’s hard. This is hard. I can’t understand what you could possibl y see in me. Once the money is gone, no one stays.”
I stand there, staring at him. My mind is telling me to walk away, to say that he did this to himself. Live with it. But my heart takes control of my body. I step toward him slowly, like a battered cat, skittish and scared. My heart pounds inside my chest, but I won’t release the death grip I have on my arms. Cole watch es me, like he knows he lost me; like he knows these mistakes are beyond repair. I stand in front of him, nearly nose to nose thanks to my heels.
The grip on my arms loosen s, and I lean in slowly and say what’s been on my mind for weeks. “I don’t want your money. I want your heart.” I breathe the words, fearful that whatever spell he’s under will crack and I’ll lose him again.
Before I know what I’m doing, I lean in closer , brushing my lips across his. The sensation’s so light. Heat sears my skin from being so close, from touching his lips with mine. But Cole doesn’t move. The kiss slips across his lips and I nearly step away before his brain catches up with his body. Cole clutches my wrists hard, and he pulls me to his chest. He kisses my face and my cheeks, and finally my lips. My heart pounds harder. I don’t know how this happened, how this night turned out this way.
Cole breaks the kiss and presses his head to mine. “You have my heart, Anna. You’ve had it this entire time.” He grabs me , pulling me tightly to his body and kisses me harder. His kisses make my head spin. It feels like I’ve lost my mind, that this can’t possibly be happening, but it is. We realize we’re in the street and manage to get back to the apartment. Emma is still out, but will be home soon. W e head to my room. Cole pushes the door shut and locks it.
I stand with my feet slightly apart in these insane heels, feeling the cool air drift between my legs. My skin is so sensitive, I can feel every bit of me. I want his hands on me, I want him in me. I keep thinking this is surreal—t hat I’ll wake up and Cole will be gone.
He remains on the other side of the small r oom with his back to the door. Col e pulls out the desk chair and sits down. “Strip for me, Anna.” His voice is filled with desire. I want to do what he says.
My face burns when he speaks, but Cole ignores it. Slowly, I move my hips, and arms, taking off my jewelry one piece at a time. I have no idea what I’m doing. I’ve never stripped before, I just move the way my b ody tells me, knowing how much Col e likes to watch me. After I pull off my last ring, I raise my hand over my head, while the other hand trails down my neck, through my cleavage, and to my navel.
When I reach around behind me, I unzip the dress slowly, walking toward him as I do it. I’m just out of his reach as I turn and slo wly wiggle my body , making the dress slip lower and lower until it hits the floor. Cole’s jaw is tense. He’s straddling the chair and his arms are bulging so much that I think he might break the chair back. I’m wearing sheer black lace, and I know he can see through everything.
I look at Cole , thinking I’m done, when he
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