Chapter Thirteen
Madison
He was probably stringing me along, payback for what had happened in Baltimore. I speculated about Cole’s intentions, wavering back and forth as I waited for him to return. His idea of a cruel joke.
Why else would Cole make the offer? He didn’t even like me.
Yes, we still had chemistry that sizzled between us, how could we not after the night we’d spent together? The moment I had seen Cole today, it wasn’t fear that had prompted me to run. Or set my heart pounding.
I had wanted to leap at Cole and mount him like a monkey. Wrap my legs around him. Rub my most intimate part against the hardness of his cock.
I shuddered, dampness seeping into my panties at my wicked thoughts. Thoughts I shouldn’t be having after Cole had made his feelings pretty damn clear.
So, why was he helping me?
Two hours later, I had my answer when Cole turned up with his thunder-faced sister limping behind him.
He was doing this for Jess. And she looked less than happy about it.
After awkward introductions, Cole dumped Jess’s bags in the spare room. His sister glared daggers at him before stomping into her new bedroom and slamming the door. Cole thumped out of the apartment muttering something about getting food.
Leaving me standing in the middle of the my apartment, wondering what the hell I’d just gotten myself into.
I was expected to babysit that? The words hideous and mistake flashed through my mind. Perhaps moving back to my mother’s wasn’t such a bad idea.
Not an option. I straightened my shoulders and exhaled. There was a job to do and I might as well get my head snapped off now than wait for Cole to witness my epic fail. Although he’d hopefully be back in time to mop up the blood.
I edged closer to the door and tapped softly. No answer. I sucked in a breath. Twisted the knob.
Jess sat at the end of the bed, her body stiff as a board with anger.
“It’s great to have you here.” I plastered a smile on my face and breezed into the room. “Anything you need, just ask.”
“You don’t have to pretend.” Jess scowled. “I know you don’t want me here anymore than I want to be here.”
I fought for a moment to hold my congenial façade, then dropped the act. Jess had seen right through me and there seemed little point carrying on.
“You’re right. Cole set this up, but that doesn’t mean it can’t work.”
At the mention of her brother’s name, Jess bristled. “He treats me like an invalid. I’m not.” She crossed her arms as if daring me to think the same.
“He treats me like a spoiled brat.” I gave a depreciating laugh. “I am.”
Jess fought to keep the scowl on her face and failed. Her mouth tipped into a smile, transforming her into the beautiful woman I had hoped might be behind the pouts and posturing. She glanced around the room before her gaze came back to me. Curiosity sharpened her gaze.
“So, what’d you do, to end up with me here?”
I decided the truth was best. Or, at least a variation of it. Jess had already proven she wasn’t stupid.
“I got taken for a ride by my ex-fiancé and can’t afford to live here on my own,” I said. Then snorted. “Actually, I can’t afford to live, full-stop.”
“That desperate, huh?”
“Yes.” I didn’t bother hiding it.
Jess stared at me a moment longer, then she nodded. “Okay. I’ll give it a go. To be honest, the house I moved into was a shithole.” She wrinkled her nose and leaned back on the bed. “Don’t tell Cole I said that though.”
“I’d never give him the pleasure,” I assured her.
We smiled at each other, the deal done.
If Cole was surprised we were acting like long-lost besties when he got back, he said nothing. Jess disappeared into her room while Cole brought in an armload of groceries. He returned a few minutes later with another suitcase, which he stashed in my room.
“Your sister is that way,” I reminded him, pointing toward Jess’s door.
“It’s not Jess’s. It’s mine.” He sent me a look that had chills racing down my spine.
“Y-You?” I spluttered. “You are not staying here.” No. No. No. “That wasn’t part of our bargain.”
“Shh.” Cole jerked his head toward Jess’s bedroom and glowered at me. When my lips closed tight he smiled and sauntered close enough that I could feel the heat of his body against mine. My skin prickled, senses heightened as he leaned in. “Don’t give the game away,” he whispered into my ear.
My knees threatened to give way, saliva flooding my mouth as his spicy male scent nipped at my senses. Reminding me of how good he felt wrapped around me. Inside me.
“I’m paying you good money for the use of this apartment.” His breath ruffled my hair. “And when I’m here? That bed is mine.”
Sparks of awareness skittered in my belly, causing me to shift my weight from one foot to another.
“Don’t worry,” he added, twining a lock of my hair around his finger. “I’m happy to share with you.” He flashed a smile that was pure burning desire.
Melting my insides to a gooey mess. It took me a moment to sort through my emotions and find anger. But I got there. Eventually.
I should have thrown Cole out on his ass.
But then there was Jess. I hadn’t known her long, but I didn’t want to let her down. Not when she’d just confided in me that she’d hated her last house. However, if Cole thought I was going to sleep with him—no matter how tempting the proposition…
“I’ll take the couch,” I said coldly, reminding myself that Cole barely tolerated me. I wasn’t the only one hiding behind a mask.
“Are you sure?” A grin twitched at the corner of his mouth.
He pressed forward and I scrambled back until my butt hit the edge of the kitchen counter. He settled his hands at my hips and fire licked a flaming path along my nerve endings.
“Y-yes. I’m sure.”
Cole gave up trying to hide his smile. “It’s a two-seater,” he reminded me.
I beat back the urge to stretch up and brush my lips over that smirking mouth. I wanted to wipe the smile off his face. Kiss it off.
Kiss him.
“I’d rather sleep on a bed of rusty nails than share the same bed as you.” I raised my chin to meet his stare.
His smile widened. “Let’s see how long you last.”
I was saved from humiliating myself further when Jess chose that moment to appear. Cole straightened and reached past me to snag an apple from the fruit bowl—as if that had been his intention all along. For all I knew, it had.
“Wanna go for a walk, Jess?” he suggested. There was the barest hitch in his breath as he sauntered away.
Unlike me, who felt like the oxygen had been sucked right out of my body. I leaned against the counter, doubtful my legs would support my if I chose to move. Thankfully Cole was preoccupied with deflecting Jess’s grumbling protests and didn’t notice.
“I saw a line of shops the next block over.” He gathered up his jacket and grinned at his sister. “You can pick out what you want for your birthday.”
Jess rolled her eyes. “My birthday’s six months away.”
“Exactly. And I’ll need that long to save up enough pocket money. So, go get your shoes.”
I straightened as Cole turned his attention in my direction.
“I brought steak for dinner. Can you cook?”
His dubious expression added insult to my already injured libido, but I forced my lips into a wide shit-eating smile.
“Of course. I’ll have dinner ready by the time you get back.”
“Perfect.”
He acted like there hadn’t been a bucketful of sarcasm heaped into my answer.
But later, at dinner he did eat everything on his plate. And he and Jess cleared the table after.
The siblings were at least being civil to each other now, so they must have made up on their walk. In fact, the whole evening came straight from a scene set in domesticity. I found myself looking on while Cole and Jess laughed easily, their interactions more entertaining than a sitcom.
More than ever, I felt like an outsider, looking in on the easy relationship they shared. Or maybe it was the fact Cole seemed different when dealing with his sister. Lighter. Happier. Pleased to be in her company.
I couldn’t even excuse myself to hide in my bedroom. Having relegated myself to the couch, I was stuck in the lounge until everyone else went to bed.
“I’m done.” Jess hoisted herself up around ten o’clock. “’Night, Cole. Madison.” Her limp was more pronounced as she retreated to her room.
Cole followed his sister’s progress, worry etched in the lines of his face. I had to bite my tongue from asking what had happened to her. Something told me that whatever had befallen Jess had been painful for them both.
It would be too much to hope Cole would go to bed early too.
He glanced my way and I stretched and pretended to yawn, even as my senses pinged awake. He followed my lithe movements with interest. Interest that sparked memories of Cole and his mouth softening against my clit, tongue delving into my wetness, growls of satisfaction reverberating through me until I was drenched in pleasure.
The simmering heat in my belly kicked downwards, tugging at my sex with all the grace of a cattle-prod. My life was in turmoil—was it any wonder my hormones were too? Squeezing my thighs together didn’t help. The sensual pressure increased, until my throb of need was a deep, hollow ache.
What the hell was wrong with me? I sat up straighter, crossing my arms over aching nipples. Even that felt good. Too good.
I jumped up and unpacked the spare blanket and pillows from the cupboard in a not so subtle hint. It was way past time to go to bed—alone, even if my brain was the only part of me agreeing with that thought.
“You don’t mind if I work, do you?” Not through torturing me, Cole set up his laptop at the dining table. “You can always sleep in my bed if you’re tired.” He challenged with a grin.
I hid the grit of my teeth behind an answering smile. “Go ahead. I’m not tired at all.” I jammed the bedding back in the cupboard and resettled on the couch with a book to wait him out.
The bastard milked it for all it was worth, staying up until well after midnight, pretending like I wasn’t even there.
Or perhaps he really didn’t notice me.
I was surprised at how much that little thought tweaked my confidence.
My gaze slid off the page, straying to Cole again. I told myself I was studying my enemy. Dark blond hair dipped low over his brow, his mouth pulled into a frown of concentration. All business. There was no sign of the teasing joker who’d spent the evening entertaining his sister. I followed the line of his jaw, the finger-ruffled hair curling around his neck.
“See anything you like?”
I lifted my book to cover my burning cheeks. “No,” I lied. “Just wondering how you’ll sleep tonight. Badly, I hope.”
Cole barked out a laugh and closed his laptop. “Oh, I’ll sleep just fine. Unlike you.” He nodded toward the couch. “Sure you won’t change your mind?”
Tempting…tempting…tempting.
“No.” My answer wasn’t as firm or unyielding as I would’ve liked. No thanks to the lithe stretch he popped while I was talking.
I bit at my lip, trying not to remember what lay under his shirt. The hard planes of his chest, the dip of his stomach dusted with a smattering of hair, hips I’d love to dig my fingers into. I tried not to groan at the image of me licking down past his navel, Cole pushing into my mouth so I could suck his cock so hard his eyes would roll back in his head.
My breath grew heavy. I wriggled in my seat as heat prickled over my skin, my clitoris swelling with the naked desire to say to hell with it, crawl into bed and do all of the things I’d been imagining.
Except it would end badly. Cole couldn’t be clearer about what I meant to him. Nothing. He accused me of using him to get back at Logan…while it may have started like that, it wasn’t how it’d ended. Not for me anyway. It hurt that Cole hadn’t shared the same visceral experience. I’d gotten a glimpse of the man behind the rough exterior he hid behind. And having seen Cole for what he was really like, I didn’t want a shadow version of the truth. I wanted the real Cole, not the one who only saw me as the babysitter.
I refused to meet him on those terms.
I lifted my chin. “Goodnight then,” I said with pseudo-politeness.
“Sleep well.” Cole tipped an imaginary hat before retreating to my room.