by M. A. Lee
***
As we stumbled into my apartment, I kicked the door closed with my shoe as Cole and I continued kissing. His lips seemed to be molded to mine and I couldn’t force myself to remove them long enough to breathe.
Sparks of electricity shot throughout my body as Cole lifted me up and began to carry me back toward my bedroom. My legs went numb as I wrapped them tightly around his waist and the heat radiating from my body could have sparked a wildfire. His tongue pushed open my lips and invaded my mouth with a hunger so intense I let out a small moan. The smell of his sweet and musky scent made me delirious as the walk down the hall seemed to take forever.
Crashing down on my bed, my hands quickly began loosening the button on his jeans as I struggled to kick his pants down to his knees. His hands roamed from my neck and then gently tugged my dress as he quickly lifted it over my head before making his way down to my black lacy bra. Taking a moment, Cole released his grip from my lips and he began to admire my now bare chest. Only the moonlight filtered in through the window blinds and the glow seemed to illuminate his beautiful face. As he watched me carefully, I took the opportunity to remove the rest of the fabric on his body so there wasn’t anything between us now.
Tugging on his jeans, Cole removed them in one quick movement that had me giggling before he crushed his lips back down on mine.
Cole’s hands began to roam down my neck and to my waist as he placed small kisses over every inch of my trembling body. As I allowed my body to be taken over by Cole, I pushed away any fears of heartache and decided to just enjoy this moment while it lasted. I had only been with one other man in my life, and tonight I would make that two.
Glancing up at me again, Cole took in a deep breath. “Are you sure about this?” he asked, breathless. “I don’t want you doing anything you aren’t ready for.”
Nodding my head yes, I allowed that to confirm that I wanted him as desperately as he wanted me. Kissing me again as he used his legs to open mine wider. “Yes, I have wanted this for so long.”
Crashing his lips to mine, Cole allowed his tongue to push past my lips. Once inside my mouth, I began to suck on his tongue, in a slow rhythm that drove me insane. My body throbbed with the need to please him as I continued my slow taunt of his mouth.
Cole’s eyes grew wide as he gazed at me. I knew my actions were driving him wild, and that was exactly what I wanted to do. For so long, I had fantasized about this moment, believing it would never be more than a dream. We had come so close to this several times, but never had we allowed the urge to take over. Now, that I found myself in love with Cole and allowing myself to let him take me, I wanted to push my boundaries and let him in all of the way.
As his hands roamed over the most sensitive parts of my body, I allowed a loud moan to escape from my lips. I arched my back and threw my head back as I inhaled a breath.
“I have wanted to hear you moan like that for so long,” he growled between kisses. His lips continued to trail down my stomach as his hands slipped inside of my wetness. The tension inside of me was growing as his fingers began to trace my insides, readying me for the next move of pleasure.
Once the tension grew to be too much, Cole positioned himself to take me completely. I was sure he would thrust himself into me, in a rage of sexual desire, but instead, he chose to take his time as he moved inside of me. As he penetrated me, my body seemed to absorb every inch of his hardness. I could feel him reaching every inch of my sex and as our bodies began to move in rhythm, our breaths became long and jagged pants of pure ecstasy.
The way our bodies collided and moved was like we were following a constant rhythm. The act alone felt like we were dancing to a sexual and sensual tune created by our needy bodies and souls. Never in my life had I felt so aroused and yet craved more and more. I felt as if I would explode if I didn’t get more of him in every way possible. My hands tightened around his waist as I continued to pull him closer. I could feel myself reaching the height of our song and as I let out a loud yell, I allowed my body to release. Pure adrenaline shot through me as Cole felt my release and continued our song of desire. As he continued to move inside of me, I could feel him inching his way toward the final note of our tune. Cole let out a growl as he reached his final peak of intensity and then fell on top of me, his breaths coming out in uneven waves.
“That was amazing,” he smiled as he lay down beside me, turning his head so we were facing.
“Yes. It. Was.” I said through jagged breaths.
Turning to face me, Cole wrapped me in his arms and held me close.
“We have to do that again,” he teased.
“A lot,” I teased back as I trailed my fingers along his chest.
“I do have a little secret,” I whispered into his ear as Cole’s hands roamed up and down my bare backside.
“Really?” he asked, intrigued.
“Well, next time we are intimate,” I cringed as I said the word. I couldn’t bring myself to say sex, “I would be ok if you wanted to get a little rough.”
With his eyes growing wild, Cole stopped rubbing my back. “What do you mean rough?”
Sighing, I closed my eyes. “Well, I just think it might be, fun, if you did other things too like spank me or we could use toys.”
“Holy shit, that would be so hot,” Cole practically screamed as he bounced up and onto his knees.
“Really?”
“Are you kidding? Yes, I have wanted to take control over your sexy little body since the first day I saw you. I would love to flip you over and smack that perfectly plump ass as I am taking you from behind,” Pausing, Cole grabbed my hands and looked at me closely. “If that is too much, just tell me. My mind is going crazy right now and I may be going overboard.”
“No, this is what I want,” I began. “I never allowed Brody to dominate me in the bedroom. I have had dreams of you empowering me in bed. We can try different things if you want.”
“I will try anything you want, but I want you to let me know if I go a little crazy. When it comes to you, I can’t always control myself,” he admitted.
Smiling, I ran my hands through his hair and he lay back down beside me. The possibilities of how we could explore one another danced through my mind as we both gave in to the desire to sleep after our amazing experience. As I watched Cole’s eyes quickly close, a deep smile spread across his face. He was so happy and content, and I knew in that moment, I could never allow myself to give my heart to another man. My heart was so full of love and pleasure, I almost felt like I had become someone new and in a way, I had.
23
Pure bliss was what I felt when I awoke the next morning. The sun shone brightly into my bedroom and provided a warm beautiful glow to the entire room, as I lay snuggled in my sheets. However, this morning, unlike many other mornings, I was not alone in my bed.
Grumbling, Cole rolled on his side and faced me. He smiled brightly at me as he pushed a strand of hair away from my face. “I thought I dreamed last night,” he smirked, as he gently touched my face with his palm.
Hugging myself to his side, I inhaled his sweet aroma. Truthfully, I woke up several times throughout the night just to make sure I hadn’t completely lost my mind and dreamed up the entire reunion between Cole and myself. Every time I opened my eyes and saw him lying next to me, my heart would flutter and I would get the most intense sensation imaginable.
After we left Isaac’s house, Cole had broken every driving law as he raced back to my apartment. We had attacked one another the moment we exited my car and he climbed the stairs to my second story apartment with my legs wrapped around his waist. We couldn’t get close enough or kiss each other hard enough. It was like we were trying to get inside each other’s soul.
Our “make-up” had lasted until way into the morning hours, and I woke happy but exhausted.
“I still can’t believe you are here right now,” I said, sheepishly.
Kissing my neck, Cole reminded me that he was, in fact, very much h
ere with me right now.
After another hour of making sure I understood, very, very clearly that he was here, we finally crawled out of bed. I made us a pot of coffee and scrambled some eggs I found in the fridge. We ate breakfast and spent the rest of the Sunday afternoon watching old nineties movies on television. I couldn’t believe that I was finally doing this- loving Cole and allowing him to love me back. I would never forget the way he held me and the way my heart danced when he smiled at me. I couldn’t understand how his smile could instantly make my heart flutter and turn my insides to mush. Everything about Cole proved to me that miracles could happen and that there is always a way to find peace after a raging storm.
***
“Knock, Knock. Is everyone decent?” Lauren asked as she walked into our apartment later that evening. She covered her eyes as she stumbled in. Laughing at her, I pulled her inside and shut the door.
I pulled her hand up to my face and admired her engagement ring as I congratulated her again and expressed my happiness for her. Wow, that was strange to say. Lauren was engaged. She would be getting married. She would be a wife. The thoughts raced through my mind as I realized both our lives were about to change, but for the better. What was even crazier was the fact that I had found a way to be happy and be happy for Lauren.
Cole had left an hour before Lauren arrived back home. As much as I hated to see him go, I knew if he stayed I wouldn’t be able to sleep. I needed to be rested to work and go to school Monday morning. I practically had to shove him out the door, but I agreed to call him before I went to bed. Something I was sure he would expect from me every night we weren’t together.
“Let me see the ring again,” I demanded, as I continued to inspect the perfect diamond. The ring was everything Lauren wanted. The beautiful silver band held a shining diamond that fit her hand perfectly.
Giggling, Lauren ran to the couch and we sat discussing how perfect the proposal was and how much wedding planning we needed to do. “I spent all morning pinning wedding ideas on Pinterest,” Lauren boasted.
“So tell me, when is the wedding?” I asked.
“We haven’t set a date yet. We were a little preoccupied last night,” she sighed in a dreamy sort of way. “I know I want to have a long engagement so that I have plenty of time to plan the perfect wedding. Plus, my parents made Isaac agree that we would wait until after I finished college to get married. Can you believe it, Mel? Isaac went the traditional route and asked my parents for their permission to marry me.” Her face was glowing from excitement and nothing made me happier than to see my best friend in pure bliss.
“I couldn’t be happier for you both. I think Isaac is a great guy and know you all will be very happy.”
Lauren continued to stare at her own ring, which made me giggle. I knew she would probably never take that ring off, and I didn’t blame her at all. If I had a ring like that, I would never stop looking at it.
“Well, enough about me. I want to know why you and Cole both disappeared last night,” she began interrogating me, refusing to give up until she had all the answers.
Sighing, I threw myself back against the couch cushions. A large smile appeared on my face as I replayed last night over and over again in my mind. “Lauren, it was perfect. I told Cole exactly how I felt. I pushed aside my fears and poured my heart out to him.” I stopped talking and allowed that admission to really sink in with Lauren.
“Wow, I am so proud of you,” she yelled.
“Thanks. It was really hard to say, but I knew if I ever wanted to be happy again, I had to tell Cole how much I loved him. And...” I paused, making her wait for the juicy information I was about to spill. “It was absolutely amazing. He told me he loves me too. We decided to push everything aside and be together. I have never been happier,” I cried, now allowing happy tears to stream down my face. When I glanced over at Lauren, she was crying too.
“This is wonderful. We are both getting our prince charming and the happily ever after we both deserve. But, Mel. Don’t you think it is wild that you were both involved in that car accident two years ago?” Lauren asked. “I mean, it is like fate or divine intervention, or something crazy like that. To think, you both were damaged by the same storm, but you both came out happy and safe is a miracle. It’s almost like you two were destined to be together.”
When she finished talking, I sat back holding her hand. My faith had proven to be the thing that I always relied on in my darkest times. It had to be true that Cole and I were somehow destined to be together. Two people don’t just share an experience like we did, without it being planned by someone or something much stronger than us.
“It is crazy,” I admitted. “Anyway, I want to move forward. I am tired of living in the past. My life is now going to be driven by my dreams, and those dreams include Cole. Plus, I have a wedding to help plan so I need to get my head cleared.”
“Of course!” Lauren chimed in. “And, as my maid of honor, I expect all of your attention to be on me.”
I laughed, but deep down I knew Lauren would be a bridezilla, and helping her plan a wedding would be like having another full-time job. Good thing I graduated soon.
Changing the conversation, I suddenly felt the mood in the room shift. “I do need to talk to you about something, since we are on the topic of the wedding.”
I crossed my legs and took in a deep breath. Lauren sounded serious, so I knew I needed to give her my full attention. “Okay. What do you want to talk about?”
“Since Isaac and I will be getting married after graduation, we were thinking we should go ahead and move in together, soon. I was thinking that once we graduate, our lease for the apartment would be over. I will move in with Isaac and then we plan on finding a house once I find a job in management at a clothing store.”
I sighed. I knew this day would eventually come. Lauren and I were growing up. In May we would no longer be college students, and living together wouldn’t make sense any more. I guess this was a good time to drop my bomb on her too.
“That sounds like a good plan. Of course you and Isaac will want to move in together since you are married. It is too soon to even think of moving in that direction with Cole, but...” I paused because I hadn’t said these words out loud to anyone else. “I plan on going to California once I graduate. My parents don’t even know yet, so don’t make a big deal out of it. My boss has mentioned they are looking at hiring another literary agent for their San Diego location. I applied for the position and once I graduate, I will find out if I get the job. Either way, I plan on leaving Kentucky.”
Lauren looked shocked, then angry, then sad, then finally understanding. The waves of emotions that flashed over her face almost made me dizzy. “I think it’s great that you have that option, but I am going to be selfish and ask that you not leave before I get married. I need you here, Mel. You are my best friend and I can’t do any of this without you. Who will help me shop for my dress? Who will help me plan the wedding décor? Who will go shopping for baby clothes when I have kids one day?”
Her voice began to shake as she fought back tears. Grabbing her hands, I held them tightly within mine. “I am not leaving today, Lauren. I will be here every step of the way for your wedding. I will always be here for you and your future kids. I just need to live my dreams too.”
I expected a full-blown tantrum from Lauren, but to my surprise, that is not at all what I got. “I understand. I am happy for you. Just promise you will always come back when I need you,” she sniffed, as she finished talking.
“I promise.”
And I did promise. Lauren was my best friend, and anything she needed, I would be there to support her. But, it was my time to live my life. Now, all I had to do was break the news to Cole, but that news could wait awhile. I was going to enjoy Cole for now. Everything else could wait.
24
I cringed as a truck squealed just outside the restaurant where we were enjoying an afternoon lunch. The sudden and sickening sound had caused the
four of us to stop dead in the middle of our conversation and look into the street. After flipping off the driver of a small motorcycle, the truck continued on without any more incidents. Shaking our heads, we brushed off the almost disaster and continued eating our burgers.
As Lauren, Isaac, Cole, and I sat around a table at one of our favorite bar and grills, we talked about the upcoming wedding planning that was already underway. Apparently, ever since Lauren had met Isaac, she had already been planning their wedding on Pinterest. I was a little hurt that she had failed to mention this information to me. I mean, come on. We are best friends and she has pushed me for years to share parts of myself with her. Oh well, I guess I deserved some secrecy from Lauren.
Cole kept one arm wrapped behind my chair and I snuggled closer to him as our chairs practically molded into one another. It was crazy how only a few months ago, Cole and I were fighting our feelings for each other and now, here we are in public displaying our love for the entire world to see.
Leaning in, I placed a small peck on Cole’s cheek and giggled as he tickled my side. Noticing this obvious public display of affection, Lauren began choking on a bite of her bacon cheeseburger.
“I can’t with you two,” she said as she struggled to clear her throat. Disbelief poured from her as she watched us.
It was true, even when I was engaged to Brody, I had never been the type of girl who liked public displays of affection. However, one touch from Cole; and I was putty in his hands. Something about his smile, his eyes, his scent; hell everything about Cole drove me wild and made me change everything about the way I looked at my life. I no longer cared who saw me with him. I no longer cared about my fears and worries.
“What?” Cole asked, leaning in and biting my lower lip. His mouth turned up into a sadistic grin as he eyed Lauren. He was obviously messing with Lauren, but I had no problem being the pawn in his little game.
