Broken Barriers (Barriers Series Book 4)

by Shirley, Sara

  The light gray walls were decorated with smooth black-framed black and white photographs of a landscape I had seen before. The three individual prints were lined up over her bed. The middle print pulled at my heart for more than a second. The blurred silhouette of a man stood in front of a sunset in the distance. I cast my glance elsewhere as memories of the sunset in California passed across my mind. I didn’t want to be reminded of that night again. Not right now, anyway. I dropped my eyes, forcing the flashback to the place it belonged in my head. I glanced back up and took in her white pinned-fabric headboard that was flush against one wall, while a glass chandelier hung from the ceiling. The evening sunlight filtered through the wooden slats of her blinds, and the last of the daylight shone against the wall on the other side of the room as it reflected through the dangling teardrop-shaped glass of the chandelier.

  A small TV rested on top of her bureau with some DVDs next to it. The lights were dim but bright enough for me to see why she would never want to leave her oasis in here. It was safe and comforting—her happy place. On the opposite side of the room, one window sat in the center of the wall, covered by sheer white curtains. A small striped plush chair and ottoman were positioned in front of the window where I saw her tablet sitting on the cushion.

  Cole lay on her back on top of one of her comforters with one of her fifteen gray pillows pulled over her face. Why didn’t women just have two pillows on a bed? Seriously, was there a point to all of them? I walked in further, despite feeling like I was intruding on her personal space. My knees brushed against the side of her bed as I caught sight of a few small-framed pictures on her nightstand next to some paperbacks. The authors were all unfamiliar to me as I read the names on the spines. Bodhaine, Whitney, Gallow, and Daltrey were aligned perfectly in a stack. Once my eyes focused on the cover of the top book, I knew she was not taking those out in public. Those were the types of books she read on her tablet. I scratched my fingers along my scruffy jaw. A few colorful hairbands, silver charm bracelets, and her cell phone lay next to her girlie romance books.

  I tilted my head to make sure Cole’s head was still buried beneath her pillow. She had wrapped her arms so tightly around it over her head that I was surprised she could even breathe. I gently reached forward, grabbing the overly worn paperback on top and flipped it open to the title page. The Daltrey guy had signed the book.

  Thank you for your guidance – Al Daltrey

  What on earth? My eyes perused the words written on the first few pages, and I was beyond shocked. I held back the laughter that beckoned to be let loose. As I continued to read the words, I made a quick glance at Cole. Yep, she was still under the pillow. I went back to reading. Even just the book title alone would be considered an award-winning porno if ever it hit the big screen. I flipped the book over in my hand to read the synopsis before returning to the random page I was reading.

  Just as I was about to find out what this Chloe character could do to satisfy her new husband, Cole’s arm flew off the pillow and slammed into her mattress, startling me after I had been sitting in silence for a few minutes. My head snapped back, and I watched her grow aggravated with herself. Her other arm pulled the pillow over her face as I adjusted myself on the edge of the bed. A muffled growl rumbled from beneath the pillow, and Cole shook her head from side to side. I replaced the book on top of the stack with her other paperbacks. I almost pulled the next book off the pile in the process. The Humping Games for some reason rang a bell in my head. I couldn’t place why, so I just let it be.

  “My boob literally was just hanging out of my top, wasn’t it?” she muttered into the pillow, her voice laced with unbelievable shame.

  “Yup.” My body relaxed, and I leaned back, allowing my hand to press against her gray quilted comforter. My outstretched arm held me up. I watched Cole and controlled my laughter since she was embarrassed about the whole thing.

  “For the entire lap dance?” she asked, sighing heavily into the pillowcase.

  “No. For that, you kept your boob contained.” It was her ass that taunted my willpower to not push her over her coffee table and take her then and there. “Honestly, Cole, it’s not a big deal. They’re just boobs. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”

  We’d already rounded second base, so it was only a matter of time before we saw each other naked or became familiar with the other’s body parts.

  Whoa. Wait a minute.

  Did I just admit that whatever this was between us would be moving further in another direction?

  “Well, this just changed things between us, didn’t it?” Cole asked as she crossed her ankles. Her black leather boots and short-shorts still gave me quite the image as I recalled her hips moving like an Arabian belly dancer over my crotch. She was right; we had both moved in a direction that I didn’t think either of us ever thought was possible when we first met a few weeks ago.

  “So, what’s the real reason for you being so shy about the lap dance lessons, and well…your boob pulling a Janet Jackson before?”

  “There hasn’t been a guy in my life since…well, since him. Until now, I wasn’t really sure how I felt about you. One minute I feel like I’ve betrayed myself for becoming so reclusive. The next minute I want to shove that stupid woman aside and let my emotions run free. The boob thing is just… Well, you’re just the first guy I’ve allowed to see the real me in nearly three years.”

  I slowly sat up and wiped my fingers over my brow. Did we need to have the “relationship talk” right now? I couldn’t even begin to think about long-term. My concentration was only on the week ahead—Veterans Service Center the next morning and then working on getting ready for my initial exam for the police force. I quickly decided that the “relationship talk” would be saved for another day, but for the time being, I needed to lighten the mood and change the subject altogether.

  “Well, from what I read in that Al Daltrey book, I’d say things have certainly changed between us.” As I leaned forward to pick the book back up from her nightstand, a pillow whacked me on the back of the head, and then Cole hastily crawled away with the book in her hands. I rubbed the back of my neck where I was assaulted. She propped against her headboard, clutching the book to her chest, which was covering all the right places at the moment. Mascara ran down the sides of her face, proving that she was, in fact, crying earlier.

  “Nothing wrong with reading a little erotica every once in a while. It has given women a voice in the bedroom,” Cole stated as she pulled the book away from her and fanned the pages before placing it back onto the pile of books. She sat back and rubbed the heels of her palms over her face, wiping away her messed-up makeup. “God, I’m a mess.” She laughed as she stared at the black mascara on her palms.

  I leaned forward, positioning my arms on either side of her outstretched legs. One thumb brushed against her skin just above the tops of the boots. The other thumb reached out to run over her cheek, helping to remove any sign of tears. My face inched closer than before. My gaze trailed from her boots up to her hooded eyes. I might not have wanted to dive into the long-term relationship talk with her, but nothing was going to stop me from seizing the moment and what we were feeling right now.

  I scooted further up on the bed until our hips touched and my arms were on either side of her waist. Our eyes consumed each other until my thumb grazed over the length of her soft pink lips. “What’s your voice saying right now, Cole?”

  I was serious. My voice never indicated any sign that I was kidding around with her. Her eyes saw the sincerity of my face. My body silently pleaded with her to let me into her heart and soul. Something about her set me at ease and drove me wild all at the same time. She made my mind believe that second chances really did happen for some of us. Why not us?

  “Kiss me.” Her raspy voice floated between us as my thumb pulled at her lip.

  “Here?” I asked, raising my eyebrow as her chest heaved with each quick breath. I traced my thumb over her chin, stopping for just a moment at
the indent at the base of her throat. “Here?” A slight nod told me she was game. I shook my head no. My thumb continued south between the V of her halter-top and stopped at her breasts. I used my index finger to glide over the swell of her breasts as they pushed a little too eagerly into my touch. I leaned to within inches of her chest and blew a subtle warm breath over her exposed skin. I watched her eyes flutter with ecstasy as the soft pale skin between her breasts pebbled with the sensation of my breath. Her hands fisted the fabric at her sides, and I didn’t need to ask her if she wanted my lips there. She did.

  As my name passed over her lips, I felt the blood surging through my body. Most importantly, through the main vein between my legs. I no longer wanted to just kiss her body. I wanted to feel her naked body wrapped around me as I thrust between her legs, hearing her scream my name over and over as she unraveled beneath me.

  Her left hand gripped my wrist and slowly brought my hand down to the hem of her top. I watched as she pushed my fingers under the fabric. My hand was pressed flat against the soft skin of her stomach, yet Cole pulled at my wrist, moving me closer to her breasts. I felt her pulse racing under my touch. Or was that my own? I glimpsed up at her face, looking for a sign that told me she wasn’t silently telling me she wanted this to happen, when not even fifteen minutes before, she was reluctant about her boob falling out.

  “Cole.” I sighed and dropped my head on her chest. I couldn’t believe I was about to say these words. I peeked back up at her while her fingers trailed through my messy hair at the back of my neck. “We don’t have to do this, not tonight.” My hand lowered and rested on her hip just above her boy shorts. “I don’t want you to think we have to because of what happened earlier. You were just crying. You’re emotional and not really thinking straight.”

  Her fingers quieted me as she pressed them against my lips. She watched me for a moment, possibly gauging my reaction to her being in control. “Drew, shut up,” she demanded. The exact look on my face said …uhh…what? “For the first time in a very long time, I’ve finally found someone who ties me up in knots.”

  “You sure that’s not just something you read in a book?” I muttered against her fingers while my eyes darted to the stack of paperbacks. Her lips pursed together, and I saw the irritation behind her eyes before she said anything. Whoops…she was not kidding around. “Sorry. I’ll shut up. As you were saying,” I mumbled again. Cole pulled her fingers away from my lips, and I planked my arms under me so I could listen.

  “It’s been so long since I’ve found anyone who makes my skin tingle and my pulse race that I instantly become this strange creature when you are around.” She licked her lips before pulling her teeth along her bottom lip. “I’m not going to lie and say I wasn’t trying to get your attention with the lap dance before. I know I’m not the best-looking amateur stripper out there. I’m not a size zero, and my boobs are… Well, you know. But still, the boob spill before wasn’t intentional.”

  “Cole.” I lifted her chin so she looked into my eyes. “Not going to lie, you’ve had my attention since the day you walked into Wolfe’s Tavern.” I could tell she was trying to remember the day. “You have no idea how much I wanted to know you then and how much I need to know you now.”

  I pushed my hand behind her neck and pulled her onto my lips. She opened her lips as I slid my tongue along the edges. Our tongues entwined and danced before I lightly tugged at her bottom lip with my teeth.

  We caught our breaths for a moment before I watched Cole jerk her top up and over her head. Her breasts fell free in front of me as her brown wavy hair cascaded down and over her bare shoulders.

  I quickly kicked off my sneakers and climbed over her legs on the bed. As I knelt over her, I yanked my own gray faded T-shirt over my head and tossed it to the floor. I wrapped my hands around her waist, pulling her beneath me. The corners of her lips barely curled up, hinting at a brief smile.

  Once I leaned down to rest my hands on either side of her head, the smile disappeared. “Tell me what you want, Cole.” Her fingers ran along the edge of my belt before dropping to trace the growing bulge between my legs. As her fingers hesitated just a moment too long on my cock, I lowered my hips to rest against hers, leaving her hand trapped between our most sensitive areas. Her other hand clutched my bicep as her hips tried to coerce me into more than just touching. “You still want me to kiss you, Cole? Or do you want something else?” I ran my fingers softly down her neck and over her breast until I stopped at her side. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head as a sensuous moan formed in her throat. I leaned further, her nipples pushing against my chest. My lips moved over hers, enticing her to give me more. Of what, I didn’t know. I just knew I needed more of her, like she was my last chance at everything.

  God, what this woman did to me.

  I licked my lips and traced my tongue along her jaw and back to her ear. “For a woman that claims those books give women a voice in the bedroom, you sure haven’t been very vocal yet,” I whispered into her ear before kissing the tip of her lobe, my voice deep with a carnal desire. Her chest rose and fell at a painfully labored rate as my hand rested at her hip. I pushed myself down a little deeper. “I’ll ask you once more, Cole. What do you want?”

  Even though her body was still pinned beneath me, she managed to free her hand from between us as she wrapped both arms around my neck. I raised my head and gazed into her unwavering eyes. “I just want you, please, Drew. I need you like you wouldn’t believe.”

  The look she gave me… She was gorgeous. Her cobalt blue eyes were no match for me. Similar eyes had been the demise of my resolve for years. But now…now as they stared back at me, I didn’t fade into the darkness. I found the strength I needed as this amazing creature brought me back from ashes and bones.

  I held every inch of her beneath my stare and kissed her with a fierce hunger that not even I knew was inside me. My arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her flush against the hardness of my body. Without a doubt, she felt every inch of just how much I longed to be with her.

  This felt so right with her. I couldn’t describe it. But, there was a small piece of my heart that remained tucked away for safekeeping. Until I could give up my whole heart, I wouldn’t be free of all the errors of my past.

  I refused to hurt Cole in the end. She was too pure and honest for me—the damaged one—to walk in and ruin her.

  Nevertheless, in the heat of the moment, lust won each and every time. It never failed. I just hoped I wouldn’t fail her.

  “I’m not going to fuck you,” I whispered. She instantly tensed and was about to protest, but I held her body in place under mine. I knew she wanted this to happen. Her body spoke more than she realized. “Shhh.” I grazed my lips against her cheek. “I’m going to slowly make love to you and show you just how beautiful you are.” I kissed her ear. “How much I’ve longed to be with you.” I kissed her cheek. “And I’m going to show you just how much you’ve captivated me since the day you walked into my life.”

  My words didn’t lie. She had me since day one. As my lips connected with hers, passion and desire released between us. With one swift movement, my belt came undone, and Cole pushed my shorts and boxers down my legs. I kicked them off, hearing the metal of the belt buckle clang when it hit the floor, but we never broke from each other.

  I slowly unzipped her leather shorts and pulled them down over her leather boots. Those boots though… Those were staying on. The moment our clothes were shed and scattered across the room, I observed Cole’s shyness as a blush crept across her face. I grasped her hand and placed soft kisses on her palm, her wrist, and all the way up until I reached her cheek. Slowly wetting my lips before I leaned down to her ear again, I felt her staggered breath against my bare shoulder. The tips of her breasts pressed slightly against my chest as she inhaled, teasing me.

  I slid my hardened cock against her sex, and without hesitation, her legs opened wider, allowing me inside. I felt her heat and the wetness as the tip of
my cock slowly glided along her creases. My eyes stared into hers for just a moment—the sexual desire evident without either of us saying a word.

  Her hips rose slowly as she excited herself while rubbing her swollen folds against my hardness. Soft moans sounded from her throat as her skin glistened.

  When her hand fell between us and wrapped around my length, I nearly came unglued. She never lost eye contact with me as she gently stroked my cock in her hands.

  “Drew.” She sighed before placing the head of my cock at her entrance. It was one word, and yet it had the meaning of a thousand. She needed me as much as I needed her. Without hesitation or question, I placed my hand around hers and helped her guide my length into her.

  The feeling of being inside her was like nothing else. The tightness that surrounded me left me motionless. I looked down at her face, and her eyes were dreamy and lustful, but needy at the same time. She pulled at her bottom lip just before arching her hips slightly, allowing me to push the rest of the way inside her.

  As she gasped for a single breath, her fingers clawed at my sides, enough to have me moving within her. Slow thrusts and easy movements kept her arousal on the brink, but not crashing over the edge. With each thrust, she pulsed and squeezed around me. I wanted to fuck her hard and fast, take her to a whole new world, and let her see just what I could do for her. But not this time.

  Just thinking about fucking her that way excited me more, causing the head of my cock to throb inside her. A raspy moan seeped from my lips. My hand grazed the length of her side until it wrapped over her breast. My fingers teased and pinched at her peaked nipple as I felt the cool leather of her boots wrap tighter around my waist, pushing me deeper. I glanced up at her face; she was ready to come. Her eyebrows narrowed together as her eyes became fixated on my hand at her breast.

  I slid my cock out, just enough to make her miss the feeling of me inside her. I looked down between her legs to see the sheen of wetness coating my length. Her swollen folds slick with both of our arousals.