For Everly

by Raine Thomas

  “Cole Parker,” she interrupted, trying unsuccessfully to pull her hand from his. “I don’t know what you think we’re about to do, but…”

  She trailed off when he pushed open a set of double doors and she saw where he’d brought her. She’d forgotten all about seeing this room on her initial tour. Her breath caught in her throat when he leaned down close to her ear.

  “Ms. Wallace,” he whispered, “will you go to the movies with me?”

  Chapter 21

  Cole had only used his home theater a few times. When he was alone, he usually just watched television. But when Everly said she hadn’t seen a movie in years, the idea of making her stay to watch one was too tempting to resist.

  He put on The Avengers, even though he knew she hadn’t seen any of the Marvel movies leading up to it. He gave her a brief overview of the backstories of the main characters, then settled in to watch it with her.

  Not long after the movie started, he lifted the armrests between their large, leather theater seats and took her hand. She looked briefly at their hands, then at him. When she smiled and returned her focus to the screen, he figured she was blushing. But she didn’t pull away.

  Had she ever held a boy’s hand in a darkened movie theater? he wondered. Had a boy ever stolen a kiss from her when the lighting dimmed enough to provide cover? Had she ever had giggling conversations with her friends about such an experience, the way his sister Avery used to?

  He didn’t think so. He didn’t think she’d had any of that.

  Well, better late than never, he thought. It would be his pleasure to introduce her to such things. She deserved to experience them.

  The movie ended much too quickly, he thought. He was surprised at how disappointed he was that their time together was coming to an end. She really was great company, he thought. He just liked being with her.

  “That was well worth your praise,” she said after they watched the scene following the credits. “Just watching Loki get pulverized was worth the price of admission.”

  He grinned. “Best part, right?”

  “Oh, yeah.”

  They got up and headed back to the front of the house. Since they walked past the guest room where Everly had gotten ready, she stopped to gather her things and pull on her socks and boots. As she rejoined him and he led the way downstairs, he tried to think of something else to keep her there. Why hadn’t he planned on a dessert?

  “Thanks so much for everything, Cole,” she said as they neared the back door. She set down her bag and began putting on her coat. “I haven’t had this much fun in a long time.”

  “I’m glad you did.” He tilted his head as he approached the door leading to her car. “Sounds like it’s coming down pretty hard out there.”

  He turned on the outside light and looked out the window beside the door. Then he smiled and did a mental fist pump.

  “Is that ice?” she asked, walking up behind him. “Jee-zus. Look at the driveway!”

  “Yes, it’s ice. It’s sleeting.” Catching her gaze, he said, “I can’t send you out in that. It wouldn’t be responsible of me.”

  “I have all-weather tires now,” she said soberly.

  “If my driveway is covered in ice, then so are the roads of Atlanta. Just because you have all-weather tires doesn’t mean the other drivers on the road do. Ergo, you’ll be staying here tonight.”

  Her eyes widened. “Cole, I can’t—”

  “Uh-uh.” He took her arm and pulled her away from the door. “I said ‘ergo.’ That means I win this argument.”

  “What?”

  “I don’t know what it means, but in the movies, whenever someone says ‘ergo,’ it’s because their point is irrefutable. I win.”

  She stood there staring at him. Her mouth opened, then closed. Then she shook her head as if to clear it. “Okay, okay. Let me call my grandpa.”

  He barely resisted removing her coat to keep her there and cement his victory. Instead, he tried to act nonchalant as he turned off the outside light and listened to her check in with Jake. The conversation didn’t take very long.

  When she disconnected, she looked at him. “He’s fine and Jonette is scheduled to be there in the morning. He said he’d rather I didn’t try to drive home in this weather.”

  “I knew he had good sense.”

  One corner of her mouth lifted. “Well, I’m assuming you didn’t command the weather like Thor to keep me here all night. What’s next in your grand scheme?”

  “Hold on. Let me bask in the hotness that is you referencing Thor.” He paused, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. “Okay, I’m good.”

  She couldn’t contain her laugh. “You’re ridiculous.”

  “That I am.” Considering her initial question, he looked around. “Well, we sure as hell aren’t exercising. How about a swim?”

  “I don’t have a suit.”

  “So?” he walked over to a panel and pushed a few buttons. The lights in the room darkened and the pool glowed softly. “Wear whatever you’ve got on under your clothes.”

  “Um…”

  He expected to hear a loud protest, so to see her considering the idea had him going still. She might actually do it? His heart did a dunk in his chest at the thought.

  “I’ll go upstairs and get in my suit,” he said. “Feel free to hop in whenever you’re ready.”

  “Um…”

  In hopes she wouldn’t find her voice enough to argue, he picked up her bag and coat and took the stairs two at a time.

  * * *

  Everly watched him go. She raised a hand as if to keep him in place, but by then he was out of sight.

  Swim? With Cole Parker? In just her bra and panties?

  The very thought had warmth flushing all along her body. Shouldn’t she be following him upstairs and telling him she wanted to find something else to do? Why was she still standing there?

  Was it the wine that had her even considering this? That couldn’t be. They hadn’t had a drink in hours.

  Her grandpa’s voice filled her head. It’s time for you to live, my girl.

  All right. She could do this.

  Battling her nerves, she took a deep breath and unzipped her coat. Thank God Cole had dimmed the lights. She carried her coat over to a lounge chair and folded it over the back. Then she sat down to remove her boots and socks. Thinking of the makeup she put on earlier, she went into the bathroom to wash it off, not wanting the pool water to make her look like a drowned raccoon. She’d have to keep her eyes closed underwater since she was wearing her contacts.

  Just as she returned to the lounge chair and reached for the button of her jeans, Cole bounded back down the stairs wearing only his board short-style swimsuit and holding a couple of towels. Her confidence faltered.

  “What are you waiting for, Ms. Wallace?” he asked with a grin. He tossed the towels onto another lounge chair and then jumped into the deep end.

  You can do this, she thought again, taking a steadying breath.

  While he was still resurfacing and clearing water from his eyes, she unzipped her jeans and slid them off, revealing the black bikini-style panties that matched her lacy black bra. She was relieved that she’d decided to shave her legs earlier. Although she’d never expected to swim, one never knew what could happen when out on a date. And here she was.

  She folded her jeans and set them on the lounge chair. Taking one final deep breath, she pulled her top over her head, then set it neatly by her jeans.

  Her gaze shifted to Cole, who was suddenly silent. She realized he was staring at her with a rather strange expression on his face. Had she somehow managed to shock the world-famous Cole Parker?

  She didn’t speak, but walked over to the stairs. His eyes followed her every move. He had yet to meet her gaze. He was honed in on her body. Something about that was empowering.

  Liberating.

  Although she had no experience with playing the temptress, the situation felt right to give it a try. Dark, seductive
lighting…clear, warm water…a hot, transfixed male. Yeah, she was pretty sure the circumstances were right. She just didn’t know if she had it in her.

  She slowly descended the steps into the water. “So, Mr. Parker,” she said in a casual tone, “what shall we do in this magnificent pool of yours?”

  “Um…”

  He didn’t move as she walked from the shallow end to where he stood with the water lapping at his waist. She allowed her gaze to move over the hard muscles of his upper body as she approached. Even as she fully appreciated his fine physique with a woman’s eye, she felt pride for helping him maintain it.

  “The water feels wonderful,” she said.

  She walked to his side until the water reached her belly button, then came to a stop less than a foot from him. His gaze finally moved to hers. For the first time, she read stark desire in a male’s gaze. Her pulse raced.

  What in the world was she doing? Temptress? Yeah, right.

  “Everly,” he said.

  His voice was low. Ragged. He closed the distance between them. Her nerves shimmied.

  Oh, God. Was he going to kiss her? What should she do?

  He paused. His eyes swept over her face. Whatever he read there had him backing up. Once again, she felt both relieved and disappointed.

  Why was she so awkward with guys? With intimacy?

  “You’re not nearly wet enough,” he said then.

  Her mouth fell open. Then he grabbed her and leaped with her into the deep end. When they surfaced, she laughed and splashed him for dunking her. She realized the pool was filled with saltwater instead of chlorine as she pushed her hair out of her eyes.

  “I’m totally getting you back for that,” she said, fighting a smile.

  The chase was on. He was a strong swimmer, but she was lighter and sleeker. When he would have powered his way across the pool to evade her, she zipped along beneath the surface and paced him. After several minutes of pursuing him, she cornered him near the waterfall that spilled in from a spa off the far side of the pool. They were both breathless and laughing like idiots.

  “I think grabbing my swimsuit to drag me back was playing dirty,” he said as he caught his breath.

  “Sure it was. Serves you right.”

  “Remind me not to dunk you again unless I want to skinny dip.”

  She laughed again. His back was turned to her, the position in which she’d finally caught him. Only then did she register that her arms were still around his waist.

  The feel of his body pressed against hers…his taut skin beneath her fingertips…it was—

  “Tell you what,” he said, turning around to face her. She didn’t want to move her hands, and since he didn’t try to escape her touch, she didn’t. “That was too easy. I’ll find you with my eyes closed.”

  “Oh, yeah? Marco Polo style?”

  “Something like that. And when I do, I want a reward.”

  She could only echo him as she held his intent gaze. “A reward?”

  “Yes, Ms. Wallace. I want a real kiss.”

  Chapter 22

  Her heartbeat thudded in her throat as she considered Cole’s proposal. The prospect of kissing him both thrilled and terrified her.

  Live, Everly.

  “Okay,” she said at last. Smiling to cover her uncertainty, she let him go. “Turn around and count to ten.”

  When he did, she went beneath the water and headed for the deep end. She surfaced as quietly as she could and moved slowly along the edge until he reached the count of ten.

  “Everly,” he called out.

  She quickly caught on. “Cole,” she replied.

  He turned in her direction. Her heart raced as he started swimming toward her.

  “Everly.”

  She continued to move quietly along the edge of the pool, making as little noise as possible. “Cole.”

  Once again, he turned toward the sound of her voice. She found it harder to catch her breath. Her heart continued its frantic pace.

  “Everly.”

  “Cole.”

  They continued around the edge, Cole remaining less than ten feet from her. Sensing that he had figured out her strategy, she eased into the middle of the pool.

  “Everly.”

  “Cole.”

  When he turned toward her this time, she realized she had miscalculated. The water reached her chest, making it harder for her to move through it without making any noise. Just as she decided to go under, Cole pushed off the edge and quickly covered the distance between them. She gave it a last-ditch effort, trying to leap for an edge, but he grabbed her ankle and pulled her back.

  “Was that a squeal, Ms. Wallace?” he asked, reeling her in until they were once again next to each other. He turned her so the water remained only as high as her chest.

  “I don’t squeal,” she huffed. She wanted to laugh, but was afraid it would reflect her nervousness. “I might have issued a feminine sound of protest.”

  “I see.” He reached up and placed a hand on the side of her face. “And are you going to argue if I want to claim my reward?”

  His voice was soft, beckoning. She wanted to lean into his hand as his thumb brushed the side of her face, passing briefly over the corner of her mouth. She could have gazed into his eyes for the rest of the night.

  But there was one little hitch.

  Okay, not so little. It was huge. Enough to have tears of embarrassment burning the backs of her eyes as she stood in Cole Parker’s arms.

  She was nearly twenty-three years old. Young women her age didn’t have this kind of problem. Many of them were married with kids.

  Yet the truth of it was, she’d never shared any level of intimacy with a man. She had very little idea what to do.

  She looked at his chest. “Cole…I haven’t ever…”

  “Will you let me kiss you, Everly?”

  Her eyes lifted to his. She saw no judgment there. Just hope and…want. Swallowing hard, she shoved her reservations to the side.

  “Yes,” she said. “I will.”

  * * *

  Cole had never had to exercise this much restraint around a female. In truth, the women he’d dated in the past had usually been more experienced than he was. It was rare that he had to make the first move.

  It just figured that the one woman he wanted more than any he’d ever been with was as inexperienced as they came. He’d seen Everly’s nervousness when he initially approached her in the pool. It had gone a long way toward curbing his libido, which had slipped its leash while she undressed.

  She hadn’t been trying to turn him on, he knew. Her movements hadn’t been slow and teasing as she disrobed. They’d been purposeful and a little shy.

  Why that sent him into sensual orbit, he had no idea.

  But that feeling resurfaced when she said she’d let him kiss her. The moment she granted her permission, there wasn’t anything he’d ever wanted more.

  He brought his other hand up so that both framed her heart-shaped face. She put her arms around his waist. For a moment, he just held her gaze. This was her first real kiss. He wanted it to be perfect for her. Slow and steady, he told his raging hormones.

  The water kept him from having to bend down to meet her mouth. He simply pulled her closer and touched his lips to hers.

  At first, she stiffened. Her lips pressed together when he brushed his against hers. Knowing she needed to get used to the idea of the kiss, he took his time, lightly pressing his lips against hers once, twice, three times. Then again.

  Eventually, she began to relax. Her mouth softened beneath his. He allowed his lips to stay connected to hers longer and longer between each contact. Then he gently ran his tongue along her lower lip. She issued a low moan that had his control teetering.

  He caressed the side of her face with his thumb as he kissed her, applying the slightest pressure to her jaw. After briefly tensing again, she parted her lips.

  Feeling like he’d just been awarded a championship ring, he finally t
asted her. She was every bit as divine as he’d anticipated.

  Sweet. Sultry. Addicting.

  He heard himself issuing sounds of approval as he kissed her. He couldn’t help it. It was the most glorious experience of his life. He was in real danger of losing his control. He needed to put some distance between them.

  Then she kissed him back. Her tongue rubbed against his, timidly at first, then with gathering enthusiasm.

  Dear Lord.

  He was lost.

  Pulling her long legs up to wrap around his waist and bringing her arms up and around his neck, he kissed her again, long and deep. She returned the kiss with equal passion, gifting him with sexy moans that let him know she was enjoying her first kiss as much as he was.

  Only when his hands wanted to roam along her body did he force himself to break away from her. A first kiss was one thing. What he wanted to do was quite another.

  As they caught their breath, they held each other’s gazes. Then she smiled.

  “Wow,” she said breathlessly. “Was that your reward, or mine?’

  “It’s all a little hazy at the moment.”

  “I’ll say.” Her eyes moved to his mouth. “Wow.”

  Issuing a small laugh, he touched his forehead to hers. “If you keep looking at me that way, I’m going to kiss you again.”

  “But I don’t want you to kiss me.”

  Disappointment and surprise struck him at the same time. Then she leaned forward and captured his mouth.

  Ah. She wanted to kiss him.

  He recognized the depth of her passion even if she didn’t. She started slowly like he’d done with her, but it wasn’t long before they were once again exchanging drugging, open-mouthed kisses that made him want to carry her to the closest lounge chair and strip her of her meager clothes. When her lower body inadvertently pressed against him, he thought he might go insane.

  Once again, he broke away from her. Only two kisses and he was almost beyond maintaining his control.

  She was going to be the death of him.

  “Well, thanks for that second reward, Ms. Wallace,” he said, planting his hands on the curves of her hips to keep her a safe distance from his lower body. “But we’d better take a break. All of these rewards are getting me, well, kind of worked up.”