Page 144

"Glad I can be of service," I say, chuckling.
She smiles and closes her eyes.
The moonlight is bright, and the sky is clear. The stars twinkle overhead, and in the distance, the sound of waves hitting the shore can be heard over the hum of the hot tub, and I feel like the luckiest bastard in the world.
"We should probably get out soon," I say reluctantly, not wanting to break the spell.
"I know," she sighs, "but not yet."
"Not yet," I agree, kissing the top of her head.
Chapter Thirty Four
Annie
The rhythmic crash of the waves outside is the first thing I hear. It’s like a soothing background melody, blending with the faint rustling of palm trees swaying in the breeze. The sound of birds sending their calls into the morning.
The scent of salt and warm earth lingers in the air, mingling with the crisp, masculine scent of Cole on the pillows beside me.
I’m warm, comfortable—more comfortable than I’ve ever been in my life, wrapped in the softest sheets I’ve ever touched, cocooned in the lingering heat of last night.
Last night.
A lazy smile spreads across my lips as memories rush back, warming me from the inside out.
Cole’s hands, his mouth, the way he made me feel like I was the only thing in the world that mattered. I can still hear the low rasp of his voice, the way he murmured filthy praises against my skin, made demands, took my body to places I didn’t know it could go.
How he held me afterward, stroking my hair like he had all the time in the world, and I wasthe most precious thing in it.
I sigh, shifting slightly under the covers, stretching my legs. Every inch of me feels deliciously sore, my muscles aching in ways I didn’t even know were possible.
I could stay here forever.
For once, I allow myself to indulge in that thought. To just exist in this moment, in this perfect bubble where there are no deadlines, no stress, no worries about the future.
Just this. Just the warmth of the bed, the scent of him clinging to my skin, the knowledge that, for now, nothing else matters.
Somewhere in the haze between sleep and wakefulness, I remember the press of Cole’s lips against my forehead, the deep murmur of his voice whispering, "Stay in bed. I'll take care of Robbie."
I’d barely had the energy to nod before he kissed me again—slow, lingering—then disappeared from the room, leaving me to drift back into sleep.
Now, though, I know I have to get up.
I need to shower, get dressed, go see Robbie. I need to act normal, like I’m not coming apart at the seams over the way Cole Wagner has completely consumed me.
Taking a chance, I pry my eyes open, blinking against the morning light as I push up onto my elbows.
And just like that, the world tilts violently.
A sharp wave of nausea punches me square in the gut, so sudden and forceful that I barely have time to react before I’m flinging myself over the edge of the bed. My stomach clenches, my throat burns, and I squeeze my eyes shut, swallowing hard against the sickening churn rolling through me.
No, no, no.
I grip the sheets with trembling fingers, breathing through my nose, willing it to pass.
Not again.
My stomach lurches in protest, and I know I have exactly three seconds before I need to move—now.