Page 13

twelve

Cole

The light peeking in from behind the curtains is blinding.

As my eyes adjust to the daylight enveloping the room, I notice how hot I am. I literally never wear this much clothing to bed—the long sleeve tee and joggers are much more than the boxer briefs I usually wear to sleep, and I can feel the sweat building even though it’s thirty fucking degrees outside.

Hot as I am, though, that was the best night’s sleep I’ve had in ages. Yes, Knox’s guest bed is very comfortable, but that has nothing to do with it.

It has everything to do with the curly-haired woman who evidently cuddled up to me overnight. Fuck, I like waking up like this.

It is dangerous, though, when Rory’s ass is in a very precarious position. One wrong move, and she’ll get a repeat of what she did to me in the showers.

And as she slowly wakes up, she does exactly as I fear—she rubs herself directly over my groin, my dick springing up faster than a bullet from a gun.

I’m not sure if it’s the tent I’ve pitched pressing into her back or the groan that escapes my lips that does it, but I do know Rory is fully awake when she goes perfectly still.

“Cole…” she says, voice somewhat strained. “Please tell me there’s a flashlight behind my back.”

“Not sure why I’d have a flashlight in bed, but if it makes you feel better, sure, we’ll go with that.”

“I think I might like the idea of you randomly having a flashlight in bed rather than me accidentally making you hard again.”

She truly has no idea how often she’s made me hard. It’s usually not from accidental brushing like it’s been lately, but I end up turned on almost every time I’m around her. I’ve just gotten good at adjusting myself with no one noticing.

“Sorry, Rory,” I sigh, “but your ass is in a very dangerous spot, and he has a mind of his own.”

She howls with laughter as she rolls onto her back. “You did not just call your dick a he.”

“Well, it’s not a she,” I chide. “I’m all man, baby.”

“Oh my God, I can’t with you.”

I smile at her as she finally makes eye contact with me. “Hey, I’ll do whatever I can to diffuse an awkward situation.” I take a deep breath. “Sorry about that, though. It’s starting to get embarrassing now.”

Rory puts her hands up as if in surrender. “Hey, I know how biology works. An accidental touch from anybody would do that to you.”

I eye her. “You think anybody could do that to me, Starlight?”

Her face falls a bit as she registers what I’m saying. “Yeah… I’ve seen the women that go after you, Cole. Any of them could do that. It’s not because it’s me. We’re friends.”

I hate when she does this, putting herself down. Like she actually thinks she’s not the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. Like she thinks I couldn’t possibly think of her that way.

Maybe a bit of brutal honesty can help her see.

“I couldn’t care less about any of the women that come after me. It’s not any of them that do this to me.”

She looks at me, stunned. “W-what are you saying?”

I sigh as I rub a hand over the back of my neck. “I think you know exactly what I’m saying.”

“Don’t say something you don’t mean.” She looks at me, unease clear on her face.

I let out a breath and reply, “Rory, when have I ever said something I don’t mean?”

The words hang heavy in the air between us, the implication clear, and Rory doesn’t seem to be able to make sense of what I’m telling her.

Has she never had a man fall at her feet, ready to worship her? Ready to caress and touch every inch of her body before he buries his head between her legs? Ready to give her every goddamn thing she deserves?

The thought of her not having had that before makes me want to do it all the more.

Three and a half years, I’ve been strong.

Three and a half years, I’ve kept my hands and my feelings to myself.

But I can feel the thread between us thinning with each passing day, ready to snap with the slightest bit of pressure.

I’m trying so fucking hard to keep it together, but I know I’m about to break.

I’m so close to risking my entire career because keeping away is the worst fucking form of torture.

Before either of us can speak, a knock sounds at the door across the room.

“I don’t know what I’m going to find,” Knox bellows, “so I’m not opening the door.”

“You’re going to find both of us completely dressed, having just woken up, asshole,” I scoff. The sound of raucous laughter on the other side of the door is all we can hear.

“Better to be sure,” he says, still fighting a laugh. “But we have bagels and coffee out here ready to go. And to quote your sister—‘Get your asses up and come fucking eat.’”

“We’ll be right out, Fort Knox,” Rory chuckles.

“Never going to escape that fucking nickname,” we hear him grumble as he pads off down the hallway.

“Hey,” I say, smiling. “Looks like he can still be grumpy after all.”

Rory swings her legs over the side of the bed, quickly moving to her feet before reaching a hand out to help me up. “Come on. Let’s get a move on. Don’t really want to piss your sister off first thing in the morning.”

“Her bark is worse than her bite,” I laugh, my feet hitting the floor as I sit up. I don’t let Rory move away, though. I keep her hand in mine and turn her around to face me again as she tries to move.

“What are you doing, Pierce?” She raises her eyebrow.

“I want to talk to you before we go out there.”

“Oh.”

Her smile wavers, worry taking over her features.

Rory clearly doesn’t want to talk about what I implied. And I don’t want to make her more uncomfortable.

So, instead of addressing it, I skip the topic altogether.

“What are your plans today?” I ask, taking my hand from hers and gripping the edge of the bed.

“None,” she replies. “I don’t have anything planned for today.”

“Let’s do something then. As friends .”

God, I’m really starting to fucking hate that word.

“You got something in mind?”

I smile at her. “You know I do, Starlight.”