Page 25

twenty-four

Rory

“How are you feeling now, Ror?” Harlow asks as she tightens the belt of her robe.

“Still feel like shit,” I say, wincing as I readjust my position. “But this heat is helping.”

The girls surprised me with a spa day this morning for my birthday, and the sauna we’re in right now is sublime. Unluckily for me, I also started my period yesterday, so I’m bloated and cranky and really just want to hibernate in my bed with my heating pad.

“Meds not working?” Lucia asks.

“Morning dose already wore off,” I shrug. “I’ll take some more in a bit. Right now, I’m not moving because I’m finally comfortable.”

“Who needs a fucking uterus?” Ella scoffs. “All they do is bitch at us every month.”

“I’d like mine one day,” I say. “I do want kids eventually. But right now? Rip this thing out of me and put me out of my misery.”

“Enough period talk,” Harlow groans. “It’s Rory’s fucking birthday. Let’s have fun!”

I lean back and laugh. “Fine. Don’t let me bring down the vibe. What’s everyone been up to?”

“Josh and I are just finishing all of the wedding preparations,” Ella smiles.

“I cannot believe you’re going to be Mrs. Josh Garro in eight days,” I say happily. “And we all get to get shitfaced on your dime.”

Ella laughs. “We paid enough for the open bar. Might as well enjoy it.”

“Your wedding has turned my boyfriend into an absolute sap,” Harlow laughs. “I’m talking dancing in the kitchen at midnight just because he wanted to hold me.”

“Oh my God, that is so fucking cute!” I squeal. “I still can’t believe Fort Knox is such a softie.”

“Neither can I,” Harlow smiles. “But he really is. I came back from shopping with my mom on Tuesday, and he had the living room set up and ready to give me a massage. He even had massage oils.”

“I’m willing to bet that massage had a happy ending,” Lucia smirks.

Her face reddens. Nobody blushes as often as Harlow Pierce. “I’d say it had a very happy ending.”

“Love that for you,” Ella says. “Love hearing about my friends getting good sex.”

She doesn’t look at me, but I know she’s including me in that statement. After I gushed to her and Lucia about my night with Cole, she’s implying more than Harlow realizes.

Harlow pretends to toast, holding an invisible glass. “And to those of us that aren’t, may they find good sex soon.”

We laugh as Lucia remains eerily silent. “Luc,” I say, giving her a curious look. “You’re being way too quiet. It’s not like you to not jump in on sex talk.”

“I just don’t have anything to add.”

“Since when do you not have something to say about sex?” Ella asks, shooting her a disbelieving look.

“When I don’t want to kiss and tell.”

She bites down her smile as the three of us gasp in unison. “Lucia!” I shout. “You always kiss and tell.”

Harlow points directly at her. “Spill, Torres. I recognize your I-just-got-laid smile.”

Lucia throws her hands up in surrender. “Okay, fine! I’m bursting at the seams anyway. I had a date last night!”

“What’s his name?” I ask, unable to contain my curiosity.

“His name is Matt. We went out last night, and we immediately clicked.”

“And you went home with him after,” Ella smirks.

“I did. And I like him even more after that.”

“Good for you, girl,” I smile. “Happy to see you happy. Are you going out again?”

“He’s taking me to dinner tomorrow night. We’re still getting to know each other, but I really like him, guys.”

“Well, you’ll have to bring him around some time,” Harlow says. “We need to vet this Matthew character and make sure he’s good enough for you.”

I check the time on my phone. “Ooh, it’s almost time for our facials, ladies!”

Ella claps. “Let’s go get pampered, bitches!

“Why the hell is my apartment so dark?” I ask as the girls follow me through the door. “I always leave the foyer light on.”

“Suwise!” I hear a little voice shout through the darkness, followed by a groan.

“Well, I guess the cat’s out of the bag now,” Lane laughs as I flip on the lights, finding a small surprise party set up for me.

Sage runs over to me as Cole, Lane, Knox, and my dad come out from their hiding spots.

“Thank you, guys,” I say, heart swelling at the sweet gesture. Tears prick the corners of my eyes thanks to the goddamn hormones, but I blink them away. “This is so nice.”

My dad walks over and wraps his arms around me. “Couldn’t resist doing something for my baby girl. The guys here helped me set up while you were out with the girls.”

“That’s what I get for giving you a spare key,” I laugh. I stand on my tiptoes and kiss his cheek. “Thank you, Dad.” I turn to face everyone else now, the girls having joined the guys in the living room. “And thank you. This means a lot.”

“You gotta have a party for your birthday, Rory,” Cole says, smiling softly.

This is actually the first time Cole and I have seen each other since that night. We’ve texted but haven’t seen each other in person until just now. And now that he’s in front of me, I kinda wish no one else was here so I could just have him to myself.

I’ve missed him.

“Still,” I say, biting down a smile, “this is very nice. Thank you, everyone.”

“Enough with the thank you’s,” Ella exclaims. “Let’s fucking party!”

“Duck!”

The room laughs as Lane just groans, resigning himself to the fate of having a daughter with a spicy vocabulary.

“Happy birthday, babe!” Harlow wraps her arms around me, squeezing me tight. She’s a bit tipsy from all the wine tonight.

“Thanks, Lo. Love you.”

“Love you more,” she smiles before moving over to hug her brother.

While she does, Knox steps closer and drapes an arm around my shoulders. “Happy birthday, Rory.”

“Damn, I even get birthday wishes from Fort Knox.” I laugh as he sighs, irritated that he’ll never shake that nickname.

“So, who all knows?” he asks, whispering as he leans closer to me.

He doesn’t need to specify. I know exactly what he’s talking about.

“Everyone but Harlow. I know Cole won’t have told her, and I certainly haven’t.”

“Got it. I’ll keep my mouth shut.” He gives me a soft, reassuring smile. “For what it’s worth, I think your dad is wrong. Cole’s a good guy.”

“I know he is.”

“It might just be worth the risk.”

I look at him dumbfounded. “Harlow wasn’t kidding; you really have turned into a sap.”

“I embrace it now,” he grins before removing his arm from around me and stepping closer to his girlfriend. “You ready to head home, Freckles?”

“Lead the way, Slick.”

After they say their goodbyes, they’re out the door, leaving just Cole and me behind.

I close the door behind them and turn around to find Cole looking delicious .

Long-sleeve white T-shirt pushed up on his forearms. Backward baseball cap. And gray fucking joggers.

He’s torturing me.

And he might be doing it on purpose.

“Hey, Starlight,” he says softly. “It’s good to see you.”

“Good to see you, too. Want to come sit down?”

I walk into the living room, and Cole follows, taking the spot at the end of the sofa. I take the spot next to him.

“How has your birthday been?”

“Good for the most part,” I answer honestly. “I feel like shit, though.”

“Why?” he asks, raising his eyebrow.

“Cramps.”

“On your birthday?”

I laugh. “Aunt Flo doesn’t care what day it is. I’ve spent a large part of the day bloated and in pain.”

“Anything I can do to help?”

“Honestly,” I say, “if you grab my heating pad from the bathroom, you’ll be my favorite person ever.”

Cole laughs as he stands up. “I’m a little offended that I’m not your favorite person already.”

After a minute, he returns to the living room, heating pad in hand. Once he plugs it in, he hands it to me, and I place it right on top of my pelvis.

“Thank you, Cole. Thank you for helping when I feel like garbage.”

“I wasn’t going to let you sit there in pain, Ror.” He gives me a soft smile, the one that always gives me butterflies. “I care about you way too much for that. You just relax right now. I’m hoping Google will come up with other ways for me to help.”

“You don’t have to do that,” I say, sinking into the sofa as the heat starts radiating across my body. “This happens every month. I’m used to it.”

Cole lowers his phone, looking right at me. “That doesn’t mean I can’t help. If there’s something I can do to help you feel better, I’m going to do it.”

“Okay.” I smile at him and watch the light sparkle off his gorgeous blue-gray eyes.

I close my eyes and relax while Cole starts scrolling on his phone, determined to find a way to help as if I haven’t already tried them all.

“This list seems promising,” he says. “There are a lot of things mentioned. You’re already using a heating pad, so I’ll skip past that. It says exercise can help.”

“If you try to move me from this fucking couch, I will shank you.”

Cole roars with laughter. “Okay, that’s a no to exercise. Massage could work.”

“Tried it,” I say, eyes still closed. “It’s never helped.”

“Hmm…” he mutters, still scrolling through the list. “Yoga?”

“You’re trying to get shanked, aren’t you?”

“Apparently,” he chuckles. “Let’s see what else is h- oh.”

I open my eyes, looking over at him. He looks flustered, and I can see a blush creeping across his cheeks.

“What does it say?” I ask, curiosity getting the better of me.

“Oh, uh… evidently orgasms can help.”

“Oh.”

“I’m just reading the list,” he says nervously. “But if you want…”

“Cole, what are you saying?”

“That I can… help you.”

I just stare at him. “I feel like death. I’m not having sex.”

“I’m not suggesting sex. You ran away from me last time.” He lets out a breath. “But that’s not the only way I can help.”

“I’m bleeding, though,” I say as I catch his drift.

“Blood doesn’t bother me,” he shrugs. “I just want to help.”

“You just want to stick your fingers in me.”

“I won’t complain about that.”

I laugh before I take a moment to really think this over.

It’s a bit of an unorthodox proposition, but it’s not like he hasn’t fingered me before.

And this time isn’t sex. It’s just to help me relieve some pain.

“Are you sure about this?”

“Go get into something comfy. I’ll get ready out here. Then you can just sit back and let me make you feel better.”

Even in my pained state, I move quickly. I strip off my clothes from the day and throw on an oversized T-shirt, one that hangs to my knees. On my way back, I stop in the bathroom, pulling my hair up into a messy bun and removing my tampon. I take a deep breath before walking back into the living room.

Cole is waiting for me on the couch, a dark-colored towel draped across it. He has one leg on the ground and the other stretched out before him.

He smiles when he sees me. “Come here, birthday girl.”

When I walk over to him, he helps me sit down, pulling me to sit between his legs. I lay mine out in front of me.

“It’s okay if you change your mind,” I say nervously. “I won’t be offended.”

Cole’s lips graze my ear. “Not going to change my mind, baby. Let me make you feel good.”

I take a deep breath before leaning back against his chest and getting into position. I open my legs as his breath catches in his throat.

He trails his hands up under the hem of my shirt, hooking them in the waistband of my panties. “These are only going to get in the way.” He helps me shimmy them down my legs before he tosses them to the ground. “There you go.”

Without another word, he slips his hand under my shirt again, this time going straight to my core. I gasp as his thumb grazes my clit.

“Oh…” He does it again, and it already feels so good. “I could come like that,” I say, slightly breathless. “It would be less messy.”

“It would,” he murmurs against my ear. “But you liked my fingers last week. You liked having your cunt full when I got you off.”

Still the same dirty talker. Still just as fucking hot.

Disregarding my suggestion, Cole slips a finger inside me as he groans.

“ Fuck…” I moan. “Can I have another finger?”

He chuckles, and it vibrates down my spine. “You can have anything you want, Rory girl. I’ll give you anything.”

When his second finger joins the first, I feel what has now become all too familiar over the past month—his hard dick pressing against my ass. I involuntarily moan, loving how even this turns him on.

Cole thrusts his fingers in and out of me, thumb still flicking my clit. “Mmm… I love how you moan. Been thinking about it since you left my place last week.”

“This feels so good, Cole.” I moan again as I start to feel the pressure building low in my abdomen. I’m having a hard time staying still as my orgasm creeps closer.

“Good,” he coos. “I want you to feel so good, baby. I love getting to take care of you like this.”

“Cole,” I sigh.

“That’s right. I’m the one making you feel good right now. You’re bleeding, and you’re still pulsing around my fingers. You’re still my dirty little slut, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” I groan, restless. My legs are thrashing around, and my ass is rubbing over his thighs. “I like being dirty for you.”

“I like you being dirty for me, too,” he manages between heavy breaths. “But you don’t need to be dirty right now. Just be good. Be a good girl, and come on my fingers. You know it’ll make you feel better.”

A few more whispered praises in my ear, and I’m a fucking goner.

“Cole!” I moan so loudly the entire building might hear. “Oh God, yes!”

Cole’s head falls to my shoulder as he fingers me through my orgasm, moving more frantically. “Fuck, Rory,” he mutters through ragged breaths. “Say my name again. Please.”

“Cole,” I moan more softly, coming down from my high. But it’s exactly what he wants because I hear him groan before chanting my name softly.

He removes his fingers and wipes them on the towel. “Goddamn, Ror.”

“That helped. Thank you.” I shift slightly so I can face him. “I’m feeling bet-” I cut off sharply as I see a weird look on his face. “What’s that look for?” I ask.

He doesn’t answer, so I let my eyes wander, and I settle on a dark spot on his pants.

“Cole, did you…”

“Yes,” he smiles at me sheepishly. “Extremely embarrassing, but you know how attracted I am to you.”

“You… came.”

“In my pants like a goddamn teenager, yes. Your moaning did me in, I’m sorry.”

“That’s… actually really hot.” I can’t help but enjoy the fact that he likes fingering me so much that he came in his own goddamn pants. I didn’t even need to touch him.

“At least my embarrassment is hot,” he chuckles. “I should probably go clean myself up.” Cole stands before leaning over and kissing my forehead. “Happy birthday, Starlight.”