Page 30 of Unbreakable Bonds (The Boston Romance #2)

COLE

The sweet scent of jasmine wakes me, and I part my eyelids.

Heat radiates through my chest at the sight of Alisha lying next to me.

Her golden hair flows along her angelic face, while her long lashes kiss her cheeks.

I gaze at her full lips. Just staring at them awakens many sinful thoughts, but the physical reaction stops when I remember how we ended up here.

Yesterday was a nightmare, a stomach-turning rollercoaster, to say the least. Opening that door, showing her my darkest secret, telling her about my father—it all comes rushing back.

The way she held me, fingers stroking through my hair as I finally let myself be vulnerable. No judgment, just acceptance.

My eyes dart to the door that leads to the past. It's still open.

I roll out of bed and walk to the door. On the threshold, I stop. I can't believe I told her everything. No one except me has ever entered this room. Nobody knows about this room—not even my two best friends.

When I met Nick and Brian, they didn't know my past, and that felt good.

I told them my father died from a heart attack, but that's all I ever told them, and they respected that.

But with Alisha, everything is different.

This woman makes me feel, and want things that are so strange to me.

It's confusing. The physical pain I encountered when she threatened to end our contract if I didn't open up puzzles me.

The emptiness and hollow feelings that appeared when she and Samantha left were awful.

These two women have become crucial to this bachelor's sanity.

I shake my hands and stretch and bend my fingers as the familiar tingle emerges when my eyes wander over the cover and legs of my black Bosendorfer. My ten digits remember how it feels and they ache. Ache to do what they loved most.

Do I miss it? Yes, it's like a physical pull I sense all the time.

But when I'm close to sitting down and playing, my father's lifeless face pops up in my head, and it reminds me: I don't deserve to enjoy it—not playing is the punishment I deserve.

I close the door and focus my attention back on the gorgeous woman lying in my bed.

The way she listened to me without judgment was remarkable, and when she brushed and caressed me while lying with me on the bed, it soothed the excruciating inner pain.

Alex moves and snuggles her face into my blue jacket as if she's inhaling my scent—she looks adorable.

The sound of walking footsteps tells me Samantha is awake. I stroll to the kitchen to find her texting with a mysterious grin on her face. Her hair is up in a ponytail as usual, and her school bag is lying open on the kitchen table.

"Good morning. Who are you texting?" I ask.

Samantha jumps up, and the blush that appears on her cheeks makes me squint my eyes. "J-Just a friend. Good morning," she says, while shifting her phone in the back pocket of her black jeans.

"Did you talk to Alisha last night?" "Yes, I did."

Samantha keeps staring at me with a strange gaze, and I feel slightly uncomfortable knowing Alex is lying in my bed. I stroll to the coffee machine, but I can sense Samantha's eyes following me.

"Can I ask you something about your father?" she asks as I reach for a coffee cup.

I freeze. "What do you want to ask?" I say, lowering my hands and turning to see her fumbling with her shirt. I take hold of the counter behind me. Her eyes contact mine for a split second before darting away.

"Uh, is it true that my eyes resemble those of my grandfather?"

I let out a long breath and answer with a quick nod. "Yeah, you've got the same light blue color as him."

Her teeth sink into her bottom lip. "Do you miss him?"

My heart rate skyrockets. "Yes. But it has been a long time since he passed."

"So the pain of missing them won't lessen?"

My heart breaks, hearing the despair in her voice. The months after my father died, I experienced an emptiness that never healed, and my chest aches, considering how she might experience the same.

"You'll always miss them, but the intensity will lessen, Sam, I promise."

When I notice her watery eyes, I walk over and hug her.

Her arms wrap around my waist. I haven't had many warm hugs from my mother after my father's death.

She was mourning herself and hadn't had it in her to comfort me.

So, if I can help Sam by being here for her and hugging her from time to time, I'll do that. It feels nice.

"I miss her laugh and her voice saying my name," she whispers against my chest. "What if..." She stops talking and swallows.

I hug her tighter. "You'll never forget her, Sam.

And it's okay if there are times you don't think about her.

It doesn't mean you love her less. It's a simple part of moving on.

And this may sound cliche, but it's true.

They will always live in your heart. Your mom doesn't want you to stop living just because she's not here to experience it with you.

She'll always be with you, looking over your shoulder, telling you she loves you no matter what. "

I'm astonished at the waterfall of words leaving my lips and even more when I sense my eyes getting watery. Damn, where is this coming from? What is happening to me?

"You're a cool father, Cole."

I smile and place a kiss on the top of her head. "Thank you. You're an amazing daughter, Sam."

"Why did you yell at Alisha yesterday?"

She heard that? Shit.

"Did it have to do with your father?"

I grab her shoulders and take a step back to observe her face. "Why do you think it had something to do with him?"

"Because yesterday you became tense every time your mother brought him up. So I believe it pains you to talk about him."

A muscle in my neck tenses as a stirring sensation fills my chest.

"See? Right now, the muscles in your jaw are twitching," she explains while pointing to my face.

I rub my hands over my jaw. Damn, I've got an observant daughter who nailed it in one sentence.

Every time I remember my dad, I sense physical pain.

And when my mother mentions him, it hurts twice as bad, as it awakens visions and feelings of that night.

I caress her upper arms while giving her a reassuring smile.

"You're right. I talk little about my father because it's a sensitive topic, even after all these years."

"Is it because of how he died?"

I let out a tense huff. "Yeah, he died of a massive heart attack after we had a heated argument."

Her phone beeps. "Oh, I'm sorry," she mumbles, taking a step backward and gazing at the screen. "I-I gotta go. I'm meeting up with a friend from school."

Her eyes meet mine, and I nod. "Good luck and have fun. I'll see you later."

Samantha grabs her school bag from the kitchen counter and waves, but just when she wants to leave the kitchen, she halts and turns to face me.

"Say hi to Alisha for me when she wakes up. And if she can't find her red heels, it's because I've put them by the front door." With an immense grin, she runs out. Guess nothing gets unnoticed by her.

I turn back and check my to-do list on my phone while finishing my espresso. I'm meeting up with Nick at eleven o'clock this morning. So plenty of time for a shower.

I walk back to the bedroom, but as soon as I enter, I halt and gaze at the sleeping beauty in my bed.

My fingers itch when her dress shifts upwards, exposing the skin of her upper thighs as she turns.

The urge to investigate every inch of her delicious body and make her come undone wants to take over.

I shake my head. Don't. Just go take a shower.

My feet move, but after three steps, I stop and turn.

"Fuck, you're a weakling," I mumble as I make my way to the bed.

I take a seat on the edge of the bed and admire her. Everything about this woman is exceptional. Her looks are extraordinary, but it's her personality that fascinates me the most. It has so many sides that it keeps me on my toes all the time.

Not able to resist, I lift my hand and touch the creamy soft skin of her calf.

Slowly, I trace my index finger over the silky smooth surface towards her thigh.

She lets out a few mmm noises which cause my heart to bounce in my chest. Oh, that is such an addictive sound.

I need to hear it again. I place my full palm on her leg and caress her knee while waiting for her reaction.

Her lips part, and my cock goes rock hard when she lets out a deep moaning sound.

I quickly remove my hand from her thigh, bend forward, and whisper inches from her ear.

"Good morning, Alex."

Her eyes dart open, and her breath hitches as our eyes connect. Dear God, she's even more stunning when she wakes up. That fresh but sleepy gaze in her irises is fucking hot.

"Hey," she mumbles in a soft, hoarse whisper that makes my dick push painfully against my zipper.

We keep gazing at each other, and the shimmering naughtiness that appears in her orbs shows me she's awake.

"If this is my wake-up call, I'll take it. Waking up seeing you is a hundred times better than the annoying sound of the alarm clock."

I grin and tap my finger on her cute button nose. "I'm meeting Nick at eleven, so I thought since I don't know if you've got to work, I better wake you."

The word 'work' makes her shoot up straight.

"What day is it?" "Monday."

A relieved breath escapes her lips. "I'm meeting Amanda this afternoon, so I'm not in a hurry." She looks down, and when she sees what she's wearing, her eyes dart to the door of the room, where I shared my dark secret with her. Not ready to talk about it again, I stand up and walk to the bathroom.

"Cole, wait!" Her plea makes me halt, and when I turn back, I'm nailed to the floor as I watch her glide out of between the sheets.