Page 40 of Unbreakable Bonds (The Boston Romance #2)

COLE

I lower myself until my lips are inches from Alex's delicate skin, her sweet warmth tangled in my grey sheets. "Wake up," I whisper, letting my stubble graze her exposed neck.

"Cole?"

Her raspy morning voice ignites needs I can barely control. I meet her lustrous green eyes, drinking in her sleepy confusion as she glances between my outfit and her spaghetti strap top.

"What happened last night?"

"You fell asleep while I showered," I say, tracing her cheek. "Dead to the world when I got back."

She covers her face with her hands. "God, not again. That's pathetic." But within seconds, she shifts to seduction mode, her hand finding my thigh. My blood ignites as she devours me with her eyes, taking in my unbuttoned dress shirt.

"God, you look scrumpalicious." She sighs while batting her lashes. Her grin widens, and she pushes herself up into a seated position. Sliding her fingers through her golden locks, my eyes feast on her protruding nipples, screaming for attention by pressing against the thin fabric.

"Damn. You are..."

She looks down and chuckles. "They are just nipples."

With a growl, I crawl up onto the bed, push her back into the mattress, and straddle her.

I slip my hand under her top, cup her full right breast, and touch the erect nipple with my thumb.

"These are not just nipples or just breasts.

These are the hills of pleasure," I say, exposing both boobs by pushing the fabric up further and enclosing my lips around her right nipple.

She squirms and moans under my talented tongue, and her fingers roam through my hair.

That is until the ringtone of my telephone breaks our sensuous morning bubble.

I try to ignore it, but after eight rings, I curse, lift myself off her, and sit on the side of the bed to deal with whoever is on the other side of this call.

"Yes!" I growl.

"Hey, easy, friend. Where are you? Am I interrupting?"

"Nick. I'm home."

While my best friend's laughter buzzes in my ear, Alisha slides out of bed.

I grind my teeth as she strides to the closet and slips into a figure-hugging black dress.

I suppress a moan when she looks me straight in the eyes while moving her body as if she's dancing to a song that only she hears.

The she-devil cups her hills, pinches both her peaks between her thumbs and index fingers, and sends me a challenging smirk.

Nick is still talking, but since I can't concentrate, I stop him.

"Sorry, I have to call you back." Alisha quickly covers her breasts with her bra as I hang up and get off the bed.

"You were taunting me with your naughtiness, Alex."

"And what are you going to do about it?"

I catch her wrist and plant a kiss on the inside while holding eye contact. Then I turn her until her back is against my front and bend my head to let my stubble drift over her shoulder. Humming in contentment, she tilts her head to the side.

"God, I missed how you react to my touch." I slide my hand under her dress and move it over her damp panties. "Oh, you need attention."

"Yes, I do. I need..."

Two loud knocks make me stop my sweet attack.

"Alisha, can we talk?" my daughter mumbles from the other side of the door.

My blonde goddess quickly squirms out of my arms, straightens her dress, strolls to the door, and opens it.

"Alisha, I..."

Samantha stops talking, and her eyes grow with astonishment when she sees me. "Cole? Y-you’re back?"

I nod. "Yeah, I came back late last night."

"O-oh." The girls look at each other and seem to be communicating without words.

"So what did you want to talk about with Alisha?"

"Oh, I wanted to ask her if she wants coffee. Do you want a cup too?"

"Sure."

"Okay, we’ll be there in a few minutes," Alisha says to my daughter.

Samantha hurries away, and I narrow my eyes at Alisha when she walks towards her closet without looking at me.

"What's going on?" I ask, stopping before her.

"Samantha needs to talk to you." She slips into her black pumps, and when she turns and wants to walk to the door, I stop her by touching her arm.

"What is going on?" I whisper in her ear. "You've got the same nervous energy Samantha showed when she saw me."

She places a chaste kiss on my cheek. "That is not for me to answer. So let's get our coffee. But, button-up first." She pats my bare chest.

She shoots out of the room towards the kitchen, and as I close the buttons, I can't ignore the gnawing awareness that something is up.

When I enter the kitchen, they're standing with their backs to me, focusing on the coffee machine that's pouring caffeine-providing liquid in a cup.

I stay silent, but my mind shoots into action at my daughter's words.

"I'm nervous. How do you think he will react? Will he freak out?"

Freak out?

"He needs to know, honey," Alisha says, placing a hand on her shoulder. "He's your father. Remember that he cares for you."

"That's true, so speak up and tell me what is going on," I say as I take a step into the room, focusing my attention on Sam, who looks alarmed.

"I..." she begins. Her eyes wander to Alisha, who places a cup on the kitchen counter.

"Take a seat and drink your coffee. Samantha has something important to tell you."

Alisha's eyes have a pleading look. So with easy strides, I take a seat. "Okay, I'm sitting. Now, what's up?"

Alisha gestures to Samantha to take a seat opposite to me while she sits on the stool next to me. The way Samantha plays with her glass of water, shifting it from one hand to the other one, causes alarm bells to ring in my head.

"What's going on?"

"Cole," Alisha begins, "I told you Samantha was hanging out with some new friends from school this week. But that wasn't exactly right… She's hanging out, but not with friends from school."

My eyes flash to my daughter, whose hands are firmly clutching the glass she's holding, while her eyes dart everywhere but to me. "Samantha? Who have you been hanging out with?"

The water in her glass moves unsteadily as she brings it to her lips. "I've been hanging out with a guy," she says in a barely audible voice.

The muscles in my neck contract as I raise a brow and tilt my head. Internally I'm shouting at myself. Keep calm. Breathe in... Breathe out. Both girls are watching me with hawk eyes.

"A guy?" I say as neutral as possible. "Okay. And what is the name of the guy?"

I glance down when Alisha squeezes my hand. "Stay calm," she hints.

Easier said than done. With my heart rate being an unbalanced metronome, I refocus my attention on Samantha, who's now biting on her nail.

"Samantha, I asked you a question. Do I need to repeat it?"

She shakes her head, grabs her water, and takes a few sips. I grind my teeth as my patience is quickly disintegrating. Why is she stalling to answer this simple question?

"His name is Leo. We met at the ice cream shop on our street. He's friendly, and I enjoy talking to him."

My eyes narrow. "Okay. But I don't understand why you two think I would disapprove of it. I may be uncomfortable with the fact that it's a guy. But I would never prevent you from making new friends."

I get up from my seat and walk to the coffee machine to control my rising impatience, knowing there is more she's not telling me. Just when my espresso is ready, Samantha speaks.

"Leo is twenty."

The second her words hit, my body goes rigid. Twenty! She's hanging out with a guy that's five years older than her? What the fuck does hanging out mean these days? My adrenal glands get hyped-up when my brain fills in the word meaning 'hangout' with pictures.

As if she senses my distress, she rambles. "We've only been texting, taking walks, and hanging out at the ice cream shop. Nothing more. We're just friends."

My nostrils flare as I turn to Samantha, who's now picking at the cuticles of her nails while observing me, and the innocence in her beautiful eyes makes me lose my shit.

"I'm sorry, Sam, but I don't approve. I don't want you hanging out with this Leo."

Samantha's eyes turn a darker shade of blue as she launches up from her seat.

"Why not? He's a nice guy, who likes to hang out and talk."

I cross my arms in front of me and shake my head at her honest but na?ve words. "Because you're fifteen, Samantha."

"So what?" she shoots back. "Is there a law that says that I can't talk to guys who are older than me?"

The vein in my temples pulsates, and my jaw cramps at her sassy remark. It hurts me to burst her bubble. But if it means it will protect her from a twenty-year-old predator, I will.

"Samantha. Why would a twenty-year-old guy hang around with a girl that's five years younger than himself? It makes little sense. For god’s sake, he's a man in the bloom of his life. He's almost old enough to drink. And I don't believe he's hanging out with you only because he wants to talk."

She backs away from her stool and shouts. "Alisha, help me. Tell him he's unreasonable. You and Amanda met Leo."

My eyes shoot to Alisha. "You've met this Leo?"

"Yes," Samantha cuts in. "And if I want to hang out with him, I will. You can't stop me!" she screams.

Her challenging words awaken my protective nature, and the coffee in the cups shake as they’re standing on the counter the moment my fist hits the surface. "Yes, I can. You're a minor, young lady, and I'm your father. So if I say, you can't see him. You. Can't. See. Him."

"Oh, god. You're impossible. You're judging Leo without even meeting him. That's unfair. Alisha, please tell him he's overreacting," Samantha begs.

Alisha takes a step towards my daughter and touches her shoulder. "Sam. I'm sorry, but I..."

Samantha jumps backward. "You're taking his side?" With glassy eyes and an erratic breath, she shakes her head. "Out of all people, I thought you would understand me." Her eyes dart to me.

When a single tear drops from her cheek, my heart breaks. "Samantha, I..."