“I take it back; you’re not the devil, you’re just a grumpy old man.”
“Thank you! I was wondering when you’d see the real me.”
A small smile tugs at my lips. He’s been doing that, making me smile, far too much.
“Natalie, Natalie. A smile and an almost compliment all in one day? Don’t tell me I’m wearing you down already. I had an entire week of weakening your defenses planned.”
“What were you planning on doing with your second week?”
“I’m keeping that to myself for now, but you’re going to have a blast.”
He walks over to the closet, pulls out a folded quilt, and lays it over the tiny loveseat.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
“Floor looks gross,” he says, grimacing as he touches the quilt. “Not that this looks much better. Shit.”
In five seconds I’m sure I’m going to regret the words about to depart from my mouth. But as they wait for their turn to take-off, they seem like the only solution. “We can share the bed, if you want. The sheets weren’t that bad.”
Cole exhales, still studying the blanket with his hands on his hips. “Are you sure ? I can brave this.” He pokes it and grimaces. “And hey, if I don’t make it, then you won’t have to push me into the ocean. Save you some effort.”
“That’s very noble of you, but I don’t think I can in good conscience let you make this sacrifice. Just don’t steal the covers. Some grumpy old dude said I was ill-equipped for the elements, and I think he was right because I’m still freezing.”
The bed dips behind me with his weight, his back hits my back, and the light flickers off.
In the darkness I steady my breaths, trying not to overthink—ha!—about how for the first time I’m sharing a bed with a man.
And somehow, it’s the man himself that feels even more significant.
Cuddling was not something Dillon enjoyed, and he hated PDA. By the end, he hated me too—considering, when I found out about all his cheating and threatened to end things unless he stopped, his reaction was to smirk and say, “Have fun being alone. No one else will deal with all your crazy.”
Maybe he was right. Cole met me shortly after and apparently wanted nothing to do me, either.
Suddenly, the poor excuse for a heater rattles before giving out with a final, nail-in-the-coffin clunk, and a soft voice murmurs, “I could help keep you warm, if you want.”
Which, funny enough, is a very decidedly not leaving me alone thing to say.
Maybe I’m wearing him down? I don’t know. But Iamfreezing, so…
CHAPTER
TWELVE
COLE
It’s beenthirty freaking seconds since I asked Natalie if she wanted me to keep her warm.
She still hasn’t answered. If she doesn’t say something soon, I might throw myself on the ground and let whatever amalgam of diseases lingering there take me.
“Natalie?” I ask, pushing through the dry crack of my throat.
Nothing. Just silence. A shaky breath and the final hum of our now deceased heater.
Natalie shivers again and shakes the bed. My hands curl into fists at my sides. I hate that she’s cold and I can’t do anything about it unless she lets me. I hate it so much it physically hurts.
“Listen.” My fake bravado slips since I’m using all my self-restraint to keep myself from turning over and becoming an extra blanket for her. “I didn’t mean to make it weird—it’s just…you’re shaking the bed and I—never mind, I’ll leave you alone.”
Didn’t mean to make it weird. But I did. Story of my freaking life with Natalie. You’d think after years of pining for her I’d have figured out when to shut the fuck up. But I still keep putting myfoot in my mouth as soon as she gives me an inch, and I end up pushing her further away.
