“Did ya handle yer business, or will I wake to ya missing from me bed once again?”
“I took care of what needed to be taken care of. I’m all yours,” he says tiredly.
I slump my shoulders, feeling bad. He does have a lot on his plate. He looks exhausted.
I walk over to him, swaying my hips. He gives me a tired smile. Wanting to be near him, I wrap my arms around his waist.
“Were ya going to take a bath? I smell that shit ya love.”
“That was the plan.”
“Come on then. I had planned to pamper ya for the day. Looks like I’m right on time.”
“Not really, but I’ll let it go for now.”
He releases a tired laugh. Feeling sorry for him, I push his coat from his shoulders and begin to help him out of the rest of his clothes. Once he’s standing in his slacks and socks, he cups the side of my face and kisses me.
“Ya know I love ya, don’t ya?”
“Yeah, I do. I love ya too.”
He takes my lips again and things begin to heat up. When he begins to massage my bum in his big palms, I think our bath will be forgotten. However, he breaks the kiss and pecks the tip of my nose.
When we’re both undressed, we make our way into the bathroom and get into the tub together. Cole massages my back and asks me about my week. After a while, I can’t remember why I was so angry with him.
After our bath, when he wraps me in a towel, he then takes me into the bedroom where he puts a face mask on me, then paints my toes—I don’t even care anymore. Cole shows me he loves me all the time.
I need to stay out of my own head. Things will get better. I just need to be patient.
CHAPTER 28
Our Time
Brooklyn
“What are ya up to?”DJ giggles.
“Stay still, they’re not dry.”
I sit on my knees on the bed with a towel around my waist as I have her foot in my hands. Music is playing in the background as I blow on her toes that I just finished painting. I’m no fool.
Things are becoming strained between us. DJ needs more and I can’t give that to her right now. I know she’s pulling away, and the distance has been growing between us.
I hate it, but I’ve buried us in this secret and it’s too late to change that. I still don’t want to burden her with the details that could become weaponized against us. I’m doing this as much for her safety as I am for Shauna’s.
I want to make this right, but I need more time. I wish I knew how much time that is. However, everything is up in the air with this Logan shit.
I promised her I’d prove that she can trust me, but I’ve been lying to her all this time. I need to find a way to fix this. I can’t lose her, and I can’t allow anything to happen to her or Shauna.
“Cole,” she moans as I begin to massage her foot.
“Ya have the cutest toes I’ve ever seen in my life,” I say as I look her in the eyes.
She looks back at me with a smile on her lips. I bring the sole of her foot to my face and ghost my lips and nose against her skin. Her body quivers enough for me to take notice.
I smile and kiss the bottom of her foot. I then begin to ghost my face against her skin, moving up her leg. Lauryn Hill and D’Angelo are singing about how nothing even matters.
We need this time and this connection. Pushing aside all exhaustion, I focus on her and only her. If I can show her how much I care, she’ll understand everything I’ve done for her later.
