TWENTY-SEVEN
COLE
Since we began datingin secret, most of our time together is spent at my place. Eve thinks it’s too risky to sneak me into her apartment with her dad right next door. I’m happiest when I have her over, but we don’t get to have everything typical couples do because we’re hidden away.
Today I plan to change that.
“Ready to go?”
She tosses me a confused look. She’s only been out of bed for a half an hour, perched on the arm of the couch next to me while sipping a mug of coffee. I’m absently stroking her bare leg.
“I’m only wearing one of your t-shirts,” she points out.
“Just how I like you.”
I drag her down to my lap and kiss her cheek. She stretches to set her empty mug on the coffee table.
“I want to take you out. Just you and me, the whole day.”
“Like a date?”
“Exactly. We’ve only been doing them in secret and, as much as I love our movie nights and cooking for you here, I want to go somewhere with you. Last night that was all I could think. That it should be me you’re out with.”
Her tender smile is everything to me. I trace it with my thumb and slide my fingers into her hair.
“I want that, too,” she murmurs. “Where will we go?”
The corner of my mouth lifts. “While you were sleeping in, I was planning. It’s a surprise. Go get dressed. I’ll give you one hint: you’ll need more than the clothes you’ve left here. We’ll stop by your place first so you can pack a bag.”
She pulls a sly face. “Sneaky, sneaky. We’re going somewhere overnight?”
Instead of giving away the plan for this impromptu trip, I capture her lips.
“Nice diversion, but I’ll keep guessing,” she says against my mouth. “Now stop being distracting, otherwise I’ll never get off your lap.”
I hold her waist with an interested hum, trailing kisses down her throat. “What if we take a shower together?”
“Later.” She pushes against my chest with a giggle that becomes a gasp when I nip at her skin. “Cole!”
“Alright, fine.”
She gets up, then pauses. “Wait, what about work? I was supposed to have a shift tomorrow.”
“I took care of it. Texted Mr. Boucher from your phone earlier for you. He said Theo’s got you covered. And your Dad doesn’t need me in on the weekends during off-season.”
Excitement sparks in her eyes. “We’re going out on a date.”
“We are. Somewhere we won’t have to hide anything.”
Happiness settles over me. I’m looking forward to being with her the way we both want out in the open.
It sucks that we have to sneak around at all, having dates behind closed doors or out of town just to be together. I’d love to take her to The Landmark and walk through the center of town hand in hand. I want her at the hockey games I play and the ones I coach as my girlfriend, not my friend.
For now, this is what we have to do. As long as I’m making her happy I’ll do anything to be with her.
Once Eve finishes getting ready, we swing by her apartment. She tells her parents on our way there that she’s going out of town to surprise her friend with a visit. Thankfully they don’t read into me supposedly giving her a ride there.
Then we’re on the road to our first destination. The windows are down and my hand rests on her leg. This is heaven.
