Cole doesn’t hesitate as my mouth collides with his. His arms are around my waist, pulling my body flush against his as his lips move with mine. Any possible thought I have is floating out in the cool air, completely vacant from my mind. He consumes me, enveloping me with his heat as he kisses me back with a fervent need.
The moment belongs to us and no one else. We’re tucked away in the cabin of his boat, our food growing cold as he steals the air from my lungs. Cole kisses me with a tenderness that has me melting into a puddle by his feet.
This isn’t something I would normally do, but I couldn’t help myself. We’ve had far too many moments that have led us to this same place. There’s been a burning tension, growing and spreading between us. I’m only human and sometimes our walls come crumbling down in a rush.
I’ve denied myself the simple pleasures in life for too long. I’ve spent too much time walking around, glancing over my shoulder, making sure I’m not taking too many risks or putting myself in harm's way, but I’m tired. I’m tired of running and not getting to enjoy myself and life.
I’m tired of not allowing myself the opportunity to enjoy him.
I break away from Cole, suddenly feeling like I crossed a line without asking him. My actions were out of character and I think I shocked both of us by kissing him like that. He’s out of breath, his chest rising and falling in rapid succession as his eyes search mine.
“I’m sorry,” I let out in a rush. “I don’t know why I did that.” I start to feel panicked and the confidence I was feeling is quickly waning. “I shouldn’t have?—”
“Do it again.”
My heart skips a beat in my chest and my eyes widen. “What?”
“Do it again, Ella,” he urges, his grip tightening on my waist. “Stop being so cautious. Stop being afraid of everything.” He pauses, his eyes burning holes through mine. “You are safe with me. You don’t have to be cautious and you don’t have to be afraid.” His nostrils flare as he stares at me with an intensity that infiltrates my bone marrow. “You. Are. Safe.”
My heart crawls into my throat as my chest constricts around the emotion his words illicit inside me. He’s never made me question my safety. It’s always been me being cautious and afraid, but I know I don’t have to be with him.
Cole has never made me feel anything less than everything. He’s attentive and gentle. Tender and soft. He makes me feel confident and more sure of myself than I’ve felt in a long time. He takes the fear inside of me and molds it into something else. Something that resembles hope and all the dreams I’ve never thought I’d be able to reach.
I’m safe with him.
“I’m not afraid—not of you,” I admit, my voice barely audible as I begin to push back up onto my toes, entering his space once again. Cole lets out a groan and the sound vibrates through my own body as his mouth captures mine. My eyelids flutter closed and I give in to everything I’ve been fighting against. I take theplunge, diving in head first, unsure of what is going to happen in the end, but I know it will be okay.
Cole Wild is worth the risk.
His mouth is soft and slow as he kisses me with a sweetness that has my soul shimmering. His tongue slides along the seam of my mouth and I slowly part them, granting him access as he deepens the kiss.
Tentative hands slide down my torso, stopping as they reach the backs of my thighs. Cole bends his knees, gently lifting me upwards before setting me on the small table in the cabin. His mouth never leaves mine and I part my knees, allowing him to step into the space between my legs. His hands find the sides of my face, soft and gentle as his fingertips caress my skin.
His tongue tangles with mine, caught in the slowest dance together. My hands abandon the back of his neck and slowly begin their descent along his shoulders. His body warms my palms as I move them along the rigid planes of his arms. My fingertips dig into his flesh and I kiss him back with an intensity.
He doesn’t match my urgency, instead kissing me with a sweetness that has my heart fluttering in my chest. His movements slow, his tongue leaves my mine, and his lips close as he kisses me tenderly. Cole slowly pulls away, allowing me the opportunity to come up for air as he presses his forehead to mine.
We’re both breathless and my heart pounds in my chest, threatening to break through my ribcage. My body tingles as my head feels like it’s floating into the clouds. I’m not sure what reality I’ve stepped into, but I’m certain I never want to leave.
“The food is going to get cold,” Cole says quietly, his voice hoarse and gravely as he forces the words out. His hands are still on the sides of my face and he lifts his forehead from mine, softly pressing his lips above my eyebrow. “We should eat.”
“We should,” I murmur, agreeing with him, although I’m not so sure I have an appetite for food any longer. “We don’t have to though.”
“We do,” he says, tilting my head back to look up at him. His eyes burn holes through mine, warming my soul in a way that sends a bolt of electricity down my spine. “I’m tryin’ to be a gentleman here, El.”
My throat bobs and I swallow. “You don’t have to be.”
He groans, his nostrils flaring as closes his eyes for a moment. The muscle in his jaw tightens and his eyelids lift as the intensity grows within his irises. “Yes, I do,” he tells me, the sound of his low voice scratching against my eardrums. “My self-control is waning and this is where I gotta draw the line. If I don’t stop myself now, we’ll be entering territory you aren’t ready for yet.”
His assumption pricks my skin. My nose scrunches, my eyebrows pulling together and I tilt my head to the side. “You don’t know what I am or am not ready for, Cole.”
“Oh really?” The corners of his lips twitch as his expression softens. Amusement and mischief dance within the flames in his eyes. “So, are you ready for me to bend you over the side of my boat while I bury myself so deep inside you, you forget your own name? Are you ready for me to fuck you into an oblivion on every surface of this damn thing?”
My breath catches in my throat, my heart tumbling over itself. There’s a lightness in my chest, coupled with the tingling that instantly builds in between my legs. My stomach flutters with excitement over the prospect, although there’s a touch of uncertainty.
I’m caught off guard by the words he spoke. I’m rendered speechless.
“That’s what I thought,” he says softly, a smile dancing across his lips before he kisses the tip of my nose. “And that’s okay. Iwill never rush you or make you feel pressured. I have no desire to fuck you until you’re ready for me to.”
