“Hey. Wake up.”
Heavy warmth surrounds me, and the soft prickle of stubble brushes against my temple.
“Come on. Wake up. I want to show you something.”
I inhale the scent of clean, fresh-cut grass, and I want to stay right here. I don’t open my eyes, carefully examining the way I feel.
Cole’s long, heavy arm is wrapped around me, and his hand is spread across my back. My legs are pressed against his. The soft material underneath my cheek, and I absorb the slow, steady beat of his heart.
If I move, I have to think about what this means and what it shouldn’t.
His lips press to my forehead. “Come on. We need to get going before the whole house wakes.”
I groan, irritated that he’s interrupting the only time I’ve ever snuggled someone. That thought has me pulling away just a little and running a hand over my face.
“Hey.”
I peek at him. He’s pushed up on one elbow, peering down at me.
“Get dressed. I’ll make coffee, and we’ll hit the road.”
Hit the road?
He looks all calm, cool, and confident, as if kissing and snuggling are something we’ve been doing forever.
Ripples of uncertainty course through my stomach.
“Ryder.” His voice is soft. “Everything is fine. It’s just me. Ok?” He pushes a strand of hair out of my eye. “I want to show you something.” He rolls out of bed. “So, let’s go.”
He grabs clothes and disappears into the bathroom.
Just let yourself explore.
I’m totally and completely screwed. Kerry and all her simple exploration shit have left me high and dry in the middle of a giant pool of unpredictability. It’s dangerous, all these feelings, and Cole, with his tender patience and uninformed promises. He just keeps taking my well-built determination and yanking it right out of my control.
I pull the covers over my head.
Damn him.
He said everything is fine. I have to choose to believe him, or freaking the hell out will win. I have nowhere to run and hide or access to the severe therapy I need at the moment.
I force myself to be brave and sit up. “Where exactly are we going?”
He peeks his head out of the bathroom. “You’ll have to wait and see.”
I roll off the bed.
Ugh. Cole needs to understand I loathe surprises.
Fifteen minutes later, I climb into the truck with him, and it’s still dark. “Seriously, where are we going? As your protection, it’s my job to know.”
He glances at me, those lips curling, loving holding this over me. “I can assure you, this will be fine.”
I look at him from underneath my eyelashes as he backs out of the driveway. “It’s necessary that we leave while the sun is still sleeping and thirty degrees out?” I shiver.
“Jones, I didn’t know you were such a grump in the morning. I’ll remember this.”
He reaches across the center console and grabs my hand, his warm fingers wrapping around my cold ones.
