Perhaps something would come out of this. The more she spent time with him, the more she believed it. There was no way of knowing unless she took a wholehearted risk and prayed that her heart would be taken care of. What use was it protecting herself if it meant she had to live her days alone, with nobody to come home to?
Cole had made it clear that he wanted more from her than a one-night stand. He told her he didn’t know how it had happened, but he wanted to get to know her. God help her, she felt the same way too. She was actually starting to fall for the guy, as mad as that was! Whirlwind romances did happen in fiction books, but she wasn’t sure about how that would work in real life. Perhaps there was some truth to the fantasy after all.
After applying a generous amount of moisturizer all over her body and brushing her long, wet curly tresses, she made her way back to the bedroom to put on her clothes and stopped dead in her tracks.
“So how was the shower, pet?”
Chapter Five
His long, muscular limbs were folded in the high-backed wingchair that faced the bed, his right ankle laid carelessly on his left knee, elbows resting on the chair arms. His stance was relaxed, his tone deceptively calm. Were it not for the traitorous muscle twitching at his jaw, she’d never have guessed that his nerves were taut as a string. He had changed into a different pair of jeans and a black t-shirt. No jacket this time. His hair was still wet from his shower.
“You look…refreshed.”
“How did you get in my room?”
“That door over there.”
He pointed at a door snuggled between the wardrobe and the dresser on the far side of the room.
At her puzzled look, he explained, “We have adjoining rooms. That right there is the connecting door. I thought I had told you that earlier.”
“No, you hadn’t.” She tried to sound indignant but failed miserably.
The truth was that her heart was beating frantically, and she found herself rooted to the spot. Her body, still glistening from her earlier ministrations, responded to his sweltering gaze with alarming swiftness. His eyes were fixed on her erect nipples, and she suddenly felt acutely conscious of her naked state. Her body was awash with a sense of inevitability, vulnerability. His appreciation of her drove her, compelled her, transported her to a feminine universe that she had not visited before, could only dream about through her overactive imagination.
His face betrayed an intense longing that seared her right through to her bones; it was a miracle she could still stand upright.
“Come here,” he said.
Easy to say, she thought. The question was: could she move her legs?
She did as he bade, as if pulled by invisible strings, and braced herself for more of his scrutiny.
She never felt comfortable being totally naked with a man. It made her feel almost inadequate. Without a doubt, she was scared of seeing a negative reaction to her appearance.
“You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. You make me feel things I’ve never felt before. I want you.”
“No one’s ever said that to me before.”
“If they didn’t, then they’re idiots. But I don’t feel sorry for them. Olivia, I want you to be my woman. Can you handle that?”
“I don’t know what else to say except…I have these feelings when I’m with you. I don’t know what they are, but…” She paused, catching her breath. “I want to feel more.”
He unraveled his legs and placed both feet flat on the floor, kept his forearms on the arms of the chair and curled his fingers at the edges, adding pressure in a gesture that betrayed the tension in his body.
“Straddle me,” he ordered.
She hesitated a little at his tone but knew from his demeanor that he was dead serious. She slowly opened her legs and lowered herself on his thighs in a restrained, sensuous movement. Placing her palms flat on his chest straight in front of her, she let them glide leisurely to his shoulders, pressing her fingers there in silent entreaty. He watched her the whole time, relishing the silky feel of her. There was something undeniably wicked about having her naked body against his clothed one. Made her feel vulnerable in more ways than one.
“Come closer.”
She stretched languidly atop him, bringing her face closer to his, her mouth a hair’s breadth away from his, barely touching. Half in the light, half in the shadows, the harsh angles of his face appeared part prominent, part mystery. All this while, he hadn’t moved his hands from the chair arms, hadn’t so much as touched her.
“Listen to me, Olivia. Listen well. Now’s your chance to make me stop and turn away from this, from us. I swear I’ll accept your decision. If you decide to go on, there’ll be no looking back. You’ll be mine. Do you understand what I’m saying to you?”