One is a Promise(32)
But I feel him—the tension slipping from his body, the lingering shock waves creeping over his skin, and the caress of his hand easing from between my legs to affectionately rub my body.
This is when his sweet side makes an appearance, when he’s loose and satiated and wrapped around me without the driving need to fuck. It’s a fleeting moment—the man has a ridiculously fast recovery rate—but I’ll take it. I’ll take him anyway I can get him.
He washes me, and I wash him. Then we towel off and collapse naked in bed. I lay sprawled on top of him, legs entwined, with my chin propped on my fist on his chest.
We stare at each other, content to do so without words or motion for long minutes. His hands rest on my lower back, and every once in a while, his fingers creep along my butt crack, as if seeking that opening he loves to play with.
When my eyelids start to grow heavy, his timbre breaks the silence.
“How’s your ass?”
“It misses your cock.”
“Insatiable.”
“Says the three-times-a-day guy.”
“You’re the only woman who can make me hornier after sex.”
“Am I supposed to take that as a compliment? I’m starting to think I’m not satisfying you.”
He yanks me up his chest and hardens his eyes. “I’ll never get enough of you.”
My bones turn to goo, and I lower my face to his Cole-scented neck. “I was going to dance on the pole for you tonight, but you wore me out.”
“You can do that tomorrow after I put a ring on your pussy.”
How do I feel about that? I chew the inside of my cheek, trace a finger in the hollow of his throat, and decide it sounds like fun. “I’ll do a labium piercing. I don’t want any needles in my bean.”
“They wouldn’t be able to anyway. You have a tiny clit.”
“I do?” I lift my head to see his eyes.
“Incredibly tiny.” He leans up and kisses my lips.
I had no idea. It’s not like I go around comparing clit sizes with my friends. And I don’t want to think about how he knows the female anatomy well enough to make such a claim, but the thought is already there, gnawing at my confidence. He knows his way around a pussy because he’s unbelievably attractive with a sex drive that rivals Genghis Khan, who is reputed to have sired hundreds of children.
“Did you know Genghis Khan had two- to three-thousand women in his harem?” I twist the silver band on my finger.
His brows pull in as he watches me fidget. “I haven’t been with that many women, Danni.”
He doesn’t sound so sure, and my nerves flare. He’s never worn a condom with me. Not even the first time. He swore he was clean, and I have an IUD. It’s pricked at me for a while, but not enough to bring it up. Until now, with his ring on my finger.
I slide off the band and rub the shiny surface. “Is there a chance little Coles are running around in the world? I mean, it wouldn’t change anything between us. I just want to be prepared and—”
“No.” He grips my hand. “Danni, look at me.”
I lift my eyes and sink into the devastating depths of his.
“I’ve always been careful,” he says with earnest. “I’ve always used protection.”
“But you didn’t with me.”
He pries the ring from my hand and holds it in front of my face, catching the light from the nearby lamp. Is something etched on the inside? An inscription?
I clasp his wrist and angle it closer, twisting it in his grip.
One Promise ~ One Forever
My chin quivers, and my voice abandons me.
“You’re my forever, Danni.” He returns the ring to my finger and caresses my cheek. “I didn’t need protection with you.”
I nod and inch closer, touching my lips to his. “Thank you.”
He holds me for several minutes before taking a breath that hitches his chest. “We need to talk about the wedding.”
“We have plenty of time—”
“We don’t.” He nudges me up, and the wrinkles around his eyes alarm me.
“What is it?”
“I have to leave town for a while.”
“What?” I slide off him and sit up. “When? For how long?”
He shifts, putting his back to the headboard and pulling the sheet across his waist. “It’s work. I have to take these trips sometimes. Out of the country.”
If it was a weekend or even a week-long trip, his expression wouldn’t be so grave.
My stomach sinks. “For how long, Cole?”
“A year.”
My heart stops. “No. Tell them you can’t do it.”
“Can’t do that, baby.” He bends forward, dropping his head and avoiding eye contact.