"He kissed my entire body while he trailed his hands over me."
Her body trembled at the memory.
"I had never felt so sexy in my entire life. He whispered how beautiful I was against my skin and I swear it seared into my soul. What I thought was going to be a random hook up turned into the most amazing afternoon of my life."
My heart seized in my chest. Cole didn't really seem like the one-girl kind of guy.
"So after he made love to you, what happened?"
Her eyes widened as if she was still shock. "He pulled me into his arms and we laid there and . . . talked. About everything and he told me about his job and I told him about how we met and were like sisters. He asked me about my family and we talked about his. I mean . . . it was crazy insane how comfortable I felt with this man. I mean sure, I've somewhat flirted with him for weeks, but this side of him. It was like he really cared and wanted to know. It wasn't a ploy to get into my pants because . . . well duh, he already had and if he asked me again I'd spread wide for him."
"Oh, my gosh. You're so crude!" I said hitting her shoulder with my hand. "Then what happened?"
Her face lit up. "He asked me to take a shower with him. What started as slow and sweet turned into the best fucking of my life. I came so hard I thought I was going to pass the hell out."
I laughed. "Did you use protection?"
That's when her smile dropped.
My stomach dropped, and I felt sick. "Charity," I whispered.
Her eyes filled with tears. "We did the first time. The second time in the shower things got hot and heavy so fast we both lost control. I didn't remember until he was coming and even then it felt so good I pushed it from my head so I could enjoy the moment. Now . . . now I'm scared shitless. Gabi . . . I'm not on the pill. I stopped taking it a few weeks ago. I'm so scared."
I took her hands in mine. "Did you tell him you weren't on the pill?"
She nodded.
"What did he say?" I asked as I held my breath.
A tear slipped from her eye and slowly made a path down her beautiful face. I reached up and wiped it as I tried to imagine how she must be feeling.
"He . . . he held me in his arms and said that no matter what, he'd be there for me. That we were in this together."
My mouth dropped open.
"Cole? Cole said that?"
She nodded. "I mean he kind of freaked out at first, but then he saw how scared I was and he did the one thing I didn't think he would. He comforted me. The next thing I knew we were back in bed and he was making the sweetest love to me that I knew in that moment he had stolen my heart. Gabi! I don't do that. I don't do the whole instant love bullshit. I fuck a guy and if it's good, I make a second date! I don't give him my very soul!"
I hated to ask, but I had to. "Did you use a condom then?"
She nodded. "Yes."
It only took one time, but why give it greater odds.
"Okay. So that explains why you've been in a fog. Has he called you?"
"I think I left my phone in his car and I refuse to be one of those girls who waits by the phone . . . but damn it, I wish I had my phone!"
"Nic got called right after you came home and he had to go in for work. I haven't heard from him since he left. Maybe Cole was on call too. If he has your phone he hasn't had a chance to get it to you or maybe he hasn't seen it in his car?"
She chewed on her lip. "Yeah. Gabi, I don't want to be that girl. The one who falls for a guy and then pines over him if he doesn't call."
Smiling, I squeezed her hand. "It's okay to like him, Charity. It's okay to have feelings for him. It sounds like you guys had an amazing afternoon."
"We did," she said softly.
A knock on the door of my office had me jumping up. Walking over, I opened it and almost fell over.
Speak of the devil.
"Cole."
"Hey, Gabi. Max said Charity was in here with you."
The door was blocking Cole's view of Charity on the sofa. When I glanced over my shoulder, she was sitting there with a stunned expression. I knew she probably figured Cole was going to run for the mountains, so him standing here had to throw her even more.
I pushed the door open and watched as his face lit up when he saw her.
Oh yeah. Cole has it bad for Charity.
"Charity," he said with a huge smile.
"Well, if you'll excuse me, I've got something up front I need to take care of."
I stepped to the side as Cole walked into my office. Charity was standing as she nervously rubbed her hands together. In the four years I'd known her I'd never seen her act this way around a guy. When Cole walked up and pulled her into his arms and kissed her, my heart fluttered in my chest. I slowly shut the door, but not before I heard him say, "I found your phone."