The Bad Boy's Heart (Bad Boy Series #2)

Chapter Fifteen: Where We Stand on Operation Laxation.

"Am I still your girlfriend?" My voice sounds hollow, losing the previous playfulness almost immediately. Cole's expression falls, his eyes growing somber.

He cups the back of neck with his palm and brings me forward until our foreheads are touching. With his free hand he takes my wrist and drags my hand up his naked chest and places it right above his heart which races furiously beneath my fingers.

"That word doesn't even come close to explaining what you are to me." He looks me right in the eyes as he says this and I see the conviction, the belief, the possibility right there.

"I want to call you something else if we're giving out titles but I know that'll freak you out right now. But one day soon, I'll ask you a very important question Tessie and everyone will know that there's no one out there for me but you."

I can't speak, I can't breathe. I can only look at him and know with every part of me that he loves me more than I could ever imagine someone would love me.

"But to answer your question, yes you're my girlfriend, you're the fucking love of my life. I'm only pretending for as long as it takes me to make sure that I can take care of you. Between us, you're still mine and I'm still yours. For everyone else...I don't give a fuck about them but they'll know to not even look your way."

"The guys?"

He grits his teeth, "Yeah, anyone who thinks they can move in on what's mine."

I kiss his shoulder, "You'll be putting us through hell. Nothing has to be this complicated."

"Damn it I know that Shortcake!" He growls against my neck, "But I'd go through hell ten times over to make sure they never get to you."

You can't fight that kind of conviction so I didn't. I just draw his mouth to mine and kiss his worries away. I'd be there every step of the way for him, all that worries me is if Cole's digging himself a hole too deep to be able to find his way out. 

***

I learn the hard way that wanting to teach someone a lesson isn't as fun as you'd think. But my intentions were more than noble, I wanted Cole to get it into his head that whatever comes our way I'd be more than happy to face it with him. But if he keeps wanting to wrap me up in bubblewrap and wishes to keep us in 'storage' until he feels the time is right then we'd be there for a long, long time. 

I'm at the gym, working out under Bentley's strict supervision. I attempt to bring up Amanda or even the day's weather to be honest to keep his scrutinising gaze away but he's watching me carefully.

Not like, it's my responsibility if she manages to smash in her skull with training weights but more like her boyfriend supposedly broke up with her, shouldn't she a little catatonic. 

But like I'm doing with everyone else on campus who seems to vaguely be aware of my situation, ignore them. But with Bentley I know he's coming from a good place and is only concerned for me as a friend so I make it a goal to remember to tell him that's nothing has happened recently that should put me on suicide watch. 

"So," He asks once I'm done working out, "if you haven't got any plans for the weekend I was thinking you might want to finally meet Amanda. She wants to see more of my friends but they're well..." he shrugs, "Dicks to be honest who'll spent way too much  time staring at her chest."

"Well clearly I won't be doing that. Sure I could embarrass you by acting like a complete idiot but I won't be sleazy."