Sealed With a Kiss

Ten

"Thanks," I murmured under my breath. I looked down at my feet and hugged myself to keep warm.

"What happened?" I stayed silent, locking my jaw and shivering. "Hey...?"

His hand sought mine and pulled me to him. I crashed into his warm chest and clutched him tight. He didn't even flinch at my ice-cold touch, just held me as I broke down.

He walked backwards with me still in his arms, and we stumbled into his bedroom. A towel was drapped over my head and gently he squeezed out the water of my dripping-wet hair.

His hands slid down my waist and raised my shirt off. His bare skin met mine and it wasn't entirely seductive. It was...comforting somehow.

An oversized shirt was placed around my neck, and after his warm hands freed the clasp of my navy blue bra, I pushed my arms through the holes.

His eyes, as cool and cold as my skin, never left mine as he lead me backwards onto the bed. I kicked the heels off and gripping my waist, Cole inched me up to lay my head on the mountain of soft, feather pillows.

His body lay on top of mine, the heat of his hands trailing down to my waistband leaving goosebumps in its wake. Then, ever so gently, he tugged my pants down my legs.

It was strange. No man had ever taken his time to strip me like this only to just cover me in an oversized jersey and a duvet up to my shoulders.

Cole said nothing, did nothing, except hold me to him. And as his heat warmed my body and his touch soothed my heart, my eyelids drifted shut.

I FELT SO RELAXED. It was one of those moments when your body feels sore and stiff from so much rest, and it's been far too long since I have had such a restless sleep.

Remembering where I was, a small smile spread on my lips. Cole had been very kind to me, and even though he has at one time seen me naked, I never felt as bare and exposed then as I did when he gently slipped a shirt down my torso.

Stretching one had to roamed the bed beside me, and finding only a fistful of sheets, my eyes flew open. The room was dark, the blanket of dusk settling over the city, and I could see the big, yellow moon through the windows, its light casting shadows on the floor. 

Sitting up, I threw the sheets aside and stood to wander into the hallway. Following the archway, and spotting a distance away the promise of light, I paused when I heard Cole's muffled voice coming from the slightly ajar door beside me. Peering inside, my eyes made out his figure in the darkness.

"We didn't agreed on this! You never told me you were going to go off and—" Cole paused and sighed. "Yes, fine. But we're not done talking about this, mother."

Cole threw the phone down with a slam and leaned against the wall covering his face. "Shit," I heard him murmur in a voice above a whisper, "what the hell am I freaking doing?"

I cleared my throat and knocked awkwardly. He righted himself and turned to me with a smile. "Hey. Sorry, just making a call. How long've you been up?"

"Not long," I said quietly, suddenly embarrassed of my behaviour showing up here unannounced.

"You hungry? I rang for takeout." I shyly nodded and followed behind him to the kitchen. Plopping down on a stool, I watched him take containers out of a big paper bag. He was still shirtless, and as he got to work on the food I couldn't help but stare. His back was turned to me, and I was free to watch his muscles ripple with the movement, the curve of his spine, and the definition of his shoulder blades. 

"Bon appétit!" he said presenting me with a platter of pasta, a big, goofy smile shaping his lips. I laughed a little and reached for the plate. Picking up the fork he'd stuck into the small mountain of pasta, I twirled it with two hands, twisting the strands into my fork. Opening wide, I stuck my fork in my mouth and groaned when the sauce met my taste buds.  

Cole sat beside me and laughed at my expression of content. I spotted the bag full of garlic bread and eagerly reached for a slice. 

"I haven't seen an Upper East girl eat bread since Elle went on a diet to fit into her wedding dress."

I rolled my eyes at him and swallowed. "Maybe because I'm not an Upper East girl."

"You are now."

My shoulders deflated and I sighed sadly looking down into my plate. "I suppose so."

I heard the clatter of a fork meeting china before I felt his hand tip my chin up to look at him. "I heard what happened."

I looked deep into his eyes and saw reflected in the starling ice-blue irises sincerity and sympathy. "I'm so sorry, Poppy."

I lightly touched his wrist and pulled his hand away. "I'm sorry, too."

"What for?" I twisted his hand within my own and gave it a squeeze before looking up at him shyly. "For Mina. I never got a chance to give my condolences. She was a beautiful human being."

I watched his jaw clench. He moved his hand, and when I thought he was going to pull away, Cole surprised me by squeezing back. "Yeah, she was."

"You remind me of her, you know?" I said after a second.

"No," he said looking away, his face set in stone. "I'm nothing like her. She was...I'll never be half the grandson she deserved."

"Don't say that," I said reaching out. I hesitated with my hand a millimeter away from his face before taking a risk that made butterflies flutter in my belly. "What you did for me earlier...Cole, you're a good person, too."

He shook his head and leaned forward to press his forehead on my naked shoulder. My skin where the shirt had slipped tingled at his touch but I didn't dare move. "You're wrong," he whispered, the vibrations of his voice tickling my neck. "God, you're so wrong."

We stayed like that for some time, quiet and consumed by our thoughts. When he finally pulled away to look into my eyes. He opened his mouth to say something when his phone vibrated on the granite countertop. He apologized and turned it over to read a message.

When his eyes met mine again, they were stoic and defiant like before. Gone was the emotion and the softness. "You owe me, Poppy White."

"What do I owe you?"

"A date." he said with his patented dimpled smirk.

"Oh," I said fighting the smile on my lips.

"You bailed on me the other night. Now I have to make this one even better than the last."

I stayed quiet and bit down on my lip. I couldn't understand why he was so taken with me. What was so special about me that none of this past supermodel actress girlfriends didn't have?

"Will you let me take you out tomorrow, Poppy?"

I looked up and with uncertain eyes. 

"Okay."

A/N: Late and unedited as always. Sorry guys, I suck for not uploading more often but I'm trying my best.