A/N: Kay first of all, Taylor Swift wore Poppy's dress to the VS fashion show after party. I gotta say, she really killed my dress and not in a good way. Sorry T-Swift fans, I can't stand her. The only redeeming quality of the show is that Hozier performed (even though it was a strange combination) and Ed Sheeran of course.
XIX: Dream a Little Dream
HIS VOICE SWEPT OVER ME LIKE A CARESS, light and feathery. It reached me, eliciting shivers down my spine as if he'd touched me, cascading a heavy feeling over over my heart like a blanket.
His palm touched my lower back and gently angled my body to whisper in my ear. "Can we talk?"
I blinked and breathed to get myself thinking clearly. "I don't think so. I'm a little busy right now."
Cole looked over at our small audience and took a step back. "Russo, good to see you." They shook hands and pleasantries before he looked at Felicity and his face softened.
"Fel, I heard what happened. Are you okay?" Felicity rolled her eyes but there was something very fragile about her expression. I think Cole saw it too because he frowned and pulled her into a hug. "I'll go see you when this trip is over. Let me know if there's anything I can do."
Felicity nodded, and clearing her throat, she playfully pushed him away. "Cole you sap. I'm fine. I always am."
He didn't look convinced. Neither was I. Cole looked over at me and gave me a pleading look, "I'll find you later?"
"I don't think that's such a good--"
Cole smiled and interrupted me, "Save me a dance."
Bidding his friends goodbye, he walked away, his eyes trying to reach mine but I'd looked away. I was still so mad at him. Not just about the Scott thing but about everything. Here was one of NYC's most eligible bachelors trying his very best to enamor me. Things should be great, except for his mother. He knew what she was doing and he still let it happen. He'd seen how broken I was after seeing my father for the first time in years and he remained silent. I can't help but question all of this. Was any of it real? Or am I just a challenge he'll drop as soon as he's got it?
"Everything okay, Poppy?" I looked up into the newcomer's voice and nodded. Elle looked over my shoulder, most likely spotting Cole's retreating back, and sighed. "Remember what I said."
She hugged Dante then and pulled him away to talk in private. I was left with Felicity, but each of us were trapped in our own thoughts. Felicity was watching Elle and Dante closely, her eyes narrowed and calculating. Something must have dawned on her because she smiled a little and took a sip of her drink, looking away. Meanwhile, my mind was on a certain blue eyed demon.
"Fel, can I ask you something?"
"Hmm?" she said turning to order another drink. I sat next to her and her eyes met mine.
"Am I stupid to give Cole a chance even after the whole fiasco with his mother and my father?" I said quietly. "I mean, I know I probably shouldn't but are we to blame for our parents' mistakes? Ugh, it's just his stupid, confusing, smile. It melts me every time. It's out of my control."
Felicity cradled her cosmo, thinking. Her eyes flickered behind me. I looked over my shoulder to see Dante and Elle talking by the bar. Dante looked down at her smiling as she laughed at something he said. Max appeared beside her and the boys shook hands, the smile--now strained--still frozen on Dante's face.
Felicity pursed her lips and downed her drink. "Be careful, Poppy. There's always something hidden behind a smile."
SO FAR I HAD MANAGED TO EVADE COLE. I stuck with Felicity, and she in turn introduced me to her many acquaintances. A few of the gentlemen had expressed an interest in me but all I could picture as I danced with them were eyes the color of icebergs.
The latest gentleman who had asked me to dance to the beautiful live jazz band had had a few too many drinks. He (I have forgotten his name) pulled me much too close to his own tall figure. He kept finding excuses to bring his face down to mine and whisper to me, claiming the band was too loud for polite conversation.
At this point I was just hoping the band would hurry up and finish the song so I could flee. His breath smelled of whiskey, my father's own poison of choice, and it was bringing back memories I'd rather not recall. It wasn't until his hand wondered down from my waist to the top of my leg that I stiffened. My dress had a slit up the leg, and his touch on my bare skin gave me shivers. Granted not the good kind.
His fingers snuck under the fabric when I sprang away from him, bumping into someone behind me. Before I could even apologize to the poor person I ran into, he grabbed my hand and tucked me protectively behind him. "Alright buddy, you've had your dance and your fair amount of drinks. How about calling it a night?"
"Hey man, we were just dancing."
Cole raised his eyebrows threateningly, if one can even raise their eyebrows threateningly. "Looked like you were going for more than a waltz. I won't say it again: leave."
I let out a deep breath when the man had turned to walk away. Cole spun and gently held my upper arms. "Did he try anything? Just say the word and that asshole ends up at the bottom of the fucking river--"
"I'm fine!" I said quickly. "He just got a little frisky. It's fine."
Cole still looked royally pissed off but didn't press the issue. "Do I get my dance now?"
"Depends," I said wrapping my arms around his neck. "Are you going to get frisky too?"
"Only if you're good."
I laughed and pressed my forehead on his chest, my hands sliding down the slopes of his shoulders. "Stop making me laugh. I'm trying to be mad at you."
I felt the rumble of his chuckle on my palm against his chest. "How's that working out for you?"
"Not well." I admitted. I hated having him near. He made everything bad disappear. Every doubt, every insecurity, evaporated into the air and was replaced with his intoxicating cologne.
I felt him dip his head into the crook in my neck. His lips purse flat against my pulse and I gasped a little at the contact. "So stop fighting it."
A different song came on then. One of my favourites. "Dream a little dream, Poppy. Let yourself dream with me."
I sighed and closed my eyes painfully shut. By now we'd long stopped swaying to the music.
Sweet dreams that leave all worries behind you. But in your dreams, whatever they be, dream a little dream of me. I smiled beside myself as he quietly sang the lyrics to me.
His hands left my skin then as the song came to an end. "Come with me somewhere. Please?"
My expression felt pained; conflicted. "Please Poppy."
I sighed and nodded. His smile blinded me. It was so relieved and determined. He took my hand in his, his fingers weaving with mine, and pulled me out of the ballroom.
We got a few hello, sirs from his staff but no one stopped us. I felt like someone should. This was too much like the first time we'd met.
We ran out of the hotel and he dragged me to the pier. His hotel was on the shore of a river on a little strip of downtown shops and restaurants. He kept going until he reached a yacht with a few members of his staff standing beside it.
"We're ready to sail at your word, Mr. Richmond." Cole nodded and helped me up the steps. As soon as we were on the deck the boat took off.
"What is this?" I asked harshly.
"I'm kidnapping you," Cole said trying to diffuse my anger. "This way you can't run off when I inevitably fuck up again."
I looked on at the set up before me, feeling my furry growing. "So you thought you'd romance me with all this? You thought all it'd take to get me in your bed again is bubbly, and fuck is that chocolate? It had better not be Godiva or else I'm jumping off this god forsaken--"
"Hey," Cole said taking hold of my arms. "I don't intend for this to lead to anything besides you giving me a chance. I'm trying here, Pops. Really freaking hard. Not so I'd get laid for the night but so that you'll for forgive me."
"What do you want from me? You can have every single woman you want, probably even the married ones too, so why me? Why chose the one person your mother can't stand, the one she'd hell bent on destroying? Is this all an elaborate plot to get back at her or what? Please enlighten me here because frankly I'm out of freaking ideas."
He looked hurt. And ashamed at the mention of his mother. "Poppy, I just want to make it right. I screwed up something so good with you and I--"
"So what, you're just going to go against your mother? God, you barely know me. This is your family we're talking about."
"Yes!" he shouted. He stepped back, his voice raising. "I'll scream it to the fucking heavens. I want to be with you, and I don't care who approves."
He took a deep breath and screamed, "Poppy White! I'm falling in love with you!"
My jaw fell slack and I jumped forward to cover his mouth with my hand. "Shut up!"
Cole pulled my hand away. "No, I don't want to shut up. I want everyone to know."
I bit down on my lip, looking away from the intensity in his icy eyes. "I'm serious, Poppy. Be with me and I swear I'll spend every day making it up to you. Hell, if you want I'll buy you the entire fucking Godiva company if you'll just--"
I laughed and shook my head. "God you're insane."
"You've got me going crazy. You still aren't getting it. I'll keep screaming until you do." He took a deep breath but I clamped his mouth shut before he could embarrass me further.
He left my hand there. His eyes bore into mine, playful but pleading.
"I'm really going to regret this, aren't I?" I mussed. He shook his head and I smiled.
I yelped when Cole licked my palm. "Ewh! Cole--"
He laughed and tipped my chin up to look at him. "Was that a 'yes'?"
I smiled to myself and looked off into the beautiful night. The moon reflected on the dark water and the stars twinkling in the sky. Turning back to look at an equally breathtaking sight, I gave a small nod.
Cole sighed, "Finally." Then he kissed me.
His lips were warm against mine, juxtaposing the crisp cold breeze. But I couldn't care less. Not when he was kissing me like this, not when we had champagne and Godiva, not when we were on a boat sailing nowhere and everywhere.
Not when he was finally mine and I his.
A/N: First and foremost. I'm sorry this is so late. I was super ill. Like death bed ill. I didn't go to school for days ill. Okay. That's how sick I was. But I'm back. And I hope you all enjoyed. If you did, make sure to comment and vote since I did this half unconscious and loopy off cold syrup.
This is the last of the California chapters. Next time, these two will be back to reality and the Upper East side. Of course this isn't the end!
Cole is done with all the games, but will Olivia let him out of the deal so easily? Predictions welcome!
The song is Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong's rendition of Dream a Little Dream Of Me. I love their jazzy version <3