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He instantly sobered. “Okay. Point taken. ”
“Tell me her name. I’m going to track her down and knock her teeth down her throat. ”
“As hot as that is, no. She’s part of a past I’d now like to forget. But. . . I’m glad you never slept with anyone. I don’t like the thought of you with anyone else, probably would have fed the fuc—uh, the guys more than teeth. ”
Must resist this possessive, charming side of him. “Do I get another question?”
“You get as many as you want. ”
He sounded determined.
I’d probably make him regret that.
“Did you sleep with Veronica?”
He stiffened, but he didn’t hesitate to answer. “Yes. But it was over a year ago, when we were dating. ”
“Mackenzie?”
“Yes. Months ago, for a little while after we’d stopped dating. Then I met you, and that was over. ”
“Others?”
“Yes. You want the exact number?”
“No,” I grumbled. Yes. Maybe. “Am I the only girlfriend not to go all the way with you?”
“No,” he said. “But I wouldn’t change anything about what we’ve done—and haven’t done. I wanted—want—you ready for me, not sleeping with me because it’s supposedly expected. I would wait forever for you. ”
Oh, glory, this totally meant something.
Are you sure you need to resist him? “Yes, well. You might have to. ” I cleared my throat. “Next, I have an observation rather than a question. ”
His arms tightened around me. “Go on. ”
“Sometimes you call Mackenzie and Veronica by cutesy nicknames. Kenz and Ronny. It’s hurtful to the girl you’re with. ”
“Do I?” He toyed with the ends of my hair. “I hadn’t realized. It’s a habit, I guess. We all parted as friends. ”
“Well, we didn’t,” I pointed out, now a little hurt by that, too. “I mean, we tried, but it clearly wasn’t working. ”
He pressed his lips together to cut off a. . . frown? Smile? “A. Dor. A. Bull. Baby, I still wanted you, still considered you mine and didn’t want to share you with Gavin. There was no way I could be friendly about it. ”
Dying here. . .
He kissed my temple. “Enough chatting. We’ve got two and a half hours before I have to drive you home, and I want you rested. If you’re feeling better by Thursday night, I plan to take you to a party to celebrate the Tigers’ winning football season. Since we don’t have school on Friday, everyone always kicks off the four-day weekend early. ”
A chance to act normal. “I’ll go to the party, one way or another. And I’m not tired. ”
He chuckled. “Sure you’re not. Your eyelids are already half-closed. ”
“No, they’re. . . ”
I don’t remember finishing that sentence.
* * *
I woke up in Cole’s arms.
The alarm on my phone had gone off. He must have set it before he’d fallen asleep. He never even twitched, his expression relaxed, almost boyish, and I smiled as a deep well of affection spilled over. Looking at him now, no one would ever suspect his violent nightly activities.
Trina sat beside the bed, reading a book. When I stirred, she glanced up and said, “About time,” and closed the cover. Dare You To, by Katie McGarry. “I want you to know I was upset when I saw the video of you going after Cole so viciously. I still don’t understand it, but I’m sorry I never gave you a chance to explain. ”
“Thank you,” I said, and I meant it.
Mackenzie strode into the room. “Heard voices,” she said. Then, “Hey. ”
“Hey,” I replied.
“You look better. ”
“Thanks. ”
Cole stirred, stretched.
“Okay, time for us to go bye-bye. ” Trina stood.
“But I just got here,” Mackenzie complained.
Trina gave her a push toward the exit. “Ali, do yourself a favor and take a shower before he wakes up. Like, seriously. ”
Was I that bad?
The two strode from the room. I eased from the bed and nearly toppled to the floor as my knees shook under my weight. There was a bathroom around the corner, and though I was nervous about looking into the mirror, I did it.
Yeah, I was that bad.
There was no hint of Z. A. , thank God, but my hair was styled in what could only be dubbed Last Year’s Ugliest Rat’s Nest. There was a big black bruise on my cheek, a slice in my lip, a knot on my jaw. So pretty.
Someone had cut away my blood-splattered clothing and put me in a paper-thin hospital gown. Three possible suspects. Cole, Mr. Ankh and Mr. Holland. There wasn’t a front-runner, each equally bad. When Cole first saw me naked, I didn’t want it to be like this.
Wait. When?
I’d just told him we weren’t getting back together.
I’d meant it. Hadn’t I?
Now, looking back on the conversation without the fog of anger and pain. . . and need. . . I wasn’t so sure. What I did know? Staying away from him didn’t actually have anything to do with a roller coaster. I’d never actually ridden on one, but I bet they were exciting. They had to be; people kept going back for more.
Was I punishing him for the hurt he’d caused me? Or was I simply afraid of losing him again and doing exactly as he had done?
Pensive, I took a quick shower, dressed in the T-shirt and sweatpants Mr. Ankh kept in the drawers. The first fit just fine. The second barely came to my ankles. Unfortunately Mr. Ankh did not keep a drawer stocked with bras and panties, so I had to go commando—the alternative to slipping back into my dirty underwear. I brushed my teeth twice and then my hair, wincing from the pain. Finally I emerged on a cloud of steam.
Cole hadn’t moved from the bed, but now he was sitting up, watching me, his eyelids heavy. His gaze moved over me, lingering in certain places. “Com’ere,” he said, his voice low and husky with want.
“We should probably leave,” I hedged.
“We will. I want to kiss you first. ”
“You shouldn’t. . . I shouldn’t. . . ”
“I’ll make you glad we did,” he said softly, almost. . . shyly.
How could I resist this new side of him?
Yet another one. How many did he have? Would I fall for each of them?
I crawled on top of him.
His big hands tenderly cupped my cheeks, the calluses on his fingers abrading my skin in the most delicious way. Moving slowly, giving me time to stop him, he lifted his head and pressed his lips against mine.
The cut stung a little, but I didn’t care. I kissed him with all the pent-up need inside me. The need to taste him. The need to take from him and give to him. The need to brand him, to make him mine. All mine.
As our tongues thrust together, he shifted, rolling me to my side and hooking my leg over his hip. With the new angle, he’d created the perfect cradle and was able to scoot closer to me, practically fusing our bodies. . . rubbing against me, once, twice.
“You feel good enough for this?” he rasped.
“Stop talking and keep kissing. ”
He chuckled softly, and I nipped at his bottom lip. “Tell me if I hurt you. ”
“Still. Talking. ” I slid my hands under his shirt, tugged the material over his head. He fisted the hem of my mine, and the next thing I knew, the entire thing was being tossed over his shoulder.
Cool air brushed my skin, but the heat radiating from him quickly chased it away, even turned my blood to lava. I wrapped my arms around him, scraped my nails along his back. All the while he continued rubbing against me, back and forth, pressing, easing, pressing again. . . oh, yes. . . just. . . like. . . that.
“Ali,” he gasped out.
The most amazing scent wafted from him. Pure, crisp. Familiar.
The urge to bite would follow.
/> “Ali,” he said again.
I licked my lips. “Cole. ” If I could chew my way past skin, vein and bone, I could get to what I wanted. The heart of him. The—
No! I reared back and tumbled from the bed. “I need the antidote from my pack,” I rushed out, crab-walking to the wall, widening the distance. “Now. Please. ”
He asked no questions. He hopped up, dug through the pack and rushed back to my side. There was a sharp sting in my neck before a cool river washed through my veins. And yet the river couldn’t wash away the horror of what I wanted to do.
Cole stayed by my side, and I could still smell him. My gaze snagged on his hammering pulse, and there was a flood of moisture in my mouth.
“More,” I said.
“That’s too much. ”
“Just do it. ”
With a growl, he returned to the pack, found another syringe. He stuck me with more force, and another cool burst cascaded through me. My fascination with his pulse finally ebbed. The delicious smell faded. I sagged into the cold, hard floor, already crying.
“Better?” Cole asked.
“Better. ”
“Then why the tears?” He traced his fingers over the slope of my nose. “I’ll get Ankh. He can—”
“No. No more tests. ” We already knew what was wrong. “I just want to go home. ” I’d give Nana a hug. I’d rest some more, get stronger. By the time Cole picked me up for the party, I’d be as good as new. Please.
“All right, but we’ll need to put a shirt on you first,” he said, and I heard the thread of humor in his voice.
Oh, spank me. As Kat would say. I was sprawled out, shirtless. Braless.
My cheeks flushed, and I covered my chest with my hands. “Good idea. ”
“Not my best,” he said drily, “but I think your grandmother would approve. ”
“I think you’re right. ”
He smiled, and for a moment, I felt as if everything really would be okay. “Come on. I’ll take you home. ”
Chapter 22
Can’t Go Back to Yesterday
Nana had waited up for me, and I hugged her as planned. She looked me over and twittered over each of my bruises and abrasions.