Keeping Hope (Broken Girl Series) (19 page)

Pete nods, opening the door, and offering his hand to help me out. I don’t take it.

We signed the paperwork.

It’s official. We will get the keys on Friday.

On our way home, I’m nervous about Cole telling his mom and dad. I know Jocelyn will understand, but I can’t imagine his dad will. I honestly can’t expect anything more from them, and his dad’s reservations are understandable. I know this is going to be difficult for all of them. After all, Cole has a future. He doesn’t have a shitty past. He has everything to live for.

I’m just coasting through the days trying to survive. I’m the happiest I have been in a long time, and I know it’s because of the man sitting beside me. I clutch his hand tightly. There’s no way I’m ever losing him again. I can’t let what almost happened with Pete happen again. I lean against Cole, my hands wrapping around the top of his arm. There’s no better feeling. I glance at the road then back toward him, taking in every inch.

“What?” he asks. He looks at me, with his emerald green eyes and thick lashes blinking hard.

“Just admiring,” I chuckle.

He glances down at me again, taking his attention momentarily away from the road.

“Eyes on the road, mister,” I joke.

I feel his posture change beside me, as he sits up, his shoulders pushed back like he’s on the prowl.

“Where are we?” I ask, as a try to take in our surroundings. None if it looks familiar in the fading daylight.

“On our way home,” he quips. “I thought we’d take the scenic route.”

“Oh, you did, did you?” I tease, playfully hitting the top of his tight, muscular arms. He laughs loudly, one of those gruff, deep from his throat laughs. It’s so nice to hear. Really, really good.

I pull back from Cole and sink in my seat, a little self-hatred forcing its way to the surface. I’ve become just like Caitlin. I’m no better than her. I don’t know how to explain what happened to Cole. I don’t even understand how things have become so intense between me and Pete. It just did.

I fiddle relentlessly, biting the skin at the side of my nails. I guess you could say it’s a nervous habit. I feel Cole’s hand on mine, the one against my mouth, as he pulls it away and closer to his mouth.

“Baby what’s wrong?” he asks reverently, kissing my fingertips.

More than anything I want to be honest. I want to scream and shout and tell him what a bitch I really am. But I’m scared. I know that my honesty will be the end of us. Any future we might have together will be ruined. I feel the sting of the tears as they break the seal and flow down my face, each drop a reminder of the guilt I carry and the person I have become.

I feel him swiftly turn the wheel, and before I can open my eyes, we are pulled over at the side of the road, in the middle of nowhere. Within a millisecond, my seatbelt is off and he hauls me onto his lap.

I rest my head in my favorite place, in the crook of his neck. I sink in as deeply as my body will allow, guilt stained tears flowing out of my control. I start to heave as the emotions race through my body, a mixture of regret and fear.

Fear, well that’s one I know all too well. Regret and guilt are something I’ve never experienced until now. It is totally alien to me.

“Talk to me, baby. Please tell me what’s wrong.”

But I have nothing to say, nothing that can make this fucked up situation any better. All I know is I have to put a total stop to this.

I’ve already allowed it to go too far.

I need to do something.

I need to take my mind away from where it is.

I look up, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand, clearing the cloud of tears in my eyes. I catch a glimpse of his gaze and I know what I need to do. I shake my head, reaching up and brushing my hand along the side of his face and through his messy brown hair.

His eyes search mine, looking for something. I’m sure he sees the emptiness inside. I close my eyes tightly, craning my neck until my lips meet his. His hand moves to the back of my neck pulling me in. The intensity between us is at an all-time high.

We kiss deeply as I pour in every ounce of emotion from within. I hear a small moan escape as the electricity flows between us. This is how I want to feel, this is everything.

My everything.

I trace my hand over the ripples of his toned torso toward his arousal. I caress him over his jeans, his moans quickly turn to groans. I don’t know how he did it, but within seconds we are both in the backseat. His hand travels up, under my top, releasing and caressing my breast. Our breathing is rapid. Clearly we both needed this.

I continue to stroke him, trying to work the button loose to his pants. In desperation, he removes his hand from my chest to free himself of his pants, allowing me access to his cock. I squeeze and stroke his full length as he starts to trail kisses down my neck. Without hesitation, he pulls my top over my head and pulls down the cup of my bra. His hand kneads one while his mouth meets the nipple of the other. The sweet nips of his teeth provide a heady mixture of pleasure and just the tiniest sensual pain.

My arousal starts to pool between my legs. I’m so ready for him, for this. He runs a finger tenderly along my stomach and down between my legs. I part for him, needing to feel him. As soon as his fingers hit my sweet spot, I arch up, wanting more. I moan loudly. The exquisite feeling of him touching me is all the distraction I need.

“Oh, Cole,” I moan out.

A sweet grin spreads on his face. He watches me as he continues to circle my clit, sparks flying through my entire body. He slowly rubs his fingers from my clit toward my opening, gently slipping his fingers in. I buck toward him, eager to feel him inside of me. I close my eyes, biting my bottom lip. I feel the intensity build as he continues to work my clit. He takes my hands in his free one, placing them firmly above my head, holding them in place.

I buck up against him at the loss of his touch, a weak moan leaving my mouth. He takes himself in his hand, stroking his length before lining up to my entrance. He thrusts into me slowly, inch by inch until he fills me completely. I gasp at the delicious feeling of him inside me, gritting my teeth together as the pressure builds. His rhythm is just right, not frantic and not slow, just right. I rock with him, increasing the connection. My heart hammers so hard as he fills me with pleasure.

“Cole,” I whimper. I pull my hands free and begin to weave my fingers through his hair. Our lips once again meet as we start to kiss. He licks and sucks my tongue in rhythm with his thrusts.

Breaking the kiss, he repositions my hands above my head and starts to work his way down to my neck, sucking and nibbling the skin. I turn my head to allow him access, the contact heightening my senses. The shaft of his cock rubs against my clit and I feel the unbearable desire inside me as it builds. I try to wiggle from his hold, desperate to grasp on to something. I’m so close to exploding.

He draws back, a little smirk on his face. It’s obvious I’m close. My moans and involuntary body movements are frantic. He holds my gaze, his eyes wide as he never breaks the hold.

“Come for me, baby. I want to see your face when you do.”

I shut my eyes, feeling his thumb work my clit as he continues to thrust into me. The tight feeling inside me and the pressure of his thumb is enough to push me over the edge.

My orgasm takes over every inch of my body. My muscles tighten as I strain to work through the pulsating, heat rushes through me like a volcano. My chest heaves as the last of the throbs work through me. My limbs become weak and lifeless. I slowly turn my head, opening my eyes. Cole is still watching me, his face dressed with the biggest side-ways smirk I’ve ever seen. He leans down, softly kissing the tip of my nose. His eyes are heavy with lust as he leans back, withdrawing himself before repositioning my legs over his shoulders. He drives back into me. His rhythm more needy and his breathing heavier and more audible. He thrusts in, each stroke longer and deeper. I feel him fill me completely.

“Oh, Kennedy! Fuck,” he cries out breathlessly.

Within seconds, I feel him grow even larger and the pulsating of his cock inside me, right before I feel the heat of his release. A loud groan escapes him as he moves my legs before collapsing beside me. His chest heaves rapidly in his post sex slump. I run my hand over the side of his torso. He giggles a little as he takes my hand in his.

“Someone ticklish?” I ask, a little teasingly. He smiles widely, the kind of smile that reveals all of your teeth. He sits up, sliding me across his legs until I’m sitting in his lap. He holds me there, stroking my hair away from my face, and tucking the loose strands behind my ear. I lean into him, the comfort of his body relaxing me.

“I’m pretty sure I could sleep forever, just like this. You’re like my comfort blanket,” I sigh, falling deeper into his hold. He squeezes me tightly, encapsulating me with his whole body.

“It’s so good to hear that,” he whispers into my ear.

“I love you, Cole. You know that, right? I know I don’t always react well to certain things, but this life on the outside is a huge learning curve for me. I’ve never had a relationship before you. I don’t understand things in the way you do, but please, never doubt my feelings for you.”

He kisses the side of my face lovingly. “What did I do to deserve you? I love you so much, Ken. I never realized what I was missing in my life until you came along. I guess I was on auto pilot, but now that I have you, I feel like my life has purpose, you know?”

I nod, my head moving against his chest. I know that this is where I belong, here with Cole. He has accepted me, despite all my faults, and messed up background. He loves me, for me. The guilt of kissing Pete hits me like a damn sledgehammer. I sit up a little, reaching down to pick up my discarded clothes. I start to quickly pull on my clothing, Cole following my lead.

“I guess we should head home, huh?” he says with a wink.

Cole

When we pull up onto the driveway, I cut the engine and sit there for a second, clutching the steering wheel.

“What’s wrong, Cole?” I feel her head peering toward me. I look at her, snapping myself out of the daydream.

“Just thinking of how to tackle the whole ‘moving out’ thing with mom.”

She gasps a little, her hand covering her mouth. “Shit, your mom’s gonna hate me,” she mumbles.

“No,” I say gently. “You know mom loves you. You’re like the daughter she always wanted.” I let out a puff of laughter.

“But she’s going to think I’m taking you away from her. You’re her only child, Cole…”

“But that’s the thing,” I interrupt, “I’m not a child anymore.” I sigh heavily.

Me and mom are close, we always have been. My father has been so involved with his job, he’s barely at home. It’s always been just the two of us.

“You know my mom will understand. She wants the best for the both of us. Anyway, they were expecting me to move out soon, with the whole college thing and all.”

I snap myself from the shitty ass thoughts in my mind. Most of which consist of my dad giving my mom a hard time. I jump out of the truck and rush around to help Kennedy out. I take her hand, pulling her to me as her feet reach the ground.

“It’s going to be awesome, baby. Just you and me, finally getting time together. I know this is the right thing for us.”