Page 23 of Unlocking Hope

Jessica laughed and grabbed her hand, then they walked back toward the table.

When they arrived back, Brock looked up at his wife. “Did she need help?”

Jessica smiled and sat next to her husband. “She wouldn’t tell us what’s wrong, but we gave her our numbers and Brock’s number. I’m not sure she will call.”

“Wait. How did you know?”

Brock looked at his wife. “She’s been eyeing the waitress since we arrived, and I saw her go into the bathroom, and all of a sudden, you wanted to go. When she was at the table earlier, I could tell she was hiding something, and I saw Jessica pick up on it.”

Zoey shook her head. “I wish she would’ve told us something.”

“She will.” Cole paused. “When she is ready.”

“I hope she does…”

Ian set his beer down. “It was great catching up, I think it’s time to head out.”

Zoey looked down at the silver watch Cole had bought her. Three hours had passed. “Wow, time flew.”

Everyone got up from around the table, and Jessica handed Zoey a piece of paper with her number on it. “Call me whenever. If you make it out to California, the other women would love to meet you. Maybe you and Bella could come out and stay with us.” Cole grunted, and she added, “You’re always welcome over, Cole.”

The men threw a stack of bills on the table—more than enough to cover the tab. She knew it was to help Amanda out. Cole and his friends had hearts of gold.

Zoey’s cheeks hurt from smiling as they walked out of the bar.

10

ZOEY

Cole stood at the edge of the bed, looking down at her. She squirmed under his heated look. Instead of covering herself up, she slowly pulled the cami up a little.

“You’re so fucking gorgeous,” Cole growled.

She never felt like the prettiest woman, just average. Before meeting Cole, she’d always felt lost in the crowd of single women. But he made her feel like the prettiest woman each day. Not one day had passed without him telling her how good she looked. Hell, he didn’t even have to say the words—he told her each day with his eyes.

“Come here.”

He crawled on the bed next to her and pulled her to his hard chest. She slowly ran her finger down his tattoos. She loved the colorful art. His arm was covered with cartoon characters—Daffy Duck, Pluto, and Popeye—but it was the tattoo inside his arm she traced. “What made you choose to get this one?”

“I got that when I returned from North Korea…” Cole’s voice broke for a second. He ran his hand over the tattoo. “I wanted something to remind me how lucky I was to make it out. Four other men weren’t so lucky. If you look right here”—he pointed to four dog tags—“each one represents a brother I lost that day.”

Zoey traced over the four tags with her finger. “Someday, I want you to tell me about each one of them.”

He pulled her hand away from his tattoo, brought it to his mouth, and kissed it before he tugged her on top of him. She immediately felt his erection pushing between her thighs.

“I’m so happy to have my hands all over your body. It has killed me the last month with you sleeping in the room across the hall.” He wrapped his hands around her and brought her close, so his mouth was next to her ear. “The other night, I got up to get a glass of water, and I heard you moan my name. I almost lost it and barged in. Instead, I came back here laid in bed and wrapped my hand around my cock.”

She’d never been with someone who was so verbal, and they were still dressed. The tips of her ears turned red in embarrassment. She couldn’t believe he’d heard her, but she was so turned on knowing he’d come back and jacked off because of her.

“What were you thinking about while you laid here in bed?” she whispered in his ear. Cole brought out a side of her that she hadn’t known she had. He pressed his hips up, rubbing himself against her.

He slowly worked his hand up her side, dragging her cami up her body. Goosebumps trailed his fingers as they lightly grazed her body. She helped him pull the cami off and toss it to the side. He sat up and buried his face between her boobs. The quick motion caused his hard member to press against her clit, and she flexed her back, pressing her boobs against his face. His five-clock shadow brushed against her skin, sending another sensation mixed with his hot breath and tender touch.

“Gorgeous,” he murmured as he ran his hands down her bare back. Her reply was stuck in the back of her throat when his warm lips wrapped around her nipple.

Cole raised his hand and gripped her other boob, slightly pinching her nipple. She couldn’t hold back the cry of ecstasy, from the pain and pleasure mixed together. Each second, the world around them disappeared; it was only them. Nobody was after her. Nobody needed anything. It was only them.

The feeling of his hands on her body finally was too much. She rubbed herself against his erection. Cole dropped one hand from her boob and grabbed her ass, slowing her movement down.

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