Page 46 of The Truth of Loving You

I grabbed my bag out of the backseat, and Cole popped the trunk. My carefully selected supplies were paltry in comparison to what Cole had brought.

“Are you kidnapping me?” I stared down at blankets, outdoor cushions, a cooler, and...what the hell. “Do you own that picnic basket?” I demanded.

“I didn’t steal it.” Cole pulled me to him in a one-armed hug. He sighed when I raised my eyebrows. “Lisa may or may not have dropped it off when I asked about using the private beach.”

“She’s okay with,” I gestured between us, “this?”

“Well, I didn’t give her the dirty details, but she knows I’m spending time with you,” Cole said, but I had yet to move. “She’s happy for me, for us.”

That explanation made things better but so much worse.

Between the two of us, it only took one trip to bring everything down to the beach. There was a path through a grass field, a few trees, and then Long Island Sound in all its glory. Cole explained the neighborhood trucked sand in for the piece of heaven.

“This is incredible.” The sand was soft under my feet and the water a cool greenish blue. “We’re in Setauket?” I asked, and Cole nodded, laying out a blanket. “I can’t believe no one will be here today.”

Cole sat and patted the space next to him. “Come here.”

“We need sunscreen.” I folded myself next to him, taking sun lotion out of my bag.

He grabbed it out of my hand. “Take your shirt off.”

Once he’d massaged every inch of exposed skin, turning me into a mess of lust, I did the same for him, covering him in sunscreen. It amazed me how much I loved touching his skin in a nonsexual way. And I got to study his tattoos. I wanted to ask about them but was afraid the meanings fell into the category of talking about the past.

“There,” I screwed the cap back on and sat back on my elbows, “this is relaxing,” I said, not at all relaxed with his body that close, half dressed in a semi-public place.

“Shane,” Cole said softly.

“Hmmm,” I answered, keeping my gaze firmly on the water.

His hand slid around the back of my neck as he pulled me in. “Come here,” he whispered.

My eyes widened as I tipped into him. His soft lips pressed into mine. Part of me had been afraid he’d done it by accident, but then his lips parted, and we were kissing. Our first real kiss. A kiss not attached to fluid exchanges or sex. I sank into the blanket, and he followed me down. Cole tasted incredible; I wanted to explore every part of his mouth, and by the way he pinned me in place, he wanted the same.

With all the filthy things we’d done, he’d never just kissed me, and this was heaven. His unhurried lips feathered along my jawline, he nipped my neck and made his way back to my mouth. His scruff dragging behind his hot mouth enhanced the sensation of his kisses. Cole kissed like he did everything, with command and expertise.

I had never been kissed the way Cole kissed me, with total possession and as if it were the only thing he ever wanted to do. I couldn’t think of one thing I would rather do than kiss Cole Branson. We lay on the blanket, listening to the waves and making out forever. Or until my stomach rumbled.

Cole pulled my spreadsheet out of the pocket in his swim trunks, then consulted his phone. “Your stomach is right on time for lunch.” He stretched, began unpacking the cooler, and set up a feast between us. “Time to feed you.”

I watched, transfixed, as his muscles flexed with movement and his tattoos came to life. I had to remind my battered heart that this was temporary, and he’d never feel about me the way he felt about Paxton. Soaking in all his warmth and tenderness might make it hurt more, but in the end, I wanted it no matter when it ended.

I was confused when he stood to lie down behind me instead of across from me where the food would be in the middle.

A laugh burst out. “We are going to have interesting tan lines. I’m going to have a Cole shaped image.” I motioned over the length of my body. “Zero regrets.”

“Nope, none.” Cole grinned in return.

He proceeded to hand feed me from the charcuterie tray. Nothing had ever tasted so delicious.

Chapter twenty-five

Cole

Afterlunch,IdraggedShane into the water. It had been forever since I’d spent so much time simply kissing. His plump lips begged to be kissed, and they probably made women jealous. Kissing had always been a means to an end, but with Shane, it was a main event.

The man was so fucking adorable. I made sure to check the tides in his spreadsheet, and he melted for me. Dammit. Why was it so sexy when he talked numbers to me. It was certainly unusual for someone to make a spreadsheet for a day at the beach, but hell, it wasn’t annoying. It was part of his charm.

I’d taken a hard look at myself after Shane called me on my shit. His explanation of what I should’ve done instead of ghosting him seemed so easy and reasonable. He wouldn’t pressure me to label my feelings.

---