Page 59 of Cheap Shot
I resist the urge to giggle at his nervousness. Cole doesn’t seem to be someone to partake in idle chitchat, let alone tell someone he barely knows something so personal about himself at the same time. Instead of brushing it off, I give him a personal bit of my own.
“I understand that. My parents live here in Portland, but I went away to college in the Midwest. They were always asking me to move back home, and now that I’m here, they insist on family dinner every couple of weeks.”
“Sounds nice.”
An awkward silence settles over us as we both fidget, searching for something else to say to each other. I’m the first one to break the silence. “I didn’t see you around the gym today.”
“I managed to find other ways to keep myself occupied and out of trouble.”
Is he avoidingmenow? I did the same thing to him this morning, so it's understandable, but why does the thought hurt so much? I absentmindedly reach up and rub my chest in the space over my heart.
“That’s good. Well, hopefully you aren’t too busy to meet me here for your training session in the morning.”
Bless it. Can I be any more awkward? Cole should run in the opposite direction and beg Parker to take over his case immediately. I grab an antiseptic wipe and start wiping down the bench in front of me. I just cleaned almost the entire room from top to bottom, trying to waste time to see if he’d stop in to see me before leaving, but he doesn’t need to know that.
“How’s your shoulder? Since I missed our session this morning, the least I can do is give you a once-over just in case.”
I’ve completely lost my fucking mind. I’m going to have to touch him to look over his shoulder. It hasn't even been twenty-four hours since we almost kissed in this very room. Although there isn’t a chance of us being interrupted this time. The only person potentially in the building is my dad, but his office is clear on the other side of the locker room. The only reason he’d have to come here is to look for Parker, but they had a meeting earlier today. He also has no idea I’m still in the building, which is both a blessing and a curse at the moment.
“That’d be great. It’s a little tender. I may have overworked it today.”
You think?If he did the training exercises and strength training in his treatment plan, along with the pumping of his arms he did while doing speed drills, his shoulder is probably on fire, but I can’t say any of that to him. Sammy swore me to secrecy, and hopefully, this teaches Cole a lesson about pushing himself too hard.
Cole moves cautiously toward me, like he isn’t sure how to act around me since our talk earlier today. That makes two of us, buddy. He says we can play it my way, but what exactly does that mean? The part where I’m too terrified of getting my heart broken and ruining both of our lives to take the next step? Or did he mean something else? Either way, it’s only going to get harder to resist him from this point forward. I know in my heart Cole won’t push me, but I have a feeling if I want anything to happen between us, it’s going to have to be on my terms.
I grab a pair of gloves and pat the table in front of me. “Hop up.”
Cole quickly follows my instructions, shifting around slightly until he finds a comfortable position before pulling his hoodie over his head. “Do you need me to take off my T-shirt, as well?”
“Sure, if you don’t mind.” I pull my bottom lip between my teeth and bite back a moan as he pulls the last layer of clothing off. This man’s body is pure perfection.
Cole clears his throat loudly as I snap to attention. “Sorry.”
“No apologies necessary. Look as much as you want.” I don’t need a mirror to know I’m blushing, but I inhale and gently probe his incision, moving with practiced precision to check the muscles surrounding his shoulder. I try to keep everything professional, not getting lost in his hazel eyes as they swirl with want and desire.
Cole just watches me, not in a leering way; he just watches. His eyes scan my face as if he’s trying to solve a complex puzzle. “I’ve noticed you don’t talk much.”
“Small talk isn’t my specialty,” he murmurs, causing me to giggle softly.
“Fair. I also probably talk enough for both of us.”
“I like hearing you talk.” I freeze, my hand still pressing against his shoulder.
I glance at him and find him smiling softly down at me, his face the picture of ease while my mind races a million miles a minute. “No one has ever said that to me before. I wouldn’t say that I talk a lot regularly, but I ramble when I get nervous.”
“Are you nervous now?” he asks, reaching up and grabbing the end of my ponytail. He tugs on it slightly, and I moan. His pupils dilate at the sound.
“Yes. You make me very nervous,” I respond. His legs widen, allowing my body to slip between them. I bite my bottom lip, turning my head downward to hide my face from Cole.
I know I’m giving him mixed signals, telling him we can’t do this and then moaning like a whore in church the first time he touches me. I should put some much-needed space between us and apologize again for stepping out of line, but Cole must see something in my face because his knees snap shut, pinning me between them.
“You make me very nervous, too,” he whispers, nibbling and sucking his way down my neck, causing me to moan loudly. My back arches, pressing my breasts into his chest as he wraps his arms tightly around my waist, pulling me tighter to him.
“Cole.” I place my hand on his chest, putting some much-needed space between us. “Not here. Not now.”
“Then when, Michele?” His eyes clench shut as he rests his forehead against mine.
“I don’t know. I don’t know, Cole.”
