Cole is nowhere to be found. I finally spot him outside, moving big armfuls of firewood from a covered storage area to a rack on the porch.
I carry my plate and mug to the living room so I can watch him work as I eat. Like I’m observing a wild animal in his natural habitat.
Okay, I’m somewhat in control of my emotions now. But barely. Because something about this big strong alpha wrecks me.
How am I going to survive staying under his roof if every minute I’m getting whiplashed by these crazy feelings inside of me?
When the door opens, two hours later, a swoosh of snow follows him into the foyer. He takes his time, pullingoff his gloves, his work boots, and hanging his coat precisely on the hook.
“I made you something…” I say from the doorway of the kitchen.
He glances at me. A rush of warmth slides over my skin as I move toward him with a mug of hot cocoa that I’ve had waiting on the stove for him. “I hope you don’t mind, I looked around and found the ingredients for this. I thought you might like some after being out in the cold.”
He reaches for the mug. “You remembered how to make hot chocolate?”
“Oh my! I didn’t even think about that. I guess I did. It just felt natural.”
We share a smile for a second.
He rolls the mug between his gigantic hands as I awkwardly wait for something. What, I’m not exactly sure. “I hope you weren’t outside all that time avoiding me.”
He sips from the mug. His eyes aren’t smiling when he lowers it. “Maybe I was.”
It takes effort not to fidget. I wipe my hands on my thighs. “Do you feel weird about me being in your home?”
He drinks again. Slowly. And licks across his lip, also slowly. His voice is deeper when he says, “Not weird.”
“Howdoyou feel?”
His eyes lower to my mouth. Huskily, he says, “Right now, very aroused.”
My blood ignites like a river of gasoline. A torrent of need is unleashed inside of my core. I almost teeter on my feet. What’s happening inside of my body is so hot, it threatens to buckle me.
With careful attention, he places the mug on the shelf above the coat rack. His eyes never leave mine. “I want you, Sierra.”
Chapter Nineteen
COLE
Knock! Knock! Knock!
What the hell?
With a growl, I swing my gaze to my front door. Whoever is knocking on my door is going to lose an arm.
After I kiss them.
Unless it’s a dude, then he gets a bro-hug.
Thank god for the interruption. I was toast. My ability to resist the heat crackling between us had snapped.
Sierra exhales with a whistle. Color is crawling up her pretty cheeks. After blinking and clearing her throat, she mutters, “Bad timing.”
There was definitely a huskiness in her voice.
I try to shake the effect she has on me. But fail. “I’m not so sure about that.”
After checking the peep in the door, I swing it open. Snow swirls inside on a cold rush of air.