Page 65 of Chasin' Cole

I close the distance between us and walk into his waitin' arms. They're still solid and steady as he wraps them around me. He kisses the top of my head as he holds me. I lean into him, fallin’ all over again.

"I'm still madly in love with you, Rose," he whispers. "A year away from you has only made me love you more."

I don’t know if he wants a response. I'm too stunned to say anythin’. I…he’s here. And he’s still in love with me. I’ve missed him so much. I’m just not sure our lives are compatible long term. I shove the thought aside for tonight and bury my face in his chest, overwhelmed by how much I still love him.

When I pull away, his face falls.

“I should get to bed,” I suck in a sharp breath.

“You…uh…you don’t have anything to add to that?”

"Night, Cole," I manage to get out.

His fingers find mine as he searches my face.

"Good night, Rose."

Chapter 24 – I Need Coffee

Coffee.

I need coffee.

I didn't sleep last night. Cole being twenty feet away in the room across the hall made sleepin' nearly impossible.

I have so many questions. So many thoughts. It's too much. I might explode just thinkin’ about them all.

Anger seems to be the dominatin' emotion right now. Anger that Lacey didn't warn me she invited Cole. Anger that Cole left the way he did. Anger that I'm not really all that angry.

I missed him.

But I'm different now. What if we don't fit together anymore?

A year is a long time. It's enough time for me to figure out what I want my future to look like. It's enough time for me to consider my life without him. Enough time to realize I deserved better. Especially from him. I deserved more from him.

Then again, this is Cole Strickland. It's always taken him twice as long to make up his mind. Always taken the long way to every place he's ever been.

Resignation.

Is that what I'm feelin' now?

Resigned to the fact that I can't really control anythin'. Only myself.

Ugh.

Coffee.

I need coffee.

I tumble out of bed and check my appearance in the mirror above the dresser. My eyes are a little puffy, but I don't look bad for someone who didn't sleep well last night. I don’t think I got a single wink of sleep.

Smoothin' down the wayward, blond hairs on the top of my head, I swing the door open and step into the hallway.

Instantly, I'm met with a hard impact. Somethin' slightly damp and solid as I gain my footin'.

Two strong arms have wrapped around my torso to keep me from tippin' over. I don’t glace up right away. My heart throbs in my chest, beneath my rib cage, beatin' against flesh and blood as his fingertips run along my spine.

I keep my eyes focused on his chest. His bare, hard, still-has-water-droplets-all-over-it chest. Tiny dots that glisten as the sunlight from the windows slips down the hallway. There's an ache that blooms in my chest and travels down my arms and my legs. Every part of my body yearnin' to be this close to him.

---