Page 75 of Missed Notes (Rixon High 5)

I hovered my mouth over hers and whispered, “I don’t care. I’m not a coward, Sofia. I won’t run away from this. Let me be there for you. Let me do this.”

“O-okay.”

“Yeah?” I fought a grin.

“Yeah.” She nodded, fighting her own smile.

“You’re not going to regret this, I promise.” I covered her face in sloppy wet kisses.

“Ew, Cole.” The protest died on her tongue as she kissed me back, pulling me closer. I was in fucking heaven until a voice filled the house.

“Sofia,” someone called upstairs. “We’re home.”

“Shit, shit. What time is it?” She grabbed her phone and mumbled something. “We lost track of time.”

“Should I escape through the window or something?” I asked, only half-joking.

“I…”

“Sofia, you awake, sweetheart?” A knock sounded on the door.

“Uh, just a minute, Mom. In the bathroom,” she whispered, nudging me off the bed. “You can hide in the bath—”

“Sofia?” The bedroom door cracked open, and Mrs. Bennet’s head peered around it. “Sweethe— Cole?”

“Hi, Mrs. B.” I gave her a small wave, barely able to contain my chuckle at the look of absolute panic on Sofia’s face.

“This is… unexpected. Aaron said you went home.”

“I, uh… busted.” I cupped the back of my neck, fighting a smile.

“It’s not what it looks like, Mom. Cole just stopped by to see how I was.”

“Sweetheart, I don’t mind that Cole’s here. Although I am relieved to find you both fully clothed.”

“Oh my God, Mom!”

I smothered a nervous laugh. Mrs. Bennet really knew how to increase the awkward-o-meter by a few notches.

“It’s late,” she added. “Cole, should I make up the guest room or will you be going home?”

I gave Sofia a questioning look and she shrugged. “Aaron will—”

“Actually, Aaron is staying over at the Fords’.”

“He is?”

A slight blush stained Sofia’s cheeks.

“If it’s okay with your parents, Cole, you’re more than welcome to stay here. But as your mother who loves you very much.” She pinned Sofia with a hard look. “I would suggest you talk to your brother before this”—she wagged her finger between us—“goes any further.”

“We’ll talk to him tomorrow,” I said.

“Good. I’ll fix the guest bedroom for you, Cole. Lights out soon, okay, sweetheart?”

“Night, Mom.”

“Good night.”

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