Counting On Cole (Wilde Ways #8) - Cynthia Eden Page 0,1
breath. “You don’t want—”
“I want you to kiss me.”
His gaze dropped to her mouth. That electric blue stare heated as he focused on her lips. His head began to lower.
She rose onto her toes. So very eager for him to—
“No.” He shook his head, but his gaze didn’t move from her lips. “You’re confused.”
Nope. “I feel crystal clear.”
“It’s adrenaline. It’s mixed up emotions. You think you want me, but you’re just riding the emotional roller coaster from everything that’s happening.”
“I hate roller coasters.” Her gaze was on his mouth. “But I really want to know what you taste like.”
A growl tore from him. “I have been keeping my control, every moment…”
“I know, and it’s been awesome to watch.” Very impressive.
Now his stare—slightly shocked—flew to hers.
“But I don’t want control from you, Cole. I just want you.”
“You don’t know me.”
Okay, good point. But… “For the last seven days, I’ve spent almost every moment with you. I know you’re a protector. I know you’re fierce. I know you’re determined. And I know that you can’t stand putting syrup on your pancakes.”
His brows shot up. “What?”
She shrugged. “Random fact. Just threw it out to prove that I do know you, or at least a few things about you. And I’d like to know more.” Evie would like to know everything. But she’d start with knowing how he tasted. “Do you feel it?” Yes, she’d been bold enough to ask.
She wasn’t normally the bold and brave type. She was the watcher. The woman in the background. She didn’t take big risks or put herself out there much. But…
Things had changed.
When she’d been abducted outside of her hotel, everything had changed. Life couldn’t be taken for granted any longer. She couldn’t hold back, thinking there was nothing but time waiting for her. No, if she wanted something, she had to act. No more hiding in the shadows.
“Feel what?” Cole rumbled.
“The attraction. The need. You see, when you touch me…” She reached for his hand. Her index finger slid along his palm. “I feel a spark that dances through my whole body.” She moved her finger slowly in a little circle, right in the middle of his palm. “You touch me, and I need.”
Cole swallowed. “This isn’t a good idea.”
Her head cocked. “Why not?” She rather thought it was a stellar idea.
“Because I’m not the kind of lover that you’re used to, Evie.”
There it was again. Her name. From his lips. She swallowed. “How do you know what I’m used to?”
“Because when I took this job, I was given a file on you. It had background info. Had a breakdown of your friends. Your past lovers.”
Okay, that was unsettling. “My whole life, typed up in some neat pages for you?”
A curt nod. “You like safe men. You like gentlemen. The rich guys with the fancy houses who use all of the different forks.”
Her eyebrows shot down. “Why are you talking to me about forks right now?”
Cole blinked and a startled laugh escaped him. He smothered it too quickly. “And why do you keep surprising me? I can’t quite figure you out.”
“You can’t figure me out because there is more to me than whatever was in your neat file. Just so you know, I don’t want to talk to you about my past lovers at this exact moment. Bad timing, you know?”
“Yeah,” an edge had entered his voice, “let’s not talk about them.”
“I want you to kiss me. I want to see if your kiss will be as good as I imagine or…” She shrugged. Stepped back. “If it will only be average.”
His wide smile flashed once more. “Average?”
She had no doubt his kiss would never, ever be average. She also had no doubt that she knew how to push his buttons. When you lived with a guy in close quarters, you picked up on a few things.
She’d picked up on the fact that Cole could not resist a challenge.
“It won’t be average,” he promised her.
Her breath caught. “So we’re going to kiss?”
“That all we’re doing? Kissing?”
Her heart thumped hard in her chest. “Why, Cole, do you want to do more?”
The blaze in his eyes told her that, hells-to-the-yes, he did. “You said you wanted only a kiss.”
She’d actually thought the kiss would be a great place to start. And he still didn’t have his mouth on hers.
His hand rose and curled under her chin. His fingertips were slightly callused, but she liked the roughness of his touch. Truth be told, she pretty much liked everything about