“Savannah?” he whispered in the darkness, unable to stop himself from following up on her comment about kissing him.
“Yes?”
“Have you been kissed before?”
“No.”
He closed his eyes. Just like he thought. “Okay. One goodnight kiss.” He knew it was a bad idea, that it would irrevocably change things between them, but damn he wanted to taste her lips, to be her first. He needed it like he needed his next breath.
He shifted and she lifted her head from his chest, allowing him to move over top of her. He hovered over her, lowering himself slowly until their bodies lay flush — his hips aligned with hers, his chest just brushing her hardened ni**les and their mouths millimeters from touching. He held himself up on his elbows, and cradled her head in his hands, brushing strands of hair back from her face. Her breath came in fast little puffs against his lips. He took his time, unwilling to rush this. Angling her jaw to his, he lowered down to meet her waiting mouth.
Her lips were full and soft, and he pressed against her, deepening the kiss. Even if part of him knew he shouldn’t do this, she deserved to be kissed properly for her first kiss. Cole parted her lips, and when her tongue met his, eager and wet as it swirled against his, his dick went instantly hard again. She didn’t kiss like a beginner. He pressed himself into the crook between her legs, and Savannah automatically wrapped her legs around his waist and let out a ragged breath. The heat at her center cradled him and he ground his hips in closer, biting back a moan from the friction. His restraint was dangling by a thread. As f**king amazing as it felt, Cole broke the kiss, knowing he wouldn’t be able to stop himself if they kept going. He pressed a chaste kiss to her forehead. “There, now you’ve been properly kissed.”
She smiled up at him, her eyes blinking open lazily.
He chuckled at how damn cute she looked, sated and sleepy. “Just get some rest, okay?”
“Okay.” She rolled to her side, and nuzzled into the pillow.
Chapter 17
That Sunday, like every Sunday, Cole prepared for his visit with Abbie. It wasn’t so much that he wanted to go, more like he was obligated. He wouldn’t break their weekly appointment simply because he didn’t feel like going. Their relationship was much too complex.
He dressed casually, in jeans and a polo shirt. But he added a spray of cologne to his neck just because he knew it made her smile.
“Savannah, I have to go out for a little while. Will you be okay?”
Savannah crossed her arms over her chest and watched as he slipped on a pair of well-worn loafers. “Of course. I’ll be fine.”
“I won’t be gone long.”
She glanced around the quiet, empty apartment with a frown. Cole knew it probably wasn’t possible for her to feel at home in his stark bachelor pad. She was accustomed to the noise and constant company of living with forty people. The silence stretched between them, and they each refused to break eye contact. He was glad she hadn’t asked where he was going. He wouldn’t enjoy lying to her. “I’ll only be gone an hour or so.”
Once outside, the sunlight was too bright, casting an overly cheery halo for the occasion. The drive only took ten minutes and Cole parked in front of the building, a familiar knot of uneasiness settling in the pit of his stomach. He always felt dirty when he arrived here, but knew by the time he left, it would be with the relief he craved — however short-lived.
***
When he returned that afternoon, Cole found Savannah in her bedroom with clothes covering her bed and Cuddles perched on a pillow to supervise. “What are you doing?”
Savannah glanced up but continued her task. “Just picking out an outfit for our date. I mean my date with Levi tonight.”
She still wanted to go on the date with Levi? Even after he’d touched her? If he thought it had changed anything between them, he was wrong. It was strange to realize, but he supposed she’d needed the physical release just like he had. Simple as that. “Is this what you want, Savannah?”
She studied him for a moment, abandoning the stack of jeans and leggings. “Marissa thought it would be good for me — I’ve never been on a date before.”
Oh, if Marissa thought it was okay. Damn meddling Marissa. Though he supposed it was good for her to do things any normal nineteen year-old-girl would do. He nodded his okay.
The remainder of the afternoon passed with as little talking as possible. If he could have taken to grunting and pointing, he would have. If Savannah didn’t acknowledge what happened between them, he wouldn’t either. She must have been more drunk than she’d let on that night. It was a mistake to touch her like he had, to take advantage. It wouldn’t happen again, no matter his dick’s insistent pleas every time she was near.
Later they met Levi and Deb, his overly sexed mom, in their apartment for a drink before their dinner date. Deb greeted him with a kiss on both cheeks and a squeeze on his ass. He knew he would to be batting her hands off him all night. Not that he really minded a squeeze here or there, he just didn’t want to put Savannah in an awkward position. Because he sure as shit wasn’t going to be okay with Levi’s hands all over Savannah. Just the thought sent Cole’s mood south. Levi was her age; Cole should be happy if they hit it off. But the thought of another man touching her made him shudder.
Levi looked Savannah up and down, and Cole cursed his sister yet again for the provocative little outfits she’d picked out. He didn’t expect his sister to buy such sexy clothes for Savannah. And fragrant body washes and lotions—his damn bathroom smelled like a girl. He wasn’t used to that. Although upon more closely inspecting her, dressed in dark skinny jeans and a turquoise silk blouse that billowed out from her trim figure, he supposed it wasn’t all that provocative. It was just Savannah. She was gorgeous. She’d still be gorgeous if she was dressed in a burlap sack.