Cole

by Tess Oliver

  I pulled on my helmet and goggles and kick-started the bike. My mind had been all over the place this week because of Kensington. It seemed, when I’d least expected it, I’d met a girl who I thought about morning, noon and night. Denver knew about my dates with Kensington, but I hadn’t said anything to Rodeo yet. He’d been walking around smiling and dreaming about the Corvette, which I planned to just give him. Rodeo could be a pain in the ass, but he’d been a loyal friend. I didn’t have the extra cash or time to do anything with the car. And the bet was the farthest thing from my mind now.

  The bike vibrated beneath me as I twisted the throttle and placed my boots on the pegs. I rode in the opposite direction of the ramp. I needed enough momentum for the jump and enough time to psych myself up for it. I found, in jumping, that if I thought too long about it, the trick ended badly. On the other hand, if I didn’t spend enough time thinking about it, I ended up bailing before I could finish the trick. It had to be just the right amount of speed and thinking time to make it a success. The foam pit had been great at boosting confidence, but there were a lot of things that could turn ugly with only a soft mat on the other end.

  From the corner of my goggles I saw Rodeo and Denver sitting on the wall, waiting to tell me everything I did wrong or pick up the pieces if things went really wrong. The metal ramp clanked as my front wheel hit it. I shot up and off the lip. I took my feet off the pegs as the bike arced high in the air. That crazy sensation of flying whipped through my gut, and I took my right hand off the handlebars and reached beneath my body for the seat. My left hand followed. I held the seat for just a brief flash of time as I felt the bike head back down toward earth. I pulled my body forward through the air and grabbed the handlebars a few seconds before my bike tires hit the dirt landing. I’d landed upright on the bike but had gotten there a little late. The handlebars wobbled, and I lost control. I turned sharply off the mat and laid the bike down. All in all, a good ride, and I’d only added a few scrapes and bruises to my body and the motorcycle.

  Denver walked over and picked up the bike while I dusted myself off. I dropped my goggles around my neck. He had to talk loudly for me to hear through the helmet. “Form was good. Now work on more air and smoother transition back to the handlebars. Not enough space between you and the ground before you got your ass back on the seat.”

  I nodded and took the bike from him. I rode back to the start and circled around. It was nearly dusk, and the late day sun glinted off the metal ramp. After a long work week, my body was suffering what I liked to call the Thursday night energy drain. Neither circumstance was good for practicing my jump, but I was determined to stick the landing once before calling it a night.

  I grabbed the throttle and headed toward the narrow ramp. My feet left the pegs earlier this time, giving me enough time to release my grip and grab the seat. I pulled my body forward again, and my feet braced against the pegs. My back tire hit the landing, and with a jarring thud, the front tire hit the dirt. I rode to the end and circled back holding my fist in the air. I’d landed it.

  Rodeo and Denver hopped off the wall and walked over to greet me as I shut down the motor and pulled off my goggles and helmet.

  “Duude,” Rodeo crowed, “that was sick. Almost couldn’t have done better myself.”

  Denver hadn’t said anything yet. I knew him well enough to know he was going through the entire jump in replay in his head where he would analyze it and then tell me what was wrong.

  I stared at him. “Well, Dr. Denver from Boston, what’s the diagnosis?”

  “Nailed it.” He lifted his fist.

  Rodeo rolled his eyes at Denver before turning back to me. “See, bro, even though it looks certain you’re going to lose that bet over the wine heiress, at least you have this little win to finish the week.”

  “Yep, at least I have this.”

  Chapter 15

  Kensington

  I was mucking the last stall when Trish came around the corner and popped her head inside. “Now that the kids are gone, dish. I want to hear about this new guy because you’ve been all aglow and atwitter all week.”

  “Aglow and atwitter? You and my dad need to write a book on corny, outdated sayings together. But I guess those two words pretty well sum up the way I’m feeling.” I turned the mucking fork over into the wheelbarrow and pushed past the pony.

  Trish stepped out of the stall door opening to let me pass.

  “Did you want me to blanket tonight? It’s getting sort of chilly when the sun drops.” I smiled. “People on the east coast under five feet of snow in fall would have a good laugh over that statement, wouldn’t they?”

  “Kensie, you’re avoiding the topic.” Trish had tied her hair up in a loose bun. Her spray of nose freckles stood out in sharp contrast to pink skin. A lifetime outside with horses had aged her skin prematurely even with a constant slathering of sun block. “I’ve known you for a long time, and I’ve seen you go through a plethora of boyfriends—”

  I laughed as I picked up the handles of the wheelbarrow. “A plethora of boyfriends? Is that like a gaggle of geese? When you say it like that, you make me sound like some interminable flirt who jumps from guy to guy without direction or purpose.” I lowered the wheelbarrow to the ground and looked at her. “Oh my gosh, is that me? Am I that girl?”

  “No, you’re not. You’re just picky. And you should be. But this time I’m seeing a little twinkle in those green eyes, and I don’t usually see it.”

  “So far, so good, Trish. I’m almost afraid to even say that out loud in case I jinx something.” I sighed. “Maybe I’m just so darn programmed to expect disappointment that it always happens. You know, like a self-fulfilling prophecy? This time it would be an especially disappointing disappointment if there was such a thing. I like Cole . . . a lot. He checks a lot of my boxes, including the main one—he’s fun to be around.” I walked the wheelbarrow outside and Trish followed to help dump it onto the massive manure pile behind the barn. We returned to the stables.

  “The first thing you have to do is stop worrying and just have a good time. If it’s meant to be—”

  “Now you sound like my mom. She enjoys being flippant about my relationships, about everything for that matter. With the exception of the really shallow aspects of her life like which hair color to choose and which purse goes with which outfit.”

  Trish and I walked back to the office to make the next week’s schedule. “I don’t mean to be flippant. I just know that you always have your head on straight, and if this doesn’t turn out to be what you thought, you’ll come out the other side with it on even straighter.”

  “I guess. Although, I will admit that my head hasn’t been on too terribly straight since I met Cole. Maybe that’s what has me so uneasy. Even my work is suffering some, and you know how I hate that.”

  Trish stepped into the office slash empty stall. About the only part of the small, crude space that said office was the second-hand desk, a stapler and a whiteboard for scheduling. Trish sat on the stool she’d created out of an old sawhorse.

  I stepped up to the whiteboard to write the schedule. My phone was sitting on Trish’s desk. It rang and she glanced up at me. “Could it be?”

  I picked it up. It was Cole. Trish’s enthusiastic grin melted when I walked out of the office to take the call.

  “Hello.”

  “I have to house sit this weekend. Please tell me you can join me, otherwise I’m going to be extremely lonely. By the way, this is Cole, in case you didn’t know. And hello. Forgot the greeting. So, what do you say?”

  “You’re house sitting? What the heck will the house do if no one is watching it?”

  “Well, to be more specific, I’ll be pig sitting. The house is wrapped around the pig. I just thought house sitting sounded more dignified and more fun. It’s at my dad’s place.”

 
“See, then you’re about to learn something new about me. Pig sitting sounds way more appealing. I would love to pig sit. And we can watch the house too, if necessary.”

  “Cool. How’s your day going?” One thing I’d noticed about Cole was he was always in a good mood. It was something I admired and a trait that I rarely found in anyone.

  “My day’s been great. There was an incident with my coffee cup falling on my mom’s new ivory colored rug, and I thought she might ship me off for good. But I’m happy to say she’s keeping me after all. How’s your day been?”

  “I nailed the landing on a trick, and I still have all my bones intact. So, it’s been a good day. I’ll pick you up tomorrow after work. Bring a bathing suit. Wait. Why the hell would I suggest that? We’ll be completely alone—except for Some Pig. But he won’t tell if we skinny dip in the pool.”

  “I’ll bring a suit,” I said. “Are there any special snacks I could bring for Some Pig?”

  “His favorite food is nachos, but he’ll eat most anything with the exception of bacon. For obvious reasons. Hey, Kensie, I’m glad you’re going with me.”

  “Yeah, me too. See you tomorrow. Bye.”

  I hung up and couldn’t suppress a smile as I walked back into the office. Trish glanced up from her paperwork with an expectant look. “Well?”

  “I’m pig sitting with him this weekend.”

  Her squeal of excitement was cut short. “Did you say pig sitting?”

  “His sister Finley has a pet pig. I’ll be spending the weekend with Cole at his dad’s place.”

  “Shut up, you lucky bum. You’ll be sitting on a couch that has Nicky King’s butt cheek print on the cushions.”

  “Hmm, hadn’t really considered that prospect, but yes, I suppose my bottom will be where Nicky King’s butt cheeks have sat.” I took a deep breath and looked down to check my feet. “Yep, they’re still on the ground. Just not sure for how long.”

  Chapter 16

  Kensington

  I lived on a beautiful vineyard, in a big, wonderful house, but the King Estate was a whole other dimension of lavish. Just past the gates, an impossibly long driveway lined by lush jacaranda trees led up to a mansion that was the size of a small city.

  “Wow. Of course, I knew that Nicky King wouldn’t be living in a hovel. I just have never seen anything quite so magnificent.”

  “It’s big,” Cole shrugged. “The funny thing is, we spend most of our time in the kitchen, television room and our own bedrooms. The rest of the house is just extra space. I swear there are rooms that I haven’t seen or stepped into in years. Dad’s been thinking about downsizing. Finley and Rett stay here most of the time, but Jude and Eden live near their colleges. I usually end up near the construction site. And Dad is rarely home. He’s in Europe right now with some friends. Fin and Rett are traveling up north to rescue two horses that had been left out in a dry field to starve to death. They’ll be back on Sunday.” Cole drove his truck up to the top of the driveway and pulled into a garage.

  “Your sister is awesome with all the help she’s giving to abused farm animals.”

  “She’s annoying, but I love her. Just to warn you, she has spoiled the hell out of her pig.” Cole liked to pretend that his siblings were nuisances, but there was always a gleam of pride in his eyes when he talked about either of them.

  We climbed out of the truck, and Cole grabbed the bag I’d packed myself.

  We headed toward the polished front doors. “Do you like dogs?” he asked.

  “Who doesn’t like dogs?”

  “Butch and Sundance are really big, and they drool a lot.” He opened the door. We were immediately greeted by two massive Irish Wolfhounds.

  “Oh my gosh, I’ve only seen this breed in pictures. They are like lions.” I gave each dog a hearty rub and glanced around, hoping to see Some Pig.

  “If you’re looking for the four-footed ham, he’s probably taking a nap in Finley’s room.” He threw my bag over his shoulder. “We can go wake him after we take your things up to my room.” He paused before heading to the stairs. “Or we have a couple guest rooms, if you prefer.”

  “Guest rooms sound lonely and boring.”

  He grabbed my hand and pulled me closer for a kiss. “What kind of host would I be if I left my guest bored and lonely? I’m glad you came.” He took my hand and led me up the massive double staircase to a long hallway. Paintings and table top sculptures were strategically placed along the corridor. A long intricately woven rug lined the long hallway. We reached a door and he opened it.

  The bedroom was the size of a small house, complete with a giant flat screen television and sitting area with leather chairs and a couch. A giant window looked out over a pool that seemed to stretch on like a lake. I looked around. “Impressive and clean. Somehow I pictured a trail of dirty socks and empty potato chip bags.”

  “Nope, as you can see I keep my room clean.”

  “You mean the housekeeper keeps it clean.”

  “Yep. And if she didn’t, you’d find dirty socks and probably a few chip bags. In fact, when I was young, my dad decided to teach me a lesson. He told the housekeeper not to touch the room until I started picking up after myself.” He placed my bag on one of the chairs. “It backfired on him though. Turned out, I didn’t really mind the mess. In fact, I kind of enjoyed those few months of freedom where no one came in and moved my stuff around. Place just about needed fumigation afterward. Now I’m rarely here, so the room stays pretty much untouched.”

  I walked to the window and looked out over the grounds. There was a large stretch of grass, fruit trees, rose gardens and tennis courts. “Don’t you miss this place when you’re not here?”

  He walked up behind me. I could feel the heat of his body. “I’m one of those guys who can lay his head anywhere to sleep. Doesn’t matter if I’m in this bedroom or in a tent. It’s not the surroundings I look forward to, it’s the people.” His arms went around my waist and his chest pressed against my back. “I definitely miss the time when Fin, Jude and I all lived here together. We fought of course, but we had an awesome fucking childhood. Most of the time, our nannies would just let us do whatever. It’s pretty hard to keep track of three kids in a place this big. Whenever Dad got back from a concert tour, this place would be filled with parties. But the three of us always liked it best when it was just my dad hanging around and doing dad stuff.”

  I spun around in his arms. “See, that’s what I like about you. Even with all this, you’re exceptionally normal.”

  “If that isn’t just what a guy wants to hear when he’s holding a beautiful woman in his arms.” He kissed me. “Is there anything else you like about me?”

  I wriggled closer to him and could already feel his erection pressing against my belly. “I could probably find a few other things if I thought long and hard enough.”

  He reached up and ran his thumb across my bottom lip. “You have a way with words, Kensington Modante.” His hand dropped to my waist, and he reached up beneath my shirt and smoothed his palm over my back. I wrapped my arms around his neck and brought my mouth against his. It took only seconds and parting intermittently from our kiss to strip naked.

  “Cannot fucking get enough of you, Kensie,” he muttered against my mouth.

  “It’s all part of my plan,” I said softly.

  “Your plan’s working.” He turned me around and pressed my hands on the windowsill. My eyes drifted shut catching only glimpses of the lush scenery below. The world beyond washed into a colorful blur as he left a trail of hot kisses down my back. I sucked in a stunned breath as I felt him kneel down behind me. His mouth pressed against the bare skin of my bottom.

  I held tightly to the windowsill as he gently spread my legs wider. He reached around and slid his fingers through the moist folds of my pussy, pushing my ass out
farther to meet his mouth. “Do you like this, baby?” His mouth vibrated against my tender flesh as he spoke.

  “Yes,” I uttered on a long breath. My head felt filled with air as he pushed his tongue inside of me. His thumb stroked my clit as his tongue probed deeper. My entire body and mind were centered around my pussy as he coaxed me closer to orgasm.

  Cole was skilled and knew just where to touch. I jutted my bottom out farther, pleading silently for more. I squeezed my thighs shut around his hand as he continued to massage my clit. My arms shook as I braced myself against the window ledge. Sunshine poured through the window pane and wrapped my body in its comforting warmth. The pressure of Cole’s tongue made me clench tighter. Seconds later, my body quivered in pulsating waves, and my pussy clamped deliciously around the onslaught of his tongue and hand.

  “Cole,” I sighed breathlessly. I could barely keep myself upright as my body shook with the exquisite feel of it.

  He stood and wrapped his arms around me and lowered his mouth to my ear. “That was the first of many,” he promised. My mind was still in a haze as he spoke. I’d never been with any man who knew my body so intimately. He seemed to know exactly what I wanted. And I wanted him. Everything about the man had me trembling. As much as I’d tried to keep my head on my shoulders, it seemed Cole knew just what to do and say to make that impossible.

  “After tasting you and hearing you say my name, I’m about to lose my fucking mind.” Cole grabbed a condom from his nightstand, took my hand and led me to the small couch in the sitting area of his bedroom. He sat down and dragged his heated gaze over my body, finally stopping to study my face as I straddled his lap.

  My pulse had just slowed from the last orgasm, and I found it racing again, trying to keep pace with my heart and my breathing as I slid down over Cole’s erection.