by Sarah Bailey
“Is this how it is every day?” I murmured.
“No, usually it’s only a few of us. Mum implemented Friday night dinners so we’d all spend time together as a family, and one Sunday a month we have our grandparents over for lunch. Everyone is expected to attend.”
“Or what?”
Raphi grinned.
“Or they get guilt-tripped by Mum.”
“No, they get an earful from Quinn,” Cole muttered from next to me.
I glanced over at him, not realising he’d been listening to me and Raphi.
“That too,” Raphi agreed.
I went back to my food, but it did not escape my notice that Cole kept staring at me with unnerving intensity. Goosebumps prickled all over my skin, making me hyper-aware of how close his body was to mine. Why the hell was I having this weird reaction to him? I wished he would quit giving me weird looks like he couldn’t work out whether he wanted to strangle me fast or slow.
Seriously, what the hell did I ever do to him?
“So, Meredith, what A-Levels are you taking? Raphi didn’t mention it.”
I looked up at Ash, who was sat across from me.
“Art and Design, Drama and English… I’d like to be a set designer one day. My dad used to take me to the theatre all the time.”
My heart tightened when I realised I’d mentioned him. Some days it would be normal to talk about him, but others, it would upset me. I tried not to think too hard about it.
“So the complete opposite of my son who likes all things science.”
I smiled.
“Yeah, guess so. They do say opposites attract.”
I had meant that innocently, but movement to my left caught my attention. Cole gripped his fork harder in his hand and almost slammed a glass down on the table.
Why would that bother him?
“What Mer meant is we get along just fine despite being different,” Raphi interjected, “in a strictly platonic way.”
“And here I was wondering why you can’t get a girlfriend,” Duke said, waving his fork at his brother. “Now I know. You’re too pussy to make a move on a girl.”
“Shut up.”
“Dukey, don’t wind your brother up,” Ash said, frowning at her son.
Duke scowled.
“Don’t call me that. I’m a grown man.”
“If you’re a grown man, then why do I still have to pick up all your dirty clothes off your bedroom floor, hmm?”
“Mum!”
Duke waved a hand at me like her embarrassing him was not on, even though he’d been intent on trying to wind his brother up.
“Serves him right,” Raphi muttered.
I stifled a smile. No matter what Raphi said, his family was perfectly normal as far as I was concerned. There were a lot of them and they were loud, but I liked that. It was better than the silence at my house with me, Mum and Grandma. After Jonah moved out to go to university in Durham, things had become increasingly strained at home. Mum and Grandma were always arguing or ganging up on me with their snide remarks. It was a blessing to be away from the tense atmosphere for an evening.
The rest of dinner passed much the same. I engaged in conversation when I was asked questions by Raphi’s parents. The only person who remained silent was Cole. I could see his dad glancing at him every so often with concern as if this wasn’t usual behaviour for his son. I had a feeling it had everything to do with me being there.
When we were all finished and the dishes were being cleared, I asked Raphi where the bathroom was. He pointed out it was down the end of the corridor after all their bedrooms. I made my way out of the room and found the bathroom. There was a huge Victorian-style claw-footed bath and it was decorated in pale blues and greens.
After I’d gone to the loo, I walked out along the hallway to go in search of Raphi when a hand grabbed me and yanked me into a room. I barely had time to blink when the door was shut behind me and I was pressed up against it. There, towering above me, stood Cole with his arm resting above my head and his intense hazel eyes burning into my skull.
What the fuck?
Chapter Five
It was safe to say I was done beating around the bush when it came to Meredith. Sitting next to her the whole way through dinner had been absolute torture. The way she’d quite happily interacted with my family without a fucking care in the world pissed me off. Mostly because she wasn’t being the Meredith I knew. The one who spoke her own mind and didn’t care if she offended people. But no, she was on her best behaviour just as my family had been.
Having her pinned up against my bedroom door probably wasn’t my smartest idea, but no one could call me the nice boy you took home to your parents. Not like my brother.
“What are you doing?” she hissed when she’d got over the shock of me pulling her in here.
It amused me to see her surprised features. Meredith always had the upper hand in every situation she was in. Right now, I had it and I wasn’t about to let it go.
“What am I doing? What are you doing?”
“Going to find Raphi.”
My fingers itched to touch her. To tangle in her strawberry blonde hair and tug her head back, exposing that delectable neck. I watched her swallow and it only made me want to run my tongue along her skin.
“I don’t think so, Meredith.”
“What do you mean? I wasn’t aware I had to ask for your fucking permission.”
There you are my fiery little queen.
“Perhaps you didn’t get the memo.”
The blazing inferno in her green eyes made me smile.
“Look, Cole, I don’t know what your game is, but I’m not interested in playing. Now move and let me out.”
I leant closer, watching her breath hitch.
“No.”
Her hands fisted at her sides as if she was contemplating shoving me away. She could try. Pity for Meredith I wouldn’t let her move me.
“What do you want?”
So many things, Meredith, but most of all, I want you.
Reaching up, I curled a lock of her hair around my finger. Meredith’s eyes fell on what I was doing, confusion painting her features.
“What do I want?”
“Yes.”
My eyes met hers. I could think of many ways to take advantage of this situation right now. I wouldn’t since Raphi would come looking for her sooner rather than later. Plus, I wanted to make her want me back. I wanted Meredith to beg for a piece of me. To crave me and everything I’d give her.
“Do you like my brother?”
She blinked, then scowled.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but no. We’re just friends. That’s it.”
My fingers were close to her chest and her ample cleavage. Meredith had a curvaceous body. Visions of it filled my fantasies when I was alone at night. I wanted to touch her. To brush my fingers over her skin and see if it was as soft as I imagined.
“Good.”
“Good? Why do you care?”
I ran my tongue along my bottom lip, watching her eyes trace its path.
That’s right, Meredith, look at me. If you wanted, I’d quite happily lick your lip too. Fuck, if I don’t want to. I want to devour you. So. Fucking. Much.
“Raphi wouldn’t give you what you need.”
Those green eyes flashed with annoyance.
“Oh, and how the fuck would you know that? You don’t know a single thing about me and I don’t know you, so why don’t you let me go and we can forget this ever happened.”
I’d never forget Meredith, nor this moment. This encounter. The first time I’d had an actual conversation with her. Even if she probably wanted to punch my lights out right now. She’d change her tune soon enough.
“I know a lot about you. People like to talk and I like to listen.”
“Whatever. There aren’t any rumours about me.”
I smiled.
“No?
So, it’s not true you’ve never been kissed then?”
“What? Where the hell did you hear that?”
The fear in her eyes told me it was true. Told me exactly what I’d wanted to know. Meredith was a virgin like me. The thought of taking her and making her mine completely made my dick swell. It’s not like I thought our first time would be some momentous occasion, but after that… I’d learn exactly how to tease her curvaceous body until she was screaming my name.
“Not from anyone who would spread it around the school if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“You know what, Cole, fuck you. It’s not your business, now let me go.”
Her hands came up and landed on my chest. A shudder went through her at the direct contact. Instead of pushing me away, she stared at where her hands were. I placed my own hands on hers and forced her to drag them down my chest and lower to my stomach. Meredith’s eyes were like saucers and her chest heaved with each breath she took. I stopped when we’d reached the tops of my jeans. Her touch electrified me and made me want so much fucking more. I wanted everything.
“It’s okay, Meredith,” I murmured. “I know you want to touch me.”
“Wh… what?”
I stepped closer until we were inches apart, keeping her hands pinned to my body.
“You want this. You want to know what it’s like, don’t you? To touch and be touched in return.”
“I…”
“Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.”
She shook herself and glared up at me as if coming out of a trance.
“What the fuck, Cole? I don’t want to touch you and I certainly don’t want you to touch me.”
She shoved me then. I let go of her hands. Before she had a chance to disappear from my space, I leant down, my mouth brushing along the shell of her ear, making sure that was the only place my body touched hers.
“Liar.”
“Excuse me?”
“I called you a liar. You can fool the whole fucking world, but not me. I see right through you. You think I know nothing about you, but I know a whole lot more than you’ll ever realise. Mark my words, Meredith, you’ll be back for more of what you think you don’t want sooner rather than later.”
I took several steps back, watching her try to regain her composure after what I’d said.
“You think you’re so fucking smart, huh? Let me make one thing very clear, Cole Carter, I will never want anything from you so take your delusional bullshit elsewhere.”
And with that, she ripped open my door and stormed out of my room. I rocked back on my heels and smiled. No doubt she’d been stewing over every word I said when she was alone, wondering what the hell I meant. Then she’d be back to find out.
And I’d be waiting.
Chapter Six
I swear to god that boy was the devil sent to drag me down into the depths of hell. The moment I escaped from his room with my heart pounding and my body trembling with feelings I didn’t understand nor want to, I ran headlong into Cole’s dad. He steadied me with two hands on my shoulders. When I looked up at Rory, I almost flinched. Given what just happened with his son, seeing those damning hazel eyes had me pressing a hand to my chest.
“Running somewhere?”
“Away from Cole,” I blurted out without thinking.
Mouth, shut the fuck up!
Rory’s eyes grew concerned as he dropped his hands.
“What did he do?”
“N… nothing.”
In reality, Cole hadn’t done anything other than taunt me. I’d been the one to touch him. Something I severely regretted.
But do you? Didn’t you like the way he felt against your palms?
“Nothing? That doesn’t sound like Cole.”
I shook my head. As if I wanted to admit to his dad, Cole had flooded my veins with violent arousal just by talking to me. Something I didn’t understand in the slightest.
And yet you just admitted it to yourself. That’s why you’re flustered.
“It was a misunderstanding. Nothing serious… I… uh… should find Raphi.”
Rory eyed me for a long moment. He didn’t believe a word coming out of my mouth. He knew his son had done something to me. I wasn’t about to enlighten him, considering this was the first time I’d met the man. Also, I still felt pretty intimidated by him. He radiated this air of danger.
“He’s in the living room.”
“Um, thank you.”
I ducked by him and hurried away, not wanting to prolong the encounter. Didn’t stop me glancing back to find Rory watching me. Then he turned and knocked on Cole’s door. I hoped his son would not say a word about what just happened between us.
I pressed my hands to my burning cheeks, wanting to be away from this house and Cole Carter. That fucking boy. I had no idea what he thought he was playing at. I’d never met a cockier and more arrogant sixteen-year-old in my life. He acted like I should just accept everything he said without question.
Fuck you, Cole. I don’t want you.
My body had other ideas. My fingers tingled as if they were still planted on his solid chest. My skin thrummed in anticipation of his hands all over it. And the less said about what was going on between my thighs, the better.
How the hell did he know I was a virgin? Who had found that out and told him? He told me my secret was safe but I didn’t believe a word coming out of that boy’s mouth. How could I trust someone who’d dragged me into his bedroom and pinned me against his door like I was a ragdoll or a toy for his amusement?
And why did it turn me on?
Shoving all of those thoughts well away from my brain so I didn’t have to think about the whys and hows of my body’s reaction to Cole, I made it to the living room and found Raphi alone in there with the TV on.
“Hey,” I said, trying to keep my voice level and even.
He looked back at me over the top of the sofa. His brow furrowed when he took in my appearance.
“Everything okay?”
“Yes… what are we doing now?”
“Well, we can watch TV or I can show you our games room.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“Games room?”
“Uhuh, used to be our playroom when we were kids. Duke’s probably in there and he might let you play co-op with him or something.”
I had wanted to go home but maybe I needed the distraction. Home would only be filled with silence.
“What about you?”
Raphi grinned.
“We could persuade him to play Mario Kart.”
“Oh, you are so on.”
Raphi got up and led me through the house towards the back. We entered a big room with a huge flatscreen TV, a couple of old school arcade games resting along the wall and Duke sat on the large sofa with a controller in his hand.
“What do you two want?” he asked when he spied us lingering in the doorway.
“Want to play us at Mario Kart?”
Duke eyed us for all of two more seconds before he lugged himself off the sofa.
“Oh, go on then, I bet I’ll kick both your arses.”
Raphi and I took our seats and Duke got everything set up. For the next hour, the three of us were completely fixated on trying to outmatch each other. I almost didn’t notice when Cole arrived. Except for the fact, my skin prickled at his mere presence. And I was not expecting him to plant himself between me and Raphi on the sofa.
Why are you here? I don’t want you near me after what you did earlier.
“You here to ruin our fun?” Duke asked.
“No,” Cole muttered and grabbed the last controller off the coffee table.
“You better not throw that at the screen like the last time you lost.”
Cole glared at his brother.
“I won’t.”
Cole looked at me, his eyes burning into my flesh like he could see right through me. The smirk gracing his lips made me wa
nt to smack it off his face. I refrained and looked away, hoping neither Raphi nor Duke noticed their brother’s interest in me. Whatever the hell that interest was.
You have a good idea of what he wants, Meredith. Don’t lie to yourself.
Duke set up a new game and for the first race, nothing untoward happened. Before we started the second one, Cole shifted closer to me until our thighs met. I could’ve sworn my face was on fire, but I attempted to ignore him. Duke and Raphi had both leant forward in their seats, their eyes intent on the screen. When Cole leant over to me, his breath disturbing my hair, I shivered and tried not to react any further.
“You’re still here,” he whispered.
As much as Cole had rattled me, going home didn’t appeal to me either. When I’d told Mum, I was going to a friend’s house, she’d barely batted an eyelid. I wasn’t sure when she stopped caring about what I did in life, but it had been some time over the past four years after my dad died. It’s like she no longer saw me as her daughter. I was an inconvenience to her life and she’d rather I left like Jonah had.
“Not because of you,” I hissed back. “Don’t distract me.”
“What did you say to my dad?”
I glanced at him, finding his gaze on the TV but his head was angled close to mine.
“Nothing.”
“Nothing doesn’t explain why he asked me what I did to you.”
“It’s not my fault I ran into him after you pushed me up against your fucking door, okay? Did you expect me not to be flustered?”
What the fuck? Don’t tell him that! Jesus, Meredith, you’re not helping your case here.
The smile on Cole’s lips was so arrogant, I almost called him out for it. Clearly pleased with himself for having an effect on me.
Prick.
“Flustered? I don’t think that’s the right word for what I made you.”
“Oh, and what would be the right word?”
I shouldn’t have asked that question. I knew it the moment the words left my mouth. Cole moved his hands until his knuckles brushed against my thigh, all the while still holding the controller and keeping his attention on the race. My breath hitched at the motion and my body betrayed me entirely.