"Again!' He screamed over the sound of the storm that was coming down in sheets all around them.
"Just stop okay, I can't do it! It's not you, Cole. You have nothing to prove, it’s me, okay?!”
"Again!" He repeated, stopping about ten feet away from her.
"I can't fucking do it, okay?! You know what, I can't do any of it! This is never gonna work, and, it never was. The whole idea was so stupid!" She screamed, her fists held in tight little balls at her sides, as the rainwater slid over, every inch, of her exposed flesh.
"Again!" He said it even louder than he had before, his face a hard mask of determination as his muscles flexed, ready and waiting to take her on.
"What don’t you get?! I'm not good enough for that school. I'm never gonna make the cut, no matter what! It was just a dumb dream, of a stupid kid. I'm realizing now, that it's all bullshit! I'm gonna be stuck in this fucking town forever, and the sooner I realize that, the better! I'm sorry I dragged you into this, but you're off the hook okay, just go home!" She yelled, before turning her back on him, once again.
"I said, again!"
This time, he screamed the words so loud that it hurt Olivia’s ears to hear them. She stilled, her mind racing. She was so unsure of everything in this moment. Her nerves were wearing, less than thin, the closer it came to the audition. Not to mention, her parents had been on her, non-stop. They had spent the last few weeks filling her head with the idea that she was never gonna make it. It wasn't even just that, though. Lately, she had started to second guess, everything that she thought she had always known for a fact. Like, what if she actually did nail the audition and get into Julliard? What the hell did she know about living in a city as big as New York? Living anywhere, on her own, for that matter. Truthfully, she didn't know shit.
She had spent her entire life, focused only on one thing, and now that it was almost here, she wasn't even sure if she could do it. Another thing had also been weighing heavy on her mind; what about Cole, what would happen to him after the audition? Olivia had found herself thinking a lot about him, a lot more than she should’ve been, that was for damn sure.
He had all kinds of questions and ideas popping into her head. Informing her that she wasn’t really, sure, about any of her big planes, anymore. It was that part, that had her speaking up once again, to her dismay.
"Cole, I need to tell you something, I think I'm falling…,"
"Again, God damn it!" He snapped out, refusing to allow her to be heard until she completed the task at hand.
And just like that, Olivia took off, and as the rain pelted her face, she didn't have time to think about falls, or about how slick their bodies were from the storm. She just ran for it, just wanting him to shut up, long enough, so that she could tell him what she had been trying, not to, for weeks, now. She would bomb the jump, just like she had every time before and maybe then, he would let her confess, what she was sure, he didn’t wanna here. She knew that she sure as hell didn't want to admit it, but she had to. She just couldn't keep it in, any longer. It was now or never, just like the lift. The next thing she knew, was that she was off the ground, high above, balancing only on one of Cole’s outstretched hands. She held the pose, spun, twisted then caught his hand once more before she leaped, letting her body come, crashing through the air. He completed his part, a spin kick and was there, right where he was supposed to be to catch her, before spinning her body in his arms, and gently allowing her to twist down his frame, coming to softly touch down on the wet pavement below.
They had executed it, perfectly.
"Oh my God, we did it!" She whispered, her eyes growing wide as she looked up at Cole.
His smile was to die for as he gave her a little nod.
"You, did it, Penny lane!" He corrected, pulling her up into his arms for a bear hug.
"Penny lane?" She questioned, hugging him back, just as tightly as she could.
"The move we just did, its called the Penny flip. And, you, just made it your bitch! I think it's only right that you get to keep its name. It's got a nice ring to it, don’t it?"
"I love it! We really can do this, can't we?!" She announced, excitedly, realizing all her previous fears had vanished.
Cole had pushed her to her breaking point and then brought her back again. The man was an angel, sent straight from Heaven, to help her out in her time of need. In this moment, she was sure of it.
"You, can do this. I'm just here to catch ya, in case ya fall." Cole promised, keeping her tightly to his chest.
Looking up, into his, trust me green eyes, Penny found that his words took on a whole new meaning.
"Cole, I…,"
She started, but he quickly stopped her with his lips on hers. Total, game changer.
His kiss was gentle, yet, all consuming. It had Penny feeling like she was melting, as if at any second, she would soon be joining the puddle of rainwater that gathered at her feet. She was no better than the rain that was falling down all around her, she was falling, just the same. Falling for him, that is.
"Spend the night with me?" Cole rasped, his voice thick with want as his eyes promised things Penny had never even dared to dream of.
It was said as a question but Penny didn’t feel like it was one. A question would mean that there were two or more answers. She didn’t see any other answers but one.
“Okay…,” she whispered, her lip trembling as she began to nod.
Neither, said a word as they ran back inside to grab their belongings.
She followed him to the motel in her car. He’d been staying there ever since he came back to Texas. It was cheap, clean, and charged by the month, which all worked well for Cole. He was saving up to buy a house, but when he did, he knew that it would be in Cali, not way out here in Texas. So for now, the hotel life, worked for him.
After unlocking the door, Cole watched as Penny, hesitantly, stepped inside. Flicking on the light, he made his way into the bathroom in search of a towel for them to dry off with. The rain had soaked them both, clear to the bone.
"Thanks…," Penny whispered in a small voice, as she accepted the towel that he held in his outstretched hand.
They had rushed out of the center so fast, that they still only wore the unders that they had been rehearsing in. Hell, she still had on her ballet slippers, for Christs sake.
"Have a seat," Cole offered, motioning for her to sit on the edge of the bed.
He didn’t miss Penny’s hesitation. He could tell she was nervous, her body moved with a stiffness that he had never seen before. He hoped that she wasn’t changing her mind about tonight. He needed this from her. He couldn’t be around her, one second longer, and not be able to touch her, hold her in his arms, and make her his own. He had never wanted to be inside a woman so badly in all his life. The tension between them had built to a fevered pitch tonight. It was now or never. Something had to give.
He couldn’t take his eyes off her. Sitting here in his room, she somehow looked even smaller than she usually did to him. He could tell that she was feeling out of place in a place like this. She was clearly out of her element and looking shakier by the second.
Reaching down, he gently gripped her ankle, bringing her leg up, until her foot could rest on his thigh.
"I think you might have ruined, these." He smirked, eyeing her muddy slipper as he set about untying the delicate ribbon that was curled up around her toned calf.
"No worries, I’ve got like ten more… at home, that is. Twenty-three pairs to be exact. Twenty three’s, my lucky number, not that you care." She said with a goofy laugh then halted it fast. Even to herself, she sounded like a dork. Her laugh, was way too high pitched from her nerves wearing thin. “Why did I just say any of that, I’m such a spaz. Look at that, I’m shaking. Why am I shaking like this?” She continued to ramble, her eyes zoning in on her hands that sat trembling in her lap.
"Hey, look at me," Cole rasped, instantly earning her full attention. "Relax, okay. I got ya."
Th
ere were those damn words again, meaning so much more now than they had before. His eyes burned into hers as he let one of her leg’s down to grab the other. He made light work of those ribbons as well, before tossing them to the floor beside the others.
"Care to dance?” He questioned, with that heartbreaking smile of his.
Penny found herself wondering if, any woman, had ever been strong enough to say no to that face. She knew, she sure as hell wasn't. That’s how she had gotten herself here, in this cheap hotel, being held close by a charming man. One that she had fallen completely head over heels for, even though, she knew it was a mistake. If all went well, she would be leaving soon, and even if it didn't, Cole would be. All outcomes to the situation were bleak, yet she couldn’t seem to stop herself. She had to have him, at least once.
The ill-fated pair danced in place to no music. Cole’s lips,
kissing trails down her shoulder, while his hands glided over her flesh, feather soft. It had Penny’s toes curling into the cheap carpet beneath them. It only took a moment, before his fingertips were hooked under her sports bra, pulling it up and over her head with practiced ease. She had allowed it, but instantly, felt self-conscious, afterwards.
"Hey, don’t do that,” Cole insisted, reaching for her hands to gently pull them away. “you’ve got absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. You’re so damn beautiful, Penny Lane, so damn perfect in every single, way. I wanna see it all. Show me everything you got babygirl.” He spoke in a husky tone as he pulled her hands down away from her breasts. Allowing him to get a good look at the bounty she had to offer. She had beautiful tits, so young and perky. Life hadn’t weighed them down, just yet. They stood up proud and regal, just as they should. Two beacons in the night, begging to be kissed, and touched, licked and pinched.
Next, Cole went after her delicate unders. Gently tugging them down her trembling thighs. If Penny thought she was embarrassed before, she had been a fool. Her heart was pounding out of her chest, as Cole took a step back, looking her up and down. He had a look in his eyes that she had never seen a man give her before. It had her feeling bare, right down to her soul, standing there before him. He didn’t let her suffer alone for long, in her current, naked state. He wasted no time in peeling down his gym shorts, in turn, making Penny’s eyes go wide.
She thought for sure, that she would die, right then and there but she didn't have time to. Cole was already stepping into her, wrapping his muscled arms around her. He pressed her body to his, bending his head to come in for a kiss. Any last doubts, that Penny might have had, slipped right out of her mind as his mouth came down on hers.
Cole couldn't believe this was finally happening, that his little Penny Lane, was finally gonna let him in. She had always been so reserved, so standoffish anytime he tried to touch her, other than to dance, that is. But now, here she was in his arms, naked as the day she was born.
He had wanted her in his bed since the first day they had met but as the time passed by, that want, had grown into an almost unbearable need. He had never been around a woman, that he had wanted to fuck, but couldn’t. That's just how it was for him. Never in his life, had he ever had a problem with getting a girl into bed. He had the gift of gab and from what he was told, he wasn't too bad to look at, either.
Penny, was different than most women, though, he had realized that, right off the bat. He couldn’t just toss her a few smiles, and a wink, or throw her a some good lines, and then BOOM, have her laying up under him. She wasn't that kind of girl. She was the type of girl who really needed to feel something, in order to be with a man.
For a while, that had killed it for Cole. He had stopped even trying for a bit. He knew he wasn't gonna be that guy for her, he hadn’t been looking to fall in love or to lead her on. She was a good girl and he respected her for it, so, he wasn’t even gonna try to bullshit her with lies just to get into her pants.
Over time, though, things started to change, the way they often do. It left him feeling things that he didn’t really want to. Which in turn, had him saying and doing things that he never thought he would. He had fallen for her, and hard. This wasn’t any kind of bullshit love, either. What he was feeling was real and so was what he was seeing in her eyes, as she looked up at him. Still, he wished he was a stronger man. He knew this could never really work out, in the end. She was gonna nail that audition, he was gonna make damn sure of that. And then, she would be off to N.Y.C., living her dream, and he, well, he would be back in Cali, living his own.
If he was any kind of man, this would be the moment to show his strength. He wasn't strong, though, not when it came to her, anyway. She had a way of turning him weak, making him unsure of everything. All he really did know, for sure, was that he needed her tonight. He needed to have her, just once, before it was too late.
Cole locked his eyes with hers, as he reached down, collecting her thighs before lifting her off her feet. Instinctively Penny wrapped her legs around his waist, locking her ankles just above his toned ass.
For the life of her, Penny couldn't stop her lip from trembling. She thought, for sure, that her heart was going to beat right out of her chest, any second. Her breaths were coming short and fast as Cole laid her across the bed, gently coming to rest over the top of her. The look he was giving, had her head spinning. There was a storm raging in his greens. Every emotion could be seen passing by, as he looked down at her.
‘This is really happening,’ she hissed in her head, trying to ready herself for all the chaos, that this night would, no doubt, bring forth. She didn’t really have a clue, though, no one ever does in a moment like that.
"Cole, I’ve nev.."
His lips, once again, stopped Penny’s words, and all her sorted thoughts, as well. She got lost in that kiss. For the first time, in her entire life, she felt like she was alive, really alive. It was kind of like the feeling that she got when she was dancing, but a hundred times better. That feeling was the only thing that mattered to her, in this moment. It no longer mattered, that she was in a cheap hotel, with a man that she had only known for a short time. It also didn’t matter, that they couldn't be together in the end. All that still mattered, was Cole, his kiss, the feel of his hands on her body, and of his lips on hers. Penny was a goner.
Pain, that’s what brought her back, fast and hard, too. It ripped through her, forcing her eyes to shoot open as a strangled yelp, escaped her lips. Instantly, her hands found Cole’s hips, trying to push back, as her thighs gripped his waist, stilling any further motion on his part.
Cole’s eyes darted to Penny’s, first seeing pain and then fear playing out in her shocked hazels. Two things, that he definitely didn't want to see, in a moment like this. Confusion quickly set in, making his brows furrow. He watched on as her face turned red, her eyes, telling him everything her lips hadn't been able too.
"You've never…," he questioned, with the cock of his head.
"I'm, sorry," she whispered back, slamming her eyes shut. She had never felt so embarrassed in all her life.
"Don’t be sorry, Jesus, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I didn't know. I mean, I thought you…," he started then stopped. Their time together, flashed through his mind, and this time, he took note of all the signs that he had missed the first time around. She had said, she had never really dated, not to mention, how sheepish she would always get when the topic of sex would come up. He had missed all the little signs, and went and fell head over cock, for a freaking virgin, of all things.
Cole wasn’t your average man, he had never been too keen on cherry picking. The act itself, seemed pretty messy, by all accounts, but that wasn’t his real issue with it. It more had to do with attachment. Every woman he knew, had some God awful story about how their first time had been horrible, yet they still stayed hung up on the guy for years to come. All over some preconceived notion, that your first time, was supposed to mean something special and be with someone special. He never wanted that kind of weight on his shoulders. The only way, being th
e first guy ever worked out, was if you ended up staying with the chick, then it was a cute story to tell the grandkids, other than that, the first guy was always just some ass hole, who had come up short.
"Do ya wanna stop?" He questioned, praying she didn't but knowing that he didn't deserve the honor, though, it was kind of late for that, considering the fact that he was currently, buried balls deep inside her. Unknowing or knowing, her virgin territory, had already been claimed.
"No, I want this!" She nodded, sounding surer than she looked.
Her answer, had him leaning down to place a feather soft kiss on her lips before he raised back up, locking eyes with her once again.
"Alright, but ya gotta relax, okay? I’m gonna go nice and easy, but, I don’t want you to hesitate in telling me to stop if you need me to. I need you to be straight with me. If something hurts, you tell me, if you like something, you tell me that, too. I need you to, show me, how to love you, okay?" He rasped, looking down at her with gentle eyes.
For the first time, Penny thought she saw a bit of nervous tension in Cole’s features. He looked so damn hesitant and unsure of himself in this moment. It had Penny knowing, without a doubt, that she had picked the right man for the job.
"I can do that, but, can we maybe go back to kissing, for a bit? I think I was just getting the hang of it.”
She smiled her nervous smile as Cole smirked, bending his head so that their lips could meet again.
And, that’s all they did, for a good long while, too. Besides exploring, that is. Cole allowed her hands, free access to anywhere they wanted to travel as Penny got a feel for what it was to have a man under her touch. Cole was busy as well, finding out that she liked her nipples rolled between his fingers, but not, pinched. And while kissing down her neck, he found the spot, that would forever be his. It sat, just where her shoulder met her neck and sucking on it, had the ability to make her back arch up off the bed while making moans escape her lips.
Between a Rock and a Hard Place Page 18