Don't Tell (Don't 1)

I hadn’t intended to grab his arm, but I was afraid he would pull away, and I didn’t want that to happen. We were talking. We had somehow broken away from Ryan’s sh

adow. This was Cole and Kaitlyn.

“I want to know what’s been going on with you.” My hand rested on his forearm. I fought the urge to move it up the length of his bicep. It felt solid and taut.

“If you look right about there—” He pointed overhead. “—you’ll spot at least one shooting star tonight.”

“Maybe I can help you.” I wasn’t falling for his stargazing distraction. It seemed like he needed to open up to someone about the Dunes, and maybe I was that person.

“Really? And what do you think you can do to help me?” He turned to face me. His eyes were dark. I couldn’t read his mood.

I had no idea what I could do, but I had to do something. He was basically family.

“I-I don’t know. But I want to help.”

“You’re here on vacation. You should be having a good time, getting to know Texas, hanging out at the beach. I can handle the Dunes.” His eyes lingered on my lips.

I could feel the energy building in the air between us as the waves lapped our ankles.

His hand grazed the side of my cheek and I stood still like a statue, taking in the roughness of his skin. He stepped closer so that his waist was pressed against me. I liked how my body seemed to align with his just standing here—touching and breathing.

“Can’t you think of a way for me to help?” I tipped forward, wanting to draw an answer from him.

The tips of his fingers trailed from my chin, along the line of my neck, and rested along the edge of my tank top. “I know something you could do.” His voice was husky.

I felt the weight of his hand on my chest and the fire building under my skin where his fingers played with the fabric. Before I knew what in the hell I was doing, I abandoned my red cup in the ocean as his arms encircled my waist and pulled me close until our bodies collided.

My mouth parted for him, anxious to touch his lips and his tongue. He growled as I nipped his bottom lip. I tasted the beer on his tongue and I drank in each kiss, wanting to know more of him this way. My hands ran the length of his back and locked around the firmness of his neck. I stroked his warm skin and twisted my hands in his hair.

My body was on fire. I had never been kissed like that, and I was positive no one else could do what Cole had just done to me. I took a deep breath and tried to steady myself when all I really wanted was for Cole to kiss me again.

“Fuck. I’m sorry. I got a little carried away.” He hung his head. “I should get you back to the party. Sasha’s going to start looking for you, or Lance will.”

“No.” I shook my head. “I don’t want to go back to the party.”

“Kaitlyn,” he growled into the side of my neck. “It was a mistake.”

I refused to let go of him. It was a kiss I had waited nearly ten years to taste.

“Can I walk you home if you don’t want to go back?” he offered.

I let Cole keep his hand clasped at my side. We walked in silence along the boardwalk to the edge of the motel. I was in unchartered territory.

We stopped in front of my room. The emptiness of the Dune Scape parking lot made me feel like Cole and I weren’t just the only people at the motel, but also the only people on the island. I held up the key.

“Thanks for walking me back. I had fun.” My eyes shot to his.

Cole leaned his arm against the frame of the door. I felt my heart racing and the heated feeling in my belly. “This is goodnight, darlin’.”

I pushed the door open and tugged his shirt. “No one has to know, Cole.”

His eyes narrowed and he followed me inside.

11

Cole

I wanted to drink the innocence off her. I slammed the door closed behind us and pulled Kaitlyn against me. She whimpered softly as my lips crushed against hers.