She was here now, and we were about to board the plane together to take off to another state for a slice of freedom.
This felt really good.
17
Zara
I’d only been to Florida once, and that was to visit one of my great aunts in Ocala. I was younger then, around five or six, and I didn’t remember much, but what I did know was that I was never going to forget this trip with Cole.
On the flight, he held my hand as we took off and gave me reassuring smiles. I returned the smiles because we were okay. We’d made it to the plane, away from people who knew us, and were escaping to a different freedom. We’d have privacy. Seclusion. Intimacy. I couldn’t wait.
When we landed, Cole got us an Uber that took us to a luxury hotel. When we stepped into the room, I started to ask him how he’d afforded something so lavish, but then he casually mentioned, “It was paid for.”
The room had a city view, the walls white and decorated with tropical portraits. The bedding was white and crisp, and the room screamed luxury. There was one bed, of course, and I couldn’t help feeling my heart race a little at the sheer reminder that we were really here together. We were going to share a bed, sleep right next to one another.
I peered toward the kitchenette, where there was a coffee station, a microwave, and a mini fridge with liquor bottles in a basket on the counter next to it, then my eyes shifted to the double doors. I walked to them and pushed one open, stepping out into the Florida sun.
Cole stepped up behind me, and I didn’t expect him to wrap his arms around me and pull me into him, but I couldn’t say I didn’t like it. Hell, I loved it. We’d held hands on the plane, but it was in a modest way, like he wanted to make sure I was still okay about going with him. Now that we were here, I wanted more of his touch, more of his body. More of him, period.
“This is really nice, Cole,” I said.
“I’m glad you like it.”
“Are you sure about this?” I asked.
He chuckled. “We’re already here, Zara.” I felt him pull away, but only to step in front of me and look into my eyes. “I’m sure. Are you sure about this?”
He wasn’t only asking if I was sure about being here. I knew that.
“I’ve never been so sure.” I sighed. “I’ve wanted this for so long. It feels surreal.”
He smiled and lifted his hands to cradle my face. “I’ll make this trip worth it. I promise.”
“You make a lot of promises.” I laughed.
“Yeah, well, my word is all I have.”
I nodded, and as I did, my belly growled. Cole’s eyes stretched wide, and a toothy smile broke out on his face as I lowered my head, completely embarrassed.
“Sounds like someone’s hungry.” He laughed.
“I didn’t eat this morning. I was too anxious.”
“That’s all right.” He held his hand open, and I placed one of mine in his. “Let’s find you something to eat.”
We went to a restaurant that served brunch, and Cole told me I could get whatever I wanted. When our food arrived, I devoured mine. I was too hungry to pretend I wasn’t starving, and I was sure I looked like a greedy maniac to Cole, but if I did, he didn’t seem to mind. Afterward, he booked another Uber and murmured something to the driver that I couldn’t hear.
“What’d you just tell him?” I asked, grinning.
“I told him to take us somewhere.”
“Where?”
He smirked. “You’ll see.”
The driver drove for nearly ten minutes before pulling into the parking lot with a large building ahead.
“Cole…” I laughed. “A bookstore?”
“Yes,” he said when the driver parked out front. “Come on. We have some literary exploring to do.”
I climbed out of the car and Cole took my hand, leading the way inside.
“Fortunately for you, this place is more public, so there won’t be much kissing against bookshelves.”
I smirked. “Well maybe we can find somewhere inside it with a little privacy.”
He grinned over his shoulder, and when we came upon one of the aisles, he said, “Get whatever books you want.”
“Okay.” I wasn’t about to say no to such an offer. Books were like crack to me. Fortunately, Cole and I shared an appreciation for such things.
We wandered the aisles, browsing the many shelves. Cole browsed through the sci-fi while I went on the hunt for any romance novel I could find. I may have been a virgin, but I wasn’t a prude.
We only parted ways once to get the books we wanted, and I returned to him with several diverse romances. He had two new Stephen King novels in hand, and I lifted my books while he lifted his. I swear we were like children with toys. We had that in common—our love for books. It was one of the many things I found attractive about him, his intellect, and maybe that was why I had such a hard time making friends with anyone my age, let alone guys. I needed someone who could stimulate me intellectually first, someone I could have a meaningful conversation with that didn’t revolve around sports, or whatever it was people my age talked about in order to get each other’s attention.