It’s a slow build-up that ends in a sweet orgasm, and he follows shortly after before gathering me in his arms and kissing me. I can’t fight the tide, suddenly overcome, and I will back the tears of relief because some part of me thought this might never happen.
Smoothing my hair from my face with a tender expression, he kisses me before murmuring, “You’re beautiful.”
I smile shyly before giggling when he rises from the bed and smacks my ass. “Get up. We’ve got shit to do.”
I am deliciously sore and tired as I roll out of bed and yawn, watching him in all his naked glory. He dresses with a smirk, his beautiful dark eyes full of promise.
Before leaving our room and the cocoon we were in, we eat without fanfare, and I glance back at the dingy space mournfully before turning my thoughts to the new day.
Manny is leaning against our truck, surveying the area, when Sofia and Enzo exit the room next to us and we make our way down the stairs.
This leaves me wondering who got lucky last night, but I push my curiosity away at the thought of Cole’s pointed words the day before.
It’s not my business, or so I remind myself with a small frown.
We drive farther into town, looking for other stores that are both clear of zombies and still contain goods worth taking, but they are few and far between. Unfortunately, whatever the residents of Flag have done with what they found is a mystery we leave for another day.
Store after store is empty, with apparent signs of scavenging, and we lose hope when we find doors left standing open with nothing but bare floors filling our increasingly despairing view.
Defeated, we head back the way we came, lucky to have only run into the bigger group of the Turned at Walmart so far. It’s not clear where all the zombies have gone, but those that surrounded and decimated a whole community with ease are nowhere around.
As we make our way back to the ranch, passing the familiar landmarks that had been our home for a short time, my mind drifts back to last night. It’s a turning point for Cole and me because we’ve never gotten past a few naughty bases before. I know he’s still grieving, but I hope this means a step forward in terms of the relationship I’ve been craving for years.
The sex wasn’t bad either—more like phenomenal. This means that now that I know what I’ve been missing, I’m going to be that much more eager to recreate it . . . a lot. I know Cole cares about me in his way, but I don’t know what that means in terms of the L word. We’ve never spoken it to each other, but I want to all the time.
Except, I’m too afraid that he can’t or won’t say it back to put it out there in the universe. Is he attracted to me? Yes. But does he love me? Who the fuck knows?
So, while I’m buzzing in my own little universe of happiness, a small part of me cautions not to get too excited. Maybe we will get to know each other better, deepen this thing, and Cole will realize he can never love me after all. Or perhaps someone like Sofia will come along, and he will realize he wants her more. I’m only all too aware of the fragility of relationships and that some people are less inclined to honor them than others.
With an inner sigh, I push the thoughts away and focus on how many orgasms I had the night before, smiling happily.
At the gates, Cole, who has been suspiciously quiet the whole time, which I’m only now realizing, looks over at me with twinkling eyes and says, “What are you smiling about?”
“I’ll never tell,” I say to him in a sing-song voice, causing him to smile before turning back to the road.
As soon as he turns away, the smile drops from his mouth, and his eyes grow heavy, causing my heart to stutter. I’m helpless in the face of his grief, knowing that only time can truly heal the wounds that are currently bleeding gashes of pain.
We pass the guards with a few brief words and follow the road back to the house. Michele stands on the stoop to greet me, and I jump out to hug her because being away feels weird, vulnerable, and a small part of me always worries about what we will come back to find. She hugs me back and then hugs Cole and Manny before taking my arm and pulling me away.
“Anything good happen?” I ask.
“Nope. Same old, same old. You?”
I can’t suppress a smile, and she shrieks, making me jump sky high before demanding, “Tell me!”
I just smirk and change the subject because it feels so special and breakable that I don’t want to share it, at least not yet. Instead, I explain the group we ran into at Sam’s Club, and although she allows me the omission, her expression tells me I won’t be getting away with it for long.