CHAPTER FIVE
We bury the bodies down the road, far enough away to not contaminate our homestead but close enough that folks can visit if they want to. There’s not much ceremony to it, but we do all stand around the pile of dirt that now encases our friends while Howard says a few kind words.
All the things I might say are stuck in my throat as I stare at the ground, lost in thought. Isn’t it bad enough that we had to watch our friends, family, survivors die at the hands of monsters? Why would God now put us in the path of a new threat, one that is silent, something we can’t fight or even see? It’s the silent sleeper that could kill us at any moment. I could fall asleep next to Cole and wake up to him eating my face off, assuming he ever lets me sleep next to him again.
Maybe I don’t believe it. If there is a God, why would we be at this juncture anyway? Who would think up this sick shit?
To my surprise, Cole comes up to stand beside me silently. I haven’t spoken to him since I lost my shit and screamed at him like a madwoman, and I breathe a silent sigh of relief when he reaches down and takes my hand. I’m still not sure I even deserve Cole, but I don’t plan to lose him if I can just keep my shit together.
We finish up at the gravesite and head back to the farm where the others are setting out food and drink tables. This is a celebration to remember the lives of those we lost, and I guess we’re getting our party after all. Manny would have loved this, and we needed this so badly to remind ourselves of why we are all still here.
We dig into the fresh food made just for this day. It’s a shame it couldn’t have been offered when they were alive, but I push my dull thoughts aside and resolve to enjoy the evening because they don’t come around too often these days.
Someone charged their phone, and we sit and eat and drink, playing music. Michele and I dance and sing, shaking our booties and declaring our drunken “I love yous” to each other. It’s perfectly wonderful, as everything is when you’re tipsy and the world feels upside down.
Jase and Cole watch from the sidelines while we make asshats out of ourselves, duetting each other in sync, and each time we make our way back to our seats, Cole pulls me onto his lap. And I feel a thrill every time we cuddle and touch and pass meaningful looks at each other.
We haven’t been together again since Flagstaff, and my body aches with longing every time his hand brushes my side or pushes up my shirt to caress my back. Every little touch that Cole graces me with is like a gift that I can’t live without, a drug I can’t refuse, and I silently scold myself because I need to have some perspective here. Cole is amazing, sure, but he doesn’t define my life, and I should remember that.
With a slight chill, I move away from my thoughts, turning back to the group sitting around laughing, chatting, and drinking. I try not to pay attention to Enzo and Sofia, but I notice a strange tension between the two of them that gets worse as the night progresses.
At one point, Sofia storms off, and Enzo stays behind, brooding, an unusual look for him since he usually tries to smile and laugh at everything. But I chose not to think about it because the lovers’ quarrel, or whatever it is, is none of my business.
Instead, I stand up from my chair and grab Cole’s hand. He rises beside me with a small smile and takes my arm, leading me away from the group. The tiniest buzz is still filtering through my system and I slump into him, snuggling in when he pulls me under his arm and hugs me, causing all my touchy feelies to come out.
Cole is one of the men who chose to sleep out under the stars, and he grabs a blanket and pillow from the barn before leading me to a spot farther from the house than usual. I watch him arrange the bedding, calm and sure of himself, and my heart pounds in my chest because he was always the one for me, and even when I tried to deny it, to deny my heart and convince my mind, it’s these simple things that bring it all crashing down on me.
Once complete, he holds out his hand, and I walk into his arms. He pulls me close and we sway to invisible music, his eyes tender as he gazes at me in the moonlight. With a quirk of his lips, he caresses my cheek before moving over to my bottom lip, where he leans down to nip at me, smiling when I moan.
Wrapping my arms around his neck, I stand on my tiptoes and press my lips to his. With a groan, he opens and thrusts his tongue inside, swirling it around before sucking me heatedly into his mouth.
Desire curls through my system like fire, and we only pull back when we’re breathless. Cole looks down at me, and his mouth curves in a heated smirk before he picks me up and makes to drop me on the sleeping bag. I squeal and then laugh when he stops just short of dropping me and lays me down gently.
With a moan, I spread my legs and he settles himself on top of me, kissing me softly. This is a tender side of Cole not seen before, and my heart quivers as I lose myself to his touch.
We caress each other in slow, heated strokes, exploring all the dips and curves. I run my fingers over his delicious chest, moaning when he growls sexily and bucks against me. Soon, we’re tearing at our clothes before he spreads my thighs with his warm, rough hands and enters me slowly.
With gentle strokes, he pumps, leaning over and grabbing my hands as he pulls me down into the abyss of pleasure, groaning when I convulse around him. After he surges into me mindlessly, his eyes bright in the moonlight, and with each stroke, I climb back up the hill and surge over again, another painful pulse of pleasure shuddering through me.
“Fuck,” he gasps before exploding and it’s so fucking sweet that a single tear escapes my eye.
Cole leans down and kisses it with his soft lips, and the painfully precious emotion choking my throat eases when he pulls me into his back and hugs me to him.
“Goodnight, baby,” he murmurs, caressing my skin until I drift off, dreaming of his tender lovemaking and the soft glow that now resides in my heart.
???
Gunshots wake me from a sound sleep, and I sit up in the sleeping bag quickly, only to ricochet back to the ground when the second, much larger body also encased within the bag remains stationary.
“Fuck,” I grunt when I hit his body.
Cole pushes me aside, struggling to get out of the bag. I’m still trying to catch up when he pulls on his clothes and grabs my hand.
We’re far enough from the house that the sounds are muffled, but glancing that way, I can see flames licking the sky. Shit. The ranch house is on fire.
Blankly, I stare at the sight, unable to process what’s before me.
Just hours ago, we were laughing and dancing, and now the fucking world is on fire.