I swallow hard, trying to sort out my nerves. “Me either.”
“Six! Five! Four! Three! Two! One!Happy New Year!” everyone shouts, raising champagne flutes in the air.
I glance over and see Dr. Roberts sneak a quick kiss from Abigail. Mark sees it too. He rolls his eyes and looks away, muttering something about “that better be all he’s expecting tonight.”
I turn my attention to Cole, who has a wicked grin on his face. “Psssst,” I whisper as I sit my glass down on the mantel and flick my finger in his direction. “This is the part where you kiss me.”
He steps closer. “Then a kiss, Ms. Miller, you shall receive.” He quickly grabs my head with one hand and the other runs up the length of my spine. With one fluid motion, he dips and kisses me until I am breathless. My world tilts as his lips work magic, waking up every single nerve in my body. When he pulls away, I realize everyone is clapping for us. I am thankful it is dark because I feel my face turn at least three shades of red at that moment.
Cole chuckles as he pulls me to my feet.
“I didn’t realize you were such a romantic, Colonel.” That is a lie, but I can’t think of anything else to say. I run my hand through my hair, taking a moment to calm myself. I pick up my glass and peer down into the empty flute. “Cole?”
“Yes?”
“Do you think you could help me with something?”
“Of course. What’s up?”
“Can we speak in your office?” I start to walk.
He reaches for my hand, and we head for his office. He punches in the code and lets me enter first.
“You want something from the bar?” he asks, walking over to pour himself a brandy.
“No.” I pause by his desk and slip my dress off my shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. I step out and hop onto his desk, wearing a black and red lace bra, matching cheeky panties, and my black heels. “I had something else in mind.”
“Oh, yeah, what’s that?” he asks as he turns to look at me. His jaw drops as his eyes rake down me, and a shameless grin spreads across his lips.
“You on top of me on your desk.” I pat the surface then lean back and rest on my arms. “Come bang in the New Year, baby.” I grin, feeling oddly bold, but that’s what Cole does to me, and I love it.
In three strides, he’s in front of me with his shirt off, both hands on my knees, gazing down at me.
“How did I ever get so lucky?” he says softly. “Will I hurt you?”
I reach for his hand and pull him down so he is close to me. “Cole, I’m fine. You won’t hurt me. Nothing was damaged there.” I arch my breasts into his chest, reach for his belt buckle, and yank it open. “I need to feel you.”
Cole stands, pulling his pants down and kicking them out of the way. He reaches under my knees and pulls my butt to the end of the desk. He leans down and kisses my stomach up to my bra and stops at my neck.
“I will never tire of feeling your silky skin,” he says between kisses. “I love the way you smell.”
“Cole,” I whisper as I run my hands across his strong back. My heartbeat is a hammer in my chest.
“The way you say my name is like it is made solely for your sweet lips.”
I hear a ripping sound, and my panties sail over my head. I can feel him resting outside my opening; it is a maddening feeling.
“Co—”
He pushes gently into me, and the slow friction makes my head flop back and my back arch high.
“My sweet Savannah,” his husky voice flows out across my chest, “you’re like a dream I never want to wake up from.”
He shifts so he is in deep, staring down at me. His eyes are incredibly dark and possessive. His lips brush over mine, muttering something I can’t make out.
He leans back to stand, gripping my hips, and makes slow and sweet love to me, and the entire time his eyes stay locked with mine.