Page 166 of The Single Dad

“Surely there are some special kids at the community center,” Cole replies.

I shrug. “Oh, of course. There are special kids everywhere. But I know Archie better than any of them, you know? We have this—”

“Connection,” Cole completes, nodding. “I know.” He steps closer to me. “Which was why I was so glad that you agreed to join us for dinner tonight.”

“Well…” His proximity has me flustered, and I smile at the hardwood floor. “How could I say no, with an invite like that?”

“It was nice,” Cole says, his voice dropping, and just like that, I feel it again—that heat that always sparked between us, that magnetic lure that draws me straight to him. The attraction between us is there, just as it always has been, pulling us together.

“I agree.” My voice is a hoarse whisper to match his. “I had a great time. Best time I’ve had in a while.”

He leans in, and my heart leaps. I catch my breath as his hand hovers over my shoulder, his fingertips almost brushing my neck.

“Tell me to stop if you don’t want this,” he murmurs. His breath tickles my ear, and a shiver goes through my entire body.

I should say something, I think to myself.

After all, there were all of those… reasons. For the life of me, though, I can’t conjure a single one of them. I can’t imagine what stupid, meaningless rationalizations I was using to keep myself away from Cole.

Right now, all I can think is that I want his hands on me. That I want to feel his touch. That I want him to do things to me that only he can do.

So I don’t tell him to stop. If I told him that I didn’t want this, I’d be lying.

And I’m tired of lying to him. I’m tired of lying to myself.

Something flares in Cole’s eyes as a long moment of silence stretches between us and he realizes the words aren’t coming. I give a tiny nod, my heart hammering against my ribs, and that’s all it takes to break whatever thread was holding him back.

His lips crash down on mine, his arms banding around me at the same instant. The kiss is full of hunger and yearning, and I meet his tongue stroke for stroke as I whimper softly into his mouth.

It’s like fire—hot and wild and comforting and familiar, all at the same time. I throw myself into it, wrapping my arms around his neck and going up on my toes.

“Fuck, angel,” Cole groans, and the sound of him calling me the nickname he gave me all those weeks ago makes something flutter in my stomach.

He walks me backward, his body pressed flush against mine, and I have no idea where we’re going until my ass bumps up against the kitchen island. Cole makes a low sound in his throat, reaching down to grip my thighs and lifting me effortlessly up onto the polished countertop.

“Missed you,” he breathes, his voice full of something like awe as he steps between my legs, pulling me to the edge of the counter so that his cock grinds against my core.

I suck in a breath at the pressure on my clit, heat racing through me. My hands are everywhere, sliding through his hair, clutching his shoulders, roaming over his strong arms. He touches me the same way, his large palms skating over my curves as if he’s trying to memorize them all over again after the time we’ve spent apart.

He trails his mouth over my neck and shoulders, teeth scraping my skin as I hook my legs around his waist, both of us desperate for the other.

“So fucking perfect.” His voice is muffled against my skin, as if he can’t bear to pull away long enough to speak. “You taste so good, Riley. Every inch of you. I need you so goddamn badly.”

His hands move to the waistband of my pants, working the button and zipper down, and I rock from side to side a little, lifting my hips enough for him to slide them off. He takes my panties with them, and I hiss out a breath as the cool marble meets my bare skin.

“I need to be inside you,” Cole groans, nearly ripping my pants off my legs as I desperately kick off my shoes. The heat between us is like an inferno, and I swear the rest of my clothes are about to burn to ash just from touching my skin. “Can I…?”

“Yes!” It’s a breathless gasp, and I nod, reaching for his pants too.

He’s still wearing his shirt, and so am I, but I hardly even care about that right now. All I know is that I need to feel him inside me. I need the connection, that closeness, that indescribable pleasure that I’ve only ever felt with him.

Cole is breathing hard as he uses one hand to undo his pants and shove them down, fetching out his hard cock. He grips my thighs, spreading me open for him as he lines himself up, and both of us look down to watch as he presses slowly inside.

“Oh god,” I breathe, my voice shaky. I’ve never seen something as hot as this, as overwhelmingly filthy and perfect.

We fit together in a way that feels otherworldly, and I know he feels it too because his body shudders as he pushes another few inches deeper.

“I…” His voice is hoarse. “Fucking hell. You feel so good.”

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