Page 60 of The Plus One Professional

“Where are you going?” I didn’t mean for the question to sound so accusatory, but I was just surprised he had plans.

“Mr. Prescott invited me to golf.”

“You’re going to go golfing with Simon?” I’d seen the itinerary, of course. I’d booked the course for Simon, his dad, and frat brothers, but I hadn’t imagined that Cole would be joining the men for the activity. “You don’t have to…you can just relax.”

“Isn’t golf relaxing?”

“Have you ever played? You know Simon, his father, and his friends take golf very seriously. They play nearly every weekend and are regulars at amateur tournaments.”

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”

“I’m not worried; I just?—”

My response was cut off when Cole lifted his hands, cupped my face, lowered his head, and pressed his lips to mine. The kiss took me by surprise, but my momentary shock was replaced by a warm glow that spread through me like butter melting in a frying pan.

His tongue slid between my lips, and when it met mine, they intertwined in what felt like a sensual, choreographed dance. The tips of his fingers pressed into the back of my neck as he tilted my head in just the right position to deepen the kiss.

I didn’t just lean into Cole; I melted against him as I grasped his shoulders to anchor myself. If it were up to my legs, I’d be a puddle on the floor. Time both stood still and flew by as I lost myself in his kiss. My mind went blank with complete surrender as he explored my mouth with gentle strokes of his tongue, and his lips pressed against mine with the perfect amount of tenderness and pressure.

I’d never felt like I was being made love to with just a kiss, but that’s exactly how I felt at that moment. The flutter that had started in my belly turned to an ache as my ovaries jumped up and down and waved their arms. If it were possible to get pregnant from making out, I would be carrying this man’s child.

The kiss ended as slowly and sensually as it began. His soft lips gently kissed mine before his mouth moved up to my forehead. “Don’t forget to eat,” he instructed before pressing one more smooch against my head.

And then he was gone.

I’m not sure how long I stood, dazed, staring at the door. My mind was blank. Every time that man kissed me, it was like his lips were a neuralyzer fromMen in Black. I forgot my name, where I was, and what I was supposed to be doing.

It was unnerving.

My phone buzzed, and I looked down to see a text from Birdie giving me a rendezvous point to meet her and Billie so we could all go to the spa together. I hadn’t been looking forward to this spa day with Devin and her wedding party, but now, now I was glad to have some time away from Cole to put up some defenses. If I wasn’t careful, this weekend would end up breaking my heart. And it wouldn’t have anything to do with Simon.

24

COLE

Fuck,I’m in trouble.That’s all I could think of as I walked through the garden paths to the pro shop, where the guys were meeting in ten minutes.

Last night was more than I’d ever imagined it could be, and I’d put intimefantasizing about having sex with Bailey, so that was saying something. I may not have a ton of experience with multiple women, given that I could count on one hand the number of partners I’d had, but I knew enough to know that what Bailey and I shared last night was different. It was special. Being with Bailey was more than just sex. It was deeper. It was stronger. It went far beyond just the physical aspect. We’d been one—body, mind, and soul.

And I didn’t know what the fuck to do about it.

When I woke up and heard Bailey in the shower, I’d nearly opened the door to join her. That was how close I felt to her. But I didn’t have the right to do that. We were not in a relationship.

I’d thought heading down to the gym would clear my head. And it had helped. I ran on the treadmill, did some weights, and took a cold shower. I reminded myself that there was no future for Bailey and me. This weekend was a vacation from my life. That was it. Nothing more. I needed to lock up any feelings I had for her and let them sink into the sea of emotions I never explored.

By the time I got back to the room, ordered room service, and checked on Sara and the kids, I thought I had a handle on myself. But then, when she walked out of the bathroom looking like the angel that she was, all the walls I’d managed to put in place to protect myself were demolished by her smile.

For as long as I could remember, I’d always been good at keeping people at arm’s length. No one ever picked up on it because I was also good at connecting with people. It was why I’d always had friends at every school I went to and why I was a good plus one. People liked me because of how I made them feel about themselves, not because they really knew me.

I’d learned at a very early age that if you let people in, they could hurt you. My parents taught me that lesson before I could even articulate or process it. I couldn’t count the number of times I was left with ‘friends’ or distant family members for days at a time. Sometimes, even weeks and months. Every time they walked out the door, I had no idea when they would be back. I didn’t blame them. It was their addiction. They were sick. But their actions had consequences, and one of them was that I stopped caring if people showed up. I didn’t have to actively think about it; it was automatic.

Other than the kids and Sara, no one had breached my defenses. Not Lindsay. Not the three men who were more like brothers to me than friends. They were still on the outside of those walls.

Somehow, Bailey got through. I wasn’t sure how or when it happened, but she was on the inside. I was in very dangerous territory. We hadn’t made any commitments to each other, and she’d made it clear she was not interested in this being any more than the weekend. But I wanted more. I wanted all of her. I wanted to curl up on Sundays in bed with her, go out to dinners, binge TV shows, and do all the things that couples—real couples—did. She’d somehow snuck past my self-protection barriers. She was in.

The pro shop sign came into view as my phone rang. I pulled it out and saw that it was Carly.

“Hey, iCarly.” I hadn’t used that nickname for a while.iCarlyused to be Carly’s favorite show on Disney.

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