Page 42 of Hope's Highest Bidders

He cuts me off. “Tired of you? Fuck, honey, I’m thinking the same thing about you. I could spend the rest of my days running this ranch with you by my side and I’d be the happiest man onearth. Is that going to be enough for you? You’re young, you probably want to travel, to see the world.”

I know that I need to just put it out there and let him know. He deserves to know. “Cole, there’s probably something you should know.”

He tenses but doesn’t let me go. “What is it?”

I clench my eyes and open them, forcing myself to look at him. “I’ve dreamed of this. Being here with you. You were always the one that I pictured when I thought of marrying and having a family. It was always a dream that I thought was out of reach. No, I’ll never get tired of being with you. Being with you is like a dream come true.”

He grunts and wraps his arms around me, pulling me in against his chest. “Fuck, I love you, Sassy.”

I gasp against his chest. “You love me?”

He pulls back to search my face. “Fuck, I’ve messed this up. I’ve done nothing right since the beginning, but I’m going to fix it now. I love you, Sassy. I have for what seems like forever. You’re the only woman I’ve ever loved, and I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you.”

He swallows and shifts his lower body until his hard bulge is pressed against my belly. “I want everything with you, Sassy.”

I nod. “I want that. All of that, Cole. With you. I love you. I have for a long time.”

He leans down and presses his lips to mine. My hands slide under his shirt and trail up his chest. His skin seems to vibrate under my touch, but I can’t get enough. I run my hands along his muscles, and when I find a hard, pebbled nipple, I trace it with my finger. He groans into my mouth and pulls away. With his eyes searching mine, I find his other nipple and trace it too, smiling up at him.

“I want you, Cole.”

His hand comes up to cover mine. “I’m in no rush, honey. I want you. Fuck, I want you, but as long as you sleep in that bed with me – as long as you’re mine – I can wait.”

I pull my hands from his and grab the hem of his shirt. I pull it up his body, and he has to lean over with his arms up to help me take it off. I can’t take my eyes off him. I’ve seen him without his shirt on before, but up close where I can touch him is like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. “I want you.”

I say it clearly, and there’s no doubt he heard me. His whole body seems to flex under my hands. I slide my hands down his waist and grab the button of his jeans. “I want you, Cole.”

His smirk is fast and sudden, causing me to catch my breath. My, he’s handsome. “I’m yours, baby. All yours.”

I bite my lower lip as I undo the button and pull the zipper down. I’ve come this far, and there’s no stopping now. He stands perfectly still as I grab onto his waistband and pull the material down, gasping his hard cock when it springs free.

He’s hard... for me.

I sit on my legs just looking at him up close. Without thinking, I reach for him, wrapping my hand around his girth. He groans, and his hands go to my shoulders as his hips jerk backwards. My mouth falls open. “Cole! I’m sorry... did I hurt you?”

He moans and stands back upright. “No, baby, I just wasn’t prepared. I didn’t realize...”

His voice trails off, and I blink up at him, wide-eyed and not understanding. “If I’m doing it wrong, you have to tell me. I want to do it right. I want to make you feel good.”

His hand goes to the nape of my neck. “You can’t do anything wrong.”

I roll my eyes and put my hands on his bare thighs. “Cole! Tell me.”

He wraps one hand around his girth and squeezes it. His voice is gruff. “I’m telling you the truth. You can’t do anything wrong. Not with me. The reason I pulled away is because it’s too much... having you here on your knees and your mouth and hands on me... it’s too much. I’m going to come.”

I lick my lips and ask him, “Isn’t that the point? Don’t you want to?”

He leans over and pulls me up until I’m standing in front of him. His hand slides down the front of my dress. He pulls my hem up and lays his hand against the apex of my thighs. “Yeah, honey, I want to come, but when I do, I want to be here.”

My hips flex, and he rubs his palm against me. I grab on to his forearms as I lift up to get closer. “I want that too.”

He slides his hand into the waistband of my underwear, and when his finger touches my bare skin, my body trembles. His finger slides through my wet slit, and I hold on to his arm as if it’s a lifeline. The things he’s doing to my body makes me feel things I’ve never felt before. His voice is gruff next to my ear. “You’re so wet, baby. You want this, don’t you? Want me to come in that pretty pussy of yours?”

I wasn’t prepared for the dirty talk, and it forms a knot in my lower belly. “Yes, please, Cole. I need it... I need you.”

17

COLE

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