Page 101 of The Accidental Wife

Cole

Nothing wrecksme more than watching a tear fall from this beautiful girl’s eyes. Each one is like a knife plunged into my heart. When I pull back and look into her eyes that are swimming in tears, it’s like a curtain fell for one fleeting minute, and she allowed me to see into her soul. I saw such sorrow and something deep in my chest hurt, so much so that it caught my breath. I feel tears burn the back of my eyelids. I’m an idiot. How could I not see it?

I’m in love with her. It’s always been her.

I close my eyes tightly and lay her head on my chest, and we continue to sway slowly together. I wrap my arms around her tight, and I feel her relax in my hold. “Shayla…” I whisper in her ear. “I think I’m in love with you,” I confess.

Shayla stills and slowly lifts her head off my chest and looks at me. “What?” She whispers, her bottom lip quivers a little, her eyes filling with fresh tears.

“I’m in love with you,” I confess, not being able to hold it any longer. Tears spill over her cheeks, and I reach up and brush them away with my thumbs. “I’m an idiot. I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to figure it out. I always knew I had feelings for you, but it didn’t hit me how in love with you I am until right now.” I tell her, and more tears stream down her face. “All the signs were there, but I ignored them. I don’t know when or how, but I love you, Shayla.” I admit, brushing my fingers through her hair, my eyes gazing into hers. “So much.” Shayla’s eyes close, and she sighs her breath quivering as she exhales. “Please say something.”

“I’m in love with you, too.” She whispers, opening her eyes and looking at me. My breath hitches in my throat when I see the love concealed in the depths of those endless green eyes. “I’ve been in love with you for so long.” She tells me sincerely, and I close my eyes and bite my lip.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I question, pressing my forehead to hers. Shayla shakes her head and shrugs.

“I couldn’t. You said you were in love with Sophie. How could I possibly tell you I loved you when you’re telling me you’re in love with another girl. I thought she was the one you wanted, and I didn’t want to confuse you, so I buried my feelings and pretended like it wasn’t killing me.” She explains sorrowfully, and I shake my head, my gut clenching tight.

“Sweetheart, I wish you would have told me. Maybe then I would have stopped kidding myself, and we could have saved ourselves so much heartache,” I sigh, kissing her forehead. “Oh Shay, I’m so sorry for hurting you. I had no idea how you felt until you just looked at me the way you did before, I saw the sorrow in your eyes, and it hit me.”

Shayla gazes up at me, “What about Sophie? Do you love her too?” She questions, her eyes watering, and I sigh.

“I honestly thought I did, but I’ve been miserable, Shayla. You’re all I thought about the last couple of months. I hadn’t even noticed that you’ve taken over my heart. There’s no room for anyone else in there, baby. You’ve consumed my mind, my heart, and my soul.” I whisper, sweeping my nose over hers. “I love you so much. My God, it feels so good to say it finally.” I breathe, trailing my lips along her face. “Tell me you love me, baby.”

“I love you, Cole.” She whispers to me, closing her eyes.

“Say it again.”

“I love you so much.”

“I love you,” I sigh, brushing my lips over hers. I comb my fingers through Shay’s hair while I part her lips with my own and kiss her slow and deep. And, my God, what a kiss it was. I honestly thought my heart would rip out of my chest; it was beating so fast and hard. Shayla moans when I tease her tongue with my own, her fingers curl at the nape of my neck, and she draws my mouth closer, kissing me deeper.

* * *

It waspast midnight when we got back to the hotel, not wanting the night to end we take a stroll hand in hand to the hotels' private beach. Fire torches lit the path, and it was just the two of us. Shoes in our hands, we walk along the shore, the water washing over our feet. Shayla looks up at me, and I smile; wrapping my arm around her shoulder, I pull her closer and kiss her temple. I don’t think it was possible to feel happier than I was at that moment. It feels like a weight has been lifted, and I was walking on clouds. “I wish we could stay longer. I’m not ready to go back home yet,” Shayla says, looking at me, her startling green eyes twinkling like jewels.

I smile at her, “We still have another two days, baby.” I tell her, and she smiles lovingly up at me. I chuckle. “What?”

“I love it when you call me baby.” She whispers, gazing into my eyes. I grin down at her.

“I love thatyou are mine, baby.” I drawl and stop walking before I pull her close, wrap my arms around her waist, I lean down and kiss her slow and deliberate. Shayla moans, pushing up on her toes so she could reach me better. Her arms circle around my neck, and she kisses me back affectionately. One of my hands comes up behind her head, and the other brushes her hair away from her face while we continue to kiss achingly sensual.

After we pull back from our kiss, we sit on the sand, Shayla sitting in between my legs, my arms around her, lips dropping soft, loving kisses along the side of her face. She’s smiling, her eyes closed while her fingers play with mine. “I wish I had realised how I felt about you sooner,” I admit pressing my lips to her temple. “What I feel for you is something so new to me, Shayla,” I add, and her eyes open, she lifts her gaze to look at me.

“You said you were in love before.” She states, her eyes searching mine. I shake my head and brush a strand of her hair away from her face.

“This feels different.” I express, gazing into her eyes. “Either what I felt before wasn’t love or what I feel for you is something more intense and much deeper than love,” I explain, and Shayla smiles. “Being apart from you all those months was unbearable for me. I felt like one half of me was missing. I suffocate when I’m not near you, baby.”

“I feel the same,” She affirms, lifting her fingers to my jaw and stroking it devotedly. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone ever.” I curl my fingers around her wrist, kiss her fingers, and press them over my heart beating wildly in my chest.

“This is what you do to my heart. It only beats like this when I’m around you.” I assert. Shayla’s eyes close, and she exhales slowly. She lifts my hand, kisses my fingers, and places it over her chest, and I feel her heart thumping hard against my palm. I didn’t need her to say anything because I saw all I needed in her eyes. I cup her face and kiss her devotedly until the very last breath left my lungs, and I had no choice but to pull away.

“I want to make love to you till the sun comes up, baby.” I groan lustfully against her ear, and she quivers, nodding.

“You better hurry up then because the sun rises early here.” She smiles when I chuckle while nuzzling her neck.

I grin and nip at her ear. “Shall we go upstairs to our carousel bed?” I whisper, and Shayla grins.

“Yes, make me dizzy with your loving Mr Hoult.” I laugh and lift her to her feet.

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