Page 5 of Chasin' Cole

Cole's heart beats like a drum against my chest as I hold ontighter, tighter, tighter.

I hold onto him like every piece of me was made for every part of him. Like we're two halves who need each other to be whole. Like the tide chasin' after the moon.

He's patient with me as I find a rhythm—movin' my lips in sync with his.

And it'sindescribable.

"Rose," he mumbles against my lips, makin' my heart soar from the top of my head to the tips of my toes.

I shake my head not wanting the moment to end, capturing his lips with mine again. But he pulls back and stares at me like he's just seen a ghost.

Not the kind of reaction a girl wants after her very first kiss.

"We can't do this," he whispers.

My heart is no longer soarin'. It's plummeting towards the ground like a kite when the wind stops blowin'.

"What?" I ask, my voice hoarse and hurt.

"We can't... Brock's my best friend," he swallows hard, his hand still holding my head.

"I..." I don't know what to say. Why does it matter who his best friend is? Why would that stop him from doin' whatever it was we were doin'? I know first kisses aren't supposed to be earth-shattering, but that one sure was. "We don't have to tell Brock. It was just a kiss."

Guilt blooms across his achingly handsome face. "You and I both know why I can't hide this from him."

Kenzie. Brock's ex-fiancée. She trapped Cole in a lie foryearsthat nearly ruined their friendship.

"That was a long time ago," I argue weakly. "You figured out your stuff since then."

"Rose," he says again, my name sounding like smooth buttery caramel on his tongue. Why have I never noticed how much I love the way he says my name before?

"Cole," I reply, my arms still holdin' onto him.

He begins to untangle our bodies, his warmth no longer enveloping me in the icy water.

"I'm sorry, Rose. I shouldn't have let you do that." I can hear the regret in his words, like fingernails on a chalkboard.

I wrap my arms around my chest as my bottom lip begins tremblin'. But I'm not going to cry. I'm not going to give him the satisfaction of seein' me hurt. It was one kiss. It doesn't have to mean anything.

"You should go," I say to him as I lift my chin, meeting his frozen gaze. His charcoal eyes are dark as he licks his lips. "Pretend you were never here, Cole. You're good at that."

"I think we should talk about this," he replies, his tone weary.

"I don't want to talk," I shrug. "So, I guess I'll go."

My feet sink into the sandy bed as I stride gracefully past him, the water splashin' my thighs as I hurry towards Sundance.

"Rose!" Cole calls after me.

I decide giving him the time of day will only make my heart hurt worse than it does now. I grab my shirt and throw it on before fumbling with my jeans, cursin' myself for wearing them today. Tryin' to get jeans on wet legs is nearly impossible in the humid Oklahoma heat. But somehow, through sheer will I suppose, I get them pulled up in one quick swoop.

"Rose," Cole tries again. His hand tenderly wraps around my arm. "Please stay."

I slip out of his grasp, slide Sundance's reins off the tree branch it's restin' on and mount my horse.

"We need to talk about this," Cole pleads. "Rose,please."

"It'sRing Around the Rosie, remember," I toss my wet hair over my shoulder. "I'm just Brock's childish little sister. And there's nothin' to talk about. I kissed you and you told me it was a mistake. Have a nice day, Cole Strickland."

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