Page 13 of Chasin' Cole

As I grip the freezer handle, I hear the garage door squeak open. My eyes dart to the tall body makin' its way towards me.

"What are you doin'?" I whisper-yell at Cole. "Someone might catch us!"

"I know," Cole smirks as he cups my face in his hands. "But kissing you is addicting."

His lips press to mine as I abandon the freeze door and slide my hands up his strong chest. He pushes me up against the freezer as his body envelopes mine. My lips part as he slides his tongue inside and I moan from how good it feels to be this close to him.

I let him kiss me until I'm out of breath.

"We should get back," I warn. "Or they'll come lookin' for us."

Cole caresses my lips with his. "I told them I had to use the bathroom. You can head back first. I'll give you a start."

"Why are you smilin' at me like that?" I furrow my brow.

Cole shakes his head. "Your lips are just...they're a little red."

My fingertips graze my mouth. "Lacey will notice."

"No one will notice," he assures me.

My eyes widen. "Cole Strickland, do you not know my family? They'll--"

But he shuts me up by kissin' me again.

"It'll be fine," he winks at me. "Grab the ice cream and go."

"Three minutes," I point a finger at him. "You have to wait here for at least three minutes."

Cole chuckles. "I've got it."

I glance over my shoulder as I grip the ice cream in my hand. "We should go on a date, Cole. A real one."

"I have plans for us," he smiles. "Don't worry."

I head back to the table, beggin' my face to hide the truth. I wasn't just gettin' ice cream. I was kissin' Cole.

Chapter 5 – It’s About Time

I lay wrapped in Cole's arms, the stars twinklin' like a thousand tiny fireflies in the night sky. The moon is absent as we peer up from the bed of Cole's truck, his fingers playing distractedly with mine.

"Favorite candy bar?" I ask as we continue our game of twenty questions.

"Hot Tamales," he answers.

"I saidbar," I reply with a laugh. "Not name the most disgustin' candy on the shelf at the Okie Doke."

He chuckles as I lift my head off his shoulder. "At least I don't have a stash of Cow Tales in my glove box."

"They're delicious," I argue. "Caramel sticks filled with cream, what's not to like?"

"My turn," Cole flips my hand over on his chest, and begins tracin' the lines on my palm with the tips of his finger. My heart flips in my chest. "Favorite childhood memory?"

I take a deep breath. My childhood was full of good memories. Ridin’ horses and Sunday mornin’s at church. Brock teachin’ me how to care for a baby calf. Mama makin’ a delicious Thanksgiving dinner. Rowdy—the man I thought was my father—buildin’ campfires by the lake. It wasn’t a bad childhood, but there's this big, black cloud of dishonesty hangin' over everythin' now. My parents lied to me. They hid the truth from me. Were they always goin' to?

"Rose?" I hear Cole call, pullin’ me away from the past and back to the moment.

I swallow thickly. "Sorry, it's just hard to think about it without rememberin' it was all a lie. Every bad memory is tarnished now.”

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