Page 66 of Coldhearted King

Alex waves her hand in the air, her usual smile returning. “You haven’t. And it’s not like I’m curled up in bed crying. Yes, I miss him, but we talk every night and I’ve got my classes. And it’s not like you’re my only friend.” She pokes me in the stomach. “I go out with my other friends plenty. That doesn’t mean I won’t monopolize your attention and get you to update me on what’s happening with tall, dark, rich, and handsome when you’re here.”

I stretch my legs in front of me. “I don’t know if there’s much to update you on. I go over to his place. We have sex. I come home.”

Alex looks at me skeptically. “In the last two weeks, you’ve been at his place almost every second night. There must be more to it than just sex.”

“I don’t know. I mean...you know what I said about him being overwhelming? Well, he is, and sometimes it’s hard to separate what’s him being the man that he is from him feeling something more than just lust. Every now and then he does something that makes me think there might be more between us. The next minute he does something that reminds me that this is just casual sex for him.”

Alex slurps up a noodle. “Maybe he’s still working out how he feels.”

“Or maybe I’m reading too much into things, and this is just how he is with the women he sleeps with—intense.”

“Well, how do you feel about him?”

That’s a loaded question and one I’ve deliberately avoided asking myself. I want to believe I can keep this thing between Cole and me only physical. That I can enjoy what he’s offering, knowing it will end one day and he’ll walk away without a second thought. But what I said to Alex is true. He is intense, and his occasional hot-and-cold attitude gives me whiplash.

He’s all over me when I’m there with him, doling out orgasm after orgasm until my legs shake so much I can barely walk, but the minute it comes time for me to leave, he goes cold. Since that first night, he doesn’t kiss me when I go. He kisses me plenty while we’re naked and writhing around together on his bed or his couch or his dining table, but when I’m dressed and standing at the elevator doors, all I get is a cool farewell.

That should be more than enough for me to keep my heart under wraps, but there’s something in the way his gaze lingers on me right up until the elevator doors close that makes my heart do crazy things. And there are other moments too. When I see one of his rare smiles or hear one of his even rarer laughs. When he runs his lips tenderly down my neck or traces the outline of my mouth with his fingertip, as if he’s memorizing the shape of it.

It’s confusing.He’sconfusing. “I think if we keep this up, there’s a chance I might fall for him,” I admit.

Alex stops eating, a line forming between her brows. “So maybe you should break it off, then? Especially if he hasn’t given you any sign he might want this to turn into something more.”

“It’s only been a few weeks, and I’m not sure I’m ready to give this up yet. If I feel like I’m approaching the point of no return, that’s when I’ll tell him I think we should stop.”

Alex’s frown reveals her concern, but she doesn’t push me on it. “When are you supposed to see him again?”

“I’m going to his place tomorrow night, but I was thinking maybe you and I can go out for lunch before that?”

She nods. “I’d like that.”

We switch on the television and get caught up in a new rom-com that’s on. But eventually, my mind drifts to Cole, as it does so often these days. I find myself smiling as I think about tomorrow night and how good he’ll make me feel. I’ll just enjoy the incredible sex while I can because I know very well that giving my heart to a man like Cole is a risk—a risk I can’t take.

Although, from the way butterflies whirl around my stomach at the thought of being with him again, there’s a chance I may have already started down that slippery slope.

CHAPTERTWENTY-SIX

COLE

As I step out of the limo, camera flashes explode in my face. I extend a hand back into the car to help Jessica out. Her cool fingers wrap around mine and she smiles at me as she emerges, looking stunning in a dress cut nearly low enough to be indecent. She tucks her hand in my elbow and sweeps along at my side as we make our way to the entrance.

“It’s good to know you remembered my phone number,” she says as we finally get inside. I knew she was stewing about something. Jessica has never been the warmest person. It’s not something that’s ever bothered me before, but the ice coming off her in the limo was palpable.

Considering there has never been anything between us—apart from the benefit of convenience—I don’t know why she’s pretending to be upset about it.

“Is there something you want to say?” I don’t hide the boredom in my voice. She’s been pushing things lately, and she knows I’m not interested.

She pouts, but all I do is raise a brow.

A breath huffs out of her. “It’s just that it’s been a while,” she says. “I was disappointed we didn’t catch up when you were in Chicago. I had some plans for that beautiful hotel room and big bed of yours. I thought you weren’t going when I didn’t hear from you, but then you turned up with that...architect...of yours.”

Irritation flares. “Delilah is working on the Chicago hotel. I brought her along to view the site. I wasn’t about to leave her in her hotel room while I went out.”

“I get it. She’s cute. I hope you took advantage of that big bed like Tom and I did.”

I don’t want Jessica getting her claws into Delilah. I know how vicious she can be. If she’s somehow misunderstood the reality of our arrangement, the last thing I want is for her to view Delilah as a potential rival.

I pierce her with my stare and say nothing. She gets the message. “Anyway, Tom and I had a great time.”

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