but he didn’t go on.
“So you’re home now?” I asked.
“Yes. Just put her to bed and snuck into my room to call you. How was your night?”
“Good. I have the house to myself. My mom is out.” I changed up my tone to sound more suggestive. “She’ll be gone at least another couple hours . . .”
“Oh yeah?” His tone changed too.
“Yes. Can you come over?”
“I’m on my way.”
Frantic and excited, I ran upstairs, tore off my socks and sweatpants, took down my hair, and brushed my teeth. Two minutes later, he was knocking on my front door.
I pulled it open wearing nothing but a short white T-shirt. “Evening, Officer Mitchell. Can I help you?”
“I don’t think so,” he said, taking in my bare legs. He came in and shut the door behind him. “You see, I’m here to arrest you.”
“Arrest me—oh dear,” I said, backing up the stairs, a hand on my chest. “There must be some mistake. What’s my crime?”
He followed, pursuing me as he unbuckled his belt and slipped it from the loops. “Indecent exposure. Disturbing the peace. Making me want you so fucking badly I can’t see straight.”
I backed into my bedroom. “Oh my, that does sound like terribly deviant behavior. I think you’d better proceed with that arrest.”
Moving fast, he shut my bedroom door and turned me roughly against it. Yanking my arms behind my back, he had my wrists in place and secured them with his belt.
I struggled just for fun. “Really, Officer. Is this necessary? Can’t we work something out?”
He leaned up against me and whispered in my ear. “You have the right to remain silent—but I like it better when you’re loud.”
“Are you going to give me a reason to scream?”
“Yeah.” He pushed his cock against my ass. “A fucking big one.”
Afterward, we got dressed quickly in case my mother came home.
“Do you have to leave right away?” I asked.
He zipped up his jeans, hesitating. “I guess I could stay a little longer.”
I smiled and hopped onto my bed. “Good. Come lie with me.”
We stretched out on top of the covers, Cole on his back and me tucked against his side. Outside, the wind whipped at my bedroom windows, and I shuddered at the thought of his having to go out there. “So cold tonight. I wish you didn’t have to leave.”
“Me too.” He kissed the top of my head. “If your mom comes home, do I have to go out the window?”
I laughed. “No, silly. You can use the door. We are grown adults, and besides, I’m pretty sure she would let you spend the night.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yes. She’ll be thrilled about this—when you’re ready to tell people.”
“You can tell her. My mom knows.”
“She does?” I picked up my head, surprised.
“I’m pretty sure. I went flying through the living room on my way out, and I think I yelled something like, ‘Going to Cheyenne’s for a quick fuck, don’t wait up!’ And I may have already been taking my pants off.”
Giggling, I slapped his chest before lowering my head again. “You did not say that. Although, it’s like seventeen degrees outside and you were not wearing a coat when you got here, so that might have tipped her off that you were excited to see me.”
“Probably. She suggested on the way home from the wedding that we might enjoy each other’s company. I could barely keep a straight face.”
“My mother kept going on and on about how handsome you looked, and how eloquently you spoke, and did I hear the part where you quoted her?” I laughed, slipping my hand beneath his sweater and T-shirt, resting it on his warm, bare skin. “It was nothing but Cole, Cole, Cole on the drive home.”
“Sorry.” He squeezed me.
“You know I didn’t mind.” I stroked his chest beneath his clothing.
“And I’m sorry we have to sneak around and rush all the time. I hate it.”
“It’s only temporary.” I snuggled closer. “Tell me more about your talk with Mariah.”
“There’s not much more to tell. She seemed genuinely happy and excited. It was actually kind of . . . weird.”
“What do you mean, weird?”
“It just seemed too easy. Like shooting fish in a barrel.” He paused. “In all honesty, I can’t shake this feeling that something was off about it.”
“Like you think maybe she told you what she thought you wanted to hear?”
“Maybe. I can’t put my finger on it. But I’m not convinced she’s as okay with it as she acted today.”
I sat up again and