and took out a lollipop. There she went again with her oral fixation. It kicked in whenever she got nervous. Since her mom had come to Alden, the stock of sugar-free cherry lollipops in the greater Boston area had disappeared. He knew because those damn things were all over their house. Along with this new wardrobe of hers, consisting of big-ass clothes that had more in common with shapeless sacks than anything else.
And she was laughing less and frowning more, which bugged the shit out of him too. All in a matter of days. He didn’t want to know what Martha’s visit would do to Christy’s state of mind if it continued much longer.
“What were you guys talking about?” Cole asked after they made it to their booth. Martha was at the register, talking with Elle and one of the waitresses, so they were alone.
“Nothing, really.” Again that forced smile plastered on her face. “Nothing worth repeating.”
He studied her while she nervously sucked that damn lollipop.
Right.
“What’s with these clothes?”
She shrugged, her eyes not reaching his. “They’re comfy. And it’s easier to dress like this than deal with my mom and her comments. Believe me.”
Fucking unacceptable.
“Lose the lollipop.”
“What?”
He scooted over, took the offending treat from her hand, and set it on a plate. “How many times have I told you to come get me when your oral fixation kicks in?”
Her lips tilted into an amused smirk. “You can’t always be at my beck and call.”
She was so damn gorgeous, but when she smiled, she was out-of-this-world stunning, that luscious mouth and those expressive eyes of hers tugging at his cock and heart at the same time. “Oh, but I can.”
He put one arm along the backrest and turned toward her, boxing her in. With his other hand, he navigated her skirt, bunching it up from one side until he touched her bare skin.
At the contact, she jumped. “Cole!”
“You know the good part about loose clothes?” he asked, moving up her thigh while nuzzling her throat. “I can make you come and no one will notice.”
She stiffened. “Cole, stop.”
“All these layers are covering us perfectly. No one can see my hand going for your pussy. Open your legs.”
She looked around in panic, her eyes big. Frantic. “This is crazy. We can’t—”
He leaned in closer, blocking out the rest of the world. He wanted to be all that she saw. Needed her undivided attention.
Christy was back to hiding, and he was done putting up with it.
“Open. Your. Legs,” he whispered, his voice low and rough, his hand resting on her inner thigh. “Now. Or the kid gloves will come off.”
He’d never been a sex-in-public kind of guy; taking unnecessary risks was not his thing, but desperate times called for desperate measures.
She complied, nervously licking her already shiny lips, and he couldn’t resist moving in for a taste. He kissed her, tasting vanilla and cherries, while he worked his hand under her panties, swallowing the whimper that escaped her as he cupped her bare pussy.
“Cole, this is nuts. Stop,” she begged when he let her up for air. “My mother will be here any moment.”
“Forget your mother. Forget everyone else,” he said, rimming her sweet slit and slowly sliding a finger inside her. She was wet. Fuck. He loved how responsive she was. “Listen to me, sweet thing. You are not fat. I won’t stray. And you don’t need to get knocked up to keep me. Although I don’t object at all to getting you pregnant. As a matter of fact, I want you off the pill.”
Her chest visibly seized. “You heard her.”
Yep. He’d heard. Gritting his teeth and clutching the door so as not to dart at his future mother-in-law and make a mess. The only thing that had kept him in check was he knew Christy didn’t want him to interfere, but he was done with that now.
This shit was stressing Christy out. Making her insecure. That was unacceptable.
She was better than when they’d met; she wasn’t avoiding mirrors or fretting if he stripped her naked in daylight or refusing to accept compliments, but she still struggled, and her mother was setting her back. Doing a number on her.
“Don’t appreciate you downplaying stuff for my benefit.” Actually, he hated it.
“Sorry…didn’t mean to…”
He moved his finger out, circled her tight clit, and then pressed back in, kissing the hollow under her ear and grazing the skin on her neck with his teeth, the way she liked it. Despite her obvious reservations, her legs