“You’re actually crazy,” she whispered.
“Perhaps.”
I pulled back to stare down at her flushed face. Even the tips of her ears were red and it spread across her chest, dipping below her t-shirt. I couldn’t help smiling. This wasn’t anger. I recognised that in her all too well. No, Meredith found this arousing. The glazed-over look in her eyes painted the picture for me.
“Tell me you don’t want me and I’ll leave you alone.”
“I…”
“You can’t do it.”
Her tongue snaked out, running across her lip.
“You can’t tell anyone. Not a single soul, Cole. No one can know. If you promise me that, then I’ll give you a chance. One chance so don’t waste it.”
I was about to open my mouth when she cut me off.
“And just so we’re clear, this is not an invitation into my bed or even to kiss me. You want those things? You earn them.”
My eyebrow raised. If that’s how she wanted to play this, then fine, I’d earn the right to kiss her.
“If you expect me to promise not to tell anyone, I want something in return.”
“What?”
My lip curved up at the side.
“Firstly, you are going to tell me why this can’t be out in the open. Secondly, no more fucking lying to me. And lastly, this means I have the right to call you mine.”
Meredith’s eyes narrowed.
“I don’t recall signing up for possessive arsehole bullshit.”
“Not possessive, just making sure you know who you belong with.”
“You’re lucky you said belong with and not belong to. I’m not a possession.”
I let go of her braid and stroked a finger down her cheek.
“Trust me, I’m aware.”
My little queen, I’ll only make you kneel and beg when you’re ready to submit to me. And I’m going to make you beg so fucking hard.
She chewed on her bottom lip for a long moment.
“I don’t like people knowing my private life nor do I want gossip or rumours. So this thing… it’s between you and me only.”
I was relatively sure that wasn’t the whole truth, but something about Meredith’s expression told me not to push her too hard. That she was even giving me a chance without putting up a huge fight was a fucking miracle.
“This thing is called a relationship, Meredith.”
“It remains to be seen whether or not this will be a relationship.”
Her fucking smart mouth. I wanted to teach her a lesson, but that wouldn’t serve my purposes right now.
“I promise not to tell anyone about us.”
She let out a breath.
“I won’t lie to you.”
“And?”
“I’m not going to see or be with anyone else, you know that.”
“Say it, Meredith.”
Her eyes darkened and her mouth set in a firm line.
“You’re pushing your luck here.”
“Say. It.”
She loosened her hold on my arms and dropped her hands to curl around my waist, dragging me right up against her.
“If you earn the right to kiss me, Cole Carter, then I’ll say it.”
The fact she’d initiated contact with me had my body tightening in response. I didn’t want her bolting when she realised the effect she had on me. Couldn’t help it. She was so beautiful and made me ache with need.
“I’m going to hold you to that.”
Her lips curled up into a slow smile.
“I know.”
“You going to enlighten me as to how I earn your lips?”
Her green eyes sparkled.
“You’re a smart boy, work it out.”
This girl’s mouth really did something to me. And by fucking god did I want to kiss her.
“Fine, be ready on Friday after school.”
“For what?”
“For me to show you exactly why you won’t regret giving me a chance.”
You’re mine, little queen. All. Mine.
Chapter Ten
I had to ask myself repeatedly what the hell I’d been doing when I’d made the promise to my brother not to get involved with Cole. It’d been a stupid thing to do. I knew going out with Cole behind my brother’s back would only lead to trouble. And my justification for breaking my promise? Jonah didn’t get to run my life nor tell me who I could and could not spend time with. At eighteen, I was an adult and could make my own decisions. And if those decisions had led me into the arms of a sixteen-year-old, I’d have to deal with the consequences of my actions. Besides, I was merely giving Cole a chance to prove he was actually serious about me.
I had asked Cole why Friday considering I knew his family had mandatory dinners then. He told me not to worry. And when I had Raphi telling me his parents would love it if I attended again, I had a feeling that boy had played a hand in securing me an invite. Cole knew how to get his way, but I wouldn’t be letting him run circles around me. He had to show me he was worth my time and energy.
The three of us had been picked up by Ash this time. She made small talk all the way back to their house whilst I sat watching Cole sitting up beside her. His smirk drove me insane. He knew I was staring at him. It’s like the moment I stopped lying about my attraction to him, I couldn’t stop seeking him out with my eyes. In the library yesterday, he’d sat on the same table as me a few seats down. My ability to concentrate on my work got completely shot to pieces. It was lucky Raphi didn’t have the same free lesson as me on Thursdays or he’d have commented on me staring at his brother the whole time. He could not find out I’d got involved with Cole.
The minute we got in the house, their mother disappeared, leaving the three of us standing in the hallway.
“You mind if I steal Meredith to help me with my English homework?” Cole said to Raphi who stared at his brother like he’d grown an extra head.
“I don’t get you and your insistence on doing homework on Fridays, it’s basically the weekend.”
Cole shrugged.
“Exams are coming up soon, so, you know, don’t want Quinn on my case for getting bad results.”
Raphi snorted and waved at us.
“Ask Mer, not me. I’d rather not get stuck helping you anyway.”
Cole turned and winked at me.
“You want to be a Good Samaritan?”
I wanted to roll my eyes and shake my head, but I refrained.
“Fine, I guess I don’t mind if you’re that desperate.”
“Just don’t piss her off,” Raphi said. “I’ll be in the games room if you get bored with helping grumpy here.”
He gave me a warm smile before ambling off away down the hall towards the back of the house. Cole had a sly smile on his face when I turned to him.
“This is your master plan? Doing homework?” I asked when Raphi was out of earshot.