Cole’s mind wandered back to the feel of her against him earlier. She’d been so soft, her body yielding, and her slender waist had settled into his palm like it belonged there.
His hand hovered, inches from her cheek, the urge to wipe away the thick makeup growing stronger by the second. But just as he moved in, she shifted slightly.
Startled, he backed away and returned to bed in silence, closing his eyes and feigning sleep as if nothing had happened. Damn. He didn’t want to admit it, but part of him was genuinely scared of her catching him in the act.
The next morning, Elliana turned over on the plush mattress and woke up feeling unexpectedly well-rested. She thought she’d toss and turn all night in an unfamiliar place, but instead, she had knocked out like someone had flipped a switch.
When she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Cole-already dressed, perched at the edge of the bed, and watching her like she was some kind of mystery he couldn’t crack.
Elliana blinked, dazed and disoriented. Last she checked, she’d passed out on the couch. So why was she waking up in bed? Panic kicked in fast. She sat up and checked her clothes. The black tracksuit was still on, neat and untouched. A sigh slipped out before she could stop it. Just as the tension started to fade, a new one crept in-Cole was clearly capable of anything, and that scared her more than she liked to admit.
Elliana usually trusted her instincts. They’d kept her safe more than once. But somehow, Cole had moved her while she was out cold, and she hadn’t sensed a thing. Whatever trick he pulled, it worked-and she knew she’d need to be on guard from now on.
As if reading her mind, Cole let out a dramatic sigh, his tone laced with fake innocence as he said, “Honey, you climbed into bed yourself.”
Elliana narrowed her eyes, not buying a single word of it.
Cole’s eyes twinkled as he raised an eyebrow and grinned. “Actually, you didn’t stop there. You stripped me down, cuddled up to me, had your hand on my chest, and whispered sweet nothings like ‘darling’…”
“Shut your mouth!” Elliana shouted, her temper flaring before she could stop it. She could handle him being a smug flirt. But making up lies just to mess with her? That crossed the line.
Still wearing that grin, Cole reached over and handed her his phone. “I took some videos. If you think I’m lying, go ahead and watch for yourself…”
Elliana hesitantly took the phone and pressed play on the video.
The screen lit up with a recording of Elliana rising from the couch in the dead of night, moving like a sleepwalker before crawling into the large bed.
In the footage, Cole had rubbed his eyes, his voice heavy with sleep. “Is everything alright?”
“Shhh!” Elliana had whispered, pressing a finger to her lips like she was keeping a secret. And then it all went downhill. She yanked off Cole’s pajama shirt, hugged his waist like a stuffed animal, pressed her palm to his chest, and curled up against him with a sweet, sleepy sigh. “Sleep tight, darling.”
Elliana’s face turned red with embarrassment as the video ended. Yesterday at the wedding banquet, she had given in and taken a tiny glass of wine, mostly to shut up one of the younger cousins who wouldn’t stop pestering her.
Elliana was well aware she couldn’t handle alcohol. Even worse, drinking usually came with the side effect of sleepwalking. She had thought one little drink seemed harmless at the time, but apparently, the effects had kicked in during the night. Trying to explain that “darling” was once the name of her childhood cat wouldn’t help. He’d just laugh even harder. No way he’d buy the excuse that she thought she was cuddling a tabby in her sleep.
Elliana shot Cole a sharp look, choosing not to waste her breath trying to explain. “Let’s say I was sleepwalking. Couldn’t you have at least pushed me aside?”
Cole laughed under his breath, eyes twinkling with mischief as he nudged the phone back toward her. “You’re not done yet. Play the next one.”
A knot formed in her stomach. Still, she tapped on the next clip with dread.
In this video, Elliana had been practically glued to Cole, limbs draped around him like some lovesick octopus. From the bed, his voice came through the speaker, low and amused. “Honey, don’t you think this is a little excessive?”
And then came the kicker-she had smacked his rear and said, “One more word and I’ll spank you even harder!”
As the screen faded to black, Elliana sat motionless, cheeks blazing. All she wanted was to vanish.
Laughter spilled from Cole as he leaned over her. “You’re adorably fierce. Throwing threats like that… How was I supposed to resist?”
Enough was enough. With a huff,
Elliana tore off the covers and sprinted out of the bedroom like the place was on fire.
Cole was doubled over with laughter, his shoulders bouncing with every breathless chuckle. After diving under the covers and faking sleep last night, he had waited for the inevitable scolding. She had woken up, just as he feared. But instead, she’d given him a night full of surprises.
In a blur of panic, Elliana darted into the bathroom. She slammed the door, threw the lock, and tugged at her hair like she could wring the embarrassment out. She muttered a string of curses under her breath. If anything, this was a brutal reminder-alcohol was never her friend. She had just started pulling herself together when a knock rattled the door. Cole’s voice drifted in, light and teasing. “Honey, time’s ticking. The elders are waiting to meet us. Better get moving.”
The wealthy Evans family had upheld its numerous traditions for generations. One of the most important came the morning after the wedding, when the newlyweds were expected to greet the elders properly-a small but serious tradition that meant respect had been given and approval earned.
Elliana didn’t need the reminder. She yanked the door open, determined not to react to the humor dancing in Cole’s eyes. Her cheeks burned as she asked, “What do I wear?”
“I’ve got you covered.” He handed over a bag.
Elliana snatched it, shut the door, and got to work. Shower. Outfit change. A fresh layer of makeup to seal the deal.
But her thoughts drifted, uninvited, back to the night before. Cole had made a move on her. Maybe her makeup hadn’t been terrible enough. So today, she dialed it down even harder, dragging the brush like she meant it.
Once she was finally dressed, she cracked the door open. Spotting Cole just waiting by the door, she asked, “Where’s my wig?”
Cole gave her face one look and nearly lost his composure. A twitch of the lip, barely suppressed. Without a word, he handed the wig to her. There was no use pretending anymore. Elliana slammed the tousled wig onto her head right in front of him.
That made Cole’s eye twitch. “Try not to give my grandpa a heart attack. Maybe ease up on the haunted doll look.”
Before Elliana could throw a word back, Cole grabbed her hand and led her straight out the door.
The hall downstairs stood prim and polished, every detail already in place.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.