Silence thickened in the confined limo, tension snapping in the air like static.
Right when Elliana braced herself for Cole to snap, he ended up saying something that sounded more like a complaint than an outburst instead
“You’re heartless, you know that? I was falling apart last night, and you still kicked me out. Not even a little scared I might just end up in someone else’s bed?” Cole said, eyes narrowing.
Elliana didn’t think he’d play victim. She rolled her eyes. “Oh please, weren’t you already drooling over that whore?”
“I wasn’t!” Cole retorted, his voice cracking under the weight of frustration. “I spent the entire night freezing under a shower, trying to get my head straight!”
Caught off guard, Elliana opened her mouth, but no words came. He would rather soak in a cold shower all night than hook up with someone else. He had more self-control than she ever realized. At her silence, Cole reached over and gave her waist a sharp pinch. Her tiny flinch gave him the tiniest win.
The truth? He’d had his share of reckless thoughts last night. But he had shut every one of them down. He was scared that if he slipped up, Elliana would think he was tainted when she finally came around. By then, he’d have no way to fix it.
“That woman in red? She was a prop, nothing more,” Cole explained. “I just wanted to get under your skin. We didn’t do a damn thing.”
Elliana narrowed her eyes. “Oh please. Her foot went right up your leg and you didn’t even twitch. You were loving it.”
Cole retorted, “I struggled to rein it in. I felt like dislocating her knee!”
“Wow. Okay,” Elliana replied, eyebrows lifting. Then, she cracked up, laughter spilling out before she could stop it.
Cole finally smiled, relaxing a little. “She barely touched my sock, not even skin contact. I am still clean. When we get back, I’ll toss those socks and hit the shower like I’m prepping for surgery. That work for you?”
She believed Cole was like a whirlwind of ups and downs. One minute, he came off like some bold big shot. The next, he turned into an anxious boy, caught up in every single thought.
Crossing her arms with a flick of defiance, Elliana sneered, “What do I care if you’re clean? I said it last night-I don’t like you, and I sure as hell don’t want your last name.”
“I know you didn’t mean your words,” Cole remarked, tilting his head with a sly smile tugging at his lips.
Without waiting for a reaction, he dipped in and stole a kiss that was anything but subtle. The move stunned her-she was moments from lashing out, but the sudden weight in his expression made her freeze.
“I blew it yesterday,” Cole said, his voice barely above a whisper. “I rushed in like a fool, expecting something real to grow out of thin air. We barely know each other. You’re into me, but not enough to wear my name yet-am I right?”
Elliana didn’t reply, but the faint nod and tight press of her lips said it all. That first meeting? It hit her like static-brief, sharp, and impossible to ignore. Everything about him drew her in, just like he’d guessed. Raw magnetism. Nothing more. His looks, his sharp suits, the effortless charm-yeah, she noticed all of it. Hard not to. Still, being impressed wasn’t the same as falling. She never let herself blur that line. To her, commitment wasn’t casual-it meant forever, or not at all.
“How about we don’t rush it this time?” Cole leaned in, a softer look in his eyes now. “People don’t just fall in love overnight. It takes time, and I’m okay with that. If you’re not ready, then I’ll take it slow. I’ll win you over the long way.”
Elliana stared at him, stunned. From a man like Cole, this wasn’t what she expected. Her throat tightened, but no words came. A silence hung before she finally whispered, “What if I’m never ready?”
“I’ll wait as long as it takes,” he said, no hesitation in sight.
“And what if I ultimately decide to walk away?” she asked, her voice barely audible.
“That choice is yours to make,” he said simply.
The words stopped Elliana in her tracks-it wasn’t the kind of sweeping line she’d seen play out in dramas. Guys in dramas would’ve dropped to one knee by now or thrown out some desperate plea not to leave. They’d promise the stars, the fight, the forever. But Cole? He gave her calm permission. No begging. No grand act. Maybe that meant he didn’t love her as deeply as she thought. Or maybe he just wasn’t the reckless, hearts-on-sleeves type. He was measured. He was proud.
She grasped that real love wasn’t scripted. No sweeping soundtrack, no perfectly timed tears. For someone like Cole to admit he’d chase her and build something real? That already felt like his version of a declaration. She wanted to ask for space. Just a little time to figure things out.
But Cole didn’t wait. “You don’t owe me anything,” he said, voice low and certain. “If you need to go, go. Anywhere. Just let me be the one beside you. I’ll fund the trip, do the dirty work, and raise the kids if we have any. You won’t lift a finger.”
Elliana’s palm flew to her chest before she even realized it. Her heart pounded like it had caught up to a moment her brain hadn’t processed yet. Just a second ago, she was thinking Cole was far too logical and full of himself. Now, a single comment from him had her completely thrown off, her composure nowhere in sight. This man was dangerously smooth, and she was slipping fast.
Elliana sat frozen, dazed, watching as he leaned in. Everything around her faded into a blur. Then came the heat of his lips-firm, certain. He pulled her into him, and just like that, her instincts to resist vanished
One smooth line from Cole, and Elliana melted. She let him steal kiss after kiss all the way home, knowing she should stop him-but not wanting to.
Cole’s lips wandered-lips grazing hers, gliding along her jaw, teasing her ear, trailing down her neck. He explored every inch with quiet intensity.
Completely captivated, Elliana gazed at that maddeningly perfect face. His breath, warm and shallow, filled her ears. Occasionally, he’d draw a breathy gasp from her lips, making her skin buzz.
Only when the car turned into Regal Grove and stopped outside that massive mansion did reality finally cut through the haze. As soon as Cole’s hand moved toward her glasses, instinct kicked in. “Don’t,” she blurted out, sharper than she meant. Her fingers caught his just in time, halting the motion.
Cole didn’t push. His eyes softened as they took in her blushing face. “You’re still not ready to let me look, huh?” he asked gently.
Still catching her breath and tasting his kisses on her lips, Elliana gave a small shrug. “I’ve always kept my disguise up. I’m not ready to reveal my whole face yet.”
“Alright, I’ll wait,” Cole said, letting her go without a flicker of complaint in his voice. Even though every cell in his body screamed for more, he felt nothing but grateful that she’d let him kiss her for so long, and that was more than he expected. There was no rush. If she needed more time, she’d have it. He didn’t need to see her bare face to know he was already all in-she checked every box that mattered.
Realizing Cole wouldn’t push her, Elliana finally relaxed. She straightened in her seat, fingers smoothing down her tangled hair and wrinkled clothes.
Cole didn’t say much-just watched her quietly, that tender grin never fading as he helped fix the little things she missed.
Out of nowhere, a thought smacked her like a slap. She turned toward him fast. “Wait… How did you recognize me?”
Her mind buzzed with questions. Wasn’t he supposed to believe she was plain, even ugly? Her look today was miles from that image-yet he’d recognized her without hesitation. That could only mean one thing: he’d known the truth long before today. But how long had he been hiding it?
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.