Hung By the Fire (Evergreen Lake: Under the Mistletoe)

Chapter 3

three

BETHANY

“Yup, sometimes you just know.”

Way to take the bull by the horns. And what a bull this was.

I was never this flirty with men. I barely flirted with the men I dated, so this part of me came from out of nowhere and I couldn’t say I didn’t like it. Something felt right about testing my wings with this stranger. I’d been lamenting to my new bartender friend, Joe, about the sad state of my love life. I mean, that was what a person did with a bartender, right? Lay all worries at their feet, or bar top as the case may be, and get a solution. I hadn’t even noticed the man sitting a few seats away until he spoke, and then I couldn’t do anything but notice him.

Once I did, I gave him all my attention.

Or maybe he demanded it. Either way, this was more interesting than anything I had done in a while, even if it lasted for only a few minutes.

Scruff covered his cheeks and chin, but it made him all the more mysterious. Colorful ink adorned both arms from beneath his short-sleeved T-shirt, down to his wrists. It made me wonder what the shirt hid. Broad shoulders, stretching the cottony material, spoke of strength, but there was still a gentleness about him. We hadn’t exchanged more than a handful of words, but something told me he was a protector.

Maybe it was the same something that told him I didn’t deserve to be cheated on.

Seconds passed as we sat in silence, until I couldn’t take it anymore. “Hi, I’m Bethany.” I extended my hand. “Your tattoos are gorgeous, by the way. Sorry if I was a little bold.” Girl, you started rubbing his arm; that’s sort of more than bold.

He looked down before clasping my hand in his. The same spark that lit the tip of my fingers when I traced his tattoos, coursed through my entire body. “Cole. And thanks,” he responded. “I don’t mind a little boldness.”

The deep rumble of his voice set those sparks alight. Warmth suffused my skin, pooling low in my belly and between my legs. A few words and I was turned on like I couldn’t believe. Well, this is something the cheating trio never managed. I barely got turned on during sex with them. I wasn’t here for this, though. I just wanted a night to acclimate to Evergreen Lake again. A night for myself before moving in with Aunt Nadine. So, enjoy it with the hottie too. A part of me wanted to go for it, and a part wanted to simply enjoy this connection with nothing more.

Because there was a connection.

A loud cheer rose from the crowd behind me, breaking open the bubble of silence surrounding Cole and me. The sounds of clapping and banging on the table accompanied what must have been something exciting happening in one of the games. He quirked a smile my way and released my hand that I hadn’t even realized he still held.

“So, you really think they were assholes? My sister said I had bad luck.”

Cole shook his head. “Bad luck is getting stuck behind an accident when you have somewhere to be. Cheating makes them one hundred percent assholes.”

I grinned a little as I picked up my glass of whiskey, before tipping it his way. He lifted his, clinking it with mine.

“To cheating assholes, good whiskey, and strangers in a bar.” This was not a me I recognized, but for once in my life I wasn’t questioning it, and I tended to question everything. “You know, the last one told me I was boring.” That had cut deep because it was something I often told myself. I didn’t have hobbies that some would find exciting, but they made me happy. I didn’t think that made me boring. It made me… me.

Cole looked me over and I burned under his gaze. “That just meant he didn’t understand you. What’s boring for someone is the best thing another person can do.”

I hadn’t expected him to mimic what I was thinking, but still, he got it in one. “Exactly.” Somehow, I’d managed to scoot myself closer, my legs bracketed by his spread thighs. “I don’t see how his video games were so much more exciting than my reading.” Taking another sip, I shook my head. “You know what? I don’t want to talk about him, really any of them, anymore. I’m done with them.” I tended to ruminate on things, especially if they didn’t go right, for a long time. But in this instant, I knew I was done worrying about those three assholes. See how easy it is to think of them that way?

“What do you want to talk about, whiskey girl?”

My eyes widened. The only nickname I ever had was Bethie and even then, only my family used it. Certainly no man had. I always thought I’d cringe when I read them in books, but the only thing Cole’s use of one did was make me clench my thighs a little tighter.

What was it about this man?

“What if I don’t want to talk?” The words rolled off my tongue without real conscious thought. I didn’t do one-night stands, didn’t do casual hook-ups, and I knew this would be nothing more than exactly that.

Still, it didn’t stop me from wanting it.

Cole’s eyes flared, interest and heat clear in the hazel orbs. He leaned forward, encroaching on my personal space, and I had no problem with it. His voice, almost like a purr, was for my ears only as he spoke, “If we don’t talk, what would we do?”

Common sense grabbed hold for a second and I glanced down at his left hand.

“Not married. Never have been, never will be.”

Well, if that wasn’t setting the expectation, I don’t know what was. To be fair, I didn’t even care. I was here for a month, two at most, just to help Aunt Nadine and maybe get myself back together. I didn’t even know if Cole was from Evergreen Lake, but in this moment it didn’t matter. For a night, we were two strangers in a strange town.

And I knew what I wanted.

“We lose ourselves in each other.”

Within minutes Cole had set money on the bar for his drink and guided me outside. His hand rested on my lower back, and I felt the touch as if I didn’t have a coat and sweater between our bare skin. This was the height of crazy for me. I was practically a walking episode of Dateline waiting to happen. I watched too many true crime shows for this to be something I would normally consider doing.

Except this night wasn’t normal. Nothing had been since I first laid eyes on him. Everything seemed different, and I couldn’t deny what I wanted.

In silence, we walked the dozen or so feet to the parking lot before he spun me around and pinned me against a black truck. I wasn’t a small woman, in stature or size, but against Cole’s large body I damn near felt petite. He bracketed his arms above me, staring down as if he could see into my soul, find all the answers to questions I didn’t even know he was asking.

Without a word he lowered his head and his arm until his hand rested on my throat. Moving it ever so slightly he tilted my head up and crashed his lips down on mine. Something flared to life within me, something I’d never felt before, but at once realized I’d been missing my entire life. I reached up, tangling my hands in his hair, making sure he couldn’t leave. He had me completely at his mercy, pinned by his body and hand, angling me exactly as he wanted. His tongue stroked along my lips, and I parted them like the damn Red Sea, letting him invade my mouth. I’d say our tongues fought for dominance, but it would be a lie.

He completely took control, and I loved every second of it.

Cole pulled away, resting his forehead against mine, his breaths coming heavy. I knew the feeling. I couldn’t even gather mine enough to speak. “Whiskey girl,” he whispered, puffs of air heating my already overheated lips even more, “this can only be for a little while tonight. I can’t give you much time.” He must have read something in my eyes because he released the hold he had on my throat to rest a finger on my lips before continuing, “No one’s waiting at home, at least not like you’re thinking. I don’t have it in me to give much of anything, but I don’t know that I can walk away.”

“I don’t want you to walk away. I’ll take what you can give me.” These weren’t words I ever thought I’d utter. I was a relationship girl, but something about this man called to me and I’d hate myself forever if I didn’t give in to what I was feeling. I’d probably hate myself in the long run by taking this chance, but I couldn’t say no. “Come back to my room with me.”

He gazed down at me, his eyes hooded so I couldn’t completely read them. With the slightest of nods, he agreed and stepped back. “I’ll follow.”

Somehow, I made it to my car under his watchful gaze, and the fifteen-minute drive to the Lake’s Edge Motor Lodge seemed like it flew by and took forever all at the same time. He slid his truck into the spot next to mine. Without a word we got out, and he followed me to my first-floor room. I could hear the Voiceover in my head— what she thought would be a night of fun turned into her last night alive— but didn’t care one iota. With Cole’s hands on my hips and his mouth coasting along the nape of my neck, I couldn’t concentrate and fumbled for the keycard in my purse. It took four tries to get the damn thing out of my bag and another two to actually open the door, but finally I pushed through. I’d left the light on—for safety since a girl shouldn’t walk into a dark hotel by herself or with a stranger from a bar, but whatever—and went to hit the switch, but he stopped me.

“I want to fucking see you. Watch you come apart under me.”

Good Lord, I think I just came. I shivered, his words turning me on even more, and I didn’t think that was possible. We both shrugged out of our coats, before he turned his attention back to me. Placing his hands at my waist, he guided them up, taking my sweater over my ribs, then my breasts.

“Up,” he commanded and without hesitation, I lifted my arms. With a whoosh , the garment went flying onto one of the two beds. “So fucking pretty.” I wasn’t sure if Cole was talking about the mint green lace bra I wore or what it contained. “I wanted to get my hands on these in the bar, get my mouth on them.”

He lowered his head, coasting his lips along the tops of my breasts and a little, “Eek,” escaped my mouth.

“So fucking sweet.” Keeping his gaze focused on mine, he licked along the edge of the bra, and I couldn’t help but tremble. “I could spend all night watching you do that, knowing it was my mouth that caused you to shake.” Cole dragged kisses up the center of my chest, settling on my neck as he pinched one of my nipples between his fingers. “My hands causing your body to respond.” He moved again, this time his lips brushed against my ear as his hand found the hem of my skirt, lifting it higher. “Are you wet for me? Am I going to slide my fingers inside your panties and feel your pussy all slick and hot for me?”

HOLY FUCK. I croaked out an, “Uh huh.”

“C’mon, whiskey girl, you can do better than that.” Cole traced his tongue around the shell of my ear. “I want to hear the words.”

I was not normally a talker during sex. Of course, most of the guys I’ve been with weren’t either. Definitely nothing like Cole. As I was dithering around with responding, Cole’s hand was getting closer and closer to the promised land.

Nodding, I somehow found my inner bad girl, the girl who wanted to have fun with a lover, not merely get the deed done and hopefully find some satisfaction. “Soaked, Cole.” Not that he couldn’t tell, because his fingers finally brushed my panties and both of us let out a strangled groan. “Are you hard for me?”

Thrusting his hips forward, I could feel what I could only imagine was a baseball bat in his pants, against my stomach. Okay, maybe not that huge, but damn bigger than anything I’d previously seen.

“Hard as fucking iron.” My fingers went to his buckle, but with his free hand, he stilled them. “Not yet. I’m not done playing.” He made good on his words, as his fingers slipped under the lace, encountering nothing but smooth skin. “Oh, whiskey girl, you are well and truly wet.” Releasing my hands, he scrunched the material of my skirt up around my waist, baring my lower half and pulled his hand out from between my legs.

I’m not proud…I whimpered at the loss of contact.

I also panted as he moved his fingers to his mouth, licking the moisture off. As Cole’s eyelids dropped, it looked as if he was savoring every second of the taste.

“God, you’re fucking delicious.” He opened his eyes again and a ring of gold dominated the hazel of his eyes. It looked like flames were dancing in the orbs. “I knew you would be. I watched you taking a sip of that whiskey and I knew you’d taste even better. I’d savor you all night if I could. Make a feast and lap you up until you thought you couldn’t take it anymore.”

His hand returned to my pussy, and I couldn’t help but move against it. “God, Cole, what are you doing to me?” I don’t know if I wanted to know or just let myself live in this alternate reality for a little while longer. “Everything you’re saying I want. I want to look down and watch you, want to feel your tongue on me.” Whoa girl. Who are you and what have you done with Bethany? I didn’t have an answer for my inner self, but I didn’t care. The only thing I cared about was how good I currently felt.

And how much better I was going to feel.

“Your wish, whiskey girl.” With a gentle shove, Cole pushed me back on the bed and proceeded to make ridiculously quick work of stripping me of my skirt and boots. All that were left where my bra and panties, and if I could see the expression Cole currently wore on his face again and again, I’d buy every last set of them I could find. He sank to his knees in front of me, a hand on each of my knees as he pushed my legs wide.

I felt vulnerable and strengthened all at the same time. The position left me almost bare to him, but seeing him there before me let me know he was as enthralled as I was.

He peppered kisses up my inner thigh and then down the other, leaving me writhing as he missed the very place I wanted him most.

“Cole, please. Taste me.” I’d never said these words before, never behaved like this before. Somehow this man, who should have been no more than a stranger, captured a part of me I didn’t even know existed. He brushed aside doubts simply by seeing me. There was a connection between us I didn’t understand, didn’t even know could exist, but I couldn’t deny it.

I didn’t want to.

A long, low groan erupted from my throat as he pushed my panties aside and did just that. The slow lick of his tongue had me panting and grabbing the bedspread for purchase. I could come apart from this alone, but I wanted more.

“God damn, you’re delectable.” With every lick and suck and nibble, I grew more frantic. I felt his lips close around my clit as he slid a finger inside me and almost levitated off the bed. “Your pussy is pulsing for me.” Cole slid a second finger in. “It’s going to feel like a vice around my cock.”

I ground up into his face at his words, at the way he was playing my body like an instrument, at the way he was making me feel. Everything was too much. I gripped his head and heard him hum his approval, the vibrations doing exactly what he, and every adult toy inventor in history, meant to accomplish.

“Cole,” I screamed, not at all embarrassed if others heard me. It wouldn’t have mattered anyway because there was no way I could keep quiet.

“Stunning,” he growled as he looked up and licked his lips. The move was dirty and possessive and book-boyfriend worthy. “I don’t know if I’d ever get enough of your screams in my ear and your flavor on my tongue.” Except this was a one-time thing. Neither of us would be getting more, and for a fleeting second, I regretted our agreement.

Couldn’t think about that now.

“I want you, Cole. I want to feel you moving in me, over me.”

His hands went to undo his pants, pushing them and his boxer briefs down, before toeing his shoes off. I swallowed, taking in his erection. Whoa. It was every bit as impressive as I imagined from the feel of it before. Long and thick and hard, pointing right at me like it had a mind of its own and knew exactly what it wanted. I licked my lips as Cole drew a condom from his wallet and slowly slid it over his length.

“You like watching me?” I nodded, because I did. There was something crazy sexy about watching a man touch himself, especially when I knew I was the reason. “I’d let you get a feel, but if you lay a finger on me, I’m going off like a rocket. Spread those sexy legs and make room for me.” I did as instructed, relishing in the weight of his body as he fit himself against me.

For seconds, we stared into each other’s eyes. I couldn’t even find the words for what I wanted to say, but maybe that was for the best.

“I don’t normally do this.” It was important to me he knew that.

With a whisper touch of his fingers, Cole brushed my hair aside. “I know.” Something, a sadness or disappointment, flashed in his gaze. “I don’t either.” I didn’t think that was true, but the way he said it, it sounded like he wished it could be or I could be deluding myself.

He lowered his head, our lips finding each other’s again as he pressed into me. We were as slow now as we were frantic before. With every slide of his body into mine, need built within me. The pace grew and grew until all I could hear was the slapping of our bodies against each other and the pleadings coming from my mouth. “Harder. Faster. More, Cole.” He placed his hand between us and circled my clit with his thumb. Within seconds, my body started to shake and I flew apart for the second time in mere minutes.

A grunt emanated from Cole’s lips, and he plunged recklessly into me. Lifting himself up on his arms he looked down as his body quickened the pace. I could feel myself responding again. I’d never experienced anything like this in my life, and it wasn’t just the sex, which would probably come back to haunt me. “Fuck me, Cole,” I whispered, and he completely let himself off the chain.

In seconds, he stiffened, and he held himself tight against my body. His groan set off another round of shivers, even as he collapsed down on top of me, before rolling to the side and gathering me in his arms.

For minutes we laid there, not moving, not speaking. I don’t know if either of us knew what words to speak, so why bother. I only had a little bit of time with him. My body was screaming at me that I’d made the right move.

But my head was decidedly quiet.