But I didn’t care. Not one bit.

I had my friend back, and only now did I realize how much I’d missed her.

Cole slid into my bed.

I woke as soon as I felt the covers lift. The cold hit my naked back, but his warmth soon replaced it. The feel of his body against mine, and I rolled over, a hmmm on my lips. I didn’t open my eyes.

“Hey,” he murmured, dropping a kiss to the side of my mouth. He wrapped an arm around my waist, his hand sliding over my hip. “Hmmm back. I like this.” I was naked for him. His hand moved down my leg and back up to my breast. “A lot.”

I shifted, sliding one leg over his and the other between his legs. I pulled him close so he was pressed against me. I laid back, my head resting against the pillow, and looked up at him. “I figured. It’s my present for you.”

He pinched my nipple, then rubbed his thumb over the tip. “Happy early birthday to me. I should always leave you alone with your friend.” He leaned close, sniffing. “You guys had a few drinks, huh?”

I rested my arms on his shoulders, keeping him over me. “We did, and it was glorious.” A yawn slipped out. “I told her everything, Cole.”

He stiffened before dipping his mouth to my shoulder. I felt his lips move over my skin as he asked, “Everything?” His hand dropped to my hip and tightened there a moment.

“Not the stables. Not what happened.”

His hand relaxed, sweeping over the outside of my leg before coming back up on the inside. My pulse picked up. My blood warmed, and soon lust pulsated through my body. Would I always want him this way? I lifted myself, locking my legs around his waist and pulling him down at the same time.

Cole’s eyes widened, but he pushed back, a satisfied smirk on his face. He rubbed against me, letting me feel how much he wanted me, too.

Yes. I silently answered my question. As his lips came down to mine, and I switched our positions to straddle him, I knew that my need for him wasn’t going away, at least not any time soon. And with that in mind, I rested one hand against his chest and took control. This time, it was about what I wanted.

Cole could dominate me next time. I shivered in anticipation.

Addison,

The editors loved your article. We’re running it in next month’s issue. I’ll send the link when it goes live. You’ll have to fill out the forms attached for payment. We have another opening two months from now—would you be interested in doing another article? You pick the topic, but keep it similar to what you turned in. If this sounds like something you’d like to do, let me know. And again, great job!

Tina Gais

Editor-in-Chief

Onlooker Online Magazine

I stared at the screen, reading that email. It felt good. It felt damn good. Life was becoming normal—or as normal as it could be—and tonight would be another big moment.

I’d met Cole’s friends, so it was his turn to meet mine.

Emma and Carter had stayed for three weeks, but I didn’t see Carter again. Thankfully. Cole was content to come to my floor, and I assumed he met up with Carter during the day. I tried not to think about the attack, or what it meant for Cole. Would he retaliate? Was that why Carter was here? They didn’t tell me. Emma and I met for lunch a few times during those weeks, and if she knew, she never said a word either. It was the topic that wasn’t discussed, and right now, where we were, I was all right with that. I preferred it even.

For the last couple lunch dates, Sia had joined us, and while she’d been hesitant, Emma was warm and welcoming. It was a sight to see. The roles reversed. Sia, who was usually the social butterfly, was withdrawn and shy at first. Emma, who I realized was more reserved than I’d thought, was the one to make sure Sia relaxed.

I’d expressed the same thought to Cole one night, and he’d explained, “She didn’t do it for your friend. Emma did that for you.”

“What do you mean?” I’d rolled to my back, looking up at him.

“I care about you, so therefore, Emma does, too. It’s what we do. You care about Sia, so Emma made sure she was happy. For you.”

“You just said she did it for you.”

He’d shrugged, smirking. “She was nice to you in the beginning because of me, but she likes you. She wouldn’t continue to hang out with you if she didn’t. Emma’s not the fake type.”

I was quiet for a moment. Then I’d flattened my hand against his chest and murmured, “It goes both ways.”

His eyes had warmed. “Good.”

It hadn’t been long after that when conversation ceased, and soon we’d both been groaning.

“There you are!” Sia exclaimed, opening the bathroom door. We were at another one of her events, and it was the night. Cole would meet Sia and Jake in a more real way. He would come, pick me up and the four of us would go to Gianni’s for a late-night dinner. Cole had the second floor reserved just for us.

The sounds of music, laughter, and conversation swirled into the small room along with her before the door closed again, dulling the noise. Her heels clacked on the floor as she made quick work looking into the three stalls. They were all empty. I watched her in the mirror, noting how her sequined black dress accentuated her body. I had on a soft blue dress. It was light and comfortable—all I cared about. I looked good, but I wasn’t sexy, not like Sia. There was a slit up the side, so as she walked, she showed a good dose of leg.

When Jake had seen her earlier, he’d groaned. “How am I supposed to handle seeing that all night?”