Page 36 of Strip Search
My eyes widen, the meaning behind his words linger around us. “And?”
“He says, next time he sees me, he’s going to kick my ass. And that if I ever hurt you, he has no problem going to jail for murder.” He smiles.
“Oh my God.” I bury my face in his chest. “He’s as bad as you and Cody.”
“Hey.” He lifts my head. “He’s looking out for you. I don’t blame him.”
“Cole Davenport, I don’t think you have it in you to hurt me, at least not anymore.”
“I’m sorry for pushing you away. You scare me,” he admits. “Loving you terrifies me. I’ve done a lot of fucked up shit in my time, and you’re so much better than that.”
“So? Let me be the light in that darkness for you.”
“Molly, you already are. You have been for a while now.”
Those words alone mend together every piece of my heart that has shattered over the years. Every ex-boyfriend who couldn’t handle me, the ones who wanted more than I was ever willing to give. The tiny cracks from Cole denying this thing between us. I can feel all of it slowly blending back together.
“Now. Let’s talk about that little detail you left out. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“When would have been a good time? It’s not something you blurt out. ‘Oh, hey, I’m a virgin!’ Besides, if you knew, would you have touched me?”
“Nope,” he answers honestly. “At least not there. That’s not the introduction to sex that you deserved.”
“Oh, for fuck sake. Let’s not go there. I asked for it. I was well aware of what was happening, and I wouldn’t change anything about it.”
Cole raises a brow in challenge. “You wanted your first time to happen against a door, in a strip club, minutes before a raid?”
With a sly smile, I shrug my shoulders. “Sure, why not?”
“You’re a terrible liar,” he barks out a laugh. “You gave me something that should be treasured. I would have done it differently. I would have taken my time with you. And, I also lost my head. Completely. I never should have fucked you without a condom.”
Shit. This is not how I picturedthisconversation happening.
“It doesn’t matter. I mean, we know I’m clean...” I’m about to lay another confession at his feet when panic sets in for a moment. “Cole are you...” I never even thought that he may not be clean. I mean, I’m not blind, I know he’s not a saint what if...
“I’m clean. I haven’t had sex with anyone...since you started at the club. And I got tested right after that.”
“You and Jade?”
Cole blows out a frustrated breath and runs a hand over his face. “I don’t exactly want to talk about all of my ex’s, but so we’re clear, last time I touched her was that night after you kissed me.”
I’m silent for a beat as those words hit home. “So, you pushed me away and ran to her instead.” I fill in the blanks.
“Yes.”
I want to be angry, but I don’t know if I’m entitled to that. We were not together, I knew he slept with her on more than one occasion over the years, in fact, I assumed it happened many times. He’s being honest. Surely, he should get credit for that.
Yet, it still burns. Harshly. Especially after seeing his reaction to her relationship with Dallas tonight.
“That was the last time. And, I let her know shortly after, that it wouldn’t be happening again,” he goes on.
Pushing back, I move away from him as the water sloshes around us.
“Cole?” There’s no hiding the emotion in my voice.
“Yeah.” He exhales, and I have a feeling he already knows what’s coming next. You don’t spend years getting close to someone, as friends, and not have the ability to pick up on their emotions.
“In favor of honesty and all that.” I swallow hard. “I think, I’m going to need some time to process that information. Knowing you left me, and ran to her? It stings.”