Nicola Taylor I grunted silently, praying for the almighty to end my suffering as the students' loud chattering echoed in my throbbing head. What was I thinking getting drunk on a work night? The hangover was so bad it felt like someone was hammering a nail into my brain. “Oh, hello, I thought thi
Oh, great, just what I needed. A flirty billionaire and a hangover. What could possibly go wrong? After hanging up the phone, I took a deep breath and made my way to the school entrance to pick up Arabella. She was waiting patiently, her backpack slung over her shoulder, and her eyes lit up when sh
My hands rested on his big, muscular biceps as I felt his hands groping my ass without warning, pulling me into him. He bit down on my neck, making me whimper as his pleasurable assaults continued, his hands shamelessly exploring my body. “Cole…” I whispered, my voice barely audible over the sound
Nicola Taylor I snuggled into my bed, pressing the pillow against my ears to drown out the incessant ringing of the alarm. I was exhausted, mentally and physically drained from constantly thinking about Cole and the confusing mix of emotions our recent encounters had stirred up. How did I go from h
Nicola Taylor I hummed softly as the hot water cascaded over my tired muscles, the steam enveloping me in a soothing embrace. The sweet scent of my strawberry body wash filled the air as I lathered it onto my skin, followed by the familiar fragrance of my strawberry shampoo. Yes, I was obsessed w
“Face it, you only want to marry me because you love your daughter and you don’t find me objectionable.” I remind him as he tries to defend himself unsuccessfully. “I know what you mean but—” “Do you remember Harvey?” I interrupted, watching his puzzled look. “Harvey Anderson? My high school frie
Nicola Taylor The whole week when I went to work, I was immensely grateful to my students for providing a welcome distraction from thoughts of Finn and his new fiancée. My good mood was further maintained by how incredibly well-behaved the kids were this week. As the final bell rang, Steph rushed
“I’m not free,” I state firmly, but Steph waves me off. “No, she’s kidding. She’s free. She’s just going to go home, watch television, and then maybe prepare for tomorrow.” She betrays me in a heartbeat as she happily tells the man I don’t want to marry my very boring schedule. I sigh inwardly,
Nicola Taylor As I sat on Emma’s worn but cozy couch, “I think I should head home now,” I said, breaking the comfortable silence between us. “I miss my kids, and I can’t keep running away. If I stay away much longer, Cole might do something drastic to track me down.” The thought made my stomach ch
Cole Harrington “Where is she?” my mom screamed, her voice cutting through the thick tension in the room as her glare landed on Courtney. Courtney shrank back, but she didn’t respond, her face pale and drawn. My mother had never been a fan of Courtney—not openly hostile, but certainly not warm. S
Nicola Taylor Her apartment was modest but surprisingly clean. A small living room with a sagging couch and mismatched furniture opened into a kitchenette. A door to the left likely led to her bedroom, and there was a pile of laundry in one corner. The faint smell of lavender hung in the air, mixi
“So, what’s going on?” she asked, her tone flat, as if she had asked this question to a thousand strangers and didn’t expect much of an answer. I froze, not sure if I wanted to spill my thoughts to a complete stranger. But something in her gaze—apathetic yet steady—made me falter. My walls were alr
Nicola Taylor The cab came to a screeching halt outside a small café, its warm yellow lights spilling out onto the darkened street like a lifeline. I thanked the driver, handed him a crumpled bill from the cash in my back pocket, and stepped out, realizing with a jolt of panic that I had left my p
Nicola Taylor I stood there, numb, watching the scene unfold in front of me. It was as though time had frozen, and in that moment, the weight of the truth crashed down on me. For six long years, I had loved Cole with every part of me. I had given him my heart, my trust, my soul. Yet, standing there
Nicola TaylorI woke up in a frantic state, my heart pounding as I blinked against the harsh hospital lights. The room was quiet, painfully so, and the sterile smell of antiseptic filled my senses. My head throbbed as I tried to make sense of my surroundings. The clock on the wall read midnight.Fou
Cole HarringtonI couldn’t believe what was happening. I was holding her—her. The woman I thought I had lost forever. The woman who, at one point, had been my everything.Courtney trembled in my arms, her sobs muffled against my chest. My fingers curled instinctively around her shoulders, pulling he
Nicola TaylorAs we tried to catch our breath, the doorbell rang, cutting through the charged silence like a thunderclap. I jolted upright, hurriedly pulling my clothes back on, shoving Cole’s wandering hands away. My heart was still racing from the heat of the moment, but now it beat with a differe