Still, I couldn’t help but lean into it. “What are you thinking about right now?” he asked, his voice quieter now, but still laced with that teasing edge. I shrugged, trying to keep my cool. “I’m trying to be careful of what I say and do around you,” I replied, though my heart was pounding. He no
Nicola Taylor As I straddled Cole, my mind buzzed, a mix of margaritas and months of pent-up frustration clouding my judgment. I kissed him deeply, unable to help myself as I pressed closer, feeling the heat of his body beneath me. His strong hands gripped my hips, his hesitation evident but slow
Slowly, I sank down onto him, feeling him fill me completely. A deep moan escaped my lips, and I clung to him, my nails digging into his back as I began to move. Each slow bounce was heaven, my body savoring every inch of him. His hands slid down to my waist, holding me steady, his eyes locked on mi
Nicola Taylor The morning had started off as a typical, albeit chaotic, Saturday. Arabella was buzzing with excitement as Cole's parents showed up unannounced, offering to take her on a last-minute trip with her cousins. I couldn’t blame her for wanting to go—anything to escape the awkward tensio
“I don’t know, okay?” I admitted, throwing my hands up in frustration. “I don’t know what it means! I haven’t exactly had time to process everything!” “Well, you better start processing,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “Because this isn’t something you can just sweep under the rug.” I sig
Cole Harrington I groaned, letting my head fall onto the kitchen table, utterly defeated. The weight of everything was pressing down on me, and I couldn’t seem to shake it off. Mrs. Kinsley’s voice cut through my self-pity like a sharp knife. “Okay, either tell me what’s wrong or get out of my kit
With a deep breath, I began the process of packing away the things that had once meant so much. The wedding photos, the little trinkets she’d loved, the carefully folded clothes—all of it was a part of our past, but it didn’t need to dominate my present. As I worked, I thought about Nicola—her laug
Nicola Taylor I came home very late, the clock already ticking past 9 PM as I unlocked the door and stepped inside. Exhaustion weighed on my shoulders after a long day of back-to-back classes, but a strange, persistent noise pulled me out of my weary daze. It sounded like construction—hammering, d
Nicola Taylor I sat in the car, gripping the steering wheel tightly, staring at the entrance of Cole’s office building. I felt utterly defeated. Six years ago, my life had crumbled in his absence. And now, here I was again, stuck in an endless loop, except this time, I wasn’t competing with the
Cole Harrington I watched Nicola walk off, her retreating figure stirring something uneasy in my chest. The weight of the day’s events pressed down on me like a storm cloud refusing to dissipate. I felt suffocated, torn between what was happening and what I was inadvertently doing to the woman I c
Nicola Taylor The weight of her words hit like a tidal wave. I felt my chest tighten as I realized what she’d sacrificed, and I could see the shift in Cole’s expression. The anger in his eyes dimmed, replaced by something closer to heartbreak. “And you just… agreed to that?” he asked, his voice b
“Because I knew you wouldn’t let me go,” she said simply. “You would’ve fought him, and he would’ve come after you too. After Arabella. I couldn’t risk it. I couldn’t let him hurt you the way he wanted to hurt me.” The three of us stood in silence, the weight of Courtney’s confession hanging heavy
Nicola Taylor Arabella went back inside, her small figure disappearing into the house with a frustrated sigh. The heavy front door creaked as it closed, leaving just the three of us standing in the cool morning air. Silence settled over the driveway, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves i
Nicola Taylor The night was a restless blur. Aaron’s small, trembling body pressed against mine as he cried himself to sleep, his tears soaking through my shirt. I stayed with him, stroking his hair and whispering soft reassurances until his breathing evened out. Even then, I couldn’t bring myself
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