Chapter 210 Dating - Monet

Chapter 210 Dating - Monet
I groan, my eyes burning and the deep ache between my legs intensifying as I get out of bed at the incessant ringing of the doorbell. I assume my roommates aren't here if nobody is checking the door. If it's one of Amy's online orders, I'm gonna be massively pissed off that she didn't even tell me there would be a package arriving today.
But no, when I check through the peephole, I take a quick step back and nervously run my fingers through my hair, knowing I probably look like shit.
"Good morning." His voice is gravelly when I open the door and look at him, last night's events passing wordlessly between us.
We fucked, like fucking animals in his truck, like people who were starved for each other. I lost count on how many times he wrung an orgasm out of me until I started crying uncontrollably, all the abandonment I felt, the betrayal of the last year falling from my eyes, exorcised from my chest. It was like a flood of emotions pouring out of me, Mom gone forever, being kidnapped, and him leaving me when I needed him the most.
He held me, his tears mixed with mine as he said sorry over and over again, that he will never do it again, that he made a mistake. My sobs turned to hiccups, and afterwards I just felt tired and fucking empty.
I told him I wanted to go home, and I got dressed in my wrinkled dress and no panties with his sperm dripping down my leg. He didn't even bother putting his shirt back on, my eyes kept on going to my name tattooed on his forearm.
"We probably shouldn't have done that." His voice was raw when he loooked at me with red eyes when he stopped in front of my apartment.
We shouldn't have, it felt great for my body, but my soul was maybe not ready for that.
I didn't say anything, I just reached for the door to get to my bedroom where I didn't have to look in his eyes that felt like they were digging deep into the recesses of my spirit. Because all I see was that little boy who was lost and broken, the one who held my tiny hand so I wouldn't fall. The blue eyes are different now, they no longer have that desperation they used to have when they looked at me. Instead, they were vulnerable, full of remorse, and I wondered if he regretted what we did, who we were.
He grabbed my arm before I could get out. "I love you, Monet, and maybe I've had a funny way of showing it, and maybe you don't agree with my decisions, but I will fight for you, even if it takes forever."
The remorse from last night is still in his eyes now, as he smiles slightly at me, holding out a brown bag and coffee. "Breakfast. Salmon and cream bagel. Coffee from your favorite place in town, and a chocolate chip cookie if you feel like dessert."
It's not like he forced me into his truck last night, but I accept the peace offering. "Thanks."
Cole immediately shoves his hands into his sweatpants' pockets, clearing his throat nervously. "So, I was wondering if you'd like to join me tonight. There's a drive-thru movie playing, they're showing the original Spiderman, you loved it when it came out, so I thought we could do a picnic in the bed of the truck. Only if you want to, of course."
He's rambling, and he's blushing, and fuck him, it's the cutest thing ever.
"I won't touch you, I swear." He licks his lips nervously. "You can meet me there, I promise I won't follow you home."
"Okay."
He looks momentarily surprised, before a breathtaking smile breaks over his face, stealing the last of my resistance.
So I go to the drive-in theater with him. He has a whole picnic spread in the bed of his truck, with pillows and everything, and he stands good on his promise. He never touches me, and he doesn't follow me home, leaving me with more conflicting emotions.
I was so used to the overbearing Cole, that him giving me my space feels a little weird.
The next morning he's on my doorstep again, with my favorte bagel and my favorite coffee, and a chocolate chip cookie just in case I feel like dessert. He asks me if I'd like to go to the petting zoo. I used to love the damn petting zoo when I was a kid, and when the goat eats out of my hand, I think I laugh genuinely for the first time in a long time, and I catch Cole not looking at the animal, but at me.
After two weeks of breakfast at my door, and the cutest dates that I absolutely adored, and him keeping a respectful distance at all times, not even trying to kiss me, even though I was craving it, I open the door wider.
"Please come in."
He stands there, looking a little shocked, before he steps over the threshold of the apartment that he got for us. He looks around awkwardly, like this is the first time he's here.
I place the brown paper bag and coffee on the counter and clear my throat. "I'm not going to be here tomorrow morning."
Disappointment shines in his eyes, along with the biggest heartache, but he gathers himself together and gulps. "I understand."
I raise my eyebrows sarcastically. "I'm going home, it's spring break."
"Oh." Relief masks the disappointment. "Are you gonna drive, or...?"
He lets the question hang in the air, because it would be the road that killed Mom.
"I didn't want to drive alone since Luke already left and Amy is spending some time with her patrents." I frown. "Your parents, or whatever. So I'm taking the bus."
"We could drive together." He says quickly. "I mean, I could drive and you could drive with me, it's more comfortable than the bus, right?"
"Okay." He's surprised at me agreeing, that damn blush on his cheeks again. "I wanted to talk to you about the house. Mom wanted us to do something good with it, and I thought maybe we could make it into a shelter of sorts, where vulnerable women with kids could go to if they needed to get back on their feet or a place to stay."
"That's a great idea, Monet." Cole looks damn near close to tears now.
"I'll cancel my bus ticket then."
Then he does something he hasn't done in the two weeks that we've been dating. He pulls me gently into his arms, his blue eyes looking down at me in wonder before he lowers his head and brushes his lips against mine reverently.
"You are my biggest dream come true." He whispers against my lips, making me sigh in surrender. "Thank you for being you."