Page 17 of Cole (Dirty Misfits MC 4)
She likened my apartment to a grimy jail cell on Guantanamo Bay, and while that used to make me laugh, I also understood why she felt that way.
But who had the time to decorate when I spent almost eleven hours of my day in someone else’s house?
With someone else’s kids?
I turned over onto my side and kept scrolling through Facebook. I saved a few memes I thought were hysterical and came across a couple of news articles that dove me down rabbit holes. It kept my mind occupied enough to keep from checking the time every fucking minute, but it didn’t do much to abate my anxiety.
I mean, when would he call?
I tried to focus on something else. Anything else, other than when Cole might call me. If he’d ever call me. I kept myself as occupied as I possibly could, but I found myself fantasizing about what we might get into tomorrow. Would he take me out for dinner? Or possibly lunch? Maybe we’d go on a walk with his dog, or head back to the dog park and simply talk with to-go lunches in our laps.
I found myself preferring the latter alternative, if only because there would be less stress put on us to entertain each other.
I had always been terrible at entertaining people.
At least, that was what Bridget always told me.
I scrolled through my contacts and thought about texting her, but Cole’s number sat right beneath hers. My thumb hovered back and forth between their names, unsure of where to drop. On the one hand, Bridget would want every single sordid detail, even though there were none to be told. But on the other hand, if I texted Cole, I might look desperate or untrusting since he did say he’d call.
Nevertheless, my thumb pressed against Cole’s number and an empty text message popped up.
“Here goes nothing,” I whispered.
Me: Just wanted to let you know we got home okay.
I groaned as I dropped my phone onto my chest. What an absolutely pathetic thing to say to someone I had only just met. He didn’t give a shit that I had gotten home okay. We weren’t at that level yet. We were still miles away from that level, and I just made myself look like a desperate idiot.
That is, until he texted back.
Cole: Good. I’m glad. The kids asleep?
I smiled as I messaged back quickly. But not too quickly, you know?
Me: Oh, yeah. Passed right out after a hot bowl of mac n cheese. Max is snoring in the foyer, too. Poor guy didn’t even make it into the kitchen to eat.
I saw that he read my message automatically, so I waited eagerly for his response.
Cole: Yeah, I think Opie will be the same. I’m packing him up now. Give me a few and I’ll call.
Those four minutes were the most excruciating of my entire life. But when my phone vibrated in my hand, I picked it up immediately.
Only to hear his car engine revving in the background.
“On the phone while driving, you naughty boy, you.”
He chuckled into my ear and it sent a shockwave throughout my entire body.
How the hell did this man have such an effect on me?
“Yeah, well, I’ve been known to do some pretty naughty things in my day,” he said.
I drew in a deep breath. “Well, don’t get yourself killed while being distracted. I’d hate to lose Opie.”
“Oh, yeah. Totally. I bet you’d miss him.”
“I mean, everyone would! He’s a very cute dog.”
“I could be a very cute dog.”
I snorted with my giggles. “You’re already cute, but are you a dog?”
His voice sounded in his lower register and my toes curled. “You want to find out?”
I swallowed hard. “So, these plans for tomorrow. What are they? Because you talk like you already know them, but you have yet to clue me in on them.”
His engine revved again as Opie barked in the background. “I mean, we could go get food.”
“Food is always good.”
“We could also take Opie back to the dog park.”
I smiled. “We could do that as well.”
“Or Opie could spend the day at home resting and I could take you out on a ride.”
“You know, I thought I saw you in a convertible, right?”
He chuckled. “Yes, I do have a convertible. But I was thinking more along the lines of taking you on a ride on my bike.”
I paused. “Your bike?”
“Yeah. My motorcycle.”
My eyes widened. “You have a motorcycle?”
“What? You think I wear leather for no good reason?”
I rolled over onto my stomach. “Clearly, you did today, since you didn’t ride out to the park on your bike.”
He paused. “You make a very good point.”
I barked with laughter. “How about we go on a ride on your bike, get food, and then if we’ve got time we can switch over and take Opie out for a walk or something?”
