Chapter 37 - Wrapped Up In Him ♡︎

Cole slowly pushed open the door, careful not to make a sound as it creaked softly on its hinges. The room was dark except for the faint glow of the small lamp on the nightstand, casting a gentle golden hue over everything. The first thing he saw was Olive — curled up in a little ball under a heap of blankets, her hair messy and spilling across the pillow like soft waves of gold. Her stuffed animals were tucked around her like loyal guards, a few of them nestled right against her chest where she clutched them protectively. Her lips were slightly parted, and she let out a quiet sigh in her sleep, the kind that made Cole's heart twist with affection.

He stood there for a moment, just watching her. Everything about the scene was soft — delicate even — and it made him smile in a way he rarely did. Olive looked peaceful, safe, and utterly adorable. For someone who used to live in the chaos of football games and Friday-night lights, moments like this felt like another world entirely. A world he never knew he wanted until her.

Cole set the napkin with the cookies on her desk, then walked quietly toward her bed. He crouched down beside it, his knees brushing against the soft rug, and reached out to gently brush a stray strand of hair from her face. Her skin looked impossibly soft in the lamplight. He couldn't resist touching her cheek, his thumb lingering just enough to feel the warmth of her skin beneath his fingers. She stirred slightly, her brow furrowing for a brief moment before relaxing again.

Cole chuckled under his breath. "You're too cute for your own good, tiny," he whispered, voice low and fond.

Without really thinking about it, he leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek — gentle and warm, his lips lingering for just a heartbeat longer than he meant to. When he pulled back, he smiled to himself, still crouched there beside her like he couldn't quite bring himself to leave.

He stood, careful not to bump into anything, and turned toward the door. But before he could take a step, Olive shifted again. Her hand twitched against the blanket, and then he heard the faintest, sleepiest voice mumble, "Cole?"

He turned instantly, eyes softening. "Hey," he said quietly, moving back toward her bed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

Olive rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand, blinking blearily as she tried to sit up. Her hair fell into her face, and she looked impossibly sleepy — cheeks flushed pink from the warmth of the blanket, her voice still thick with drowsiness. "What... time is it?" she mumbled, yawning halfway through the words.

Cole smiled and crouched beside her again. "Late," he said softly. "You fell asleep early, so I thought I'd bring you some cookies before I went to bed."

That woke her a little more. She blinked at him, confused but smiling shyly, her voice quiet. "You... brought me cookies?"

He nodded, that signature crooked grin of his tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Fresh from the kitchen. Katherine and Parker made them. Thought you might want one before they're all gone tomorrow."

Olive smiled sleepily and brushed her hair back from her face. "That's really sweet of you, Cole," she said, still half in a dream, her words soft like the rustle of the blankets. She tried to fight off the sleepiness, but her body kept betraying her — her eyelids fluttering, her shoulders drooping. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep so early," she murmured, rubbing her eyes again.

Cole shook his head, still smiling. "Don't apologize. You've had a long day," he said gently. "Just wanted to check on you."

Olive smiled softly as she held the half-eaten cookie in her hand, still feeling the warmth from where Cole's fingers had brushed hers when he handed it to her. The sweetness of the chocolate chips lingered on her tongue, and somehow, the gesture itself made her chest feel all warm and fuzzy. "Thanks for the cookies," she said shyly, her voice a little sleepy but sincere. "They're really good."

Cole leaned against her desk, arms crossed casually, that familiar smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Yeah? I figured you'd like them," he said. "You looked like you needed something sweet." His tone was light, teasing, but his eyes softened when they met hers. There was always something about the way she looked at him — those big, shy eyes that somehow saw straight through his rough edges.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The room was warm and quiet, the only sound the faint tapping of rain against the window. Olive sat cross-legged on her bed, her blanket pooled around her, and Cole watched her in that way that made her blush every single time — with quiet intensity, like he was memorizing her.

Then, his tone shifted slightly, gentler but more serious. "Hey," he said, pushing off from the desk and walking toward her. "Can I ask you something?"

Olive blinked, tilting her head slightly. "Of course," she said softly.

Cole sat down beside her on the bed, the mattress dipping under his weight. He looked at her for a moment, studying her face, before asking, "What was bothering you earlier? You seemed a little off after we got back." His voice was calm, but there was a deep concern in it — the kind that came from someone who cared too much to ignore it.

Olive froze for a second, caught off guard. She fidgeted with the edge of her blanket and averted her eyes, her throat tightening slightly. "It was nothing," she mumbled quickly, her voice small. "Really, Cole. It's fine."

He didn't buy that for a second.

Cole leaned closer, his tone soft but steady. "Tiny," he said, his voice almost a whisper. "You're a terrible liar." His hand came up, gentle and deliberate, and his fingers brushed against her cheek. He tilted her chin up slightly, coaxing her to meet his gaze. "Talk to me," he murmured, thumb tracing the edge of her jaw. "Please."

Olive's breath hitched. It was impossible to hide anything from him when he looked at her like that — eyes full of warmth and determination, the faintest crease between his brows from worry. She swallowed hard, staring at the way his thumb rested against her skin, and finally let out a small sigh.

"It's just..." she started softly, her words halting, "when we were outside earlier— in the hot tub—" she paused, her face heating instantly. "I kind of... freaked out."

Cole's expression softened further, confusion and concern blending together. "Freaked out?" he repeated quietly. "Why?"

Olive's shoulders slumped slightly. She looked down at her lap, fingers twisting in her blanket. "Because... we were about to... you know," she said shyly, barely able to get the words out. "Make out." Her cheeks were crimson now, her voice trembling like she wasn't sure if she should even be admitting it. "And I don't know why but I just panicked for a second."

Cole didn't interrupt. He didn't tease her or laugh. He just listened, his eyes locked on her face.

Olive took a shaky breath and continued, "It wasn't you. It's just... everything felt so fast. My heart was pounding and I—I didn't know what to do." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and risked a glance at him. "And I guess I felt embarrassed for running off like that."

Cole let out a slow breath and shook his head slightly, his thumb brushing across her cheek again. "Hey," he said softly, his tone deep and comforting. "You don't ever have to be embarrassed around me, tiny." He smiled faintly, the kind of smile that carried both affection and understanding. "If something doesn't feel right, you stop. That's all. You don't need to explain it or feel bad. I'd never want to push you into something you're not ready for."___

Olive's hands fidgeted in her lap, twisting the hem of her blanket as she tried to speak. Her words came out in small, nervous bursts, her cheeks pink and her voice trembling. "It's not that I didn't want to, I just— I mean, I got nervous, and everything happened so fast, and—" she stammered, her eyes darting everywhere but at Cole.

Cole's expression softened as he watched her stumble over her words, her shoulders curling in like she was trying to hide. He leaned a little closer, his green eyes catching hers, steady and warm. "Hey," he murmured quietly. "You don't have to explain."

Olive shook her head, her words tumbling out anyway. "No, but I do— I don't want you to think I didn't— I mean, I really love you, Cole, I just—"

Before she could finish, Cole leaned in and pressed his lips to hers in a firm, deliberate kiss — not rushed or demanding, just enough to quiet her anxious rambling. Olive froze for a heartbeat, her breath catching, then she melted into the kiss, her heart pounding so hard she could barely think. When he pulled back, his forehead rested against hers, his voice low and rough.

"I love you, Olive," he whispered, his thumb brushing her cheek.

Olive's eyes fluttered open, her lashes wet from the emotion swelling in her chest. She let out a tiny laugh — half nervous, half overwhelmed — and whispered back, "I love you too, Cole."

Cole smiled softly, tracing a strand of her hair behind her ear.

A faint blush appeared on her cheeks, her eyes wide and searching, flickered to his, then away, unable to hold the intensity of his stare. "And I... I do want to, really, it's just... I don't know what to do, what to say, and I keep thinking about... well, everything. What if I mess it up? What if I'm not... good at it? What if... what if you don't like it?"

Her words tumbled out, a waterfall of insecurity, each one adding to the invisible wall she built around herself. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, as if trying to reel them back in, then opened them again, her gaze darting frantically around the room, settling on a dust motes dancing in the moonlight.

"And it's not that I don't want to, because I really, truly do, it's just... I'm just so nervous, and my stomach feels all fluttery, like a thousand butterflies are trying to escape, and I just... I don't know what to do with my hands, or where to look, or how to breathe even, and what if I say something stupid? Or what if I—"

His lips, warm and firm, pressed against hers, cutting off the frantic stream of words. It was sudden, a gentle invasion that silenced her, stealing the air from her lungs and replacing it with a dizzying rush. Her hands, still clutching the blanket, loosened their grip, the soft fabric falling forgotten to the floor. A soft whimper escaped her throat, a tiny sound of surprise and something akin to surrender, as his mouth moved with unhurried confidence, tasting, exploring.

His arm snaked around her waist lifting her up from her bed, pulling her closer until her knees bumped against his, and the scent of him—pine and something uniquely Cole—filled her senses, eclipsing the lingering nerves.

Her lips, initially stiff with shock, softened under his, parting just enough to invite deeper exploration. His tongue, traced the seam of her mouth, a silent question she answered by tilting her head, granting him access. He slipped inside, a slow, deliberate dance, intertwining with hers. A shiver of pure, unadulterated sensation, coursed through her. Her fingers, no longer fidgeting, found purchase on his shoulders, gripping the fabric of his shirt as if to steady herself against the delicious onslaught. The kiss deepened, a slow burn that spread through her veins.

He pulled back, just a fraction, his forehead resting against hers, breath mingling. His eyes, dark and intense, searched hers, a silent question passing between them.

"Let me know if it's too much, Olive," he whispered, the words a low rumble against her ear, soft as a caress.

"O-Okay," she breathed, her voice thick with emotion, barely more than a sigh.

His lips claimed hers again, this time with a fierce, possessive hunger that ignited a matching fire within her. He lifted her effortlessly, guiding her onto the bed again, the soft mattress yielding beneath them. Her arms wrapped around his neck, holding on as if her life depended on it, her fingers tangling in his soft hair. The blanket lay discarded on the floor, forgotten.

His mouth moved from hers, trailing a burning path down her jawline, across the sensitive skin of her neck. He nipped gently at her earlobe, a soft tug that sent another shiver through her. A low moan escaped her, a sound she barely recognized as her own.

Cole's hand, warm and firm, slid beneath her pajama top, the cool fabric a stark contrast to the heat of his palm against her bare skin. His fingers grazed her ribs, sending goosebumps prickling across her flesh, then moved upward, cupping the soft swell of her breast. A gasp tore from her throat, a sharp intake of breath as his thumb brushed across her nipple.

Her back arched, a silent plea for more, as his mouth returned to hers, devouring her in a kiss that was both tender and ravenous. His tongue plunged deep, mimicking the rhythm of his hand on her breast, a primal dance that promised so much more. She responded in kind, her own tongue meeting his with an eagerness that surprised even herself, a newfound confidence blossoming within her.

The world outside the bedroom faded, replaced by the intoxicating symphony of their breath, the soft brush of skin against skin, and the rising tide of desire that threatened to consume them both. The bed groaned softly beneath their shifting weight, a silent testament to the unfolding passion.