Going Down: The Elevator Series (24 page)

I lightly punched his chest. “I’m glad you find my distress so funny. What’s your plan to fix our lives, Mr. Smarty-pants?”

“I don’t have one yet, but I assure you, it won’t involve giant floppy hats and sunglasses.”

I wanted to be mad at him for picking on me, but I was far too happy to have him back. I put my hands on both sides of his face. “Are we okay?”

He pulled one of my hands away and kissed my palm. “We’re better than okay.”

For the first time in a long time, my libido came out of hibernation, put on some lipstick, and started to stretch out.

I ran my hands down his tie, undoing it slowly. “It appears as though we’re both playing hooky for the day.”

He turned my hips so I could straddle his legs. “It does appear that way.”

I unbuttoned his shirt and kissed down his chest as I went. “What would you like to do with all this free time we have?”

Cole stopped my progress long enough to pull my shirt over my head. “I believe there was some mention of board games?”

I finished unbuttoning his shirt, pulling it free from his pants. “That offer expired. You’re going to have to think of something else.”

He kissed down my neck to the front clasp of my bra. “In that case, I’d like to fuck you until I hear you scream every president’s name.”

Oh, how I missed his potty mouth.

“You do realize there have been forty-four presidents, right?”

He tossed my bra on the floor without me ever feeling him unsnap it. “Well then I hope you know all the vice presidents, too. We have to make up for lost time.”

My libido guzzled a couple of energy drinks, but she knew she was out of her league. And that was a fantastic feeling.

“Do you want to go to the bedroom?” he asked.

“I can’t wait that long.” I stood long enough to pull off my pants and allow him to pull his halfway down. Pushing him back onto the couch, I resumed my former position, and pulled him inside me without any pretense. There would be time for foreplay later. I didn’t care about anything but connecting with him again. There was a time and a place for long and slow. This was it.

I couldn’t stop touching him. My hands were in his hair, on his face, running down his chest. I tried to quiet that tiny part of my brain that thought this was a dream. My legs were still sore from my earlier sprint across Manhattan, but I knew neither of us would last long anyway. I felt Cole quivering beneath me already. When that wonderful feeling tingled in the pit of my stomach, I moved over him faster. His hands moved to my hips, guiding me.

I knew I was close, but it hit me so suddenly and with such force that I was almost startled. “Gerald stumbling Ford!” Cole was only seconds behind me, muttering curse words into the valley between my breasts. He pulled my head down to his level, drawing me in for the first kiss we’d had in weeks. As usual, we did everything out of order.

I never wanted to stop kissing him again. I could go without those silly things like food and water as long as I didn’t have to stop kissing him. Then he stopped abruptly.

“What’s wrong?”

He looked mildly alarmed. “I think your cat is licking my leg.”

I looked down to see Leroy sitting next to Cole’s feet, bathing his left leg.

“He is. He missed you a lot, too.” I leaned back down to kiss his lips, but he didn’t reciprocate.

“I’m a little uncomfortable with this. I’m still inside his mother. Is there anything you can do to discourage this?” Cole was visibly unnerved.

“He’s not in any way, shape, or form trained, so that would be a no. He does what he wants.”

“He’s very thorough. I doubt I will have any hair left on that one spot.”

“Don’t worry. He’ll be indifferent about you the more you’re around. Trust me.” I was too busy making funny shapes with Cole’s hair to be concerned about my cat.

“While we’re on that subject, I was hoping to talk to you about taking things to the next level. I know I’m ready for that if you are.”

My hands stopped mid-Mohawk. “Are you sure?” This day had done a complete one-eighty on me. I would be processing this for a while.

“I’m positive. What do you think?” He had the best smile.

“Of course! I would love to!” I pulled his mouth back to mine, kissing him more aggressively than was probably necessary.

Our kisses slowed, and I rested my forehead against his. I didn’t want anything to ruin this moment.

Cole was apparently on the same page. “I think we’ve had enough serious talk for one day. Why don’t I come back over tomorrow, and we can work out the details?”

“That sounds like a good plan.”

“Well, I’m better at planning than you are.”

“You’re very smug for someone who wants to have sex at least forty-three more times.”

“I do, but first I want to get a glass of water before I get dehydrated. Do you need anything from the kitchen?”

“No, I’m fine. Thank you.” I rolled off him, settling back into the crook of the couch. He got up, pulling on his pants with him. Leroy followed right behind him, likely making sure he wasn’t trying to leave. I closed my eyes, listening to the sounds of Cole rustling around in my kitchen. Everything seemed to have shifted back into place in my world.

“Cici, why do you have so much ice cream in your freezer?”

We didn’t quite make it forty-three more times, but I was more than satisfied with how the day and night unfolded. It made it easier to go back to work and act like professionals. Maggie nearly knocked me over when I walked in the office. As bad as our falling out was, we had been friends for long enough that we picked right up like nothing had happened.

She dragged me onto my little sofa and sat down next to me. “You didn’t call back last night. Does that mean you two…” She made an intricate gesture that I assumed meant
intercourse.

I took a long sip from my coffee to hide my silly smile. “Yes, we made up.”

She clapped loudly. “I knew it! Oh, Cici, you should’ve seen the way he came barging into my office yesterday. It was just like this movie I watched on the Hallmark Channel last week with a lumberjack and a librarian. I have got to find me a lumberjack, by the way. All those muscles and all that flannel. I’d let him swing his axe in my redwood forest any day.”

I snapped my fingers in her face. “Maggie, back on topic.”

“Sorry. Anyway, he came charging in there, demanding to know what happened. I should apologize to him again. I was a total jerk. I thought he just wanted to complain about the company policy. When I realized he was actually worried about
you
, and that you hadn’t told him about my part in this; I knew I had stepped in it. I would’ve never turned you in to begin with; I was just lashing out because I was hurt. Had I even suspected you two loved each other, I never would’ve done anything to break you up. You know I’m way too much of a pathetic, hopeless romantic for that. It’s like this movie I was watching where these two met as teenagers, but the girl had to move away and—”

“Maggie!”

“Sorry! I can’t help herself. I’m so happy you’ve found someone who makes you smile like that.”

I was smiling. As a matter of fact, I hadn’t stopped smiling since yesterday afternoon. My face hurt, and I was going to have a million wrinkles when I was old, but I didn’t care.

“I know it’s a little premature,” she continued, “but I started working on wedding themes last night…”

“Maggie!” I was going to wear out her name.

“Just hear me out!” She put both of her hands on my shoulders. “What do you think of a zombie Batman fight club?”

“Okay, I think we’re done here.” I got up and walked to my desk, Maggie right on my heels like a shadow.

“Fine, you don’t love that one. I have lots more. What about monster truck cotillion?”

“No.”

“
Hunger Games
hoedown?”

“No.”

“Mardi Gras mosh pit?”

“Absolutely not. Keep it up and we will elope and have it annulled just for the sheer pleasure of not inviting you.”

“You wouldn’t dare!” She knew I was bluffing, but there was a hint of concern in her eyes.

“Don’t tempt me. It’s entirely too early for this conversation anyway. We’re still in that blissful phase of our relationship. Although…”

I regretted starting that sentence immediately.

Maggie shoved some papers onto the floor so she could sit on my desk. “ ‘Although’ what? Spill!”

I picked the papers off the floor, attempting to arrange them in their original order. “Although… Cole did say yesterday that he was ready to take things to the next level.”

“Shut your mouth!” She slapped my hands in excitement, knocking the papers back onto the floor. “What are you going to do?”

I smiled. “I’m going to take things to the next level.”

***

I rushed straight home after work so I had time to shower and get everything ready before Cole came over. This was a big night, and I wanted everything to be perfect. I lit every single candle I ever bought on clearance. I realized that I only owned scented candles for some reason. My apartment smelled like eight separate bakeries on fire. My body acclimated to it after about thirty minutes, though. I was barely even gagging anymore.

I sprinted to the door when Cole knocked, my lasso knocking against my thigh. The look on his face when I opened the door was priceless.

“Um… wow. Hi. Hello. I’m sorry, are you burning a pie in the oven? Again?”

I parted my lips and winked at him. “I’ll burn a pie in your oven.”

“What?”

I want a brain transplant.

“Sorry, I was trying to be sexy.” I shifted awkwardly. My latex boots chaffed.

Cole ran his hand down his face. “You’re dressed as Wonder Woman,” he said, hoarsely. “I feel woefully unprepared. Did I miss something?”

I moved out of the doorway so he could come inside. “Don’t worry; I’ve got you covered. Follow me.” I walked the few steps to my bedroom where his costume laid on my bed. “It’s the only thing I have that I thought might fit you.”

He alternated between staring at the costume and rubbing his hand down his face. It was a solid minute before he said anything. “Is that a werewolf?”

I slapped his chest. “No! What is wrong with you? It’s Chewbacca!”

Inadequate Star Wars knowledge is going on his permanent record.

He rubbed his face once more. “Is he sick or something?”

Now he’s done it.

“Watch it! Maggie and I spent months making this ourselves. These are very expensive hair extensions, I’ll have you know. I have a ton of costumes from all the comic-cons Maggie drags me to, but not many that will also fit a man. Beggars can’t be choosers.”

“What on earth made you think I;d want to wear this?” He poked at the costume like it might lunge at him.

“You said you wanted to take things to the next level, so I assumed that meant role play. We’ve crossed just about everything else off the list.” I rubbed one calf against the other. The heat from all the candles, combined with the very nonporous latex, was giving me a rash.

“Yeah, the next level—as in maybe moving in together. I can assure you that putting on a costume that looks like a gorilla with a meth habit never crossed my mind.” Cole was dangerously close to rubbing his face off.

Whoa.

I recentered my crown to the middle of my forehead. “You really should’ve been more specific then. I think this one is on you.”

Cole sat on the bed and pulled me onto his lap. “You look very sexy, though. I like the boots.”

This wasn’t exactly how I pictured this night going, but I could work with it. “You really want to move in together?”

He played with the end of my golden lasso. “I really do, if you want to.”

“Really, really?”

“Really, really.”

I pushed him back down onto the bed, straddling his thighs. “Will you put on the costume as a sign of good faith?”

Cole laughed deep in his belly, but stopped when I didn’t join him. “Are you serious? Why do I have to wear it?”

“Because, I went to a lot of trouble cleaning out the jelly Maggie spilled on it a few years ago.” I moved my hips just a little to keep him mentally off balance. I could feel that I had his attention.

“How did she get jelly on it?” His voice was lower.

“You’re stalling. Will you please put on the Wookie costume and play with me?”

“You owe me.” He pushed me off, picked up the ensemble, and walked silently to the bathroom.

“I’m about to pay up!”

I used his absence as an opportunity to blow some air into my boots. It was like a swamp in there. I wanted to tear them off, but I wasn’t about to give Cole an excuse to not wear his costume.

“Why does the head smell like ham?” he yelled from the bathroom.

“Quit complaining and hurry up!”

He opened the door, and although I couldn’t see his face, I knew exactly what expression he wore. He wasn’t pleased. I wasn’t fazed. Leroy hissed from under the bed.

I used my breathiest voice. “Hey, big boy, how about you let me awaken your force?”

I could almost hear his eyes rolling. It only encouraged me.

“How about you show me your lightsaber, and I’ll let you go where no man has gone before?”

He put his hairy hands on his hips. “Chewbacca doesn’t have a lightsaber and that’s
Star Trek
.”

Damn it.

“Oh, you’re right. I overreached on that one.” I patted the bed next to me. “Why don’t you come lay next to me?”

He lumbered over to the bed, his long hair swinging around him. Just as he was climbing onto the mattress, I saw a flash of light, and the smell of burnt hair overpowered the heavy candle scent.

“Oh my God!” I jumped onto him, batting at the flames with a pillow. The fire seemed to be everywhere at once. It was hard to tell which of us was screaming louder. I rolled Cole up in my comforter like a burrito and shoved him onto the floor. That seemed to do the trick. It was then I realized I’d knocked two candles onto the sheets. Flames were licking the air from the middle of my bed. The entire bed was covered in fire in an instant.