Fighter {Completed}

Chapter Fifty-Five: Because I Love You {Cole}

Chapter Fifty-Five: Because I Love You {Cole}

Ellie hides behind the door for a few more moments, clearly debating with herself. I smirk, lying back on the bed and placing a pillow behind my head, my legs hanging off the end where her bag sits.

After an eternity, Ellie exits the bathroom, towel wrapped around her body, hiding those insanely sexy curves. She walks toward me slowly, each step more hesitant than the last. As she nears, standing a few feet away from the bag, I sit up.

Now that she's close, I realize that towel doesn't hide near as much as I thought. She holds it closed with one hand up around her breasts, but there's a slit that goes up her thigh, almost like she's wearing a mini-dress.

As she stands in front of me, I feel like I'm on fire, scorching with heat as I take her in, seeing the smooth skin of her legs, the brilliant crimson across her cheeks as she blushes. I can't stop myself from thinking about the way she let me touch her, the face she made as I caressed her heat.

I stand, and she stares at my chest, panting slightly as she shakes ever so gently. Goosebumps crawl across her skin and I can't resist touching it anymore.

Light as a feather, I drag my fingers across her collarbone, around her shoulder and down her arm, goosebumps following in my wake. Ellie shivers, her hands shaking as she holds the towel tighter.

"Isn't this what you wanted?" I tease, seeing the blush spread lower, showing me she's both turned on and embarrassed. "The something you were talking about earlier... Hmm?" I'm surprised when she nods, her wet locks falling forward slightly. I step closer, into her person space so that we're almost chest to chest. She still doesn't look at me, breathing turning more harsh with each second that passes.

I lift her chin with my fingers, forcing her eyes to mine.

Emerald eyes shine with arousal, yet also with fear and doubt.

As soon as I see this, I stop, snapping out of my daze and taking a deep breath. It's too soon, and Ellie's not ready for this. I can see it in her eyes.

That's fine.

I can wait forever for you, baby.

I lower my lips to hers, taking her into a deep kiss that has my own arousal peaking. Pulling away, I take her hand, placing it over my heart. It slams against my ribcage, so I know that she can feel it on her palm.

"Only for you, baby."

Defeated, she looks away from me, her body deflating. I place a kiss on her forehead.

"We do this at your pace, Ellie. Not mine. I can wait forever if that's what you want. This isn't something to rush into. I'm not going anywhere," I promise her, bringing her palm from my chest to my lips and planting a kiss on it. "I'm gonna shower, I'll be out soon." She nods, and I kiss the top of her head quickly, still feeling hot at the sight of her.

Fuck, I need a cold shower.

I turn on the water, stripping quickly and stepping inside. The cold water does nothing to sate me, and sadly, the only thing that could possibly do that is Ellie, and there's no way I'm forcing anything on her. With a sigh, I turn the water to hot, warming quickly.

My heart almost jumps out of my chest as the shower door opens behind me. I don't turn, frozen in shock. It closes.

And then soft hands are placed on my back, almost sending me into cardiac failure right then and there.

"Ellie," I force out, my restraint hanging on by only a thread.

"My pace, remember? I know what I'm doing. I know what I want."

"And how do I know you're not going to wake up in the morning and regret it?"

"Because I love you," she speaks, more confident. "And I won't regret anything with the person I love."

Because I love you.

Because I love you.

Because I love you.

It's like I've been waiting a thousand years to hear those words from her, like they settle my mind and calm my racing heart like nothing else.

"Why don't you trust me to trust myself, Cole?"

"Because we've both been drinking, Ellie. If we did anything and we woke up in the morning... If you hated me, if you regretted it, I'd never forgive myself. And you can lie all you want, but you'd never forgive me either."

Suddenly, it's not just her hands pressed against my back.

Her naked body presses against mine, her full breasts against my back almost sending me into a frenzy. Her hands creep around my front, finding home on my stomach as she rests her cheek between my shoulder blades.

I slam my hand against the shower wall, desperate for some sort of grounding before I lose my mind.

"I couldn't regret anything with you."

"You realize you can't come back from this, Ellie. There's no erasing it once it's done."

"I wouldn't want to erase it, Cole."

The thought of me and Ellie like that... Fuck, I can see it now.

Finally, I turn, facing her.

I make sure to keep my eyes up, just in case.

It's the hardest thing I've ever done, but I keep my eyes locked with Ellie's. A ghost of sadness crosses her eyes.

"Don't you want me?"

Are you kidding?

"Of course I do, Ellie."

"Then what's stopping you? I'm naked in front of you. I'm practically begging you, and you're still turning me down. If I change my mind, I'll stop you, I promise. But I want this, Cole. I want you."

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