*Isabella's POV*
At work, I was filling Cole in on my plans for the weekend, conveniently leaving out one very important, very tall, very brooding detail.
"Okay, so now you're ditching me to go to New York," Cole said, his voice flat as he leaned against my desk, popping a grape into his mouth.
"I have to," I replied, trying to sound casual and failing miserably.
"You promised me a night out last week," he countered, his eyes narrowing playfully.
"I'm sorry, girlfriend," I teased, putting on a sweet, sickly voice that made him roll his eyes. "But it's his birthday," I added, my tone softening slightly.
"Are you guys offical?" he asked, his head tilting, that nosy, all-knowing glint back in his eyes.
"I... uhm... I don't even know," I sighed, slumping in my chair. I wasn't ready to tell Cole about Damien yet. It was too complicated, too fucking messy. "But you'll be there at his birthday party, with all those people," he said, a slow, wicked smirk spreading across his face.
"You're right," I groaned, dropping my head into my hands. "I don't even want to know what kind of socialites will be there. I'm already having second thoughts." The thought of all those perfect, people, judging me, was making my stomach clench.
"Second thoughts? Bitch, you're a freaking queen, especially in the new clothes you've been strutting around in lately," Cole said, his voice full of a fierce, protective loyalty that made my chest ache. "I wanted to ask you, have you robbed a bank?" he teased, his words making me laugh and breaking through my anxiety.
"Cole!" I said, swatting his arm playfully.
"Oh, wait," he said, his eyes widening in mock realisation. "You have a wealth sponsor now." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
"Cole, I swear to God..." I sighed, but I was smiling now. His ridiculousness was exactly what I needed.
"Anyway," I said, leaning in conspiratorially. "Have you seen my sponsor? I think you're just jealous." I teased, leaning back and crossing my arms over my chest with a triumphant little laugh.
Saturday finally came around, and I was on fucking cloud nine. A whole weekend away, just me, Jacob. I showered, letting the hot water work its magic, and then I pulled on my choice of clothes: a simple white crop top that showed of a hint of cleavage, my favourite jeans, and my trusty Nike sneakers. I packed my unmanageable, curly hair into a high ponytail, grabbed a small bag I packed, and headed downstairs.
I found him in the living room, looking all kinds of sexy. He was on his laptop, his brow furrowed in concentration. I walked right up to him, without a second thought, and sat my ass down right on his lap, my arms wrapping around his neck.
He didn't even flinch. It was like his body was programmed to react to mine. His arms instinctively wrapped around my waist, pulling me back against his chest as he leaned in to claim my lips in a slow, possessive kiss that tasted of coffee and something uniquely... Damien.
"Did you get him a present?" I asked, my voice light, teasing.
"Get who a present?" he murmured, his eyes still on his screen.
"Jacob, you idiot," I laughed, swatting his chest playfully.
"wait, he's not really into presents, is he? Except if it's good whiskey," he said flatly.
He chuckled, a low, warm sound that vibrated through my chest. "Wait, I might have something," he said, gently lifting me off his lap and placing me back on the couch beside him. "Never mind, it's a twenty-thousand-dollar bottle of whiskey. He's not worthy," he said with a dismissive wave of his hand, turning his attention back to his laptop.
My jaw almost hit the fucking floor. "What? Firstly, Twenty thousand dollars? For a bottle of whiskey?" I exclaimed, my voice a mix of shock and disbelief.
"It's good whiskey," he shrugged, completely nonchalant.
"And second, you two are awful to each other," I said, my tone shifting from teasing to serious.
He finally looked up from his laptop, a small, knowing smile playing on his lips. "Will you be okay?" I asked, voice soft.
"Are you kidding? I'm a grown man," he replied, a hint of arrogance back in his tone.
"Yeah, a grown man who's afraid to leave me alone," I shot back, letting out an exasperated sigh.
"Afraid? Or do you just want to stay with me ?" he countered, pulling me back into his lap . He gently forced my chin up, his dark eyes locking onto mine. "Yes, I want to, but why can't you come?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper, a desperate plea I couldn't hide.
"It's not my place to be there, Isabella. It's Jacob's party. Besides, we need to maintain work partnerships, you know I have things to attend to tonight," he said, his voice back to that cold, CEO tone that I hated.
"I'll miss you," I said, my voice small, the fight draining out of me.
He claimed my lips in a dominating, possessive kiss that stole the air from my lungs and left me clinging to him. "And I'll miss you most," he said, his voice a raw, husky whisper against my lips
And in that moment, tangled in his arms on his couch, I believed him.
After several minutes of being tangled in his embrace, I finally forced myself to pull away and walk out. The heavy door clicked shut behind me, a final, definitive sound that echoed in my chest as I mad mt way to the open the door to a sleek, black town car. I took a deep breath, preparing myself for a long, quiet flight with just my own thoughts for company.
I walked towards the car, my heels clicking softly on the pavement. The driver's side door opened, and a woman stepped out, a wide, mischievous smile spreading across her face. My heart stopped. My jaw practically hit the fucking floor.
"Boo, bitch," Elly said, her voice a familiar, welcome blast from my past.
"Elly? Omg," I squealed, a sound I haven't made since I was a teenager. I launched myself at her, wrapping my arms around her in a tight hug that smelled of her signature cherry blossom perfume. "What are you doing here?" I asked, pulling away to look at her, my hands still on her arms as if to make sure she was real.
"Dah, surprising you," she said, rolling her eyes with a knowing, smug smile that was all her. "Jacob called. Said you needed a personal chauffeur for the weekend." She winked. "
I thought you'd wait for me back in New York." I asked.
"Well, we sure do have a lot to catch up on," she retorted, a genuine, happy laugh bubbling up inside me.
"I was dreading the thought of flying alone." I replied.
"I just did, trust me," she said, her expression deadpan. "Without booze, it's boring."
"We can't drink," I said, a sly grin spreading across my face. " But I can drink. I don't drive." I giggled as she groaned dramatically.
"Fucking show off," she said, shaking her head, but her eyes were sparkling with amusement. "Hop in, you heathen. I need to take your princess ass all the way to the Hamptons today."