Chapter 5 You Climbed Into Bed Yourself

After his shower, Cole slipped into clean pajamas and made himself comfortable, stretched out like he owned the bed. The knot on his pajama top hung loose, exposing just enough of his defined chest and lean torso to make it feel intentional. It was hard to look away.

With how boldly Cole had been teasing her earlier, Elliana started to wonder if he was actually doing this on purpose, trying to tempt her.

For a moment, Elliana was at a loss for words. When they'd first crossed paths, she'd pegged Cole as distant and above it all, but tonight, he was anything but reserved.

Cole's eyes stayed on her, tracking every tiny shift in her expression like he was trying to read her mind.

There was something magnetic about Elliana. One moment, she was all charm and softness. The next, she lit up with fire and attitude. And then, without warning, she'd carry herself with a quiet, graceful allure. Every transformation had Cole's heart kicking faster. He found himself wondering what kind of woman was hiding beneath all that awful makeup-and how stunning she might actually be.

People liked to treat Cole like he was carved from marble, like he was some flawless figure on a pedestal. But underneath it all, he was just a man who appreciated beauty-and a little fire to go with it. As luck would have it, the woman he married by chance might be exactly what he'd always wanted.

Cole had come to another realization. When it came to anything intimate, Elliana was completely clueless, turning red and flustered the second things took even the slightest flirtatious turn. That familiar impulse to tease her stirred once more. He gave the empty space next to him a light pat and said, "Honey, come to bed."

Elliana blinked, stunned. Was he actually serious about sharing the bed? A disbelieving smile tugged at her lips. Did he honestly think he'd get any sleep looking at her horrible make-up? Wasn't he even a little afraid she'd haunt his dreams?

She held her tongue instead of calling him insane, deciding it was wiser not to poke the beast unless she had to. With a forced smile, she said, "Well, what do you say we talk for a bit instead?"

Cole raised an eyebrow. "What exactly do you want to discuss? The way you tricked everyone in the Jones family?"

Unfazed, Elliana retorted, "Or maybe how you mentally embraced yourself into marrying someone you can't even stand before setting off to the Jones family's residence..."

Cole's eyes narrowed as he studied her, standing there calmly. Did she really catch on to how much he hated Paige?

A slow, knowing smile tugged at Elliana's lips. She had noted plenty of details back at the Jones estate. She remembered how Cole subtly jerked his arm away when Paige latched onto him. Not once did his expression soften when Paige turned on the waterworks-instead, his eyes flashed with nothing but mocking iciness.

Moreover, right before they took off in the helicopter, he'd changed into a new suit and then tossed the one Paige had touched straight into the bin without hesitation. That wasn't ordinary dislike. That was raw, deep-seated revulsion.

Ever since then, a single question kept circling in Elliana's mind. If she hadn't interfered, would Cole have actually married Paige?

Elliana proposed, "How about a deal? I'll keep your annoying admirers away from you, and in return, you don't mess with my life. Once we straighten out how we tied the knot, I'm gone. Fair enough?"

It sounded fair to her-a clean arrangement that benefited them both. She expected at least a nod. Instead, Cole collapsed onto the bed, shut his eyes like she didn't exist, and flicked the lights off without so much as a glance in her direction.

Biting back a curse, Elliana trudged toward the sofa, bumping her shin on the edge in the dark. She collapsed onto the cushions, too annoyed to care about a shower.

Hours passed in silence. Elliana drifted into sleep soundly.

Sometime in the middle of the night, Cole opened his eyes and slipped out of bed. Guided by the dim moonlight, he crossed the room and stopped in front of her, just watching.

The air carried a hint of Elliana's scent-clean and natural, untouched by perfume. It eased into his lungs and left behind a quiet, unexpected comfort.

Cole's mind wandered back to the feel of her against him earlier. She'd been so soft, her body yielding, and her slender waist had settled into his palm like it belonged there.

His hand hovered, inches from her cheek, the urge to wipe away the thick makeup growing stronger by the second. But just as he moved in, she shifted slightly. Startled, he backed away and returned to bed in silence, closing his eyes and feigning sleep like nothing had happened.

Damn. He didn't want to admit it, but part of him was genuinely scared of her catching him in the act.

The next morning, Elliana turned over on the plush mattress and woke up feeling unexpectedly well-rested. She thought she'd toss and turn all night in an unfamiliar place, but instead, she'd knocked out like someone had flipped a switch.

When she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Cole-already dressed, perched at the edge of the bed, and watching her like she was some kind of mystery he couldn't crack.

Elliana blinked, dazed and disoriented. Last she checked, she'd passed out on the couch. So why was she waking up in bed? Panic kicked in fast. She sat up and checked her clothes. The black tracksuit was still on, neat and untouched. A sigh slipped out before she could stop it.

Just as the tension started to fade, a new one crept in-Cole was clearly capable of anything, and that scared her more than she liked to admit.

Elliana usually trusted her instincts. They'd kept her safe more than once. But somehow, Cole had moved her while she was out cold, and she hadn't sensed a thing. Whatever trick he pulled, it worked-and she knew she'd need to be on guard from now on.

As if reading her mind, Cole let out a dramatic sigh, his tone laced with fake innocence as he said, "Honey, you climbed into bed yourself."

Elliana narrowed her eyes, not buying a single word of it.

Cole's eyes twinkled as he raised an eyebrow and grinned. "Actually, you didn't stop there. You stripped me down, cuddled up to me, had your hand on my chest, and whispered sweet nothings like 'darling'..."

"Shut your mouth!" Elliana shouted, her temper flaring before she could stop it. She could handle him being a smug flirt. But making up lies just to mess with her? That crossed the line.

Still wearing that grin, Cole reached over and handed her his phone. "I took some videos. If you think I'm lying, go ahead and watch for yourself..."