FEVER EPILOGUE:

ELLA

The shower was hot and divine, the droplets hitting my skin made me want to melt. I was exhausted down to my very core. Gutting the old to make room for the new was hard work. Every muscle in my body ached, but I was so ridiculously happy it didn’t even matter. A smile crept over my lips as I reached for the shampoo, squirting a healthy amount into my palm. I had callouses on my hands and my knuckles were indented with various nicks and scrapes. They stung a little as I rubbed the shampoo into my hair, but nothing could wipe the grin from my face.

A song filtered up my throat as I spun to wash out the shampoo. I went for Frank’s Fly Me To The Moon, belting out the song as my mind wandered towards the man I wanted to kiss. Lathering up my loofah, I scrubbed it up my arms, washing off the grime from another hard day’s work.

“Please don’t tell me that loofah is stealing my job again.” Cole’s deep voice made me giggle.

“It’ll go into early retirement the second you get into this shower.” I kept humming as I listened to him undress, my body already zinging in anticipation. It didn’t help that Cole had joined in the song and was now singing about how I filled his heart with song. I tipped my head back and sighed, still reeling in the awesomeness that my life had become.

After Cole’s grand entrance back into it, he’d given me a weekend of heaven before flying back to Chicago. I’d then had to wait until after we’d both finished out our school year. I didn’t want to fly over for his graduation, knowing David would be around. I couldn’t rub his face in it. I just couldn’t. I was so incredibly happy with Cole; it was impossible not to show it.

June 18th had been the happiest of my life. Cole had flown across the country, I’d flown down and we’d run into each other’s arms at LAX.

“Hmmm.” Cole’s large hands ran around my body as he pressed his naked torso against my back. Ripping the loofah from my hands, he chucked it out of the shower and took over, running his soapy fingers over each and every one of my curves.

A soft moan formed in my throat, whispering out of my lips as I rested my head against his shoulder and wrapped my hand around the back of his neck.

He rested his chin on my head.

“So I just got a call from the architect.” His voice was liquid soft and sexy, in spite of the fact he was talking business. I would have ignored it if he hadn’t said the words I’d been desperate to hear all day.

My eyes popped open and I spun in his arms. “What’d he say?”

Cole grinned down at me, his eyes buzzing with the same excitement I felt. “He’ll be here at nine tomorrow to show us his initial ideas.”

I let out a squeal. Cole laughed at me, capturing my lips. I went on my tiptoes and ran my fingers into his hair, loving the way his body responded to my touch.

We’d basically spent the second half of June holed up in my room…much to my aunt’s disgust. I hadn’t cared. I was with Cole and we’d had major catching up to do, but as July rolled around we knew it was time to get on with it, so we’d excitedly contacted a few real estate agents and the hunt had begun. I still had five months until I was granted full access to

my trust fund, but Cole’s was plenty healthy and was able to get us started. We’d already received pre-approval from the bank and it was just a matter of finding the perfect place.

Three weeks later, we did. It was an old store with a studio apartment on top. It’d been abandoned years ago, but the rights for sale had not been available until the owner passed away. For us, the timing couldn’t have been better. After being handed the keys, we stood on the sidewalk in giddy silence gazing up at what would soon become Reynold’s.

We were both getting a taste of our dreams. I was living back in a place that felt like home. Our little apartment was just under five miles from Pasadena Community College. I was cutting back to part-time classes and would complete my degree over four more years. I wanted to be able to help Cole with the pub. I would have quit college then and there, but Nina had talked me out of it, convincing me that I could handle both.

“It’ll be busy, but you’ll never regret having a college degree,” she’d said. “You guys are gonna be great. I’m so proud of you.” Her eyes had welled with tears as we talked over Skype, making me want to cry.

I still couldn’t believe Cole had left Chicago…and them…for me. But he told me as long as I was there, he could live anywhere.

“Ella, you’re my home and no matter where you go, I’ll follow you. I’d walk a thousand miles, remember?” He’d leaned his forehead against mine and I’d nearly died, but then he’d taken it one step further, his expression softening to mush. “I want to marry you.”

My lips parted, my heart freezing still.

He’d grinned at me. “I don’t have a ring yet. Every penny I have is kind of wrapped up in our future plans right now, but there’ll be one coming, Miss Simmons…I just wanted you to know.”

I’m pretty sure I haven’t stopped smiling since that day. We might not be officially engaged, but our hearts got hitched a long time ago and for now I’m happy to wait for my wedding day.

Cole’s tongue was burning as it slid into my mouth. He pressed me back against the cool tiles, his lips working over my chin and down my neck. I ran my fingers across his hard shoulders as his tongue traveled down my body, hotwiring my brain and making coherent thought impossible.

“How much time do I have?” Cole murmured against my belly. “Time? What’s time?”

He chuckled, blowing a raspberry into my belly button. I gently yanked his hair as I giggled.

“Jody’s picking me up at seven.”
“And where are you going?”
“We’re taking Morgan out for karaoke.”
“Again?” He looked up at me. “She’s not looking for that guy is she?”
“The actor?” I chuckled. “No, she just needs some cheering up. She still hasn’t found a

job and since her big break up with Brad she’s been working her way through a very lousy dating pool.”

“I thought she was swearing off guys.”
I shrugged, my insides pinching with worry. “Me too.”
Cole’s expression mirrored my disquiet, but I forced a smile, not wanting to take my

concerns into the evening.
“Anyway, we have to celebrate as much as we can tonight. Jody leaves next week. It’s

gonna be sad. We have to have as much fun as we can while the trio is still together.” I tipped my head, water running off my hair and splashing into his face. I laughed, brushing his slick curls off his forehead. “I’m so glad I’ve got you.”

Cole ran his hands up my sides, squeezing my hips and giving me one of his megawatt smiles. I leaned down and kissed it, pressing my body against his. “So in answer to your question…” I softly bit his neck before working my way up to his ear and nibbling on the lobe. “I’ve got as much time as we need.”

Cole’s deep chuckle reverberated in his chest. “When it comes to you, my love, there is never enough time.”

I grinned as his lips got back to work and I was sent to heaven, the tune of Cheek to Cheek whistling through my brain as Cole and I danced to our own shower song.

*********

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