|| A/N ||

Happy New Year, everyone! ????

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[ABDHYS33KVSTNCDUA]

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[EVE]

It had been a long four-hour drive from our hotel to the village where the orphanage was located.

We could have taken a helicopter to save time, but with the heavy snowfall, it wasn''t a risk worth taking. The road, despite its winding path and slow pace, remained the safest option under these conditions.

The hours stretched out like an endless road, the scenery blurring past my window, but it wasn''t the journey that made time feel slow. It was the way my mind raced with thoughts of hope and anxiety, tangled in an endless loop.@@@@

I couldn''t tell what was more unsettling: the thoughts swirling in my mind that I couldn''t find my parents, each one more desperate and fragile than the last, or the erratic thumping of my heart, which refused to quiet with Cole so close.

He was practically draped over me in the backseat, his presence so close it was impossible to ignore. The warmth of his body seeped through the space between us, the steady pressure of his chest against mine making it hard to breathe.

Every time he shifted, his arm brushed against my side, sending shocks of electricity up my spine. I felt him, every inch of him, and it was both intoxicating and overwhelming.

"Can I have some room, please?" I managed to murmur, trying to shift away, but there was nowhere to go. His body was a constant, unyielding weight against mine, and I felt trapped in the space we shared. "You''re too close. I can''t move."

His words hit me like a cupid''s arrow, catching me completely off guard. I hadn''t expected him to be this open about his feelings and clingy when in love. And I thought I was the clingy one.

My mind scrambled for a response, but all I could manage was a wide-eyed stare.

Cole wasn''t deterred by my silence. He moved, leaned in and gently tilted my chin so that our eyes met. His touch was warm, his grip firm yet tender.

"Well?" he pressed, his voice a whisper that seemed to echo in the confined space. "Don''t you feel the same?"

Heat rushed to my face, the intensity of his gaze leaving me defenseless. I bit my lip, feeling utterly exposed as I gave a small, shy nod. It was all the affirmation Cole needed.

In an instant, his lips claimed mine, hot and fervent, sending a surge of electricity through me.

The kiss was overwhelming, his passion pouring out in every movement, leaving no doubt about the depth of his feelings.

"Open your mouth, Eve," he murmured against my lips, his voice a low, commanding growl that sent shivers down my spine. His tongue brushed against my lower lip, seeking entry. I hesitated for a heartbeat before parting my lips, surrendering to him completely.

The kiss deepened, growing more intense, more desperate, as if he was pouring his soul into me. I felt my walls crumbling, every ounce of resistance melting under the heat of his affection. Time seemed to blur, the world outside the car fading into insignificance.

Cole''s hands cupped my face, his thumbs brushing against my heated skin. When he finally pulled back, his breath mingling with mine, his gaze was piercing, his lips curling into a soft, satisfied smile.

"I love you," he whispered, the words hanging in the air between us, heavy with meaning.

My chest tightened, a rush of emotions threatening to overwhelm me. For the first time, I saw him not as the composed and calculating Cole Fay but as a man completely, hopelessly in love.

"I love you too . . ."