Mission: Undercover

Chapter 32

Vanessa slowly approached the motorcycle. She sat behind Cole and wrapped her arms around his waist.

She felt his warmth. She missed it so much.

Cole started the engine, gave it full throttle, and drove off.

They traveled in silence. But not to the city. They arrived at that hill where Cole had taken Vanessa before.

He parked the bike near the edge, and both got down.

Vanessa stood at the front. Cole put down his jacket and put it over her shoulders.

She felt his arms hugging her gently right after that. She felt his breath as he moved his face close to her ear.

It was cold. But his body was warming her. And hers was warming him.

They stood that way until the morning.

And the rain was still raining.

But with the sunrise, the reality came back. They had escaped. To find each other.

For a while.

But they could not hide anymore. They had to go back to where they were losing each other again.

"I tried to tell you there was no fuel in that car," Cole whispered to Vanessa's ear.

"I didn't hear you."

"You would have heard me if you had stopped."

"Okay. I didn't want to hear you."

"Now, we'll both be sick for a week."

"I have not asked you to come. You made it clear that you don't care about me. Why are you here now?"

"Vanessa." Cole took a deep breath.

He didn't know what to say. All he did lately was a desperate attempt to escape her impact. That he fired her, the scandal, even taking Andrea to the house in the evening—everything was an attempt to keep Vanessa away from his life. To forget about her and these stupid feelings.

But instead, he couldn't stop thinking about her even for a second. He couldn't accept the thought of something happening to her. Because the truth was that he was feeling her pain. All the time. But he couldn't get to her.

"What are you running away from, Vanessa?" Cole answered her question with a question.

"I'm not running."

"Said the girl who tried to escape with an empty tank."

"From you."

"Why?"

"Because from myself, I can't."

"Then don't."

"I have to."

"Why?"

"Because..." Vanessa turned to Cole and looked him in the eye. "Every time I am close to you, part of me dies."

And once again, her words stabbed him like a knife.

Cole caressed her cheek with his hand and kissed her as an act of revenge. His lips, so tender and desired, were tearing her apart.

Not long after, Cole sat on the bike and drove Vanessa to the house. Then he silently left.

***

A week passed without the two seeing each other again, but the day had come when that was inevitable.

"Why aren't you dressed, Nessa?" Rebecca asked in bewilderment after bursting into Vanessa's room. "Are you still sleeping?"