Oh Brothers

Chapter 37

Ara's P.O.V.

I intensify the kiss and rope my fingers through his hair. Man, I've wanted to touch it for so long and it's so much softer than I imagined it to be. His fingers pull at my hair-tie and my hair flies all around us, landing like a soft curtain.

We finally come up for air and lean our foreheads against each other, taking deep heavy breaths. I look into his beautiful eyes and he looks into mine.

"You have no idea how long I've waited to do that," Cole whispers in a rough voice that ignites something inside me.

"I think I have a pretty good idea," I softly reply. His hands run down the length of my arms and latch onto my hands. He intertwines his fingers with mine.

"I want to ask you something," he says. I lean against his chest and he rests his head atop mine.

"Then ask," I say.

"I'm scared of freaking you out," he says.

"You won't," I confidently reply.

He chuckles and mumbles, "you just might."

"Ask anyway," I say.

"I want to ask you to be my girlfriend," he says and my heart soars higher than I thought it could," but I'm convinced your brothers would pulverize me."

My heart immediately drops back to the ground and I back away from him and stare out the window,"shit."

"Yeah," he says. I stare at the window and my brain races to find a solution. We stand in silence for several minutes and then it hits me.

"Ok, I got it. We just won't define anything and ease my brothers into the idea of us dating," I say.

"So you're open to dating me?" he asks, nervously.

I grin, "literally nothing would make me happier."

I lean into him, resting my hands on his chest and kiss him, sweetly this time. He wraps his hands around my waist. He pulls out of the kiss.

"So we're together?" he asks.

"No labels," I say and wink.

"So no labels means I can't kiss you," Cole says and moves away from me, his back turned.

"Cole!" I exclaim and he turns around with a smirk on his face. He crosses his arms.

"What?" he asks, innocently.

"Did you not understand the wink?" I ask.

"What wink? I thought that was a twitch in your eye," he teases.

"Cole!" I shout and he continues.

"Seriously, Ara, I'm not going to kiss-" he starts.

"Jesus, Cole, we're together," I state and he grins rapidly.

"Good," he smiles.

"But we're going to ease my brothers into this, right?" I ask. Cole laughs.

"Of course, Ara, I don't have a death wish," he says and hugs me.

"Good, I don't want anything to happen to you," I say.

"You know, sneaking around can be quite sexy," he chirps. I blush and smack his arm and walk towards the ladder.

"Alright, I'm leaving," I announce.

"Wait," he grabs my arm and spins me around, "one more for the road."

I smile and happily oblige.

We climb down the ladder, Cole insisting on going first so he could catch me if I slipped... and I did. Go figure.