33. Full Intimidation Mode

Cole

I woke up and instantly smiled. I could feel Nathan's body wrapped around my own, his chest rhythmically moving against my back.

I snuggled deeper into him, and felt his arms squeeze me gently in response.

I didn't even realise it was possible to feel this good. I finally understood the expression, 'floating on cloud nine'.

I felt Nathan nuzzle his face into the back of my neck and inhale deeply before kissing it lightly.

I squirmed and let out a giggle as his lips tickled me.

Nathan hummed in response, then stretched his limbs, finally releasing me from his hold.

I rolled over onto my stomach, and leant across his chest while I looked at him.

God, he was perfect. I couldn't believe that he was mine.

Suddenly, I was flipped back over onto my back and Nathan climbed on top of me, pinning me down, his grey eyes staring deep into mine.

He leant down close to my face.

"Do you know," he said pausing throughout to kiss various parts of my face, "how much," kiss, "I love," kiss, "you?" kiss.

"No?" I said, writing around in pleasure that was causing my nerve endings to ping with excitement.

"Well then, maybe I should show you," he growled, then he buried his face into my neck, kissing and gently sucking while his hands started to explore my body.

I let out an involuntary moan. I was in heaven. I was actually in heaven.

"COLE!"

Shit.

"COLE! Come on, you need to get up now if you're going to make it to college!"

I moaned in frustration at being interrupted, as Nathan flopped down, his whole body weight now on top of me.

"Can't. Breath," I gasped, swatting at Nathan's back.

He rolled off me with a sigh.

"You could skip again," he said to me, his eyes slightly pleading.

It had been a week since I was rescued, and Nathan had not left my side once. It had driven my dad a little crazy having him here constantly, but he understood enough not to say anything.

It was Monday, and I'd made up my mind that I had to start getting back to normality. I'd already missed a week of college and didn't want to fall any further behind. Plus, I'd promised Natalie I would be there.

"No, I need to go," I said, giving him a lingering kiss on the lips. "But don't worry, I only have two classes. I'll be done by 2 o'clock."

"I suppose it'll give me time to go back to Highfield and check in," he said, very unenthusiastically.

"Maybe we could sleep there tonight?" I suggested, looking down at my hands.

Nathan immediately put his finger under my chin and tilted my head back up so I was looking at him.

He did that a lot. I'd come to realise it was because he wasn't very good at reading human emotion, and he found it a lot easier if he could see the expression in my eyes.

"Of course you can, if you want. I just thought you would be more comfortable here."

"I'm comfortable anywhere as long as I am with you," I replied, then immediately started to blush at how cheesy that sounded.

I looked away again to hide my blush, then added, "plus my dad won't be able to interrupt us there."

Nathan burst out laughing, then grabbed hold of me in a hug and rolled us both over on the bed, getting us all tangled up in the covers.

Once we came to a stop, Nathan looked into my eyes, and I could see his were sparkling with excitement.

"Cole," he growled, making a shiver travel through my body, "are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"What can I say?" I said, a smile tugging at my lips. "You're just a bad influence on me, you big bad wolf."

His face broke out into a huge smile, and he leant over and kissed my nose, before jumping up and heading towards the bathroom.

"Come on then," he said, heading out the door, "let's get you to college."

I flopped back on the bed and groaned, but I couldn't wipe the smile off my face.

__________________________

"Cole, Cole, Cole!!" Natalie shrieked just before she flung herself at me.

I just about managed to catch her without toppling over.

"I was so worried!" she shouted, too close to my ear, making me flinch back.

She pulled back and looked me up and down, then her nose screwed up in confusion.

"You don't look like you've been through a trauma, in fact you look like your glowing! Cole, are you pregnant?"

A comment like that just a few weeks ago would have had my face turning crimson. Today though I didn't care. So what if I looked happy?

I was happy. Unbelievably happy.

"This," I said, pointing to my face, "is the face of a person in love."

"Say what now?" Natalie said, her eyes like saucers.

"Hey Cole!" someone shouted from down the hallway.

I frowned, looking around for who had called my name.

Suddenly I was scooped up in a pair of arms.

I immediately tensed, waiting to be thrown into the lockers behind me, but then I suddenly realised, I was actually being hugged.

I twisted round and saw Percy grinning back at me.

He let me go, then ruffled my hair affectionately.

"Hey, I've missed you. Guess who's going to this college now! I thought I'd surprise you," he said, and I watched as Natalie's head snapped back and forth between me and Percy, her jaw nearly falling to the floor.

I could see she'd put 2 and 2 together and come out with 5, but I wasn't going to correct her...... yet.

"I've missed you too," I said to Percy, "I was just telling Natalie that I'd got myself a boyfriend."

Percy's eyes flitted from Natalie, then back to me, and I saw the realisation cross his face.

"Yeah, that's right," he said, slinging an arm over my shoulder. "In fact, I'm hoping he's going to be moving into Highfield Hall with us soon, isn't that right Cole?"

"Umm, yeah," I replied, suddenly wondering whether that was what Nathan expected I'd do. Did I really want to move in there? Was I ready for that?

"Seriously!" said Natalie, in a voice that was a pitch higher than usual. "After less than a week you're going to move in together? That's crazy! Cole, tell me your kidding."

"I don't know what to say," I replied back in the best nonchalant tone I could muster, "when you're in love, you're in love."

"Whoa!" said Percy, taking his arm off my shoulder, "since when have we said the 'L' word."

"You've got to be kidding me right?" Natalie said, glaring at Percy.

I had to bite my lip to stop me from laughing.

Natalie grabbed hold of my arm and dragged me a few meters away from Percy.

"Seriously Cole," she hissed at me, "what's got into you? I want to be happy for you, I really do, but he's clearly messing with you. He'll hurt you, I know he will."

I smiled and shook my head at her.

"No, it's fine. He's not really......oooooff"

I was interrupted mid flow, as I was body checked into the wall behind me.

"Oh look who it is," came the voice I had come to hate.

"Piss off Keith," I replied.

"Oooo, sassy!," he said back before striding over, chest out, pinning me back against the wall.

"Maybe it's about time I did something about that chatty mouth of yours," he said, grabbing hold of my cheeks with his right hand and pinching them together, making my lips stick out painfully.

"Excuse me," came a polite voice from behind Keith, and I saw some fingers tap his shoulder.

"What?" he said, turning his head round.

Thwack

Keith's head spun round on his shoulders before he clattered to the floor in front of me. I looked up to see an angry Percy, shaking out his hand, which was already looking a little red.

"Shit Percy, you shouldn't have done that! It's your first day here!" I said, while Keith scrambled to his feet next to me.

"What the fuck?" he yelled at Percy.

"Mess with Cole and you mess with me!" he said.

"And who are you? His boyfriend?" Keith spat back in disgust.

"No, that would be me," came a low growl from behind him.

Keith spun round, then immediately started backing away as Nathan drew himself up into full intimidation mode.

Even I felt like I should start backing away, his aura was that scary.

Once he was a few meters away, Keith turned and ran, like the devil was on his tail.

Nathan immediately turned to me, his body relaxing and his face turning from anger to concern in the blink of an eye.

"Are you ok?" he asked, scooping me up into his arms.

"I'm fine," I mumbled into his chest.

"Hey, I had it covered," Percy said sulkily.

"Are you sure you're ok?" he asked, ignoring Percy and pulling me back so he could see my face.

"Yes, Nathan, I'm fine," I said dryly, slightly embarrassed by all the fuss, and the fact that half of the students in the crowded corridor were now staring right at me.

"I'm sorry, I'll go," Nathan said, glancing round at everybody looking.

He released me from his hold then turned to walk away. He paused, then turned to look at Percy.

"Keep an eye on him," he said, "and keep your hands off him too. Don't think I didn't see you."

And then he headed towards the exit.

I stared at his back, feeling a pang in my chest.

"Go," Natalie said, nudging me with her elbow.

My body sprang into life and I ran after Nathan, grabbing his hand and pulling him back in for a hug.

"I love you," I whispered into his ear, before I kissed him on the cheek, then ran back towards Percy and Natalie.

Natalie giggled as we headed to our next class.

"Oh my god Cole, you should have seen his face! Whatever you said to him made him look like a love sick puppy!"

"I know." I replied smiling.

I knew because I could still feel the butterflies in my stomach. And I was pretty sure they weren't mine.

A/N. I have some Good News!!!!! I'm going on holiday tomorrow.........wait that's good news for me, not you....sorry! It does mean that I may disappear for a week, so no promises of updates I'm afraid.

I have got a little bit of good news for you. This is the last of the Nathan and Cole chapters so even though they will still feature in the story, the rest of the chapters are more focussed on Joel and Casper....and the ending that you have all been waiting for....

Have a good week all my lovely readers xxx