City Lights, Country Nights

51.with... Cole?

Liora sat in Danny and Cole's room, observing Danny's frustrated movements as he moved around the room.

"You know, I really appreciate you and Jackie asking your uncle for me to stay with him for the summer," he said, tossing different shirts to the side. "I mean, I really wouldn't have known what I would have done if you guys hadn't done it," he continued. Liora nodded in understanding.

"There's nothing to thank us for, Danny," Liora said. "You worked hard to get into that school, and you deserve to go," she reassured him.

"I just... it's really happening," he said, looking at her. "I just really wish you could go," he expressed. Liora smiled at him.

"Like who's going to show me around and all the best spots to eat?" Danny said, as Liora shook her head.

"If Jackie gets that Princeton offer, you won't have to worry - we'll both be coming with her," she said, walking over to him. "And if that happens, I'm going to drag you everywhere in the city until you're tired of me," she joked. Danny shook his head.

"I could never get tired of you, Liora may," Danny said playfully, making Liora smile.

"You hear that from Jackie?" she asked. Danny nodded, throwing another shirt to the side. "Danny, why are you throwing everything to the side?" she asked.

"Sorry, I don't have any New York clothes," he said. Liora let out a laugh and walked to the bed.

"Danny, what you have is fine. Look," she said, picking up a shirt. "This is fine, and if anything, you can always ask Jackie. She's really good at packing," she said, looking down to see a white box with a note on top of it with her name.

Liora picked it up and opened it. "Nothing is so broken that it can't be fixed," it said. Her eyes moved down to the box as she opened it to see what was inside.

Her eyes almost filled with tears when she saw the teapot.

"Rory," Danny said as her eyes moved to his, her breath catching in her throat. "I, umm... he worked on it for a while. I..."

Liora didn't let him finish as she quickly walked out of the room, downstairs, and out the door. Still holding the teapot, she walked straight to the barn.

"Cole, what is this?" Liora said, her eyes full of tears.

"It just needed a little more work," Cole said from under the hood of his truck. Liora shook her head.

"No, this," Liora said, holding up the teapot as he closed the hood of his truck and looked at her. "How long have you had this?" she asked, taking a step closer to him.

"Have you had it this whole time?" she asked, looking at him. Cole's eyes moved to the teapot and then to Liora's eyes.

"I know it meant a lot to you and that you missed them," he said as she set it down. "I wanted to give it to you, but every time I tried, we were arguing and..." he started, but Liora stepped closer and leaned forward, kissing his lips before pulling back.

Cole's eyes met hers, but only for a moment before he pulled her back to him, his lips on hers as he took steps to back her up against the table next to her.

Liora's hands held his face as his hands moved down her body to the back of her thighs, lifting her up to set her on the table.

Liora's hand moved down to the end of his shirt and under as his hands moved up to her hips, pulling her dress up with them.

Slowly, Cole removed what was between them as he gently moved forward into her. Liora's nails dug into his back as her eyes closed and her head fell back.

It was like nothing she had felt before: the way he moved, the way he held her to him, guiding her, slowly. Liora's mind went blank, but her body already knew what to do.

And when that big wave washed over her, she held him closer, her hands gripping tighter, her back arched, and huffs of breaths left her mouth.

Slowly, Liora opened her eyes as Cole's hands moved to her face, making her look up at him, and in that moment, she knew she wanted him just as badly.

"Rory," Cole whispered as he looked at her. Right now, she didn't know what to think. It had all happened so fast.

"I..." Liora started but stopped. She didn't know what to say as her eyes moved to meet his again. Cole pulled her to him, laying her head on his shoulder. She couldn't believe she had just done that... in a barn where anyone could have seen.

"Are you okay?" Cole asked. Liora nodded as she pulled back and looked down to straighten her dress. "Did you not...?" he asked. Liora gave him a smile.

"I did... I just..." Liora said as he helped her off the table. Of course she wanted to, it's just... now what? She didn't know what to do or say.

"It's okay," Cole said, making her nod. "Hey, why don't you go clean up and we'll talk about this tomorrow morning when your head's a bit clearer, okay?" It was a good idea. She needed time, that was all. More time to understand what had just happened, not that she didn't know, but it was a lot to process.

"okay I'll, umm... Tomorrow," she said, practically running out the door and up to Jackie's room.

"Rory, what are you—" Liora cut her off.

"Jackie, I did something," she said, looking at her. Jackie sat up. "It was good, Jackie, but a bad thing to do right now," she said.

"What did you..." Jackie stopped and looked her up and down. "Rory, what's that on your neck?" she asked. Liora just looked at her, Jackie's face fell.

"Oh, Liora, you didn't..." Jackie said, "with... Cole?" she asked. Liora nodded.

"I wanted to. I did, but after it, I didn't know what to do or say," Liora said. "He looked like he understood, but what if..." she stopped.

"Liora, I think we both need some time away," Jackie said. Liora looked down and shook her head. She really didn't want to go. "We're going to get some time away."