Page 21 of Take My Kiss
“Since I knew it couldn’t happen again, given the distance and not trustin’ men, I bailed before he woke up. Posey was in the hallway, so I asked her to take me home. I didn’t leave my number, and he never asked for mine, so given the circumstances of being here, it seemed easier to get a fresh start between us as acquaintances.”
From the moment he opened the door in only a towel, fresh out of the shower and smelling like sandalwood and something citrus, my brain short-circuited. Wilder and Delilah didn’t tell me he was the cousin they were talking about, so I panicked when I saw him. I didn’t need him to figure out my secret and that I’d thought about him more times than I wanted to admit over the past several months. Pretending I didn’t remember meeting him made the most sense. Basically strangers. Why make it awkward when he was only here to get us settled in?
But then I find out, far too late, that it’shishouse. So there went my brilliant plan.
“Acquaintances who’ve exchanged orgasms,” she quips, brushing her blonde hair out of her face when a gush of windsweeps past us. “He gave up his bed for you, so I’d say he hasn’t forgotten about y’all’s night.”
“That doesn’t make me feel better,” I deadpan.
Worse, actually.
She smirks, pushing off the truck. “Just momentarily, let your guard down. You’re safe here, and Colton’s a great guy. The whole family is, so given the situation, try to enjoy your time.”
“That’d be a lot easier to do if I didn’t have a stranger lookin’ in my window in the middle of the night and uprootin’ my kids to avoid someone kidnappin’ ’em.”
“I get it, I do…but you gotta trust Wilder and Maddox on this. Colt, too.”
“I do.”
It doesn’t erase my fear that something might happen to them or my children.
“Everythin’ okay?” Wilder approaches when Delilah swarms me in another hug.
“Please be careful,” I plead, facing him. “I’m gonna worry ’bout you.”
“I appreciate your concern, but he’ll be the one sorry he messed with y’all. When we find him, I’m puttin’ his head on a deer mount like a huntin’ trophy.”
“Thanks for the graphic visual.”
Delilah nudges him. “Stop freakin’ her out.”
If what they told me earlier about how their family handles dangerous situations is true, then I don’t want to know the details. Ignorance is bliss and all that.
Lily starts to fuss in my arms, so I say my final goodbyes and wave as they drive away.
“You wanna find a snack?” I ask, walking up the steep deck stairs and wincing at the pinched nerve in my back. Sleeping halfway off the bed last night and sitting uncomfortably in a truck for two hours wasn’t kind to my body.
She nods, tightening her arms around my neck. She needs food and a nap.
Me too, girl.
When I walk in, Colton’s at the kitchen counter with Remy on one side and Sam on the other, standing on a chair.
“Sam, get down,” I order. “You know you can’t stand on furniture.”
“But Colt said I could help! We’re makin’ fish tacos!”
“Oh, really?” I ask because he’s never had seafood a day in his life, except for the breaded sticks version.
“Colt says eatin’ protein will make me big and strong like him,” he states matter-of-factly, then shows off his little bicep.
“Is that so? Well, be careful up there, please.”
“Sorry,” Colton mouths. “He said he was hungry, but when I offered beef or chicken tacos, he said he didn’t like those meats, so I suggested this.”
“It’s fine, but don’t take it personally if he doesn’t eat it,” I say, standing on his other side so Sam doesn’t overhear us.
“Mom, guess what!” Sam squeals excitedly. “Colt said I could come with him when he goes fishin’ next time and he’ll teach me how to catch a big one!”
