Page 57 of Colton
A smile breaks free on her face. Finally. “That’s a better ‘what if’.” She purses her lips. “So, how does this work? Do we just…” she trails off, biting her lip.
Holy shit. She just moved from no way to yes. This must be how Rocky felt getting to the top of those stairs.
“I think we go on a date. I can do a hell of a better job at it than fuckface, I promise you. You can order anything you want. You don’t have to worry about any judgment from me. You know I’ll eat a dump truck's worth of food, anyway.”
She smiles but turns serious, bringing her hand up to touch my bare side. The hair on my arms stands up straight. “Mia can’t know anything is different. Not until…”
Keeping anything from my best girl hurts, but I get where Evie is coming from. “Not until we’re sure.”
She nods carefully. “Exactly. I haven’t dated much since I adopted her, and she’s just now adjusting to having more time with me. I want to be careful of her and her feelings. She loves you so much, you being around is familiar. Not much will change.”
“No, not much.” I step forward, backing her into the door. Ducking my head, I tuck it into the side of her neck, drawing in her scent. Underneath the perfume she wore for her date, I can still smell the intoxicating scent of her skin underneath.
No, not much will change. Only almost everything.
“C…Colt. What are you doing?” Her voice is breathy.
I rub my beard against her soft skin, at the curve of her shoulder and neck. “I’m sniffing you. You smell so fucking good. I’ve been desperate to have you closer. Now that you are, I’m gonna need a minute.”
She hums, tilting her head to give me more room. “Oh…okay.”
I smile into her skin, soaking in the feel of her hands running up and down my side. Every fucking hair on my body is standing up, electrified by her. I’m hyper-aware of her breath hitting my shoulder, heating my skin. I’ve never been this fucking hot in my life.
I tug her shirt off her shoulder, giving me access to more of that beautiful, creamy skin, then plant my hands on the door again. If I get my hands on her, touch her like I’ve been dreaming about, I’m going to push too hard, too fast. No, I can’t put my hands on her. My mouth though? That’ll be ok.
I run my nose from her shoulder up to the base of her neck, breathing in deeply. Then, self-control vanished, I press my lips to her skin, again and again. Her breathing speeds up, those wandering hands of hers clenching the muscles of my back. The bite of her nails has goosebumps erupting all over my body, and I lose it.
Opening my mouth, I suck the skin of her neck into my mouth, biting gently. There’s no logic, no plan, only a raging need to mark her, to make sure she can’t wake up tomorrow and pretend this didn’t happen. I want her to look in the mirror and see me.
Her body pushes into mine. I feel her low groan rattle in my chest. Then the bite of her teeth on the skin below my ear.
I bellow like a fucking moose in rut, somehow forgetting there’s a three-year-old a few feet away. Evie freezes against me, a plaintive “Nooo” whispered against my skin. I pray, like I’ve never fucking prayed in my life, that Mia stays asleep, but it’s too little too late.
“Mama,” comes her tiny voice. We wait, but the second “Mama” is much closer.
“Fuck.” How could I be so fucking stupid? I mean, I know how. All the blood in my head went to my dick, and it made me dumb. Made me forget the tiny cock blocking little princess in the next room.
“Yeah,” Evie mutters, sliding out from between me and the door. “I have to go to her. Wait here, then let yourself out,” she whispers.
I grab for her, wrapping my arm around her back and tugging her into my body. “No takebacks Evie, promise me. We’re going on that date.”
She leans in, and I feel her smile as she presses her lips to the base of my throat. “No takebacks, Colt. I promise. But she’s going to be awake for a while. I’ll take her back to her room, and you let yourself out.”
She pulls away, and letting her go is the hardest thing I’ve done in my life. Going ten rounds in the ring is easier than having this woman walk away from me.
She promised, but the ball of uneasiness in my throat is still there. What if she changes her mind? What if she decides after our date that she doesn’t want me? I’ve won the battle, but I can’t claim victory yet.
As I walk up the stairs to my floor, I try to swallow it down, to convince myself we’ll be ok. The echoes of feet on a treadmill travel through the door to the gym, and I welcome the distraction. Maybe a workout is exactly what I need. I can sweat, and plan our first fucking date, and ignore the worry now lodged in the pit of my stomach.
24
EVIE
“I’m freaking the fuck out.”
“Clearly,” Becca smirks, and I want to punch her in the face. But she’s a ninja, and I don’t really want to get my ass beat. I settle for scowling at her, trying my best to make itreallymean. She laughs, clearly unimpressed.
“Baby steps, lady. How about you start by putting some clothes on? Where are you guys going, by the way?”
