“Hey,” Colton says, jerking my attention back to him, back to the present. “What’s going on in the pretty head of yours?”
“Just thinking about my sister’s wedding.”
He nods in understanding. Colton is the first guy I ever told about what happened to me, and he’s the first man I trust with that information. I can’t explain why, but he makes me feel safe.
Even though I’m afraid of the public wanting a bachelor, not someone who’s dating a girl that’s most definitely not made for the public eye.
A couple hours later, we’re in the middle of the countryside. It’s colder out here, and I shiver when I push open the car door, and a blast of wind hits me right in the face. Shit, I didn’t realize just how freezing it would be.
The cabin calls to me, and after we’ve grabbed our suitcases, we make our way inside. Thankfully, they’ve turned on the heating. The Airbnb we contacted confirmed they’d ensure everything is ready, and it most definitely is.
A bottle of champagne sits in an ice bucket along with two crystal flutes. On the countertop are a large bowl of fruit beside chocolates and a small note telling us to enjoy our stay.
“I think I’m going to get a fire going,” Colton states, gesturing with his chin toward the fireplace, which is visible from the open-plan kitchen. The living room is furnished with soft cream sofas and a large bean bag, which looks good enough to sleep in.
“That would be amazing.” He presses a kiss to my lips, the warmth of him cocooning me for a short moment before he leaves and heads out the back where I see a pile of wood covered in a tarp.
They really did think of everything.
The day was spent reading in front of the fire Colton has kept going since we arrived. And as the evening is slowly encroaching, he lifts his head to look at me.
My feet are resting on his lap, and the book I’m reading has lost its appeal when his gaze burns through mine. His hands grip my feet, gently massaging them, pressing every pressure point, earning himself moans of pleasure.
“If you keep that up, I’m going to have to take you right here on the sofa,” he taunts with mischief tilting his mouth. But he doesn’t stop rubbing the soles of my feet, and I can’t stop smiling because it feels far too good.
“Have you ever had a girlfriend?” I ask suddenly, causing him to still for a moment. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—”
“Yes, once.” His voice is calm, but I can tell there’s more to the story than just what he’s said. I can tell it meant something more than just a once, and that’s it. I want to pry, but I wait for him to ponder on it for a while. “I was twenty-one. It feels like a long time ago, but in actual effect, it was only six years ago. I thought I was in love, figured it was the be-all and end-all, and I needed to make her mine,” he confesses, but the calmness is gone, and in its place is pain. I can’t see the emotion in his eyes because he’s not looking at me, but I can tell from the way his mouth curls into a scowl he’s saddened by whatever happened between them.
“And something happened that broke you apart?”
Colton nods, his focus on my feet instead of my face. “We just didn’t make it. She wanted more than I could give. She wanted the fame and fortune, the fancy cars and shiny jewelry. And even though I could afford that now, it’s not who I am.”
Getting to know Colton over these past weeks, I realize all my judgment about him when I first saw him was so wrong. And even then, the cockiness he exudes is so far from the real man underneath.
“I’m sorry it didn’t work out,” I soothe. “Well, not really because if it did, you wouldn’t be here.” I pull my feet away from his lap and move, so I’m straddling him. I twine my arms around his neck before leaning in to kiss him. His eyes shine, the color reminding me of an ocean, a restless pool of azure-colored water.
“Right now, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been,” Colton murmurs along my lips, his mouth capturing mine in a kiss that curls my toes. His tongue dances along mine, the flavor of hot chocolate still present from our earlier drink.
Colton’s hands run down my sides, gripping my hips before sliding toward my butt. He grips the cheeks of my ass, squeezing hard before raining down one slap on either side.
“Either we have sex now and then make dinner, or we have sex for dinner,” he teases, before suddenly scooping me up, wrapping my legs around his waist, and eliciting a squeal from me at the movement.