“You think anyone can make me do something I don’t want to do?” He shook his head. “You needed a place, I got a place.”
“I could’ve stayed with Zip,” I pointed out.
“Like hell you could have,” he snapped.
“Why couldn’t I have stayed with him? He’s your brother, right? You clearly trust him.”
“Not when it comes to you.”
“You think he would’ve made a move?”
“No.”
“Then I don’t understand.” I cocked my head to the side. “If you weren’t worried about his actions, were you worried about mine? Did you think that if I stayed with him, I’d fall for his charms and throw myself at him?”
“This is why I don’t talk to women,” he grumbled. “They’re nothing but trouble.”
“We’renothing but trouble?” My eyes widened. “You’ve got three different personalities and I never know which one I’m talking to.”
He sighed. “Fuck, I’m no good at this.”
“Good at what? Conversation? Yeah, I realize that.” I turned away from him, but his hands were still on my shoulders and he forced me to face him.
“Look, I don’t connect with people easily,” Colt stated.
“Okay.” I stared up at him with a quizzical gaze.
His thumb stroked along my neck, making me shiver.
“You don’t owe me anything. This isn’t payment.”
“Why are you helping me, Colt?”
“I may be an asshole,” he smiled slowly, “but I don’t turn my back on people who need help.”
He pressed a quick kiss to my lips and then left the room, leaving me to stare after him in dumb amazement.
Chapter 5
I tooka few minutes to look around the guest room. There was no bathroom suite, but when I left the bedroom, I found the bathroom just across the hall. I headed downstairs, pausing briefly to look at the framed photographs hung up along the wall of the staircase. Following the series of a happy couple were photos of a young Joni and Colt. I didn’t know their age difference, but there was one picture of a teenage Colt holding Joni, who must’ve been ten or so. Both of them wore huge smiles and I wondered where the seemingly easygoing Colt had gone.
I walked into the kitchen. Colt was at the counter, making himself a sandwich.
“Want half?” he asked, slicing it down the center. “It’s turkey and Swiss on rye.”
It was a thoughtful gesture. One I hadn’t been expecting. “I’m good, thanks. Do you have a cell phone charger? My phone is dead.”
He took the plate to the kitchen table and sat down. “I’m getting you a new phone,” he stated.
“Why? I have a perfectly good phone.”
“Did you give your cell phone number to Dev?”
“Yeah…”
“Then you get a new phone.”
“You know I can just block his number, right?”