“I’ll be back in a minute,” he murmured into my ear. Then he rolled over and went to dispose of the condom. I pulled the covers up over me, lying back on his pillow and marveling at the fact that I didn’t have to sneak out tonight.
For the first time ever, we could actually stay togetherafterwithout worrying who might find us in bed together. It was a novel thought, and one I loved the sound of.
“You’re staying, right?” Colt said when he walked back into the room. He pulled the covers back on his side of the bed and climbed in. “It looks like you were getting comfortable, but I need to know if I’m actually going to be able to cuddle tonight or if you’re going to tell me to do it with my pillow again.”
I giggled softly. He wrapped his arms around me and tugged me into him.
“I was just thinking about that,” I said. “I’m staying. If you want me to, that is.”
“Always,” he mumbled, pressing a kiss to the nape of my neck as he curled his body in behind mine. “Good night, Em. Don’t run away when you wake up, okay?”
“Never,” I promised, snuggling into him. His breathing evened out soon after. As he fell asleep while holding me, I lay awake, trying to come up with a plan.
What I needed was to show him why he should stay. I knew that it wouldn’t be good enough simply to ask him to stay with me. Because of me. Even if he did, he’d just end up resenting me for it.
Although he hadn’t asked, I also knew that I could go with him if it came down to it. I could hire one of my teachers to manage the school for me and get a job in early childhood development somewhere else.
Rockdale was my home, though. I didn’t want to leave it and I’d never understood why he wanted to, either. There were so many things to love about this place, and that was when it suddenly hit me.
The things I love about this place.That was how I could convince him to stay, by showing him all the highlights of the town he’d previously ignored in his rush to leave. All my favorite places. Places I knew he would grow to love, too.
And I have just the idea for the first one.
It would be perfect. Optimism flooded through me, and when I finally fell asleep, it was with a smile on my face and hope in my heart.
Watch out, Colt Eldridge. Rockdale and I are coming for you, and I think you just might like it.
23
COLT
Slightly hungover when I opened my eyes, it took me a beat to realize that the bed beside me was empty when it shouldn’t have been.Fuck. She left.
Memories of last night flooded my brain, and when I remembered everything I’d said to her, I was worried that she’d run off in the middle of the night, despite promising that she wouldn’t. For some reason, the thought was a lot more disappointing than I’d have liked it to be.
As I became more aware, though, I realized that the scent of bacon frying was in the air and my eyes shot wide open.Teddy and Scott aren’t here, and I sure as hell haven’t been frying up any bacon, so that has to be her.
Immediately shaking off the mercifully gentle effects of all the champagne I’d consumed, I rolled over and got up, putting on only my boxer briefs before I went downstairs. When I walked into the kitchen, Emma was standing at the stove with her back to me.
She was wearing the shirt I’d been wearing before the wedding that I’d left on the floor in my bedroom in my haste to get ready. It was a royal blue one, and though I couldn’t see them yet, I knew the color was going to look stunning with her eyes.
Because apparently I think about shit like that now.Moving along before I got too hung up on the fact that even the way I thought seemed to be changing, I raked my gaze over her bare thighs and wondered if she was wearing anything underneath that shirt.
Without making a sound, I moved in behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist, kissing her neck before resting my head on her shoulder. “What are you making? It smells fucking delicious.”
She jumped when I first touched her but then relaxed into my chest and flipped the last pieces of bacon remaining in the pan. “I’m making your favorite. Bacon bliss. You still like it, right?”
“Like it?” I couldn’t hide the awe in my voice that she’d remembered. “I still love it. Mom used to make it for me every weekend.”
“Only because you insisted,” she teased. “Teddy always used to complain to me that she’d get fat if she had to keep eating four strips of bacon between two pancakes that have been slathered in syrup.”
My stomach grumbled just at the description of bacon bliss, which had always been my favorite breakfast food.Well, that and the scent of it. It’s been a long-ass time since I’ve woken up to that smell in this house.
Coming to think about it, it had been a long time since I’d woken up to that smell, period. Ever since my parents died, if I wanted the dish, I had to make it myself. For myself. Anna had refused to eat it. She insisted there were better ways to get her calories for an entire week. As such, she’d also refused to make it for me, even when I’d begged her to do it for my birthday back when we’d been younger.
“You’re making enough for two, I hope.”
She turned her head on my shoulder to face me, arching an eyebrow and looking at me like I was touched in the head. “Of course, I am. What do you take me for, a heathen? I don’t think mine is nearly as good as your mother’s used to be, but I’ve been making it at least one Saturday a month for years. You’re not the only one who loves it more than a person should love any food. I’d marry this damn dish if I could.”