I was trying to fight the rising panic just as I entered my hall when my front door opened. He walked through the door balancing two coffees and a pastry bag. He smiled when he saw me, but then he stopped and frowned when he finallysawme.
“You ok?” His eyes were full of concern. Quickly he stooped and set the coffee and bag on the floor. He was to me in seconds, wrapping his arms round me.
“What is it, are you ok?”
I felt silly. I stood back. “I thought you had left me,” I admitted.
“No Ari, I’m here. I was getting my caffeine junkie her fix, then I was going to wake her up, nice and slow.” I felt his smile as he kissed my shoulder. He tugged at the sheet, I tightened my grip. “I like this look. It suits you,” he whispered as he kissed his way to my mouth.
“What about the coffee?” I protested as he walked me backwards.
“Screw the coffee,” he murmured as he finally pulled the sheet free.
“We have to go to the house at some point.” Colton said to me. I was on my side and he was curled round me. I sighed, I didn’t want to. The house meant Connor. “Dad and I sat and talked to Connor after you left on Wednesday,” he chuckled, “then Mary Ellen got him. Guess who our new co-signer for the trust fund is?”
I grinned. “Mary Ellen?”
“Yeah. She spoke bluntly to him,” Colton exhaled heavily, “he’s going to go to anger management therapy,” Colton said softly.
I half-turned and looked at him. “Will he be ok with that?” Colton nodded and I turned back around away from him again.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered. I turned back to look at him.
‘What for?”
He dipped his head to kiss me. “I should have had you in my arms from the moment I knew you were here. It fucking killed me to be so close to you and not touch you,” he stroked his hand along my arm. “But he’s so volatile and fragile, I couldn’t Ari. You know that don’t you? He’s my brother, I couldn’t be the reason he did something stupid again.” He was so beautiful, I smiled softly at him. Of course, I understood what had held him back, it all made sense now and even if it didn’t, lying here in his arms, nothing else mattered.
“It’s ok, we’re together now, none of the rest of it matters anymore,” I turned back so my back was to him once again.
“We are but, we need to go to the house to see him. To let him seeus,” Colton persisted.
“I don’t want to, I like it here,” I replied. I wiggled back against him. He growled low. His arms tightening around me.
“Damnit Ari, don’t. Haven’t you had enough?” he joked as he nipped my ear. I turned onto to my back to face him. He adjusted so he was propped up beside me, looking down.
I trailed a finger down his jaw line. “I’ll never have enough of you,” I admitted. He closed his eyes briefly and then he dipped for a kiss. The kiss deepened. I ran my hand down his chest, Colton above me.
He dipped his head to kiss me again. I arched up, pulling him down on top of me.
“Ok, you win,” he said as he peppered me with his kisses. “We’ll go later.”
“Much later,” I agreed as he claimed me once more.
When I woke up later that afternoon, he was dressed and at the edge of the bed. I groaned and hid my face. Colton laughed at me.
“We need to go and see him,” he tickled my foot. I yelped.
“C’mon Ari, it’s Con,” he said softy. I stilled. When Connor had been here all those weeks ago; when he was asking me to give him permission to tell Colton I was here, he had said the same thing. I sighed.Brothers. It was my own fault.
Grumbling I got up. His eyes ran the length of me and I saw his desire. I grinned. “Stay away from me, you’ll just make it worse,” I cautioned as he rose from the bed and took a step towards me.
“Colton,” I warned again backing away. His head lowered and he looked at me from under his stupidly long lashes. Then with a wicked grin he pounced. I ran like a mad person and just got to the bathroom before he grabbed me. I closed the door and then remembered the door didn’t lock.
I jumped into the shower as he opened the door. I turned the shower on, in the hopes that it would deter him. He grinned as he reached over his head and pulled his t-shirt off and started unbuckling his jeans.
God damn that was a fine sight.
Later. Much later. When we were both dressed, we made it out of the house. I had never been so relaxed in my life. Nor could I stop smiling.