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She’s trying to stay strong, but her quivering lip gives her away. I don’t wanna hear any friend bullshit, but to amuse her, I’ll listen. I’ve fought for this long, so why give up now? Shaking my head, I drag in a deep breath and push down the rising tension that’s crawling up my back. “Go ’head, Carly Jo. We ain’t gonna fight, scream, or argue. I want you to make me see things your way.”
She nods, placing her fidgety hands in her lap, as she chews on her lip. I rub my thumb across the bottom of her lip and pull it from between her teeth as I look deep in her scared hazel eyes. “Stop bitin’ your damn lip in half and calm down, ’kay?”
She releases a pent-up breath and looks away from me. “My entire life has been twisted upside down over the last few months. Daddy passing and leaving Simon Energy in my hands. Being the CEO in an industry of men, bossing a team of nearly two hundred people to see that this empire does not fall; I’m in a position of power that I’m really beginning to doubt myself in. I’ve always hated the mines. I go to work each morning, pencil push all day, and I don’t understand half of the shit I’m looking at. But I still do it and know that as long as the numbers are higher than the day before, it’s all good. I go home every night to that big empty house, and the silence is deafening.”
She looks over at me, nibbling her lip, then she looks away as the tears well up in her eyes. “I have nobody, Colton. Savannah is a busy mom, and we never talk. Since I came home, you have been so caught up in trying to win me back, you haven’t looked deep enough to see that I am barely treading water. I was having lunch at the diner one day after a meeting, and it had been such a bad day. Luke came in, saw that I was upset, and joined me. I don’t like to talk a lot. He doesn’t push too hard, but when I want to talk about it, he listens, and when he needs to talk, I listen. Sometimes it’s just nice to have a friend.” She shrugs.
I take a minute to soak in what she’s just said. I don’t know how I missed that she has been lonely, but I guess I have. “You were always strong minded, and you still put off that same damn bad ass attitude. I assumed that you could handle anything. I didn’t know it was deeper than that. Why didn’t you say somethin’?”
“We’ve talked about everything from the past. I have a hard time letting you in. I need you to understand that I’m trying. But you scare me.”
She covers her face with her hands and shakes her head. “No, that’s a lie. You don’t scare me. The things I feel for you scares me. When we’re together, you don’t ever want to talk. You constantly have your hands on my thighs or in my hair, trying to pull me into these earth-moving kisses that make my knees want to defy my weight. I can’t even get a clear head around you.”
She brushes her fingers through her dark brown waves in frustration. I grasp her elbow and pull her into my lap, then realize that was probably a bad idea. Hell with it. I need her close to me. I tuck her hair behind her ear, trailing my finger down her chin, before turning her face so she is looking at me.
“I’m sorry, baby. Not for needin’ to touch you, not for gettin’ so deep in your head that I effect you like I do. I’m sorry for bein’ blind to all of the other things you needed. Ya gotta understand darlin’, I ain’t been in a real relationship since you left. So I’m a little rusty. Sure, I tried things with Kari, and after I got straight, I dated off and on, but I haven’t been in a meaningful relationship since you. We lost so much time together that when I see you, I have to have my hands on you. I crave it.
“But that’s all gonna change. I can’t stand the thoughts of you turnin’ to another man for anything. I’m glad Luke was there for you, as bad as I hate the taste of that shit right now, but, darlin’, I don’t want you seein’ him anymore. I don’t want you havin’ no more damn lunch dates, none of this shit him comin’ over to your house. If you need somebody, you call me. Not any damn body else, especially frickin’ Luke Ashton.” I finish with a deep, husky tone, deeper and harsher than I intend. Damn, my face is getting hot, and I just wanna squeeze his fricking neck in my hands right the hell now. Ain’t never been able to stand that frickin’ prick.
“Colton, why do you dislike Luke so much?”
“It ain’t just Luke. Make no mistake of that. It’s any damn man who looks at my woman like that and touchin’ my woman… hell, that’s just a fool signin’ his death warrant.” Carly Jo rests her head on my chest, and the heat in my face spreads through my body. I love the way this feels, her body pressed to mine.
“You said earlier that I’m a part of you. I know that, but I’ve battled myself for so long to protect my heart from you. I was trying to push you away in hopes that all of these emotions would just melt away. Why the hell they would now when they’re still here after seven years is beyond me. But I’m tired. I’m worn out, and I don’t want to fight it anymore. I know that you love me, Colton. I love you too.”
Hearing those three tiny words escape her lips nearly stops my heart. Even though she has said it before, this time it’s different. Before, we were young and stupid, without a care in the world except each other. Now, we have both battled our wars, together and apart, but we still found our way back to each other. I kiss her lightly on the forehead and whisper, “I never dreamed I’d have you back in my arms, right where you belong. I love you, darlin’.”
I tighten my grip around her and hold her tight. We sit entangled together on the couch, just enjoyin’ each other’s warmth and the silence that fills the air. Before long, the silence is met with a light snore, and I look down to see that Carly Jo is sound asleep with her head pinned to my chest. I scoop her up in my arms and carry her to bed.
Chapter 28
Carly
The alarm clock buzzes, waking me from a very peaceful night of sleep. I roll over to turn off the alarm, and my fingers graze warm flesh. My heart stills, and the beeps cease. A low guttural moan fills the room as I rub my tired eyes, trying to focus on the source of the husky moan.
“Mornin’, darlin’,” Colton says, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling my back against his chest. He trails his rough, calloused hand up and down my side in soft, slow movements and presses his cock against my ass.
“Morning, baby. What time is it?” I ask, gripping his arms tighter around me, just wanting to be held, but obviously he has other ideas in mind.
“Five am,” he whispers, kissing down my arm.
“Five am? Do you always wake up so damn early to get ready for work? What the hell?” I whine. Yep, I whine. What can I say, I love my sleep. He continues to cover my arm in soft, delicate kisses, trailing his fingers across the hem of my panties.
“When I get to wake up to the love of my life in the bed with me, hell yeah I do,” he says with a devious smirk. He twists me around so that I’m facing him, then captures my lips with his. He kisses me softly and tangles our bodies together, sparking a heat of passion that we both want.
“I love you so much, darlin’,” he whispers against my lips, “I can’t believe I’m really wakin’ up with you in my arms. Please tell me this ain’t a damn dream.”
I pull his face into mine and giggle against his lips. “No, baby, I’m here. This is happening.”
He grasps my face in his strong hands and looks deep into my hazel eyes, tracing his thumb across my cheek. “You ain’t ever goin’ anywhere on me again. Ever. I finally have you back in my arms where you belong. Don’t ever leave me again.” He doesn’t plead. He orders. He instructs. And yeah, I kinda like it. I tip my nose against his and look into his dark brown eyes and promise him forever.
“I’m yours, only yours. Always.” His eyes dance with excitement and happiness as pulls me into a kiss and covers my body with his, pressing me hard into the mattress. He doesn’t rush this moment. No. He takes his time, caressing and loving me, all of me. We make love passionately, connecting our souls as one. It’s desire-filled, earth-moving love.
By six am, when we are both fully sated and exhausted, we climb out of bed and make our way to the shower to get ready for work. While I’m drying my hair, Colton walks over to his parents’ house to get Kylee Jo ready for school. Once I’m dressed and ready for work, I lock up and join them for breakfast.
Kylee Jo is the most energetic little girl I have ever seen. Even at nearly seven a.m. she is dancing around her bedroom, singing into a hair brush as music bounces from the speakers. She is dressed and ready for school, just burning up some energy before she gets her day started.
Emily has cooked a huge breakfast; gravy, biscuits, eggs, sausage, bacon and fried apples. Kylee Jo and I help her set the table while Bill and Colton wait impatiently for their morning grub. Colton fixes Kylee Jo’s plate and tells her to eat up so we can take her to school. We. That sounds odd.
