“It’s just…” I swallow. “My ex. I wonder if that’s why I was dreaming about him. He was thinking about me.”
Colt’s eyes darken immediately.
“What does he want?”
“To get his stuff.” I roll my eyes. “It’s always one more thing with him.”
Colt stares at the phone like it personally insulted me.
Or worse—like he hurt me.
“Does he know you moved on?” he asks quietly.
“Of course he knows.” I say, brushing his chest lightly with the back of my fingers. “We’ve been over for a while now.”
“Ah, okay.”
“You’re a lot better than him in many departments. As I’ve said.”
His brows lift.
“Many departments?” he echoes, and his expression turns to a smirk.
I smirk. “Don’t make me list them.”
“I mean,” he says, leaning a shoulder into the doorframe, “feel free. If you’d like.”
I exhale a laugh and shrug like I’m teasing. Like I’m not teasing.
“Okay, fine. He was in shape. You clearly still are. He liked to solve problems. You fix them. You cook. He thought swagger was a personality. Yours actuallyis.”
A beat passes, though not a long one. Just long enough for the subtext to stretch like elastic warming up before it snaps back.
“And,” I add, eyebrow lifting into a dare, “let’s just say the upgrade isn’t purely emotional.”
He snorts a laugh, head rocking slightly, impressed despite himself.
He shakes his head slowly, disbelievingly, like he can’t decide whether to laugh, or let the moment barrel straight through us like a bull through a barn door.
I let my hand drift south, until I wrap my fingers around his thick girth.
“Mmm.”
“Elena,” he warns hazily, still smiling. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying you take great care of me,” I whisper back, sweeter than intended.
He shakes his head slowly, disbelievingly, like he can’t decide whether to laugh…or lean in far enough to rewrite the atmosphere entirely.
“Fuck,” he murmurs, leaning closer, “Damien’s gonna kill me.”
Then he kisses me hungrily.
A low groan escapes his throat before he can swallow it.
My hands fly to his jaw, pulling him closer.
His fingers slide to my waist, then my back, tugging me against him. I melt. Completely. The heat radiating from him is intoxicating, and every nerve ending tingles with anticipation.
