Page 31 of The One Who Never Left: Colter

CHAPTER 12

Colter kept nodding at conversations he wasn’t listening to, smiling at jokes he didn’t hear, while every nerve in his body itched.

Sure, Cheryl was stunning, sweet, and the kind of woman a man would be lucky to tie down, except the only tying he saw in his near future was tying one on.

Around the fire stood a handful of women throwing eager glances his way. They were his blind dates—yes, dates with an S, as in multiple women. Vivi hadn’t just set him up—she and his grandmother had orchestrated today like he was the fucking Bachelor.

Rose ceremony, minus the roses, plus a nine-layer dip and his grandmother scoring commitment potential from a lawn chair.

He counted one, two, three, four women. A fifth one was in the pool, fiddling with her ponytail. The messy kind that gave a man serious dreams about giving it a nice, hard tug.

She wore a plain blue suit. Not a skimpy bikini or a G-string held together by dental floss. Nope, this woman—and he meant wo-man—was in a simple one piece made for swimming laps. He’d never been a fan of the one-piece, but that was rapidly changing. One strap had slipped, leaving her shoulder bare.

He meant to look away—he really did—but then she glanced his way and he went stock-still. Which was the exact opposite of what was happening south of the border.

Sutton.

Unlike at the office, she was all fresh-faced with a touch of gloss that made her lips look absurdly soft and distracting in a way he didn’t appreciate. When their eyes met, instead of looking away, she lifted her hand and gave him a little wave.

By the way his body manned up, she might as well have flashed him her tits.

His own smile was lagged and probably looked ridiculous. Because while he could focus long enough to stitch up a mangled bull’s leg, deliver a litter of bunnies, all while keeping the animals calm, he apparently lost all higher brain function the second lust entered the equation.

She had the kind of deep blue eyes that knocked the air out of a man’s lungs, and her smile made him want to do things he absolutely should not be fantasizing about at a family backyard party.

She’s vulnerable, he reminded himself. And way too young. And his employee.

And a single mom. And, and, and…

Apparently, his dick forgot the baker’s dozen of ands because it snapped into action like a fucking heat-seeking missile, locked on its target and headed her way.

“I’ll be right back,” he said to Cheryl.

“Of course,” she said back. “I wanted to get another glass of wine anyway.”

He considered pointing out where the drinks were, but he’d been raised better than that, so he said, “Don’t worry about it, I’ll bring you one back.”

After I talk to Sutton.

He took three steps and Eli stepped in his way. “Going to talk to one of your women?”

“Nope, just going to welcome one pint-sized guest.” Because splashing around with her mom like a dolphin was the cutest little mermaid he’d ever seen.

“Then you aren’t staring at your vet tech?” Eli asked.

“Nope. But it would be rude not to welcome her and Lynlee.”

“Then you don’t mind if I take my shot at Dream Girl? Because she makes for one hell of a dream. You know the kind I’m talking about.”

“Off limits and watch your fucking mouth,” Colter said then leveled his brother with a look hard enough to flatten the Rockies. Instead of being a smart man and dropping the subject, Eli burst out laughing.

“Just saying. If you’re not interested, then I don’t see the problem.”

He loved it when Eli was home. But the thought of his brother pursuing Sutton brought out all these possessive qualities that were as confusing as it was irritating.

Protective of a vulnerable woman? Sure. But possessive? He didn’t do that. Well, at least he hadn’t until his new vet tech walked into that bar the other night looking like a walking, wet dream.

Houston, we have a problem.