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Eleanor’s mouth fell open in surprise before she laughed, shaking her head. “You really are trouble.”
I caught her hand in mine, bringing it to my lips, pressing a slow, lingering kiss against her knuckles.
“I love you too, by the way,” I murmured, my voice rough with emotion. “And I’ll spend the rest of my life proving to you that giving me a chance to love you was the right choice. I am yours in every way, Sunshine.”
Her breath hitched, her fingers tightening around mine like she never wanted to let go. “Colton…”
“No, let me finish.” I shook my head slightly, my grip gentle but firm. “This is new for me, saying things like this, letting myself be this open, but I need you to know how serious I am. I need you to stay. I’ll take whatever version of you I can have, in whatever way you’ll let me. Just…stay.”
Her eyes filled with unshed tears, shimmering in the dim light, and my chest tightened as I reached for her face, cradling her between my hands.
Eleanor smiled, soft and real, as she nodded. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Then she stood, holding her hand out towards me. There was a wicked grin set on her face, one side of her lips curved up. “Care to dance, Mr. Stone?”
Biting down on my bottom lip, I glanced at her hand and then back at her before I hopped down off my stool. I placed my fingers in her palm and spun her in a few tight circles before she came crashing into my chest.
“Are you going to make me chase you in the parking lot, again?” I asked, looking down into the deep colors of her eyes.
Eleanor let out a scoff. “If that means we can fuck in the back of your truck again, I’ll do whatever you want.”
“It’s brand new so we should probably christen it.”
“Oh, game on.”
The End
Epilogue
Eleanor
One Year Later
BLOCKS AND BLOCKS of towering skyscrapers stretched before me, an endless maze of steel and glass. I inhaled deeply, the sharp mix of gasoline and garbage filling my lungs. The city never changed.
“This is where you grew up?” Colton asked, squeezing my hand so damn tight I was pretty sure I was about to lose circulation—or worse, the hand entirely.
I laughed, glancing up at him as we walked side by side down Sixth Avenue, making our way toward the infamous Central Park.
“Not exactly here, but I spent plenty of time in these parts,” I said, prying my fingers free and slipping my arm through his instead.
It had taken me a year to convince Colton to come to the city. Not that he hadn’t offered before, but I never saw the point of dragging him along for my quick trips. He always insisted we drive and that wasn’t something I ever planned to do.
Getting him on a plane had been a mission all its own. First-class seats, an unlimited supply of bourbon, and, well…maybe a whispered suggestion about the mile-high club had done the trick.
“This is insane,” he muttered, gazing up at the towering buildings like a little boy seeing magic for the first time.
I grinned. I had plans to turn this trip into an adventure, showing him all the typical New York City things, from the subway to the nightlife.
We’d already tackled the former. Some guy had stood up mid-ride and started playing the accordion, and Colton looked like he was ready to fight for his life. I had to assure him that was normal.
By the time we got off, he’d tossed the guy a crisp bill, shaking his head like he’d just survived something catastrophic but was utterly enthralled in the performance.
I slipped my hand into his back pocket, tugging him closer. “Come on, Cowboy. You haven’t seen anything yet.”
Over the past year, Colton had built a beautiful cabin on his Montana ranch, and I’d moved in faster than I ever expected. Taking that leap of faith had paid off in ways I hadn’t even dreamed of.
We had settled into an effortless rhythm—independent yet deeply connected. He was still the thorn in my side, the same grumpy, stubborn man, but he also became the best thing work ever brought me.
