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“Intense.”
I thread our fingers, tugging her close enough her breasts brush my chest. “Perfect.”
My free hand trails along her bare shoulder, across her collarbone, up her neck. I could kiss her right now. I could make her mine tonight, but would I get to keep her in the morning?
Leaning in and offering her lips, she whispers, “Colton.” It’s more of a plea than anything, but I can’t tell what’s truly behind it. If she’s asking for more or questioning whether we should do this.
I back up, just enough to put distance between us and break the spell our connection has cast. “Breakfast is at ten. I’ll save you a seat.”
Walking away from her has to be the hardest thing I’ve done in a long time. Harder than driving fence posts or digging cattle out of piles of snow left by a freak storm. But if I want to keep her, I have to do this right. I have to show her why she made the wrong choice when she didn’t pick me.
I feel her gaze on me the whole way down the stairs, but I force myself not to look back.
She still wants me.
4
SEAN
The next morning,one thing is clear. Colton is the other guy. He’s the one she left me for after I popped the question and she shot me down. He has to be. But fuck if I know what happened between them. I expected her to be married to the man I lost her to, and instead I find her single and obviously still affected by us both. How did this all play out? Did he fuck things up so badly with her that she left him after he won? If that’s the case, he doesn’t deserve her now.
My boots crunch under the gravel as I walk to the main house. I need coffee. It was torture knowing Chloe’s room was above mine all night long. I could hear her pacing. She didn’t sleep last night. Neither did I.
“So you’re under me,” Chloe says, her soft raspy voice making my body react with a rush of desire.
I turn and face her. She looks fresh as a daisy, her long hair pulled into a ponytail, a soft pink sleeveless dress hugging her curves. I grin. I can’t help myself. “Not yet, bunny.”
Her cheeks go pink to match her dress, and she flicks her gaze down to my boots and dark denim. “Boots, huh? Aunt Karen won’t like that.”
“That’s too damn bad.”
She smirks and leans in. “Don’t let her hear you. She’s vicious.”
My stomach growls and the two of us laugh. “Come on. I need to get some food in me if I’m going to be tasting wine all day with you.”
“Do you even like wine?”
“It’s okay. I prefer whiskey.”
She lets me place my palm on her lower back as I open the door for her, and the two of us walk in together. “You know, I think there are a few distilleries out there too. Maybe we can sneak you over to one or two today?”
Hope flickers in my chest. “You want to be alone with me?”
“I’d rather be alone with you than Aunt Karen.”
I laugh out loud as we walk into the dining room. There’s a buffet set up with coffee carafes, pitchers of orange juice and chilled bottles of champagne, as well as piles of hot food. I load up on flapjacks and bacon, while she takes eggs and sausage, as well as a heaping serving of fresh fruit.
“Sit with me,” I say while pouring both of us cups of coffee.
She bites her lower lip and those big eyes blink up at me, but she nods. As soon as we’re seated at the table, the crowd comes in. Her aunt and uncle, Porter and Georgia, as well as the other three couples who are serving as the bridal party.
“Where’s Colt?” Porter asks, looking around with a frown on his face.
I couldn’t care less where he is, so I simply shrug and sit back in my chair, drinking my coffee slowly. But, of course, the man walks in at that moment, all smiles, hair damp from a shower. “Sorry I’m late.” He saunters over to the buffet and fills his plate, then takes the seat next to Chloe. “Mornin’, darlin’. What did I miss?”
She murmurs, “Morning,” into her coffee cup, and avoids both our gazes.
He just had to come in here and make it awkward. “Chloe and I are making plans for today,” I say, casually taking a piece of bacon from my plate.
