Chapter 11
11
Monday
Roanoke, Virginia
And so we keep going. Colton orders us an early room service breakfast that could feed several armies and I pack some of it up for a picnic for lunch.
We’re on the road by seven and I’m amazed by how well-rested I feel. Once we finally got to sleep, I slept so deeply.
Almost like his promise to look after me in the night allowed me to let go of all the things that usually keep me awake.
Don’t get used to it, girlfriend.
Colton and I talked late into the night, about our favorite movies, books we’ve read, our favorite restaurants in the city (I only have one, but he knew it), Netflix series we’ve watched (he’s hardly seen any; I watch stuff in the background when I sew), and some of our favorite artists and bands.
Colton puts on some country music and tells me he’s educating me on all the good stuff.
“Why does a New York billionaire know so much about country music?” I ask him.
“I started listening to it when I was stuck at boarding school. I think I could relate to the yearning in it. At that time I was yearning for stuff too.”
“Even billionaires yearn, who knew.”
“You don’t get to be a billionaire in the first place without wanting something pretty fucking badly, Sunshine.”
“I guess that makes sense. Are you CEO?”
“I’m COO.”
“What’s the difference?”
“A CEO—that’s my brother Cash—sets a company’s vision, culture and brand identity. My job is to make sure the vision is realized.”
“How do you do that?”
“I make sure operational efficiency is optimized and that we’re being as productive as possible with the resources we have.”
“Oh. Sounds complicated.”
“It would be if I didn’t know what I was doing. Luckily, I do. The business probably would have failed without me. ”
“That’s nice that you’re so humble about it,” I tease him.
“The boardroom and the bedroom are two places that have no room for humility.”
“Is that right?”
He glances over at me. “Yes, it is right, Miss Bailey. Which I’ll be demonstrating to you very thoroughly tonight. And I know exactly what to do with that sassy little mouth to keep it quiet, so watch out.”
I try to bite back my smile. And I don’t bother protesting.
Because I’ve made a decision.
I’m going to close off my heart and I’m going to have a wild love affair with Colton Maddox. I’m going to play along with his lessons—in fact I’m going to insist on them. I’m going to allow him to enlighten me and I’m going to cash in my V-card, once and for all.
I want him to be the one.
I suddenly feel very much over Troy, maybe because Colton is…well, Colton. Even if it’s only going to last a few days, our connection feels real , and that alone is enough. It’s a detail that’s somehow life-changing. It eclipses everything else.
Plus he’s gorgeous.
Obviously good in bed.
Extremely well-hung.
I mean, I could feel how freaking huge he is. It’s intimidating .
But what the hell. When in Rome and all that.
The kiss was—without being dramatic about it—the most intense thing that’s ever happened to me in my life.
I want more.
I want to feel .
I want to follow those cravings he so easily inspires and see where they lead me.
And I want it as hot and dirty and sweaty as possible.
So I mentally lock my heart into its little steel fortress and throw away the key. Or at least stash it in an air-tight compartment for now.
For better or worse, closing off my heart is something I know how to do. My father left before I was born, my mother died before I could say goodbye and the one guy I ever thought I might have loved strung me along for years but gave me nothing.
I can do it again.
I’m going to have fun , starting now. That’s what I’ve decided. I’m going to throw all caution to the wind and make the most of a rare opportunity that will soon end.
He promised to show me the time of my life. So that’s exactly what I’m going to have.