Chapter 19
Emma
Living in the moment with Colin turned out to be far easier than I’d originally thought it would be.
We’d taken the ferry to Mackinac Island late yesterday morning.
He’d patiently let me drag him around the island to see the sights.
Honestly, everything we’d done together had felt as natural as breathing for me.
Colin had seemed to like every activity. He’d actually seemed to enjoy the butterfly conservatory, and he’d been the one to arrange a horse-drawn carriage tour himself.
The carriage tour was a little cheesy and touristy, but I’d loved every romantic second of it with Colin.
We were staying for three nights. I’d protested when he’d booked a lake view room at the Grand Hotel because it was ridiculously pricy, but he’d blown off the expense like it was nothing.
After we’d arrived, he claimed that it was worth every penny when we’d taken in the views from the world’s longest porch at the Victorian-era hotel.
The Grand Hotel was iconic, and I’d always wanted to stay there, but it was way too pricy when there were options that were way cheaper and nice on the island.
“Are you getting tired?” Colin asked as we brought our bikes to a stop when we reached Arch Rock. “It’s getting hot.”
We’d rented bikes to do the circuit around the island.
I swiped my hand over my sweaty forehead, surprised when I saw that the ride hadn’t even worked up a sweat on Colin.
Nor was he even slightly out of breath.
In fact, he looked impossibly handsome and perfectly comfortable in his jeans and a lightweight T-shirt.
I was perspiring in a pair of capri pants and a lightweight tee.
The ride around the island wasn’t terribly long. It was a little over eight miles, and we were stopping often. But it had been a long time since I’d spent any significant time on a bicycle.
I was hot and it was humid beneath the summer sun, and I was definitely getting my cardio today.
“I’m hot,” I admitted as we pushed our bikes to a safe area. “I’m looking forward to hitting that beautiful pool at the hotel later.”
Colin stowed our bikes and immediately handed me my water bottle. “We’ll rest for a while here. You need more sunscreen before we head back.”
I smiled at him before I took the hand he offered me. “I think I’m getting old. This bike ride was a lot easier when I was a kid.”
Colin shot me a huge grin that made my heart melt. “I think we were just oblivious to the heat and humidity when we were younger,” he answered.
We were both wearing sunglasses, but that smile took my breath away even though I couldn’t see his eyes.
My heart squeezed inside my chest.
The man who never smiled was becoming a man who had no problem enjoying life.
Little by little, Colin was…changing.
The coolness and the distance I’d felt with him in the very beginning was starting to completely disappear when we were together.
I couldn’t say that he was the same man that he’d been in Virginia Beach. It was hard to compare since we’d known almost nothing personal about each other then.
Honestly, it was better than it had ever been in Virginia Beach.
This relationship felt a lot more…real.
Right now, he seemed incredibly…happy.
I knew that same happiness was radiating from me even though I was hot, tired, and sweaty.
Colin had switched into dating mode with me effortlessly.
He was attentive.
Affectionate.
And he was open in a way I’d never seen him in the past.
He either took my hand or wrapped an arm around me possessively whenever we were together.
It was almost like the change between us was instinctual and natural for him.
And his actions meant everything to me.
Colin had always treated me like I was special, but now I felt like the only woman in the world who existed as far as he was concerned.
He might not be a conventionally charming guy, but his genuine concern and affection were way more endearing than all of the bullshit charm in the world.
Granted, he’d bought me far too much Mackinac Island fudge, but he’d helped me devour it when I’d declared that I couldn’t eat another bite.
The man spoiled me shamelessly, and for a woman who had never had that in her life, it was an almost overwhelming but achingly sweet experience.
Yeah, he went overboard sometimes, but I was starting to realize that it was his way of letting me know that he cared because he wasn’t always good with words.
Colin suddenly stopped, released my hand, took my water bottle from me and opened it. “Drink,” he demanded. “You’ll end up dehydrated in this kind of heat if you don’t.”
“Bossy,” I teased but took the bottle gratefully.
“Concerned,” he corrected.
I drank until my thirst was satisfied and handed the bottle to Colin.
He shook his head.
“Drink it,” I insisted. “I’m done for now and we have another bottle on the bikes.”
He had to be thirsty, but he acted like he didn’t want to take any water away from me in case I needed it.
It was incredibly sweet, but totally unnecessary.
As expected, he slammed the rest of the water down the moment I’d assured him that I was done with it.
He had been sacrificing…for me.
No wonder I was crazy about this man.
He always put my needs first.
He’d always been that way, even in Virginia Beach.
His behavior had been almost unimaginable for me after being married to a man who had dumped me because I supposedly couldn’t have a child.
My ex had also been incredibly selfish and mean in other ways, too.
It wasn’t until I met Colin that I realized how much I’d been missing in a romantic relationship.
Maybe Colin and I hadn’t really had a relationship, but he’d taught me a lot about the way I wanted to be treated.
He’d essentially spoiled me for any other man.
Colin had come into my life at a time when I wasn’t feeling good about myself.
I’d been completely crushed emotionally and physically.
During our time in Virginia Beach, I realized that I was valuable.
That my opinions did matter.
That I deserved to be respected.
That I was still desirable.
And I’d refused to settle for anything less in the future.
I’d never found anyone like Colin again, but I was glad I’d never settled.
If I had, I wouldn’t be with the man I was crazy about right at this very moment.
“Are you okay, Em?” Colin questioned in a concerned voice as he took my hand again.
God, I loved it when he called me by that old, shortened pet name he’d occasionally used in Virginia Beach.
From him, it sounded like an endearment.
“Yeah,” I assured him as I pulled myself out of my thoughts. “I was just thinking about what an amazing guy you are.”
He frowned at me. “I think that then I’m going to start to wonder about your mental competence. I’m a complete asshole, Emma. Ask anyone who knows me.”
“Then they don’t really know you,” I argued as we positioned ourselves to get a nice view of the limestone arch and the stunning views of Lake Michigan. “I think you’re the most incredible man I’ve ever known.”
He shrugged. “Since I like the fact that you think that, I guess I’ll let you stay delusional.”
I slapped him on the shoulder playfully. “Stop that! You are amazing. You just don’t realize it.”
Colin might not see all of the qualities that I adored about him, but they were definitely there.
He might do a good job of hiding them from the rest of the world, but I’d always been able to see right through his tough guy act.
He grinned at me as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Keep those delusions coming, sweetheart. Picture.”
I shook my head. “No photos. I look sweaty and disgusting right now.”
“You look stunningly gorgeous,” he replied as he wrapped his arm around me, positioned the two of us, and held the phone out as far as possible to get the picturesque scenery behind us.
“Okay, which one of us is delusional now?” I said jokingly.
“Not me,” he insisted. “Smile.”
Crap! Any makeup I’d put on earlier was long gone, but if he still thought I looked gorgeous, I could hardly refuse.
The truth was, I’d have him AirDrop that photo to me later because I wanted every picture of the two us here that I could get.
We weren’t talking about the future, and I wanted to conserve every single memory of our time together.
I smiled and he clicked the photo.
“Happy now?” I teased as he shoved the phone back into his pocket.
He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me against his massive body. “I am now,” he said huskily as he tightened his arms around me.
I put my arms around his neck, both of us completely ignoring the other people who were enjoying the views with us.
“I probably stink,” I warned him. “I’m still sweaty.”
He leaned down until his lips were close to my ear. “As I recall, we both liked to be hot and sweaty together. Neither one of us ever complained.”
I suddenly felt a whole lot hotter than I had moments ago.
“I thought we weren’t thinking about that right now,” I said breathlessly.
His lips still near my ear, he said huskily, “Oh, I think about it, Em. I fucking think about it every damn time I see you.”
A shiver of heat ran down my body and straight between my thighs.
My body craved this man, and it was getting harder and harder to keep those desires in check for me.
I wanted to be as close to Colin as I could get, and my body ached with the need to be that intimately connected as soon as possible.
“Colin,” I said in a needy voice as I stared up at him.
“Kiss me, Em,” he urged hoarsely. “For now, just fucking kiss me.”
I pulled his head down, and Colin did the rest.
The kiss probably looked a little desperate to the tourists around us, but neither one of us really noticed.
We were just two people who momentarily got lost in each other.
I savored that embrace for as long as I possibly could.
I could feel how much he wanted me and cared about me without the two of us exchanging a single word.
For now, that was more than enough.