Chapter 15
Summer
“Summer, can you hear me?” Maddi was sitting on the edge of my queen bed, the room still encased in darkness from the raging hangover that knocked me out for almost the entire day. I only woke up long enough for Charlie to drive me home, and then, I crawled into my bed, wishing I hadn’t killed myself with the tequila.
“Girl, you’ve slept the entire day. Charlie said Colton dropped you off last night. I need details, and I need them now!” She gently shook me, and I groaned.
What on earth is she going on about now?
“Leave me alone,” I mumbled into the pillow, trying to pull the covers over my head so I could go back to my dream of Colton kissing me.
Wait.
I opened my eyes and sat up, looking at her through the dark.
Colton kissed me last night. No, he didn’t just kiss me. He devoured my mouth and staked his claim.
Maddi watched me with weary eyes. “So, what happened? Did he try to force you into anything?” She crossed her arms over her chest.
“He kissed me, Mads. He grabbed my face and kissed me like I’ve never been kissed before.” From the little bit of sunlight slipping into the room from my bathroom, I saw her jaw drop.
“And you didn’t call me last night?” she screamed, her voice piercing my sensitive head.
“Headache. Shut up,” I grumbled, falling back onto my pillows.
“Right; Sorry, I forgot. Give me details.”
“Like what, weirdo?” I rested my arm over my eyes, willing the headache to leave so I could finally get out of bed and shower. I stunk, the stench of the club clinging to me.
“What did he taste like? Did he use tongue? Were his lips hard or soft? Did his beard tickle or hurt?” she rambled over her words so fast that I could barely distinguish what she was saying between each sentence.
“Woah, slow down. Up until a minute ago, I thought it was all a dream. Let me think about it.” She pounced on me, her nails digging into my shoulders as she shook them. I groaned.
“Tell me! Was it everything you’ve been dreaming about?”
I swear, she was more excited about him kissing me than I was.
“It was so much better,” I sighed dreamily, and she squealed, making me wince. Nothing like some boy talk to get my cousin to act her age.
“I can’t believe he kissed you,” she gasped. “What about his fiancée?”
“I don’t know,” I mumbled. “Should I feel guilty?” Because I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to feel.
“Did you initiate it?” I shook my head. She nodded, looking thoughtfully at my ceiling.
“He kissed me until I literally had not a single breath left in my lungs, and then, he dropped me at Charlie’s like nothing had happened. It was one of the best and worst moments of my life.”
“Well, then you need to act like it didn’t happen either. Beat him at his own game, girl.”
Beat him at his own game.
A smirk tilted my lips. Colton, you have no idea what you’ve just unleashed.
On Monday morning,I got to work early so I didn’t have to walk past him outside. I was in my office before the staff arrived, already checking my emails and answering the never-ending incoming phone calls.
Mid-morning, there was a knock on my door. I peeked over my screen to see Colton standing there, looking like the complete opposite of the man I saw on Friday in a dirty shirt and shorts, with grease darkening his face as he smiled at me.
“Morning.” His voice washed over me, and I nearly caved in and stopped pretending like nothing had changed between us. But in reality, everything was different now.
He had kissed me.
“Hey. Good weekend?” I stopped typing out my email to my customer to look at him from the side of my screen. I needed to see his reaction, to see if he was as affected as I was.
I was shocked to see him shrug. “Nothing great happened. Saw my boss’s daughter completely wasted at the club on Friday night. You wouldn’t happen to know how that hangover was, do you?” He smirked, and I wanted to slap that cocky, self-assured grin right off his smug, sexy face.
My watch dinged, telling me to breathe. I muted the notification with a deep breath.
“Can’t say I do.” His smile dropped a little when he noticed my lack of amusement.
“Come on. I was only kidding. I had a good time Friday.”
“With me or her?” I couldn’t help but ask. Immediately, I regretted letting my guard slip. He took a step back, his eyes darting around the room. I was supposed to be aloof. So much for that.
“Why do you insist on bringing her up?” He rested his hands on the edge of my desk, leaning forward to look down at me over the top of my screen.
“Why did you kiss me when you’re engaged?” I threw right back, the desire to understand him and his motives driving me insane. Not only had he cheated on his fiancée, but I had cheated on Dylan. I hadn’t had the guts to speak to him all weekend despite his numerous missed text messages.
“She’s not important. I keep telling you that. I wish you would listen to me.”
“I won’t be your side chick. I’m worth more than that.” His hand crept closer to mine that was resting on my mouse. I sucked in a sharp breath when he rested his hand on top of mine.
“Stop that.” I shoved his hand away even though I yearned to grab it, to wrap my fingers around his.
“Why, darlin’?” he whispered, his handsome face inching closer. Would it be bad if I just pecked those soft, enticing lips? I needed another taste.
He had become my drug, and like a junkie, I was already addicted. One hit was all it took.
“Because you make me nervous,” I blurted out. I felt the heat rush to my cheeks instantly. Of all the things to say, and that was what came to mind. I nervously bit my bottom lip, wishing for the ground to open up and swallow me whole.
He laughed, the rich tone washing over me, vibrating through to my core. Oh, God, why did you put this man in my path – this taken man?
He made all my defenses go weak. No matter how many times I reinforced them, he just knocked them right over with that sexy smile, his intoxicating scent, and those intense eyes.
“I have to go, but we are going to continue this later. I can’t think straight when you bite that sweet lip. You are making me lose all control, darlin’, now that I know just how sweet you taste. I need more.”
Me? Make him lose control? He had to be messing with me.
Maddi’s word’s floated through my head.
Beat him at his own game.
“What are you waiting for?” I dared, my words coming out breathlessly. I licked my bottom lip, and he focused his hot, intense gaze there. “Kiss me already.”