CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
COLT
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We land at JFK at six in the morning, and I wait while the customs people do their thing, then head outside to my waiting driver.
I love this city.
I grew up here and I plan to live here for the rest of my life. But it looks different today. It looks less like the vibrant New York City that I remember from just a few days ago.
We stopped in Hawaii again on the way home. This time I asked them to give me a few more hours, and I headed into Waikiki. Walking along the beach, I watched the tourists swimming, sunbathing and walking hand in hand along the beach. I wondered if Riley would like it here.
I know she loves the beach.
Has she visited Hawaii?
Then I bought some sushi for lunch, stopped in an ABC store and purchased a few things before heading back to the beach to eat.
Sitting at a table under an umbrella, I stared out at the ocean. With more time, I would’ve hired a car and driven around to the North Shore and watched the really big surf.
I’ll bring Riley back here.
Jesus, the moment that thought had dropped into my mind, I knew this thing was well from being over.
I’d almost called her then and there. The risk of turning the jet around and returning to Australia was so high I forced myself to wait until I was back in the States.
Now I was home.
It would be late there, but I took a chance that she’d be awake. Scrolling for her number, I then press the green button.
It rings
And rings.
My stomach drops. It rings some more—
“Hello.”
“Hey.” My eyes close, warmth filling my chest.
“Hey,” Riley replies sleepily.
Why does her voice sound more like home than this entire city?
In the seconds I have to speak, I leap from telling her about The Final Rose—Manhattan so she hears it from me and deciding if I tell her how I feel.
Oh yeah, what are your feelings?
“Are you home?” Riley’s voice is soft, and I wish so hard I was with her.
“Just landed,” I rasp.
“I’m glad you’re safe—”
“Come to New York,” I spit out.
“What?” I hear the sheets rustle as she, I assume, sits up.
Suddenly, I’m invested. Whether that was the right path to take or not, this is what I want.
I want her in America. In New York.
In my penthouse.
In my fucking bed.
“Come to New York. I’ll send the jet back. No, that will take too long. I’ll book you a flight.” I start talking faster. “First class. Riley, pack a bag. Sleep on the plane. I need you here.”
“Colt, slow down. I can’t just fly to the States.”
Yes, she can.
“You can. What do you need? Tell me what you need, and I’ll make it happen.”
Silence.
“I have a business. Clients. Responsibilities,” she replies gently.
Fuck that.
I’ll put all the money into her account she needs for three years’ profit if it will get her on a plane and back into my arms.
God, I need to get out of this car.
Suddenly everything is too small and smothering me. I roll the window down and suck in a breath.
“You haven’t said no.” I push FaceTime, and she accepts, lying back down on her pillow. “God, I miss you.”
Her smile is sexy, and there’s a glistening in her eyes that I’ve not seen before when we’ve been on video.
I know what it means, I’m just not willing to think too deeply.
I just. Need. Her. Here.
“Same. I wish you were still in Oz.” Riley tucks a hand under her face, and I can’t ignore the sadness.
“Then come over. Just for a week. When was the last time you had a holiday?”
“Christmas.”
“Two days? Three? It’s not enough.”
“Three. Colt, I really can’t. The business would be impacted. We have clients locked in.”
“You have employees.”
She rolls onto her back and lets out a sigh, moving the camera. “Why? Then we’d just be worse off when I get home. I’ll miss you even more.”
I realize that.
But by then things will be different. One night wasn’t enough. A week and we’d get this out of our system.
I’ll tell her when she’s in the States about The Final Rose. It will be better in person. She’ll understand, and we can then move on.
We just haven’t had enough time.
The lies I tell myself.
“I am not ready for this to end. Let’s have a week together.”
She bites her lower lip, and my dick twitches.
Not now, my dude, I’m negotiating with our girl.
“I mean...”
“I’m putting forty thousand into your bank. Hire whoever you need. Cancel your clients. You choose.”
I fight the start of a grin. She’s going to fold. I know she is. I can see the surprise in her eyes, the way her cheeks have turned pink.
“Don’t be ridiculous. You don’t have my bank details, anyway.”
That’s what she thinks.
“I’m sending you a ticket.” I pull up the flights and find one that leaves at eleven in the morning. Clicking on the first-class seat, I send it through to her phone.
“Colt!”
“Start packing, gorgeous. I’ll see you in a couple of days.”
Feeling brighter, I wink at her and end the call.
Then I send a message to my contact.
Get me Riley Scott's bank details.
By the time she wakes up, she’ll have forty thousand dollars in her account. I have no idea if that’s enough. Anyway, she can kick my ass when she’s in New York. In fact, she can do whatever she wants to my body then.
I can’t wait.
I’ll spend this glorious week with Riley and then sign Todd’s contract, focusing on my future.