CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
COLT
––––––––
Riley is downstairs picking out gifts for her friends while I read the business news. I hear the elevator open and glance at the clock. I was expecting her to be longer.
Zander walks in.
“Hey.” I drop my tablet, grateful I don’t have Riley spread out on my dining room table eating her sexy pussy.
Like I had been earlier.
I’ll need to remember to be more careful when I’m, fuck, married. It won’t be to Riley.
The tension in my shoulders ramps up as I think about what I’m about to do. I’m not sure I can. I don’t fucking want to.
I want Riley to stay in America.
She won’t.
But that’s what I fucking want.
I didn’t come here expecting a ring. It just felt weird after all of this to be called a friend. I overreacted. None of this means anything. I get it.
She doesn’t get it.
How can she when I don’t?
But telling her I’m falling in love with her, even admitting it to myself, is impossible.
I’m signed up to do this show and can’t cancel it because I’ve spent a hot week with the sexiest, most beautiful woman I’ve ever met.
Someone who makes me think, laugh, feel like the world is brighter when she’s at my side.
Who belongs in a garden, not here surrounded by buildings and concrete.
My feelings for Riley are off the charts. I don’t want her to leave, and if she cries one more time, I’m going to start blowing stuff up.
How do I rationalize the thoughts that keep racing around in my mind?
Riley belongs to me.
She belongs here.
I look around, and there are signs of her everywhere and despite the OCD, I fucking like it.
I like the girl crap in my bathroom, the hair tie around the kitchen tap (because apparently you always need one in that room of the house) and the jacket hanging over the back of one dining chair. Housekeeper went to hang it up, and I stopped her.
I want her in my life.
I’m just not sure how to make her want that or how we’d both be happy even if she did.
Zander now notices the pink Converse sneakers and picks one up. “Interesting style change.”
I don’t react.
“Coffee?”
He sits down and nods, then tosses the shoe back onto the floor. “Anything you want to tell me?”
“Not really,” I place the mug on the table in front of him and sit back down. “Interested to hear about this undercover shit though.”
“Mason.”
I nod, sip my coffee, and wait.
“He was spying on Lexi.”
I almost choke. “What? At the bar?”
“Yeah, had us dress up like the mob.” Zander smirks. “Paid me some stupid fee to help him out.”
I laugh.
“He’s in love.” I nod. “Saw that coming a mile away.”
Zander picks up the lip gloss lying on the table. “Yeah, the signs are obvious.”
He grins at me, and I shake my head.
“Nah man. Riley is—” Just a friend? Even I don’t believe that anymore.
“Is?” Zander opens the gloss and sniffs it. “The girl you’ve been messaging for weeks.”
I let out a sigh.
I should’ve known he’d connect the dots. All of them have been on my case, and it's fair. Riley has been a distraction.
“She’s Australian.”
“Hot.”
“She goes home tomorrow.”
“Do you want her to?”
I stand up, feeling irritated that I have to put words to my feelings. I might be thinking them, but having to admit them, even to Zander, is uncomfortable.
“Maybe. Fuck, I don’t know. It’s irrelevant. Her life is there. Mine is here.” I pace the floor, picking up some of her things and putting them in a pile. “She has to go home.”
He’s not buying it. I can see it in his expression.
“If you really like this girl, Colt, see if you can find a way.”
“No.” I shake my head. “I’ve got other plans. I was going to tell you guys at our next breakfast after the wedding. I’ve signed a contract with The Final Rose. I’m going to be the next bachelor.”
Zander looks more shocked than I was expecting. Then I hear a small cry behind me. Spinning I find Riley standing in the lobby with her shopping bags. Her hand covers her mouth.
“Riley.” I cross the distance, but she runs up the stairs.
Fuck!
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
I freeze at the bottom, hearing Zander come up behind me. His hand plants itself on my shoulder.
“Leave her.”
“No. I need to fix this.”
“Buddy. There’s no fixing that. You need to let her go.”
My world spins.
I’ve fucking lost her.