Chapter Forty-Four
“So then, Martha pushed him back and started screaming in his face!” I went on, trying my best not to laugh as I finished my story. “Once he was speechless, she dragged me to Mr. Sterling’s office and told him what happened. He fired him on the spot!”
Colton looked bewildered, shifting in the plush velvet chair that seemed a size too small for his shoulders. He looked from me to sweet, silver-haired Martha sitting beside her husband, Jeff.
“You did that?” Colton asked, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“We’ve been best friends ever since,” Martha said with a shrug. “She was the sweetest thing I’d ever seen, and I wasn’t gonna let anyone treat her like that.”
Jeff patted his wife’s hand. “Don’t let that innocent face fool you. She’s a mastermind. In this city, you need a shark in your corner. I think Allegra found hers early.”
Colton grabbed my hand and squeezed it.
We were in my favorite Chicago restaurant, Maple and Ash, a classy, expensive steakhouse with a dress code.
Colton was wearing a white pearl snap shirt, a tan blazer, and his Wranglers, of course. His wild hair had been combed and styled, something he rarely did, but it was beyond sexy.
He grabbed my hand under the table, his thumb tracing circles over my knuckles.
His skin was rough, a stark contrast to the crisp, white linen tablecloth and the polished silverware.
On his belt, the Sioux Falls buckle caught the overhead light, a massive slab of gold and silver that drew stares from the tables around us.
I was in my favorite tight black dress with a high slit and bright red heels, almost as red as my lipstick.
Since the rodeos and all the travel, I couldn’t remember the last time I had gotten dressed up this nice.
“Well,” Colton said, “I’m grateful Ally had you, Martha. She speaks very highly of you.”
Martha waved her hand absent-mindedly. “She’s done a lot for me, too. Couldn’t ask for a better friend.”
I gave her a grateful smile.
Jeff raised his mostly empty glass. “Let’s toast the power couple!”
We all raised our glasses.
“To Colton, the underdog on his way to win the NFR,” Jeff began, giving Colton a nod, “and to Allegra, the new marketing director of Apex Strategies. You two are on your way to greatness, and Martha and I can’t wait for a front row seat, literally and figuratively, Colton. I want to see you ride!”
We clinked our glasses together in a “cheers.”
“Thank you, Jeff,” Colton said. “I’ll save two spots for y’all in Vegas.” He looked down at his buzzing phone, and his eyes widened. “Ah, sorry, gotta take this,” he apologized.
I glanced down but couldn’t read the name on the screen.
“I’ll be right back,” he promised, kissing my cheek as he stood.
I watched him walk off, a subtle limp in his step as he wandered and cringed.
“How ya doing, sweetie?”
I turned back to face Martha and Jeff, who had been there for me more times than I could count. “I’m great,” I said with a breathless sigh. “The future is…uncertain, but I know we both will do what it takes to be together.”
She nodded quickly. “It’ll be a lot of travel, but you’re both used to that. It takes sacrifice to have a great love.”
She was right, as always.
Love was a give and take. I had to relinquish my powerhouse control and debilitating fear of the rodeo. Colton had promised to take it easy and focus on his safety for my sake.
If we lived across the country from each other for a little while, it would be okay. We would figure it out.
I would live on a plane if that’s what it took to be with Colton.
I would do anything to be with him.
“He seems like he’d move mountains for you,” Jeff said, looking at me thoughtfully. “Are you ready for something that serious?”
The immediate “yes” on the tip of my tongue felt so right, so sure. I knew I wanted him. I was more sure than I ever was with Harrison.
I nodded with a genuine smile.
Colton made his way back to the table and slid into his chair. “Sorry ‘bout that!”
“Another photoshoot?” I asked, taking a drink.
He shook his head and gave me a soft smile. “My brothers want to go on a fishin’ trip this weekend to celebrate the win. They felt bad that they couldn’t be in Sioux Falls.”
My heart fell a little. The thought of him leaving already made me want to cry. “Oh, that’ll be fun. When do you leave?”
I already missed his family so much. Jo had called me three times since we made it to Chicago, and once right after the presentation to hear all about how it went.
She had sent pictures of the grandkids and their drawings, promised to FaceTime on Sunday, and asked when we were planning to come back to Oklahoma for a visit.
It was a beautiful feeling to be so loved.
He looked down at his plate, most of his steak already eaten. “Tomorrow mornin’.”
I could feel Martha staring at me.
She cleared her throat. “All right, we need some more drinks!” Martha called the waiter. “These kids are celebrating, and we intend to celebrate right!”
~~~
I watched Colton kick his boots off beside my door and smiled.
I could get used to seeing him so comfortable in my house.
He slipped his blazer off and hung it up on my coat hook. “I don’t think I got the chance to compliment your apartment.”
The apartment was sad compared to the cozy Nash home and the warm trailers we had spent the past few weeks in. I had no decorations, except for a few throw pillows and generic hotel art on the walls.
“Thank you,” I said, staring at the boring gray and white colors. “It’s kinda depressing though.”
He looked at me with surprise but laughed. “You think?”
I nodded. “It’s soulless.” Colton’s warm presence was the best thing that had ever happened to this place. “It needs some Nash love.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Oh, I can help with some Nash love.”
He stormed across the hardwood floor, in his purple socks with a big hole in the toe, pushed me against the wall, and crashed his lips into mine.
I gasped.
He kissed me like a starving man, his hands on my waist, his body pressed against mine. I didn’t resist. I put my hands on his face and brought him even closer.
His five o’clock shadow was scratchy on my skin, but it brought my senses alive.
The wall was cold against my back, the floor hard against my bare feet, my hair draping down my neck. He tasted like peppermint and smelled like cedar cologne. His chest was warm, and he was breathing hard. His tough hands snagged on my dress. My fingers danced through his hair.
I was addicted to him.
An hour or so later, we lay on the expensive rug I had bought the day I moved into the apartment.
We were still in our nice clothes, too tired to get up and get ready for bed, but still wanting to be close to each other.
My lips were sore, probably swollen from Colton’s rough kisses.
He was lying on his stomach, staring at me.
“What?” I asked, my hands folded on my stomach.
He sighed. “I really like lookin’ at ya.”
I blushed. Even though we had spent the last hour making out, I couldn’t believe he would say something so sweet to me. “I really like looking at you.”
He ran his hand through my hair. “I’ll move to Chicago if it means I can be with you every day.”
I waved my hand. “I don’t want to talk about that right now. I just want to be in this moment with you.”
He nodded as best he could. “Deal, but I need you to know I want a future with you, Ally, a very long future.”
“I need a future with you, Colton,” I agreed. “We’ll figure it out, I promise.”
“I love you,” he said, his eyes sparkling in the low lights.
“I love you,” I whispered back, turning on my side to face him.
Lying on the floor beside him, talking about our future, declaring our love, it was everything I could have ever dreamed.
“Can I ask you something?”
He looked at me anxiously.
I glanced down at his purple socks. “Why do you always have the ugliest socks?”
He laughed out loud in surprise. “You’ve noticed?”
I chuckled with him.
“I like the bright colors,” he admitted sheepishly. “I buy them myself and will wear them until they’re fallin’ apart. Why don’t you wear ugly socks?”
I laughed. “Are you excited for your trip with your brothers?” I asked, propping my head up on my hand.
His face changed from dreamy and soft to excited and alert. “Ya! I hate to leave so soon, but I gotta catch an early plane.”
“What’s your plan after your trip?”
Did this family ever just stop and relax for a few days?
“Probably back to the ranch to start pullin’ my weight again,” he said with a soft chuckle. “What’s your plan?”
It was a roundabout way of asking when we were going to see each other again, and it made my heart fall to my stomach.
“Oh, you know,” I said absentmindedly, “director things.”
He grinned. “I can’t wait to hear all about your first day tomorrow.”
“Me too,” I responded, even though it didn’t make sense. “I can’t wait to hear about your trip.” I sighed. “Maybe next weekend I could fly to Gurthie and spend a few days with you.”
He lit up. “Maybe I can take you on another ride to redeem our reputation.”
“I’d love that.”
Finally, we had a plan. We were going to see each other. I would buy the tickets tomorrow.
I didn’t care if it was a back-and-forth travel for years. Colton was everything to me. He felt like home, like a breath of fresh air, a light at the end of a tunnel.
He was my everything, and I’d do whatever it took to be with him.