Page 14 of Redeemed

“Youhaveto tell me.”

“No, I don’t.”

Something dark flashes in his eyes. “Yeah? Well, I’m quite good at forcing people’s secrets out of them, so I’d be careful if I were you.”

Before I can hide my reaction, my eyes widen and my lips part in shock. “W-what?”

He narrows his eyes. “I bet you’re ticklish.”

“No, I—ahhh! COLTON!”

I squirm and flail as he tickles my sides. When I push at his hands to stop him, he grabs both my wrists together and holds them tight with one hand. It leaves me vulnerable to his attacks, and I laugh as I try to wiggle free.

“Come on, tell me.”

“Noooo!”

Colton flips me so I’m on my back with my hands pinned above my head. His knee is pressed between my thighs, and when he notices my shirt has ridden up, he tickles the bare skin. Squealing, I try to kick at him, but I can’t really get anywhere.

“Tell me, and I’ll stop.” His tone is playful, but his eyes tell a different story.

Regardless, I can’t go on for much longer, so I relax into his hold. “Ahhh! Okay, okay, I give up!”

As I stare up at him, an odd sensation creeps through my body. I’ve only felt it a few times before and never for very long, and never this intensely. The feeling swoops through my stomach before falling lower, to where Colton’s knee is still lodged between my thighs.

Heat rushes through me along with something almost tingly, and I realize what it is. IlikeColton holding me down like this. It feels almost freeing even though his body is trapping mine against the bench.

“Well?”

But I’m too astounded to respond. Too confused. I thought Isaiah had broken this part of me—the part that made me desire another person.

“If you don’t tell me in three seconds, I’m gonna start tickling you again.”

His threat snaps me back to the present. “Maybe I did make the right decision,” I blurt.

At that, Colton’s face lights up. “Really?”

Breathlessly, I nod.

“Well, now you know.”

“Know what?”

“How easy it is to trust yourself.”

One of the thousand knots in my heart untangles. “Oh.”

I figure he’ll let me go now, but he keeps me pinned to the bench. It confuses me, but I sort of like it, too. As long as…

I shiver.

As long as he doesn’t try to do anything else.

“You cold?” he asks.

“Maybe a little,” I lie.

Finally, Colton pulls me back up to a sitting position, but he doesn’t let go of my wrists. “Itisgetting late. You’re probably tired. Long day of traveling, I assume?”

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