Page 9 of 7 Dirty Lies

“And you’re on vacationalone.”

He smiled without looking up.“And I’m on vacation alone.”He pretended to look over the menu, which he totally wasn’t doing based on the way his eyes wandered without stopping on anything, then sighed and closed it, meeting my gaze.“I’ve found that life is a lot more interesting when you get to know the people around you—even the people servingyourfood.”

That made everything inside me tingle with awareness.Colt wasn’t like anyone else I’d ever met.He was kind and sweet to me, but he was also friendly and accommodating to everyone, it seemed.It made me want to know more about him even if it was a pointless endeavor.Like he just said, it would make life moreinteresting.

“And yet your work is stressing you out.You’re an interestingman,Colt.”

His eyes unfocused and his smile dropped.“No number of friends or interesting days can make obligations disappear.You’ve just got to getthroughthem.”

“Isn’t that the truth?”I whispered, feeling the weight of hiswords.

His hand slid across the table and he touched my fingertips.“I’m sorry.”He waited for me to look up and when I did the concern there took my breath away.His soft gaze, his easy smile...he didn’t know me or my troubles, but he understood justthesame.

“I guess the best we can do is make the most of thisvacation,huh?”

He nodded, pulling his hand back.I immediately regretted saying anything.Maybe if I’d remained silent he would have kept his hand on mine and I would have gotten to enjoy a few more moments of whatever warm, wonderful sensation it was that seemed to flow from him to me each time wetouched.

“What is it you expect from this dinner, Colt?”The more time I spent around him, the more I wanted to spend time with him.It was like getting a taste of my favorite chocolate mousse.One bite was delicious, but the more I had the more I wanted, even after my stomach startedtohurt.

“Your company,” he said quietly.“Nothing more,nothingless.”

“And if I said I wanted more than company?”Dear god, what had just come over me?I never said things like this, never made the first move.Certainly not after a fewminutes.

He stiffened and I knew immediately that I’d made a mistake.“Can’t we just enjoy dinner before we start talking about dessert?”Then he shot me a smile that was totally in contradiction with the stiff way he held his body.His smile was damned disarming and had probably gotten him laid many, many a time.It was about to get him laid again if the way my belly flipped was any indication.That is, if I could get him to let down that guardofhis.

“I was simply curious, Colt.I wasn’t suggesting we make plans now.The way a man reacts to a proposition like that is veryrevealing.”

That got his attention.“And what did I justreveal?”

Everything.Colt was one of the good guys.I could feel it in my bones.“You don’t do one night stands.You’re the kind of guy who walks women home and makes sure they get safely inside.”I set my menu down and leaned forward, attempting to be seductive but not intimidating, so I dropped my voice to a near whisper.“You have things to worry about that are more important to you than your ownwellbeing.”

The color drained from his face a little, telling me I’d nailed him.The good news was that he wasn’t running for the nearest exit.If I was lucky my delivery was just forceful enough to break through that tough exterior of his, but soft enough for him to realize I wasn’t there to use him any more than he was there touseme.

“And here I was going to say the same thing about you.”His voice was a low, protective rumble that shot straight down to my soul and shocked the hell outofme.

I wasn’t expecting that.“Excuseme?”

He didn’t look away even though he seemed to be overwhelmed byeverything.

“You have things to worry about that are more important to you than your own wellbeing,” he repeated, boring into me with his deep blue eyes.“You care about the people in your life, almost too much.And the idea of fucking me on vacation is something that terrifies you as much as youcraveit.”

Iswallowedhard.

Well damn.So much for the quiet, well-mannered guy I was imagining.Colt might be those things, but he was also commanding.“So we understand each other.”Colt wanted to fuck me and that terrified him.I knew why it had my nerves rattling, but whywerehis?

“Wedo.”

“And how does that make you feel?”Dang, I sounded breathy.I was so turned on by this conversation it wasn’t evenfunny.

“Confused.”

“Why?”I needed to know.This was the critical piece of information that would tell me whether Colt was a good idea or not.Anyone could have a fling on vacation and walk away without looking back, but Colt was already more to me.When I flew home to my mess it would be with memories of his smile and his kindness, with questions about my future and whether I needed to find a spot for a rough around the edges cowboy who likedpoetry.

Whether I liked it or not, Colt was already undermyskin.

“If I tell you it will probably ruin dinner and we haven’t even ordered drinks yet.”Then he grinned.“Actually this is probably the perfect time.That way if it freaks you out you can leave before we get any furtherintothis.”

Well this was interesting.“And what makes you think I’d leave you to eat all alone?”God, I wished I could stop studying the way his strong shoulders filled out his white shirt, or the way his chin would fit in the palm of my hand.What was wrongwithme?

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