Page 72 of Soldier Cowboy
“Not even close. Why? Is that what you’re doing here? Is that why you crawled into my lap last night?”
“No! I don’t…well, maybe I’m missing my work but not much else. And being around you is far from boring.”
“That’s exactly what I think about you. You’re not boring.”
He said this like it should mean something and her heart nearly tripped over itself trying not to laugh at the way he mixed sincerity with unremarkable words.
“Wow. High praise.”
“Shut up, I’m not any good at this.”
“Clearly.” She chuckled. “So, you’re not a romantic?”
“Nope. I wish. I seem to be missing that gene.”
“Luckily, you’re not missing any other ones.” She allowed her gaze to slid down his powerful chest and the arms sinewy with strength.
He hadn’t earned those with a gym membership.
At least her ogling seemed to please him, given his heated gaze.
“I just know what it’s like to have someone obsess over you, even when you don’t want them.”
He smirked with something that looked like satisfaction. “You’re obsessed with me?”
“No.” A single finger trailed a drop of water on his shoulder. “But I could be. I don’t want to hold you back, if I’m not what you need. God knows I come with an entire luggage rack.”
“Look, I don’t want to be anywhere else, orwithanyone else. What the hell can I possibly do to convince you?” Frustration seemed to bubble out of him, and he let her go.
She found her footing on the riverbed in front of him, feeling the smooth ground below her toes, studying the rocky man in front of her. Most days he was like a big boulder she had to emotionally climb. Challenging, and unlike anyone she’d ever been with because he was like her father.
But yet Colton was different, too, in every way. There was a kindness to him, a warmth that showed in everything he did. In every move he made. With his brothers. With Delores.
Even with people who’d wronged him.
“What can I do to convince you that you’re not holding me back? Tell me.” His deep voice was as smooth as a river pebble, his eyes soft. “I’m right here.”
“Don’t back off because I’m complicated, or you think I’m too vulnerable. Please don’t think I’m this fragile flower, this…thispetalthat’s going to fall off and crumble. I’m the stem.”
“Yeah?”
More quirking from the eyebrow whisperer. He threw in a scowl for good measure. But at least he didn’t seem to think she’d lost her mind.
“Funny, you look like a woman to me.”
Aw. And that’s exactly what she was, damn it, a woman and not a girl. She may have made mistakes in the past, wanting everyone to like her, trying hard to please, but no more. No longer would she fear confrontation of any kind. Life wasn’t always going to go according to plan. Not everyone would or even had to like her.
“Yes. A grown woman and I’mnotfragile. I could probably knock some men on their asses if I had to. You don’t need to worry. Okay, worry a little because of my situation but not because I can’t take care of myself. Right?”
“Right.”
“Now kiss me.” And as if he needed direction, she put a finger to her lips giving him a tentative smile.
He didn’t hesitate as he drew her into his arms again, lifting her body to his, pressing his mouth to hers and kissing like he’d waited forever to do it. They slid against each other, bodies wet and slippery. She clung to him, wanting him so badly. This. She wanted him even if they didn’t make sense. Even if this was crazy or risky or scary. She wanted him and now it seemed he wanted her, too.
Maybe he’d been waiting for this, waiting for an invitation. Waiting to prove that he wasn’t going to obsess over her if this didn’t work out between them. Or if she stopped him midkiss, or even midcoitus. She believed him. It hadn’t ever been a thought that crossed her mind.
Colton was the kind of man who listened. Who had respect for a woman’s choices and desires. She’d known this, of course, from the moment her father put her in his care. But he’d proved it to her, again and again. If he kept her close, if he called the shots, her safety was the only reason. Not a need to control her.
