Page 72 of Secret Baby
"Okay, Grandma," Clara said as she opened the backseat to get into her car seat.
Ellie stared at her son without blinking. "Clara will be fine with us."
Vicki waved goodbye. She'd go change in a minute. "Thank you."
Ellie opened the driver's door. Colt went over to her and hugged his mother. Then Ellie told Vicki, "Don't worry about anything. We're all family. Thanks aren't necessary."
This definition of family that the Collins had was nice. The House of Morgan was fractured and broken—not that it had ever functioned as anything remotely like a family. Colt came beside her and took her hand. "Let's go inside to talk, Vicki."
Vicki waved at the car as it drove off. Clara waved back. In this one moment, she had her family and she'd never lose Clara again. Now she had to somehow steel her spine against her own heart when it came to Colt. She needed to be loved.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
"Today is humid. It's suffocating." Vicki crossed her arms the second the doors closed.
Colt reached behind his back to check that the ring was in his pocket. Now he needed to get her to the swing again. He needed to somehow stop his body heat from rising. "I'll need water and then we can go outside."
Her eyes narrowed, like she was gearing up to tell him goodbye. He held his breath and waited, though she simply said, "Why?"
The dress she wore showed off her ample breasts. He closed his eyes and reminded himself he had a question. This was his last shot at keeping his family. He couldn't lose focus. "As you said, it's hot outside."
Colt went to the kitchen, grabbed a water bottle from the refrigerator, and swallowed the entire container.
"I should go change first. I'll be ready to talk in a minute."
The cold water hadn't quenched the fire inside him. He opened his mouth and stared at her. "Vicki. It's not just talking I want."
She didn't move. He came closer, and he could smell the sweet scent of strawberry. She batted her eyes as he placed his hands on her hips. His mouth begged for a taste of her. She whispered, "Aren't you going to kiss me, Colt? Isn't that what this is?"
"Kiss you?" His voice cracked. He gazed up at her pink lips, pert nose, high cheekbones, and blue eyes. If he kissed her, he'd not want to stop. He hovered close to her. What held him was how important the question and his plan was. "I want far more than a simple kiss."
She froze in his arms. She didn't pull away or open her eyes, but her entire body became tense in his arms.
The smell of strawberry shampoo wafted in his nose, and he lost his argument. He leaned forward, and she uncurled like a butterfly leaving its cocoon. The softness of her lips brushed against his mouth, and he opened his lips a little more. She pressed further and the tingles down his spine grew. He released a groan then wrapped his arms around her tightly. He then truly kissed her.
Victoria Morgan tasted sweeter than any ice cream he'd ever had, and he'd always claimed ice cream was his favorite. Kissing Vicki blew that out of the water, and he craved more.
Her hands traced his neck, and his temperature climbed.
He'd never be able to kiss anyone else for the rest of his life. He choked out, "I had a plan..."
She squared her shoulders and stepped out of his arms. "I'm leaving, Colt."
His heartbeat quickened. "You can't."
She balled her hands into fists at her side. "I can't stay here. I have to honor myself, and I deserve more."
No, he'd messed up this proposal already. He ran his hands through his hair. "You deserve better than me, that's for sure."
Her lips puckered. Then her eyes were as a wide as saucers. "Colt, I don't have you."
He offered to hold her hand. She had to understand. She couldn't leave. "You do have me, Vicki. When the sun rises, it's your smile I see on the horizon. When the sun sets, you're the vision I see that makes me come home. All my life, it's always been you that starred in my dreams. I can't live without you anymore."
Tears ran down her cheeks. Had he ruined everything? He had no way to fix this now.
Then she reached out and took his hands. "Do you love me, Colt?"
The trembles in his heart grew, but he dare not hope. He stared into her eyes. "Is that your question?"
