Page 15 of Beck & Coll
“Crab cakes?” She practically squealed. “Beckham, I love your family’s lodge. You guys have the best customer-service ever!”
I laughed. “I’ll make sure to pass that along to my mama.”
I filled one of the disposable containers that my mother had included with a T-Bone steak, a baked potato, and a few spears of asparagus before heading over to the sofa.
“Now, what are we watching?” I plopped down.
She stared at me for a few seconds. “You’re really staying here to eat?”
“And watch movies. So, what’s up?” I hesitated. “Unless you feel like it’s invasive or… uncomfortable.”
“And don’t,” she assured me. “I already trusted you to take me into the national park. If you were gonna hurt me, you probably would’ve done it then and left my body for the wild animals to discover. Also, everybody I love already knows I’m here with you. Besides, I don’t get a creeper vibe from you, Beckham. You’re a good guy.” She grabbed her plate and joined me on the sofa. “I think this movie is calledMistletoe Memories.”
“Okay, cool. Glad everything my parents put in me is evident. I’m starving. Now that we have that out of the way, let’s eat.”
I awoke slowly, my eyes blinking rapidly before the furnishings of The Sunset Cliff Cottage registered. The next thing to register was the feeling of a warm cheek pressed against my chest. I glanced down at Collins’s head resting on me.Her formerly neat ponytail was now a mass of wayward green strands fanning out all over her head.
She was adorable as hell. I felt the urge to kiss her on her upturned mouth. I also felt the urge to take a piss, and as good as she felt nuzzled up against me, my need to piss was greater.
I shifted her slightly. “Collins,” I whispered and realized that my mouth tasted terrible.
I didn’t want to breathe that in her face, so I gently disentangled myself wordlessly. I made it to the bathroom, used the facilities, washed my hands, and walked back out to the living area. She was still asleep with her head resting against the back of the sofa.
“Collins,” I said in my normal voice.
She stirred slightly, which caused me to smile because she was so fucking pretty. Even all disheveled with bedhead, she was pretty.
“Collins.”
She stirred again but didn’t awaken.
“Damn, this girl sleeps like a rock.”
“I heard that,” came her gravelly, sleep-coated voice.
I laughed.
“Don't laugh. Talking crap about me.”
“I wasn’t talking… crap. It was an observation.”
“Whatever.” She sat up on the couch. “What time is it?”
The sun seemed to just be starting its ascent. “A little after five in the morning.”
She yawned, stretching her arms in the air. “I made it through the night.”
“You did.”
Her eyes widened. “I can’t believe you stayed with me.” The surprise was evident in her voice. “You stayed all night with me on this sofa when you probably have a pillow-top mattress on your bed at home?” She gave me a pout. “You must be so sore.”
I wasn’t sore at all. I was in the military. I’d slept on worse things than a sofa. “I’m cool. How are your head and your thigh?”
“My head is fine.” She glanced down at her injury from the prior day. “I think my thigh is good, too.”
“Good. So, you’re cool with getting back on schedule today?”
A look of uncertainty flashed across her face, but she replaced it with a look of acceptance. “I guess so. What’s on the agenda for today, again?”
