Page 7 of Craved By You
Me: Then why did you give me the backstage passes???
Colt: See you tonight, sunshine, and wear the fishnets with the skulls on them.
He ended his text with a winky face.
Great, now this man is telling me what to wear?I rolled my eyes as soon as I read the text and Haileigh caught the vibe.
Haileigh replied, her smile was huge because she knew she wasn’t wrong. “Theyareyour favorite.”
“Maybe not anymore.” I sighed deeply, fully aware that I’d be wearing the fishnets, not because he told me to, but because they complimented my already-planned outfit perfectly. “See you tonight!”
I rushed out the door, eyes glued to Colt’s phone, a whirlwind of emotions swirling within me. Flattered by his efforts to expedite our reunion, I was simultaneously pissed by the theft of my phone. With a frustrated huff, I slid into the driver’s seat and tossed his phone onto the passenger seat as I started to drive home to get ready for the concert.
Chapter 5
Astrid
Irushed inside my apartment the moment I pulled into my assigned parking space, hoping that the outfit I wanted to wear had been washed and was hanging in my closet so it wasn’t full of wrinkles. Throwing open the closet door, I began to sift through the hangers desperately searching for the little black dress. With luck not being on my side, I sat back on my bed trying to think of where and when I had last worn it.
“It has to be here somewhere.” I stood back up and started searching everywhere in the apartment for it, getting sidetracked when I walked into my plant room and looked over to see that my pitcher plant needed a bit of love. I pulled it down from the ceiling hook and took it over to the mini watering station I had set up, grabbing the gallon of distilled water and a syringe.
This carnivorous plant was one of my most prized possessions. I had looked everywhere I could for one and it wasn’t until a few months ago when I was walking downtown I came across a shop that was filled with various unique plants. This one that had tocome home with me that day. Not only did I have to water the main plant using distilled water, but each individual pitcher on the end of each leaf had to receive a few drops of water also. It took lots of work, but was worth every minute. Lost in the unexpected allure of my plants, I’d nearly forgotten my previous task and reminded myself that time was getting shorter.
Back in my bedroom, a glimpse of a black sleeve peeking out from under the bed caught my eye. Assuming it was a stray shirt, though hoping it wasn’t, I reached under and pulled it out. To my astonishment, it was the dress I’d been searching for. I held it up to my nose and sniffed, hoping it had just fallen out of my laundry basket when I was folding clothes or that it was clean enough that it could pass if I just threw it in the dryer and let it run for a few minutes. Regardless of which answer was correct, I opted to go the dryer route anyway. Just to be safe.
???
“Holy fuck, you look hot!” Haileigh met me at the front of the bar. The marquee was bright and the words ‘One Night Only’ flashed across it advertising that Vore Ritual would be performing tonight. We both let out a squeal as my eyes washed over the crowd of concertgoers, desperate to find Colt.
“God, I hate crowds,” I whined as I felt someone tap on my shoulder. I knew it was him based on the sly smirk that had formed on Haileigh’s face and the smell of his cologne that had begun to envelop me.
She gestured at me to turn around. “At least we’ll be backstage where you won’t have to deal with them for too long.”
I took a deep breath and turned to face the man who had stolen my phone earlier in the day, desperately hoping my expression conveyed more of an “I’m furious you stole my phone” vibe than any hint of… anything else.
“There you are, sunshine.” His eyes seduced me and I could no longer pretend that I had ever been mad. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”
“Well, you found me,” I tried to make a quippy comeback, but it didn’t work. “Did you bring my phone?”
“Of course. You don’tactuallybelieve I would have tried to meet up with you if I didn’t have it, do you?”
Yes I do.
My heart sank. I knew it was foolish to believe this man felt the same way. All the signs I’d clung to – the lingering glances, the shared laughter – in such a short time were probably just figments of my imagination. The kind I devoured in books, not real life. Then I saw his grin, and my breath caught in my throat.
He handed my phone to me and I examined it closely, feeling him intently watching me as if he was hoping that there was something I wouldn’t find.
Great, now I’m being paranoid?
“Looks like it’s back in one piece.” I shrugged.
“Your lock screen image is cute.” Colt winked at me as I handed him his phone. “Oh, what’s this? There’s something different about my phone.”
I hesitated to respond.What could he mean?
“I have your number now, sunshine.” He paused. “That means I can use it at my discretion.”
My face turned red, I could feel the heat radiating from my cheeks.
