Page 67 of One Little Kiss
“You still think you’re so much better than me,” she hisses, her true colors finally showing. “It’s only a matter of time before he gets tired of you. You know that, right? I mean, what could you possibly have to offer him? Travis said you were shit in bed, so that’s not it.” She steps closer, and I can smell the stench of her cheap perfume. “How long do you think he’s going to put up with your little shit freaking out in public? That can’t be good for their image. Enjoy it while you can, Winnie. No one sticks around you for long, and you know it.”
A direct hit. She knows me well enough to know my deepest insecurities, and she’s bitchy enough to use them against me. When I don’t reply, she knows she won. With a toss of her bleach blonde hair, she smirks and walks out of my office.
My body moves on autopilot through the rest of my shift, but my mind plays tug-of-war between Claire’s vicious words and Colton begging me to trust him. Claire has done nothing but hurt me since we were teenagers. Colton has been nothing but patient and kind.
By the time I pull into his driveway well before dawn, I’ve made my mind up. I’m going to give this man a chance. I need to give us a chance and pray to God he doesn’t destroy me. Something tells me I would never recover from Colton Westbrook.
Entering Colton’s home, I can’t ignore the sense of relief that washes over me. Within these walls, my body relaxes in a way it hasn’t in years. It scares the crap out of me. In my experience, if something seems too good to be true, it usually is.
“No one sticks around you for long.”Claire’s words rattle around my head like a bad hangover I can’t shake, but they evaporate when I stop short at the kitchen island.
There, lined up like tiny toy soldiers heading to war, are six mini hero figurines from the new Marvel movie I know came in Weston’s Happy Meal. But I also know that only one toy comes per meal. Everyone knows that. So, the only reason he would have all six is if Colton made it happen.
I know it’s true in my heart without even thinking about it. I still haven’t processed what he said about a trust for Wes. Or what that entails really, but somehow, staring at these six little, plastic heroes, I believe Colton Westbrook would truly do anything for us.
My heart beats rapidly in my chest as I tiptoe through the house to Weston’s room. I won’t be able to sleep until I check on him. I can see light spilling out from Colton’s open bedroom door. My gaze is glued to his space, so I completely miss him sprawled out on the hallway floor.
My toe catches on his foot, and my head whips down to the floor as my body propels forward with ungraceful speed. One minute I’m falling through the air, and the next I land on top of Colton with a loud oomph.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry,” I whisper.
He brushes some hair out of my face and smiles. Up close, I can see the sleep in his expression. He was sleeping on his back in the hallway right outside of Weston’s door. I can’t swallow the uncomfortable lump in my throat, and I can’t get my body to move, either.
Laying here, with my legs straddling Colton’s muscular body, I feel safe.
“I’m not,” he murmurs.
“Why are you sleeping out here?” I ask, but make no effort to move. In fact, Colton wraps his arms around my back and holds me closer to him.
He shrugs, an embarrassed grin gracing his beautiful face, bathed in the soft glow coming from the light at the end of the hall. “Wes rolled to the bottom of his bed, and I couldn’t see him as well in the monitor. I wanted to make sure I could hear him. I didn’t actually intend to fall asleep out here. Or let you catch me sleeping out here anyway,” he grumbles.
I can’t help it. I smile. A big, toothy, happy, carefree smile.
“Why are there six superheroes on the island?”
Colton’s smirk has my gaze catching on his lips for a little too long. When I finally lift my face to meet his heated stare, wetness pools between my legs. I’ve never once in my life had a reaction like this to a man. Sex has always been just that, sex. Not that I’ll ever admit it to him, but I don’t think I’ve ever even had an orgasm. Not for lack of trying. I always just assumed I was broken. But the reaction Colton stirs just by staring has me rethinking all kinds of possibilities.
“He wanted them,” he admits sheepishly.
“He wanted them, so … what? You just bought them? I’m sure he wants a lot of things. That doesn’t mean you have to go out and buy them. Wanting things makes you work harder.”
“Oh, Winnie. I know that’s true.” The spark in his eye has me melting into him a little more. He’s made it no secret he wants me, and I can feel just how much growing between my legs. He shifts his body, and I slip farther down. “But to answer your question, I tried. They wouldn’t sell me the damn toys, so we bought six Happy Meals. There are some burgers and nuggets in the fridge if you’re hungry.” He chuckles.
“Colton!”
“CC.” His voice drips with sex, and it does something to me.
Without giving myself time to talk my way out of it, I climb up his body until we’re face-to-face, and I kiss him. Hard. Here, on the hallway floor, another piece of my carefully constructed wall breaks free.
Within seconds, his hands are in my hair, around my waist, on my chin. He’s all-consuming, and every nerve ending I own is on high alert, waiting for their turn.
“Baby,” he growls.
I moan.
We move together as one in a kiss that’s more like a dance of wills. He takes and takes and takes, but somehow it feels as if it’s my idea. The longer we kiss, the more my body zings with an awareness that feels out of control. But I know better. Colton is in full control here. In every aspect of our lives. Like a puppet master, he calls the shots and makes me feel like I have a say. It’s dangerous and exhilarating. I’ve never wanted to give up control in any part of my life, but right here, right now? I want nothing more than for Colton Westbrook to own me.
“If you want me to stop, say so now,” he warns.
