Page 57 of No Apologies
She surprised him by grinning again, her blue eyes twinkling, “Another apology? Who are you and what’ve you done with my favorite Bomar boy?”
That pain in his chest intensified and he found himself smiling back at her, “I’m your favorite huh?”
“Most days.”
He snorted, “Except when I’m being an asshole?”
“I was gonna say except the days I get to see Ford shirtless under the hood of one of his muscle cars but yeah… that too.”
A flash of red hot jealousy shot through him. Ford? Ford! He hated the idea of Skylar ogling any of his cousins but Ford? Really? The guy was giving those duck people a run for their money with his refusal to cut his hair or beard these days. He looked like a goddamned mountain man. Since when did Skylar have a thing for that? She hated the great outdoors.
He felt an overwhelming urge to put his fist through Ford’s face. Yeah that’d go over well with his cousins and probably earn him a beating. But it’d be worth it to let each and every one of his family members know that Skylar was his.
He didn’t even realize he was making a low growling noise in his throat until she giggled and put a hand on his chest. His. She was his. He still had a hold on her other wrist and he swiped his thumb across her pulse, which was racing. He tugged her closer and she tipped her face up expectantly. When she licked her pretty pink lips he wanted to close the few inches between them and kiss her teasing mouth.
“Oh! So-so-sorry. I’m interrupting.”
Colt released Skylar at the sound of the soft female voice behind her and stumbled away. His throat felt tight and his blood was roaring through his ears again. One more second and he would have crossed the line all over again and said to hell with the consequences. He breathed a sigh of relief when Skylar stepped back from him as well.
No. She wasn’t his. He’d only had her for one night. They were friends, or at least he hoped they still were. And if he needed a reminder of why he couldn’t give her more than that, all he had to do was look around at the damaged salon.
This was his fault. He’d brought this to her door. And even if they’d only hit her salon as an accident when they busted up his place, it was too close for comfort. He couldn’t have this kind of shit touching her.
“No worries, Colt and I can finish our discussion later.” Skylar seemed oblivious to his change of mood when she smiled and turned to face the girl that had come into the room. “He said you hurt your hand and his brother was helping you clean it up. Is everything okay?”
“Um, ye-yeah, everything is…”
“Great.” Remy stepped into the room behind her, a soft smile on his face as he looked down at the girl who was nervously picking at a makeshift bandage covering her palm, “Right Rachel?”
Colt glanced between the two of them and felt his smile fall. What the…? Rachel didn’t move away from Remy. She shyly glanced up at him from under her lashes and her cheeks tinged pink but she didn’t recoil when he gently reached out and stopped her twitching hands. His brother smiled in return and the girl blushed harder. Colt blinked but the two of them were still standing there beside each other grinning at each other like idiots.
“I…” Skylar glanced between the two of them as well, “You all good Rach?”
The shy brunette nodded and then ducked her chin to her chest.
“Oh… kay.” Skylar pursed her lips and then focused her attention on his brother, “Thanks for helping her, Remy.”
“No problem.”
“Is the cut bad?”
“Remy said it isn’t deep but that we should put some disinfectant on it.” Rachel spoke up, no stuttering at all, which must have surprised Skylar as much as it did him because both her eyebrows winged up, “I don’t need stitches or anything but I need to get it bandaged up so it doesn’t get infected.”
“Are you sure you don’t need to see a doctor?”
“No, that’s okay. Remy said he can do it and that there are supplies next door at Fine Lines. I looked in the back but we don’t have anything like that.” The girl shyly glanced up at his brother before turning back to Skylar, “We were just about to head next door.”
“Uh, okay, yeah.” Skylar nodded hesitantly, “If you’re okay with him patching it up…”
“I had medical training in the army. I can handle a cut, Skylar.” Remy interjected with a firm nod.
“Okay then.”
“Okay. Good.” Rachel started picking at the bandage again, “I’ll go get this wrapped up and then I’ll come back and help you clean.”
“We’llcome back and help clean.” Remy corrected with another of those gentle smiles that made Colt’s heart clench when his brother nodded in his direction, “Give you two some time alone to figure things out in here.”
With a guiding hand that didn’t quite touch her, Remy skirted Rachel past them and carefully out the broken front door. There was nothing but silence for a few long moments as they exited the building. Colt stared at the spot where the person that looked like his brother but sounded nothing like him had disappeared until Skylar smacked him across the arm.
