“But—” I started.
“No buts.” He set his fingers to my lips. “You did your part to make it back to me, now it’s my turn to step up to the plate and keep you here. I’m going to help you deal with this and get past it. We’re a team, remember. We’ll figure everything out together.”
“Okay,” I whispered. And for me, that was enough. It was everything I needed. “Thank you.”
Three Weeks Later
I woke with my nose pressed against Colton’s neck and my legs entwined with his. I’d been sleeping on top of him like this every night for the last week. Since I was a stomach sleeper and he was a back sleeper, it actually worked out better than you’d think. And believe it or not, he was way more comfortable than my mattress.
He’d stayed with me since I’d been discharged from the hospital. I’d had a couple nightmares but nothing as bad as what I’d had as a kid. My dream catcher, rabbit’s foot, monster repellent, and Colton himself had helped keep most of them at bay.
Today was a big day. I planned to return to college classes for the first time since the incident.
I liked thinking of it as the incident. It sounded a lot better than it really had been.
Glancing at the time, I realized I was up five minutes before my alarm was supposed to go off. I think my body was trying to tell me it was ready to return to some normal activities again.
I’d tried to convince Pick I was ready to get back to work too, but he told me he wouldn’t even consider it until the six-week mark. I was on paid leave until then, he insisted. Secretly, I had to admit, it was nice not to have to deal with bartending quite yet. It left me more time to spend with Colton.
Speaking of my aggravating boyfriend…
He’d tried to enact a break from sex too. He thought I needed a month at least for all my wounds to heal. But all my bruises had faded, my cuts and abrasions had scabbed closed, and my temperature was back to normal. I was one hundred percent healthy. Physically anyway. Mentally, I was still somewhat of a head case. I hated how clingy I’d become, not that Colton seemed to mind. I swear, the jerk actually ate up how close to him I had to be every time we left the apartment. He’d smile at me with that smug satisfaction of a man who knew he had his woman wrapped completely around his finger.
Really, it was too much.
Just not enough for me to stop relying on him so much just yet.
But today…today was a new day, and I was going to work on being a new, confident, self-sufficient woman. And I knew exactly how I was going to start.
This was how Julianna got her groove back.
Humming in my throat over how good my man smelled, I ran my nose up his throat and bent my knee, making sure my leg slid right over his cock as I did. And just as I planned, I felt him grow hard through his Jockey shorts. He groaned, stirring awake as I nipped his jaw with my teeth.
“Happy birthday, baby doll,” he murmured, still half out of it as his hand smoothed down my back to shape its way over my butt.
Oh, yeah. And today was my twenty-second birthday. Yet another reason I felt determined to make a new start.
“Thank you,” I told him, grinning as I sat up and shoved aside all the sheets tangled around us. “I’m ready for my first present.”
Straddling his hips, I pressed my core to him, grinding his blessedly warm hardness between our underwear.
He hissed appreciatively and arched up under me before realizing what he was doing. A second later, his eyes flared wide and he caught my hip as if to stop me. “Juli, wait. You—”
“No,” I said, touching a finger to his lips. My nails had grown back to a respectable length and I had to admit, I enjoyed seeing their purple-painted tips pressing against his pink mouth. “It’s my birthday, and I get what I want.” Then I leaned down to replace my finger with my lips, so I could say, “Right?” against his mouth.
Groaning again, with temptation this time, he tensed under me, his body straining not to react to me on top of him. Then his gaze met mine, and I could see the moment he folded. “Are you sure? If it’s too soon—”
“It’s not,” I assured him. “In fact…” As I sat back to peel his Jockey shorts down his legs and then remove my own underwear, I went on, “It’s actually a perfect time to try it bare. I’ve been on birth control long enough to forgo condoms if you want.” When his eyelids went droopy with desire, I grinned and traced my finger down the center of his chest until I was wrapping my fingers around the base of his erection. “So, what do you say, big guy?”
“I say…” He paused to blow out a long breath. “Damn, you make one compelling argument, that’s what I say.”
I laughed. “Good.” I sank down onto him slowly, letting him feel every centimeter of me as I enveloped him completely inside me. He made me feel so full and warm and delicious, I took a moment to close my eyes appreciatively and just enjoy the sensation.
When I opened them, he was watching me with awe.
“That’s what I’m talking about,” I told him.
When I began to move, swiveling my hips in a slow, lazy rhythm, Colton sat up, his eyes hungry, so he could kiss me and stroke his hands down my back. Caressing his way back up, he found my head scarf and knocked it off so my new hair weave could come free and spill down my back.
He’d been fascinated with my extensions since I’d gotten them to hide the bald patches, telling me it felt like he was with a whole new woman, and yet, he also eyed my new hair with a measure of worry, as if afraid I hated it, when honestly I kind of loved it. For me, it was a new start. I wasn’t the same person I’d been the morning I’d been stolen. Things in me had changed, and yet…some things would always be the same.
My affection for the man inside me was one thing that had morphed and grown, gaining a power and confidence that had helped me heal in ways I’d never guessed it could.
I moved on him a little faster, relishing the feel of him deep, rubbing against my core with pleasure.
“Fuck, baby doll.” He gripped my hips as his face went red from gritting his teeth and straining. “I think it’s been too long. I’m not going to last long.”
With a grin, I bounced faster and sank my fingers into his hair, gripping the strands hard. “You’ll last as long as I tell you to,” I said with a mischievous twinkle in my eyes, knowing my teasing words would bring out the challenge in him.
His gaze filled with surprise before he laughed and spun me around until I was on my back against the mattress and he was leaning over me. “Is that right?” he asked in a low, taunting voice.
“That’s right,” I dared. “Now give me all you got.”
So he did, heaving inside me, and staring into my eyes as he brought us both to the peak and then crested over the edge, dissolving into euphoria together.
“Dammit,” he muttered, collapsing on top of me, where I stroked his back and hair. “I was going to wait at least another week before whining and begging for this from you.”
“I know,” I said, kissing his hair. “But I was ready now.”
“Yeah.” He pulled up onto his elbows so he could grin down at me. “I could tell.” But then the light in his eyes faded a bit. “Are you sure you’re ready for everything today? If you need more time—”
“I don’t,” I assured him, kissing the tip of his nose. “I’m ready.”
He stared into my eyes a moment longer before nodding. “Then let’s do this. But first…here’s your real birthday present.”
With a boyish grin, he sat up and then draped his torso over the side of the bed so he could fish his arm under it. When he came up with a wrapped box, my mouth fell open.
“Sorry about the wrapping,” he offered ruefully, extending it my way. “Aspen made me do it myself.”
I shook my head, not expecting this. “You…Colton, you didn’t have to get me anything.” Seriously, just having him here with me every day was a present all on its own.
“Pfft.” He waved aside my rebuttal. “Just open it.”
I swear, he was vibrating with excitement, anxious to see my reaction.
So I tore into the paper, telling him, “I love the wrapping paper. You actually did a good job.”
Once that was gone, I opened the lid of the white box that remained and blinked down at a pair of hot pink panties.
“Aren’t these my underwear?” I asked, confused.
He nodded, biting his lip. “I took them off you that first night we hooked up at the wedding.”
I gasped, my gaze flying to him. “But you said you threw them away.”
“Hmm…did I say that?’
“Oh! You…” I smacked his arm and laughed. “You lied to me.”
He chuckled and took them from my hand. “So, will you do me a favor and wear them for me today, and remember that no matter what kind of things have torn us apart, we’ve always found our way back together again. We’ll always find each other, no matter what.”
Tears of love sparkled in my eyes. “It would be my pleasure,” I told him, leaning in to kiss his mouth.
He kissed me back, but only just barely before he pulled away and demanded, “Okay, now open your real gift.”
When he motioned back to the white box on my lap, I looked down to realize there was something else underneath the next layer of tissue paper. So I folded it back to reveal a new dream catcher.
“Oh…holy wow,” I said, gaping at it. It was nicer than any other dream catcher I already owned.
“One more for your collection,” Colton said, watching me trace my fingers over the feathers and leather loom.
“I love it.” Looking up, I stared into his eyes and knew I was blessed. “Almost as much as I love you.”
We walked through campus hand-in-hand, each of us taking turns sipping from our favorite to-go mug. Colton had walked me to my first class and left me at the door with a kiss, only to be there waiting for me when it was over.
Someday, when I felt stronger and less apprehensive, I wouldn’t need that much support, but today I appreciated him being there, always where I needed him most.
I’d had no idea he would turn out to be such a rock when I’d first met him. But something told me he hadn’t known that either. I wasn’t the only one who’d gone through changes in the past few weeks. Something in Colton had matured. He didn’t seem to be all talk anymore. Now you could tell there was something there to back it up. And it only made him that much more appealing.
We didn’t say much as we started toward the history building together for our philosophy class. Up ahead, I spotted a familiar face and began to stop because I didn’t want to deal with Shaun. But as soon as he saw me, he stopped in his tracks as well and took off in the opposite direction.
“Huh,” I said gazing after him, pleasantly surprised but confused as to why he wanted to avoid me.
Colton chuckled. “Yeah, I’d run too if I were him.”
I turned to him, lifting my eyebrows.
“Your dad about ripped him a new asshole after you went missing, because someone…” he coughed into his hand and said Sasha’s name at the same time, “told him what Shaun had done to you while you were married. So yeah…after Shaun pissed himself, I think we all knew he’d never bother you again.”
“Wait.” I held up a hand. “When you say pissed himself…?”
Colton grinned. “I mean, a big wet spot appeared in his pants and ran down his leg before puddling around his shoe.”
My mouth fell open. “Holy shit.”
“Yeah. It was pretty epic. The only bright spot of that whole day. And I mean, big wet, bright spot.”
When he fell serious and somber, I said, “Well, it’s nice to know one good thing came from all this. Can’t say I’m going to miss Shauny boy.”
“Amen.” He silently handed me the cup, and I took a sip before giving it back. Then I rested my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes, content, cuddling my cheek to the cloth of his coat and happier than I could possibly express, glad I was here with him and nowhere else.
This was the kind of relationship I’d always wanted and I hadn’t even known it.
Something about the word relationship popped open a memory into my head, though. And I found myself saying, “You didn’t fail me.”
Colton jolted and looked down at me. “What?”
I smiled up into his eyes. “Once upon a time you told me it was just as well we weren’t in a relationship, otherwise you would fail me.”
Unease darkened his eyes. “But it’s my fault—”
“No.” I tightened my fingers around his. “It’s the monster’s fault I was taken. It’s your fault I’ve been able to recover from that. I wouldn’t have been able to do all this today if it weren’t for you. Your steady, unfailing presence at my side, your patience and understanding, your wit and smile. You’ve healed me more than anyone else. So, no, you’ve never failed me. You saved me. Thank you for that.”
Face filling with emotion, he shook his head trying to deny it, but then he swallowed and leaned in to kiss me. Our lips touched and I smiled against his mouth until someone spoke his name.
Colton tensed against me and muttered, “Dammit.”
“Wha…?” I lifted my head, wondering what was wrong, only to spot his brother with a book bag slung over his shoulder heading our way to intercept us.
“Hey,” Brandt said in guarded greeting, smiling and yet hesitant as if he wasn’t sure if he was welcome among us or not.
Though I was the one he looked at, Colton answered for us. “Hey,” he said stiffly. “How’s the big bad graduate student today?”
Brandt flicked him a grateful glance. “Barely keeping my head above water.” And then he settled his gaze on me again. “How’re you doing?”
I sank closer to Colton, hating that question. But when he squeezed my fingers supportively, I nodded. “Better.”
“Good.” Brandt ran his hand through his hair as if still distressed, though. “Look, I owe you a huge apology, Juli. I was a complete ass when I found out about you and Colton.”
“Yeah,” I agreed. “You were.”
He winced. “I’m sorry. I have no excuse for the way I behaved. It just caught me off guard and seemed so suspect because you two had purposely kept it from me. But still, I don’t know why I ever thought you might have settled for him for even a minute. Hell, he’s my brother; I know as well as anyone it’s impossible not to love the little shit.”
“Gee, thanks,” Colton said dryly.
Brandt and I shared our first grin in weeks.
Still smiling, I looked up at my boyfriend and squeezed his arm. “He’s right, though. You are impossible not to love.”
Much more pleased by my answer, Colton leaned down to press his lips to mine. “I know,” he murmured into my ear, forcing me to grin and punch his shoulder lightly to help him tame his ego. Except I kind of liked his ego, and I think he knew that.
Shaking his head at us, Brandt merely let out an amused chuckle before lifting his hand to wave. “You two have definitely proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that what’s between you is real and has nothing to do with me. So I’m glad you’re happy.”
When Colton and I glanced at each other, Brandt added, “Let me know if you guys ever need anything.”
He took off, patting Colton’s arm companionably as he passed. I glanced after him, trying to remember the crush I’d had on him but not really able to stir up the emotions. Then I looked up at Colton, and a rush of feelings flooded me. Yeah, what I felt for him had nothing at all to do with his brother.
This man right here had saved me in all kinds of ways. He’d taught me to be happy with myself and not care so much about other opinions, to give first impressions—especially the cocky egomaniac ones—a second chance, and to recognize a true relationship when I entered one. They weren’t just two people who looked good together but two people who worked well together.
He lifted his eyebrows, waiting for my reaction to the encounter we’d just had. I shrugged, not able to hate
Brandt since he was Colton’s brother, but definitely not loving him either. “Meh,” I said. “I guess he can be your best man if you insist.”
Surprise filled Colton’s face and his mouth even parted in shock before I realized what I’d just said.
Hell, I think I’d pretty much just proposed to him.
I opened my mouth to somehow talk my way out of my inference, but he only smirked and pressed his finger to my lips before grinning. “Deal.”
COLTON’S EPILOGUE
Two & a Half Years Later
My wedding day started just shy of seven o’clock on a warm June morning, about two weeks after my twentieth birthday. It was the summer break before my senior year of college. My soon-to-be wife had graduated two years earlier and was actually working for Ten’s architectural firm, in the accounting department. And we’d been living in our own place—no other roommates—for about eighteen months now.
I liked to tease her about becoming my nerdy, numbers-crunching accountant wife while I peeled off her conservative cotton panties and stripped her bare. She’d just blink at me dryly and then demand I go down on her in reconciliation. I didn’t exactly mind: eating my favorite pussy wasn’t the hardship for me she seemed to think it was.
But this morning, there was no stripping or pussy. I woke on Noel and Aspen’s lumpy, too-short couch to two-year-old Lucy Olivia and five-year-old Beau watching me curiously. I swear, their faces were like two inches from mine. It freaked me out so bad I nearly pissed myself.
“Holy shit!” I yelped, jerking upright and slamming my hand to my chest. “What the hell?”
Little kids should never be allowed to do that to people.
“It’s your wedding day,” Beau announced, popping around the room while his sister crawled into my lap and demanded I snuggle with her.
Yawning, I cuddled her close and then breathed in the smell of breakfast cooking from the kitchen. “Yeah,” I said, my brain not quite able to function further than that. “My wedding day.”