Flustered, she gestured toward the elevators. “Come on, I’ll get you a towel.”
They met the doorman when the doors slid open with a ding. “Noah’s upstairs, Ms. Zelner. I didn’t think you’d mind—”
She assured Lee it was fine, then thanked him and said goodnight as the doors whispered shut. The normally spacious elevator shrunk with the sheer size of Colton. It didn’t help that he remained completely silent on the ride up, and she felt his gaze on her back as if he physically touched her. She stared at the numbers as the elevator climbed. Why’d she invite him up? It only prolonged the agony of being in his presence after he’d left without a single word of explanation.
The pain surged forward. After all they’d gone through, she’d hoped—
No. She was done with that. No more hoping.
At her apartment, she opened the door, praying he didn’t see her hand shake as she waited for him to step inside. He strode past the foyer to the threshold of the living room. Then he did a slow pivot, as if inspecting the place. She took the opportunity to hang up her jacket and put her umbrella away, using every possible second to shore up her courage.
When she turned to find him watching her again, her stomach fluttered. More time. “I-I’ll go get that towel.”
She beat a hasty retreat to Noah’s room to knock lightly on the door. “Hey, you’re home.” His wide grin was a welcome respite from the tension between her and Colton. Hugging him close, she whispered, “I missed you.”
“Missed you, too,” he said against her shoulder.
She gave his shoulders another squeeze. “I’ve got a whole bunch of stuff planned for us before school starts in a couple weeks.”
He pulled out of her arms to sit on the bed. “Great.”
Her eyebrows rose. “Careful—that excitement is way out of control.”
“I’m sorry,” he sighed. “I’m sure it’ll be fun, it’s just…I miss Cody.”
So did she. And everyone else. Especially the man waiting in the other room. Reminded she’d been on her way to get him a towel, she reached over to rumple her brother’s hair. “We’ll visit soon, I promise.”
He pulled away, his eyes downcast.
“Thanksgiving will be here before you know it,” she assured him with forced cheerfulness. “Now, are you hungry? I’ll make you a sandwich, or we could order pizza?”
Noah shook his head. “Colton and I stopped to eat before we got here. Besides, it was a long drive and I’m really tired.”
“Want to watch some TV?”
“No. I think I’ll just go to bed.” He lay down on the bed with a huge yawn.
Kendra blinked. It was barely seven o’clock. “Oh…okay. Well, goodnight, then.” At the door, she paused. “By the way, where’s Joel?”
“He hurt his ankle and couldn’t drive.”
Kendra shut the door with a frown, then detoured into the bathroom for a towel before returning to the living room. She paused a few steps in. Hands shoved in his pockets, Colton stood looking out the window. Every flash of lightning over the New York skyline lit his profile and made his reflection disappear from the glass in front of him.
His hair was longer. It brushed the back of his collar and tumbled across his forehead in a careless manner. He looked so damn good, especially with the slight shadow that covered his jaw. Rugged. Sexy. The last time she’d seen him, he’d just gotten a haircut, must’ve been the morning before they’d gotten married. A lump formed in her throat.
Colton shifted his weight, wondering how long she was going to stand there staring at his reflection in the glass. He couldn’t take much more. Her reflection wasn’t so clear from across the room, but he didn’t need it to be, the black dress she wore was forever imprinted on his mind. It was the same one from the night she’d met her lawyer at the bar in Colorado. It hugged her curves and accentuated her slim figure to perfection.
He should at least be grateful for the modest neckline, but considering she’d come home with that guy, grateful was the last word he’d use.
And that guy. Standing there in a suit that probably cost more than Colton’s car, asking his wife to dinner. God, he’d wanted to hit him so bad his knuckles cracked when he’d formed his fists. Given the possessive jealousy still pumping though his veins, the guy was lucky he’d walked away.
Every second since then, he’d wanted to stake his claim. Right now, it was all he could do not to stride across the room and pull her into his arms.
But he couldn’t do that when it was clear she didn’t want him here. She’d started up with that ‘None of your business’ crap in the lobby, hadn’t said a word in the elevator, and then rushed away for that damn towel the moment she closed the door. Right now she was probably trying to think of a way to ask him to leave.
So she could call the Suit back?
Probably. His teeth ground together. That guy would fit right in with this fancy, high-rise apartment of hers. He fit with her classy dress and sexy heels—unlike Colton. Not hard to figure out after her once-over in the lobby prompted her to rush him out of sight. His jaw tightened again as he glanced down at his damp old jeans and worn boots. What the hell was he doing here anyway?