Falling Fast

“Sure, I’m just going to change first,” she answers, heading for her room.

Watching her go, I kick off my boots then run up and change before coming back down and finding the remotes for the TV and DVD player.

“What do you feel like watching?” I ask when she comes back out wearing a T-shirt and sweats, both too big on her.

“What is there?”

“Not much. I have a few scary movies and a couple comedies.” I show her the DVDs I own and she looks them over.

“This looks good.” She hands me one of the scary ones before tucking in near the arm of the couch. Putting the movie in, I start it up then take a seat next to her. She doesn’t say anything about me sitting so close, something I’m thankful for when the movie starts to get scary, because when that happens, she curls herself into my side and hides her face in my chest. Which means I get to wrap my arm around her and smell her hair, the source of the vanilla scent I’ve recently become obsessed with.

“I’m going to have nightmares,” she tells me, leaning back to look at me when the movie comes to an end and the credits start to roll. “It didn’t even have a happy ending. Everyone died.”

Smiling at her, I mutter, “Dimples, you picked the movie.”

“I know.” She shakes her head. “Why on earth did you let me do that?”

Chuckling, I pull her farther into me and kiss her hair. “If you have nightmares, I’m right upstairs.”

“Like I will ever be able to sleep after that,” she mumbles, looking worriedly over my shoulder toward her bedroom door while nibbling on her bottom lip.

“Right.” I lay down, dragging her with me as I go, and then adjust her so that half her body is on mine and her face is resting against my chest.

“What are you doing?” she asks, sounding stunned.

“Since you won’t be able to sleep in your bed, we’re going to sleep here.”

“Colton.”

“Gia,” I answer, grabbing the blanket she put there off the back off the couch and putting it over us.

“I think—”

She tries to push off me, but I don’t let her go. I just hold her tighter. “Stop thinking so much, Gia.” I run my fingers through her hair at the side of her head.

“Is this even comfortable for you?”

“I’m good,” I whisper, and she lets out a long breath. I can’t tell if it’s an annoyed or relieved one.

“Colton,” she murmurs, and I dip my head down to look at her when I feel her raise hers.

“Yeah?”

“I….” She pauses, looking unsure. “Never mind,” she mumbles, lying her head back down on my chest and tucking her hand under her cheek.

“Gia.” Running my hand up the side of her neck and her jaw, I wait for her to lift her head and look at me. Once I have her eyes, I wrap my fingers around her chin and lift my head while bringing her mouth to mine. The kiss isn’t wet or deep. It’s nothing more than our mouths meeting in a soft touch. “Sleep,” I say against her lips. After tucking her face back against my chest, I reach forward, grab the remote, and turn off the TV.

“Night, Colton.”

“Night, Gia.” I run my fingers through her hair and continue doing that until I feel her body go limp. Pulling my chin back, I look down at her through the dark and see she’s asleep, and then rest my head back against the couch, following behind her.

And for the first time in what seems like forever, I don’t dream about getting shot and almost losing my legs. I dream about making a beautiful girl, with eyes the color of emeralds, mine. When I wake up with Gia still in my arms in the middle of the night, I vow to make that dream a reality.

CHAPTER 7

The First Kiss Is Always The Sweetest . . .

Until The Second

Gia

BLINKING AGAINST THE BRIGHT light shining in my eyes, it takes a second for the sleep to clear away and for me to realize I’m still on the couch with Colton. Sometime in the night, we moved. Now my back is to the couch cushion, with his arm and leg over me, holding me prisoner. There is no escaping without me waking him up.

He kissed me.

My eyes close on that thought and my lips tingle. His lips were softer than I thought they would be, and I had thought about them a lot since the moment we met. He also didn’t try to take that kiss deeper, and I don’t know if that means he didn’t like the kiss, or if he’s trying to go slow for my sake. I need to call Nat and see what she thinks it means.

“Stop thinking so much.” Colton’s deep, sleepy voice breaks through my rampant thoughts and my eyes shoot open to meet his.