Covered in Coal (Buried Secrets 1)

I tighten my grip around her, and hold her tight to me. We sit entangled together on the couch, just enjoyin’ each other’s warmth and the silence that fills the air. Before long, the silence is met with a light snore and I look down to see that Carly Jo is sound asleep with her head pinned to my chest. I scoop her up in my arms and carry her to bed.

Chapter 29

Carly

The alarm clock buzzes, waking me up from a very peaceful night of sleep. I roll over to turn off the alarm, and my fingers graze warm flesh. My heart stills and the beeps cease. A low guttural moan fills the room, as I rub my tired eyes trying to focus on the source of the husky moan.

“Mornin’, darlin’.” Colton says wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling my back against his chest. He trails his rough, calloused hand up and down my side in soft, slow movements and presses his cock against my ass.

“Morning, baby. What time is it?” I ask, gripping his arms tighter around me, just wanting to be held, but obviously he has other ideas in mind.

“Five a.m.,” he whispers, kissing down my arm.

“Five a.m.? Do you always wake up so damn early to get ready for work? What the hell?” I whine. Yep, I whine. What can I say, I love my sleep. He continues to cover my arm in soft, delicate kisses, trailing his fingers across the hem of my panties.

“When I get to wake up to the love of my life in the bed with me, hell yeah I do.” He says with a devious smirk. He twists me around so that I’m facing him, then captures my lips with his. He kisses me softly, tangling our bodies together, sparking a heat of passion that we both want.

“I love you so much, sweetheart”, he whispers against my lips, “I can’t believe I’m really wakin’ up with you in my arms. Please tell me this ain’t a damn dream.”

I pull his face into mine, and giggle against his lips, “No baby, I’m here. This is happening.”

He grasps my face in his strong hands and looks deep into my hazel eyes, tracing his thumb across my cheek. “You ain’t ever goin’ anywhere on me again. Ever. I finally have you back in my arms where you belong. Don’t ever leave me again.” He doesn’t plead. He orders. He instructs. And yeah, I kinda like it. I tip my nose against his, and look into his dark brown eyes and promise him forever.

“I’m yours, only yours. Always.” His eyes dance with excitement and happiness as pulls me into a kiss, covering my body with his, pressing me hard into the mattress. He doesn’t

rush this moment. No. He takes his time, caressing and loving me, all of me. We make love passionately, connecting our souls as one. Its desire filled, earth moving love.

By six a.m., when we are both fully sated and exhausted, we climb out of bed and make our way to the shower to get ready for work. While I’m drying my hair, Colton walks over to his parent’s house to get Heidi Jo ready for school. Once I’m dressed and ready for work, I lock up and join them for breakfast.

Heidi Jo is the most energetic little girl I have ever seen. Even at nearly seven a.m., she is dancing around her bedroom, singing into a hair brush as music bounces from the speakers. She is dressed, and ready for school, just burning up some energy before she gets her day started, I guess.

Emily has cooked a huge breakfast; gravy, biscuits, eggs, sausage, bacon and fried apples. Heidi Jo and I help her set the table, while Bill and Colton wait impatiently for their morning grub. Colton fixes Heidi Jo’s plate and tells her to eat up, so we can take her to school. We. That sounds odd.

My heart flutters, stops, and then jolts back to life, pacing quickly at the mention of such a small word. It feels surreal that this is happening. I’m finally unlocking the steel enforced cage, and allowing Colton Weston access to my heart. I think I’ve stopped breathing, and all I can hear is the pounding sound of my heart. Colton squeezes my thigh with a wink, while listening to Heidi Jo go on and on about us taking her to school together. Releasing that pent up breath that caught in my chest behind fear and anxiety, I enjoy this sweet girl’s laughter and bubbly nature.

She’s eating her breakfast, and talking with a full mouth, never missing a beat with the conversation that fills the room. She has her own two cents to put into every conversation. Colton catches her head turned and swipes a piece of bacon from her plate, cramming it all in his mouth before she sees him. When she notices the bacon is missing, she pushes her chair back, stands tall with her hand on her hip, shaking her chubby little finger right in his face.

“Daddy, I love ya an’ all, but if you ever touch my bacon again, I’m gonna get Papaw to hold you down and let Mamaw cut your finger off. You don’t mess with a girl’s bacon, old man, don’tcha know?!”

She twists her hips, plopping down in the chair; her face red and scrunched up in anger. Everyone at the table laughs at her cute little remark, but her. Something tells me she wasn’t kidding. Emily piles her plate with bacon, and she grins from ear to ear, then gives Colton an evil eye.

After we’ve all filled our bellies, I help Heidi Jo gather her backpack and lunch box before we set off to start our day. I thank Emily for breakfast, and offer to help her clean up, but she shoos me from the kitchen, sending me on my way. Bill stops me in the doorway, “You’ll be in the office all day?” he asks.

“I plan to be. Is everything okay?”

“No, but there ain’t a damned thing I can do about it. I’ll stop by later.” He nods, then disappears through the hall. I slide on my shoes, and meet Heidi Jo and Colton in the truck. We drop the chatter-box Heidi Jo off at school, then head into work.

“I think you’re Dad’s planning to stop by the mines later. Not sure why he didn’t just talk to me back at the house.” I tell him. Colton looks over at me, scratching his scruffy day old beard, shaking his head.

“Pops don’t like to make Momma worry any more than she already does.”

“He looks rough, Colton. I’m worried about him. I don’t know what Drew’s plans are, but I don’t trust him.”

“Don’t sweat it, baby. Y’all gonna figure it out.”

When we get to the mines we kiss goodbye and go our separate ways. As I’m passing by Shelly’s desk, she is a frantic mess. Her cheeks are red and she’s trembling.

“Ms. Simon, I’ve been trying to get in touch with you all morning. There is a Mr. Varney here to see you. He’s been requesting that I call you every fifteen minutes, to see when you would be in. I told him that unless he had an appointment you wouldn’t see him, but he forced the issue and refused to leave until he sees you. I’m sorry. I didn’t know what else to do.”