Finding Home

“Anyone ever tell you that you have the softest lips?” I ask her. Her eyes are heavy lidded with lust. She shakes her head no before biting her lips. She still doesn’t have her wits about her. I know this because she hasn’t said anything sarcastic in the last few minutes. I take her in, enjoying this docile version of her that’s perched in my lap. If she’s like this after a kiss I bet she’d purr if I made her come.

My cock jerks in my jeans thinking about slowly stroking in and out of her as she begs me to come. Her eyes widen, feeling my length pressed against her. My hand, which has been tangled in her hair, drops in preparation for her departure from my lap. I know that she is about to spring up in panic and I don’t want to pull her hair in the process. As if on cue, she does exactly as I thought she would. She gets to her feet and backs up, looking at me like I’m a caged tiger ready to pounce on her. I’m under control. I think.

Maybe my face doesn’t read that way.

She licks her lips. “First aid kit?” she asks, again surprising me. I thought she might yell at me. I deserved it, but she did kiss me back. I reckon she doesn’t want me to point that out. Why isn’t she giving me lip? The only reason that comes to mind is that her protective exterior is beginning to crack.

That kiss was everything. She had to have felt it too. If I had any doubts before this moment that kiss would have settled them. I felt it down to my marrow that she was my woman. Looking at her right now, I see it. She’s got one hand on her hip while her chin is tilting up. She isn’t going to give me hell about the kiss but she will give me hell if I don’t let her tend to my hand.

“Sheriff?” She raises her eyebrows now in challenge.

“Under the kitchen sink, sugar.”

She gives a firm nod as she turns, heading for it. I watch her go, enjoying the view. If she wants to take care of me I am going to let her—for the rest of our lives.

7

Charlotte

My hands shake as I open the cabinet under the sink. I lick my lips, trying to still taste Colt. My mind pauses for a moment. Colton, I correct myself. I am not giving him a nickname. I suck in a breath, pulling it together as I find the first aid kit. I let him kiss me. Hell, I kissed him back. It stole my breath. The man was irresistible and I’d wanted a taste. Who could blame a girl? I knew even Tammy would agree.

I reach up, touching my lips, wondering if they are really as soft as Colton said. No one has ever told me that before. No kiss has ever been like that for me before, though. That was more than a kiss. At least it felt like it was. If a kiss could put you off kilter so easily, no wonder my mom was always getting her heart broken. I could see someone getting addicted to the euphoria it leaves you in. Even as I made myself pull my mouth from his I wanted to pull him back to me and kiss him again.

“They are soft.” I turn to see Colt standing next to the kitchen counter watching me.

“Come over here.” I shut the cabinet, ignoring his comment as I turn on the water to let it warm. I give him my back as I fiddle with the first aid kit. My cheeks feel warm and I know I’m blushing. Knowing that he can see it embarrasses me for some reason. I’m not too keen on anyone seeing my vulnerability. There is no hiding it at this point even if I wanted to. Sure, maybe I could storm off and hide in the bathroom until I get myself under control, but I want to fix his hand more than I care about revealing a piece of myself. It’s something I’m not used to doing.

I’ve gone so long hiding any emotion. I have a choice to make. I could slip my mask of perfection back into place or I could take a gamble on Colton for a while. I am afraid to admit to myself that I already made that decision when I kissed him back. I know that there is no turning back from here. In knowing that, I have some questions that I need answers to before I reveal any more of myself to him.

I turn around as Colton’s eyes snap from my ass to my face. He gives me that sexy smirk as if admitting he’s been caught and not trying to hide it like most would. I don’t know why it feels different with him doing it but it does.