“I really wanted you to introduce me to your dad tonight,” I say, my tone flirting with the edge between disappointed and pouting.
“I didn’t need to. I talked to him already,” he says. “He called your references, and I think he’s going to give you the job.”
I gasp. “Are you serious? Oh my God, Colton, that’s amazing.”
He grunts. “No job working for my asshole father could accurately be described as amazing, but I’m glad it makes you happy.”
“It is amazing. Do you know what a rare opportunity this is?” I bounce on my toes, and my eyes burn with hot tears. When he didn’t show up at the party, I thought he’d let me down. “I owe you everything.”
“It’s my father. He wouldn’t hire you if he didn’t believe he was getting the better end of the deal.”
“Still. Managing an art gallery?” I squeak. I’m practically floating, I’m so excited.
“Now aren’t you glad you’re with me and not Levi?” He stalks toward me.
I shrug as I think of the sexy stranger I met tonight. I don’t like thinking about how close I was to doing something that might have ruined everything with Colton. It’s new and I like it, but I’m insecure enough that I thought maybe he wasn’t feeling the same.
“So do you like my friend?” The smirk on his face tells me he’s not too worried about it.
“I like guys who don’t stand me up.”
Colton stops, half the length of the living room between us. He frowns. “I’m sorry if I disappointed you. I should have called to let you know I was running late, but I didn’t stand you up. I wouldn’t.”
“Well, then maybe I like you.” I groan as I look him over. He’s tall and broad-shouldered, and the sleeves of his fitted black tee stretch around his biceps. Colton’s not just fit, but built—a man who makes his living with motocross and needs the strength of his body to keep him on the bike.
Now it’s my turn to do the stalking. I close the distance between us, wrap my arms behind his neck, and kiss him hard. Less than an hour ago, his friend was whispering dirty suggestions in my ear. Now I’m anxious to wash Levi away, to replace those thoughts with thoughts of Colton. To hold him here where I need him.
I kiss him harder, press my body closer. “What do you mean when you say I’m your girl?”
“I mean I’m not sharing.” He grabs my dress in his fist and tugs it up to my waist before smacking my bare ass. I bite back a moan at the sweet sting. “I mean Levi needs to stop looking at you like he’s counting down the seconds until he can sweet-talk his way between your legs.” He bites my neck even as his fingers gently stroke the flesh he just smacked.
“I thought you weren’t a ‘serious relationship’ kind of guy.” I close my eyes, already turned on, already aching for more than mouths and hands. Colton is rough and unapologetic. He isn’t a gentle lover, and I don’t want him to be. “I thought this was just casual.”
He pulls back, and his eyes darken as he looks down at me. “It was supposed to be, but I can’t stop thinking about you.” He says it with wonder, as if this has never happened to him before, as if he’s never been infatuated or had a crush.
“I like that you’re thinking about me. I like that a lot.” I gasp as he traces the lace of my thong over one hip, then brushes his knuckles across my belly.
“Do you think about me?”
“Yeah.”
“About me touching you?” he asks.
“Yeah.”
“About being with me and no one else?”
“I don’t want anyone else. I’m yours. As long as you want me.”
“That’s just it. I can’t imagine not wanting you, and this is new for me. Wanting to protect someone is new for me.”
I laugh. He sounds so somber. “What do you need to protect me from?”
He hesitates a beat. “My father isn’t a good man. Promise me you’ll tell me if he ever tries to make you do something you don’t want to do.”
I frown, struggling to focus on the conversation when his hands are on me. “You mean sexual things?”
He freezes. “That’s not what I meant. Christ. I’d lose my mind.” He skims his thumb across my bottom lip, but his nostrils flare in anger. “If I found out he touched you, I’d kill him.”