“So what are you going to do about the house? You have to buy it, or you’ll have neighbors.”
“The family asked me if I want it, but I said no. Too big for me. Not to mention it’s a train wreck.”
“It might not be too big if you have a family one day. Do you like old houses?”
A sudden picture popped into his head. Kids running around this field playing, dogs running right alongside. Some of the kids had red hair. Oh geez. He shook his head and made himself focus on the front door, which was coming off its hinges. “I’m not sure this one’s worth saving.”
She sighed. “There’s something to be said about a house that’s quirky and one of a kind. Have you been inside?”
He laughed. And remembered Tagg complaining when he and Sara had house hunted that she’d been drawn to houses precisely like this one. “There’s not an inch of space in there not covered with junk. Plus it smells like mouse pee and other bad things. I know a lot of guys in the trades who can help me build a nice house from the bottom up. I’ve been clearing the field on my days off.”
“Oh, c’mon, Colt,” Sara said with a wink. “You’re not afraid of a little challenge, are you?”
“No, but I’m also not crazy. Thanks for the pep talk, though.” Then he kissed her, nice and long and slow, and it was the perfect kiss, on the most perfect day imaginable, being out here in the warm sunshine, the birds singing, the smell of summer grasses and growing things thick in the air.
“Can you stay over tonight?” he asked. He missed her in his arms, in his bed. If they’d had more time he would’ve made use of that blanket he’d brought, just sitting under that shady tree.
“I’ve got to stay with Nonna tonight.”
“I understand. Disappointed, but I understand.”
Impulsively she kissed him again, standing on tiptoe, tugging on his shirt to bring him closer.
“Woman, you are bewitching me,” he murmured against her lips. Definitely not a safe thing to say, but nothing with her seemed to be following the rules.
“I tend to have that effect on men,” she said, smiling against his lips. “Thanks for showing me this place. It was fun.” Her phone went off with a text, and she looked at it. “Oh, how about that,” she said incredulously.
“What is it?”
“It’s from a friend of mine at Columbia. Looks like there’s going to be a sudden opening in the type of fellowship I almost started last year. They’re taking applications, and they want to fill the vacancy by Christmas.”
Dread tore through him. “So you’re going to apply?” he asked, hoping he kept a positive expression on his face.
“My dad assumes I’ll just pick up where I left off last year and go back to doing research and working at a big hospital. I’m not sure he believes I’m cut out to be a family doctor.”
“What is it you want?”
For a heartbeat, her gaze searched his. “I don’t know.”
He had no idea what to say. He wanted to cry out, Don’t go, but who was he to hold her back? Or imply there would be commitments of any kind? He’d always known she wasn’t long for Angel Falls, and this just confirmed it.
They ate lunch, but Colton had lost his appetite.
This reinforced what he felt in his gut: he did not want rumors to spread about them dating. He shouldn’t have been so reckless as to kiss her outside her father’s office. And it was of questionable judgment to be sharing his land with her too. The more he thought about it, the more he realized it was a bad idea to go too public with this—whatever it was. It was fantastic and amazing, but as far as he was concerned, it was too good to be real. Even if she didn’t take that fellowship, she’d soon tire of him, a small-town cop still stuck in the same old place they’d grown up in. He’d just be happy for each day and stick to his rules—that he didn’t get serious. Or do family dinners. Whatever it took to avoid a broken heart.
Because he could read the writing on the wall. Sara would be off soon, on to a big city, a big hospital, something much bigger than the life he had here. Keeping it casual would make it easier to say goodbye.
He dropped her off at her office. “Bye,” she said, kissing him and lightly running her hand down his cheek. “Your land is awesome. Thanks for sharing that with me.” She gave a little smile before she closed the door and walked away.
Leaving him more confused than ever.
Chapter 16
Colton was working out at home that evening when Sara’s text came through. OK to come over? He’d just set down his free weights and decided to hit the shower when his doorbell rang. He opened the door to find her standing there, holding her phone, wearing a gray T-shirt, leggings, and a long gray sweater with flip-flops. A flowery little overnight bag was slung over her shoulder. If she’d been in a gorgeous gown and heels, he wouldn’t have wanted her any more.
“Surprise,” she said.
His heart rolled over and surrendered right there. It struck him that it was an ordinary evening—he was sweaty from his workout, he still had earbuds in his ears from the audiobook he’d been listening to—and there she was, looking like everything he’d ever wanted.
He reached out and took her hand and guided her across the threshold, a little afraid he’d better do it quick before she vanished into the night. Champ bolted over, wagging his tail a mile a minute and nudging his nose into her hand. She laughed and cooed to him and stroked his back. Lucky dog.
“What happened with Nonna?” he asked, closing the door and tugging her away from his dog.
“Gabby understood how badly I wanted to come and shooed me out. Is it…all right? I hope you don’t mind, but I brought my stuff for work tomorrow. I mean, just in case. Not that I have to stay that long, I just thought—”
“I want you to stay.”
“Tagg told me once you don’t care to have women leaving their toothbrushes and things around everywhere—”
He winced. “Tagg hasn’t really known me for quite a while.” He didn’t want to talk about other women. Or about Tagg. “For what it’s worth, you’re the only woman I’ve ever had over here.”
“Oh. That sounds like a compliment.”
“It is.” He slid the bag off her shoulder and leaned in to kiss her, then suddenly pulled back. “I forgot. I just finished working out and I need to hit the shower.”
“Oh, go right ahead. Champ and I can hang out.” He was about to suggest she join him, but no sooner did she sit down on the couch than Champ hopped up and settled right next to her, his head on her knee, giving him the eyeball. Fine, the dog won that round. But Colton could shower quick.
He was in the shower when he felt a gust of cool air. He turned to see her step in beside him.
His breath hitched. God, she was beautiful. He wasted no time pulling her into his arms. “What made you change your mind?” he asked, kissing the hollow between her neck and shoulder. “Champ didn’t have gas again, did he?”
“No, but your country-western singing is terrible. This was the only way I could think of to shut you up.” She waved something in front of him—a condom packet—and placed it on the high tile ledge.
He kissed her as they stood under the warm spray, steam fogging up the doors. Lathered up his hands with soap, then slid them all over her body, loving the feel of her, the satiny, slippery wetness.
He whispered sweet dirty things in her ear that made her blush and laugh, until she finally shut him up with kisses. After tracing a trail of kisses down her neck, he laved a sweet nipple with his tongue, then paid homage to the other, loving the way she writhed under his touch, the little sounds of pleasure that escaped her throat, and the way her hands roamed greedily all along his back, his hips, his ass.
For the moment all his worries had fled, and he decided right then and there that he would enjoy every moment he had with her. His mouth found hers again, tongues tangling and sliding, and his arms tightened around her waist as they stood pressed together.
He dropped a hand betw
een her legs, slipped two fingers inside her, stroked her at her core until she arched under his touch. She slid her soapy hands up and down his length until he nearly lost his sense and his balance. She was driving him wild, and the heat was tearing through him like flames.
He put on the condom and managed to sit down on the tiled shower seat. She hovered over him and slowly took in his length, took him inside her inch by inch. Her gaze was calm, direct, never deviating, her green eyes bright and intense in the misty shower. He never stopped looking at her either.
A shudder passed through him. He couldn’t tell where his trembling stopped and hers began. Some kind of connection, intense, final, absolute, passed between them despite no words being spoken at all. They started a rhythm, at first slow, then more intense, as he moved inside her until she got dreamy eyed and a tiny frown creased her forehead. He was right with her, coming at the same time, driving into her, feeling her muscles clench around him. They came like that, in the hot, steamy shower, mist swirling around them, their lips melded, their arms wrapped around each other tight, her body tightening around him as they moved together to climax, his lips finally releasing a guttural cry.
For a while they didn’t move, until the lukewarm water started to feel chilly. Colton was a little shaky as he stepped out and handed her a clean towel, wrapping it around her, then grabbing one for himself and tying it around his waist.
He tried to collect his sanity as he tumbled into bed. Good Lord, what was happening to him? He wasn’t one to wax sentimental, but the words of every sappy love poem he’d ever heard were on the tip of his tongue.
Sara came out of the bathroom in a gray nightshirt that came down to her knees and had a cat on it or something. It looked old and well-worn and comfortable. And she had her glasses on. Her hand flew up to adjust them, and he knew she was self-conscious about them. He pretended he didn’t even notice, and got up to let Champ out for the last time, then turned out all the lights before climbing into bed beside her.
On impulse he reached over and took off her glasses, then set them down gently on the nightstand and kissed her good and hard. Then he pulled her into him and wrapped himself around her before Champ had an opportunity to sneak in himself. Mindlessly he fingered a curl of her wet hair, felt its silky texture, how it sprang back softly from his touch.
“Not too bad for a work night,” she said, her hand draped over his. “We’re even in bed on time. This isn’t disruptive at all.”
He kissed the top of her head. “Yeah. Not too bad for a work night.” Except that being next to her was getting him aroused. He tried to focus on other things, like that he had to stop at the bank tomorrow and get an oil change for his car, and what would happen if he got awakened by a call in the middle of the night, but nothing was working. He hoped she wouldn’t notice.
She’d definitely noticed and was reaching back and touching the evidence, stroking him gently with her hand. Oh God, there he went again. All it took from her was a couple of touches and he was hard as granite.
“Don’t fan the fire unless you want to use the flame,” he said, kissing her neck.
“In your case, it’s not taking much fanning,” she said, laughing. She turned around in his arms and kissed him, pulling herself flush against him, and before they knew it, playful, short kisses gave way to deep, long, wet ones, and hands started roaming. They just fell into it, plain and simple, and he could no more hold himself back than he could stop himself from breathing.
They lay there for a long time afterward, her head nestled between his chest and his shoulder, he softly stroking her arm. Finally she slid her nightshirt on over her head and snuggled back in next to him until this time they both fell asleep.
* * *
Sara slept like the dead until three a.m., when Colton’s phone went off. “OK,” she heard him say in a sleep-heavy voice. “He’s drunk again? Be right there.” He hung up and jumped from the bed, then tossed on his briefs and walked over to a chair where his uniform shirt, pants, and shoes were carefully laid out. She was fine until she saw him strap on the bulletproof vest. And the gun holster. He must’ve noticed her awake and staring at him because he said, “I’m backup on a 911 call. Got to fly.”
Sitting upright, she watched him tug on his pants and tie his shoes. He opened his top dresser drawer and took out his gun, shoved it in his holster, and flew out the bedroom door.
She ran to the front door and opened it for him. “Be careful,” was all she was able to get out as he gave her a quick peck on the cheek and was gone.
Sara closed the door and leaned against it, a new understanding of Colton’s job fully sinking in.
Of course it had been a fantasy to think that his job was all traffic patrol and lecturing kids about drugs and stopping to have breakfast with the locals at the downtown diner. Their town was quaint and lovely and friendly, but that didn’t mean it didn’t have a dark side, a side that Colton had to deal with on a regular basis. He could be going to a car accident, or a drunken brawl, or to confront a crazed lunatic with a gun.
In her world there were emergencies, but they were what she and her colleagues often joked were the “tucked-in kind”: the EMTs had usually taken vitals, administered IVs, and begun the assessment process, so by the time the patients got to the ER, things were already under some degree of control.
Not like the situations Colton walked into. The complete unknown. He was a first responder. Anything could happen.
Sara didn’t even try to go back to sleep. As she paced the apartment, Champ followed right behind her. She made coffee. Tried to watch TV. Prayed. Paced some more.
At five a.m. her cell went off. Her heart sank to her feet when she saw it was her father.
“Dad. What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Hi, Sara,” he said, his voice calm and soothing as always. “Everything’s fine, but I’m working the ER tonight and Colton was just brought in by the squad. He’s a little banged up, but he’ll be OK.”
Terror curled its limbs around her and squeezed, stole away her breath and her voice. “Dad,” she managed in a raspy whisper. “What do you mean…banged up?”
“We’ve got George Carver stitching up his forehead, and he’s got a black eye and a broken nose and a little concussion, but I think that’s the extent of it. Disarmed a drunk with a knife but got punched out.”
The words all ran together, knife, black eye, broken nose. Oh my God, a little concussion, what the hell was that? Tears flooded her eyes, the grateful and the frightened kind both.
George was the local plastic surgeon, who was often called in to suture up important places on bodies that most people didn’t want to risk scarring, like faces. “I’m coming down.” She paused. “Did you call Cookie?”
“Rafe suggested I start with you.” Leave it to her dad to keep talking in the same calm voice. No evidence of surprise or even shock that his daughter was involved with the man she’d practically hated just a short time ago.
Explaining about her love life would have to wait. “Does Colton know you’re calling me?”
“No. He went right to CT and I decided to call you myself.”
“I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
“OK, sweetheart. Don’t speed.”
“Thanks—for calling me.” She had no idea what her dad knew. Probably everything after talking to Rafe.
She wasn’t sure how Colton would handle having her at his side. She didn’t want to barge in and embarrass him, especially since they weren’t officially a couple—in fact, she wasn’t sure quite what they were. All she knew was she had to be with him. She couldn’t bear not being there.
Sara put on her work outfit for morning, a simple print dress, brought her big gray sweater because the ER was always freezing, and brushed her hair back into a ponytail. She tried to calm down. Her dad had said Colton would be all right, but her doctor’s brain kept imagining the worst.
Hearing upsetting news was an almost-daily part of her job. She understood
how important it was to remain calm and objective when bad things were going on. But one look in the mirror showed that she was pale and shaking. What if he wasn’t OK? A concussion was serious. Plus someone had blackened his eye and broken his nose. Just thinking that he’d been the recipient of that type of violence made her tear up.
Sara took a deep breath. Blew her nose and tried to hold it together. Where Colton was concerned, she was anything but calm and objective. And, she was coming to realize, he was anything but a fling.
* * *
“Since you’re not next of kin,” Sara’s dad said when she arrived at the ER, “I can only give you the CT results if Colton allows it. You know that.”
Sara rolled her eyes. “I slept with him, Dad. Please just tell me if something’s wrong.”
Besides the arch of a single brow, her father kept his same calm demeanor. Sighing deeply, he said, “OK, fine. As one physician to another, I can tell you it’s just a concussion. He’s got to take a week off. The rest you already know.”
It was her turn to sigh. “He’s going to hate that.”
“I know he prides himself on never missing work.” Her dad paused. “Maybe he won’t give me such a hard time if you go in first.”
She would’ve taken off if he hadn’t grabbed hold of her arm. “He doesn’t know I called you. Just warning you. And Sara—”
She was already walking toward the ER bay where Colton was resting when she heard her name and halted.
“Yes, Dad?”
He steered her away from the desk to an area where they could talk quietly. “Being a cop is a dangerous job, no matter how many Fourth of July parades you police or school talks on drugs you give or drivers’ ed classes you help teach. The hours are terrible and you never know what you’re going to walk into. Which means anyone who falls for a cop worries a lot. It’s part of the package.”
“I don’t understand. Are you warning me away from him?”
“At this point I’m just trying to tell you to not go in there upset.”
Then There Was You Page 19
