“How much you want? Two, three, four thousand?”
Jordan suggested four thousand and after another brief moment of hesitation, Kendra finally agreed. Cassie curled her lip, but Colton ignored her reaction as Kendra set her plate of toast and a glass of juice on the table across from where Colton sat. “Why do you play with Monopoly money?” she asked as she took a seat.
“We got sick of robbing Colton blind,” Jordan said.
Colton directed a half smile toward the table and concentrated on shuffling the cards like an expert. That was Jordan’s kind way of saying Colton didn’t have any extra cash either, and it made him feel a little bad for wanting to get rid of them earlier.
Until Justin scooted his chair nice and close to Kendra.
The phone rang as he began to deal. Being closer, Kendra rose to answer it. “Hello?” After a moment, and without saying anything, she set the phone back on its charger. She stared at it for a moment, and when she turned back to the table, her teeth worried the corner of her bottom lip.
Colton hesitated, hand poised to finish the deal. “Who was it?”
She jerked her head up with a brief smile and waved a hand. “Wrong number.”
Justin explained the basics of poker as they started the game. Colton was surprised at how quick she picked it up. By the fifth hand, Justin quit offering advice and, after three hours, Kendra had a decent amount of monopoly money in front of her. With her next raise of five hundred dollars, Colton and Justin tossed in their cards.
Jordan, on the other hand, never gave up, and he suspected Cassie stayed in just for spite. He hadn’t missed the daggers she cast at Kendra all evening. Did she really think that’d help her case?
Cassie added her money and Jordan raised. Kendra didn’t bat an eye as she called his bet and raised another five hundred. Colton studied Kendra, unable to determine if she was serious or bluffing. Cassie folded. Jordan matched Kendra’s bet and laid his cards on the table. An ace, a jack, a pair of eights, and a two. With jacks being wild, he had three of a kind. All eyes turned to Kendra. She laid down three queens and a pair of tens.
“You sure you haven’t played before?” Justin joked as she gathered the money from the middle of the table.
“Guess I’m just lucky.” She grinned at Justin and flipped her dark curls over her shoulder with a quick toss of her head.
“You’ve got a great poker face,” Colton commented.
Her gaze met his, and he knew she heard the underlying accusation in his observation. Good. He couldn’t fully explain his suspicion, except that for someone who claimed not to have played before, she was on quite the winning streak. Wondering if it’d been another lie, he attributed that as the reason for his sudden irritation.
She averted her gaze as Jordan began to deal the next hand. Colton reached for his cards when the phone rang again. His hand stilled when he saw Kendra flinch. More interesting, she took her sweet time getting up, as if she didn’t want to answer it this time. She looked at the handset as she lifted it, only to discover what Colton already knew. No caller ID.
Seconds passed. The others laughed at a joke Justin told, but Colton watched Kendra. Without a word, she slammed the handset on the counter. From the corner of his eye, he saw Jordan and Cassie look at her with surprise.
“Wrong number again?” Jordan asked.
“Yeah. You’d think the idiot would get it right by now.”
Her annoyance fooled everyone else, but Colton had seen fear in her eyes before she covered it. Something had her spooked. So who was calling; making her as skittish as a horse in a pit of rattlesnakes?
He won the next hand because Kendra tossed out an ace without even looking. She fidgeted with her drink, twisting it round and round at the base. When the phone rang again, she jerked so hard she almost knocked the glass over.
Colton shoved his chair back. When he reached the counter, he snatched up the handset.
“Hello?” he barked, turning to look at Kendra. She’d twisted in her chair to watch him, her brown eyes wide with apprehension.
The voice on the other end compounded his frustration instead of easing it. “Oh, hi, Mom. Sorry.”
Relief flooded Kendra’s expression. He tucked her reaction away for later as he walked down the hall with the phone to assure his mother he didn’t mind picking her up for church Sunday morning. It took him a few more minutes to get her off the phone without being rude, and when he returned, Kendra was nowhere in sight. His tension returned full force. What the hell was going on? “Where’s Kendra?”
“She said she was tired,” Jordan offered.
Yeah, I bet. But it gave him an easy excuse. “I am, too, come to think of it.”
He caught Justin’s eye, who thankfully took the hint and started gathering cards. “It’s getting late, guys, let’s get going.”
“I’ll clean up.” Colton walked them to the door, but as the twins made their way down the steps, Cassie turned around to press against him.
Her mouth sought his, and he froze in surprise as her lips moved over his in an attempt to coax a response from him.
There was a time, not so long ago, that he’d wanted her. The kiss was nice, but there was no leap of his pulse, no kick of desire to his gut, no urge to wrap his arms around her and never let go. Never had been—with her. He refused to acknowledge the dark-haired image that surfaced in his mind.
He pulled back. “Cassie, enough.”
“Come on, Colton, it was good between us; it can be again.”
With a shake of his head, he grasped her shoulders and pushed her away. “We’ve been through this already.”
“It’s her—isn’t it?” she demanded suddenly.
“Of course not,” he scoffed. But he was afraid Cassie had hit the nail right on the head. “We both agreed—no strings.”
“Colton—”
He ignored the sheen of tears in her blue eyes as she beseeched him in the dim porch light. Guilt, combined with pressure, brought out a note of anger in his voice. “You knew it was casual when we started—you knew I wasn’t looking for a relationship and that marriage doesn’t figure into my plans. Ever.”
His voice shook, but he didn’t bother to explain why he could never get married. Even if he’d wanted to explain it to her, it wasn’t something he expected anyone to understand. But Cassie was too focused on her own emotions to identify with his.
“I didn’t mean to develop feelings.” She blinked and the tears spilled over. “It just happened.”
He sighed. She was a master at applying whatever technique she thought would get her the farthest. He’d seen it countless times growing up. “This is exactly what I wanted to avoid.”
“You took advantage of me,” she accused.
Indignation reared up. “No I didn’t, not once. The whole thing was your idea!”
“Yeah, one you had no problem jumping into the moment it was out there.”
“Cassie—”
“Just tell me this, why is it so easy for you men to use us and then toss us aside?”
“It was never like that and you damn well know it,” he denied in a furious undertone, fists clenched at his sides. “We were never exclusive—something you proved with your numerous dates over the past year.”
“You’re so stupid Colton, why do you think I did all that?” The tears flowed in earnest now.
The admission floored him. She’d always assured him she wanted nothing from him, until that night a few weeks ago. He’d never have guessed she dated a different guy each week to get his attention. “I’m sorry,” was all he could think to say. And he was.
Cassie drew herself up, wiping at her wet cheeks. “I won’t wait for you forever, you know.”
“I don’t want you to.”
“I’m serious, Colton.”
He didn’t want to hurt her, he really didn’t, but he couldn’t let her think there was anything to wait for. He deliberately hardened his voice. “Goodbye, Cass.”
He raked his fingers throu
gh his hair with a deep, frustrated sigh as their taillights disappeared around the drive.
“That was ruthless.”
Colton spun around at the sound of Kendra’s voice from the shadows. He squinted to see her silhouette in the darkened corner. “How long have you been there?”
“Since I left the table. I needed fresh air.”
So she’d seen and heard it all. It bothered him that that bothered him. He walked over, leaned against the porch rail and crossed his feet at the ankles. “We had a casual relationship, nothing more—she knew that.”
“Sounds like she wanted more.”
“I never promised her anything more.”
“Casual sex,” Kendra said bluntly.
Lifting his shoulder, he repeated his words…and felt small. It annoyed him that after a few short weeks and a couple kisses, Kendra could make him feel bad for something he shouldn’t have to apologize for. Cassie had known what she was getting herself into—it’d been her damn suggestion!
“You’re just a casual guy, aren’t you?” Kendra slid off the rail where she’d been sitting.
Not liking the fact that she might think he slept around—because he didn’t—Colton reached a hand to catch her arm when she would’ve walked past. “I’d broken things off with Cassie before I met you.”
“So?” She pulled her arm free but didn’t move away. “We’ve known each other less than a month.”
“What does that have to do with it?”
“Time has everything to do with it. You go from Cassie to me and God knows who else in such a short period of time.”
He gave a short laugh. “That’s called dating. I’m twenty-six years old, what else would you suggest?”
“Do you sleep with everyone you date?” she asked, her tone ice cold.
“Have we slept together?”
“We’re not dating.”
“And even if we were, no, I don’t go around sleeping with every woman I date.”
“I really don’t care what you do,” she said with a haughty tilt of her nose and flip of her hair. “It’s not like any of it meant anything to me, either.”
Taken aback by her words, he didn’t like the feeling that followed. His ego immediately demanded he challenge her statement.
And there it was—that leap of his pulse and the kick of desire to his gut.
Chapter Fifteen
Kendra’s breath caught when Colton grasped her arm and pulled her close. Her hands rose to brace herself against his chest, and she found herself wedged between his strong legs.
“In that case, casual for you, casual for me…let’s enjoy.”
The full implication of his husky suggestion sent a tiny shiver of apprehension down her spine. Anticipation quickly followed. She needed to push away. She couldn’t do this—could she? His hands applied pressure, urging her closer, but without threatening force.
A tiny voice in the back of her head insisted he was using her, but she ignored the oppressive warning. The night Jeremy raped her four long years ago, she was given no choice. Every day since then she’d fought an inner struggle to maintain the outward pretense that everything was okay.
But it wasn’t. It hadn’t been for a long time and wouldn’t be anytime soon. Her life was too uncertain. Who knew what could happen tomorrow? God, she was so tired of being alone and afraid; it was time she moved on in the one area of her life she was capable of controlling.
Summoning her courage, she lifted her gaze to Colton’s. She trusted him. It made no sense given their brief history and his constant suspicions, but none of that mattered right now. This night, she’d make the choice of her own free will.
She leaned forward in acceptance, closing her eyes and inhaling deeply seconds before his mouth lowered to hers. Musk teased her senses and his mint breath cooled her lips. Amusement flashed. The man always had candy in his pockets.
The sensual glide of his tongue brought forth a contrasting wave of heat. While he nipped and sucked and explored the curve of her bottom lip, she flattened her palms and slid them up his chest to the back of his head. Her fingers wove into his thick, soft hair. An inarticulate whisper of pleasure formed in her throat, urging her to open and invite his full possession.
The sound triggered an answering groan that vibrated in his chest as he deepened the kiss with a powerful thrust of his tongue. One large hand cupped the back of her head. She rose on her tiptoes, shifting closer. A turn and tilt of her chin sealed their mouths together as a firestorm of passion engulfed her. It flamed across her stimulated nerve endings. Time and place ceased to exist, suspending her in a wonderful whirlpool of sensation.
Next she knew, he lifted her and walked her backward into the house without breaking contact until they were at her bedroom door. His hands caressed her back. She tentatively slid her fingers under the edge of his shirt where they met firm, warm flesh. Growing bolder, she skimmed her hands up across the muscles of his back. His rough groan gave her a surprising feeling of power.
Before she lost her nerve, she grasped the bottom of his T-shirt and dragged it up. He raised his arms, allowing her to pull it over his head. Colton sought another kiss and she dropped the shirt at their feet to free her hands for exploration. He leaned against the door while she mapped the contours of his chest. Despite her limited experience with men, something told her his build was not the norm.
He snaked one arm around her waist and began to pull her closer. Next thing she knew, the door at his back flew open and he stumbled backward into her bedroom. Kendra lost her balance and fell against him. They tumbled to the floor, her on top.
“Oh, God, I’m sorry! Are you okay?” She started to push off him as his body shook beneath her. Catching sight of his expression, she realized he was laughing.
“Fine…you?”
She smiled sheepishly and nodded. Still chuckling, he dropped his head back to the floor with a soft thud. Strong hands gripped her arms and pulled her up along his body until she stared down at his now serious expression. Her hair curtained their faces, and he threaded his fingers through it on either side of her face. Mesmerized by the intensity of his gaze, she swallowed hard.
The light brush of his thumb over her bottom lip made her chest constrict and her mouth went dry. Amazed that the thought of what she was about to do didn’t frighten her in the least, she parted her lips and gently caught his thumb between her teeth. In the dim light, she saw his eyes darken, heard the sharp intake of his breath.
She was then treated to a slow, sexy smile before he suggested, “The bed would be a lot more comfortable.”
Her stomach fluttered and an answering smile curved her lips. She was really going to do this. Nervous excitement made her lightheaded as she climbed off him and held out a hand to help him up. He grasped it tight, rose to his feet without any effort on her part, then led her to the bed.
She sat as he stood in front of her, making her tilt her head up to look at him. He reached forward and cupped her cheek with one hand.
“For the record, there’s only been three women that I’ve ever—”
She quickly rose up to place her fingers against his lips. She wasn’t ready for an exchange of confessions just yet. And if he didn’t kiss her again soon, she might begin to over-think everything and lose her nerve. “It’s okay. I’m not going to ask for any sort of commitment afterward.”
His lips tightened, and a flash of disappointment in his eyes surprised her.
In the next moment, though, he gave a slow grin, pulled her to him, and kissed her past the point of no return. Somewhere in the midst of it, she lost her shirt and bra.
He laid her on the bed and the first touch of his mouth on her breast made her gasp in amazement.
A primal throb began deep inside. A sound of pleasure escaped her lips when he swirled his tongue around her tightened nipple, then sucked it into his mouth. So hot. The sensations incredible. She’d never imagined a man’s touch could make her feel this way. She trembled and shifted h
er hips restlessly as the ache intensified with each sensual tug on her one breast and the massage of his large hand on the other.
Unsure exactly how to ease the building pressure between her legs, she fisted her fingers in his hair and drew him up for another kiss. Then she resumed her exploration of his body, brushing her fingers along the front waistband of his jeans. His stomach muscles tightened, and her hand jerked, bumping against his arousal. Colton groaned.
She drew back, dismayed that she’d hurt him. His hand quickly reached for hers, and he pressed her palm against his length. As his tongue twisted with hers, his erection pulsed under her fingers and that’s when she understood. He enjoyed her touch. An experimental rub drew forth another groan.
Suddenly, he rolled onto his back and pulled her along so she lay on top of him. The hair on his chest teased her sensitive nipples. Would her mouth on his give him the same pleasure? She wanted to ask, but found herself tongue-tied. With a hand on either side of him, she pushed up slightly. His hands roamed down her back, over her butt, then grasped each thigh just above her knees. He pulled until her knees bracketed his hips and her pelvis rested just above his.
“Let me look at you,” he murmured, urging her into a sitting position. Her long curls covered her chest until he reached up and brushed them back over her shoulders. Then he cupped her breasts in his hands.
“Colton—”
“Shh.” He massaged for a moment, then lifted his gaze to hers. “Unbutton my jeans.”
For a split second, her heart pounded in her ears at the low command. But his fire-lit green eyes conveyed desire and a plea, not hatred and cruelty.
Her gaze locked on his heavy-lidded eyes as she reached for the button of his strained jeans. Her hand trembled against him ever so slightly. Her fingers fumbled. Heat flooded her cheeks and spread through her entire body. Finally, she succeeded in releasing the damn button.
After the slightest of hesitations, and an internal admonishment, she slid the zipper down along his hard length, and dropped her gaze to see what she’d uncovered.
The shrill ring of the phone damn near made her jump out of her skin. Colton swore under his breath and lifted his head to glare at the intrusion. “Who would be calling now?”
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