Colton

by Melissa Belle

  We come together, our hearts pounding as we cry out our release. I lean my cheek on his shoulder and wait for my pulse to calm down. Colton’s arms wrap around me, his hands rubbing my bare back.

  “Ten years ago, I fell in love with a girl,” he says softly into my ear, and my skin fills with goosebumps. “I thought I’d lost her forever. But here she is, in my arms. The most beautiful woman in the world. And I’m never letting her go again. No matter how much you run, Sky, I’ll always run after you.”

  I raise my head so I can meet his feverish gaze. “You won’t have to chase after me, Colt. Not anymore. You were never who I was running from. I just didn’t realize that until the man I was actually scared of got locked up.”

  He sucks in a breath. “What are you saying? Is everything all right?”

  I nod. “I talked to my brothers today. Our father’s in jail. Finally.”

  “Shit. About fucking time.” He kisses me. “What happened?”

  When I’ve finished telling him the story, he tucks me closer into his chest. “How do you feel?”

  “Free,” I say truthfully. “I didn’t know how on-the-run I’d felt, but when I learned that the man we had to escape from couldn’t find me anymore, it was like these shackles dropped away. And then I had nothing I needed to flee from.” I lock eyes with Colton. “I want to be honest with you. I called my therapist, and told her about how I kicked you.”

  “Sky…”

  I hold up my hand. “Wait. Don’t tell me it’s fine, because it’s not. Not to me. I know what it feels like to have someone you love hit you, and it kills me that I struck you in anger. Even though it wasn’t on purpose, and my therapist explained how that makes a difference.”

  “Of course it makes a difference.” Colton’s eyes flash with emotion. “You would never hurt me willingly, Skylar.”

  I tell him how Dr. Bradley said she could help us, and how she would like to meet him.

  “You may not be comfortable with therapy,” I say quickly. “So if not, then we could…”

  “I’m absolutely comfortable going to a session with you,” he says. “I want to do whatever we need to do to sort through all of this. I know our relationship has gotten intense really fast.”

  “I also want you to know that I was coming to see you tonight regardless. I had made up my mind before my brothers called to tell me about our father. The news didn’t make my decision for me; it just made everything in my life feel that much clearer.”

  Colton brings my face so close our noses are touching. “I’m happy for you. It’s a fucked-up justice for your family, one you all deserved a lot earlier, and I’m sorry for all of it and for everyone who suffered. But I’m happy you won’t have to worry about your mom, and yourself, anymore.”

  “Thanks.” I wiggle closer to him. “Shouldn’t we go hang out with everyone downstairs?”

  “In a minute.” He kisses me. “Or an hour.” His hand slips between my legs.

  “Won’t they be wondering where we disappeared to?” I force out, my body already turned on again.

  Colton chuckles into my neck, and the vibration makes me giggle. “I think they’ve got a pretty good idea where we are.” His mouth covers mine, and I moan. “I’m thinking we should do this again, Skylar. What do you think?”

  I think he and I are on the exact same page.

  Epilogue

  Seven Months Later

  Skylar

  The stadium box in Las Vegas is filled with family and friends—my mom; my brothers, who are out of their minds with joy that they get to be here; Colton’s mom, who’s so sweet; Dylan’s parents and brother; plus Brayden, Cameron, Ayden, and Jenson. My eyes are glued to the field below, where the Cougars are down by four points with less than a minute to go in the Super Bowl. The Cougars have the ball a little past midfield, and I think I’m going to throw up.

  “It’s okay.” Cam’s voice next to me is confident as he pats my knee. “Dylan’s not going to give up the ball without a touchdown. No way he’ll let this opportunity slip.”

  I nod. “Right. I know.”

  I’m lying through my teeth. I don’t know shit. I can hardly breathe from the anxiety running through my veins.

  Dylan takes the snap. My heart comes up into my throat as he steps back and shifts on his feet. Two defenders break free, but just as it looks like Dylan’s about to get sacked, he lets go of the ball. My head whips right to follow the trajectory, and the moment I realize he’s thrown it to Colton, the ball is caught.

  Colton takes the ball in his hands and starts running. He breaks two tackles, fending them off like they aren’t even there. He crosses the thirty, and then the twenty, and he’s still on his feet. Cam is screaming so loudly next to me I can’t hear anybody else. When Colton crosses the line into the end zone, he spikes the ball hard, and is immediately bombarded by his teammates.

  I start crying and laughing and jumping up and down, hugging Cam, then my mom and brothers, and everyone else in the box that I can get my hands on. Jenson and Ayden are high-fiving each other and Brayden lifts me up in a hug.

  “They did it!” he shouts. “Wild to Wild for the win!”

  As he sets me back on my feet, I turn to the field again. Colton’s down there somewhere, but I have no clue where. Then Brayden points to the TV screen in the box.

  The commentator has Dylan and Colton on either side of her. Both guys look happy but exhausted. Dylan finishes answering a question, and the commentator asks Colton if he has anything special planned to celebrate. He gives her that flirty smile and tells her he doesn’t need to party when he already has everything he needs. Then he looks directly into the camera. “Skylar, babe. You and me—as soon as I change out of this uniform.” With a wink, he ends the interview and starts walking off the field with Dylan.

  Brayden and Cam laugh. “What was that about, Sky?” Cam asks, his expression curious.

  But I’m not giving up the secret Colton and I have planned. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

  * * *

  Before Colton and I can carry out our plan, we have to attend a team party to celebrate their big win. I wander through the event awkwardly while he and Dylan are pulled in every direction possible. My brothers take care of my mother and Colton’s mom, and Cameron and Brayden hang out in the corner drinking beers. Eventually, I settle myself on a couch with Jenson and Ayden, who are both texting on their phones. After they get up to use the bathroom, I’m relieved when Dylan sinks down on the cushion next to me. He’s buzzed, and I’m bored, and before I know it, we’re chatting about the odds of Dylan meeting a woman who isn’t going to take pictures of him with her phone and then put them up on social media the next day.

  “Okay. So other than the opposite of that, what kind of woman are you looking for?” I ask him.

  He pauses, beer bottle part way to his mouth. “Someone who feels like home, who can handle my crazy life, and who isn’t with me for what I do.” He runs a hand down his face. “Shit. Do not repeat any of that to Colton. He’ll never let up on giving me crap.”

  “Why?”

  “Because at first, before I met you, I gave him shit about his certainty regarding you. He’ll be ready to return the favor, believe me.”

  I laugh. “Colton’s a romantic, though.”

  “That’s the other part of him I don’t want to hear from. He’ll start trying to fix me up. That never fucking works.”

  “Well, I agree with you there.” I tap my bottled water to his beer. “You’ll find the right woman, Dylan Wild. And when you do, I have a feeling she’s going to give you a run for your money.”

  “Right now what I need is a date for next week. My charity is this close to getting a huge sponsor, but the owner’s very traditional, and he doesn’t like the fact that I’ve been seen with multiple women and don’t ever seem to get serious with anyone. So my agent’s telling me to bring a woman to Arizona for our team event. He’s sure that with all the media covering us there, if I’m photo
graphed with one woman, the sponsor will sign on.”

  “What about if you just go alone?” I say. “You are technically single, right?”

  “I said the same thing. But Tim’s insistent this guy won’t like that any better. It will just make him think I’m there to pick up women.” He shakes his head. “So nuts when all I’m trying to do is get a sponsor to help out the kids. This is my favorite charity, and really close to my heart.”

  “Wild 4 Kids, right? Colton told me about it. It sounds awesome.”

  “It is. I love art, but I suck at it myself. I just want kids who don’t have a chance to do something outside the box to be able to maybe use it as a kind of healing. Sounds crazy to say I need a date to make that happen.”

  I glance around the room in a half-joking manner. “Maybe you can find a date here.”

  Dylan’s eyes go flat. “I’m not taking anyone famous, that’s for sure. Or anyone who wants me for my career.”

  “Colton said you’ve had some bad experiences,” I say. “I’m sorry.”

  He shrugs. “It comes with the territory.” His eyes scan the crowd. “Honestly, I’d rather be alone right now. Dating has been nothing but a fucking nightmare lately.”

  Before I can encourage him to stay optimistic, Colton drops down onto the cushion on my other side, just as a server stops at our couch. Her blond hair hangs down her back in a razor-straight, effortless style, and her features can only be described as perfect. Her skin is clear and smooth, but her expression has a “don’t mess with me” look that I immediately admire.

  “Can I refresh your drinks?” she asks in a voice so quiet I barely hear her over the loud music and rambunctious players.

  “No, thank you,” I say. “I’m all set.”

  “You weren’t our server before.” Dylan’s tone is surprised, almost taken aback.

  The woman’s eyes widen. “No. I don’t normally do this. I’m with the marketing firm, but my boss sent me over to help cover.” She shifts uncomfortably from one foot to the other. With those long legs and perfect body, she could be a model. In fact, if she weren’t trying to refill our drinks, I would have sworn she was one of the many celebrities drifting in and out of the room.

  Dylan obviously thinks similarly, because he immediately turns up the charm. “Are you sure you work for a marketing firm and not a modeling agency? You’re the most beautiful woman in here hands down.”

  She’s clearly not taken in by his easy-going smile and sexy swagger, because she recoils like he struck her. “I’m sorry to disappoint, but I’m nobody special.” She turns to Colton and says politely to him and Dylan: “Congratulations on the win. That last play was quite spectacular.”

  Colton nods at her, but Dylan’s silent as he continues to assess the woman. She keeps shifting on her feet, like she can’t wait to turn and race off.

  “Well, I disagree with what you said earlier. I think you’re special.” Dylan’s tone is suave, but I swear I hear a crack of vulnerability in there that surprises me. “Maybe I can take you out?”

  “You don’t want to go out with me.”

  Before he can protest and keep flirting with her, she adds firmly, “And a one-night stand with the current athlete of the month isn’t anything I’m interested in.”

  Colton whistles. “Ouch,” he says in a teasing tone as he leans over me and slaps Dylan lightly on the knee.

  “You don’t like athletes?” Dylan gives her that panty-dropping grin he must have been born with, and drops his voice even lower than normal. I nearly laugh at how thick he’s laying it on. I can’t blame him, really; he’s drop-dead gorgeous, and he knows it.

  But the woman he’s trying to impress is unwavering in her refusal. “I don’t care about celebrities, or money, or whatever you think I’m going to fall for so you can try to get laid tonight. Excuse me.”

  With that, she turns on her heel and disappears into the crowd. Dylan’s smile is still on his face as he stares after her like she just flirted back with him, rather than the whiplash rejection she obviously gave.

  Colton chuckles. “At least she was honest, huh? And she told you no, man. Kind of refreshing, actually.”

  I tilt my chin in the woman’s general direction. “Dylan, you just asked somebody out! I thought you said you were done with women, and dating.”

  “That was before I saw her.” Dylan’s eyes are shining brighter than I’ve ever seen them. “She’s the one. I’m taking her to Arizona with me next week. I need a date for the charity event, and she’s it.”

  Colton breaks into laughter. “Well, good luck with that, Dyl. She was pretty clear that she doesn’t have any interest in Dylan Wild the star.”

  “Exactly. And that’s exactly why she’s perfect.”

  Colton shakes his head and turns to me. “While my cousin’s figuring that shit out, you want to get out of here?” He whispers into my ear. “I’m ready to make this official, aren’t you?”

  I kiss his jaw. “More than ready. Let’s go.”

  Colton turns to Dylan. “Let’s round everybody up, man. You don’t want to miss this.”

  * * *

  Colton

  I’d already ordered our licenses, so all we have to do is show up at the nondescript chapel far off the strip, where there are no crowds or fans. I was worried Sky would wish she had a big white dress and fancy reception, but she said from the beginning she wanted simple and quick. She’s never been the kind of woman who wants the attention or likes to dress up, and I don’t care where or how we get married, as long as I’m getting married to her.

  I ask Dylan to be my best man, and Cameron, Brayden, Ayden, and Jenson stand up with us. Skylar’s two brothers walk her down the aisle, and our mothers serve as her matrons of honor.

  The ceremony is romantic and to the point. Sky and I wrote our own short vows, and she tears up a bit during hers. Okay, so do I. I can barely finish telling her that she’s my best friend and I want nothing more than to love her every day forever, because I’m all choked up. We exchange simple wedding bands, and the minister congratulates us and says we are now husband and wife. Mr. and Mrs. Wild sounds pretty good to me.

  Sky turns her beautiful face to mine as we walk out of the chapel. “I didn’t know I could be this happy, Colton.”

  I lean down to kiss her. “Neither did I. I love you. Forever.”

  “Let’s go consummate the marriage.” She lifts an eyebrow at me.

  “As you wish, Mrs. Wild.” I’m never going to deny her anything, and I’m going to work every day to make sure she always has everything she wants and needs.

  Sky and I were two lost souls in the city of angels before we rediscovered each other. And we had to wade through some old crap to get to where we are today. But I’m one of the lucky guys, the one who found his soul mate as a kid and actually got a second chance to make her mine. I waited a decade to have that chance. But when fate gave me the opportunity, I gave Skylar Rosewood my heart all over again. I could have lost, and ended up worse than I was, but I took the gamble. Because Sky was worth it. She’ll always be worth it. To call her mine, and know that I’m hers, was always a risk worth taking. And now we have each other forever.

  The End

  * * *

  Turn the page to read what’s next in the Wild Men series!

  Coming Next!

  Get ready for Colton’s cousin and quarterback Dylan! Dylan and Jasalie’s story is hot and sexy. DYLAN releases this summer and is available for pre-order now!

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  Take a peek at DYLAN:

  * * *

  Jasalie

  * * *

  I’m not a waitress. I’ve never carried food, or a drink, through a restaurant in my life. Except when I was stealing food to feed myself. But I’m not that person anymore.

  However, thanks to my pushy boss, I end up standing in front of Dylan Wild at the Supe
r Bowl after party, asking him if he needs a drink. Like a stereotypical professional athlete, he hits on me.

  I say no.

  Sure, he’s the star quarterback. Sure, he’s hotter than sin. And finally, a man who’s taller than me.

  I still say no. I’m not the kind of woman Dylan Wild wants, not if he knew who I really was.

  So I walk off, telling myself I’ll never see him again, anyway.

  Turns out fate has different plans…

  * * *

  Dylan

  I’ve learned the hard way I can’t trust anyone—even a beautiful woman. But ever since Jasalie Gordon offered me a drink, I haven’t stopped thinking of her.

  And what are the freaking odds—she ends up working my out-of-town team event a week later? It feels like the stars are aligned…except she turns me down. Again.

  But that just fires me up more. I like that she said no. I love that she said no. But I want her in my bed. And not just for one night.

  Jasalie’s guard’s up, though—and I know when I’m about to get sacked. So I present her with a deal: be my date to this weekend’s charity event—no sex, just business, unless she decides she wants more.

  I’ve got three days to convince Jasalie I’m worth the risk.

  Because I don’t play a game unless I plan to win.

  * * *

  READ DYLAN AND JASALIE’S STORY IN DYLAN, COMING THE SUMMER OF 2018! PRE-ORDER NOW!

  Also by Melissa Belle

  LOVE IS IN THE CARDS Series

  UNDERNEATH THE MASK - a prequel novella

  FINDING JOY STREET

  WHO RIDES SHOTGUN

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