Chapter 23
Jace kept a close eye on the fire pit, watching as the crab came to a boil. He timed it, trying for just right. Per the seasoning packet instructions, the contents needed to sit in order to let the seasoning do its job. It didn’t go unnoticed that he was cooking meat or trying to get it perfect for Colt. It also wasn’t too big a surprise to realize ten years of longing meant nothing. He was already back to doing just about anything to please his lover, who was currently inside, making the phone calls Jace had asked him to make.
Jace removed the oversize pot from the rack and anchored it in the sand next to their lounge chairs. Ignoring the chairs, he took the time to spread out a large terry cloth bath sheet they’d found in town today, hoping for a romantic setting in the sand, a more intimate place to sit, eat, and watch the moonrise. Maybe like a midnight picnic? Anything to soothe the tension he’d formed between them. Jace dropped down on the towel, anchoring his arms around his knees, dropping his head between his shoulders. Why had he insisted Colt make those calls?
He warred with himself, completely uncertain if this was the right move to force Colt to call his dad. He liked things so much better when he’d had the hangover this morning. His head hurt too bad to fight with his heart. Now, as the battle raged between the smart thing to do versus what his emotional needs were, Jace scrubbed a hand down over his face and through his hair. Each minute that ticked by made him more desperate, convincing him this hadn’t been a good idea to push Colt into settling his past life.
What if Colt didn’t come outside? What if he worked out whatever caused him to leave in the first place? Colt could have taken off straight after the phone call, without so much as even a goodbye. Surely to God Colt wouldn’t do something like that… again. No, he wouldn’t, not after the day they’d shared.
Colt had easily held his hand today, accepted and gave quick pecks. Those things didn’t go unnoticed. Jace had been surprised they were already out around town as a couple. After the newness of the touches wore off, Jace realized Colt made conscience choices to do those things, and he was proud of him trying. It couldn’t have been easy to hide yourself all your life, and then just put who you really were out there, but Colt had in order to prove he was serious about their pairing. Right? At least that’s the conclusion he’d come to while they were shopping today.
Jace sighed, pushing himself to his feet, and walked to the end of the surf, standing with his feet at the water’s edge. He stared out at the night. Could he handle another Colt Michaels heartbreak? He wasn’t so certain he could. He actually knew he couldn’t.
Somewhere in the back of Jace’s mind, he felt Colt’s approach way before he ever heard him walking up. Relief staggered. He closed his eyes and said a simple prayer, asking God to please not let this be a goodbye. He was already so in tune to Colt, he felt his presence before Colt reached him. Jace gave an inward groan, pushing his inner negativity away. He needed to hope for the best, and he dropped his hands into the pockets of his shorts. Colt came to stand beside him, mimicking his stance. They were close, but not touching, and both looked out into the night, watching the lure of the ocean.
“It’s so calming out here,” Colt said after a minute. His mind was clearly elsewhere, and Jace didn’t look over at him. He just waited to hear what Colt had to say.
“I called my dad, and I called Maryia,” Colt said and inclined his head toward Jace. He still wouldn’t look at Colt; he just stood there, waiting.
“My father’s not happy, but he’ll get over it. He needs the allowance I give him. And Maryia… well, I should know something tomorrow, but I think she’ll bend. You shouldn’t be mentioned.” That caught Jace’s attention, and he turned his head in question, unsure whether he’d heard correctly.
“Oh right, you were drunk.” Jace rolled his eyes at Colt’s comment and got a chuckle from Colt. “I told you she found my stash of your pictures. I had this collection of articles and pictures, and she found it. She had your name and threatened to expose you. Said she would ruin you, start rumors about you being a child molester. I couldn’t risk her hurting you. That’s how it all started with us getting engaged.” Jace stared at Colt for several moments, and then nodded. He didn’t remember that from the night before. For about the twentieth time today, Jace had wished he’d been in his right mind to remember everything between them last night.
“I wouldn’t recover from something like that, no matter how big a lie it was. Parents wouldn’t ever trust their kids with me again,” Jace said quietly.
“I know. It’s why everything went down the way it did,” Colt said. They were both back to staring out into the ocean.
“So where does this leave you?” The magnitude of the situation settled on Jace. If Colt had truly taken care of his life, then everything sounded good, he guessed. Maybe. Jace wasn’t sure.
“It leaves me right here with you, but you keep giving off this vibe that I might not be welcomed. Jace, am I welcomed here?” Colt asked, without looking at him.
“Yes. I’m sorry. I just…” He turned completely toward Colt.
“No, I get it. Look, either Maryia’s going to expose us or take the money. My gut says she’s gonna take the money. I think she has the fame she needed to boost herself up, especially if she’s the bride left at the altar. She’ll use that pity and work it to her advantage. My dad’s a non-factor anymore. He destroyed us once, but he can’t touch us anymore. Besides, apparently he’s getting married to one of Maryia’s friends.” That caused Jace’s jaw to drop. He was dumbfounded, and he could only stare at Colt.
“Yeah, that’s pretty much how I felt about it.”
Jace shook his head. “Unbelievable, Colt. And this is the man who beat the shit out of you?”
“Yeah, I don’t like to think about that. Except he’s apparently still thinking he can kick my ass again if need be. My only defense for what I did ten years ago is that I was scared for both of us. He had such a tight grip on me back then. I knew he’d come after you and hurt you. I couldn’t let that happen. He’s such a bad man. I had those same feelings when Maryia attacked you. It just paralyzed me. It took me a solid ten months to realize I held the cards to my life.” Colt ran his fingers through his hair.
“Oh, and I’ll be near broke. Is that a problem for you?” Colt added, lifting a brow. He tried to lighten the mood.
“No. I’m not broke. Far from it, in fact,” Jace said, and now he was grinning. Colt didn’t touch him, but moved closer.
“I’m honestly exhausted, both emotionally and physically, but I haven’t wanted a drink since I left New York. You can trust that’s a first for me. You’ve been kind to me. I would’ve groveled and begged. I was all set to do anything to get you back. I can’t erase the doubt that I put between us, but I’m here, and I’ll spend the rest of my life doing whatever it takes to keep us together.”
“I’m trying to go with it, trying to understand,” Jace said, stepping into Colt who wrapped him in his arms and finally kissed him softly.
“Thank you. I don’t even deserve that much.” Colt took Jace’s hand and pulled him down to the beach towel, and he kept Jace right there in the circle of his arms through the entire meal.
“What made you grow your hair out?” Colt asked, leaning against the doorframe of the bathroom. He watched as Jace primped for their big date night.
“You don’t like it?” Jace asked, looking directly at Colt through the small mirror above the sink. Jace left his hair down, flipping the ends under with a hairdryer, but now, as Colt asked the question, he started brushing the strands back, digging in the drawers for the leather strap he used as a tie-back.
“Hey, I didn’t say that. I like it fine. You’re fuckin’ hot as hell. I just wondered, that’s all. When I watched the cheerleading competition, I kept pausing the screen, looking at you now and then back at the picture of you in college. I like both looks.” Colt immediately back pedaled, moving into the bathroom as Jace worked his hair from his face.
Jace went from painstakingly styling it to pulling his hair into a tight ponytail.
“Wear it down. What are you doing putting it up? I wasn’t saying I didn’t like it. Seriously stop, I like it down. I like to play with the ends,” Colt said, placing his hand on top of Jace’s, stopping him before he could complete his task.
“Are you sure?” Jace asked, and Colt grinned at how easily Jace tried to please him. How had he ever let this go?
“Of course, I’m sure. It was just a question over a part in your life I missed. I have lots of questions. Another one is why didn’t you come to the season opener with your cheerleaders? I was so disappointed you weren’t there.” Colt handed the brush back to Jace and took the leather strap from his hand, dropping it back in the drawer and closing it with a decidedly hard shove. End of issue.
“You know why I wasn’t there,” Jace said, brushing his hair back in place. He bypassed Colt still standing next to him and walked into the bedroom. Jace was wearing new blue jeans and a violet purple button down, untucked with the sleeves rolled up. He stood at the dresser, adding a string of island shells around his neck and a braided leather strap around his wrist. He dug through his shoes to find anything appropriate for dancing.
“I don’t know why you didn’t come, except for maybe you didn’t wanna see me,” Colt said, waiting now. He was ready to leave fifteen minutes ago.
“I didn’t. I wouldn’t have been able to stand seeing you and not being able to do anything about it,” Jace said, sliding his feet into a pair of sandals. They weren’t really dancing shoes, but it was all he had. As he worked the strap onto the back of his heel, Colt's arms slid around him from behind, and he kissed his neck.
“I wanted you there so you could see me and fall hopelessly back in love with me, to confess your life was shit without me, and I planned to do the same,” Colt whispered against his skin.
“It’s probably what I would have done and exactly why I didn’t go.” Jace stood, turning his head for a kiss. Colt’s lips found his, and Jace pressed back into Colt’s hold.
“We could always stay in tonight. I think you’re way too hot to share. Some island guy might try and steal you away from me,” Colt whispered and ground his cock into Jace’s ass. Jace turned in Colt’s arms, allowing him the opportunity to slide his hands down to Jace’s ass. Shifting his hips, he brought their jean covered erections together and wiggled his eyebrows.
“Dinner out was your idea to celebrate your ex-almost wife agreeing to your terms, but if we stay here, we should finish painting…” Jace didn’t have time to finish the sentence. Colt had him by the hand, pulling him from the bedroom.
“Dinner out it is!” Jace laughed as Colt hurriedly tugged him from the house to his rental in less than a minute. They had painted half the house today, and out of all the repairs, it was absolutely the worst thing he’d done yet.
Hours later, the dance floor was packed, but neither paid any attention. This moment only existed for the two of them. “You were made for me, Jace Montgomery.”
Colt held Jace in the tight circle of his embrace. So far the night was turning out pretty perfect. For dinner, they enjoyed a large salad and grilled vegetables. Colt hadn’t ordered any meat with his meal, hoping to impress Jace, and he was surprisingly stuffed. It made him feel much better about Jace’s long term health, even though Jace scoffed a little at his too fatty—per Jace and definitely not Colt’s perspective—Caesar dressing. Colt responded very clearly that a man could only give so much.
It hadn’t taken long for Colt to lure Jace out on the dance floor. These weren’t baby steps at all. Instead, Colt again pushed away his lifelong need to hide and stepped way out of his comfort zone by dancing intimately with a man. Once Jace agreed to dance with him, Colt immediately drew their bodies together. Jace grinned at him, and slid right in, meshing them together. For every bold move Colt made, Jace made another. These moments were incredibly freeing to Colt’s soul, allowing him bolder moves as the night progressed.
They swayed together for a couple of hours, only pausing for water or bathroom breaks. Colt had even encouraged Jace to drink alcohol tonight if he wanted. Colt would absolutely be okay being the designated, but Jace scoffed that off. Not because of Colt and his alcoholism, but because he’d sworn off drinking three nights ago, claiming he never wanted another hangover as long as he lived. They were a match made in heaven.
A local band played the rhythms of the island. The restaurant turned out to be the perfect place, just like Tilly said. The club was intimately small, not large like the dance clubs back home. It seemed designed more for the locals, not the usual tourist trap. Colt would classify the place as more of a grill with a dance floor that cozily opened to the outside and overlooked the ocean. It was dark, very romantic, and lit only with flickering tiki torches.
A cooling breeze blew inside, keeping the dance floor a perfect temperature, even though his body was past hot and bothered. Colt loved the foreplay of dancing. He slid his hands up and under Jace’s shirt, letting his fingers strum across the bare skin of his back. Goose bumps sprung along Jace’s back and arms, and Colt grinned. “I love dancing with you.”
“You were never this bold before,” Jace said close to Colt’s ear. His eyes were closed. He moved instinctively as Colt led, and Jace slid his hands down along Colt’s ass, gripping him, pulling him tighter against his body.
“I made love to you on the beach in broad daylight,” Colt said, turning his face toward Jace. It was something he’d done before when they were younger, but would absolutely repeat today. He was forced to lean back a little so he could kiss Jace’s lips. Jace kissed him back but never really lifted his head from Colt’s shoulder. Jace was about the sexiest thing he had ever seen.
“You make me feel like we’re a couple,” Jace said and pulled Colt’s polo from his jeans to run his hands over the exposed skin. The move was bold, and there was no mistaking Jace’s intent as he lowered his hands to the waistband and slid his fingers down as far as he could go.
“We are a couple,” Colt said, welding Jace to his chest.
“The island’s so much freer with things. Everyone seems more open here. I’m gonna miss this when we go back,” Jace sighed and raised his head to kiss Colt’s neck, nibbling his way to Colt’s ear.
“Fuck, you’re making me crazy,” Colt growled and leaned his head back farther to give Jace better access.
“Good. Me, too. Let’s go home,” Jace whispered.
“I want you to feel wined and dined. I’m trying to impress you with dinner and dancing,” Colt teased, not letting Jace move from his hold.
“Let me show you how glad I am that you came back to me,” Jace whispered, staying pressed against his body, as he slid his right hand inside the back of Colt’s jeans and trailed a finger down his ass crack. “I need to be inside you again. It’s been way too long.”
“Oh, fuck yeah. I’ve missed that,” Colt groaned and tilted his ass to accommodate Jace’s seeking finger. Jace pulled back and gave him a strange look.
“What does that mean?” Jace withdrew his hand from Colt’s jeans.
“The feeling of having you in me… you know. You’re the only one that’s breached that surface. No one else,” Colt explained. He would rather have Jace’s hands back on him, and he tightened his grip on Jace, leaning in to nibble on his neck. He couldn’t even understand why they were talking right now and flicked his tongue out, licking his way straight up to Jace’s ear.
“I thought you fucked guys?” Jace’s voice carried, and they came to a stop on the dance floor.
“Yeah, I fucked them. I didn’t let them fuck me. Don’t stop dancing,” Colt whispered. He was bolder, but not ready for everyone around them to know his sexual history. He used his body to try and sway Jace, nudging to get him moving again, but the stunned Jace wouldn’t have any of it and remained stiff as a board. Okay, maybe they were having this conversation right now after all.
“But you liked that s
o much,” Jace said, or maybe asked, Colt wasn’t sure.
“I liked it with you,” Colt responded, telling the truth. No one had ever known him like Jace, and as far as he was concerned, no one ever would.
“Let’s go home,” Jace finally said after looking at Colt for several long seconds.
“Let me get our tab.” Hot damn! All of the sudden it was okay they weren’t swaying together any longer. He was about to get some, which technically shouldn’t have made him so happy. Jace turned out to be a safe bet. They had been pretty much like newlyweds over the last two days, but as Colt eagerly pulled Jace from the dance floor and grabbed their check, the intense look on Jace’s face broke, and he gave a crooked grin.
“You’re officially broke. I’ll get our tab.”
Chapter 24
Colt drove, keeping Jace as close to him as the car and console would allow. He kept their fingers entwined, lifting Jace’s hand every now and then to place small kisses on his knuckles.
“I’m glad we’re back together,” Colt said, winding through the curves of the dark road. He drove slowly, staying under the speed limit, hoping he was doing an adequate job at building anticipation. Jace didn’t respond, but reached over and kissed his cheek. Colt turned his head quickly, trying in vain to capture those lips with his. Jace stayed inches away, still right in his face, grinning until he bent in, giving another quick kiss to his lips.
“I know a lot about you. I kept up with you, but there were like two or three years after we finished college, before your gym hit it big, that I have no idea about. Tell me about it,” Colt said. He brought Jace’s hand to his lips for another kiss and then rested their entangled fingers on his thigh, slowly stroking his thumb over Jace’s palm.
“I… it took me some time to get over you. I was so into you by the time we got back, our breakup tore me up pretty good. I didn’t do so well when I first got out of college. I kind of let my mom down some. That first year, I moved back home and took a job telemarketing. How lame is that?” Jace asked; he kept his gaze directed out the front window. Colt could feel Jace’s pain as he told the story. He hated he was responsible for putting the ache in Jace’s words.
Nice Guys Collection With Added Bonus Material Page 19
