“You have to talk to me. Please, Jace. If we can’t work it out, I won’t stop you from leaving, but please give us a chance,” Colt begged, knowing the words he spoke were one hundred percent a lie. He’d never let Jace leave. He would absolutely do or say anything to keep Jace with him. Colt moved around the car and hastily gripped the gap in driver’s side window. If Jace left, he was dragging Colt with him. Jace rolled the window down.
Colt waited as the window lowered before he reached across Jace and turned the car off. Jace kept him from pulling the keys out of the ignition, but the car wasn’t running and gave Colt the minute he needed to try and talk Jace out of the car.
“Why are you leaving me?”
“You’re naked, Colt. Go back inside.”
“Not without you,” Colt said, gripping the windowsill, trying to keep from touching Jace. “Come back inside, Jace. Explain this to me. Let me try to make it right. Whatever it is, I’ll do whatever. Please, don’t leave me,” Colt pleaded, pulling the door open from the inside until he could step around and get closer to Jace. He took Jace’s hands, and on a deep breath started again. “Baby, why are you leaving me?”
“I can’t do what you’re asking of me. Not anymore. I can’t hide. I’ve never hidden who I am. And if we go with your plan, not only will I be hiding, you’ll only be my partner for a few months out of the year.” Jace stopped talking and shook his head, looking away from Colt. “I can’t. You can’t. It’ll be too much.”
“Okay, then we won’t hide. When I was lying there, I didn’t think I had it in me to be away from you that long. I’ll figure something else out that keeps us together. I'll find a way to retire if I have to. Now come back inside,” Colt said, pulling Jace from the car. He wouldn’t be happy until Jace was in the house and the car parked back in the driveway.
“Lookin’ good, old man!” A truck full of teenagers rounded the corner and drove past them, slowing way down to get a better look. Clearly they were coming home from a long night of partying and Colt ignored them as the hoots and hollers continued.
“Go inside, Colt. I’ll come back in, but go inside,” Jace said.
“No.” Colt finally tugged Jace hard enough to get him out of the car, and he slid in the driver’s seat. “I’ll meet you inside. I can’t risk you leaving me.”
Colt pushed Jace back, shut the door, and parked the car back in the driveway, right behind his car. He jumped out, his eyes on Jace who walked slowly back to the front door, and Colt clicked the locks to the car. He resisted throwing the keys out into the ocean. The throw would be a distance, but Colt thought he had it in him if it kept Jace from leaving.
Instead, he watched Jace take the stairs back up to the house and go inside. He found a random beach towel hanging over the rail on the porch and covered himself as he followed. All of the sudden his feet hurt, the dried grass and rocks he’d ran full force over only minutes before were like nails and glass under his tender soles, so he tiptoed his way back inside.
He opened the front door and entered. Jace stood right in the middle of the entryway. Colt kept a tight hold on the keys and faced off with him. Now that Jace was back inside, the immediate panic had subsided and Colt wanted the problems out and solved. There would be no more future talk of leaving and apparently that needed to be discussed too.
“Put some clothes on,” Jace said, motioning at him, before crossing his arms over his chest.
“Why? You haven’t had a problem with my nudity since I arrived,” Colt shot back. He kept a tight grip on Jace’s keys, but moved around him, going to the bedroom to grab his blue jeans from the night before. “If I walk away, are you going to try and leave again?”
Colt meant the words as more of a dig, but he didn’t stay in the bedroom long just in case Jace really did try to run off again. He grabbed the jeans off the floor and tugged them up while walking back into the living room. Jace was standing in the same spot, like a statue, cold and unmoving. Colt stopped long enough to raise his zipper, while carefully avoiding any possible pinches or hair pulling.
Jace glowered at him, expressionless, not saying a word. The near miss, combined with Jace’s clearly indifferent attitude had anger coursing through his veins.
“Goddamn, Jace. You won’t fuckin’ talk to me. I try to get you involved, and you just fuckin’ stand there, in stoned silence. But you have the nerve to fuckin’ leave me while I’m sleeping? It’s bullshit. If you have something on your mind, you need to fuckin’ tell me. I can’t fix what I don’t fuckin’ know about.” Colt was angry now. He circled Jace as he raged. His shoulders rolled, his body tensed, and he actually yelled the last few sentences. When Colt came back around to stand in front of Jace, he threw his hands in the air. “See? You don’t communicate with me. You leave it to me, and if I don’t fuckin’ get it right, you leave me. That shit ain’t right, Jace.”
“We don’t operate on the same page,” Jace finally said, his voice calm and low. Lifting his head, he pinned Colt with his stare and stepped forward until they stood toe to toe. His lip quivered, but he stood his ground.
“Then put me on your page. I’ll stay there,” Colt shot back. They stood face to face, staring at each other. Colt wasn’t willing to move back even an inch. He was going to stay in Jace’s personal space until this got resolved.
“I’m always gonna be afraid for your safety as long as you keep your life in New York. If you’re there for months at a time, I can’t see you not breaking. Your dad’s gonna stay on you, your agent too. You’ll fall off the wagon sooner or later just under the sheer magnitude of pressure they put on you. And football isn’t just going to accept you if you come out gay. I can’t see how it’s gonna work, how we will work, Colt.”
“So you were leaving me, instead of talking this through?” Colt couldn’t let it go.
Jace sighed, closing his eyes, dropping his head back between his shoulders.
“If it helps you not worry, I’ll figure out a way to retire. Do you love me? Am I it for you?”
“Colt, you can’t retire. You’re at the height of your career. No way will they let you out of your contract.” Jace was back to squaring off with him and adamant as hell.
“Do you honestly think I’m the only gay guy in all of the NFL? I mean really. Do you think I’m the only gay on my team? I’m not. It doesn’t have to be a big deal. We can work it out.”
“I’d like you to be able to be at my gym. And attend all the things that are important to me,” Jace said.
“Me too. Done! See how easy that was?” Colt threw his hands in the air, shaking his head, trying to make Jace feel ridiculous, even though he wasn’t, and they both knew it.
“Don’t trivialize my concerns, or act like you would have so willingly listened to me before.” Jace finally moved away, walking across the living room to the back sliding glass doors. He stared out at the ocean. Colt followed behind him at a slower pace.
“We won’t know because you’ve never given me that chance,” Colt said, his anger fading quickly, needing to better assess where they were in this argument. “Look, I don’t know the answers. We’ll have to work it out as we go. I understand now where your concern is, but you have to fuckin’ tell me when I’m steppin’ outside of your expectations.”
Colt hesitantly took the steps and closed the distance, coming to stand behind Jace. When he didn’t move away, Colt slowly slid his arms around Jace’s waist. Jace finally leaned back against him in a small move of giving some in their argument. Colt tightened his hold, tugging Jace firmly against his chest.
“You’re it for me. Am I it for you, Jace?” Colt buried his face in the crook of Jace’s neck and closed his eyes, breathing in his scent. Forever was what he wanted, and he prayed Jace wanted the same life he so desperately craved. Jace lifted his hand and cupped the back of Colt’s head, his fingertips grazed across Colt’s scalp and sent chills down his spine as they threaded through his hair.
“You’re it for me,” Jace whispered. Colt
turned him in his arms and drew him back against his body.
“I love you. Now, say it back.” Colt needed to hear those three little words, needed Jace to ease his fear.
“I love you, too. But I’m scared.” After all these days, Jace finally gave some hint as to where his head really was in this whole deal.
“I put that doubt in you, and I’m sorry. I’ll carry the burden of knowing I hurt you for the rest of my life. But I can’t make us right if you keep your feelings all bottled up inside.” Colt placed a kiss on Jace’s lips. “So we’ll figure out what’s next. What’s right for us as we go. I’ll always put you first, above anyone and anything, Jace. I’ve learned that lesson. I’ve lived a life without you, and I’m not going back there. You’re my future. Now, tell me you’re staying with me.”
Jace nodded. His eyes held only a hint of apprehension, but exhaustion was clearly dominant on his face. Colt didn’t press him more.
“You need to sleep,” Colt said. “I can’t see where you had any last night.”
“I’m sorry for doubting you.”
“I get it. Just talk to me before you leave again. Now, come lay down. I’ll be standing guard to make sure you don’t try and bolt again.” Colt grinned and took Jace by the hand, pulling him back to the bedroom. Jace undressed and slid back in bed. He made a halfhearted attempt to pull Colt down with him, but he fought the move. That would lead to sex, and that needed to wait. This was one of those times in a relationship that other things needed to be worked out before anything else happened. Jace was asleep within seconds of hitting the sheets.
Colt decided he was awake for the day, adrenaline still pumping after his near miss. How had he almost lost Jace, again? What would he have done if Jace had gotten on a plane? The answer came quickly, he’d have gone after him and he wouldn’t have stopped pursuing him until he had him back in his arms. Jace was the right road for him. He’d been forced off this road ten years ago and where had it got him? Nothing but a screwed up life filled with pain and heartache. Never again.
Colt showered and dressed, quietly shutting the door behind him as he left Jace sleeping in the bedroom. He padded into the kitchen, made coffee, and started to pull the bacon and eggs from the refrigerator only to find he’d eaten them all.
He did a quick scan and realized Jace was out of his morning guava juice too. That wouldn’t do. His decision made, Colt grabbed Jace’s keys and went for the front door. He’d get a few groceries and be back way before Jace woke. A grin tore across Colt’s face as he sat in the driver’s seat, settling in behind the steering wheel. Through all the drama of the morning, he hadn’t let himself remember the reason for the ache in his ass.
Chapter 26
Colt drove to town with the windows of the Prius rolled down and the radio cranked up. The early morning air was crisp and sultry against his skin. He took the long way into town, choosing the scenic route, through the hills. The rising sun and ocean made a picturesque backdrop. He could see for miles and miles, being so far above sea level. He wound his way through the small roads, thinking about how much he wanted to bring Jace out here tomorrow morning. He had to see the island from this perspective. The view calmed his haggard soul.
A fallen rock tumbled out onto the road. Colt dodged it, making a wide sweep to the right. Two things happened simultaneously. First, his brakes faltered. He stomped on the pedal when he swerved to miss the rock. The soft brakes gave way and his foot went to the floor. Colt did a couple of quick stomps and got nothing in return. He had no brakes.
Second, an old pickup truck came out of nowhere, following too close behind him. He tried to signal to the driver he was having problems. A second passed for him to realize the other driver wouldn’t understand his hand signals, but he panicked and didn’t know what else to do.
Colt gripped the steering wheel, weaving through the curves as the car descended down a hill, picking up speed with each turn of the wheel. Colt kept his eyes trained on the road in front of him, praying no one pulled out from a side road because he couldn’t stop. He took a second and glanced in his rearview mirror, but the other driver stayed on him, not doing anything to acknowledge he had even seen Colt’s hand waving frantically out the window.
His car was picking up too much speed, he needed to slow down. He ignored the motherfucker on his ass and carefully lifted the emergency brake. He hadn't lifted the brake more than an inch, but the vehicle started to slow.
Relief hit his panicked heart. Colt slowly lifted the brake lever, slowing the car down when the truck slammed him from behind. What the hell? His eyes shot back up to the rearview mirror and then down the street. Not a quarter of a mile away was a sharp curve. Colt was going forty-five and the curve allowed for twenty-five. Colt ignored the truck and again pulled up on the emergency brake. The truck rammed him from behind and this time stayed on his bumper, pushing him forward. Colt turned the wheel to the right, the truck followed. He pumped the brakes, nothing.
The truck’s engine roared and they lurched forward, gaining speed. Fuck no! The truck had them both barreling down the small road at full throttle. Colt had no choice but to navigate the sharp turn at his current rate of speed.
What the fuck?
Colt tightened his grip on the steering wheel, preparing to take the curve at sixty miles an hour, and for the briefest of seconds, he looked back in the rearview mirror. The truck was pulling up along his side, attempting to pass him. From out of nowhere, the truck swerved to the right, hitting him full force on the left side of Jace’s little rental, driving him toward the edge of the road. When his tires hit the loose gravel on the side of the road, the car slid into a tailspin, and Colt fought for control. The force of gravity took the little Prius off the shoulder and down the steep embankment.
Colt didn’t register anything as his world turned upside down. The sickening sound of twisting metal and shattering glass filled his ears as the roof collapsed and the car smashed in around him. His legs were crushed as the car rolled over and over. Seconds felt like hours before the car finally came to a jolting stop. Pain rocketed through his brain as Colt screamed for help, fighting to keep conscious. He tried to move his arm and push himself from the smoking vehicle, but he couldn’t get his body to comply with his brain. He tried desperately to move his legs away from the heat, but he was wedged between the metal. He didn’t have the strength to do anything more. Excruciating pain shot though his body with every gasp of breath he took. The darkness he fought closed in around him. His last thoughts turned to Jace and how much he loved that man.
Jace was startled awake by the sound of the doorbell and then the heavy pounding on his front door. After a second round of banging, Jace registered Colt wasn’t getting the door. He smiled. Colt must have locked himself outside. Jace thought about making him wait, but decided against it. He rose quickly, looking over at the alarm clock. He’d apparently slept the entire morning and half the afternoon away. He hadn’t had this much sleep since Colt arrived, and his head took a second to clear from the sleep-induced fog clinging to his brain.
“Hang on! I’m coming,” Jace yelled to the front door and grabbed his jeans, putting them on as he made his way to the entrance. Smiling, he reached over to unlock the door, but the lock wasn’t set. His smile instantly faded as he opened the door to see two island police officers standing on his front porch.
“I’m Officer Kahala and this is Officer Laemoa, we’re looking for anyone connected to Jace Montgomery.” Two men stood at his front door. Officer Kahala was about Jace’s height; Officer Laemoa was much shorter, and a lot more muscular.
“That’s me,” Jace said, confused.
“Sir, how are you related to him?” Officer Kahala asked. They were no nonsense, and made Jace’s nerves a little frantic.
“I’m Jace Montgomery.” That seemed to throw them off. He watched as they exchanged looks with one another, then in unison they turned back to Jace.
“Did you rent a blue 2012 Toyota Prius?” Office
r Laemoa asked.
“Yes, sir,” Jace affirmed.
“Is there another Jace Montgomery traveling with you?” the other officer asked.
“No sir, what’s this about?” Jace asked.
“Sir, your car’s been in an accident. The driver’s in critical condition at Island Memorial. Your wallet was in the car. We were operating under the assumption this individual was you. Do you know who had your car?” The officer held out Jace’s identification and his heart seized. He couldn’t decide if it was pounding out his chest or had stop beating all together. His brain froze, and he turned his head toward the sliding glass door, praying Colt was outside on the back deck. When he saw no one there, he closed his eyes, letting the weight of the world center into him. This couldn’t be happening, his knees threatened to give under his weight.
“I'm here with a friend. I’ve been asleep. Let me see if I can find him.” Jace left the officers and went through the house searching room by room, the panic intensifying with every step he took. Colt wasn’t in the house. Jace hit the back door, searching the back of the house. Colt loved to go running. Maybe he was jogging along the beach. Jace lifted his hand to his brow to block the sun’s glare and frantically scanned the distance both on shore and off shore. He saw nothing.
“Sir, who was traveling with you?” an officer said from behind Jace.
“Colton Michaels.” His hand remained in place, shielding his eyes from the sun as he kept them trained down the beach, praying Colt would magically appear before him.
“And he’s not here?” Officer Kahala finally asked.
“Not that I can see.” He took a second more to admit the obvious.
“Sir, we’re going to need you to come with us.” For some reason, those words cemented everything for Jace. His heart already knew and his head finally gave in. All the fear settled in his gut. Colt must have had an accident. Jace went straight for the house.
Nice Guys Collection With Added Bonus Material Page 22