by C. A. Harms
“Look at all that hair,” I said as I peeked inside. “He is so tiny.”
“Just barely seven pounds,” she announced. “But he eats like a horse.” Gavin chuckled from beside her. He couldn’t take his eyes off either of them. It was beautiful, the love written all over his face.
The welcome didn’t stop there. I found a gathering underway at Ann’s, as Reed and Kori waited patiently for us to arrive. Gemma and Bud, along with Ben, Leann, and Chloe, smiled from the porch as we approached.
“Welcome home girls, we’ve missed you both around here,” Kori said as she reached out to hug me. “Colt looks much happier now than he was when he left. You two bring one helluva smile to his face,” she whispered before pulling back.
My cheeks heated as I looked back at Colt. He grinned and my stomach tightened. He seemed to get sexier every day. Or maybe it was because nothing was a mystery any longer, I knew what he had to offer. I instantly felt warm with the thought and tried to control my raging libido.
The ladies had prepared a feast and everything was so laid back, as laughter filled the room. I was accepted back as if I hadn’t even left. Colt was happy, and I couldn’t take my eyes from him. I quietly observed him from across the room when he joined in with all the guys.
It had been so long since I had felt this sense of peace. I knew right then that coming back to Georgia was the right choice. This was the home I had found when I wasn’t even looking for one. This was where we belonged.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Colt
I wanted to ask her to come home with me, but I felt like I was pushing too fast. Honestly, I just wanted to pack the both of them in my truck and drive them there, no questions asked and no arguments stopping me.
Instead I kissed Alex goodbye and hugged little Maddison, before turning to leave.
Now that I was at home, I couldn’t sleep for shit. Last night was the first night I was able to feel her body against mine, and I needed more. I had thought about it many times, but now I was addicted to the soft skin and perfect curves of Alexis.
Unable to sleep, I wandered downstairs to distract my thoughts with some work. I worked well into the night, but I still found the distraction unavoidable. I wanted them, I needed them, and, damn it, I had to convince her that living with me was the best thing for all of us.
I waited as long as I could the next morning before driving back to my mom’s.
I found Maddison on a chair next to my mom, mixing the batter for pancakes. Alex had her back to me as she stood at the stove. Cute pink pajama pants covered her lower half, and a snug t-shirt conformed to her upper.
I had not realized that I was being watched until I turned back to look at my mother. She had the I know what you’re thinking look on her face. I grinned, and she winked in return. Walking slowly toward the stove, I snuck up behind Alex. Placing my hands on her hips, I brought my body flush with hers. Nuzzling her neck I kissed her shoulder, causing her to giggle.
Her ass wiggling against me had an unwanted affect on me. I was standing in my mother’s kitchen, and her pressing back against my growing erection was only making it harder to control myself.
“Good morning, beautiful,” I whispered against her neck. “I slept like shit last night. Couldn’t stop thinking about you, wished you were there with me.”
Alex turned just enough to look back at me, smiling. “I missed you too,” she confessed.
I took the opportunity to place a kiss against her sweet lips. I wanted so much more but knew it wasn’t the time. It was harder than hell to pull away, but I managed.
“We could fix this problem real easy. You know that, right?” I asked.
Her eyes averted as she looked past my shoulder. My mother and Maddison were still busy working on breakfast.
She started to speak but I stopped her quickly. “Listen to me. I know it’s quick and I know you don’t want to confuse Maddi, but I want you two with me.” I turned her to face me and no longer cared who heard me.
“I want you and Maddison not just today, not just tomorrow, but forever. I’m ready to show you girls what love feels like. I have so much inside of me, and I’m ready to shower you both with it. I want to wake up to you in our kitchen, or to you in our bed. I’m ready to hear Maddison’s laughter every day when I walk into our home.” Alex looked up at me with glistening eyes. “I love you two so much, and I’m ready to start building our life together. Just think about it, promise me.”
All that Alex could do was to nod her head as she swallowed hard.
“That was the sweetest thing, big brother, I’m super-impressed.” I spun around to find Maria standing in the doorway, holding Garrett close. Mikey, our little hero, stood beside her holding a diaper bag.
“Yeah, yeah, I hear ya.” I laughed and kissed Alex on the forehead before stepping back.
I leaned on the counter next to Maddison, who smiled over at me. “Can we stay with you tonight?” She surprised me with her question, and I immediately looked at Alex with questioning eyes.
“Do you want to?” I asked.
She nodded enthusiastically.
“If you want to and your momma wants to, of course you can,” I said.
Alex smiled and stepped up behind Maddi, tipping her head to look down at her. “I think that would be fun. Maybe we can rent some movies and order some pizza.”
Maddi began bouncing up and down happily. I glanced over to find Mikey watching closely, and an ache hit me suddenly. I had grown quite close to him, and lately I had not been very good about spending time with him.
“Hey, bud, you wanna come spend the night too? I’m pretty sure I owe you a zombie fest.” His eyes locked with mine and a smile spread out over his lips.
He looked up at Maria, who still stood at his side. “Can I?” he asked.
“I don’t see why not,” she replied.
So it was settled. We were having a slumber party in my small loft above my shop. It wasn’t big, it was full of used furniture and manly shit, but it was going to be perfect.
***
“Let me try it.” Alex sat down on the couch next to me. “It doesn’t look that hard.”
I handed her my remote control and sat back to observe. Maddi crawled up onto my lap, and Mikey’s smile grew larger as he observed Alex getting ready to play.
The round started, and Alexis began moving with the guy on the television. If she wanted him to go left, her entire body would lean that way. Every single time she shot the gun, attempting to fight off the zombies, she would bounce up and down. It was the funniest damn thing I had seen in a long time.
“Ah,” she screeched. Standing up completely, she jumped up and down. “No,” she said. “Ah, no really, where should I go?” she asked.
“Go left. See the building on the left? Behind the abandoned cars. See it?” Mikey asked her.
“Yeah, I see it,” she answered.
“Go inside and I’ll cover you. If we go out the back, I have a car we can use to get away.” I continued to watch her body sway from side to side, still bouncing up and down when she got too excited.
For the next hour, I quietly watched as Alex and Mikey fought their way through each scenario. She got better and better with time, and by the end, she was whipping some serious zombie ass. I had never thought watching my girl power through a video game would be something I found sexy, but I was wrong.
The pizza arrived, and we all gathered around the coffee table in the living room, having our very own picnic in front of the television. The two kids were excited and a bit hyper. The entire night lit me up.
I had never had this in my life before, a family of my own with kids. It was something I now realized I desperately wanted, because I was missing out. I caught Alex watching me with a smile on her face, and I winked.
They had eventually worn themselves down. Maddi crashed on one end of the couch and Mikey on the other. Alex and I had been given the small loveseat, and it gave me the chance to hold her close.
With her head resting on my chest I kissed her temple. “You tired?” I asked. Her head nodded against me as her eyes drooped. “You want me to take you to bed?” I couldn’t fight the smile, because that idea made my heart race.
“Yes,” she whispered. Tilting her head back, she looked up at me. “I can think of something else I would rather do than sleep, though.”
Oh yeah, now she was talking. I brought my mouth down to meet hers, tracing her lip with my tongue. “Mm,” she moaned.
Moving in closer, I took her mouth in a hungry kiss. Her tongue swooping out to meet mine, she gripped the back of my neck and pulled me even closer.
I pulled her onto my lap and stood, holding her tightly. I walked the short distance to the bedroom and laid her down on the bed. Wasting no time, I lowered my body over hers.
Alex’s legs wrapped around my waist and held me tight, as she ground herself against me vigorously. She had my heart racing with animalistic thoughts. I wanted to take her here and now, but instead I paced myself.
“Colt,” she panted, as I kissed down her neck. Lifting her shirt slowly, I skimmed my thumbs over her hardened nipples.
“Yes,” she whispered breathlessly.
My body ignited with her neediness. She was a little vixen, completely different when we were alone. I loved the turned-on Alex; this version was so damn sexy.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Alexis
I felt like I was going to explode. My heart raced, my toes curled, and my insides clenched. Colt was so gentle and aggressive at the same time. He had the ability to make my heart melt and set me on fire within seconds.
The emotions he brought out in me were so overwhelming, and it was so hard not to get lost in them.
I began gathering his shirt and pulled it up and over his head, running my hands over his arms and feeling them flex beneath my palms.
His bare chest pressed against mine, and my heart raced with anticipation. I wanted more. My voice sounded so needy; I was begging for him to let loose and take me.
“Shh,” Colt whispered. “I plan on giving you everything, baby.” His comment had so much meaning. I knew he was not only talking about this moment. He was talking about always.
He took his time kissing every inch of my body. Hooking his fingers in the waistband of my pants, he began lowering them, kissing along the way until they were in a pile on the floor.
I watched as he unbuckled his pants and let them fall to the floor. I bit down on my lower lip when my eyes met his. He stood at the end of the bed, naked. Wearing no boxers beneath his jeans, he grinned confidently.
Walking around the side of the bed, I watched as he pulled a new, unopened box of condoms from the drawer.
“You were pretty confident, weren’t you?” I said.
“Baby, this is all your fault. You were the one who gave yourself to me, and now I can’t help myself.” I smiled and he lowered himself to the bed, beside me.
Colt’s hands found their way to the places I needed him most, and I was immediately lost in him.
A deep groan escaped us simultaneously, as he sunk inside me and we began to move.
He was making love to me, there was no mistake. His eyes bore into mine with each rotation of his hips.
The moment I felt my body building toward release, our eyes locked and I lifted my hips, grinding against him. Kissing me, he sucked on my lower lip gently. “You are so beautiful, Alex. I love you so much,” he whispered.
My back arched as I pressed my breasts against him. My body was tensing and clenching, as my orgasm took over.
Colt began to pump faster as he continued to stare down at me. I loved the look in his eyes right before he reached his peak and tensed above me.
With his forehead resting against mine, I could feel him twitch inside me.
We lay together silently, allowing ourselves to come back to the present.
I knew he was it for me. I had taken a turn down the wrong path in the last year. But if I hadn’t taken that path, would I be here with Colt? Would we have met, and would I have ever found this love? He made me feel safe and secure. In the short time I have known him, he has given me so much.
It’s not about the time we’ve had together, it’s all about what he has given me in those moments. There is no doubt in my mind that Maddi and I will stay with Colt.
***
“We were so happy to have you accept this position. Gemma has been a friend for years, and she praised you.” I smiled at Alice, the office manager who had just hired me. I had an offer to work in the ER at the hospital, but when the position came open at the local pediatric office, it was no contest.
I will be able to work days and not be away from Maddi. I was planning to ask Ann to help out with Maddi, but Colt insisted he had it covered.
Over the last week, he has managed to kidnap us both and hold us hostage in his loft. He has spoiled us and made it impossible to think of going back to Ann’s. I was pretty sure it was the plan he had set into motion the first night we stayed at his place. I was also positive that Maria and Ann were in on that plan.
He wanted us with him so much, and he wouldn’t take no for an answer. He had us with him now, and he wasn’t going to let us go. It felt amazing.
I said a quick goodbye to Alice and made my way to Colt’s truck. I still had to get another car; mine was lucky to start on a good day, so for now he insisted I use his.
I had the weekend to enjoy before I started my first job here in the place I now called home.
I pulled into the spot behind the shop and grabbed the bags for dinner from the passenger seat.
Walking in through the back door, I made my way to the front of the store. The sound of a woman’s flirty laugh stopped me from running the food upstairs. Instead, I placed the bags on the counter and walked out from the back.
My stomach tightened as I took in the scene before me. An attractive redhead, wearing very revealing clothing, was kneeling down next to Colt. He was pointing toward the details on the hutch before them. She was leaning very far forward, and from the place where I was standing, I was surprised her tits hadn’t popped out of her low-cut shirt. They were on the verge of playing peek-a-boo, and I was pretty sure she wanted them to.
“The details on this piece are really beautiful, Colton. You are so talented.” She cooed, and all I wanted to do was gag.
“I couldn’t be happier with this. You are amazing.” The woman turned her gaze toward Colt and batted her lashes. It was sickening to watch her drool over him. I was wondering when she would start dry-humping his leg like a horny dog.
Maddison was just a few feet away from them, coloring at a small desk Colt had made for her. She spotted me and yelled out. My attention was quickly drawn to her, pulled away from Colt and the over-the-top redhead.
Maddison barreled into me, wrapping her arms around my legs. “Mommy,” she squealed.
“Hey, sweet pea,” I said, kneeling down before her. “How was your day?”
I was doing everything I could not to look up from her sweet face. An ugly jealousy was filling my mind, and I didn’t want to be that kind of girl. It was really hard not to want to claw out the hooker’s eyeballs.
I caught their movements out of the corner of my eye, but chose to ignore them.
“Do you want to help me make dinner?” I asked Maddison. Her eyes brightened and she nodded her head. “I’ll let you put everything in the pot and stir.”
She looked over her shoulder, smiling. “Bye, Donna. I’m going with my mommy now.” Another round of heat filled my stomach at the announcement of her name. Apparently she had spent enough time there to become chummy with my daughter.
“Bye, sweetheart. I had a lot of fun coloring with you. I promise I’ll hang your picture on my refrigerator the moment I get home.” Her nasally voice made me want to roll my eyes. She was beyond fake. She was one of those people who pretended to adore something until the moment she turned around. I had had my fair shar
e of encounters with women like her, and they drove me insane.
I turned toward the stairway and was just about to go up when Colt’s strong arm looped around me, holding me in place. “Don’t go up just yet,” he said.
“I need to start dinner.” I tried to take a step, but he held me firmly. A soft chuckle escaped him. I looked at him and arched an eyebrow.
“No need to be jealous, babe. She buys things just to flirt. Hell, if she wants to keep paying my mortgage so she can attempt to gain my attention, she can. She’s been trying for weeks, but she ain’t gonna get what she’s looking for here.” He kissed my temple. “Don’t go upstairs yet, let me introduce you.”
He tugged me backwards and left me no choice but to face the bimbo. She forced a smile, but I saw the look she held. She was sizing me up and rolling around questions in her mind about why Colt had chosen me.
“Donna, this is my girlfriend, Alexis, the one I’ve told you about.” Colt had been talking about me to her, and I wasn’t sure I liked them discussing me. I guess it would depend on what they were saying.
“It’s really nice to meet you. I’m sorry about your recent events. You must have been so scared.” My eyes shot to meet Colt’s, and he scrunched his nose in confusion.
I was instantly hurt, angry, and slightly embarrassed. I didn’t like the idea of this strange woman knowing my business. Who the hell did he think he was, telling her about my life?
“Excuse me. I have things I need to take care of upstairs.” I didn’t take any more time to share another word with either of them. I took Maddison’s hand in mine and led her toward the stairs.
I didn’t want to be angry at him. I truly didn’t. I couldn’t control it, though. He had taken my private life and put it on display for some bimbo, who looked at me as a speed bump on her road to Colt. I was pissed off to a whole new level.
