Instead, my fingers circled his wrist and held. Colt felt the choice; he knew my decision. He waited until my breath told him everything.
Mercifully, the voice outside said, “We’re good… next…”
The flashlight beam scissored away before it hung, returned, and finally left for good. Radio crackled in the background.
Then silence.
Colt lifted his hand and set it at my throat to feel my pulse. The same pulse he’d steadied. He put me right where he had me before. As if the interruption had sharpened his aim.
A look flashed in Colt’s eyes. I couldn’t tell if it matched the one he’d given me in our first session, or the one he’d thrown at Travis in the parking lot that night.
“Stay,” he said.
“I’m not?—”
He leaned down and pressed his weight against me as the doorframe took it in stride. His knee edged my knee, and his hips locked mine in place. His mouth closed around my next words and erased them in a heartbeat.
He pressed harder against me, as if to make a point. My reaction was instant and humiliatingly honest. But apparently, Colt liked my honesty enough to chase it.
“Good,” he said, in a low growl as if pleased.
He leaned in and pressed his mouth to mine as I crouched against the doorframe.
“Fuck,” I said, a little too loud.
The word echoed through the hallway, and he smiled against my teeth as if I’d given him permission to ruin something.
Or at least break it.
“We’re not done,” Colt said.
Taking inventory, not issuing an apology.
“Upstairs,” he ordered.
Colt took the first step and left an empty space that demanded I step into it. The runner gave under our weight; it slipped and shifted as we moved. He pushed forward; I was happy to follow.
“But,” I said as I fumbled, “I don’t keep the curtains drawn.”
My voice felt wrong in my mouth.
“And my neighbor might?—”
“Let them watch,” Colt barked without looking back. “Follow me.”
He led the way as if he’d been here before. As if the house belonged to him.
And maybe I did, too.
He crossed into the bedroom first, guiding.
“Here,” he said.
He set me where the room would hold both of us. The bed eagerly accepted, but my headboard tapped a warning I ignored.
Too late for that.
I peeled my shirt over my head and exposed part of myself to him.
