“You know we’re always honest with one another, right?” I asked.

I looked up from my pillow on the couch and watched Colton nod.

“We are, yes,” he said.

“So, you know I can always tell when you’re hiding something from me, right?”

I watched his face grow stoic as the movie droned on in the background.

“I can tell you’re hiding something, Colt. I’ve been waiting for you to bring it up all day.”

I picked my feet off Colton’s lap and sat up. After announcing to me that he was surprising me with a week ‘away from it all’, we had settled down for a nice, long day of movies and room service. And it had been phenomenal. I put on his button-down shirt, pulled on my panties, and tossed myself onto his body as we nestled into the couch. He held me and I held him. I put my feet underneath his thigh and laid down while he stroked my legs. He picked my legs up and placed them over his lap, massaging my heels softly.

And all day, I saw the unspoken words rushing behind his eyes.

But now, as I sat there with my legs crossed and a space between us for the first time that day, I grew nervous.

“What are you hiding?” I asked.

“You know I’ve never lied to you, Callie.”

“I know.”

“So you know I can’t beat around the bush with it should I choose to tell you.”

“I’m more concerned about why you haven’t already. I’ve always been open with you. I’ve never felt as if there were secrets between us, until now.”

“Do you trust me?”

My eyes connected with Colt’s icy blue stare and it sent a shiver down my spine. Something was wrong. I could see it in the way he looked at me.

“With everything I have,” I said.

“Your father is taking care of some things that have popped up. So, until they are taken care of, the two of us are going to spend a week treating ourselves to all the luxury amenities this hotel has to offer us.”

“Matthew’s done something again, hasn’t he?”

“You said you trusted me.”

“This has nothing to do with trust. This is my life, Colt. And I want to know what’s going on in it.”

“I promised Clay I’d keep you occupied and safe.”

“From what, Colt? What’s he done?”

He shifted his body towards me and I took the liberty of scooting closer to him. His hand came out and fell onto my knee, his thumb swirling in that comforting way he always did when I was a child. It was a movement I’d come to associate with peace. Serenity. A calm after some sort of storm. Or even during it. But as I watched the swirling motions pull a small red mark upon my skin, I realized we’d gone several minutes without saying anything.

“Before your mother died, I promised her that--no matter what--I would always protect you.”

I felt tears crest my eyes as my gaze panned up to him.

“I knew Clay did that, but I didn’t know you did,” I said.

“Your father and I both made that promise to her. And we made it will all of our hearts. So, you have to trust me on this, Little Callie. You have to trust that I’ve told you the truth while sparing you the hurt I won’t be able to bear if it rises in your eyes again.”

It was the most defeated I’d ever heard Colt sound before, and it broke my heart.

“This is me keeping you occupied. This is me protecting you. And it’s not something that will ever stop. I’ll never stop standing in the shadows, making sure you rise to the top. I’ll never stop being there for you. I’ll never not support you. And when life comes crashing down, I’ll never stop throwing myself on top of you so the roof comes down on my back instead of yours. So listen to me when I tell you that we are on vacation for the next week, and that everything is on me.”

I felt tears crest my eyes as my hand came down upon Colt’s on my knee.

“We’re going to watch movies, we’re going to indulge in spa days, we’re going to lounge around in the hot tub, and we’ll order whatever we want from room service. And above all, Little Callie, we will not. Turn on. The television.”

My hand squeezed his and I nodded my head quickly. My fingertips curled underneath the palm of his hand, feeling the blood rushing through his veins. A shiver crept up my spine, but it wasn’t a bad one. The command of his tone was reassuring to me. For once, I didn’t have to make any choices. For once, I didn’t have to crunch numbers and take a look at my bank account. For once, I trusted someone else with my well-being knowing damn good and well I’d be taken care of.

For once, I felt comforted by someone else’s commands.

And that was new to me.

“Now, come here. We have to rewind the movie so we can figure out what we missed,” Colt said.

His arms stretched out for me and I snuggled into his embrace. His fingertips slid through my soft locks, wild and curly since I didn’t have anything to do my hair with. Colt reached for the remote and rewound the movie on the streaming service he had pulled up, and I relaxed against the beating of his heart. The idea of spending an entire week with him filled me with a happiness and an eagerness I hadn’t felt in years. I sighed against his skin. I allowed his comfort to wash over me. Colt paused the movie in the last place either of us remembered it being, then he bent down and kissed the top of my head.

Wait. What was I going to do about clothes?

“Stop worrying,” he said.

“I’m not worrying.”

“I can hear your thoughts.”

“No, you can’t,” I snickered.

“You’re wondering what you’re going to do about clothing for the week.”

I furrowed my brow as Colt’s chuckle fell into the top of my head.

“You couldn’t have possibly known that,” I said.

“I know you better than you know yourself, Callie.”

“Well, since you brought it up,” I said as I turned around to face him, “what am I doing for clothes this week?”

“I placed a couple of calls during the last movie. You fell asleep with your head in my lap and I took it as an opportunity to plug a couple of holes.”

“You don’t know what size I wear, though.”

“I took an estimated guess. I’m having a four different sizes of things sent up here before the day is out. You can pick what you want, and we’ll send the rest back.”

“Just like that,” I said.

“Just like that,” he grinned.

My head fell to the cushioned arm of the couch as my body laid over his lap.

“What else is on your mind?” he asked.

“I don’t want to be selfish. Especially after what you just told me.”

“You could never be selfish. It’s not in your DNA. Your mother was the most selfless person I’d ever known. It’s the only way she put up with someone as selfish as my brother.”

“Dad’s not selfish,” she said, giggling.

“You should see him in a negotiating room. A selfish little shark, that one.”

“I’m going to tell him you called him ‘little’.”

“Don’t do that. He might kill me for that.”

I shook my head as another giggle fell from my lips.

“Tell me what you want, Callie. And I’ll do my best to make it happen.”

“Could we have a spa day tomorrow? It doesn’t have to be a big one. I’ve just… never had one.”

I bit down onto my lower lip and cast my gaze back to the television. But before he answered me, I felt his hand crook against my jaw. I felt him tap it, asking for my gaze to be back against his. I moved my head with the pressure of his finger, allowing him to guide me as he brought my eyes back to see his. Back to his comforting oceanic stare that ripped and tore at my heart in all the best ways.

“If that’s what you want, then I’ll give you the best damn spa day any woman could ever receive.”

“Under one condition,” I said.

“Anything.”

“You have to do it with me.”

I watched him bite back a grin before his finger fell from my skin.

“Deal, but no pedicures.”

“I can’t make any promises,” I said.

“If you attempt to get me into a pedicure chair, the spa day’s done.”

“I can try my best,” I sighed.

“Callie.”

“Colton.”

“I’m serious.”

“So am I.”

“Callie,” he warned.

“Colton,” I mocked.

“You’re going to make me get a pedicure aren’t you?”