Alexandra
There are no words for what this man does to me. He barely touches me and I explode. I can still feel my insides trembling when he inches his way up the bed to me.
“Come on, darlin’, let’s get more comfortable.”
Colton flips us over so he’s underneath me, and I’m lying on him now, chest to chest. He backs us up the bed until his head hits the pillow.
Feeling him against me like this makes me feel so safe. The only way to describe it is being enveloped in healing water. His warmth soothes my soul.
“This is nice,” I say against his broad chest.
He wraps my comforter around us and pulls me in tighter.
“I love to feel your skin against mine, Alexandra. In fact, I’ve thought about it a lot since our first night together.”
His admission surprises me a little. I thought we were a one-and-done kinda thing and he was OK with that. I’m not so sure now is the time for me to admit I haven’t been able to stop thinking about him either. So instead, I pull him closer.
“What do we do now, Colton?” I ask as I glance up at him.
When he looks back down at me, I can see his concern. He blows out a breath. “It’ll take a little time to figure it out, but we will. Right now, I just want to be with you.”
I nod against his chest as I trace one of his many tattoos.
“I never thought I’d see you again, Colton. That night we met was surreal.”
“How’s that, Alexandra?”
“Well, you were the first person I met. My sister didn’t even know I was in town. Nicole and Daniel were nice enough to welcome me down here to Florida, but I wasn’t ready to face them. I could tell you had a lot on your mind too, and you just accepted me without question.”
He’s silent for a beat before he asks, “Um, by any chance, does your sister call you Alex?’
“Yeah, why?”
Colton laughs. “Unbelievable.”
Lifting myself up from him, I turn to see a big smirk on his face.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s really wrong, but babe, I’m good friends with Daniel and Nicole.”
“You’re freaking kidding me, right?”
Colton shakes his head. “Afraid not. Daniel and I go way back. In fact, I’ll be at Lucy’s birthday party next weekend. She loves her Uncle Murph.”
Thoughts start racing through my head. Nicole can’t find out about the letter. I can’t take her pity.
“Please don’t say anything to Nicole about the letter from Minor.” I lean up on one elbow, and all but beg Colton not to tell her. “She’ll hover over me like our mother. I can’t take the pity right now. And we probably shouldn’t tell her and Daniel about us. I mean, that’d be awkward.”
Colton tips my chin up to him. “OK, first things first. What you told me will only stay between us. It’s not my story to share, darlin’. Second, I won’t lie. I’m not sure what this is between us. I never planned to see you again either, but now that you and I are kinda tied to each other, I won’t say that I’m disappointed.”
I don’t know why but my heart soars. It’s not rational. I’ve been with this man twice…twice. I must be hormonal or something.
“Thank you for keeping my secret, Colton. I don’t want my sister to worry about me.” Of course, that’s not the only reason. I don’t want her to see me as her vulnerable sister.
“That’s my job now,” he says.
I move so I’m sitting up. “What do you mean, it’s your job now, Colton? I don’t need you to worry about me. I can take care of myself, always have.”
He sits up straighter in bed and I can see the seriousness on his face. It’s the same look he had at the station when Miller cornered me.
“Look, Goldie, I have some caveman tendencies, OK? I’ll never apologize for that. There’s something about you, I don’t know…” He plays with his beard. “Maybe it’s the way we met. We were both in a bad place that night. Maybe it’s because you hold my life in your hands as my alibi.”
Jesus, just what every girl wants to hear. I want to protect you because you’re my alibi.
Colton must notice my disappointment because he starts to backtrack. I don’t want his pity.
Pushing my comforter off me, I try to exit the bed. Colton grabs me by the wrist. “Oh no, you don’t, darlin’. I didn’t mean it like that. See, I’m not really good with expressing myself.”
“I think you expressed yourself just fine. You want to keep me safe so you don’t get charged with a crime you didn’t commit.”
The minute I say it, I regret it. I can see him swallow hard.
I settle back in bed with him. “I’m sorry. It appears we’re both saying things we don’t really mean.” I try to flash him a smile.
“I guess you aren’t so great at expressing yourself either, Goldie.”
We both laugh.
“I’m sorry. This is just such a weird situation. I mean what was supposed to be a one-night stand, has turned into two nights, an alibi for a murder, and you knowing my sister. It’s just getting more complicated by the day.”
“Well, let’s take one thing at a time. First, I’m all for many more repeat nights from our one-night stand. Second, I’m not worried about the charge. I didn’t do it. There can’t be any evidence against me. Third, well, I guess we’ll being seeing more of each other at parties and stuff. I don’t see where there’s a negative here.”
“Colton, I’m in agreement we should have more nights like this, but I don’t understand how you can’t be taking these charges seriously.”