***
This stunt is going to get me in so much trouble later, but I’ll worry about it when the time comes. It’s late, and while the others had been doing their own thing at the house, I’d snuck out and climbed into the waiting cab at the end of the driveway. I’m hoping that no one will find out that I’d left the house alone. If they do happen to figure it out, I’d left my phone in the middle of my bed so that they know I’m off the radar tonight.
I need to bring this thing with Slade to an end, and the only way to do that is to confront him. If he’s following me tonight, which is likely, I’m hoping he’ll approach me if I’m not out with anyone. I’ve taken precautionary measures to stay safe, and I’d had the cab drop me off directly in front of the bar. I’m also staying in full view of the public. So here I am, at my favorite bar.
I just want to talk to him, get him to back off or find a way to resolve this situation. It’s also important to prove that I’m not scared of him and that I am still in full control of my life. This game he’s trying to play with me is going nowhere. I refuse to let him break me.
The bartender—a friend of Colt’s—places my drink on the bar and flashes me a smile before moving away.
I turn and face the room, sipping the flavored drink. There are plenty of eyes on me since I’d dressed to gain Slade’s attention.
After about fifteen minutes of lingering on the stool, I accept an invitation to dance with a guy. He’s kind of cute, but not my type. I dance a few songs with a couple of different guys before going back to the bar and signaling to Jose that I’d like another.
I’d thought that Slade would have approached me by now. Isn’t this what he wants? As the night wears on, I become disappointed. I should have known. Slade never does the expected, he thrives on being unpredictable.
This was a complete waste of time.
Someone sits down on the stool situated beside mine, and I automatically glance at the newcomer.
It’s Colt.
He looks controlled, but his eyes betray just how pissed he is. “What—the—fuck—are you doing?” he grits out.
I’d known there was a chance that someone might figure out I’d left, but I hadn’t expected to be tracked down. I frown with confusion. “How did you know I was here?”
“I called,” he bites out.
My eyes slide to Jose, who’s pouring a shot for a woman, and I sigh. I should have gone somewhere else, but had Slade shown and things had gone bad—I trust Colt’s friends to intervene over strangers.
“Quinn,” Colt says sharply, bringing my attention back to him.
“I don’t answer to you, Colt.”
His face turns stony.
I turn on my stool so that I’m facing forward, and I pick up my drink and take a sip. This night has quickly gone from crummy to shitty.
“You’re baiting him.”
I don’t bother to deny it since it’s obvious.
“Let’s go.”
All my aggravation over Slade now shifts and begins to direct itself towards Colt. Why can’t he admit that I’m what he needs? Why won’t he trust me? “I’m staying,” I tell him. I’m not ready to go back yet.
Colt’s warm hand firmly but gently clamps around my upper arm. “We’re leaving, Quinn.” His tone warns me that he’s willing to make a scene to get me out of here.
Slade’s not going to show, and the night is a compete bust. I make a move to open my purse, but Colt tosses a twenty on the bar and helps me from the stool. I allow him to escort me out of the bar, and when we step outside, I find that it’s pouring. We’re immediately drenched as we race to Colt’s truck, and he quickly boosts me up into the passenger seat before hurrying around to the driver’s side. I shiver and buckle my seatbelt.
Colt slams his door and jams the key into the ignition while he uses his free hand to wipe the rain from his face. I’m silent as I watch him switch on the headlights, and then we’re backing out of the parking space.
The tension between us is thick.
I wait until he’s successfully merged with traffic before asking, “Does anyone else know I went out?”
“No,” he clips out.
“How did you know?”
He remains silent instead of answering my question.
It dawns on me that he wouldn’t have known unless he’d been looking for me, and now I’m cursing myself for going out. What had he wanted?
“What possessed you to pull this shit tonight?” he asks darkly.
I don’t reply, because the last thing I want to do is talk about Slade. I want to talk about ‘us,’ but Colt refuses to consider what we could have.
“He contacted you again,” he guesses.
A small sigh escapes me, and I know he’s not going to let up until I answer him. “He kept calling me last night but wouldn’t say anything.”
Colt’s head swings towards me, his eyes trying to latch onto mine in the shadowy interior of the truck. “Why didn’t you say something?”
“It was three AM.”
“You could have woken me.”
“So you could do what?”
He falls silent, and he faces forward, once more focused on driving.
I don’t have anything more to say, so I stare out my window, gazing at the reflection of the city lights in the puddles filling the streets.
“Talk to me, Quinn,” Colt finally says, breaking the silence.
“I am.”
“About what’s really bothering you.”
My lips press tight as I remain silent and continue staring out the window. I’d tell him what’s really bothering me if I thought he’d actually listen and talk about it with me.
The rest of the drive back to the house is tense, and when we pull into the driveway, mostly everyone is gone but for Channing and Ash, who are likely holed up in Channing’s room. Once we’re inside, I head straight for my room with Colt right on my heels. When I pause by my door to open it, Colt takes my arm and leads me towards the basement. I willingly go with him, because even when he’s annoying, I still enjoy being around him.
He takes me downstairs to his bedroom, closing the door for privacy in case Sebastian should come home. He turns and faces me, his hazel eyes burning into mine. “Talk to me.”
Oh daaamn. He’s all wet, and his dark shirt is sticking to his chest, outlining his muscular chest. Maybe this was a bad idea. I chew my inner lip and tuck a strand of damp hair behind my ear. “I just want my life back.”
His eyes narrow. “You could have said that in the truck. Why go out tonight? What really pushed you into allowing yourself to be that vulnerable?”
I’m cold, and I wrap my arms around myself. “I wasn’t vulnerable.”
“Bullshit.”
Fine. He wants to talk, we’ll talk. “You’ve made it clear that you don’t want to hear what I have to say.”
Comprehension dawns across his face. “About us,” he says quietly.
“Bingo,” I say dryly.
He rakes a hand through his damp hair. “I’m trying to protect you, Quinn.”
“I don’t want protecting—not from you.”
“You can’t tell me that this…thing between us pushed you into baiting him tonight,” he says, trying to back his way out of the conversation now that I’ve brought up something that he doesn’t want to discuss. Typical Colt.
“I’m sick of being the screw up, Colt. That’s why I went out tonight. Every decision I make brings some sort of consequence. I’m tired of the jokes. I’m embarrassed that I even got myself into this situation. I’m mortified that you know what he did to me, and I let him because…” my voice is so thick that I can’t finish.
“He looks like me,” he finishes, his voice low and deep.
I shiver in my outfit, wishing things were different. I don’t want to be standing here discussing my many faults.
Colt moves closer. “Hey, you’re not a screw up, Quinn. There are a lot of things that you do right.”
I look away, hugging myself. “Just don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
His confusion has my eyes swinging back to him with accusation. “Say all the right things and then push me away.”
He groans, scrubbing his face with his palms. “Quinn, I don’t want to, but I’m no good for you.”
This is one of those times that instinct takes over, and I step closer to him, knowing his head is warring with his body. “Maybe you should let me decide that for myself.”
A muscle begins to twitch in his jaw as he gazes down at me with eyes that betray just how badly he wants me. “Quinn…”
I touch his chest, feeling the warmth of his skin through his damp shirt. “Don’t think, just feel,” I whisper before pressing my lips against the pulse point of his jaw. It throbs beneath my tongue, and I flick at it before moving to his rough jaw, inching my way closer to his lips. He’s gone completely still, and I know he’s struggling not to take what he wants so badly.
When I reach his mouth, I nip at his bottom lip, daring him to continue ignoring my advances. It’s the last push that he needs, because his hands wrap around my waist, and he backs me up against the wall, his hard body pressing against mine. My head tilts back as one of his hands tangles in the back of my hair, his lips crushing mine. We both groan as we give into the desire. His kiss is hungry, and I meet it with the same fervor.
I want to take this so much further before he comes to his senses, so as we kiss, I reach for the hem of his shirt and tug. It’s a struggle since he’s bigger than me and distracted, but when he realizes what I want, his lips leave mine. For a brief second, I think that he’s going to end this, but instead, he pulls his shirt off, tossing it to the floor before reaching for me and assaulting my mouth once more.
My hands greedily run over the muscles of his chest, lingering over the hard ridges. He’s just so fucking hot. His lips trail down to my neck, and I tilt my head, allowing him access as my hands dive down to the button on his jeans. I want to taste him, badly.
I make quick work of the button and yank down the zipper. Then, I drop to my knees before him and begin tugging his jeans down his hips, my eyes lifting to his. His gaze is heavy-lidded, and he’s too far gone to stop me, I can see it in his eyes.
Triumph shoots through me as I hold his gaze and palm his dick beneath the fabric of his briefs. He groans and shifts his body so that he’s leaning against the wall. My eyes linger over the happy trail of dark hair that leads right to where his hard dick is hidden. I turn my attention to what I’m revealing as I pull his briefs down, and his erection is released and points straight at me.
I’m wet between my thighs, and my lips part as I stare at him. He’s perfect. Long and thick, and looking wickedly aroused. I know that if I take too long, he’ll come to his senses, so I quickly lean forward and graze my lips against his velvety length. Then, I grip the base and wrap my mouth around him, flicking the underside beneath the tip. Colt’s hips jerk reflexively. He’s really responsive, and I like that.
I tighten my fist at his base, and my eyelashes sweep upwards so that I can watch him. His eyes are on my mouth wrapped around him, and his lips are parted as his body trembles with the need to thrust deeply into my mouth.
I give in and decide to quit torturing him. I begin to suck, moving my mouth up and down him, and he immediately starts thrusting his hips in a fluid but gentle way. It’s hot as hell being in charge of his orgasm, and I playfully hum low in the back of my throat as he smoothly pushes himself into my mouth over and over.
“Fuck, Quinn!” he growls.
I deliberately moan and reach up to gently tug on his balls, knowing that he’s close to going over the edge. I’m right, because he makes a muffled sound, and then he’s squirting into my mouth. I readily swallow everything he gives me.
“Shit,” Colt mutters under his breath as his hips still.
My eyes are still focused on him, and I tenderly lick his tip with my tongue.
His eyes are on mine, and I can see guilt seeping into his gaze. Reality has arrived.
I ease away from him, slowly standing.
Colt pulls up his jeans, buttoning them as his handsome face betrays how much he’s struggling with what had just happened.
I touch his face, urging him to look at me. “If it were another woman holding you back, I’d honor your wishes. But the only person holding you back is yourself. You’re a good man, Colt. Everyone knows that but you.”
As much as I don’t want to leave, I know when Colt needs his space. I quietly open his bedroom door and leave to go upstairs.