“If I knew you wanted nothing to do with me—I’d leave. And before you go chewing my ass off for being that type of guy—just know. I’d rather leave, and know you were at peace, then stay and be the cause for the constant war.”

“I’m not really with Max,” I blurted.

“You don’t say.” He chuckled.

“Son of a bitch, you knew!” I screamed, pushing against his chest.

“How the hell am I the villain in this story? You lied to your entire family, put Jason’s health at risk, are most likely going to have to pay for Reid’s therapy, and nearly drove me insane!”

“Aw, really?” I sighed.

“God, you’re such a basket case.” Colton rolled his eyes. “I say all that and the only thing you hear is that you were successful in nearly making me lose my damn mind?”

I nodded.

“I’m done,” Colton said softly. “In fact, I’m pretty sure I’ll both regret and remember this day for the rest of my life, but—” His mouth touched mine, just barely before he pulled back. “If you ever turn into an evil genius where you see yourself needing a partner in crime, or even just someone to beat up on. Sign me up.”

“Huh?”

“I love you.” He smiled. “So damn much that I’m pretty sure if I wouldn’t have found out you were a lying little brat—you would have found Max’s body in the pool.”

“You love me?”

“Again, I just admitted to homicidal thoughts and you hear . . . nothing but the love?”

“Say it again?”

“I almost killed Max.”

“Not that part!” I smacked him.

“I love you.” Colton cupped my face with his hands. “You’re crazy as hell—but you’re my crazy. I want to live in that head of yours. I want to hear about the crazy things you conjure up in that imagination of yours. I want to slay your dragons again, but this time . . .” His voice lowered. “I’m not leaving the castle. I’m not going back down those stairs. I’m staying.”

“You’re staying?” I asked, confused and elated at the same time. My heart slammed against my chest.

“Yeah. I’m not just going to save the damsel—I’m going to rescue her, then I’m going to kiss her, then I’m going to marry her, then I’m going to fight with her, then I’m going to love her again. I’m sure there will be more dragons ahead of us—but we’ve had lots of practice, so I think we’ll be safe.”

“Maybe bring your sword, just in case,” I whispered, handing him the wooden sword.

“Yeah.” He took it. “Just in case.”

He dropped the sword, which clattered against the ground just as our mouths met in a frenzy—both of us pushing against one another so hard that it was more of an attack than consensual kissing.

“Damn it!” Colton grabbed my arms and pulled me down to the ground, and right into the castle.

“Yeah.” I pushed him against the small wall under the arch of boxes. “Never dreamed about this when I waited for you up here.”

Colton pulled back, his eyes as dark as smoke. “You dirty little liar.”

“What!”

“You thought about this.” His hand moved from my face to my chest, and then rested on my hip as he softly unzipped my dress. “And I sure as hell dreamed of this.”

Giggling, I captured his mouth with mine as my fingers fumbled awkwardly with his shirt.

“Colton? Milo?” Max’s voice sounded from the bottom of the stairs. “You guys up there?”

“Shh!” I covered Colton’s mouth and panicked. If I said nothing he’d walk in on us and ruin my special moment! “Um, yeah, kind of busy, though.”

Nothing, and then, “Oh, what are you doing?”

Colton gave me a helpless look, then licked my hand.

“Uhh,” I giggled as he nibbled each finger. “Playing dragon slayer?”

“Can I play?”

“No!” I shouted, then I laughed. “Um, I mean, it’s more of like a two-player game.”

Colton’s eyes darkened as he tugged my dress farther down.

“Are you the dragon or the slayer?” Max wanted to know.

Holy crap, why wouldn’t he just leave?

“Um, I’m the slayer.”

“So Colton’s the dragon,” Max confirmed.

“Yup!” Holy . . . that felt good. His tongue flicked my ear and then moved to my neck. I moaned and then my mouth was covered by Colton’s.

“Okay,” Max sighed. “But just, uh, remind Colton that he should put a helmet on his dragon, you know since they can be so . . .” Cough, cough. “Dangerous when they, uh, invade.” Cough.

My eyes widened in horror.

“You feel me?” Max asked. “Because dragons breathe fire and if you’ve never experienced . . . er, fire before, then it may be wise to use—”

“Got it, man, thanks!” Colton yelled.

“Good talk!” Max called.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

COLTON

My hand was still braced on the bare skin of her back as I heard Max’s footsteps echo across the room and out into the hall.

The door slammed.

“You think he’s gone?” Milo whispered. Every inhalation she took wrecked me, I could feel it in my palm, my fingertips. Hell, I felt it in my blood.