Is this what having a home feels like?
For the first time in my life, I have a glimpse of a real family, and there’s nothing I won’t do to protect them.
THIRTY-SEVEN
LEXI
For the first few days after the café incident, Colten can barely handle so much as a closed door between us, which leads to many arguments about privacy while I use the bathroom.
We stick around the apartment for the most part, hanging out with our new addition and getting to know each other in a new light. We may have known each other our whole lives, but knowing someone as a friend and knowing someone as a partner are two very different things.
Colten stays busy working on tracking down the man who wants to steal me away while also keeping the business afloat, which means we don’t have nearly enough time for exploring each other’s bodies.
And considering I wentyearswithout sex, I have no idea why I’m so damn horny all the time.
I make bits and pieces of content for the app, but I find that I’m not in the mood for solo play now that I know how good it feels to have a teammate, and I start considering what my next steps are going to be for my platform.
On the one hand, I love what I do. I love creating content. I love expressing myself in that way. And I love all the behind-the-scenes stuff you never consider. The filming, the editing, the marketing. It’s kind of fun.
But now that my favorite subscriber is my boyfriend, it’s not the same anymore.
I pull a knit dress that hits just above my knees over my head and check my makeup.
Despite his best efforts, Colten can’t avoid the office today, and despitemybest efforts, I couldn’t talk him into letting me stay at the apartment.
I slip on a pair of flat boots before stepping out of the bedroom. As much as I’ve enjoyed living in Colten’s shirts the last few days, I have to admit, it is nice putting on my own clothes.
He groans when I step into his view. “Wildcat, how am I supposed to focus when you look so delectable?”
I smile, stepping into his hard chest and allowing his arms to envelop me.
I’m surprised how naturally we’ve fallen into such a comfortable companionship. Being with Colten is as easy as breathing, and even though I’ve watched him flinch whenever anyone has touched him for years, he never makes me feel like my touch isn’t welcome.
“You’ll just have to wait until we get home.” I shrug.
He chuckles. “Will I? See, I seem to recall my girl has a bit of an exhibitionism kink.”
Heat spreads across my cheeks at the reminder of one of the hottest conversations we had in the time he was pretending to be a stranger.
Colten pulls me back far enough to peer down at me, his eyes sparking with amusement and heat. “You never have to be ashamed of the things you want, Lexi. Especially seeing as I share those wants.”
“We are not fucking in your office.”
He smirks. “We’ll see about that.”
Colten’s comment as we walked out the door has distracted me from the fact that this is the first time I’ve been outside the apartment since I was very nearly abducted, which may have been his intention.
He parks directly out front of the office and keeps his hand on the small of my back as he guides me through the building and into the suite of offices where he and Cruz spend their days.
There are three offices in total, as well as a conference room, and I’ve often wondered what the rest of the tenants in the building think is happening in here.
Cruz does have a host of legitimate businesses, so I’m guessing that’s what he told the real estate agent when he leased the place, but when every second person that comes in here is connected to the Mafia, surely they have some questions.
I’m led into Colten’s office, and I take a seat in the chair opposite his. I have some editing I need to do, but I’ll have to relocate to the couch in the corner just in case someone walks in.
Somehow I don’t think Cruz will be half as accepting of what I’m doing behind closed doors as Colten is, and I’m not interested in trying that theory.
At least until I decide what the future looks like, it’s better to keep it between us…and Riley, now that she knows.
