Vandalized property.
And now the way Colton behaved when he showed up andthat…that spark?My skin was still tingling.
All within twenty-four hours.It was insane.My life wasnormally boring.
By the time I answered all of Colton’s questions, it wasjust us in the house.Reece had left not too long after the other officer toanswer another call, and it was close to ten.
Colton had gone downstairs to make a few calls and I wasslow to follow him.A warm breeze stirred the curtains in front of the brokenwindow and my gaze drifted to the floor.The glass was gone.The TV was alsorighted, its broken face a sad sight.
Stepping off the stairs, I looked into the kitchen just intime to see Colton dumping the glass in the trash can.He was still on thephone.
“That’s what I thought,” I heard him say as he placed thedustpan on the counter.“You know how he operates.We all know how he works.”There was a pause as he turned around.His eyes met mine.“Yeah,” he spoke intothe phone.“I’ll be in touch.”
Suddenly self-conscious, I glanced at the window and thenback at him as I stood near the stairwell.“Thank you for cleaning up.Youdidn’t have to do that.”
He placed his phone on the counter and started toward me.Goose bumps raced across my flesh.“Do you have something to cover the windowwith tonight?Tomorrow I can head down to the hardware store and get someboards to cover it until someone can get out here and replace it.”
Did I fall and hit my head?“You don’t have to do that.Thank you, but—”
“I know I don’t have to do it.I want to do it.”With hislong-legged pace, it took him no time to end up standing in front of me.“I’moff tomorrow, and I have time now unless I get a call.”
I tilted my head back to meet his stare as I weighed whetherI should accept his help.It seemed stupid not to, but it was a lot for him todo for…for me.“I don’t want you to go out of your way, Colton.”
One side of his lips kicked up.“I don’t mind going out ofmy way for you.”He put his hand on the stairway railing above me.“Not atall.”
The crazed, possibly carnivorous, butterfly flutter fromthis morning was back, wiggling around in my stomach.
“Let me help you with this,” he urged softly.
I drew in a shallow breath.“Okay.”
The smile grew as he lifted his hand from the railing andcaught a piece of my hair, brushing it back from my cheek.“Now that wasn’t sohard, was it?”
It was and I didn’t even understand why.
“Do you have a tarp that I could use to cover the window?”he asked.
“There is one in the shed out back.It was there when Imoved in and I don’t know if it’s any good or not.”
“I’ll check it out.”He started to turn and then stopped.Placing the tips of his fingers under my chin, he tilted my head back.Therewas a good chance my heart stopped.“Can I ask you something?”
At that moment, he could probably do anything he wanted.“Sure.”
The dimple appeared on his left cheek and then he bit downon his lower lip.Something about that tugged at the very core of me.I wantedto be his teeth.Or his lip.Hell, I’d be down for any part of that.
“Do you believe in second chances?”he asked.
That was not the question I was expecting him to ask, but myanswer was immediate and it was the truth, something I felt deeply.“Yes.”
“Good.”His finger slipped up my chin and his thumb smoothedalong the skin under my lip.“So do I.”
Chapter 7
Luck was finally shining down on me.The tarp Coltongathered from the shed was useable.I put on a pot of coffee while he broke outthe duct tape, and then I pretended not to be watching him cover my window.
I was totally watching him.I mean, who wouldn’t?When he’dspread out the tarp, he’d bent over and good Lord in sweet, sweet heaven, thatman had agreatrear end.And then when he started hanging it up, Iwas witness to the amazing display of muscles rippling and straining under hisshirt.
What I would give to see that man in the buff.
