Chapter 15
Perfect was a theme I was getting used to, or atleast trying to.It wasn’t entirely hard.Not when Colton excelled at making mefeel like I was perfect.
A month had passed since the night Charles came through thatfront door.He was still in the county jail and from what I’d learned, Idoubted there would be a trial where I would have to testify.Charles wouldplead guilty to murder and attempted murder.He would go away for a long time.
Unless Isaiah got ahold of him.
But that wasn’t something I was going to focus on.Everyonce in a while, I had…nightmares.Sometimes Colton was there to ease thosetroubling memories.Other nights, it was up to me to get through them, and Idid.
I couldn’t believe how much could change in a short time.
While Colton had a role to play when it came to the changesI was making, the feeling of self-worth and confidence had to come from within.Yeah, the external stuff helped, but using a guy’s attention to build yourconfidence wasn’t something that would last long.It would be dependent uponhim, a strength that could be flimsy.
The strength needed to come from me.
And the best way I could gain back the stronger part of mewas through actually experiencing life.
I wasn’t working myself to the bone any longer.Meaningafter I put in a normal eight-hour shift, I forced myself to stop.Who knew howmuch extra time existed when you weren’t avoiding…well, avoiding actuallyliving?
I visited the museums in the city with Jillian, something Ihadn’t actually done in years, and I even started going out with Roxy, Colton’syounger brother’s girlfriend.Through her, she introduced me to Calla, who wasdating Jax, and to Katie, a very…odd stripper who apparently had gone to thesame high school as Roxy and I.
For the first time in years, I had a circle of girlfriends,and I had forgotten how incredibly important that was.When Kevin had died andI’d left New York City, it was like I’d closed a door on the life that hadexisted with him, including all our mutual friends.It seemed a little latenow, four years later, to try to rebuild those bridges, but it was somethingI’d thought about a lot and wanted to try.
And like Katie had said last Sunday, while the four of ushad breakfast at IHOP, “What’s the worst thing that could happen?They ignoreyou or think you’re some crazy cat lady reaching out to them?”
I was also thinking about taking cooking lessons.That wassomething else I’d forgotten that I’d loved—baking and all things food related.Colton was a hundred percent behind the idea, mainly because I think he justwanted to eat the food.
Speaking of the devil…
Colton reached around me, his finger aiming for the homemadepeanut butter icing.I smacked his hand away.“Don’t even think about it.”
“I just want a little taste.”He looped his arms around mywaist.
I grinned as I placed the plastic lid over the chocolatecake.“You’re going to have to wait.”
“I can wait for the cake, but…” He lowered his mouth to myneck, placing a kiss against my pulse.“But there’s another taste of somethingI’m not sure I’m going to be able to wait for.”
My stomach hollowed in response.All he had to do was makean innuendo and my blood heated.Colton wasthatgood.“We’re going tobe late.”
“It’s Jax’s BBQ, not a wedding reception.”His hands slidacross my belly and then down my hips.He kissed the space just behind my ear.
I bit down on my lipas I leaned back into him, feeling his arousal pressing against my lower back.He was insatiable.
I loved it.
“We really should try to be on time,” I said as I tilted myhead to the side, giving him more access.
With his hands on my hips, he turned me around in hisembrace.“We can be late.”
Colton kissed me as he slid his hands down, gathering up theskirt of my dress and skating his fingers on the bare skin of my thighs.Whenhe reached my panties and effectively slid them down my legs, every nerveending took notice.He helped me step out of them.
We were so going to be late.
Our kisses quickly turned frantic, his tongue plunging inand out of my mouth, and our hands were greedy.One of his on my breast,teasing the aching tip through the thin material, his other firmly planted onmy ass.I squeezed him through his jeans, loving the way his hips moved againstmy palm and the deep groan he made against my lips.
He broke the kiss and turned me back around.A fine shivercurled its way down my spine as he brushed my hair aside, then he placed hishand on the center of my back, bending me over slightly.
“Hold on to the counter,” he all but growled.I heard thetinny sound of his zipper.
