Marshall gritted his teeth, pulling out his phone and searching. Maybe he could find a song that would work. It had to be the right one.
“’I Melt with you’?” Hanson suggested. “That seems to be one of their most popular songs that come up.”
Rubbing his beard, Marshall decided to throw caution to the wind and just go for it. What the hell did he know about eighties music?
“Sure, let’s do that one.” He strode back to the table where Colette was waiting.
“Are you friends with the DJ?” she asked.
“I’m friends with everyone in town,” Marshall grinned. “Did you order dessert?”
Colette shook her head. “I think I’ll have something later.”
Marshall tipped the wine bottle, filling both of their glasses, and waited for the music to begin. Nervous energy thrummed through him, hoping he had gotten it right. Their conversation had taken a turn, and he would love to put a smile on her face. He could understand why relationships could be fun, the desire to make someone happy an addictive high. It was a nice distraction, for now.
“What kind of music does the DJ usually play?”
“A lot of country, but sometimes some pop songs,” Marshall explained, thrumming his fingers on the table. Colette rested her head in her hands, her eyes warm. An upbeat song began to play over the speakers and Colette turned to see the DJ.
“Did you…” she asked. Marshall nodded.
“I needed to know.” He stood and reached for her hand. She bounced out of her seat, already moving to the music. He could see the appeal of eighties music when he saw how she transformed.
Spinning in his arms, she sang along with the lyrics, cheeks rosy and glowing. Wrapping an arm around her waist, Marshall pulled her closer as a new, more twangy country song began to play. Drawn by the floral scent of her skin and maybe… her shampoo? He closed the gap between them as much as he could. This closeness, this heat, whatever it was pulling him into her orbit, he had a sinking sensation inside, warning him of danger. He was enjoying himself too much; his hand around her body felt too good. They were feelings he would long for if she left.
Whenshe left.
And they both knew she wouldn’t stay.
Ignoring the voice of reason inside, he squeezed her waist and brushed his cheek against hers. If he was lucky, the warmth of her touch would linger on his skin, and her scent would absorb into his clothing. Little pieces of her would stay to comfort him. He would capture this moment and leave an imprint that he could treasure when it was all over. And he would need it, because Colette Slip was going to absolutely ruin him.
CHAPTER 28
Colette sniffed and blew her nose in the tissue once more.
“It’s like I always know Meg is going to die. I’ve read this book multiple times, but it still sneaks up on you,” she said, and Marshall wrapped an arm around her as they walked out of the theater.
“MaybeLittle Womenwasn’t the best choice for a first date,” he said, squeezing her shoulder before crossing the street to the truck. Colette wiggled into him, trying to bury her face deeper into his warm, muscular chest. She tipped her face up to him. There was no way she was going to let him think anything about this night was a bad idea. It had all been perfect. He made her feel like no one else ever had. Like being a stopping point for each other wasn’t a bad thing if they were both melting. Together.
Giving her head a shake before her thoughts went into dangerous and foolish territory, she pulled away, wiping away the last of her tears with her tissue. She hugged her arms around her chest to keep warm. It was much colder when he didn’t have his arms around her. Nuzzling him had been a bad idea. He smelled way too good. Maybe she would have to buy hisdeodorant when she moved back to the city, so she could cry and sniff in mourning of what could have been.
Shivers racked her body, and he reached for her hand. Again. The sensation of his fingers wrapping around hers made her heart race. Alarm bells rang in her ears, and she ignored them, leaning into his arm, absorbing some of his warmth. Colette wasn’t a girl who fell in love easily. No man had ever given her a reason or stayed long enough for her to take the leap. The ways in which Marshall was different from any man she had ever dated was terrifying. In the silence of Main Street that evening, all she needed was to feel him next to her, and she was exactly where she was meant to be.
Grateful for the seats warming her behind in the truck, she scrolled through her various playlists and picked the next song that would take them home. Unable to resist, she closed her eyes as she listened to the music and rested her hand on Marshall’s thigh. Her body vibrated with excitement for what was to come, and she tried to lock this sensation deep in her mind so she could capture it. Squeezing her thighs together, Colette ached for the closeness, as though she had waited for this night all her life.
And maybe, she had.
She had patiently waited for someone to see her. Truly see her. Not just as a girl for a good time. Marshall looked at her as though he saw her value. As though she could be special to him, if their time together didn’t have a limit.
Doubts swirled in her mind, a storm of nerves and thoughts that ran through her head all the time. What if she wasn’t enough? What if they were together one night and that was enough for him? Could she be Marshall’s stopping point on the way to his happy ending with someone else?
She turned to look outside the passenger window, sighing as the beauty of the stars sprinkled across the night sky took her breath away. It wasn’t up to Marshall to decide she was goodenough. Only she had that power. And sure as fuck, Colette knew she was good enough. Intelligent, cute and bookish, maybe slightly introverted, but not enough to hinder getting to know people. It was a daily habit for her to remind herself that she had value, even if people sometimes made her feel like she didn’t.
“You okay?” Marshall said, breaking into her thought spiral.
“Yeah, I’m okay,” she answered in a quiet voice. “The sky is beautiful tonight.”
“When it gets warmer, I’ll take you out, and we can look at the stars. There’s nothing like lying on your back in the grass and taking them all in,” he said. “You can’t see the stars like this in the city.” His hand clasped over hers and he squeezed. Her heart warmed at the thought of him planning the future. With a few words, he brushed aside any thoughts of expiration dates and brought her back to the present.
