“Your shirt’s a little ripped, sweetheart,” he murmured. “Do you want to get changed and get in bed?”
She nodded, and Colt led her down the hall. Though he’d never been here before, it wasn’t that hard to find the master bedroom in these older homes around Three Rivers. Sure enough, it sat at the end, and this place had been fully remodeled. Colt noticed the expanded closet and the master en suite, which a lot of older homes didn’t have. He wasn’t surprised to see them at Elaine’s, because even if she’d bought this house in its original condition, she had the money to fix it up.
“I’ll just wait right here, ma’am,” he said, and he backed out of the bedroom and closed the door.
“Don’t leave,” she called, and warmth moved through his chest.
“I’ll be right here.” He heard her opening drawers in the bedroom, and it took her about twenty minutes to come back out. She wore light heather gray from head to toe, in a matching pants and top set that flowed loosely around her curves. Her hair was damp along the edges, and she’d removed all makeup from her face.
“Thank you, Colt,” she said. “I showered, and I didn’t mean you had to wait right here.”
“It’s totally fine,” he said back, glad he’d found a way to talk to her without sounding like a fool.
“Did you want me to call someone?” he asked as he followed her down the hall to the living room. “Your momma or Conrad?”
Elaine seemed to think about it for a moment, and then she shook her head. “No. I don’t want to worry them.”
“But you’re going to tell them, right?” Colt asked.
Elaine shrugged and moved through the kitchen, did nothing, and went into her living area. She curled into the end of the couch and pulled a blanket over her lap. Colt hastened to fix it for her, pulling it up further, so she could really nestle down into it and feel warm and safe.
“It’s not your fault,” he said. “I heard you tell him no at least three times.”
She looked over to him. “Did you?”
“Yes,” he said. “Anyone in that parking lot would’ve heard. You were very clear.”
Elaine nodded and reached up and wiped the corner of her right eye. “I know this is stupid, but…could you just stay here with me?”
Surprise bolted through Colt, and he immediately thought of the multitude of responsibilities he had at home. He asked so much of his mother, who watched Jonas for him at any time and with a huge smile on her face. He promised his son they’d sit together at church tomorrow, and he wasn’t sure how to satisfy his need to be a good dad with his desire to have Elaine Walker in his life.
“I’m so stupid,” she said. “Of course, you can’t stay. You’ve got to get home to Jonas.”
“I can stay,” Colt said, making the decision on the spot. “My mother will understand, and I can have Myrah or Birdie help with Jonas tomorrow.”
Elaine looked at him with those big, soulful eyes. “Are you sure?”
“Absolutely.” He shrugged out of his leather jacket and sank onto the other end of the couch. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
Her eyes filled with tears again, and she nodded. “Thank you, Colt.” She moved then, sliding across the couch so quickly that Colt barely had time to lift his arm and put it around her shoulders as she sagged into his side.
He pulled the blanket over her lap again, then his, and just like that, his pulse fired through him, once again telling him that he had to explore things with Elaine further. Sure, she was gently weeping again, and he really wished he could erase the past hour from her life.
But since he couldn’t, Colt simply stroked one hand over her hair and pressed a kiss to her temple. “Try to go to sleep, baby doll,” he whispered. “I’ll be right here when you wake up.”
30
“You two still waiting?”
Trap looked up at Ilsa, frowning and nodding at the same time.
“Maybe he’s not coming,” the waitress said.
“He’s coming, so yes, we’re still waiting,” Ty said.
“If he’s not here in five minutes, we’ll order.” Trap tried to smile, but it didn’t quite come off right.
The waitress smiled and moved away to her next table, taking Trap’s patience with her.
