A touch of humor lifted one side of his mouth. “You’re making jokes.” His crooked smile grew. “Not a very good one, but still. That has to be a good sign, right?”
Alex’s lips twitched, but she cleared her throat and forced herself to step back, just out of his reach. “Your job.”
“What about it?”
“Well, for one thing, you’re gone more than you’re home.”
“Sometimes, yes. But?—”
“Ah, ah, ah.” Her head slid slowly from side-to-side. “No buts, remember?”
Colt pressed his lips together in a thin line. “My apologies.” He motioned toward her. “Please. Continue.”
“You also make a living by lying and sneakingaround. You’ve lied to me.” Her voice grew thick. “To our family and friends.”
“I already explained all that, Alex. I kept everyone in the dark because I wanted to?—”
“Protect us. I know.” She nodded. “And I believe you.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“It’s still lying, Colt. And the thing is, you do it so flawlessly.”
“Uh . . . thank you?” He sent her a questioning stare.
“That wasn’t a compliment, you idiot.” Alex scowled. “I’m saying I don’t know how I can be in a relationship with you if I’m not even sure I can trust you.”
He flinched, a clear sign that her blunt honesty had hurt him. “You can trust me, Alex.”
“I want to believe that.”
“Then believe it.”
“I wish it were that simple.”
“It is.” He took a broad step toward her.
“It’s really not.” She pulled in a deep breath. “The truth is, the last serious relationship I was in ended because I literally caught the guy with his pants down. The jerk was having sex with his personal assistant in our apartment,” Alex huffed. “Inourbed.”
A low curse escaped from under Colt’s breath as his hands came to a rest at his hips. “The guy’s obviously a moron, but I’m not him, Alex.”
“No.” Alex smiled sadly. “You’re not. Evan’s a terrible liar. In my gut, I knew. Even before I saw it with my own eyes. Not the specifics, but I could feel that something was off. It’s why I went home early that day. Deepdown, I think I knew exactly what I was going to find. But with you . . .” A rush of tears welled in her eyes. “The truth is, Coulter, I want you, too. I have for a really long time.”
Surprise crossed over him. “Why didn’t you ever say anything before now?”
“What would have been the point? Like I said, you’re never here, so even if you?—”
“What if I was?”
Alex sent him a look of confusion. “What do you mean?”
“I mean”—Colt moved closer—“what if I wasn’t always gone?”
“But you are.”
“But what if I wasn’t?” When she hesitated to respond, he said, “Answer the question, Alexandria.”
Her heart gave a hard kick, and a line of shivers followed the length of her spine. Alex didn’t know what it was about this man saying her full name, but every time he did, it made her feel all tingly inside.
