“Do you have drinks I can buy them?” Colt asked.
“Si, señor.” He dipped his head to a cooler. “You choose?”
Colt opened the cooler and pulled out four water bottles and four tropical juices. He wanted to get some kind of vitamins in them rather than a pop. There was a stash of Snickers in the cooler as well and Colt held them up. The man nodded then quickly put the drinks and candy bars in a sack and extended the meat and bulging bag to the boys. Kim watched the exchange without saying anything, but her eyes were bright, and her expression was soft.
“Gracias,” the taller boy yelled, grasping the sack of drinks while the other held the tinfoil-wrapped meat. They turned to go.
“Wait,” Colt called.
The vendor spoke rapidly in Spanish again. The boys turned back, their pinched faces suspicious and concerned. Colt pulled out the twenty he’d been saving for them and extended it. Their jaws dropped as if he’d handed them a million dollars. The smaller one, whose shorts were almost falling off his thin hips, darted to Colt, snatched the money, and gave him a wide grin.
They both took off running, clutching the food, money, and drinks and screaming, “Gracias,” over their shoulders time and time again.
Colt turned to the vendor, whose dark eyes were sparkling almost as much as Kim’s. He was feeling a little moist in the eyes himself but blinked quick to hide it and said, “How much do I owe you?”
The man glanced him over and said, “Ten American is plenty.” There was a sign that said $1 – Chicken. Colt knew he owed more than ten dollars for all that food. He pulled out a fifty and handed it to the man.
“Is too much,” the guy said, waving a hand in refusal.
“Feed them again for me sometime,” Colt said.
The man nodded and finally took the money. Colt smiled his thanks and turned to go. The man came at him from the side, reached up and wrapped his arm around his shoulders and said gruffly, “Respect, my brother, respect.”
Colt awkwardly returned the hug. The man let him go and bustled back to his stand, wiping at his eyes. Colt started walking away, Kim by his side. He glanced over at her and saw she was wiping her eyes as well.
Colt felt awkward. It was just some meat, drinks, and candy bars.
Kim surprised him, wrapping her arms around his waist and giving him a brief hug. “Respect,” she whispered.
Colt stared down at her. His own eyes widened as he saw how she was looking at him. As if he were a superhero or something.
“It was no big deal,” he muttered.
“It was to them.”
Colt had a beautiful vision of her giving him a kiss of gratitude. Instead she brushed at her eyes and started walking. “We’d better get heading back. The roads aren’t as easy to navigate in the dark.” She gave him a sassy wink.
That snapped Colt out of his dreams. Maybe the kiss would come later. When they got back safe. If they got back safe. He put a hand on Kim’s forearm. “Will you do something for me for helping the boys?”
“Sure.” But her voice was wary. She was probably thinking he’d demand a kiss, exactly like he wanted to, and thinking she didn’t have respect for him any longer.
“Let me drive home,” he said.
Kim let out a throaty laugh. She shook her head and started walking down the beach.
Colt caught her quickly. “I’m actually serious.”
“I know you are, that’s what makes it so funny.”
“Why’s it so funny?”
“I thought you were going to ask for something selfish.” She glanced up at him, and he knew exactly what she was thinking. He would try to entice her into a kiss once they were home, not in gratitude for helping the boys, but he hoped because she wanted to kiss him.
“It is selfish,” he insisted. “I want to live.”
Kim laughed again and kept walking. Colt kept pace and smiled. Being with Kim was like a roller coaster with no safety harness and no brakes, but he wouldn’t want it any other way.
Chapter 12
Kim packed up her beach bag while Colt paid José, giving him a generous tip, shook his hand, and thanked him for all his hard work.
“Adios,” Kim called to the friendly waiter as Colt took her bag from her, and then escorted her back to her Land Rover with his hand on her lower back. A thrill rushed through her. How she loved being with him. Even starting with a vicious headache and the ups and downs of fighting her desire for Colt, today had been one of the best she could remember.
“So you like José now, don’t you?” she asked to hide the way Colt was making her long for him.
“I’ll admit it. He’s a nice guy. Hard worker.”
She smiled and nodded. They reached the car, and she clicked to unlock it. Colt stored the beach bag and towels in the back. Kim stayed at the rear of the vehicle and held the keys up. “Do you want to drive home?” She was tired and wouldn’t mind letting him drive, even if she was conceding a small victory to him.
He snatched the keys out of her hand. “In what world did you think I would ever get in a vehicle with you driving again?”
“Aw, c’mon, it wasn’t that bad.”
“Wasn’t that bad? You almost killed us … dozens of times!”
She laughed. “And people say I’m the dramatic actor.”
“I choose life,” he insisted, winking at her. He walked her around to the passenger side, opened her door, and escorted her inside. She always felt like a princess around this man, except when she saw pictures of him with other women.
The thought of other women made her stomach squeamish as they started the drive home. Twice he’d not even given obviously interested women a second glance. Did it mean anything?
She stared out the window at the dry brush. There were a lot of trees, and the view was still pretty, but it wasn’t lush like her La Fortuna home.
“You okay?” Colt asked as they cruised past the airport and through Liberia. The sun was setting to the west.
She forced a smile. “Just tired.”
“Is your head better from this morning?”
“Yes, thank you.” She turned to stare out the window again. Colt was driving much too slow and not passing the trucks he should be speeding around. It was going to take them forever to get home, and she was suddenly very uncomfortable in this vehicle alone with him. She’d been so impressed with how he treated those homeless boys, and she would love to kiss him over and over again like they had in the ocean. The problem was, how did she allow herself to trust him again, knowing he most likely would move on to another woman and break her heart?
She lay her head back and closed her eyes. Maybe she’d get lucky and fall asleep.
Time passed, and she jolted awake. She blinked at the darkness outside their window. “Where are we?”
“In the mountains, almost home.”
Almost home. Her home, but not Colt’s home. Colt and Sutton’s men would find the stalker, and then Colt would leave her again. They didn’t share a home and never would.
She glanced at the clock on the dash. “Eleven thirty! How slow have you been driving?”
Colt’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t get upset. “I’m getting us home safe.”
“Wow. The Colt Quinn I knew wasn’t a sissy driver.”
Colt smiled and shook his head. “Keeping you safe is more important than proving how fast I can drive.”
Kim didn’t have a rebuttal for that one, because it was pretty sweet.
They pulled through La Fortuna and a few minutes later into her garage. Even though Kim had slept through most of the drive she felt exhausted and out of sorts. Colt lifted the beach bag and towels into the laundry room, holding the door for her.
“Do you want me to start a load of laundry?” he asked.
She shook her head. “No. Tomorrow is laundry day.”
He glanced sharply at her. She hated the way he looked all analytical, as if it was off for her to keep to a schedule. Many people liked schedules. She wouldn�
��t have been so successful with her art or her acting career without a self-imposed schedule.
“Goodnight,” she murmured.
“Wait.” Colt put a hand on her arm, but his phone rang at that moment, chirping, “Navy Quinn, best sister ever, mobile.”
She smiled. “I’ll let you get that,” she said, walking away from him. Her phone rang and chirped, “Holden Jennings, mobile.” Kim stopped and glanced back at Colt.
He put his phone to his ear and said, “Hey, sis.”
She turned her back, walked into the great room area, and slid the phone to answer. “Hi, Holden.”
“Hi!” he said brightly. “How are you? It’s been too long.”
“I’m …” She glanced at Colt who was leaning against the mud room door, talking on his phone, but staring at her. “I’m okay. Sutton Smith’s men are here. The stalker has apparently been in La Fortuna this whole time.”
“Griff came by and told us about it. I’m glad Colt’s with you.”
“Excuse me?” She clung to the phone and said, “You’re glad Colt’s with me.”
Colt’s gaze sharpened on her.
Holden let out a heavy breath. “I know, Kim, I know what you’ve been through, and I know how hard forgiving someone can be, but I want you to be happy, and he’s been through a lot too.”
Kim could not believe this. Holden was her champion, always. How could he be on Colt’s side?
“I’m not condoning what he did. It was horrible for him to pretend to kiss that girl because he thought you were cheating with me.”
Kim walked swiftly up the stairs, into her room, and slammed the door shut. “Holden. He did that. It was worse than horrible. I can’t ever trust him. Who knows when he’ll up and ditch me for another girl again?”
“He won’t. I told him off before he left to find you and Kim … you know how important you are to me.”
“Yes?” she said cautiously. She wanted to hear more about him cussing Colt out.
“He was … humble and apologized. He truly convinced me that he’s never loved anyone but you and never will.”
“Are you just saying all of this because Navy wants you to stick up for her brother?”
Holden chuckled. “Actually, no. The biggest fight we’ve had has been over you and Colt. This is because you deserve to be happy, and I know you love him.”
Kim couldn’t argue that she didn’t love him, so she stayed silent.
“He’s committed to you. I could see it in his eyes. And Navy showed me his track record with women, he never dated anyone seriously. We actually called a dozen of the more famous actresses and models he dated that I knew personally, and they all said the same thing, he was a gentleman but definitely wasn’t interested in them. He took each of them to dinner once, and he never even tried to kiss them.”
Kim’s heart was hammering harder and harder. Could that be true?
“I know it’s going to be hard for you to trust him again,” Holden continued, “but if you still love him it’s worth the jump. Believe me, Kim. It’s so worth it.”
Kim’s heart raced. If she still loved him? She’d never stopped loving Colt. That was the problem.
She heard some background noise and then Holden said, “I’m talking to her right now, love. We need to switch? Excuse me, Kim, Navy needs to talk to you.”
Kim had no desire to talk to Colt’s sister.
“Kim!” Navy’s voice was so bright and cheery it was hard to resist her. “Holden and I are getting married Saturday at sunset on the beach at his Santa Monica house. Please say you and Colt will come.”
Kim’s head was spinning. Navy hadn’t pushed her way into her conversation with Holden to beg Kim to forgive her brother, but to invite her to their wedding? Navy and Holden. It still felt foreign to her yet fit perfectly. “Saturday? This Saturday?”
“Yes! I know it’s crazy and such short notice. We’ve been visiting with Holden’s parents and mine the past week, and even though I hate to admit my mama is ever right, I’m not getting any younger, and Holden and I love each other so desperately. Why wait when we could be making babies, right?”
Kim choked on a surprised laugh. Why wait indeed? How would that be? So in love that you couldn’t even wait to plan a proper wedding?
“Can you come?” Navy asked.
“Saturday is pizza and Baldi Hot Springs,” Kim murmured.
“Excuse me?”
Kim startled as she realized what she’d said. Was that just a slip, or had her schedule officially become more important to her than her favorite cousin? Were her habits becoming a problem and her OCD from pre-teen years resurfacing?
A knock came at the door. “Kim? Can I come in, love?”
“No,” Kim yelled at Colt.
“No?” Navy asked.
“I’m sorry. I’m yelling at Colt.” She pushed a hand at her forehead. The headache from this morning was coming back. “It’s late. I need to get some sleep,” she muttered.
“Please, Kim,” Navy said. “You know you’re like a sister to Holden, and I have to have Colt there. If you two can’t come Saturday, we will postpone the wedding.”
That was so incredibly kind, but she didn’t want them to postpone their wedding. “I’m sorry,” Kim muttered. “It’s just this stalker and Colt. I haven’t slept well, and everything is messing with my head right now.”
“I understand. I know this is crazy fast and a lot to deal with. Do you want to call us back in the morning?”
Kim shook her head and tears squeezed past her lids. She was completely out of sorts right now. “No. If Colt says we can come with the stalker and security issues and stuff, then we’ll make it happen. I want to be there for Holden.”
Navy let out a happy squeal. “Thank you! This means so much to us! Tell Colt he’s a punk from me, and if you find it in your sweet heart and adorable body to forgive him, please know I’ll appreciate it forever. He needs you. See you Saturday!”
The phone disconnected. Kim dropped the phone on a side table and leaned back against the door. Holden was in love, and marrying Colt’s sister in two days, no, really one day, it was after midnight so officially Friday. That was insane. She was happy for them. Holden and Navy both deserved happiness. But had she really agreed to fly to California? If her stalker was right here in La Fortuna it shouldn’t matter if she revealed her face to America again. Colt would keep her safe, of that she was sure.
Colt. She hugged herself and thought of his kisses, his smiles, all of him. She wished she could forgive him like Holden and Navy had both suggested.
The door behind her rapped again. “Kim? Can I please come in and talk to you, love?”
Kim sighed. She was too tired to stay strong around him right now. Turning, she pushed down the handle and slowly pulled the door open. Colt stood there, still in his t-shirt and board shorts. His dark hair was disheveled, and his blue eyes filled with concern. He was so perfect to her.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
Kim bit at her lip and shrugged. “I’m really tired, and I always get up early. Can we talk in the morning?”
Colt studied her. “Maybe you could sleep in tomorrow.”
She shook her head. “No. I just … automatically wake up.” She’d trained herself to automatically get up so she would never have to mess up her schedule. She recognized it was a bit extreme, but it worked for her, and it usually didn’t affect anyone else.
“Okay. Wake me up if I’m sleeping.” He gave her an irresistible grin, and she didn’t know how to not love this man. That he didn’t pressure her to let her schedule slide filled her with gratitude.
“Thanks.”
She stepped back, but Colt took a larger step forward. He wrapped his arms around her and murmured, “Navy told me to give you a hug from her.”
Kim laid her head against the crook of his neck and wrapped her arms around his lower back. “Oh, this is for Navy?”
“What if I said it’s for me?” His voice was deep and husk
y.
Kim licked her lips and glanced up at him. “I’d say you promised only to touch me in public.”
His gaze traveled over her face slowly, lingering on her lips.
“Forgive me for touching you,” he said quietly, just like he had yesterday morning.
Kim’s pulse was pounding so fast she felt like it would jump out of her throat.
“You’re … doing the other thing again too,” she forced out, her voice raspy and too high-pitched.
“What is that?”
“The smoldering look with your eyes.”
Colt smiled. “Forgive me,” he said in a low rumble.
Kim couldn’t catch a full breath. Colt’s head lowered so close to hers she could feel his warm breath on her lips.
“And forgive me for this.”
Colt pressed his lips to hers, and rational Kim left the building. The kiss was warm, sensual, and overpowering. Colt lifted her to her tiptoes as his lips took possession of her mouth, and he took possession of her heart. The kiss continued with an intensity that both thrilled and lifted her. She felt like she was soaring, and she never wanted to crash back to reality.
When he pulled back, they were both breathing quicker, and he was staring intently at her. His blue eyes were full of love, desire, and concern.
“What if I can’t forgive you?” she asked, but she didn’t want to hold on to old hurts anymore, she wanted to hold on to him.
Colt studied her, the concern in his eyes growing as he trailed his fingers along her cheek. “Please, Kim. Don’t push me away. I won’t survive without you. I’ll die alone and miserable.”
Kim’s heart did a happy flutter. In a whisper, she said, “Ask what you need to do for me to forgive you.”
She could tell he was afraid she was going to push him away. “What can I do to get you to forgive me?” he asked.
“Kiss me,” she said.
Colt’s slow grin appeared. He framed her face with his hands and murmured, “Yes, ma’am.” Then he was kissing her, and she prayed she really could forgive the mistakes of the past. But she’d worry about that later. Right now she could only return the kiss.
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