Love like Yours Series (Box Set #1-4)

by Nicole S. Goodin

  I knew, because I was facing the same thing in my own head.

  I can’t do this right now.

  “Lexie, I need...”

  “Shhh,” I cut him off, placing a finger softly to his lips.

  He looked at me in question.

  “Right now, I just need you,” I whispered. “Please,” I begged. “Just let us have this moment.”

  He nodded and tugged me in closer before his lips met mine.

  16. Colt

  Shit, shit, SHIT.

  I wasn’t entirely sure how I’d managed to get myself in this situation. The only explanation I had was that Lexie had me so distracted I’d forgotten about the life I had before she arrived.

  Shiiiiitttt!

  The message on my voicemail began playing again.

  Gabby...

  I don’t know how the hell I had forgotten about my date with Gabby tonight. But I knew one thing; there was no way in hell I was going on that date now.

  The only date I’ll be going on is with Lexie.

  “Call me back, handsome, I can’t wait to see you tonight.” Her grating voice played aloud in the room, the sound like nails on a chalkboard.

  How had I ever found her attractive?

  I turned around, phone in hand, ready to call her back and cancel our plans, when my eyes landed on Lexie.

  She was standing in the doorway, and the look on her face and the hurt in her eyes assured me that she’d heard the entire message.

  Oh no...

  “Shit, Lex, it’s not what—”

  “It’s all good,” she interrupted me quickly, holding up her hands. “I get it, Colt, you had a life here before I came along and you’ll still have one after I’m gone.” She took a couple of steps back. “It’s all good,” she repeated quietly.

  “Lex, I—”

  She cut me off before I could tell her that I was one hundred percent cancelling this date. Just the thought of it made me feel sick.

  “Quinn just called anyway, I’m gonna head over there. She’s got an early finish.” She backed up a little further.

  I knew what she was doing. She was putting her walls up to protect herself.

  The days we had together were passing by faster than I would have ever thought possible. We were on limited time and neither of us knew what would happen when that time ran out. I knew we needed to talk about it, I’d tried earlier, but it wasn’t the right time. Now apparently wasn’t the right time either, Lexie looked like she wanted to bolt.

  Is she looking for a clean break now?

  I didn’t think she wanted out, not really. Yes, she was obviously scared, but she knew we had something special between us... she had to know that like I did.

  “Lexie, I’m not going on that date.” I took a step towards her, and she took another back away from me.

  “You should,” she encouraged.

  I knew she didn’t mean it. Her eyes were so full of hurt, she looked like she was on the verge of tears, but that didn’t stop her words from cutting like a bitch.

  I froze. “You want me to go on a date with another woman?” I asked in disbelief, my voice breaking.

  She nodded at the same time as her eyes screamed no. “Sure, why not? I’ll be gone on Friday anyway.”

  I rubbed my hand over my chest where an ache was forming. “Lexie...”

  “It’s fine,” she mumbled as she turned and disappeared from sight.

  I couldn’t seem to make myself follow her; it was like the shock of the situation had glued me to the spot.

  I heard her fumbling around in the living room, the sound of the door opening and closing, and then only silence.

  She was gone.

  17. Lexie

  God damn word vomit.

  I hadn’t meant a single word I’d said back there. But they just kept coming out. Absolute nonsense had spilled from my mouth and I couldn’t seem to find a way to stop it.

  I didn’t want Colt going on a date with another woman... just the thought of it made me want to hurl.

  But I’d told him to do it.

  What the hell is my deal?

  My story about Quinn having an early finish had been complete bullshit, but I had nowhere else to go.

  So here I was, sitting on Harrison’s couch, crying like a fool. The poor cab driver that had had the misfortune of pulling over for me had dropped me off here about half an hour ago and retreated out that driveway as fast as he could. It was almost comical really; the effect a crying female could have on a man.

  I’d half expected Colt to have turned up looking for me by now, but he hadn’t. And even though I didn’t deserve to be chased, I was still holding onto hope that this wasn’t the end of us. I wanted him to come for me, even though it should have been me going back to him.

  “Quinn?” a deep voice called from the direction of the garage.

  Oh no...

  This might have been Harrison’s house, but I was not prepared for him to arrive home at four in the afternoon. I thought I’d have at least another two hours to get myself together and get my story straight before either of them walked through the door and caught me hiding out here.

  “Quinn?” he called again.

  “It’s Lexie,” I called back, wiping away my tears and doing my best to keep the emotion out of my voice.

  Pull yourself together.

  “Lexie?” he asked, confusion thick in his tone. “What are you doing here?” He appeared in the doorway to my left and I kept my eyes down. The last thing I needed was him seeing how bloodshot they were from crying.

  “I thought I’d spend the night with you guys... if that’s okay?” I sniffed.

  “Lexie?” he asked quietly, his voice full of concern. “You’re crying... what’s wrong?”

  “I’m fine,” I answered as I stood up, my eyes still firmly on my feet.

  “Lexie you’re not—”

  “Really, I’m fine, fine, fine,” I rambled, cutting him off. “I might just go take a shower, you know, freshen up.” I escaped the room as fast as I could before he could ask me anything more.

  “Okay?” He said it like a question. “Well, you know you’re always welcome here,” he called after me.

  I nodded to acknowledge I’d heard him and made my way quickly up the stairs to the safety of the bathroom.

  I knew his eyes were on my back the whole time.

  18. Colt

  “What’d you do this time, bone head?”

  I closed my eyes and braced myself for the wrath of my oldest brother. Harrison had obviously heard from Lexie, or more likely, Quinn had heard from Lexie and now Harrison was being sent to give me my warnings.

  “Is she at your place?” I asked as I put on my turn signal and pulled over. “And did you really just call me a bone head?”

  She wasn’t answering her phone and I was starting to get worried. I’d driven around a few of the places I’d shown her, that she’d loved, but she wasn’t at any of them. There weren’t that many places I thought she would have gone, and Harrison’s was the next stop on my list.

  “That depends what you did to her,” he answered, ignoring my question about his five-year-old name calling.

  “Is she with Quinn?”

  “No,” he answered curtly. “Skippy’s in meetings all afternoon.”

  “You’ve seen Lexie?” I asked, my shock evident.

  “That depends what you did to her,” he repeated.

  He’s with Lex...

  I was surprised at that. Lexie was a private and proud girl. She wouldn’t have liked Harrison seeing her in a vulnerable position. If I had to guess, I would say she was expecting to be at the house alone.

  “It was just a misunderstanding,” I mumbled.

  “What did you do?” he asked again.

  I ran my free hand over my face in frustration.

  “This chick, Gabby, left me a voicemail about our date tonight.” I sighed. “I’d forgotten all about it. Lex heard.”

  “Okay... dick m
ove, but you cancel... problem solved.”

  Like I didn’t think of that, jackass.

  “I tried to tell her that I wasn’t going to go. I mean, fuck, man, I organized it before I’d ever even heard the name, Lexie Chase. It’s hardly my fault.”

  “Just get to the part where she ends up crying on my couch,” he demanded.

  Shit.

  The thought of her crying hurt me deep in my chest.

  “She told me I should go on the date. Spilled some crap about me having a life before her and needing to have one after.”

  “And you believed her? Dude, do you even know one single thing about women?”

  “I didn’t say I was going to go,” I growled.

  “Did you make sure she knew you weren’t going to go?”

  “I told her... but I didn’t follow her and make sure she knew...” I groaned. “But she’s the one who told me I should go, how is this my fault?” I rubbed my temple. This mess was giving me a headache.

  “It’s always your fault, man. The sooner you accept that, the better.”

  “You’re a jerk.”

  “Just get your shit together, Colt, crying females make me nervous.”

  “Is she okay?” I asked quietly.

  “She’s fine, fine, fine. Her words, not mine.”

  I huffed out a laugh.

  I may have been screwing this up, but contrary to my brother’s belief I did know one thing, when a woman said she was fine, she most certainly was not fine.

  “Shit,” I mumbled.

  “Shit indeed,” he agreed.

  “I need your help.”

  “Of course you do,” he replied smugly.

  ***

  I glanced at my reflection in the mirror and straightened my bow tie for what must have been the millionth time. I still didn’t know if this was a good idea or not. I was still confused about what Lexie wanted, but I had to hope that I was doing right by her.

  I ran my hand through my hair again. This was about as good as it was going to get.

  I sighed at my reflection and turned to leave the room.

  I had a feeling that my decision with this date tonight was going to be the most important one of my life so far.

  “Falling for him wasn’t falling at all. It was walking into a house and suddenly knowing you were home.”

  - r.i.d.

  19. Lexie

  “I can’t go out, Q; all of my stuff is at Colt’s place,” I whined in what I knew was a futile attempt to change her mind. Quinn never changed her mind unless she wanted to.

  “Well then we’ll just go around there and get something for you to wear to dinner,” she suggested. “Problem solved.”

  “I don’t really want to do that,” I admitted sheepishly.

  The idea of seeing Colt made my stomach churn with nerves.

  “I’ll call him,” she insisted. “I’ll tell him to take a walk for half an hour and you can have the place to yourself.”

  I knew she wasn’t even joking.

  Only Quinn could ring her ex and order him around.

  I rolled my eyes. This whole thing was so stupid it was making my head hurt. Going back there would be like a burglar returning to the scene of the crime.

  I just wanted a quiet night in to think about what an idiot I was, but no one ever won an argument against Quinn, and I was no exception.

  “Fine.” I admitted defeat. We both knew I was going to give in eventually, so I figured I may as well get on with it.

  Quinn clapped her hands together in glee.

  Ugh.

  ***

  A funny feeling settled in my stomach as Quinn opened the door to Colt’s apartment. I was so nervous. It didn’t seem right being here without him, and I was beginning to wish that I could take back Quinn’s request for him to take a walk.

  I wanted to see him, to apologize and beg him to give me another shot at whatever this was that we had going on.

  I desperately hoped that he wasn’t out on his date with that heinous-sounding girl on the phone.

  What the hell was I thinking?

  Telling him that he should go out with that woman was probably the single most stupidest thing I’d ever done.

  “Go get changed.” Quinn ushered me further into the apartment. She’d already done my hair and makeup back at Harrison’s house. I wasn’t sure why I needed to get so dressed up for a dinner out with the two of them, but I just didn’t have the energy to argue with her anymore.

  Life is easier when Quinn gets her way.

  I trudged my way down the hallway and paused before I entered Colt’s room.

  This doesn’t feel right.

  I glanced at the bed as I walked in, and was hit with a visual of all the intimate times we’d had together on that bed already.

  This is your own fault.

  I took a deep breath and decided to just get on with it. I could have my meltdown in the privacy of my own bed tonight, not here, where Quinn would be coming to find me if I took longer than a few minutes.

  I heard the phone ring as I fastened the zip on the side of my favorite navy blue cocktail dress. I pulled out my tan heels to pair with it and I slipped one on as the answering machine clicked on and Colt’s voice filled the apartment.

  I sighed and my eyes burned with unshed tears at the already achingly familiar sound of his voice.

  “You missed me, leave a message after the...”

  The beep sounded.

  “Hi there, I’m calling for a Mr. Colton Hunt, confirming your eight o’clock reservation for two at The Water House. We will see you tonight, sir.” A chipper-sounding woman spoke.

  My stomach dropped.

  He’s going on his date.

  I’d really done it. It was all ruined.

  I glanced around the room, and felt totally lost. I knew I should probably have packed up all my stuff, but all I wanted to do now was curl up in a ball and cry.

  What if he brings her back here?

  The thought made me sick to my stomach, but I decided that if he was going to bring another woman back here, he would be doing it with all of my crap surrounding him. I grabbed my small evening bag off the bed and slung it over my shoulder.

  I needed to get the hell out of here – now.

  “Quinn?” I called down the hall. “I want to go home.”

  I got no reply.

  “Quinn?” I called again. “Please? I can’t do this right now.”

  “You’re not going anywhere, little bird.”

  My head snapped up at the sound of his voice.

  Colt.

  There he was, standing in the living room, dressed in a tuxedo.

  My step faltered and I felt weak at the knees. He looked magnificent.

  “God, you look beautiful, Lexie,” he breathed, taking his fill of me from across the room. “Perfect.”

  My lip quivered under his intense stare.

  “Except for those sad eyes.” He whispered the words like an apology.

  I didn’t know what to say, or what to do. I was frozen to the spot.

  “I don’t understand,” I finally managed to choke out. “Shouldn’t you be on your date?”

  His golden eyes turned soft as he shook his head. “The only person I’ll be taking on a date is you, Lex. I don’t care if you tell me to see other women. The only one I see is you.”

  What was I thinking?

  Goosebumps prickled my skin. “I didn’t mean it,” I blurted out. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean it.” I felt a tear slip from the corner of my eye.

  “Oh, Lex.” He sighed, holding his arms open, welcoming me. “I know you didn’t.”

  I rushed towards him and he enveloped me in his strong grip, holding me tight and safe. The addictive scent that could only be his enveloped me and I was home.

  “I shouldn’t have let you leave,” he apologized.

  “I shouldn’t have gone,” I sobbed.

  “Shhhh,” he cooed, trying to soothe me.

  “I�
�m scared,” I admitted once I was able to pull myself together enough to form coherent thoughts.

  “What are you scared of, babe?” he asked softly, rubbing gentle circles on my back.

  I wasn’t one hundred percent sure now, it was a lot less scary when I was here, safe in his arms.

  “I’m scared of losing you,” I replied, my voice cracking at the end.

  “Oh, Lexie.” He sighed. “I’m scared too.”

  “You are?” I peeked up at him.

  He looked down, right into my eyes. “I’m terrified.” He brought his hands up to cup my face. “I think I’m starting to fall in love with you, Lex, and I’m terrified that I won’t get to keep you.”

  My heart sped up into overdrive. Hearing that this man was falling in love with me, was like no other feeling in the world.

  I’m falling for you...

  “I want to keep you too,” I whispered.

  Forever.

  “I’ve never felt this way about anyone before you, and it’s scaring the hell out of me,” I confessed, deciding to put my feelings out there.

  His answering smile was dazzling. He was so beautiful when he smiled.

  “We’ll figure it out together, little bird, just you and me.” He ran his hand through the long strands of my hair. “Just no more running, okay?”

  “No more running,” I promised.

  ***

  “I feel kind of bad for ditching Q and Harrison,” I admitted sheepishly as Colt held out the chair and gestured for me to sit down.

  Such a gentleman.

  He took his seat opposite me and flashed me his best megawatt smile, the one that took my breath away. “Don’t sweat it; they were both in on the plan. And we’ll meet back up with them later; I have another surprise for you.”

  Sneaky.

  “There’s more than this?” I gestured to the grand room around us. The Water House was the most beautiful restaurant I’d ever set foot in. I blushed a little with embarrassment at my own stupidity, having assumed earlier that this was where Colt was going to bring that other woman he’d promised his time to.

  Stupid.

  I took a deep breath and looked around the amazing restaurant he’d brought me to. The view of the water was out of this world. The whole place had a magical feel to it. I don’t know whether that was more to do with the company I was keeping, or the aesthetics, but either way, I was entirely captivated.