“So how did things end?”
“Well, her daddy got sick and ended up passing away. He never met Brennan. After that, she and her mom talked, they became close again, and Brennan got a few good years with her grandma before she passed.”
“So you know where I’m coming from then?” I ask.
He nods. “I was sure Brennan getting with you was my punishment for taking Diana the way I did. I blamed myself.”
I reach into my pocket and pull out the box. I set it on the table between us. “It was my mother’s.”
He picks it up and inspects it. He nods and snaps it shut before laying it back down. “I can’t say that I like the idea of my daughter tying herself down to a grown man with a child, but I can say that there are worse options out there.”
“I love her, sir. I’ll do any damn thing I have to do to keep her happy, to take care of her. I’ll never hurt her,” I promise.
“She came and saw me today. She told me she loves you, and I told her I just wanted to see her happy.” He puts the cap on the bottle. “You two have my blessing, but if you hurt her, I will kill you with this shot gun and won’t think twice about it.”
I chuckle and nod. “Yes, sir.” I pick up the ring and slide it back into my pocket. When I stand, he reaches for the bottle and pulls it back.
“You can go get her, but I’m keeping this.”
“Thank you, sir.” I shake his hand and run from the barn as fast as my legs will carry me.
Twenty-Four
Brennan
MY dad didn’t say he approved of me being with Colton, but I know that’s what he meant. He wants to see me happy. Being with Colton is the only way I’ll be happy. I can only hope that Celeste is right when she said that he loved me. I don’t know what I’d do if I ran to him only to have him push me away. That thought alone scares me. It fills my stomach with nerves that bubble up my throat and makes my hands shake.
When I get home, I pace the floor, trying to think through whether or not I should go to him. Or maybe I should just call him? No, I can’t tell him I love him over the phone. I need to see his face, be able to look into his eyes. I want to be able to reach out and touch him, feel him against me. I want to see the look in his eyes when he returns those words, if he returns those words. I drive over to his house, but his truck is gone. Next, I try the shop and the bar, but he’s at neither of them. Feeling disappointed, I go back home.
I sit on the couch, feeling anxious and worried. I haven’t seen him in a week, and now, he’s all I can think about. I pull out my phone and text him.
Please call me. I have so much to say to you.
I wait and wait, watching my phone and willing it to ring. It never does. Maybe Celeste was wrong. Maybe he doesn’t want to be with me. Maybe he’s decided that I’m not worth all the trouble. I can’t sit around and wait any longer. I have to get up, move, do something to distract myself. If he’s moved on, I don’t know what I’ll do. I try to occupy my mind by watching TV, cleaning, and scrolling through my phone. None of it works. I finally get up and take a shower. I wash my hair twice. I shave almost my entire body. I soak in the tub and when I get out, I lather myself in lotion before going to my room to get dressed. I pull on a pair of gray panties and a T-shirt that hits me at the knees. Then, I head to the kitchen to find something for dinner. I bend down and open the fridge when someone knocks on the door.
I exit the kitchen and walk down the hall, peeking into the peephole. To my surprise, I find Colton. I unlock the door and open it with a wide smile. His eyes start on mine and then fall down my body slowly before making their way back up.
“I got your text,” he says, seemingly holding himself back. His muscles are tense, his eyes full of intensity.
“Come in.” I step back and open the door wider.
He steps inside, and I close and lock the door before leading him into the living room.
“So,” he says, looking around. “This your new place?”
“Yep. What do you think?”
He nods. “Not too bad—a little small.”
“Well, it’s just for me. So, I got a new job,” I bump my elbow against his.
“Oh yeah? Where?”
“Dr. Clark’s office here in town. I’m the new receptionist. I just got the call today.” This small talk feels awkward, but I feel like going straight to “I love you” would feel even more awkward, especially if he doesn’t feel the same. I’m hoping to break the ice a little, do some digging to see if I can figure out how he feels before I tell him how I feel. “How’s Milly?”
He nods. “She’s good. She’s been spending a lot of time with Celeste while I wait to see if I can get her into the daycare here in town.” He pauses for a moment. “She misses you.”
My head jerks in his direction. “I miss her too.” I take a deep breath and prepare myself for what I’m about to say, but he cuts me off.
“I miss you too.” His words are so soft, I’m not even sure if I heard them correctly.
“I miss you too,” I reply.
It seems as though he wants to say more, but like me, he’s not sure how to go about it. Maybe I should just throw it out there and see what I get in return. At least then I’ll know. Who cares if he turns me down? It couldn’t be any more embarrassing than sitting in front of him in nothing but a T-shirt and underwear—even though I could have shorts on under here and he’d never even know it.
I tuck my chin into my chest and look at him from beneath my eyelashes. “Colton, I—” The words get stuck in my throat. I’ve never done this before. I don’t know how to tell someone that I love them.
He turns and looks at me. “What, Brennan?” His hand reaches out and touches mine.
Feeling his rough hand against mine gives me the strength I need to push me through this. “I love you,” I finally breathe out. My heart is pounding in my chest as I wait for his reply. My anxiety spikes. Will he return the words I want to so desperately hear, or will he turn me away?
“I love you too,” he says, pulling my hand until I’m on his lap. His hands move up and cup my cheeks as he directs my eyes to his. “I love you so fucking much that it hurts to breathe. I thought when you walked out that day, I’d never get the chance to tell you how I really feel.”
I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face. “So, tell me now.”
“I went and saw your dad today.”
“You did?” I ask, feeling my brows pull together.
He nods. “I did. I told him that I was sorry for lying to him and doing this all the wrong way. I was just so blinded by you that I couldn’t see how it should’ve been done. I love you, Brennan, and I can’t even bear to think of living this life another day without you by my side. Before you, I was an angry, bitter old man. Then you walked into my life and you opened my eyes. You showed me all the beauty that was left in the world. You showed me that I am worth loving, and that there’s more out there than what I thought. I didn’t think I’d ever love again. I thought I was destined to be alone. But then you walked in and everything changed. I changed.”
I feel the burn of tears forming in my eyes, but not sad tears. Happy tears. I had no idea that I had such an effect on him. “Why didn’t you tell me all of this before?” I ask, raising my hand and placing it on his jaw, my thumb running over his coarse stubble.
“I was scared. I was scared to admit it to myself, and I was scared that you wouldn’t feel the same way. I mean, what do you see in me? I’m almost twice your age. I have nothing to offer you.”
I giggle. “I don’t need you to offer me anything, Colton. All I need is you…and Milly,” I add on.
His smile cracks wide open and he pulls me against his chest. His lips find mine, and if possible, this kiss is better than any we’ve ever shared. His lips are soft, yet strong. His hands are switching from a firm hold to a soft caress as they move from my face down to my sides and back. He leans forward, causing me to fall back. I squeal and our lips part.
&n
bsp; “God, you have no idea how badly I’ve missed this,” he says, moving his mouth to my exposed neck. “Your smell. Your taste. They’ve haunted my dreams.” His hand on my hips start moving upward, pushing my shirt up as they go. Moments later, the shirt is gone and tossed onto the floor. His lips lock around my nipple as his tongue flicks against it. I moan and lace my fingers into his hair.
“Take me to bed, Colton,” I plead.
He stands, holding me against him. “Where’s your room?” he asks, already walking toward the hallway. I point at the door and he kicks it open with his toe. We cross the floor at lightning speed and he drops me down onto the mattress. He stands before me, kicking off his shoes and removing his shirt. God, his body, it makes me want to do things that I never thought I’d be doing. His hard six-pack flexes as he moves. His biceps flex as he pushes his jeans down his hips, and I want to run my tongue over each and every one of those tattoos.
I reach for him, but he takes my hands and pins them behind my back. “Oh no, sweetheart,” he says, laying me back. “I’m running the show this time.” Moments later, his head is between my thighs, making me wiggle, moan, and call out his name.
When my cries of pleasure go silent, he removes himself from me and places his hips over mine. Taking himself in hand, he teases my opening with his tip, gliding it back and forth between my folds. I squirm and plead.
“Please don’t tease me, Colton. I need you.”
He gives me a cocky grin. “That’s all you had to say, baby.” Without another word, he’s thrusting deep inside of me, pushing me back to that perfect place between pleasure and pain. With his lips against mine and his hands on my hips, he pumps into me again and again. Each time he slides into me, he lets out this deep moan that causes my belly to tighten. I wonder if all women find the sound of a man moaning to be a turn-on. I don’t have time to think about it because, quickly, my release washes over me. My toes curl and my fingers tangle into the bedsheet beneath me. The sound of the headboard banging against the wall fills my ears as the bedsprings squeaks beneath us. Seconds after my release fades away, his takes over and he quickly pulls out, draining every last drop onto my stomach.
When he’s spent, he collapses at my side and pulls a tissue out of the box on the bedside table. He carefully wipes it all away and tosses it into the trash before wrapping his strong arms around me and pulling me to his chest. There, we lay quietly. There’s no talking, only the sounds of our heavy breathing and our racing hearts, but right now, I don’t need words. I just need to feel him beside me, to know that he’s here and that he loves me. Finally, I feel like I have everything I’ll ever need.
Twenty-Five
Colton
I haven’t proposed yet and I don’t know when I will. But I will. When the time is right. At least now, I know how she feels about me. She loves me. Something so simple but something I never thought possible. What could a woman like Brennan want from a man like me? What do I have to offer her? All that I am and all that I have. If it’s mine, she can gladly have it and it doesn’t matter what it is. I’ll give it all to her as long as I get to have her by my side the rest of my life.
“Are you scared?” she asks softly in the dimly lit room.
I take a deep breath and nuzzle into her neck. “Scared of what?” I whisper, enjoying the feeling of holding her again.
She shrugs. “I’m kind of scared. I’ve never loved anyone before. What if I’m no good at it?”
I chuckle. “Baby, you’re already good at it.”
She turns in my arms so she’s facing me. “I was talking to my mom the other day. She said the reason she and Dad were so upset when they found out about us is because they wanted more for me. They said that you were never going to leave here—you have a business here, a child and family here. She said that I need to think long and hard about where I see myself in the future.”
I press my lips together as I listen to her. “Well, I’ve thought about it.”
“And?”
“And honestly, the only place I’ve been able to see myself is with you.” Her hand moves up to cup my jaw. “It doesn’t matter if you never want to leave this town because I won’t ever need anything else. You and Milly, you both make me so happy. I know moving forward with you will only make things even better and will make me feel more fulfilled than I ever have before.”
“Are you saying that you want to spend the rest of your life with me?”
She nods and smiles sweetly. “That’s exactly what I’m saying. “
“So, the future, getting married, having children—that’s what you want?”
She nods. “I can’t wait to have children with you, Colton.”
I smash her mouth against mine and kiss her until I’m breathless. Now, that ring is burning a hole in my pocket. I want nothing more than to drop down on one knee right now and claim her as mine forever, but something is holding me back. This isn’t something that I just want to blurt out. This is something that I want to be perfect. I want to look back on it and smile and thank God that she said yes. I don’t want to look back and remember me blurting it out while I was balls deep inside her—although, honestly, that wouldn’t be too bad either.
I won’t propose today, but I will do it soon and I’ll make sure it’ll be something that neither of us will ever forget.
“Do you have to go?” she asks, holding me back by my hand as I try walking toward the door.
I turn and pull her chest against mine. “I don’t want to, but I have to go get Milly.”
“Go get her and come back. Stay here tonight, the two of you.”
“None of her things are here. She doesn’t have a bed, clothes, toys, nothing. Get dressed and come with me. Stay at my place.”
She sticks out her bottom lip. “I start my new job tomorrow.”
I smile against her lips. “You’re going to have to bring everything over eventually anyway.”
She giggles. “I think we need to take things slow for a while…for Milly,” she says, wrapping her arms around my neck and her legs around my hips. “I don’t want her confused as to why I’m there, then gone, then back again. You know?”
I press her back against the wall. “I completely understand,” I agree. “But that also means that I have to put you down and walk out of here right now.”
She pouts but kisses me and lets me go. “I guess I will see you tomorrow after work.” She takes my hand and pulls me toward the door.
“I’ll text you later,” I say, giving her one last kiss before I walk out the door.
She closes it behind me, and as I walk to the truck, I can’t stop smiling. It finally feels like I’m on the verge of getting everything I’ve ever wanted. Sure, I still have to propose and hope that she says yes. I daydream of our future, think about where we’ll get married, about the future children we’ll have, and maybe even building us our own place out in the country somewhere.
As I drive out to Drake’s to pick up Milly, my head swims with daydreams and my smile won’t leave my face.
“Hey, everything okay?” Drake asks when I climb out of the truck and meet him in the driveway. He must have just locked up the barn for the night.
“Everything is great. I talked to her dad and got his blessing. I spent the rest of the evening at Brennan’s. She told me she loves me.”
He smiles wide. “And? Did you propose?” he asks with a lift of his brow.
“Not yet,” I tell him. “I don’t want to just blurt it out. I want to do something special. I just have no idea what,” I confess.
He laughs and smacks me on the back. “You’ll figure something out. You always do.”
“Daddy!” Milly screams the moment I walk into the house. She comes running with her arms wide open. I bend down and scoop her up, hugging her close.
“Did you have fun with Celeste today?”
She nods. “We had ice cweam,” she says around a wide smile.
I laugh. “I can see that. It’s all over your face.
”
Celeste walks into the living room with a rag in hand. She reaches over and wipe the leftover chocolate ice cream off Milly’s face.
“We had fun today. We got to see some horses and Milly chased some chickens.” She picks up her jacket and helps her into it. “She’s already eaten dinner and she’s had her dessert, so don’t let her talk you into cookies when you get home.” She laughs out.
“Thanks, Celeste,” I say as we start out the door.
Milly talks and jabbers most of the way. When she goes silent, I look into the rearview mirror and find her asleep. I chuckle to myself and shake my head as I finish the drive home. When we make it to the house, I pick her up and carry her to bed. She’s so wiped that she doesn’t even stir. I grab a beer from the fridge and throw myself onto the couch. I pull out my phone and type Brennan a text.
Colton: Thinking of you already.
Brennan: Same. I wish you could’ve stayed.
Colton: I wish you would’ve come home with me.
Brennan: Me too.
As soon as I get that message, someone knocks on the door. I drop the phone onto the couch and go to see who’s here. I open the door and flip on the porch light. I smile when my eyes land on her smiling face.
“I missed you too much to sleep alone,” she says, smiling up at me.
I laugh and take the bag she’s holding. “Come on. Let’s go get cleaned up.” I wrap my arm around her shoulders and pull her into the house. I turn off the light and lock the door behind us before leading her into my room. I drop her bag onto the dresser then spin her around. My lips find hers as I push her jacket over her shoulders and down her arms.
As I kiss her, I walk her backward toward the bathroom, stripping our clothes away as we go.
Our lips never part as I reach in and turn on the water. Once we’re both fully undressed, I pick her up against me and step into the shower, pressing her back against the wall. Her fingers lace into my hair, pulling it but also keeping me in place.
The Slade Brothers: A Complete Small Town Contemporary Romance Collection Page 36