He grabbed my feet and began rubbing them. “Where to start?”
“At the beginning.” I smiled as I took a drink.
“AFTER MY FIRST FOUR years, I re-enlisted for another four. After I got out, I went back to Florida but your foster parents had moved and I didn’t know how to contact them or you. I looked on the internet but all I found out what was that you graduated Duke. ”
I took another long drink from my glass, absorbing his words … still trying to convince myself that this was real and that he was really here.
“I moved up here to North Carolina two years ago because my uncle needed help. After living here for a couple of months, I figured out you worked for the DA’s office.” He pauses. “Well, I heard about Ben first from a group of women talking about a good divorce attorney, and then they said he was dating the assistant district attorney—you. My heart sank when I found out you were dating someone else. I didn’t think it was as serious as it really is.”
“So, why didn’t you come tell me?”
He looked at me, a smile touching the tip of his lips. “Still as impatient as you were twelve years ago, I see.” He grabbed my hand and squeezed it. “I wanted to, but I had to make sure without a doubt that it was you. I was across the street at Starbucks one day and I saw you leave for lunch. I followed you and I knew at that moment it was you. From then on, I would occasionally sit across the street trying to see into your window. I could never see anything in great detail, but my heart knew who you were. I fell in love with you all over again.”
I smiled, a single tear falling from my eye.
“I found out you were engaged and it broke me, Khlo. When I saw how happy you were with him, everything inside of me fuckin’ broke and I wasn’t sure how to fix it.” He squeezed my hand.
“Then it went from making sure it was you to making sure this is what I wanted to do. You seemed so happy, so on top of the world, that I didn’t want to come in and tear that up. I didn’t want your world to go to shit because of me.” He paused. “Again,” he added with a whisper.
I pulled my legs off his lap and straightened myself next to him. “You never turned my world to shit, Colton. Why would you even think that?”
He released my hand and stood. “Because I left you, Khlo. We gave ourselves to each other, and I still left you. We were young and stupid. Well, I was young and stupid. I’m so sorry that I didn’t come back for you.”
“Why’d you stop writing me?”
“After my battle buddy was killed …” He sighed, putting his head into his hands. I watched him scrub his face before sitting back up. “I realized how precious life was … is. I knew that while I was over there, I could be killed and couldn’t put you through that.”
I gripped my chest. I’d never imagined the what ifs. I’d never imagined him not making it. “You didn’t die, Colton.”
“But I could have. The possibility was there, so I stopped writing you. After your letters stopped, it got even harder because I no longer had any sight into your world. I no longer mattered.”
“You’ve always mattered. And here you are.” I stood up, throwing my arms at him.
“Twelve years later. You deserve better than that, Khloe. You deserve a man who honors his word … who respects you.”
“And you’re saying that isn’t you? That you don’t love me? That you don’t want me?”
Was he trying to leave me … again?
He turned his head, his passionate eyes locking with mine. He quickly closed the space between us and stopped in front of me to grab my face with his hands. I felt the air being pushed out of my chest as I tried to control my thoughts.
“Let me make one thing clear to you, Khlo. Nobody will ever love you as much as I do. Nobody will ever care about you like I do, and nobody will ever feel about you like I do. Khlo, I love you so much it fucking hurts. But I know I screwed up, and I’ll never forgive myself for that. I let you go. You’ve found someone who makes you happy, and after all the shit you’ve been through you deserve that happiness.” He took a step back, lowering his face.
“And if I were with you, you wouldn’t make me happy?”
“I’m saying if it’s not broke, don’t fix it.” He scrubbed his face with his hands as he turned his back to me and headed for the door.
“So what?” I yelled. “You tell me who you are, make me believe that you want me and that you’ve finally come back for me. Then you leave because you think I’m happy?”
His hand was on the doorknob, but he turned to look at me.
“Well, you’re right, Colton. Ding, ding, ding.” I wave my fingers in circles in the air. “I’m content, I’m happy. But ya know what? I don’t want a content life. I want an extraordinary life. I don’t want to be happy. I want to be on a cloud of euphoria every day. Maybe that’s naïve or wishful thinking, but it’s what I really want. And you’re right, I do love Ben.” I paused, walking closer to him. “But I love you more, Colton. After twelve long, horrible, tormenting years … I still love you more,” I whispered.
I took a deep breath and shrugged my shoulders. I don’t know how he still did this to me. At one point I swore I hated him, but I can’t. He leaves me breathless. He clouds my mind and I can’t think straight.
He let go of the doorknob and grasped my face, pulling me into him. Our lips touched, needing each other like our next heartbeat. Who was I kidding? I did need him more than my next heartbeat.
He lifted me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist and hooked my arms around his neck as he carried me to my bedroom and laid me gently down on the bed. He unlocked our lips and looked at me, sweeping my bangs out of my eyes.
“You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. I’ve waited so long to have you again … to taste you again, Khlo. For tonight, it’s just you and me. No one else.” He crashed his lips into mine again.
This was real.
He was real.
And tonight, I was his and he was mine.
When I woke up the next morning, Colton was sprawled out across me, pinning me to the bed. He was a beautiful sight. The morning sun danced across his skin, accenting his muscles in his back and in his arms. Home. In this moment, I felt at home. I slowly crawled out from under him and tiptoed to the bathroom, closing the door behind me. I looked in the mirror. I looked rough. My hair was a mess with its half-hanging ponytail, my make-up smudged on my face, and my lips were red from being kissed.
As I stared into the mirror, I began having flashbacks of Colton laying me on the bed, kissing me, feeling me, owning me … we’d made love. A love that was unbreakable, a love that was and will be forever.
I smiled as I started the bath water, letting it get warm before putting the stopper in. As I ran my hand along the water, my mind was running a million miles a minute. The way Colton makes me feel. The passion between us. After twelve years, it was still there. He made me feel things Ben has never made me feel.
I sighed, grabbing my shampoo and body wash, then slipped in, letting the water cleanse and relax me. The jets pushed water into my back and my sides. “Stay” played on my phone, causing me to close my eyes and take in the song. Rihanna was right … I had so much going on, but I did know that I wanted Colton. I wanted him to stay with me. Not just now, but forever.
The door opened and I looked up to find Colton standing in the doorway in all of his naked glory. His lips turned up in an evil grin. “Wet and naked? It must be my lucky day,” he said, closing the door behind him and walking towards me.
“Must be.” I laughed as he slipped into the bathtub behind me. I relaxed my back against his chest as he rubbed my shoulders. I closed my eyes and rolled my head, approving of his actions.
“Last night,” he breathed on my shoulder.
“There are no words for it.” I grinned.
“Mmm hmm,” I sighed as he began massaging my back.
“Khlo,” he whispered. “I love you.”
I slowly turned around, looking at him eye
for eye.
“You’ve always had my heart. I used to keep your picture in my hat when I was in Iraq and Afghanistan, and I’d tell my buddies that I was gonna marry you when I came home. Everyone made fun of me and called me pussy whipped, but honestly, I’d be whipped by your pussy any day.” He laughed. “But in all seriousness, I almost lost you. I’ll never let a day go by—hell, I won’t let an hour go by without making sure you know what you mean to me and how much I love you.”
He started kissing my neck, slowly working his way down the back of my neck to my shoulders.
“I … love … every … single … part … of … you ...” he said in between kisses.
I forget about the real world as we became one again.
After the bathwater had turned cold, we climbed out of the bathtub, each of us putting on a robe.
“You know, we could just walk around naked.” Colton smiled.
“Then it’d be too easy for you to seduce me.”
He laughed. “Khlo, I don’t have to do much as it is.” He ran his finger down my jawline, causing goosebumps to rise on my skin. “But I love you more for it.” He smiled as he placed a quick kiss on my lips and turned to walk out of the bathroom.
Man, he really did have a pull over me. I closed my eyes and shook my head. Get it together, Khloe.
I brushed my teeth and walked out into the bedroom to find Colton getting dressed. “Where ya going?” I asked, walking over to the bed and sitting down.
“I’ve got some things to take care of,” he said as he bent over and tied his shoes.
My heart fell to my stomach. I didn’t want him to leave. I finally had him back and now he was leaving. I held back the tears.
“Babe,” he said, tilting my head up to his. “Stop reading into this. I’ve got some things to do, but I’ll be back tonight.” He kissed my forehead. “I promise.”
I smiled. He knew me.
I got up and followed him. “I love you,” he said as he opened the door.
“I love you too,” I whispered as I watched him walk out, closing it behind him.
I sank down on the floor, with my back against the door.
Damn, I thought as I let my head fall back against the door, he’s finally back. This is real life.
AFTER I’D FINISHED MY Run along the ocean, I headed toward the cottage. The sun beat down on me, causing the sweat to drip down my face. I gulped what was left of my water as I opened the door, but was quickly swept off my feet. I yelped with excitement as familiar hands wrapped around me.
“Sweaty and all, you’re still sexy as sin,” his raspy voice whispered in my ear.
“Nice to see you too, intruder.” I giggled as he set me down on my feet, giving me a chaste kiss on my lips.
“I want to take you out to dinner,” he said as I threw my empty water bottle in the recycle bin.
“Do I look like I belong anywhere besides the shower?”
He laughed as he opened the fridge and grabbed a Pepsi, cracking it open. “I think you have time to shower first.” He smiled as he took a long drink from the can.
“Okay.” I smiled as I headed for the bathroom in my bedroom. I walked past my bed and saw a royal blue dress sprawled across my bed. I put my hand over my mouth as I gasped. “Colton…” It was a royal blue lace dress that came down to my knees. It had cap sleeves and a boat neckline that allowed my skin to show on my chest. The back had a keyhole showing off my tan upper back.
“What do you think?” he asked, standing in my doorway.
“I … w-what?”
“It’s for dinner tonight. I want you to wear it.”
“Colton, no. I can’t.”
“Well, it’s already yours and I can’t take it back. Plus, isn’t it a little disrespectful to not accept a gift someone gives you?”
I looked at the tag—ML Monique Lhuillier. My jaw dropped. “Colton, it’s a designer dress.”
He walked closer to me, putting his arm on the small of my back. “Only the best gets to lay against your skin.”
I smiled as I leaned over and our lips met, letting myself fall into his kiss. “Shower?” I asked, pulling his hand towards the bathroom.
“Couldn’t pass that up.” He smirked.
I started the shower, undressed and stepped in, letting the warm water wash over me. Colton followed, wrapping his arms around my waist, pulling me into him.
“I have a lot of days to make up to you,” he whispered as he closed the space between us. The electricity between us was palpable. I let his lips claim mine as their own. He pulled me closer to him, allowing our bodies to become one as he made up for all the lost days.
As I curled my hair and started my make-up, I watched Colton pull a dark grey suit out of my closet.
“Where did you get that?” I asked as I put on my black lace thong and matching strapless bra.
“I put it in here when I put your dress on your bed.” He bent down and grabbed a shoe box. “These are yours too.”
I opened the box to find a pair of nude, five inch pumps. “These are beautiful!” I picked one up and slipped it on my foot. They looked amazing!
“Good,” he said, kissing my temple, ”because later, these shoes are all I want you to be wearing.”
I blushed as I put on the other one. I pulled down the zipper on the dress and slipped it on. The dress hugged me in all the right places, showing the curves of my body.
Colton stepped up behind me in his suit, zipping me up and buttoning the top of my dress just below the nape of my neck. He swept my hair to one side and began kissing my neck, resting his hands on my hips. I tilted my head to the opposite side, closing my eyes and letting his lips take ownership over my body.
“To say you look stunning would be a sad understatement.” He pulled his lips away from my neck and locking eyes with me through the mirror.
I turned around. “You look pretty sexy, too.” I kissed him. “I still need to finish my make-up and then I’ll be ready.” I turnd around heading back to the bathroom.
“Okay. Reservations aren’t for another hour, so take your time.”
I did a light smoky eye and placed a little powder on my face before I sprayed some Juicy perfume on and headed to the kitchen. Colton was sitting on a barstool with a small glass of light amber liquid. I walked over and strung my arms over his neck, locking my hands together over his chest.
“Whatcha drinking?” I asked, nibbling on his ear.
“You had no whisky, so I brought some.” He turned his head and captured my lips with his. He kissed me deep and passionately as if he hadn’t kissed me for years.
His kiss deepened as he turned and pulled me onto his lap.
“We don’t have to go out,” I said as I pulled away.
“Tempting.” He smiled as he gave me another quick kiss. “We better go.” He stood and grabbed my hand, leading me outside. A black Audi A7 was parked next to my Mercedes.
“Your car,” I whispered as he unlocked it and opened my door.
He laughed. “Yes,” he said as he closed my door. I was not one to gawk, but this car was incredibly sexy. The black leather was cool against my skin, and the navigation system in the dashboard was on, awaiting directions.
Colton slid in his seat and buckled his seatbelt. “You ready?” He smiled.
By the time we made it to our destination, I had a huge grin plastered on my face. Colton had sped on the highway, weaving it and out of traffic, letting “Eyes on Fire Remix” by Blue Foundation blare through the radio. Seeing him handle the steering wheel was a major turn on.
When he put the car into park, he looked over at me. “We’re here.” He got out and walked over to my side and opened my door. I unbuckled my seat belt and put my hand in his, sliding out of the car.
He pulled me closer as we began walking to what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse. Why was he taking me here?
He put a code into the keypad by the front door, and the sound of the door unlocking signaled him to open the
door. I took a step inside as he followed. The door closed behind us and we were standing in darkness. He flipped on the light and I gasped. A hundred strings of tiny white lights floated above us and were scattered around a table in the middle of this huge warehouse.
He led me down the stairs, rose petals lining our walkway. We reached the table and he pulled out my chair. He sat across from me as I scanned the room again, taking it all in.
“Colton …” I was breathless.
“Do you like it?”
“Oh my goodness. Do I like it?”
“We’re about to turn this warehouse into storage for the printing company, but like I told you earlier, I have a lot of time to make up for.”
“This is over the top. I would have been fine with a hamburger and a Redbox movie.”
Colton laughed, fanning out his napkin. “But then you wouldn’t have an excuse to wear that gorgeous dress.”
He was definitely over the top.
I fanned out my napkin as two people dressed in black pants and white button up shirts walked up next to the table and set down a salad in front of us. “Salad with a vinaigrette dressing,” the man said. He took out the wine and removed the cork, then poured us each a glass. They turned around, walking back to double doors.
“Is there a kitchen here, too?” I smiled as I grabbed my fork.
“A really good friend of mine owns a restaurant. He made our food and I borrowed two members of his staff to serve us. Can’t you just enjoy this?” He laughed.
I smiled as I wiped the side of my mouth, “Of course I can.”
We fell into a comfortable silence as we ate our salads. After we’d taken our last bites, the waiters picked up the plates.
“So,” Colton began, “how long are you here at the cottage?”
“Till whenever.” My face blushed. I had forgotten the main reason I was here. I had forgotten who’d sent me to begin with. “But I’ll probably leave in a couple of days. I’ll eventually have to get back to work. I can’t be on vacation forever.”
“What about Ben?”
I looked away, unable to maintain eye contact. “I don’t know.” It wasn’t an answer that would satisfy him, but it was honest.
Under the Stars Page 5