Colton Evans had grown up.
His shirt clung to the sculpted muscles of his arms and chest. The baby face I remembered now had a square jaw, straight nose and full, yet masculine, lips. I’d always imagined he would end up good-looking, but seeing the reality in front of me was breathtaking.
I waited to see the same recognition on his face, but he didn’t seem to know who I was. We stared at each other for a couple seconds before he smiled.
“Hi,” he said, leaning in close. “I’m Colton.”
He held out his hand to me, still grinning. I sucked in a breath when I caught sight of his crooked bottom teeth. One of the teeth sat slightly back behind the others. Colton used to call it his ‘shy tooth’. I had loved that tooth. In fact, I’d even threatened him with bodily harm if he ever got braces to fix it.
His hand was still stretched out toward me and I placed my palm in his. I tried to ignore the electric zing that shot up my arm at the contact. Maybe he felt it, too, because when I looked back up at his face, desire was evident in his eyes.
He pulled a little so my body was back up against his. We were front to front, and I felt a hard bulge against my stomach. The feeling of him pressed against me, knowing how much he wanted me, almost made me moan.
Removing his hand from mine, he slid his arm around my waist and put his face by my ear.
“Are you gonna tell me your name?” he asked, and my breath whooshed from my lungs. I hadn’t even realized I’d been holding it, but now I felt dizzy from the lack of oxygen.
Suddenly, I was too overwhelmed by his presence and a feeling of irrational panic flooded my system.
Colton probably never realized it, but he’d been the cause of my first real heartbreak. When we were kids, my innocent heart had been convinced we belonged together.
And now he was here, in front of me. Touching me. He kissed my neck.
I almost had an orgasm.
“I have to go,” I said abruptly before pulling away.
Turning from him, I fled into the mass of people, ducking and dodging around bodies until I saw the exit sign. Completely forgetting about Chloe, I ran straight to the dressing room, grabbed my purse, and left the club.
By the time 1am rolled around I’d sobered up, and the way I’d been staring at the dancer all night was starting to make me feel like a creep. My stalking tendencies only got worse when I saw her hop down from the cage and disappear into the crowd.
I followed.
She stepped up to the bar and leaned over to say something to the bartender before he handed her a glass of ice water. Seeing her heart-shaped ass bent over like that had me groaning out loud.
I told myself that I just wanted to know her name. That I’d be satisfied just to talk to her. But, honestly, I wasn’t sure if that was true. Still, I wanted to find out.
I started to walk toward her, planning to start up a conversation, but I didn’t get the chance.
After quickly finishing her drink, she darted to an exit door at the back of the club. Before it swung shut, I could see it led to a dark hallway. I walked closer to the door, not really sure if I planned to open it or not.
The decision was made for me when the same bouncer I’d seen earlier stopped me several feet away.
“Employees only,” he said gruffly.
I nodded because I understood. Actually, I was glad he was there looking out for the dancers, but it still sucked.
I went back over to the bar to sulk while trying to think of what to do next.
Obviously, I knew where to find her if I wanted to hunt her down, but I didn’t want it to come to that. Plus, patience had never been a virtue of mine and I wanted her. Now.
Fortunately, I didn’t have to think about it for too long because she reappeared with one of the other dancers and headed straight for the dance floor.
Fuck yeah.
It was the perfect opportunity. I snaked my way through the writhing bodies until I found her.
As I watched her body move, my erection roared to life once again.
She had changed out of her previous outfit and the skintight jeans hugged her shape perfectly. With the long-sleeve shirt she was wearing, you’d never know she was just up in one of those cages. Even her hair had been smoothed down a little.
I stood behind the dancer for several long seconds, trying to figure out how to approach her.
Her friend, who was facing my direction, noticed me. More specifically, she noticed that I’d noticed her friend.
She raised her eyebrows and a grin appeared on her face as she looked back and forth between us. She must’ve approved of me because she nodded and pointed toward the goofy girl, who was oblivious to my presence, before backing away.
I walked up behind her and stopped when I was a couple feet away. My dick was painfully hard and I briefly wondered if it was unhealthy to have a hard-on for this long.
I don’t even care.
This girl made me feel hungry. Out of control. It was a feeling I wasn’t familiar with.
Just as I was about to tap her on the shoulder, she flipped her hair and it smacked me in the face. I laughed.
I placed my hands on her shoulders to get her to stop moving for a second and she flinched.
Shit.
I didn’t mean to scare her.
“Can I dance with you?” I leaned down to ask, praying she’d say yes.
She paused, seeming to think about it for a second.
When she nodded her head, it took everything I had not to fist-pump the air. And when I pulled her body against mine, she melted into me.
As we moved together, I got a very vivid idea of what it would be like to be with this girl. To have her naked beneath me. It did nothing to help the state of my erection, which was pressed up against her ass.
I didn’t even pay attention to the music. I had no idea what songs were playing and it didn’t matter to me as long as I could keep touching her.
I got a whiff of her hair and it smelled fruity and tropical. Like strawberries and coconuts. My cock throbbed and my mouth watered.
When she tilted her head to the side, I couldn’t stop myself from kissing the skin on her neck. She tasted slightly salty, probably from working up a sweat all night. Dancing for that long had to be one hell of a workout.
As my lips left her skin, she arched into me. Her hand came up to grasp my neck, like she didn’t want me to stop.
This was, by far, the hottest experience of my life. I wanted more. So much more.
A slow song came on and she turned in my arms. Instead of looking up at me, she buried her face in my chest and wrapped her arms around my neck.
Something about the way she clung to me made warmth spread through my chest. It felt like she needed me. Or maybe she just needed a hug and I wanted to be the one to give it to her.
My dick definitely liked her, but as I held onto her I realized I’d never had this kind of emotional reaction to someone before. I’d already seen so many sides to this girl tonight. Sexy. Goofy. Funny. Vulnerable.
And I didn’t even know her name.
I needed to know her name.
What color were her eyes? What would it be like to see her smile at me? What would it feel like to run my thumb over that cute indent on her chin?
Tilting her head back with my hand, I silently begged her to look at me. When she finally did, I noticed two things.
First, her eyes were brown. The outer part of the iris was the color of chocolate and it got lighter around the pupil, reminding me of honey.
Second, the expression on her face wasn’t what I was expecting. She looked horrified. I tried not to be offended, but damn.
Deciding to play it cool, I introduced myself and pulled her close to me, hoping she would tell me her name and keep dancing with me. Much to my disappointment, that wasn’t what happened.
Not only did I not get her name, but she also ran away from me. Fast.
She had the advantage of being smaller and more agile, so sh
e was able to quickly make it off the dance floor and out of sight.
Some people got pretty pissed off as I pushed through trying to catch up to her. I quickly mumbled a random “sorry” and “excuse me” as I made my way through the crowd.
By the time I made it to an open area where I could search for her, she was gone.
“I met someone tonight,” I told Travis as we drove home from Caged. We were both completely sober now, and Angel slept between us on the bench seat, her head leaning against Travis’s shoulder.
“No shit?” he asked. “What’s her name?”
I frowned. “I don’t know.”
“You forgot her name? You weren’t that drunk, were you?” He chuckled.
“No,” I told him grumpily before admitting the truth. “She wouldn’t tell me.”
Travis threw his head back and laughed, causing Angel to stir a little. He lowered his laugh to a quiet snicker. “That’s classic, dude.”
“It’s not funny,” I grunted. “I don’t understand what happened. We were having a really good time, then she just took off.”
“Maybe she needed to puke. Just be glad she didn’t do it on your shoes.”
“She wasn’t drinking.” I shook my head. “She was one of the cage dancers.”
Travis smirked at me and shrugged. “Well, at least you know where she works.”
I grinned, determination kicking in. “That’s exactly what I was thinking.”
Persistence was a trait I came by honestly. My dad was the same way. It was the main reason he was able to keep his business from going under in a small town that couldn’t even support a grocery store.
Tolson, Illinois was many things—quiet, friendly, and unbelievably tiny. So small, it didn’t even show up on most maps. It was my hometown and I was proud to live there. But the fact was, it was a place where small businesses went to die, and Hank’s Auto Shop was no exception.
Growing up, I’d spent many nights watching my dad sift through the mounting bills, his eyebrows furrowed and his lips thinned as he knew the incoming money didn’t add up to the cost of keeping his life’s work afloat.
Even with the cards stacked against him, he wouldn’t give up.
After my mom lost her battle with breast cancer at the young age of 30, my dad tried his best to provide for me while being a great parent. And he succeeded.
Wanting to help any way I could, I started on at the shop when I was fifteen, and Travis wasn’t far behind. At the time, Dad insisted we didn’t need to—that we should be off having fun with our friends or playing sports. But I could see his shoulders sag with relief when we told him there was nowhere else we’d rather be. And I swear I saw my old man’s eyes get misty when Travis said he thought of him as family. I knew my dad returned the sentiment.
Dad had clapped his hands together as a huge smile broke out on his face because he’d have help from not one, but two people he trusted. He’d said we were going to be an unstoppable team and started spouting off all the plans he had for the business.
His big ideas paid off.
Not only did he expand the auto shop by adding a truck testing lane, he also decided to start a moving company. Hank and Sons Transport was the ultimate key to his success—and mine. When he’d asked Travis and me to be co-owners of the business, I was ecstatic.
We got our CDL and my dad bought the rig. It’d been a big investment, but the risk was worth it. Hank and Sons had clients calling even before we were officially open for business.
I loved the idea of truck driving, but I didn’t like being away from home for days at a time. That’s where Travis came in. My best friend was born to drive, and he insisted on taking the long hauls. Local deliveries took me a day, tops.
My thoughts wandered back to the events of tonight and I was shocked as hell to realize I was still half-mast. Grinning, I discreetly adjusted my cock.
I’d never been happier about having blue balls.
I recalled Travis’s words from the day before and had to admit that maybe he was right—maybe there wasn’t anything wrong with me.
Maybe I just needed the right girl, and now I knew where to find her.
When I got home, the first thing I did was go upstairs to check on Ava. Sleeping peacefully, her face was squished up as she drooled on her Sofia the First pillowcase. I placed a light kiss on her cheek, then I haphazardly threw my hair up into a messy bun before I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face.
After changing into gray yoga pants and a worn high school softball tee, I sat down on the edge of my bed, still reeling from the encounter with Colton. The fluffy white down comforter looked inviting, but I still felt so wound up.
I should’ve been tired. I should’ve gone straight to sleep.
Instead, I went to my closet and dug out an old box of childhood keepsakes. Dust flew up into the air as I lifted the cardboard lid. Coughing, I waved my hand at the air before digging through the old memories.
On top were a bunch of high school book reports and art projects my mom insisted on keeping. I set them on the hardwood floor beside me.
My sparkly dance team pom-poms were next, and the feelings they brought up were bittersweet. It reminded me of a different time. A time when my aspirations for the future included going to college and living it up with my friends.
I felt a slightly painful twinge in my chest as I took out the folded up letter from the state university. The black and white letters stated that not only did I get accepted, but I also received a dance scholarship. I remembered opening it with shaky hands, then running around the house waving it and cheering at the top of my lungs.
A few weeks later I found out I was pregnant, causing all my plans to shift.
These were modern times we lived in. People got knocked up all the time, but getting pregnant out of wedlock caused quite the scandal in my old small town. I might as well have been walking around with a scarlet letter on my chest.
If it wasn’t for the support and love of my parents, I don’t know what I would’ve done. When it was clear that staying in Hemswell wasn’t the best option, they took action and moved us all to a city where they got new jobs.
They bought a house big enough for the four of us, I got hired at Caged, and the rest was history.
I loved the way my life turned out and wouldn’t change it for the world.
I would’ve traded in a thousand dreams to have Ava.
But the truth was, my present wasn’t the future I’d imagined for myself back then.
Sighing, I continued digging until I reached the bottom where I knew I’d find a wooden box. It contained memories I hadn’t thought about in years.
The music box had been a gift from Colton on my sixth birthday and I’d used it to store everything that reminded me of him. I thought I’d never have a reason to open it again and I hesitated, afraid of the emotions it might conjure up.
Taking a breath, I lifted the lid and the tinkling melody of ‘You Light Up My Life’ filled the room. There was a wrinkled letter on top and I unfolded it to read what it said. In child’s writing, the letters weren’t perfect, but they were legible.
Dear Ellie,
I miss you. I don’t like our new house. My neighbor came over to play today. I don’t want a new best friend so I punched him in the face.
Love, Colton
Smiling, I folded it back up. There were several pictures and a Christmas card, but the shiny object underneath was what caught my attention. Metal clanked against metal as I picked up the handcuffs.
I laughed lightly as they dangled from my fingers. We’d had many inside jokes but the handcuffs had been ‘our thing’. I remembered how we would cuff ourselves together in hopes that our parents wouldn’t be able to separate us.
It never worked.
I had only been five years old when I knew I was in love with Colton. People might argue that someone so young couldn’t possibly know what real love was—but it was real to me. So innocent and pure.
>
It was the most genuine love I’d ever experienced with someone who wasn’t a member of my family. Plus, what I felt for him was a different kind of love—the kind that made my heart pitter-patter and my palms sweat.
The kind that made me dream of someday and forever.
But that love—along with my young, sensitive heart—shattered when the letters stopped coming mere months after he moved away. There was no explanation and no goodbye. At one point I had freaked out, telling my parents something must’ve happened to Colton. I couldn’t believe that he would just forget about me. They’d looked at me with sympathetic expressions and told me Colton was fine. That he was happy in his new town. He’d moved on to a new life.
And I was crushed.
Looking over at the clock, I realized it was 3am. Ava was an early riser. In a few short hours, she would come bounding in to wake me up.
I packed everything back into the box and shoved it into my closet, certain it was the last time I would ever have a reason to open it.
But as I drifted off to sleep that night, I couldn’t stop thinking about the boy I used to know.
“What can I get for you?” the bartender yelled my way. I almost didn’t hear him over the noise of the club. It was New Year’s Eve and Caged was packed from wall to wall. With it being a holiday and the fact that it was Saturday night, the place was a madhouse.
“Coors Light, bottle,” I told him and he nodded.
His head was shaved and the black T-shirt he wore, which was probably two sizes too small, stretched over muscles big enough to suggest that he was either really into weight-lifting or he was on ‘roids. Maybe both. With the bald head, tight shirt, and the hoop earring in his left ear, he looked a lot like Mr. Clean.
As I waited for my drink, I looked around the club and spied my dancer in one of the cages. I smiled.
My dancer.
She was the reason I was here tonight. Alone.
I wasn’t in the habit of going to bars by myself, but Travis and Angel had a delivery down in Florida. They’d decided to make a vacation out of it and stay a few extra days.
The Good Guys Box Set: TRUCKER, DANCER, DROPOUT, and A Trucker Wedding Page 27