The way his silky hair sat… the shape of his jaw… the curve of his nose... his perfect, soft lips… the way his hazel eyes were flecked with gold.
“Why does this feel like goodbye?” I whispered.
“Oh, baby, it’s not really goodbye… not forever.”
Another sob escaped my control.
“Come here.” He instructed, patting his lap.
I threw off my seat belt and scrambled over the center console and into his lap.
His arms came around me like a vice, holding me tight. I’d never felt safer than I did in that moment, which was crazy – considering I was about to leave him.
“I promise you, Lexie Chase, I’ll see you as soon as we can make it work.” His words were muffled as he spoke against my shoulder. “This is not goodbye; it’s just… see you soon.”
I let out a snuffled laugh. “You sound like some kind of cliché quote.”
“I don’t care – it made you smile.” He boasted.
“You always make me smile.”
We sat, me in his lap, just holding one another for a few minutes, Colt rubbing slow, relaxing circles on my back.
“This isn’t the end, baby; you and me are just getting started.”
“I know.” I agreed with a sniff. And I did know that. But it didn’t make this any easier
We fell into silence again.
“I’d better go.” I finally said with a sigh. “I’ll miss my flight.”
Colt let out a devastated groan.
I sat back so I could look at him again.
I love you.
I wanted to tell him, but I couldn’t, the words got caught in my throat and wouldn’t come out. I was scared – scared it would make this too hard, and scared he wouldn’t be able to say it back to me.
His hands went straight to my face, clasping it gently in his safe hands. “You mean everything to me.”
“I know.” I sniffed.
Our mouths met in a kiss filled with love, lust, pain and promise. It was like nothing I’d ever experienced. I kissed him like it just might be the last time and he gave as good as he got in return.
We were both breathless by the time our lips had finished telling each other goodbye.
“I’ll get your bag.” Colt whispered sadly.
***
Colt jogged back over from where he’d been chatting with one of the airline staff, I had no idea what it was about, but that was Colt for you… the man was full of surprises, and I didn’t doubt that his conversation had been anything other than the organization of a surprise for me. I hadn’t seen him get his wallet out, so at least I knew he wasn’t wasting his money on me.
He slowed his jog to more of a prowl and I felt my belly clench.
The things that man does to me…
I hadn’t expected him to come in here with me. I’d thought we were saying goodbye in the car and that I was going to be left to fall apart without an audience.
Colt had informed me, however, that if I was going to kiss him like that, then he was coming back for seconds.
So here we are.
“What was that about?” I quizzed him as he reached me and fitted me back into his arms.
He tapped the end of my nose and grinned. “Never you mind, little bird, never you mind.”
“What did you do?” I scolded in mock outrage.
“What makes you think I did anything?” He asked, his face the picture of innocence.
“Because I know you better than you think.” I giggled.
He squeezed me tight and replied, his voice hoarse in my ear. “You have no idea how lucky I am to have you know me, Lex.”
He was dead wrong about that. I was the lucky one to know him, and have him know me. This week had been, without a doubt, the best of my life.
“I guess this is it.” I shrugged.
I had my ticket in my hand, and Colt couldn’t come with me through the security check. This was the moment I had to leave the man I was totally and utterly in love with, and go back to my life like it had never happened.
No.
Nothing will be like it was before.
“I made you something.” He told me shyly, digging his hand into his pocket.
“What is it?” I asked in a whisper. I had a feeling that whatever this was just might have had the power to push me over the edge.
“You’ll have to wait until you get home.” He pressed a USB stick into my waiting hand.
I sighed in relief.
He really had thought of everything. I had no doubt that he was well aware of the fact I wouldn’t be able to deal with anything sentimental right now, so he’d given me something I couldn’t access until I was alone and in the comfort of my own apartment.
“Thank you.” I pushed up to my toes and kissed his soft lips.
“Anything for you, Lexie.” He told me genuinely.
“I’ll see you soon?” I asked timidly.
“You can count on it.” He promised as he kissed me again, and I knew this time, it was the last one.
I looked into his eyes one last time before turning and walking away.
I didn’t look back, I couldn’t. Tears were streaming down my face faster than I could swipe them away, and I knew if I turned back, I’d go back, and there would be no getting on that plane.
My heart was screaming at me to go back, but my head assured me that this was the way it was meant to be.
Why does it hurt so damn much?
I knew the answer to that question, if I was really being honest with myself.
I love him.
I loved him more than anything else in my life. More than my job, more than my life in L.A., more than anything... it had taken me less than one week to fall head over heels in love with Colton Hunt, and I knew without a doubt that it was the kind of love a person never really got over.
“I love you.” I whispered to the floor.
***
The USB port on the panel in front of me was taunting me. I knew it was a bad idea to put that stick in there right now, surrounded by a plane full of strangers, but I couldn’t seem to get the message to my hands, as they uncapped it and plugged it into the port.
I slipped my earphone into my ears and waited as it loaded up, my knee jiggling nervously up and down.
This was a bad idea. I’d only just managed to stop the fresh wave of tears that had started when I’d discovered that Colt had sweet talked someone at the ticket counter into bumping me up to first class.
That was the only reason I was even considering looking at whatever Colt had given me now, rather than waiting until I got home. First class was a hell of a lot more private than coach and my little booth was providing me with a sense of security – even if it was a false one.
The screen flickered to life and revealed that there was only one file on the stick – a video file.
I tapped on it nervously, snuggling further down into the blanket I’d been given.
The file opened and I could just make out Colt’s face, looking at the screen in a dark room. He held his finger up to his lips, indicating for me to be quiet. He held the phone out, revealing a sleeping me in the bed he’d just got out of.
I giggled.
What is he doing?
He crept out of the room and shut the door behind himself. “Hey, baby.” He whispered to the camera.
I reached out and stroked a finger down the side of his face.
“I’ve got a surprise for you, and I didn’t want sleeping you to find out.” He chuckled. “I’m confusing myself, present you, future you, whatever, this is for you, my little song bird.”
He sat the phone down on the coffee table in his living room, before sitting on the couch and adjusting the phone to ensure he could be seen on the screen.
He slipped his glasses on and my heart fluttered.
He grabbed his guitar from next to the couch and slung it into his arms, before starting to strum it gently.
“You look so wonderful in you
r dress; I love your hair like that. The way it falls on the side of your neck, down your shoulders and back… we are surrounded by all of these lies, and people who talk too much. You got the kind of look in your eyes, as if no one knows anything but us. Should this be the last thing I see, I want you to know it's enough for me. 'Cause all that you are is all that I'll ever need…”
He sang every word so beautifully, looking right into the camera with a sweet smile, the one that seemed to be reserved only for me.
“You look so beautiful in this light, your silhouette over me. The way it brings out the blue in your eyes, is the Tenerife Sea… and all of the voices surrounding us here, they just fade out when you take a breath. Just say the word and I will disappear, into the wilderness…”
I was shocked… mind blown… totally and utterly stunned. I couldn’t believe I’d slept through this, I couldn’t believe he’d done this for me.
“Should this be the last thing I see, I want you to know it's enough for me. 'Cause all that you are is all that I'll ever need. I'm so in love, so in love. So in love, love, love, love, so in love.”
My heart skipped a beat.
Does he? Is he telling me he loves me?
I had a pretty good feeling that he felt the exact same way I did. I loved him completely. But I also knew that it would have made the situation so much harder for the both of us if we had of said those words aloud.
He finished the song and I could tell he was battling with his emotions the same way I was right now. He’d poured everything into that song, I loved Ed Sheeran, but my boyfriend had just given him a run for his money.
He placed the guitar back down next to the couch and picked up his phone. He crept back down the hallway, opened the door to his bedroom quietly and snuck back into bed. He leaned over and placed a kiss on my sleeping head and blew a kiss to his phone.
Then the screen went black.
I squeezed my eyes tight and cried for what felt like forever.
“And before he walked away he whispered to me “Just because the timing is off does not mean that you and I are not destined to be. There is no end to our story.””
- Natalie Jensen
26. Colt
My life right now was like the scene in the movie where they played the montage of the guy after he’s lost the love of his life. The one where he’s walking around the streets aimlessly, heartbroken and alone. The music is slow and depressing and the weather is cloudy and raining.
Welcome to my life.
Every single damn minute since she’d left had sucked.
There hadn’t been even a fraction of a second in which I hadn’t thought about her, or missed her, or wanted her to come back.
I didn’t even tell her I loved her.
She wasn’t coming back though. And I couldn’t go to her. I’d never hated the club and the responsibility I had there more than I did right now.
Truthfully, it wasn’t the club I hated… I loved my job, I loved being around people, especially when they were having a good time… but I hated the ropes that were currently tying me down to the job.
If it weren’t for this job – mine and my brother’s investment, I’d be in L.A. by now.
I’d be with her.
My phone rang and I hoped, like always, that it was Lexie. I knew it wouldn’t be though, I was up early, and she was three hours behind. My girl liked her sleep too much to be up that early. I put the Polaroid photos of Lexie and me down with a sigh and grabbed my phone.
It was an unknown number, which always made me nervous.
“Hello?” I answered cautiously.
“What kind of welcome is that for your big brother?” The voice demanded.
“Mitch?” I asked in disbelief. I hadn’t heard from my brother in what felt like forever. He was in the army and he didn’t get in contact often.
“The one and only.” He drawled. “Wanna get a coffee?”
Smart ass.
“I wasn’t planning on flying out to the base today.” I drawled.
He was silent for a beat.
“Well it’s your lucky day kiddo.”
I heard a knock at my door.
No way.
I jogged down the hall to the door and flung it open, my phone still glued to my ear.
I couldn’t believe it. Standing right in front of me, in the flesh, was Mitch.
I hadn’t seen him in person for over a year and it hit me like a ton of bricks just how much I’d missed him.
“Holy shit.”
“It’s good to see you too, bro.” He pulled me into a man hug.
“You don’t know just how good.” I replied.
***
“You gonna spill about this girl or am I gonna have to kick your ass like old times to get it out of you?” He mock punched my arm.
I hadn’t realized I was so transparent.
“How’d you know there was a girl?”
“A guy’s face looks like that? It’s always about a girl.”
I huffed out a laugh.
We’d been sitting around for about quarter of an hour now, he’d been filling me in on his latest antics at the base and I’d told him about the club. All safe, light subjects.
I flipped him off, but sighed in defeat. “Her name’s Lexie.”
“Hot name.” He replied quickly.
“Give it a rest, man.”
“Sorry, carry on.” He smirked.
Mitch had always had too much energy. He was older than me by five years, but sometimes I swore he was the least mature of the three of us.
“She’s something else man, sings like an angel, she’s beautiful, funny, sexy, kind… and I know you’ve heard shit like this from me before, but this is different.” I insisted. “After Quinn, Harrison told me that one day I’d meet the one and that I’d just know. Well, I know. She’s it.”
“She’s the one?”
I nodded. “All it took was seven days.”
“Seven days to what?”
I looked him in the eye. “Change my life.”
“Shit, man.” He acknowledged as he leaned back and spread his arms wide on the back of my couch. “That’s some deep shit.”
“Yeah.” I nodded. “I know.”
“So where is she? I wanna meet this sexy Lexie.” He replied with a shit eating grin.
“Jesus.” I shook my head. “Don’t call her that. And she’s not here. She’s gone… she lives in L.A.”
“Well that sucks a donkey dick…” He muttered, his voice actually sounding sympathetic for once. “So what are you gonna do about it?”
“You’re not going to tell me I’m being stupid?” I asked skeptically. I’d been expecting him to laugh in my face, the same way he had the last time I’d told him I loved a girl. Although, now I could see why he’d laughed at me in the past.
I hadn’t been in love at all – not like this.
He shook his head. “Not this time. You look… I dunno… different. I guess you look the way I feel when I think about…” he trailed off.
I opened my mouth to ask him what he’d been going to say, but he cut me off.
“So what are you going to do about it, little bro?”
I ran my hand through my hair. “I dunno, man, there’s nothing I can do. The club needs me and I’d never ask her to give up her dream job to be here with me.”
“So you’d give up the club if you could?” he asked quizzically.
Hell yes.
“In a heartbeat. I can run a club anywhere.” I told him without a moment’s hesitation. It was true. The club was nothing to me in comparison to being with Lexie.
His lips spread into a slow, easy grin. “Well then, today really is your lucky day, little bro.”
Doesn’t feel very lucky.
“And how’s that?” I prompted.
“I’m not just here for a visit.” He let the words settle for a moment. “I got honorably discharged.... I’m here for good.” He explained.
His words hung
in the air between us. Mitch had been in the military for as long as I could remember.
“You left the military?” I gaped.
He nodded. “I did.”
“Why?” I asked in disbelief. I’d always imagined that he’d be there either until he was old and grey, or until they kicked him out. The ‘honorable’ part of his discharge assured me that wasn’t the case now.
“I met someone too.” He answered with a smile, taking me completely by surprise. “Her names Sophia, we’re engaged and she’s carrying my son.”
Mind explosion.
“I’m sorry, what?” I stared at him blankly, certain I must have misheard him.
He chuckled loudly. “You heard right. I’m all loved up; my woman’s got my ring on her finger and my baby in her belly.”
“Holy shit.”
“Holy shit indeed.” He mused.
“I can’t form thoughts.”
My mind was totally blown. Out of the three of us, I would have thought Mitch was the least likely to be getting married and having kids. But here he was, retired from the army, engaged and having a baby.
“I’m moving to Boston.” He announced, blowing my mind even further. “Soph is from here too and she wants to be closer to her parents and her sister when the baby comes, which works out well for me.”
Finally, some good news after all the shit lately.
“That’s awesome. It’ll be cool to have you close.”
He chuckled again. “But you won’t be here.”
I frowned, not understanding. “Umm… last time I checked, we were sitting in my apartment, in Boston…”
“I’m giving you your out.” He stated, his steely gaze focused on mine. “I can take care of the club from here; it’d be about time I pulled my weight there anyway.” He pointed at me. “You go get your girl back.”
“You want to take over managing the club?” I asked, totally and utterly astonished by the unexpected direction my morning had taken.
“Sure, why not.” He shrugged. “Can’t be that hard.”
I chuckled. He may have been trying to wind me up, but I didn’t give a shit. He’d just given me the opportunity I’d been dreaming of ever since I watched my world walk away from me at that airport.
Chased (Love like Yours Series Book 4) Page 15