had no idea what to do.
You could’ve defended him.
Yeah, popping out of the closet with her lips swollen from his hard kisses would’ve been a sure-fire way to defend Colt’s honor.
When India finally found the guts to open the door, Colt was long gone.
72
www.samhainpublishing.com
Chapter Seven
“ I cannot believe I thought you’d changed .”
Story of his life in recent years.
Colt chinked his glass of Diet Coke to his reflection in the sliding glass door as a sarcastic self-toast. Well done. He wasn’t surprised Fallon had lashed out. He’d hurt her; her natural instinct was to strike back.
His natural instinct was to hole up with a bottle.
Not possible, but his body still craved a drink so badly his teeth hurt.
He’d tried to get out of an unhealthy situation with India, only to find himself defending her at the first opportunity.
The silence in the community center after the auctioneer announced India’s prize package tied Colt’s guts in knots. India might act tough, but beneath that hard outer shell was a softie trying to find her place within a community that didn’t easily welcome strangers.
Or didn’t readily believe long-time citizens could change.
They were both screwed. No wonder they’d been together these last few years. And Fallon, while trying to make it an insult, had it exactly right: they did deserve each other.
How could he convince India that statement was true?
Lorelei James
The high point of the night had been the ten minutes of heaven he and India carved out in the supply closet. Nothing else mattered but the need pulsing between them. Each kiss, each touch, awakened the sexual beast sleeping inside him.
Maybe that’s why he’d been content living a celibate life. He’d needed to learn who he was as a man, not a male who only thought with his dick.
So what now that the beast was fully awake?
Sate it. With lots and lots of sex.
Colt knew if he drove back into town and trolled the bars he could have a woman in his bed within an hour. But there was only one woman he wanted in his bed.
India.
Avoiding her had only produced a sharper ache. Lining up a date with another woman only proved he’d compare every female to the tattooed smart mouth who’d stolen his heart. Goddamn, she could piss him off one second and fire his blood with lust the next.
Drown your sorrows. You deserve to cut loose and try and forget about her.
Nights like this were the worst, being unsure and frustrated only increased his cravings for alcohol.
So booze was out. Sex was out. Sleep was a lost cause. That left one thing.
Colt changed into workout shorts. In the spare bedroom, he slipped on his boxing gloves and beat the stuffing out of the punching bag until he was sweaty and too exhausted to think.
74
www.samhainpublishing.com
Branded As Trouble
The next morning the phone rang as Colt came inside from stacking wood. Only three people called him before eight on Sunday. India, his cousin Chassie, and his mother. Lately Chassie didn’t bother phoning first, she barged right into his house. He didn’t need to look at the caller ID today. “Hey, Ma.”
“Good morning!”
Carolyn West McKay was the cheeriest morning person on the planet. He poured the last of the coffee in his mug and listened to her chatter like a chipmunk. She’d get to the point of the call eventually. But she had this perverted sixth sense—if she thought you were trying to speed her along, she’d find irrelevant things to yammer on about.
“…just wanted to double-check that you were coming for an early family supper tonight.”
Finally. “How early?”
“Four o’clock.”
“Sure, I’ll be there.”
“Good. Cam is coming when he gets off shift. Wish Carter and Macie and their boys could be here. Keely too. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a family dinner.” Her weighted pause actually caused Colt to hold his breath. “Is there a chance you’ll be bringing a date?”
Shit. He
You could’ve defended him.
Yeah, popping out of the closet with her lips swollen from his hard kisses would’ve been a sure-fire way to defend Colt’s honor.
When India finally found the guts to open the door, Colt was long gone.
72
www.samhainpublishing.com
Chapter Seven
“ I cannot believe I thought you’d changed .”
Story of his life in recent years.
Colt chinked his glass of Diet Coke to his reflection in the sliding glass door as a sarcastic self-toast. Well done. He wasn’t surprised Fallon had lashed out. He’d hurt her; her natural instinct was to strike back.
His natural instinct was to hole up with a bottle.
Not possible, but his body still craved a drink so badly his teeth hurt.
He’d tried to get out of an unhealthy situation with India, only to find himself defending her at the first opportunity.
The silence in the community center after the auctioneer announced India’s prize package tied Colt’s guts in knots. India might act tough, but beneath that hard outer shell was a softie trying to find her place within a community that didn’t easily welcome strangers.
Or didn’t readily believe long-time citizens could change.
They were both screwed. No wonder they’d been together these last few years. And Fallon, while trying to make it an insult, had it exactly right: they did deserve each other.
How could he convince India that statement was true?
Lorelei James
The high point of the night had been the ten minutes of heaven he and India carved out in the supply closet. Nothing else mattered but the need pulsing between them. Each kiss, each touch, awakened the sexual beast sleeping inside him.
Maybe that’s why he’d been content living a celibate life. He’d needed to learn who he was as a man, not a male who only thought with his dick.
So what now that the beast was fully awake?
Sate it. With lots and lots of sex.
Colt knew if he drove back into town and trolled the bars he could have a woman in his bed within an hour. But there was only one woman he wanted in his bed.
India.
Avoiding her had only produced a sharper ache. Lining up a date with another woman only proved he’d compare every female to the tattooed smart mouth who’d stolen his heart. Goddamn, she could piss him off one second and fire his blood with lust the next.
Drown your sorrows. You deserve to cut loose and try and forget about her.
Nights like this were the worst, being unsure and frustrated only increased his cravings for alcohol.
So booze was out. Sex was out. Sleep was a lost cause. That left one thing.
Colt changed into workout shorts. In the spare bedroom, he slipped on his boxing gloves and beat the stuffing out of the punching bag until he was sweaty and too exhausted to think.
74
www.samhainpublishing.com
Branded As Trouble
The next morning the phone rang as Colt came inside from stacking wood. Only three people called him before eight on Sunday. India, his cousin Chassie, and his mother. Lately Chassie didn’t bother phoning first, she barged right into his house. He didn’t need to look at the caller ID today. “Hey, Ma.”
“Good morning!”
Carolyn West McKay was the cheeriest morning person on the planet. He poured the last of the coffee in his mug and listened to her chatter like a chipmunk. She’d get to the point of the call eventually. But she had this perverted sixth sense—if she thought you were trying to speed her along, she’d find irrelevant things to yammer on about.
“…just wanted to double-check that you were coming for an early family supper tonight.”
Finally. “How early?”
“Four o’clock.”
“Sure, I’ll be there.”
“Good. Cam is coming when he gets off shift. Wish Carter and Macie and their boys could be here. Keely too. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a family dinner.” Her weighted pause actually caused Colt to hold his breath. “Is there a chance you’ll be bringing a date?”
Shit. He
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