My crunching attracts their attention and the conversation immediately stops. "Are you guys talking about Colton?" I ask, swallowing down a dry mouthful of crackers. It’s obvious that they were, I just want to see if they’ll be honest or try to lie to me.
They exchange a silent look.
I plop down on the sofa across from them, meeting Pace’s concerned gaze. "Why doesn’t he like me?" The words fall from my mouth before I can filter them. Maybe I’ve had more wine than I realized.
"I know he likes you," Pace says, confidence seeping from his every word.
"How?" I blurt.
"Because he’s finally dealing with shit he should have years ago."
"Pace…" Marta warns.
"Relax. I’m not going to spill the beans. Besides, you know I’m right," he says.
I wish I hadn’t drunk so much, I wish my head was clear enough to put together the puzzle pieces forming before me.
"Come on, we’re going out. Operation mancandy is going into effect starting tonight – for both of us," Marta announces, hoping up from the couch. "Pace you’ll take us out clubbing, won’t you?"
He frowns but nods his head. "I’ll make sure you’re safe."
I follow Marta upstairs to Colton’s bedroom. She heads straight for the closet and begins picking out outfits for both of us. It’s been a long, long time since I’ve been out, but this is what people my age do, right?
Marta changes into a denim mini skirt and halter top right in the closet. Knowing Pace is in the other room, sitting on the chaise, I’ll take my black shift dress to the bathroom to change. I haven’t had that much wine.
Marta saunters toward the bed and plops down. "God, I’d forgotten how comfortable this bed is. Holy shit." She snuggles into the pillows. "It’s like heaven threw up and this bed is the result."
I want to ask her when the hell she’s been in his bed, but I don’t. I might belong to him, but he’s not mine. And I don’t want to imagine anyone besides me in his bed. Needing to hide my warring emotions, I head into the bathroom to get ready.
In the mirror, I see a girl with wide, curious blue eyes and her heart wide open. It’s a dangerous combination. Falling for the man who bought me was never part of the deal. Could I be any more naïve? He hasn’t even slept with me yet, and already my feelings are running way too deep. A tiny thought pushes into my brain. Maybe he hasn’t slept with you yet because he actually likes you.
Unwilling to let myself get carried away with the thought, I change into the dress, leaving my clothes in a heap on the bathroom floor, then fluff my flat brown hair in the mirror. My cheeks are flushed pink from the wine, but my lips look pale in comparison. I wonder if Marta has some lip gloss I can borrow.
"Marta?" I exit the bathroom only to find her stretched out across the bed sound asleep.
Pace looks up at me from the chaise. "I think she’s out for the night."
Marta lets out a soft snore and curls onto her side.
I shrug. "That’s fine." I’d be just as happy changing into pjs and curling up with the TV remote.
"Thanks for coming tonight," I say to Pace.
"Not a problem." He rises to his feet. "The truth is, I wanted to come over and check on you. I was getting worried about you. Colton keeps you locked away like some sex slave."
My cheeks go bright red, but I force a laugh from my lips. Pace doesn’t know – he couldn’t possibly, I remind myself. "I’m doing good. You don’t have to worry."
"He likes you, you know."
I nod. I want to believe that. It’s crazy how much I can miss him. The house is too big and feels lifeless and empty without his presence.
I move to walk Pace out, but he stops me.
"I can lock up."
"Thanks."
Just before he reaches the bedroom door, he turns back to face me. "Just so you know, he would never cheat. He falls hard, gives people way too many chances and is kind and generous to a fault. Be careful with him."
I strip out of the dress with Pace’s strange warning still ringing in my ears. I throw on one of Colton’s t-shirts. Now that I’ve grown used to sleeping with him, with his warm arms around me, tonight I’ll have to settle for his scent.
Luckily the bed is big enough that I hardly notice Marta curled up on the opposite end.
I’m drifting off to sleep when my cell phone pings, informing me of a new text.
Colton: Are you awake?
My mouth curls into a happy grin and I hit call rather than reply to his text, eager to hear his deep, rumbly voice. I burrow myself under the covers so as not to wake Marta.
"Hello?"
"Hi," I return.
"Hi, sweetness. How was your girl’s night?"
Hearing the nickname reserved just for me and his gruff voice soothes me more than I could have imagined. I look over at Marta’s sleeping form in the bed next to me. "It was fun. How is…everything going there?"
"Eh. It’s to be expected, but I hope to have all this figured out soon so I can put it behind me."
I hate the not knowing. "Will you tell me…"
"Not yet. Just trust me, okay?"
I nod, before realizing he can’t see me. "Okay." The crazy thing is, I do trust him. So far, he’s given me no reason not to. "Will you be home tomorrow?"
"I have to stay another day," he says, his voice somber.
Oh. Tomorrow is Sunday. What business could he possibly have on Sunday? "Is it work or personal?"
"Sophie…" He lets out a soft groan. "I wish I could explain it all to you, but I don’t want you to hate me."
"I could never hate you."
"You promise?"
I yawn, unable to hold it in a second longer. "Uh huh."
He chuckles, sending little vibrating tingles all through me. "Get some sleep, sweet girl. I’ll see you on Monday."
"Okay." I nestle into the pillow, hating that I have to wait another day to feel his strong arms around me.
Chapter Seventeen
Colton
The trip was a complete bust. I’d wasted the last several years of my life on someone who I now realize was never worth my time, and one weekend in her presence hadn’t fixed a damn thing. I don’t know why I’d thought it would.
With a woman like Sophie in my life – someone so kind, generous and pure – it had opened my eyes to something more. What I’d had with Stella had never been the deep, soul-catching connection I was looking for. But something told me I might have finally found what I’d been seeking in Sophie. She’d auctioned off her virtue to save her sister’s life. Who does that? She’s special and amazing in so many ways. And now I’m eager to get home to her.