Her hurt, her disbelief is clear on her face. “No way. That’s not what I’m saying. But after hearing you talk about connection tonight, I’m wondering if you’re totally ready to let the connection to your parents and brother go. That means not seeing his kids either. If you can live with that, if you’re sure, then I have no fucking problem with it. None,” I emphasize, relieved when her body relaxes.
“I have an amazing family. It’s yours, Evie. Our connections are forged in steel, baby, and once you’re ours, we don’t let go. But I don’t want you to look back and have any doubts. I don’t want you to wonder if your relationship with your family was fixable, or if you made a mistake.”
“They were horrible,” she says with a wince. “I don’t want Mia to be exposed to even a hint of their disapproval or their hate. I know firsthand how badly it hurts.”
“I know, baby.” Shifting gears, trying to lighten the mood, I pout. “Um, my chest is cold. You stole the blanket. How ever will I warm back up?” She rewards me with a smile and crawls back up to lie on top of me. I band my arms around her again, tightly. “If you decide to give them a chance, you do it on your terms. You keep Mia away from them. You’ll make the right decision for both of you, I know it.”
She groans. “I don’t want to think about my parents anymore. Can’t we just fool around? Want a blow job? Let’s do that instead.”
I wheeze out a breath. “Holy fuck, woman, don’t do that to me.” I slap at the hand, wandering down to the waistband of my shorts like some Victorian woman protecting her virtue. “Mia’s door is open, for fuck’s sake.”
Evie’s body is shaking with laughter as her hands roam all over me. She finds every tickle spot I have. Gritting my teeth to hold in my manly squeals, I roll her, nearly falling off the fucking couch in the process, until I have her under me, those tickling hands of hers pinned over her head.
She’s still giggling and wiggling, and my hips thrust. I’m freaked at the idea of Mia seeing me humping her mom, but my body has absolutely no problem with it. It doesn’t matter where the fuck we are, or who might be watching, it’s wanting and willing.
I swallow her groan, unable to resist her mouth. And there go my fucking hips again. Evie wiggles and spreads her legs, apparently completely on board with my body’s plan to fuck its way through my shorts. How the hell did I end up being the responsible one in the room?
Tearing my mouth away, I drop my forehead to hers. “Stop tempting me, woman. Mia, remember? Jesus.”
“If you want me to stop thinking about sex,” she mutters, something dangerous in her eye, “then pinning my arms down is not the way to go about it. Because this is really working for me, Colt.”
And there go my hips again. We both groan, and I force myself to back off, climbing off her and moving across the room. I scrub my hands over my face. “How the fuck have I not been inside you yet? I swear to Christ I’m dying.” I can’t tear my eyes away from Evie’s splayed legs and heaving chest.
Her eyes flash. “You’re dying? I broke three vibrators since I moved in here.”
I get halfway back to the couch before my brain engages, detouring me to her kitchen. I drop my whole upper body onto the cold countertop. I want to bang my head against it, knock myself out and come to some other day, when there’s nothing standing between me and Evie. And Evie’s pussy.
I’ve half convinced myself that we could just roll around a little, rub up on each other, clothes on when Evie flies off the couch and into Mia’s room. My heart fucking stops as I bolt after her.
She’s laying on the bed, holding Mia, whispering to her. The silvery trail of tears is clear on Mia’s face, and I get my breath back just in time for my heart to break.
She sees me, giving me a wobbly smile. “Horsey. Stay.”
“Ok baby.” I drop to my knees next to her bed, eyes on my girls, and I don’t fucking move till morning.
33
COLTON
Despite my size, I’ve always been able to make myself somewhat invisible. If you stand still enough, for long enough, people stop noticing you’re there.
That’s when my true work begins.
I’m the fighter, the protector, but one of the best ways to protect the people I love is by doing this. Watching. Watching the guys who like to blend in. Or the ones that like to draw attention to deflect. The guys who unconsciously pat their pockets, showing me exactly where they’re hiding their shit.
I’ve been watching her for over an hour now, and I can’t believe I missed so much. She blended into the background, just became a smiling face. She seemed scattered, like a nice woman who maybe isn’t terribly bright. But holy fuck, was I wrong.
As she pulls out her purse from under the huge reception desk, I move to intercept her.
“Janey,” I say, conscious of how skittish she was around me the last time we spoke privately. When she gave me the name of the man who was stealing from us.
“M…Mr. Miles. Hello.” Her eyes widen as she looks up at me, but she breathes in, making her large chest rise. I notice it the way I notice her eyes are gray and her dress is pink. Like it’s a fact, a piece of the puzzle that makes Janey. Nothing more. No, all my admiration, all my sexual focus, is completely on Evie now.
“Hello back. I was hoping you could come upstairs and chat with me?”
She frowns, fingers tightening on the strap of her purse. “Am I in trouble? Did I make another mistake?”
“No, you’re not in trouble. Promise.”