than me and certainly never roughed up someone for sport. I’ve already promised I won’t ever hurt you or yours. But I can’t stand here and lie to you and tell you that if someone is bothering Mel or you or your brother, that I’ll just stand aside and let it happen. Because I won’t. It’s not who I am. It’s just not in my make and model.”
She listened to him take a short, quick breath and exhale with a long sigh. “I’m not looking to change who I am, Verity,” he continued. “I’m twenty-eight years old. I know what I believe, and I know who I am. But if I’m not what you’re looking for? Hey, I get it. Walk away. Just walk away. It’s okay.”
His voice trailed off to a whisper at the end of his speech, and, with her back still to him, she clenched her burning eyes shut for a moment as she transferred the toast to the plate, then turned to face him, a giant lump taking up most of the space in her throat.
“I don’t want to change you,” she managed to murmur, blinking back the tears in her eyes. She cleared her throat, reaching for the Yggdrasil charm around her neck and toying with it as she started again in a stronger voice. “I like it that you’re protective. I like that you look after the people you care about. I like you, Colton Lane.” She searched his face, looking for a bit of softness that would assure her that her words were getting through, but she didn’t find it, and the thought of hurting him, of losing him, twisted her insides into knots so painful, she suppressed a gasp. “I don’t want to walk away.”
He crossed the kitchen in two strides, pulling her roughly into his arms.
“Thank fuck,” he growled, resting his chin on top of her head.
“I’m just worried about you,” she said, sighing with relief. She flattened her palms against his chest, marveling at the hard contours, desperate to touch his skin, to learn the heat and texture of it under her fingers.
“Don’t worry, sunshine,” he said gently. “I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time.”
“I’m getting attached to you,” she whispered, like saying the words gave them a power she wasn’t quite ready to concede.
“Me too,” he said. “I’m right there with you.”
She nestled into his neck, closing her eyes, seeking his warm skin with her lips and pressing gently. His breath caught in a short gasp, and she dragged her lips lower, peppering kisses along the base of his neck, letting her tongue dart out to taste him. A strangled sound—half groan, half growl—emerged from his throat, and he suddenly released her, pushing away and stepping back, his eyes dark and wild as his chest surged up and down.
“Colton?” she whimpered, wondering what had just happened.
The kitchen door swung open, and Ryan was suddenly standing between them.
“Is breakfast ready?” he asked, grinning at each of them before making his way to the table. “I’m hungry, guys.”
Colton’s eyes still held hers captive.
“Me too, buddy,” said Colton, his voice like sandpaper.
Me too, thought Verity, crossing back over to the stove, her stomach aflutter, her heart practically bursting.
***
In the five and a half years he’d been performing the Sunday matinee, Colt had never looked forward to it quite as much as he did today. Not just for his weekly opportunity to theatrically kick Artie’s ass, but because, after the show, lucky bastard that he was, he was heading home with the hottest, sexiest, sweetest girl he’d ever known, and tonight he got to have her to himself.
It had taken every ounce of strength in his body to push her away this morning, but as far as he knew, she hadn’t talked to Ryan about them dating yet, and he didn’t want Ryan to find out by mistake. Colt had learned that, much like Melody, Ryan thrived on routine, and though Colt didn’t think he’d object to them dating, he definitely didn’t want to upset Verity’s brother. Anyway, they were still new. As much as he hoped for the best, it was probably a good idea to see what the next few weeks held in store before sharing their new status with Ryan or Melody.
Plus, he needed to tell her about Melody, and two things about telling Verity about his cousin worried him.
The first, which was his much lesser fear, was that she’d feel overwhelmed at the prospect of him