Fair Lakes Series Box Set - Kaylee Ryan Page 0,277

to advance so quickly now. A change of heart would be normal, right?

“You’re thinking again,” he whispers, kissing that place between my shoulder and my neck.

“I’m sorry.”

“What are you thinking about?” he asks, his right hand moving to cradle my head as he holds me.

“Ummm,” I start, but stop. I know I just need to say it. Rip off the Band-Aid. “I wasn’t sure what’s next. I mean, we had fun, but is that it?”

“Is that it?” he parrots, his body stilling against mine, a touch of panic on his gorgeous face. “Is that what you want? Last night when we talked—”

Swallowing, I realize I already know the answer. I place my finger on his lips, cutting off his words. “No.”

Colton seems to relax instantly. “Good. Tell me what you want.”

Sighing, I turn so I’m facing him. His jaw is covered in a thick stubble, even thicker than it was coming in yesterday. Something tells me this man could really grow a beard if he wanted. I can’t help but run my fingers over his jaw as I lock my eyes on his. “I still want to see where this could go.”

My words are barely out, and he’s smiling that breathtaking grin I’ve come to love. “Yeah? Good, because I’d really like to see where this goes too.” He places a chaste kiss to my lips. “I meant it last night, Hollis, I like you. I’ve wanted you from the moment I laid eyes on you.”

“But now you’ve had me,” I tell him.

He turns me and moves so he’s hovering over me. “And I just want more,” he says softly, before claiming my lips with his own.

Tina:I miss you.

Me:I miss you too. How’s work?

Tina: Busy, which is the only reason why I haven’t flown there to see you. I can’t believe you’ve been gone a few weeks already. How’s the weather in Missouri?

Me: It snowed last night. We lost power.

Tina:Yikes! What did you do?

Ummm… things I probably shouldn’t spell out in a text message. I decide to go with the PG version of last evening.

Me:Well, I ended up hanging out with Colton.

Tina:The former military, single-dad thing is hot. You know that, right?

Uhhh, yeah! I’m not dumb or blind.

Tina:Seriously, please tell me you’re banging the hot guy next door!

Me:Tina! I can’t believe you said that.

Tina:Yes, you can. That’s why you love me. My inappropriate dirty talk.

Me:That’s it exactly.

Truth be told, I miss the hell out of my best friend. I’ve always been more of a loner, working from home, and enjoying my quiet time. When I met Tina, she barreled into my life at a coffee shop, insulted the book I was reading and hasn’t left my side since. She’s the most loyal, trustworthy person I’ve known. Well, until Colton. That’s why it pains me that she doesn’t know everything. That I’m holding out one big piece of my life from her.

Colton too.

Tina:Anyway, I gotta jet. I’ll text you tomorrow.

Me:Sounds good.

Tina: Make sure you suit up before you go to the races, Hollis. *insert devil emoji* *insert eggplant emoji*

Me:You’re horrible.

Tina:Don’t think I didn’t notice how you didn’t deny it. Hooker.

Me:*insert shocked face emoji*

Tina:Hey, don’t feel bad. It takes a hooker to know a hooker. Tootles! *insert heart emoji*

Me:*insert kissy face emoji*

Just as I set my phone on the chair, a knock sounds at the door separating my place and his. After breakfast, we both got ready for the day, and since the gym is closed because of the weather, he left to go get Milo. He invited me to come with, but I used the work excuse to stay behind. I really do have to work on the gym’s new site, but I also received two more inquiries via my own website. I wanted to pull as much information on their businesses as I could before offering them my package details.

One time, when I first went out on my own, I received an inquiry and sent them all my information. I found out after I started digging that the company didn’t exist. The email address was a dummy account, and my correspondences went unanswered. The next week, Arrow Media, my biggest rival in the web design business, went viral with their brand-new packages and rates. Turns out, they were the exact services I offer, just a few dollars cheaper. To a small business, a few dollars adds up, and while I saw a steady increase in inquiries, I saw a decline in the ones who actually purchased a package.

The result was