sanctuary over the last few days, and he was sorry to see it come to an end. But time, ever the fickle bitch, had marched ahead.
Colt arrived home just as the sun was cresting the horizon and bathing the world in golden light. He entered through the kitchen and was drawn up short.
Amber stood at the counter in workout gear, with a cup of coffee in her hand. The moment her gaze, so similar to his, landed on him, she smiled like the Cheshire cat.
“Well, look what the cat dragged in. How was your weekend?” She quirked a dark brow.
“Good. How did everything go around here?”
“Smooth. Didn’t even have to call the sheriff.”
Colt poured a cup of coffee for himself and said, “So I’m not going to get reports from other departments about issues this weekend?”
“I didn’t say that. I handled it. You know as well as I do that in the world of hospitality, something always, always goes wrong. What I will do to assuage your curiosity is make sure you have the report I typed up last night on your desk as soon as I get into the office.” She shook her head and strode past him toward the stairs.
He sighed. This wasn’t how he wanted things between them. “Amber, wait.”
She swiveled around and shot him a drop-dead glare.
“Thank you for covering for me this weekend. I really needed the time away. And if its not too much trouble, in about a week, if I can get the schedule under control for you to take the reins, I’d like to take two weeks off.”
“You what? You, take that much time off? Are you serious?” she asked, her eyes wide with shock.
“Yeah,” he said with a self-deprecating laugh, because he knew he was a stick in the mud, but he was all for changing that, starting now.
“Hello, what have you done with my brother? Is this an invasion of the body snatchers type of deal? Did you get a lobotomy? What brought about this change?”
Avery, he thought. It was all Avery. “Does it matter?”
“It’s the woman you’ve been seeing, isn’t it? She’s the reason behind the change in you. I’ve got to say, Colt, that it’s about damn time.”
“Brat.” He rolled his eyes at her.
“Jerk,” she teased. She waltzed over and hugged him. “I love you, you know. And if this woman makes you happy, then go for it. This place will run just fine without you.”
“Love you too, Amber.” He hugged her back. “I’m going to change my clothes and head into the office.”
“I’ll be there after I’ve had a chance to shower. And we can sit down, go over the schedule, and work some magic so you can take that vacation.” Amber kissed his cheek and let him go.
“See you there,” he replied, heading to his bedroom.
Colt felt lighter now that he had cleared the biggest hurdle. His friends would tease him over it, but he didn’t care. Not when it meant he got to spend two uninterrupted weeks with Avery. It would be two more weeks of getting to know each other, and he figured by the end of his stay with her in Bermuda, he’d have a keener insight into her feelings. That was when he would inform her that he owned the ranch.
And then they would see; he would gauge her response to the news before asking for a deeper commitment. Because he believed, deep down, that Avery could be it for him. The excitement, the passion, the life she had breathed into his days had to mean something. The connection was too deep, too vivid, for it to be a mere passing fling. He rubbed his chest; she did something to him with her smile and her nature.
He could even see how it could be. They would make the ranch their home base. He would travel with her when she was going to be away for extended periods. They could make it work. Avery certainly seemed like she wanted a chance with him. And she couldn’t know just how much the way she looked at him with no dollar signs present meant to him, did for his soul, even.
On his way into the ranch, as he stared at the land, and the cattle, the stables beyond the main building, Colt realized that as much as he loved this place, it was just a place. It didn’t hold a candle to what Avery made him feel.
From the moment he arrived in his office, he