Page 38 of The Influencer and The Introvert
“This is beautiful, Colt. So beautiful.” I’m staring at a watercolor painting of a sunrise that shouldn’t draw emotion from me, but it does. Maybe it’s just because I’m standing in his kitchen. Or maybe it’s because I’m serious about missing him.
“So are you,” he whispers. My heart soars as he steadies himself next to me. “Ethan…I did a lot of thinking today. About you.”
“Did you?”
He hums and moves a step away, so I turn my full attention to him. Colt bites at his bottom lip, and I wait for him to speak, but it seems like maybe I might have to go first.
“I spent the morning at the Laughing Fork working. Cathy, do you know her? She’s the server all the time I’m there.”
Colt nods. “She’s great.”
“She is. Anyway, she said I should go out and experience the day and explore. I hadn’t really done that yet. You took me to the park and the Mercantile, but I’d never really looked, if that makes sense.”
“It does.”
“I knew you’d understand what I meant.” Colt licks his lips, and I watch a little too closely. “I met ladies knitting, saw kids making slime, and met a group of people tying flies.”
Colt’s eyes light up. “You went to the library!”
“I did.” Fishing in my pocket, I pull out the rather ugly thing I created. “I made this.”
Colt flips the package over in his fingers, and I watch as his lips curve into a smile.
“Ethan…you tied a fly with Chris? How was it?”
“I did. He’s an amazing teacher, though it was a little tedious. I’m not sure I could focus on tying flies for very long. Do you think mine will catch any fish?”
Colt slides it out of the bag and peers closer. “See, the thing is, you gotta think like a fish. If you were a fish, would you eat this?”
“If I’m hungry, I’ll eat anything.”
“The old fish with failing eyesight will go for this.” Colt snorts as I gasp, and he places the fly on the table as he steps closer to me. His features morph into seriousness as he brushes a tentative thumb along my jaw. “The fish would take a chance if it wanted it enough.”
We aren’t talking about fish; I know that. Instead of teasing Colt, I wait for his next move.
“If I said I wanted to have something with you while you’re here, would you…Is that something you might want, too?”
“I’d love nothing more than to spend as much time with you as I could.”
“Just time?” Colt asks as his gaze drops to my mouth, and I lick my lips.
“No.EverythingColt.” Stepping closer, I place my hands on his hips. “If I could, I’d be in your back pocket all day and under your sheets every night.”
“Shit, Ethan.” His brows knit together as he searches my face. “I’ve never been with someone where I know it has an end. I’ve always had time for everything, and today I thought about how much time I don’t really have with you. I don’t want to waste it because I think you feel like that too?”
Smiling, I bring my nose next to his. “For a quiet guy, thatwas a lot of words. But yes…there’s something with you I can’t ignore.”
Colt tilts his head slightly to bring his lips to mine in a slow kiss. Seriously, how can he be such a good kisser? We kiss until I feel like my head is in a different stratosphere, and he steps away.
“Let me show you the living room.” He takes my hand and tugs me along with a shy smile. “I’d show you the bedroom, but it’s a mess. Next time.”
“I’ll hold you to that.”
Colt’s living room is bright and open, with a sofa and built-in shelving along one wall. It’s cozy and so fucking charming I can’t imagine a better-suited place for Colt that’s not on horseback or fishing in a river.
He flops onto his sofa and pulls me on top of him. We land in an awkward mix of arms and legs and laughter. Colt kisses me again with a newfound fierceness that takes my breath away. Like he’s afraid I’ll evaporate if he lets me breathe.
Reluctantly, I pull back a little and peer into his handsome face. “I don’t think you’re telling me everything about what you thought about today, Colt.” My fingers trace this brow. “What’s going on up here?”
