Page 25 of The Spice Is Nice

“Possibly. I took photos of the things on the table.”

“Good. We need to go before he comes back.”

I nodded. My hand went to my pocket, assuring the ivy bracelet was still there. Colt opened the door slowly and checked the walkway. We slipped out into the cool night and hurried into the shadows until we crossed the road to where we’d parked our trucks behind the trees.

He opened my door for me, and I started to get in until his hand came down on my ass.

“Hey!” I half protested.

“That was for not calling me first and waiting for me to get here. You know you deserved it. If Seth had come back and caught you in his room—” His voice actually cracked.

“I know. I know. I’m sorry.”

“I practically flew here, Wylde. Worried sick about you.”

We stared at each other for a beat, my mouth opening and closing. I was pissed about him spanking me, but sort of turned on by it, and really sorry that I’d put him in theposition of worrying for me in the first place. And then there was the whole closet situation.

“What we did in the closet wasn’t part of the rules,” I admitted.

“Neither was breaking and entering,” he chuckled. “But the closet was a nice perk, don’t you think?” The corner of his mouth lifted, and an eyebrow wiggled.

“And dangerous and crazy.” I smiled slyly back, things shifting between us.

“So maybe we enjoy some benefits from time to time?” His profile in the moonlight showed clean lines and a clenched jaw, and the muscle working at his temple. If we weren’t in front of the motel, I’d offer to take care of him.

“We’ll see.” I winked. “I should get home. But Calhoun, thanks for being there.”

“And next time you want to do a stunt like this, you’ll call me first?”

“Promise.”

“Good girl. I’ll follow you home.”

I wanted to say he didn’t have to, but there was nothing to prevent him. The truck hummed to life. In my rearview mirror, Colt followed me, loyal to the end.

At the Wylde house, I waved to him as he took off. When I got inside, all was quiet. Sage was asleep on the couch with a book on her chest. Poppy’s light was off. Daisy’s boots were by the door, but she wasn’t about.

I went to my room, closed the door, and sat on the edge of my bed, finally letting every muscle in my body relax. I pulled the ivy bracelet from my pocket and put it on. The tiny golden leaves caught the light. This small piece of mymother and my past, reclaimed from a man who’d kept it like a weapon.

Once he found it was missing…?

My hands trembled again. I couldn’t tell if it was the fear of the past, or the memory of Colt’s arms around me in the dark, or wanting more with Colt.

All three. It was all three, and I was in so much trouble.

Chapter 10

Facing the Past Together

Colt

By Friday’s Cowboy Night,I couldn’t look at a closet or cramped space without losing my mind, thinking of Ivy’s body with mine. Since the motel, I was useless. Hay bales I’d stacked came out crooked. The fence wire I’d strung went slack. I’d poured Eldon’s coffee into a bowl instead of a mug, and he’d stared at me like I’d lost the ability to function as a human being, which was a fair assessment.

I stayed by Ivy’s side at the Sapphire all night playing my part as loyal fake boyfriend, fighting off an erection that wouldn’t calm down. Ivy acted like she hadn’t a clue the effect our arrangement had on me. With every kiss and touch we acted out for others to see, I longed for even more in private.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Knox asked Sunday, as we shifted the horses around between the paddocks and the pastures. With Dusty giving Silver clearance, we were trying him out in the paddock beside Tank, letting them get close and sniff each other, and testing things.

“Nothing is wrong,” I clipped.