Page 98 of The Perfect Distraction

Chapter Twenty-Five

She was barely aware of Colton lifting her into his arms and carrying her into his house. It wasn’t until a few minutes later when she finally got a grip on her emotions that she realized she was sitting on his lap on the couch.

“Better now?” he asked, gently brushing the hair away from her face.

She nodded.

Pressing her head against his shoulder, he rocked her back and forth until she felt the tension melt away and she came back to herself.

Lifting her head from his chest, she glanced down at the damp spot on his T-shirt where she’d deposited a bulk of her tears. “You’re all wet,” she said, her voice sounding weak and very far away.

“Doesn’t matter. I’ll take whatever you’ve got to give. If you want to use me as a punching bag, you can do that too.”

She laughed, but it wasn’t as hearty as usual. Her throat felt sore and raw from crying.

“How about I get you a glass of water?” Colton said.

She nodded, and he gently moved her off his lap.

While he was gone, she took several deep breaths, preparing for the questions that were sure to come. But when he returned a minute later, he simply handed her the glass and let her drink. He waited until she finished before speaking.

“I’ve been waiting all week to be alone with you. And I don’t want what happened today to ruin things between us.” He looked very determined as he gestured back and forth between them.

“I agree,” she said, her mouth slowly curving into a smile.

“What do you say we set everything else aside for right now and get to the business of us?”

There was no mistaking what he meant by “business,” and she instantly perked up.

“I’d like that.”

“Besides, I’d really like to get out of this wet shirt!”

This time, she laughed for real, and when Colton extended his hand, she immediately clasped it.

As he led her toward the stairs, she said, “Do you have your phone?”

“Check.”

“Are the doors locked?”

“Check.”

“We should be okay, then.”

“We’ll be perfect,” he said.

The minute they stepped into his bedroom, he drew her into his arms and held her close. Twining her arms around his neck, she pressed her body tightly against his, anxious to get to the business of them.

“You’re so beautiful,” he said before kissing her softly.

She opened her mouth to deepen the kiss, but instead, he pressed soft kisses to her cheeks, nose, and forehead. Each kiss felt like an apology, and even though none of what had happened had been his fault, she happily accepted.

Tugging on the hem of his T-shirt, she started to pull it up, but he stepped back and removed it for her.

“I’ve never wanted anyone this much,” she said as she smoothed her hands over his shoulders and over the hard planes of his chest.

His eyes sparkled. “That makes two of us.” With that, he started unbuttoning her blouse, his eyes following the path of his hands as he revealed her skin underneath. Sliding the blouse off her shoulders, he set it on the edge of his bed and then palmed her breasts, flicking his thumbs over her nipples through her bra.