Chapter Fifteen
As Colt arrived back at his house with some necessities for Elise, Marie stood and put her purse on her shoulder saying, “Doc called and said Elise’s blood test results were negative for anything abnormal. He said he thinks it probably is just one helluva migraine, but if she didn’t feel better by tomorrow to come see him.”
Relief shot through him at the knowledge Elise’s blood tests didn’t show any problems. Setting the duffel bag on the counter, he turned to Marie with a smile. “That’s great news.”
She smiled then headed for his front door. With her hand on the handle, she looked back at him. “You take care of my niece, ya hear?”
“You’re leaving? Aren’t you staying until she wakes up?” he asked.
She shook her head. “I trust you’ll take excellent care of her. Tell her if she needs me to call me and that I’ll be ready for that lunch whenever she is.”
After Marie left, Colt quietly entered the room and stood beside the bed, staring at the beautiful woman lying under his quilt. She’d entered his life and turned it upside down before he knew what hit him. No matter what came of his relationship with Elise, one thing he knew for sure…she was his match in every sense of the word, so why did his heart ache and his stomach tense at the knowledge?
Elise stirred and called out in a weak voice, “Colt?”
He answered in a hushed voice, “I’m here, Lise.”
She opened her eyes, then closed and opened them again. He could tell she was having trouble focusing on him. The drugs were likely still in her system.
“Lay with me,” she whispered.
Colt was already kicking off his boots before she finished her request. God, he wanted to hold her close, to smell her scent, feel her against him—safe and healthy.
He pulled off his shirt, moved the covers and crawled in beside her, tucking her back against his chest. Her sigh of contentment made his heart swell. Damn, he could get used to this.
Running his palm along her hip, he said in a low voice, “Your tests came back fine. Guess you just have a bad migraine.”
She mumbled her, “Told you so,” and then proceeded to fall back to sleep.
Colt lay there with her pressed against him for an hour, listening to her even breathing, inhaling her scent. She was the best smelling woman. Her innate aroma brought to mind the varied scents of a springtime drive on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Right before sleep overtook him, the realization hit him hard—he’d come to care for Elise very much. This way of life, being a rancher was all he’d ever known—all he ever wanted to do. What would he do when she decided she was tired of ranch living?
* * * * *
Elise awoke, thankful her migraine had faded to a dull headache. She glanced at the red glowing light on the alarm clock on the nightstand. Ten-thirty.
Evening had doused the room into total darkness. A little disappointed she didn’t get a chance to “see” Colt’s bedroom before nighttime arrived, she rolled over and smiled at the deep breathing sounds he made in his sleep. Sliding quietly out of bed, she took off her fitted button-down shirt and pulled her bra off. Sliding out of her jeans and socks, she made her way around to Colt’s side of the bed, looking for something a little less confining.
Smiling, she picked up his discarded white T-shirt and slipped into it, then quietly walked downstairs in the dark. When she spied the French doors along the back side of the house, she opened them wide and strolled out onto the deck.
Frogs croaked and crickets made their own nighttime sounds as she took a deep, inhaling breath and enjoyed the gorgeous view Colt’s property allowed of the Lonestar as well as the lights from town off in the distance. Even at night she could still make out the beautiful spread.
Wearing Colt’s shirt, his masculine smell surrounding her, Elise wrapped her arms around herself as the cool Texas air blew against her, bringing with it the distinct sound of cows mooing in the distance. Goose bumps formed on her arms and a shiver passed down her spine. She squeezed her eyes shut at the realization that the cold hadn’t caused the rush that passed through her…she knew without a shadow of a doubt, she was home.
Warm arms wrapped around her as Colt’s bare chest brushed against her back, his heat seeping through the thin cotton of her shirt. The feel of his hard, muscular body pressed against hers, made the sense of completeness and belonging flood through her in waves. Elise couldn’t stop the tears that silently rolled down her cheeks.
“Hey there,” his deep voice rumbled against her back as he planted a gentle kiss on her neck. “I brought some of your stuff from the apartment. Even remembered your birth control pills. I didn’t want you or me to have to worry,” he finished with a chuckle. “How’s the headache?”
His thoughtfulness pushed her over the emotional edge she’d teetered on. Holding back a sob, she wrapped her arms around his as she answered, “It’s now down to a dull roar and manageable at least. I’ll live.”
Colt gave her a gentle squeeze. “You had me really worried.”
She laid her head back against his neck. “I’m fine.”
He turned her around, cupped her face in his hands, and said, “Hey, I do care—” but he cut himself off when his palms brushed against her wet cheeks.
“Why are you crying? What’s wrong, Elise?” His voice sounded urgent, worried.
Why do you cry even harder when someone shows concern?
she wondered as she let out the sob she’d been holding back.
Colt swiftly picked her up and walked inside. He sat down on his couch next to the low light on the end table he’d apparently turned on and cradled her in his arms. His body tense, he ran his fingers through her hair and cupped her cheek, rasping, “God, Lise, whatever it is, I’ll make it right. Just tell me.”
Elise wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her nose under his jaw, giving a watery, embarrassed laugh. “I’m fine, really. I’m just happy the headache is gone, that’s all.” Now why couldn’t she tell him how she really felt?
I just realized how complete my life is here with you.
Bock! Bock!
She sniffled at the chicken sounds she heard in her own head.
He smiled and pulled her closer. After a few seconds, he stood with her in his arms and said, “Considering you skipped lunch and dinner, I’ll bet you’re starving. How about I make you something to eat?”
She looked at him in surprise. “You’re cooking for me?”
Colt raised his eyebrow as he lowered her feet to the floor. “What? You don’t think I can cook?”
She gave him a doubtful look. “You’ve never cooked at my place.”
“Well, you’re at my place now. Have a seat, gorgeous.” Colt smacked her on the butt, then gave her a devilish smile as he grabbed her rear before heading off to the kitchen.
As she followed him, Elise winced and drew in a breath when he flipped on several overhead lights. He glanced back at her, apologized and turned them off, then turned on the small light over the stove.
Taking the couple of steps up into the kitchen area, Elise sat down on a tall cushioned barstool behind the counter and put her chin in her hand to watch Colt move around the kitchen.
God, he looked hot with his broad bare chest tapering into a faded pair of jeans that fit his muscular butt to perfection. He’d taken off his boots and socks and was walking around his kitchen barefoot. As her heart raced at the sexy picture he made, Elise’s breasts began to swell in response. She pressed her knees together to assuage the throbbing heat that had started between her thighs.
While Colt cracked eggs in a pan, she distracted herself from his stimulating appearance by checking out his home. Scanning past the small oak table and spindle back chairs, she took in the comfy-looking hunter green sofa and matching chair and ottoman that sat in front of a stone fireplace. Her gaze shifted to the large stuffed taupe-colored chair that sat next to the huge picture window. She smiled when she noticed a paperback novel stuck in the side of its seat cushion.
Letting her gaze roam, she followed the wooden stairs upward to a hallway that overlooked the kitchen area. At the top of the stairs she saw two doors. She knew the first bedroom was Colt’s, so the other must be a guest room.
Colt had a very nice, cozy home, and neat too, she thought as she realized as she notice there wasn’t a bit of trash or discarded clothing laying about.
“Eat up,” Colt said, drawing her attention as he set a plate of bacon, eggs and toast in front of her.
While he poured her a glass of juice, she picked up the fork and took a bite. “Wow, I’m impressed.”
Colt grinned and came around the bar to sit beside her on another barstool.
“Aren’t you going to eat?” she asked, taking another bite.
He shook his dark head and smiled. “Nah, I ate while I was out earlier. Plus, I’m enjoying watching you eat,” he finished in a seductive tone.
Elise took another couple of bites and smiled. At the look of pure sexual hunger in his deep blue gaze, she couldn’t wait to finish eating. The dull throb in her head competed with the aching throb in her sex as she admired his gorgeous chest and defined abs—obviously her libido won the battle. She wanted Colt to take her to his bed and make love to her.
Setting down her fork, she turned in her seat and faced him. “I think you
are
hungry and you’re just being polite on my account.” His T-shirt was long on her, but when she sat down the hem had ridden high on her thighs. Hooking her toes on either side of the barstool, she spread her legs and put one elbow on the counter and the other on the back of her chair saying, “See anything you like?” The position pressed her breasts against the cotton fabric, outlining her nipples in the dim light.
His gaze burning, Colt brushed his finger along her inner thigh, past her belly until he reached her nipple. Lightly grazing the nub, his gaze darkened, causing the tip to harden in response. “I was wrong about you in a T-shirt,” he murmured.
Elise’s heart hammered in her chest at the slightest brush of his finger against her, but his words had her meeting his gaze with a puzzled one.
His lips tilted at the corners in a seductive half smile. “You look best wearing
my
T-shirt.”
Liquid heat rushed south and her breathing turned choppy. “I think I’ll look best wearing nothing at all, lying in your bed,” she bantered with a raised eyebrow.
Colt’s nostrils flared and his shoulders tensed, so she knew she’d gotten to him.
He placed his hands on her thighs and quickly pulled them further apart as he stepped off his stool and moved between her legs.
Pulling her shoulders so the tips of her breasts brushed his lower chest, Colt tilted her chin until she met his gaze. “There’s nothing I’d rather do than take you to bed and make love to you all night…”
Elise’s heart slammed in her chest at the promise in his words.
“…but it won’t be tonight, sweetheart.”
She immediately frowned, drawing her brows together. “Huh?”
Colt ran his thumb along her bottom lip, then trailed his fingers down her throat, his deep blue eyes ablaze with suppressed passion.
“I want you to recover first, for that headache to be gone.”
Elise stared at him for a long minute, gauging him. He was serious!
Letting her disappointment show, she grumbled, “Only
you
would use the excuse of the ‘woman’s’ headache as a reason to avoid sex.”
Grasping her chin, he kept her from turning away as he growled out, “I want to take you right now, right in this chair. But I made a promise to myself to hold back and as much as it’s killing me to do so, I
will
wait until you’re 100% well, Lise.”
She couldn’t help the smile on her face as she rode up. “I like when you call me ‘Lise’. It’s very…intimate.”
Colt gave her a sexy grin as he dropped his hand and stepped back. “It’s meant to be, darlin’.”
He pushed her plate closer to her. “Eat.”
While Elise finished eating, Colt started a fire in the fireplace. When the wood crackled and popped as the fire roared to life, he sat back with one leg bent, his elbow propped on his knee, staring at the fire as if in deep thought.
Elise touched his shoulder and he immediately pulled her into his arms, settling her between his legs.
“I thought we’d enjoy the fire before we went to bed,” he commented softly behind her.
“Oooh, going to bed sounds very nice,” she replied with a grin as she snuggled closer and thrilled at the feeling of his body surrounding hers.
When she felt his erection against her back, she repeated, “Verra nice.”
“Don’t tempt me,” he warned in a strained tone.
“But it’s what I do best, according to you.” She gave a soft laugh and laid her head against his neck, sighing in contentment.
With everything that had happened, she realized she’d been meaning to ask him about his mother. He seemed relaxed, content. Now would be as good a time as any.
“Why didn’t you tell me about your mother?”
Colt’s body stiffened behind her and he replied in a curt tone. “There’s nothing to tell.”
Turning her head, she looked up at him. “But I want to know everything about you.”
His hold on her tightened for a brief moment before he ground out, “As far as I’m concerned, my mother is dead. I’ll talk about anything you want, Elise, but the subject of my mother isn’t something I want to rehash.”
Elise returned her gaze to the fire and wrapped her arms around his, giving him a hug. “I understand.” But in her heart she knew she had to get Colt to face his demons about his mother’s desertion or he’d never look at her any other way. She realized that he saw her as a woman with a similar upbringing as his mother. More than ever she was convinced that was the reason he held back a part of himself from her, that he didn’t trust she wouldn’t eventually desert him too.
Knowing this about him helped her better understand her own feelings for this complex man. Somehow she had to figure out how to get past the invincible wall he’d built around his heart, because she was the type that gave her all when she finally committed, and she’d be damned if she’d accept anything less from him in return. But that was for another day. For tonight, she’d enjoy their time together.
As she relaxed against Colt and turned her head on his shoulder, the paperback book she’d seen stuck in the chair cushion caught her eye once more.
Leaning to the side, she pulled the fiction book out and discovered to her surprise her lover was a suspense reader.
“As if I don’t have enough suspense in my life with a neighbor like Jackson Riley creating havoc from time to time,” he said in a dry tone as she thumbed through the paperback.
When she pulled out the newspaper clipping he’d used as a bookmark and unfolded it, Elise couldn’t resist chuckling as she glanced up at him in surprise.
“You like crossword puzzles?”
“Doesn’t everyone?” he answered with an incredulous expression.
She skimmed the finished crossword puzzle then read some of the questions he’d had to answer. He’d answered questions she wouldn’t have known where to start if she’d been working the puzzle.
“And you answered them all, too,” she teased.
Colt took the paper and put it back in the book saying with a sheepish expression as he set the book on the floor, “I get a bit compulsive until I get them all.”
“Now why doesn’t that surprise me.” She grinned and put her hand on his neck as she kissed his jaw.
Colt looked down at her, his lips hovering over hers, close but not touching. Her heart stopped as his deep blue gaze held hers for a long moment.
As the heat from his warm, naked chest soaked through the thin cotton shirt she wore, her fingers threaded in his hair of their own accord. Their intimate closeness, his masculine smell, and the fire’s warmth surrounding her only stoked the heat flaring between them. Elise’s breath caught as she closed her eyes and waited for his kiss.