Holding You (24 page)

Looking at me like I was the one who was insane, Grace smiled and gave me a wink. “Yes. I’m just picky about when I use it.”

Rolling my eyes, I followed Grace into the hotel. While Libby checked us in, someone brought me out some ice, Advil, and Benadryl.

“Okay, y’all, huddle up. Pick a number from the bag.”

After we each picked a number, we were teamed up. Grace and Libby were in one room, Alex and Meg in another and Taylor and I in the last room. Taylor and I high-fived each other and did a chest bump.

“All right, calm down. Let’s get settled, then go get something to eat.” Turning to me, Libby pressed her lips together. “Lauren, can we trust that you’ll keep your shirt on?”

Snarling my lip at Libby, I raised my middle finger and mouthed
fuck you.

WALKING INTO THE
Salon Bar, I glanced around. “Grace, Taylor and I aren’t twenty-one.”

Waving me off, she headed to a table. “Just sit, drink Coke and no one will say anything.”

Worrying my lower lip, I did what she said. We spent most of our first evening in Durango in that little saloon bar. We danced, laughed, danced some more and just had fun. Taylor and I were currently attempting to ignore the two guys who would not go away.
If this guy tells me one more time how pretty my eyes are, I’m gonna junk-punch his ass.

Libby, Alex and Meg were all dancing together and Grace was cutting a rug with a very good-looking cowboy who sure did know how to move. It was nice to see Grace smiling and enjoying herself. When a slow song came on, I couldn’t pull my eyes away from Grace and the cowboy. He lifted his hand and placed it on the side of her face and leaned in to kiss her. Leaning my own body closer, I noticed Taylor was doing the same thing. “Oh my gosh. Is she gonna kiss him?” Taylor gasped.

Shaking my head, I said, “No! She’s in love with Noah. She can’t.”

Making a grunting sound, Taylor said, “Please. He’s married. There is no Noah.”

Taylor and I both leaned forward more. One of the guys started talking and we both said, “Shh!”

They finally got the hint and got up and left. “She’s moving in. She is moving in!” Taylor said.

“What are y’all doing?” Maegan asked.

“Hush, we’re watching Grace. I say she’s not going to kiss the cowboy, but Tay says she is.”

Everyone sat down and all eyes were on Grace. “I’m with Lauren. I say she isn’t,” Libby said.

“Bullshit. Look at the way she is looking at him. She’s got that cowboy wrapped around her finger. I say she kisses him,” Maegan said with a chuckle.

Alex said, “I’m with, Meg and Tay. I’m going with lips touching.”

Libby and I looked at each other. Glancing back over to Grace I quickly said, “A hundred bucks, she doesn’t.”

“Deal!” Alex, Maegan, and Taylor all shouted.

Holding my breath I watched the slick cowboy slide his hand down to Grace’s waist. “He’s pulling her in! He’s pulling her in,” I said with panic laced in my voice. “Don’t do it, Grace. Resist the hot, muscled-up, tattooed cowboy!”

“Fuck that, she needs to get with that shit!” Maegan said as Alex and Taylor started laughing.

“Meg! She’s not going to screw some random guy she just met,” I said as I glared at Maegan.

Raising her eyebrow, she smirked. “I’ll add another hundred that she not only kisses him, but she ends up in his bed before this little vacation is over.”

Libby leaned in close to my ear. “She’s looking weak, Lauren. I have a feeling Grace is about to break her silent vow of chastity.”

Whipping my head around, I looked back out on the dance floor.
No. Oh no. Don’t do it, Grace. Stay strong!
“Don’t do it, Grace! Noah is the cream to your coffee.”

Maegan let out a gruff laugh. “No, he’s the cream to someone else’s coffee now, Lauren.”

Flashing Maegan a dirty look, I glanced back to Grace. Throwing her head back and laughing, she dropped her hands and took a step back. Leaning in, she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and walked to us. I had to admit, I felt bad for the cowboy. He couldn’t pull his eyes from Grace as he watched her walk away from him. Smiling, I turned to Maegan and said, “I do believe you bitches owe some money.”

Libby started laughing and Maegan glared at me as Grace walked up. “What’s going on? Meg, why are you looking at Lauren that way?”

Smirking I said, “She’s just mad she lost a bet that’s all.”

Grace reached for her drink and took a sip. “Jesus, that cowboy had his dick pushed all into my body the entire time we were dancing. Felt like a big motherfucker.” Raising her eyebrows, Grace smiled.

“Grace!” Taylor yelled out as everyone started laughing. Grace being Grace just shrugged it off and sat down. Leaning toward me she asked, “Missing, Colt?”

Giving her a weak smile, I said, “Yeah, but I’m having a ton of fun.”

“Good! As it should be. Girls weekend!” Grace yelled out as she held up her drink. Everyone yelled out, “Girls weekend!” and took a drink.

TAYLOR AND I
both collapsed onto our beds and let out a long sigh as I said, “Holy hell. I can’t believe how wasted those girls got.”

Giggling, Taylor rolled over onto her stomach and looked at me. “I know! Thank goodness the bar was right here in the hotel.”

Taylor had helped Maegan and Alex back to their room and I helped Grace and Libby. Libby wasn’t too wasted, but she was for sure feeling good.

“That’s why I don’t want to drink. I mean, all four of them are going to be bears tomorrow. You know this, right?”

Giggling, I flipped onto my stomach. “Yeah, I know.”

Taylor placed her elbow on the bed and then rested her head on her hand. “So, tell me what it’s like. We haven’t even had a chance to talk.”

Grinning, I asked, “What do you mean?”

“Sex. Did it hurt? Was Colt amazing? We never even got to talk about any of it.” Taylor frowned. “Remember all the times we talked about what we thought our first time would be like? Sometimes I hate being at UT.”

I nodded my head. “I know, I miss our talks.”

Giving me a wicked grin, Taylor said, “So . . . tell me! Did it hurt?”

“Yes it hurt but at the same time, it didn’t hurt.”

Laughing, Taylor said, “That doesn’t make any sense.”

Sitting up, I crossed my legs and laughed. “I know it doesn’t but I don’t know any other way to explain it. It burned like a bitch but once I got used to him, it felt heavenly.”

“Are you glad you waited?”

My smile faded. “Yes. There were a few times I didn’t think I was going to wait.”

Taylor chewed on her lower lip as she moved and sat on the bed. “I met someone.”

Sucking in a breath of air I said, “What? Taylor! Who is he? What’s his name?”

Giving me an innocent smile, she said, “He doesn’t even know I exist.”

Pinching my eyebrows together, I pulled my head back. “What do you mean?”

Shrugging her shoulders she cleared her throat. “His name is Jase. He’s in my English Lit class.”

Raising my eyebrows up, I smiled. “Really? This Jase, what does he look like?”

Closing her eyes and sighing, Taylor licked her lips and smiled big as she opened her eyes and looked at me. “Oh my gosh, Lauren. He looks like . . . like . . . like a Greek god.”

Slamming my hands over my mouth, I began hopping on the bed. Dropping my hands, I whispered, “Tell me all about him!”

Blushing, Taylor bit down on her lower lip and chewed on it. “Well, he’s smart, funny, and did I mention he looks like a Greek God?”

Snickering, I said, “Yes, you did mention that already. Have you talked to him?”

Dropping her smile, Taylor shook her head.

“What? Why, Tay?”

Wringing her hands, Taylor looked away and let out a nervous laugh. “Lauren, this guy is amazing. He hasn’t even looked twice at me. I mean, look at me.”

My mouth dropped open. “Taylor, you are beautiful. Inside and out. Any guy would consider himself lucky to even catch your eye.”

Rolling her eyes Taylor laughed. “There is this other girl. She’s in Italian with me. She speaks it really well and she flirts with Jase. Talks to him in Italian all the time and the stuff she says turns my stomach.”

Inching closer to the edge of my bed, I swung my feet around and looked into Lauren’s eyes. “Does he know what she’s saying?”

“No, he just smiles at her. The way he looks at her though is like he wants her.” Shrugging her shoulders again, she gave me a weak smile. “I’ve never been attracted to a guy like this before or had feelings like this. I’m sure it’s just a silly crush.”

My heart hurt for Taylor. She was beautiful. Her light-brown wavy hair was pulled up in a ponytail. Her green eyes glossed over with sadness. Reaching over, I motioned for Taylor to give me her hands.

“Taylor, please don’t ever sell yourself short or think you don’t deserve someone. This Jase guy, if he hasn’t noticed you yet, then fuck him. You don’t need the Greek god. There are other ones out there. He probably has a small dick anyway with a name like Jase.”

Taylor started laughing. “He probably does!”

My phone rang as I pulled it out and saw it was Colt. “Speaking of Greek gods—”

Taylor jumped up and headed into the bathroom. “I’m taking a quick shower.”

Smiling, I answered my phone. “Hey, baby.”

“Hey, sweetheart.”

My heart melted. The tenderness in Colt’s voice caused a pulling sensation in my lower stomach. “I miss you, Colt.”

“Damn, baby. I miss you, too.”

Swallowing hard, I nodded my head. Closing my eyes I pictured Colt lying on his bed in nothing but a pair of boxers.

“Where are you?” I asked in a husky voice.

“In my bedroom.”

I could hear his smile in the way he talked. “What are you wearing?”

There was a moment of silence before my phone beeped. Smiling, I pulled my phone back and saw I had a text from Colt. Putting him on speakerphone, I opened up the text and gasped. It was a picture of Colt lying in his bed . . . naked.

Good lord, his body was perfect. Licking my lips, I stared at the picture. I wondered if I could get it printed out and carry it around with me. Feeling sad . . . pull out Colt’s picture. Feeling angry . . . pull out Colt’s picture. Feeling horny . . . oh yes. Pull. Out. Colt’s. Picture.

“I’m saving this forever,” I whispered as I began biting on my thumb as I stared at it.

“Lauren?”

“Mmm?”

“Baby, will you take me off speakerphone now?”

Look at his abs. Oh my . . . it’s getting rather hot in here. What did Colt say?

“What? I mean . . . um . . . did you say something?”

Laughing, Colt said, “Sweetheart, take me off speakerphone.”

Colt’s laughter snapped me out of my trance. “Right. Speakerphone.”

Putting the phone back to my ear I said, “Okay, you’re off speakerphone. Tay couldn’t hear you anyway.”

“Where is, Tay?”

My heart started beating faster and my hands began to sweat. I knew where this was going and I was for sure going to let it go right down that path. “She’s um, in the shower.”

“Get your headphones baby and call me back on FaceTime.”

Hanging up my phone, I quickly ran over to my purse and dumped it out to find my headphones. Something red caught my eye.
There you are!
Running back over to my phone, I pushed my headphones into the jack and called Colt back on FaceTime.

Seeing him lying on his bed, naked, caused me to smile. “Colt,” I whispered.

“Can you go anywhere, Lauren?” Glancing back to the bathroom door I wanted to cry. There was nowhere I could go. Then I remembered I had the keys to the rental.

“The car!” Jumping up, I ran to the bathroom door and yelled, “Tay, I left something in the rental car. I’ll be right back!”

“Oh. Okay, Lauren. Be careful, it’s late.”

Grabbing the keys, I made it out the door and to the elevator. “I’m going to lose my signal. I’ll call you right back.”

Colt winked. “I’ll be waiting, sweetheart.”

The screen went blank as I pushed my phone into my pocket and practically ran to the elevator.

The whole way down, I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. My phone pinged as I stepped out of the elevator. Pulling it out, I saw it was Grace.