Holding You (3 page)

Turning quickly, he walked off. As if nothing amazing had just happened between us. He just said he loved me.
Well wait. Did he say he loved me? He didn’t come right out and say it, but he implied it. Didn’t he?

Looking back, Colt motioned for me to come on. Snapping out of my stupor, I quickly followed Colt. He was headed over to Gunner and Ellie. Grinning, Gunner looked at Colt, then me. I wondered if my face looked like it felt. Hot and on fire.

“Hey, buddy, enjoying yourself?” Gunner asked as he reached out his hand for Colt.

Shaking his father’s hand, Colt answered, “Yes, sir, I am.”

Ellie turned toward me and gave me the sweetest smile. “Lauren, sweetheart, how is school going?”

As much as I would have liked standing there and chitchatting with Gunner and Ellie, I really wanted Colt to take me home and make me his. “Good. It’s going good. Busy, but I’m really enjoying my second year.”

“That’s wonderful. Your daddy was talking about you the other night. He’s so proud of you.”

Ellie mentioning my father right then was kind of putting a damper on things. Nodding, I gave her a weak smile in return.

“Dad, I’m going to head back to A&M and bring Lauren. There is a project she’s never done before, and she needs my help.”

Snapping my head over to Colt, I felt my face turn red. Gunner glanced at me and then back to Colt and gave Colt a wink. “Y’all aren’t going to kill each other on the way there, are you?”

Colt and I both let out an awkward laugh. “We’re gonna try not to,” I said as I peeked over to Colt.

Feeling them before I saw them, I turned to my parents who had walked up and stood before me. “Hey, sweetheart. Are you coming back to the house with us or staying with the girls?” my mother asked as she reached over and pushed one of my blonde curls from my eye. I looked just like my mother. Blonde hair, blue eyes. Everyone said I was a mini version of my mother on the outside, but inside I was all my dad.

“I’m actually going to head back to A&M with Colt. I’ve got a . . . um . . . a project I’ve got to get done.”

Nodding, my father looked over to Colt. “Y’all have to leave now? You don’t want to wait until tomorrow morning?”

Remembering I had a class first thing Monday morning, I quickly said, “No! No, I can’t because I’ve got a test first Monday morning, and I missed Thursday’s class for the wedding.”

“All right, well let me have a kiss and a hug. We’ll see you in a month for spring break, right?” my father asked as he pulled me into his arms.

Giving my father a hug and kiss good-bye, I turned to my mother and repeated the process. “Yep, as of now, I’m still planning on spring break at home,” I said with a smile.

Daddy reached for Colt’s hand and shook it as he said, “Be careful driving, Colt; that’s a long drive back.”

Nodding his head and giving that damn smile of his, Colt said, “Always, sir.” Turning to his parents, Colt kissed his mother good-bye on the cheek and told her how much he loved her, as he shook his father’s hand. Glancing over at me, Colt asked, “Shall we, Lauren?” as he began leading me away from our parents.

Oh my glitter. Oh my glitter. Oh my glitter. I’m leaving with Colt. I’m heading back to A&M with Colt. Breathe in through the mouth. Out through the nose.
Looking down at my hands as I wrung them together, I took a deep breath.
What am I, in junior high?
This was insane. I needed to chill the hell out.

Colt placed his hand on the small of my back and butterflies ignited in my stomach. “We need to find Luke and Libby and . . .”

“No we don’t,” I practically shouted, “we need to get out of here, now.”

Colt leaned over and asked, “Lauren, are you okay?”

Stopping, I looked into Colt’s eyes. They were breathtaking. Blue like the sky behind him. “I don’t think I can wait until we get back to A&M, Colt.” Shaking my head, I whispered, “I want to feel you inside me.”

Colt’s face beamed as a wide grin appeared and my heart began to race with excitement. “Luke and Libby know we love them; we’ll chip in and buy them a great gift.”

Nodding my head quickly, I said, “Perfect!”

Reaching for my hand, Colt pulled me toward his truck. “Colt, all my stuff is at Josh and Heather’s house.”

Colt practically pulled my arm out of its socket. Looking back over my shoulder, no one even paid attention to us as we quickly left the reception. No one that is, but Grace. Lifting her hand and giving me a wave, I waved back and smiled. Shaking her head, she turned on her heels and walked off.

Colt stopped and opened his truck door as he took my hand and helped me up and into his truck. Leaning into the truck, his eyes captured mine. They were on fire as I sucked in a breath. “Where we’re going, Lauren, you’re not going to need your purse, or clothes.”

My eyes widened as I simply said, “Oh.” Swallowing, I cleared my throat and said, “What about my cell phone? Or money?”

“I have a phone and I have money.”

Slowly nodding, I whispered, “Clean panties for tomorrow?”

Colt lifted his eyebrows as he attempted not to laugh. “Do you want your bag, sweetheart?”

“I’d feel better knowing I had my stuff. If that’s okay?”

Reaching in further, he kissed me on the nose and my stomach dropped at the sweet gesture. “Of course it is.”

Moving quickly, he buckled me in, shut the door and made his way over to the driver’s side of his truck.

I wasn’t sure how Colt and I went from totally avoiding each other, to fighting like cats and dogs, to leaving our best friends’ wedding to go somewhere so we could be alone. Smiling, I shook my head because I didn’t care. I wanted this. I’d wanted it for so long. I was just too stupid and stubborn to admit it to myself. Libby and Alex had found love and happiness. I wanted that too, and I knew Colt was the only one who would be able to give me both.

Ten minutes later, I was running up the stairs to Josh and Heather’s house. I used the key I had and ran as fast as I could in my heels and dress up the stairs and to Libby’s room. Gathering up my things, I shoved it all into my overnight bag. Turning, I looked around for Alex’s bag. Seeing it on the floor, I smiled as I reached down and picked it up. Overhearing Alex early this morning, I heard her tell Grace she had packed two outfits for Will, but she wasn’t sure she would get to use them if the parents didn’t all stay in one house.

Something blue caught my eye as I reached in and pulled out a beautiful blue satin, barely there, piece of lingerie. Clutching it to my chest, I whispered, “Perfect.”

Shoving the lingerie in my bag, I skipped down the stairs and out to Colt’s truck.
Finally, Colt was going to make me his.

SITTING IN MY
truck, I tapped the steering wheel to calm my nerves. What had happened in the last hour? I went from observing Lauren from across the room, to asking her to let me make love to her.

What if I fuck this up? What if I don’t make it special enough for her?
My father’s words from three years ago invaded my mind.

“Colt, make sure it’s something you both want. Be gentle and think about her one hundred percent of the time. Show her how much she means to you above all. Remind her how much you love her. The moment can never be repeated.”

The door to Josh and Heather’s beach house opened, and Lauren came bouncing out. Shaking my head, I couldn’t help but smile. Lauren was so full of life. She made sure to live each day with as much zest as she could.

As she moved closer to the truck, my heartbeat increased. I wanted to take her back to A&M, but when Lauren said she couldn’t wait, I knew I had better check us into a hotel. The last thing I wanted to do was end up taking her in my truck.

The door opened and Lauren threw her bag onto the back seat. Hopping up into the truck, she shut the door and turned to me with a look of sheer panic on her face.

“I’m scared shitless, Colt.”

Laughing, I nodded my head. “Me too, Lauren.”

Her smile would have knocked me off my feet had I been standing. “I know you want to wait until we get back to A&M . . . but I don’t think I can.” Her eyes glanced down. “Colt, I’ve wanted you for so long, and I’m tired of fighting it.”

Swallowing hard, I started the truck and made my way to the ferry. Luke had told me about a new hotel in Rockport that he had looked into for their wedding night, but something fell through and they weren’t going to be able to stay there. It would be perfect for Lauren and me.

“Do you know where you’re going?” Lauren asked.

Reaching over, I grabbed her hand as I nodded. “Yep, if we can’t be home, I think I’ve got the next-best place.”

PULLING DOWN A
long driveway, I stopped in front of a giant white plantation-style house. Lauren leaned over and let out a gasp. “Colt, this is beautiful.” Turning back to me, she wore a radiant glow as she looked in my eyes. “It’s perfect,” she whispered.

Placing my hand behind her neck, I pulled her to me as I gently kissed her lips. The driver’s side door opened and I heard someone clear his throat. Lauren smiled against my lips and said, “I think they’re waiting for us.”

“Let them wait.” Kissing her again, I sucked her lower lip into my mouth as Lauren let out a soft moan. When our kiss finally broke, Lauren turned and stepped out of the truck. With my heart racing, I followed.

“Good afternoon, sir. Welcome to the St. Claire. How many nights will you be staying with us?”

“One,” I said as I opened the back door and reached in for my backpack that I always carried in my truck, and Lauren’s bag.

Turning to the valet, I reached for his arm. “Dude, take care of her. She’s my life.”

Glancing to the truck and back to me, the valet nodded his head and gave me an understanding smile. “I’ll be sure to keep her in a safe spot for you, sir.”

Giving him a quick handshake, I said, “Perfect. I appreciate that.”

Walking up to Lauren, I placed my hand on her lower back and gently guided her into the hotel. Seeing my father do this to my mother all the time, I knew women must like it from the reaction my mother always had.

As we walked up to the front desk, Lauren turned and gave me the sexiest look I’d ever seen. My dick jumped in my pants and I prayed to God I didn’t come the moment I saw her naked. My hands shook as I reached for my wallet in my back pocket.

“Good afternoon. Welcome to the St. Claire. Do you have a reservation?”

Nodding my head, I smiled. “Yes, I called not too long ago. Colt Mathews.” After pulling up their website, I had called and booked the reservation as we rode over on the ferry and Lauren watched the dolphins.

“Yes, I have it here. I see y’all are celebrating a special occasion.”

Lauren’s head jerked up as she looked between the desk agent and me as excitement danced in her eyes. My hands began to sweat as my heart pounded in my chest.
Lauren and I were finally going to be together.
“Yes we are, indeed. Tonight is a very special night for us.”

The desk agent gave me a tender smile as she typed away on her keyboard. “Looks like I have the perfect room for you.”

After giving her my credit card and getting our key, Lauren and I headed up to the third floor. As we stepped off the elevator, we stood before one door. “Is this the only room on this floor?” Lauren asked. Shrugging, I looked around. “I guess so.”

Lauren jumped as she clapped her hands. “Oh my gosh! I can’t wait to see it.”

Smiling, I handed her the key and watched as she rushed to the door, inserting the key card, Lauren let out a gasp as she walked into the room. Following behind her, I almost let out a gasp myself. We were in the St. Charles room. I’d seen it on their website. It occupied the entire third floor of the hotel and had a view of the bay.

Lauren turned and looked at me, her mouth parted slightly open. “This is beautiful,” she whispered.

Fist pumping internally, I walked over and pulled her to me. “Not as beautiful as you, Lauren.”

Closing her eyes tightly, she opened them. They were filled with tears and my breath left my lungs. “Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” I asked as I dropped the bags I was carrying and cupped her face.