Page 35 of My Heart Before You

“Or several!” Ashley called after them, cupping her hand to her mouth. She let her gaze pass between him and Emilie. “Come to think of it. I’m a bit thirsty. Emilie, what can I get you?”

“I can come get it.”

“No, I got it. Same as before?” Ashley asked breezily as she quickly strode off to the bar.

Once alone, they both grinned at each other for a weighted beat, waiting for the other to start the conversation.

He made the mistake of looking her over. Her dress held a slight sheen that was damn distracting as she subtly shifted her weight back and forth. The black heels that peaked from underneath only brought her face closer to his.

“You look . . .” He tried to think of the most professional way to end that sentence. “That’s a nice dress.”

“Thanks.” She dipped her head to look at her dress, and the familiar scent of honeysuckle reached his nose. A pressure hit his chest hard as he inhaled, his eyes slowly drifting closed. Every cell in his body vibrated with an insatiable need to step closer to her.

“Ash insisted I needed a new dress. It’s nice to see everyone so dressed up when we all wear pajamas to work each day.”

Yes. Work. Co-worker. You work together.

Colin snapped his eyes open before she lifted her gaze. “You’re right. It’s a nice change.”

Jamming his hands in his pockets, he surveyed the room to distract himself.

Her voice brought his attention back to her. “How long have you played the piano?”

He set his gaze on her lined eyes and willed himself not to move it. “Since I was six. My mother thought it would be good for me to take lessons, and I had an affinity for it once I started.”

“It must be nice to have a talent like that.” Those red lips lifted, dragging his vision down.

He cleared his throat and looked out into the starlit night. “Honestly, I haven't played much here since I sold my piano before the move.” His jaw tightened reflexively. “I made a mistake thinking it was a part of myself I could do without.”

A pause fell between them, and he knew he’d been too honest in his answer. It’d just come out of his mouth. He glanced back to see that slight shadow glinting in her eyes for a millisecond before she forced her lips up.

“There’s always the one in the lobby.” She said it as a joke.

He exhaled, relieved that she’d let his vulnerability slide, and smiled back. “That’s true.”

Suddenly, a blur of buzzed red hair appeared on his right flank with two burly arms suctioning to him with the ferocity of a crazed octopus.

“Buddy! You ‘scaped! You ‘scaped . . .” Third time’s a charm. “You e-s-caped,” he said very slowly, sounding it out.

Emilie was trying and failing to hide a giggle behind her hand.

He looked down at his friend’s slack face. “Hey there, Max.”

Max hung on his body, staring up at him. “Colin. Colin. Colin. Do you know,” he gulped. “Do you know that I love you?”

Laughing, he slowly peeled each of his friend’s arms from around his torso. Max tilted dangerously back and forth before Colin supported him again under his shoulder.

His friend snapped up his head while poking him in the chest. “Hey. Hey. When someone says they love you, the decent thing is to tell them you love them back. Isn’t that right, nice nurse from upstairs?” He pointed his finger at Emilie. “Make him tell me he loves me.”

Emilie could hold her amusement no longer, and she let out a long, head-tilting laugh that brightened his soul as thoroughly as a kiss on his brow from his mother would have.

“I think he needs to hear that you love him.”

He glanced at his friend’s face in the crook of his shoulder and said with sincerity, “I love you, Max. You know that, man.”

Max beamed as pleased and satiated as a child who’d just been praised.

“There you are!” Kate came striding up to them, more than a little flustered. “I lost track of him after I went to the restroom. I think I need to get him home.”

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