Page 64 of The Acquisition

And what a surface he had. Standing next to him made me feel petite. I was taller than most men at five-feet-nine, but Colter stood a few inches over me. With his wide shoulders and narrow waist, he had the physique of a professional athlete while most men his age were already settling into their dad bods.

But Colter Greyson was so much more than a pretty face. It was his sarcastic sense of humor that first drew me to him, but seeing him in this element was adding another layer to my attraction. Listening to him chat with Hans, slipping in and out of German and English made my heart skip. I didn't stand a chance to guard my heart against this revelation. My husband was brilliant. Nothing was sexier to me than an intelligent man.

All these feelings were unsettling to me. I had always been able to preserve a level of detachment. I never again wanted to feel the way I had after my relationship with Malcolm, used and forgettable. It was the same way my parents always made me feel.

I didn't want to live like this anymore. My heart might be safe behind walls of steel, but it was a lonely existence. I found myself asking what I was protecting myself from when not once has Colter made me feel unwanted.

When he looked at me I believed he didn't see anyone else. While every boyfriend I'd ever had scanned the room to make sure they weren't missing someone better, Colt watched only me.

He smiled at me and replied to whatever Hans had asked him without looking back at him.

Hans pointed at us. "I can't believe I didn't pick up on the two of you being together from the first second. My radar must be off. It's so obvious now that you're both deeply in love. Please, Jana, accept my apology for how I behaved earlier."

Emotion clogged my throat, and the only response I could manage was to nod. I looked up at Colt. If he seemed uncomfortable with what Hans said I promised myself I'd work harder to protect myself from the inevitable heartbreak.

A swarm of butterflies took flight in my stomach when my eyes reached his. I'd heard eyes described as sparkling before, read sappy poems dedicated to the myriad of emotions revealed by a simple look, but I finally understood. There was an honesty in the way he was looking at me. His eyes seemed to speak a solitary truth to me where our words had thus far failed.

Colter was falling in love with me.

I melted into his side. His arm draped over my shoulders, and I couldn't stop smiling. He continued his conversation with Hans. Occasionally, he would rub his fingers against the exposed skin on my shoulder. Goosebumps followed his touch.

I needed a distraction, and the people filing in gave me that. People watching was a favorite pastime of mine. Everyone had a story to tell, and I believed if I paid attention I could uncover the layers they hid behind. Usually my desire to live a different life made me study the people around me.

This time, though, I didn't want a different life. I did want to fast forward through telling Evie and get to the part where she was okay with me being in a relationship with her dad. I wanted to know that everything would work out, and I could keep this feeling of contentment growing inside me.

"Are you okay?" he whispered. He always could seem to sense when my mind drifted into the shadows.

"I'm fine. I just need a moment. There's lots of new people here. I think I'll go powder my nose," I said, slipping out from under his arm.

Retracing my steps back through the ballroom I found the opulent restrooms, which were blessedly empty. I touched up my makeup while making sure my hair still looked neat. Resting my hands on the counter, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Being with Colt was overwhelming, in a good way.

The sound of heels clacking against the tiles caught my attention. My eyes flew open, and in walked Matilda Forsythe.

A gust of air pushed past my lips. I forced a fake smile and turned to face her. "Matilda, what are you doing in Berlin?"

She opened her clutch and pulled out a tube of lipstick. "Daddy had some business, and I thought I'd come along and do some shopping. The better question is, what are you doing here? I thought Sabrina was Colter's assistant."

"She is. I'm not here as his assistant." I could see the wheels turning in her head. Matilda always wanted unavailable men.

"Well, enjoy whatever this is while it lasts." Matilda turned toward the mirror and fluffed her blonde hair.

I don't know what came over me. I took my wedding ring out of my purse and slipped it on my finger.

I held my hand out and wiggled my finger to draw her attention. "I don't know, but I have a feeling it's going to last quite a while. I believe the term limit wasuntil death."

Her eyes narrowed, and she tossed her hair over her shoulder. "You might have the ring for now, but you won't hold him. Colter has dated some of the most beautiful women in the world."

She sneered as she looked me up and down. "Do you really think you measure up?"

"More than you do. Because whether Colt and I stay together forever or not, I can promise you that you'll never be with him." I snapped my clutch shut and strolled out of the bathroom.

TWENTY-FOUR

COLTER

Hans and I continued to carry on a conversation about the deal and mutual acquaintances. I looked down at my watch. How long did it take a woman to check her makeup?

"We should find our seats," Hans suggested and distracted me from Jana's extended absence.

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