Page 33 of In the Dust

It’s an innocent mistake to wear a dress. I didn't know he would have put me in the middle … but I don't mind.

But nothing is innocent about the way he looks at me as his calloused hands grip the soft fabric of my dress and he slides it further up my leg so he can get ahold of the shifter.

“What’s this?” I lift up a light piece of fabric, examining it.

Colton playfully grabs it from me and shoves it into his door. “It’s nothing.” He smirks, resting his hand back on my already heated skin.

My chest rises as he tilts his head, getting a better look at my reaction to his touch. The Bronco hums to life as he turns the key, his gaze still steadily on me. “You okay, Peaches?” he hums in a low, husky tone.

I simply nod, worried the quiver in my voice will give away the things I’m feeling.

No man has ever made me feel the way Colton does, in part because I never wanted to let anyone in like I did with him. I’ll never allow that hurt, and that’s why I've built an impenetrable wall around my heart.

But now I worry I may have designed it with ice instead of concrete, and the more he smolders my way the more the ice around my hurt heart melts into a useless puddle at his feet.

“Peaches?”

I jeer, “Huh?”

“You ready?” His forearm rests on my leg as he waits for my answer, and his large hand grips the shifter.

How can just the feeling of his skin on mine send me into such a rush? “Ready,” I reply, trying to control my breathing.

But he knows; he knows what he’s doing to me. He faces forward, but a grin lifts the corner of his full lips. “You’re going to turn into a tomato if you don’t calm down, Dixie.”

His words don’t help; they only intensify my desire. A desire I had hoped was long gone, only to come flooding back the moment I saw him as I pulled into the driveway of my childhood home.

We head off down the road, taking gravel to pavement quietly. But when we hit the dirt road, he stirs me up along with the dust.

He leans over, whispering deeply into my ear, “You like what I do to you, Dixie?”

I tilt my head back as he changes gears, returning his hand to rest on my thigh. Then, he moves up a little further. “Colton,” I breathe, but I don’t want him to stop.

I’ve always felt safe in his arms; there’s always been that spark when we collided. I wondered briefly, when I was away, if that’s how it felt when you touched another human. But after countless nights trying to feel that electricity with random men, I knew it was a me and Colton thing, and that’s why I never got too serious with anyone.

Not that I ever let anyone else get too far. I’ve only ever been to that tipping point with the cowboy beside me.

We had both screwed up our one chance at forever, a first love story for the ages that was tainted by loss and betrayal.

His fingertip trails my inner thigh, sending a flame between my open legs. “Colton,” I whisper through parted lips, reaching my hand to touch his leg. But my palm doesn't land on his thigh, instead on his throbbing, bulging member.

He pulls over on the side of the dirt road. We’re minutes from the market. “Yes, darlin’?” He acts unfazed that he’s in my palm, but his chest is rising up and down heavily.

I melt against him as he raises his hand farther; he’s inches from touching me and destroying every stone of ice that I’d carefully stacked. I turn to face him, his lips so close to mine. If I just lean forward a smidge, I could undo all the sorrow between us.

I bite my lip, contemplating it. A honk sounds beside us. “Colton?” a familiar voice sounds.

He growls, turning away from me to face his mom’s car. “Hey, momma.” He attempts not to sneer.

“You broke down, honey?” she wonders.

“Nope.” He shakes his head.

She leans forward, trying to catch sight of who is in her son's truck. “You better not be in that truck fooling around with—” She stops as I poke my head around, and when I send her a wave, her hard lined face turns to mush. “Dixie, honey!” she sings, opening up her door to come wrap her arms around me. Oh no.

I’m happy to see her, but Colton isn't in a position to be seen by anyone right now, especially his mother. And as for me, a bead of sweat lines of my skin and my cheeks are tinted rose.

“Hey!” I jump before she fully exits and lean out of Colton’s window. “How are you?”

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