Page 6 of Colin

Rourke

His name was Colin Turtle, and he intrigued me. Everything about him tugged at my interest, making me need to know more. I watched him go into the bathroom with that twit, Vick. I didn’t like Vick for more than one reason. But at that moment, I absolutely hated him for following my Colin into that bathroom.

Staring at the door became a game, but I could only win if he came back out. And soon.

Then he did.

“Well, hello,” I said loudly, getting his attention. I offered him a friendly smile, or at least one I hoped was friendly and not lecherous or cold. Smiling could be a problem for me, and refraining from the practice was normally prudent, but I wanted him to talk to me. How else could I make that happen?

His eyes widened and he froze. His eyebrows shot up. He mouthedmeand tapped his chest. Said chest was covered with atightly stretched tank top that barely came to the top of his tiny red bathing suit. Long, thick legs stretched out from there to the floor, and I wanted to see them in the air or feel them wrapped around me. And his gorgeous hair was pulled back into a low pony. I was interested in all of him. But I wanted more than the physical as well.

“Colin, is it?” I asked.

He came a few steps closer. “Uh, yeah. Colin Turtle. And you’re Rourke. We talked. Uh, last night.”

“I remember. And you knew who I was, but how about actually getting to know me before making rash decisions? My reputation is not entirely accurate.” Desirée and Colin’s little friend had, no doubt, shared entirely too much information about me.

“Okay, uh, that sounds like a plan?” Colin certainly didn’t seem confident about it. He seemed nervous, and I found that endearing.

“Or are your interests already settled onVick?” I couldn’t help but spit that name out like poison.

“What? No. I’m not…” He turned to see Vick leave the bathroom. The asshole had the nerve to grin at me with that cocky look as if he’d beaten me to the cookie jar. “Nothing happened in there.”

“Did he try something?”

“Yeah, but I handled it. I left.” He stared up at me as if daring me to challenge his word. He crossed his arms over his chest for good measure. He was a little shorter than me with a bit of weight on him, stocky but not overly so. And cute. And trying way too hard.

“I believe you, but what do you want from him, anyway?”

“From him? Nothing.” Another challenge.

“Whatareyou after, Mr. Turtle? Maybe I can help.” I took a sip of my water and let him look at me. I wore a pair ofclassic Nataraja swim trunks in navy with a gold and white pattern, much more tame than Colin’s choice, coming to about mid-thigh. They did show off my well-muscled legs, though. I’d paired that with a short-sleeved Tom Ford dress shirt in white, left open to expose my tanned chest. I liked Tom Ford and wore his flops on my feet as well. I knew I looked good but couldn’t help wondering what he thought. I opened my arms wide. “Well?”

“I, uh, first, please call me Colin.”

“Okay, Colin, and second?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t know what I’m doing. I’m out of place here.” He glanced around the pool area, but I thought he included the people as well. I couldn’t blame him. They were mostly superficial, callous ladder climbers like Vick. Or vapid gold diggers like Colin’s friend. And what about Colin?

“Let’s start by being honest. I’ll ask again, what do you want?”

“Huh. That’s a good one. No one here is honest.” He continued his pursual of the party. “But you want honesty? Okay. I want a place to live without having to worry about being kicked out. I want a future. I want…” He glared at me as if he hadn’t planned to say any of that. “I want to shut my stupid mouth now.”

“I don’t think it’s stupid. It’s pretty sexy, actually.” That was no lie. His mouth was full with the perfect bow at the top and a pouty bottom lip that covered straight, white teeth. “And it’s normal to want those things.”

“What do you want? Dirty sex in the bathroom like Vick?”

“No. Not at all. I’m nothing like him. Nothing.” I said it twice to get the point across.

“Okay then.” He sucked that sexy bottom lip in between his teeth, making me want to suck on it, too.

“I want to show you something.” I held my hand out to him. He stared at it, then lifted his eyes to gaze at my face. I hadno idea what he was thinking or feeling. He kept it all in as if wearing a mask.

“Show me what?”

“My place. Come on. I promise I’m not groping you in the bathroom or anywhere else.” Unless he asked me for it.

Somewhat reluctantly, he took my hand. “Fine.”

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