Page 1 of The Heart

PROLOGUE

COLTON

Ibrush a finger over the back of the naked woman sleeping beside me. She’s pretty. But I guess I think everyone is pretty, which is why I keep finding myself in these situations.

What was her name again?I stare mindlessly at the lifeless painting hanging on the wall across the room. It’s a stupid piece of art, just a splatter of paint on canvas, but it came with the studio apartment and I haven’t found anything to replace it. I’ve wandered into galleries several times, but nothing ever spoke to me, not really.

So I just keep staring at this piece of nonsense as if it will somehow grow more interesting.

It doesn’t.

The woman stirs, and I glance back down at her, giving up all hope of remembering her name. Hell, I’m not even sure if I told her mine. I do remember she was kind, and that we connected immediately.

She blinks, and her sleepy eyes slowly open, looking up at me.

“Good morning, gorgeous.” I smile down at her.

“Good morning,” she says, then pulls the blanket over herself, clutching it tight to her chest before sitting up. My eyes follow the motion, somehow finding the subconscious gesture of insecurity upsetting.Doesn’t she know she’s beautiful?

The woman looks over to the nightstand, reaching for the phone that was tossed haphazardly onto it at some point during our frantic removal of clothing last night. She checks the time, then quickly slides out of bed, dragging the blanket with her and leaving me stark naked, sprawled out across my oversized mattress.

Which is fine by me, no insecurities here.

Especially when the assistance of morning makes my dick look great.

I smirk at the cute little blush that blooms across her cheeks when the woman realizes what she did. I chuckle, then pull up one knee so I can casually rest my hand on it. “So, do you wanna grab some coffee? Or… breakfast?” I give her a truly genuine smile, because we had fun last night. I wouldn’t mind getting to know her so we could have more fun another time.

“Um… listen–” She pauses, furrowing her eyes in consideration.

“Colton,” I say, helping her out.

“Colton,right.” She blinks, clearly embarrassed at not knowing my name and making me feel a little less bad for not remembering hers. “Last night was amazing, but I’m not looking for anything right now.”

“Youwere amazing. And this doesn’t have to be anything, it’s just coffee,” I tell her, because I don’t do the type of relationship she’s referring to, but I’m also getting a little tired of spending every meal by myself.

I’ve been shit company lately.

“I’m sorry, I… have plans,” she says quickly, her eyes darting away toward the end of the sentence. A gesture, and an excuse, that I’m well acquainted with.

I get it.

I’m a gimmick. I’m the guy with the tattoos, muscles and green eyes who’s fun for a wild one-night stand, but not someone you want to have coffee with in the morning. I should probably stop picking up women at The Club. More often than not, whoever I end up fucking has some fantasy or kink they’re interested in trying once. Then they go back to their normal, boring lives where they can pretend it never happened.

Which is fine.

I always enjoy it, but sometimes it makes me wonder if a “one-night only” fun time is all I’m good for.

“That’s alright,” I say, sitting up and tying my hair back into a low bun. “I’ll call you a car.”

“Thank you.”

Her eyes are purposely avoiding where my package has been on full display this entire conversation as she quickly gathers up her clothes and scurries into the bathroom.

—

I walk back inside my studio after seeing…dammit, I still didn’t get her name… to a car and toss my keys onto the side table. The sound of them echoes through the empty room. I stand here for a long moment, staring without actually looking at anything. Taking in the silence for what it is.

Loneliness.

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