Page 97 of Black Moon

I shot her a quelling glance but focused quickly back on Colt. “When I said I wanted you to stay to help Brook. I mean, I did, that was true, but mostly, I wanted you to stay for me. To stay with me.”

His eyes went all soft again, lips turning up in a tiny smile. “Oh?”

I nodded, holding the blanket tight with one hand and reaching to wrap the other around his waist, pulling him against me. “It’s what I wanted to talk to you about last night. What I’ve been wanting to say for days.”

“That I should stay,” he clarified.

I leaned in, pressing my forehead against his and closing my eyes, taking a deep breath of his perfect, spicy scent. “That you should stay with me,” I said, stressing the last two words. “That you should move into Grove House and stay forever. That you...That I want you to take me as your mate.”

“What’ll I do in Grovetown?” he asked, lower lip caught between his teeth and eyes wide, and frankly, it was a question that had been bothering me for as long as I’d been hoping he would stay, because what kind of work did a place like Grovetown have for a journalist?

“I’ll bet thePostwould let you do at least some remote work,” his sister suggested.

“Cait,” the senator hissed. “You should not be encouraging this childishness.”

I wanted very little more than to break the man’s perfect nose, but I didn’t think that would score me points with anyone. Still, calling my entire hope for the future “childishness” was never going to endear the man to me.

Colt’s lips against my own distracted me from glaring at the senator, and I turned back to meet his eye, leaning into the kiss even as he drew back.

“I’d have you do it the human way and get down on one knee,” he said, eyes twinkling with mirth. “But I’m afraid you’d hurt some sensitive bits.”

Greta and Colt’s sister chortled, and his brother sounded like he was choking on his own tongue.

“I warn you, Colt,” his father said, glaring at me. “If you don’t come home with us, today, you’re going to have to come begging when you’re done playing this charade. We won’t just take you back, no questions asked.”

Was he trying to appeal to me, or did he just not know his own son at all? Saying it like that was only going to piss Colt off and make him more determined. Saying it to me, I supposed, might have made me feel bad enough to call things off, if I’d been planning a short affair.

I wasn’t planning short, though. I was planning the rest of my life, and it needed Colt in it. I couldn’t imagine it any other way.

“Conroy,” a soft, sweet voice said, and it took me a moment to realize it was the senator’s wife. She’d been mostly quiet over the whole morning, and silent during this entire conversation, but now she was looking at her husband, something dark in her eyes. “I am willing to accept a lot of things, Conroy. But if you get me uninvited from my baby’s wedding, I willneverforgive you.”

He turned to her, eyes wide, staring at the woman who’d spent decades posing for pictures at his side like she was a complete stranger. “What?”

“I believe you heard me the first time.” She turned back to us, gliding over on her four-inch heels like they were slippers and not a tripping hazard. Leaning in, she kissed Colt on the cheek. Then, she turned to me and repeated the procedure. “Thank you for taking care of my baby.”

“Mother—” Colt said, looking almost as confused as his father.

“Yes, I know,” she answered, waving her hand as though trying to get rid of a fly. “You’re strong and independent and don’t need someone to take care of you. But it’s nice to take care of each other, isn’t it?”

His expression fell into something soft and fond, and he nodded. He glanced over at his father, then leaned toward her. “For what it’s worth, you’ll always be welcome where I am.”

“There’s always a place for you at Grove House, ma’am,” I agreed. “We’d be happy to have you.”

She beamed at Colt, then me, and pointed a finger at him. “Then I’ll be expecting an invitation to the wedding.” Her eyes brightened. “Or if you want, I could come help you plan it.”

Colt’s stiff smile and deer-in-the-headlights look said there was nothing he wanted less, but he nodded. “That’d be great. But maybe let us settle into this first?”

“Of course, of course,” she agreed, turning away and pulling out her phone, apparently not noticing his discomfort. “That gives me more time to make sure everything isperfect.”

He leaned against me and sighed, but didn’t contradict her.

“Um,” I whispered, close to his ear. “I hate to ruin a lovely moment, but was that a yes?”

Colt laughed.

50

Colt

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