Page 20 of Untamed

My eyes widen, breath catching in my throat, when he rises from the couch and eliminates the distance between us in one long stride, getting right in my personal space. Blinking, I instinctively take another step back, only to startle when my back hits the timber frame. Colter’s hands land on the panels on either side of my head, trapping me in place. He leans in, so close his hot breath fans across my face. My pulse races, but what shocks me the most is the arousal seeping into my panties. I swallow, my emotions going haywire at his proximity.

“Does Sunshine think she knows me?” He laughs harshly, the sound cold. “Trust me, you don’t have the first clue who I am, so don’t bother trying to psychoanalyze me, alright?” When I don’t move, he growls out, “Answer me, Mila.”

That snaps me out of my stupor. I try to keep my voice strong, but I can’t help the whimper that leaves me. “Okay.”

His wild eyes bounce between mine, and for a moment I swear I see … lust. My question is answered, when he lets out a groan, so raw and animalistic, it bounces around the otherwise silent room.

Before I can process what’s happening, his lips smash to mine.

I suck in a breath at the unexpected contact, my body frozen in place, but I don’t pull away. I don’t stop it. Because I wantthis. Every single twisted, fucked up part of it. His tongue prods at the seam of my lips, before slipping inside. My stomach flips, pure desire coursing through my veins and heating every inch of my body. The roughness of his stubble scratches at my face and my body turns to mush. Pure liquid lust pools between my legs, soaking through my already damp panties.

Jesus Christ. Why is this so hot?

I don’t get the chance to answer my own question because it’s over before it even truly starts.

Colter abruptly breaks the kiss, immediately stepping back and putting space between us. He watches me like I’m a wild animal, running a hand through his hair. “Fuck,” he barks out making me jump. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.” He repeats the word as if it’s the answer for what just happened. I reach up, running a finger across my swollen lips, tracing the spot he just claimed me, as if I can keep his touch there. His gaze drops to the movement, eyes narrowing before he shakes his head. “You better go.” His voice is gruff, angry.

Those three words are like a bucket of cold water. My hand falls from my mouth, and my spine snaps straight, humiliation breaking through the fog in my head.

“It was you that kissed me,” I point out, my voice unsteady.

He huffs a bitter laugh. “Yeah, well, it was a momentary lapse in judgement. It won’t happen again.” He turns, yanking the door open angrily, throwing over his shoulder. “Just forget it ever happened. I will.” And with that he disappears through the door, leaving me feeling empty, the words he just spewed like a hammer to my already fractured emotions.

And I stand there in shock, the weight of what just happened heavy in my bones.

Chapter Sixteen

COLTER

“Fuck,” I mutter under my breath, rushing out of the barn as if my ass is on fire. I’m a coward. I know that and I’m pretty sure Mila knows that after the way I ran out of there.

I fucking kissed her. Kissed the one girl I was told to stay away from, as if I had the right to do so. At that moment, I don’t know what came over me. Maybe it was her smart mouth, or the anger that boiled my blood when she psychoanalyzed me. Which by the way, she was spot on with her assessment.

Mila has done something no one else bothered to. She’s looked beneath the surface and tried to understand an asshole like me. Not even Annabeth, my one and only ex, ever came close to that. I don’t know whether I should love or hate it, but I do know one thing–I felt suffocated in the one place on this ranch that has become a sanctuary to me.

As I step out into the cool night air, my teeth grind together when the sound of music hits my ears. I know without looking it is coming from the bunkhouse I live in and it fuels my frustration. My skin crawls, something dark and dangerous bubbling inside me. I need to get out of here.

My gaze shifts to my truck, and without second guessing myself, I stride over, yanking the door open and climb inside.I shove the key into the ignition, throwing it into gear and glancing in the rear-view mirror. My chest tightens when I see who’s standing there.

Mila. Her beautiful face was full of hurt and her fingers pressed to her lips as if she was trying to hold onto the feeling of my mouth pressed to hers. My stomach twists with something uncomfortable. I want to go back, pull her into my arms, show her exactly how good I could make her feel. Let her know that what we just shared was not one sided. I want her just as much as she wants me.

But that would be wrong.

I can’t afford to encourage or give in to her any more than I already have. It would be a mistake. A huge fucking mistake that I would never recover from. I’ve already crossed the line, and I can’t let it happen again. My head is a mess of contradictions. My body wants her more than it’s ever wanted anyone, but the risk of having Mila is too high. I need this job, this stability. Mila cracks every little bit of control I’ve worked so hard to build. That should be the only warning I need.

But when I kissed her…

Jesus Christ, the way she tasted, her soft lips, the way she melted into me. It was the best fucking feeling in the world. How I pulled myself together and put a stop to it, I don’t know. Hell, Lincoln should be thanking me for not taking it further. I should get a goddamn medal or at least a bonus.

My eyes squeeze shut. God, how did she make me feel like that? Like nothing else in the world mattered but her? The memory of her lips pressed against mine assaulted me once more. What would it feel like if I just kept kissing her. What if I never stopped?

I quickly shake the thought away before I do something we both regret.

With one last glance at her, I hit the gas and quickly speed down the long gravel driveway. The headlights of my truck cut through the darkness, lighting up the night as my mind continues to race. I reach down, flicking on the radio, trying anything to distract me from the girl I just left behind.

But deep down, I know it’s no use.

I can’t escape this.

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