Page 11 of Stone Cold Bad
“She’s trying to get you a gig at Lazy Daze?That place is a hell hole.Of course, we spend a lot of time there, but we sort of fit well in a hell hole.You don’t.”
“Trust me, I just left hell behind.Every place else is going to feel like heaven.”
He gazed down at me long enough to send my heart a few good paces ahead.He stirred every inch of me.“Glad you got free of him.”
“Yeah, me too.”I knew I wasn’t completely free of Ray, but for now, the feeling of relief at not having to see him or talk to him or have him touch me was nearly overwhelming.I hadn’t realized just how badly I needed to leave him until now.It was as if I could finally release the breath I’d been holding for the last year.
We grabbed the rest of the things that I’d need to not look completely homeless.As we walked back through the store, it seemed every head turned to watch.Most people looked a little stunned to see Colt, and some were genuinely giddy about his visit to the store, in particular the two teenage girls running the checkout stands.The one whose line we ended up in nearly passed out with nerves.Her friend looked green with envy.
The cashier blushed pink under a light spray of freckles.Her hands were shaky, and I felt a little sorry for her.The most amusing part of it all was that Colt didn't even seem to notice the stir he’d caused.
He paid for my things, and the girl smiled up at him.She hadn’t said a word, but her expression spoke volumes.Both young cashiers giggled wildly as we walked out.
“Is it always like that when you walk through a place?”I asked.
“Like what?”
I chuckled.“Like a damn rock star just walked through with his hair on fire.Come on, you had to notice.”
“Just figured they were all staring at those beautiful tits of yours bouncing wildly in that tiny shirt.”He reached up and swept his fingers across the shirt ...and my nipple.“Nice.This braless look is working for you.”
It took me a second to regain my composure.His one light touch, even through fabric, had sent a flurry of heat through my body.My profound reaction hadn’t escaped his notice.
“Everything all right, darlin’?”A glimmer of a smile crossed his face as he opened the truck door for me.
I took a deep breath and climbed inside.“Everything’s just fine.”
EIGHT
JADE
After a quick trip to the local pharmacy to replace the birth control pills that had been lost with the backpack, something I needed so that my periods wouldn’t go haywire, among other reasons, Colt drove me along the coastal highway.There was something he’d wanted to show me.Whatever it was it had him grinning like a little boy, which, for a man like him was completely inconsistent and adorable.
Jagged black rocks dotted most of the coastline, leaving only a few stretches of sand that could be used by people for fishing or surfing or whatever suited their fancy.But for the most part, the beaches were inhabited by birds.Farther out, the rocks were safe havens and rest stops for sea lions.“You’ve lived here your whole life?”I asked.
“Yep.My dad was a fisherman.”
“So, you and your brothers are keeping up the family business?”
He nodded.“Something like that.”He reached forward and switched the music.
I remembered vaguely that as I’d climbed onboard their trawler the nets looked almost pristine, as if they’d hardly been used.From the look on his face, it was obvious this wasn’t a topic he wanted to discuss.
“Exactly where are you taking me?”
He turned off the highway and the truck jostled from side to side as we rolled along an unpaved road.He pulled up in front of a run-down but cool little beach cottage.Long, thin weeds covered the front yard, and they swayed in perfect unison in the ocean breeze.There were tools and ladders piled on the splintery porch lining the entire front of the house.There were patches of bald spots on the shingled roof.Two of the crust covered multi-paned windows had been replaced by brand new ones, and some of the rotted wood siding had been replaced by unpainted, new wood.
I looked over at him.“Is it yours?”
“Yeah.It’ll probably take me until I’m ninety to get it fixed up, but I figure it’ll be a nice place to die by then.”
We climbed out of the car.The sun was beaming down on the cottage adding some sparkle to its heavily weathered facade.“It’s fantastic, Colt.It looks like you’re doing a great job fixing it up.”
We walked up the porch steps.
“Step over those two planks,” Colt said.“They’re loose.”
We stepped inside.The walls were covered in faded floral wallpaper that was slowly peeling away.The wood floors creaked with age as we walked into the tiny front room.There was a small pile of vintage, quaint-looking furniture piled in a corner of the space.Someone, most likely Colt, had wrapped a few sheets around the pile to protect it.
