Page 14 of Stone Cold Bad
The coastal fog had rolled in, but it was light and frilly, not the usual layer of soup.Amy’s car made plenty of unhealthy noises, but she just ignored them.
“Hey, tomorrow I’ll take you to pick a cute blouse at the thrift store.I get a lot of my work clothes there.”Amy said as she cranked the music in her car.“My treat.”
“Amy, you’ve already done so much for me.Jack said if things work out, I can rent that little room behind the bar from him.He’ll just charge me fifty dollars a month.And without a car, living at the job will be very convenient.”
She crinkled her little nose.“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea, Jade.As you might have noticed, Lazy Daze is in a really shitty part of town.You’re a lot safer with Colt.”
“I can’t leech off of them for long.I really need to be independent for a change.When I ran away from home, I’d never thought anything through, and I had no chance to make it on my own.Now I’ve run again, but this time I’m determined to survive without any help.”
“At least stick it out here until you have enough money to get a decent place.I was serious about us getting a place together some time.It would be fun.”
“I agree.I guess I’ll see how it goes.It’s really nice of the brothers to let me stay, but it’s kind of?—”
“Awkward?”she finished for me.“Colt’s a guy who can sweep in and tear a girl’s heart apart and not even notice he’s done it.But if you keep your head on straight and don’t let him get to you, it’ll be fine.”
I smiled thinking about how quickly she’d let Hunter carry her into the bedroom this morning.
Amy pulled up into her own driveway, and we climbed out.She looked toward her house.It was pitch dark.“You’d think she could leave the damn light on for me.”It was the first time I’d heard her sound angry.“It’s like having my very own middle-aged kid.And, frankly, I’m getting kind of tired of being the only adult in the house.”
“Anytime you need me to keep an eye on her, let me know.You’ve done so much for me, and I really want to be able to return the favor.”
She leaned over and hugged me.“Just having you around is the favor.The only other people I have to talk to are the pigs in that house next door, my delusional mother and Jack.You’re a breath of fresh, minty air.”
I smiled.“Glad to be minty then.Good night.”I turned toward the house.“Crap, looks like no one’s up.I don’t have a key.”
Amy waved her hand toward the house.“Don’t think they ever bother to lock it.No one in this town is stupid or desperate enough to break intothathouse.”
“Makes sense.”I walked across Amy’s non-existent front lawn to the house.I climbed the rickety porch steps.The knob turned.There was a light on in the hallway and someone had left the television on, but it was muted.The couch was empty.I could use it as a bed.
I walked into the kitchen.Magically, the sink was once again filled with dirty dishes.Somehow, I wasn’t surprised.I tiptoed down the hallway, but the creaky wood floor made noises anyhow.As I turned to slip into the bathroom, I heard a noise coming from Colt’s room.I decided to stop in his room first and tell him about the job.I pushed open the door.The yellow light from the hallway flowed into his small room.Colt was stretched out naked on his bed.One of the girls from the jeep, also naked, was sleeping between his legs with her head on Colt’s thigh and her face nearly nestled against his cock.The second girl, wearing only a bra, was fast asleep with her arm draped over Colt’s chest.None of it should have shocked me, and yet, I was shocked.None of it should have bothered me, and yet, I was bothered.And this was why I needed to get out of this house soon.As I backed out, the floorboards creaked and Colt’s eyes flickered open.Our gazes stuck for a second before I managed to make my escape.I went into the bathroom and shut the door.
I turned on the water to wash my face.My refection stared back at me with pink blushed cheeks and a hurt expression.I was pissed at myself for feeling that way.I knew exactly what kind of guy Colt was.For fucksake he was participating in a damn contest and I was number fifty-something.Why I’d imagined anything different than the naked man stretched out between two naked girls was almost comical.Colt wasthat guy, the one who plowed through life leaving nothing but broken hearts behind and not giving a shit about the flood of tears in his wake.He certainly didn’t need me to add my tears to the mix.I just needed to get on my feet and get the hell out of here.
The cool water felt good as I cupped it in my palms and pressed it against my face.Colt had generously bought me my bathroom essentials, including my favorite citrus smelling face wash.Contrary to what I’d just seen in the bedroom and those few unguarded moments in the utility closet when my flustered state had succumbed to his charm, his handsome face and his amazing fingers, Colt had behaved as a gentleman.Far kinder than any of the men I’d hung around in my recent past.And the cottage he’d shown me with so much pride glinting in his green eyes had made him that much better.That might have been the whole problem.I’d already built him up to be someone he wasn’t.
Cool air brushed my legs as the bathroom door opened.I reached blindly around for a towel, realizing I hadn’t even thought about one until now.A towel brushed my hand.I grabbed it and wiped my face.At least he’d taken the time to pull on his boxers.
Colt leaned against the bathroom sink and looked at me.He was a big guy for such a small bathroom, but he was the kind of man who would have a huge presence even in a massive ballroom.His shoulders nearly spanned the bathroom vanity.Black ink swirled in every direction on his arms and chest.The mosaic of tattoos vibrated with each movement.Then, in the mirror, I caught his reflection.His back was turned toward the glass.The scars outnumbered the tattoos.Thin, brutal strap marks crisscrossed the tanned skin giving weight to the horror story of his childhood.
He caught me staring at the reflection but ignored my expression.He was definitely not the type of guy who wanted to be pitied.Far from it.
“Street texted me earlier that you got the job,” he started in on casual conversation as if I hadn’t just seen him in bed with two girls.I supposed that scenario was as common to him as the tide pulling back from the sand at dawn.
“A trial basis,” I said, continuing with my bedtime routine.I pressed some toothpaste on the toothbrush.“I should be able to pay you back for all this soon.Then I’ll be out of your way.Jack, my boss, has a room for rent.”
“Jade, you can’t live in that cave room behind the bar.It’s not safe.”
“I’ll be fine.I’ll get a really mean cat or something.”I couldn’t hide the disappointment in my voice.It was stupid because there was nothing between us.I’d even turned him down this morning, but I was hurt.For some ridiculous reason, I thought he’d hold off on his contest pursuits until I was out of the house.Now I saw how stupid that was.He stepped closer.I could smell girl’s perfume on his skin.It made me step away.
I shoved the brush into my mouth to let him know I was done talking.He didn’t move.He just stared at me with those eyes that were a jade green under the bathroom light.I spit out the foam and clumsily wiped my mouth.He had me completely flustered.
“I’ll bunk on the couch, of course.I’ll keep out of the way, I promise.”The discussion of sleeping arrangements had never been approached.Even though I’d never felt pangs of homesickness in my life, I did long for my comfortable bed in Ray’s house.Of course, it was only comfortable when the man wasn’t in it.
He reached up to my face.I held my breath in expectation.“You missed some,” he said as his rough thumb wiped away excess toothpaste.
He lowered his hand and leaned closer.“You can breathe now, darlin’, I’m leaving.”He walked out.
My shoulders sank as I released the air that had been jammed in my lungs.I stood with my hands braced against the counter staring down into the moldy sink.Once again, I’d fled my life without giving any thought to my future.I was sure that Jack wouldn’t rent the room to me until he knew I was a good fit for his bar.Not that I had one penny to give him yet.I would sleep on the couch and try to be invisible for a few weeks.Colt’s brief visit in the bathroom had left me completely shaken and my heart pounding.A guy like him was the last thing I needed now.A guy like Colt Stone was the last thing I ever needed.
