Page 43 of Ride or Die
The next morning, I roll over to see my boyfriend still asleep on his back with his arm over his head. His toned, tattooed body is on display, the sheet resting just above his yummy v-line.
Fuck, he’s sexy.
I study the phoenix on his chest and the dagger going through a skull on his shoulder, among all the other designs, tracing the ink with my finger.
A grin pulls at his lips. “You gonna just stare at me, or are you gonna come here?”
I scoot over, tucking into the nook of his armpit, and he wraps his arm around me. I don’t want to know, but I need to know how last night went. He sighs as he leans his head against mine.
“So, done by April. Then we can pack our shit and take off to the West Coast. Start a life there with our degrees doing whatever we want.” He kisses my hair and gives me a squeeze.
“Really? It’s all over and you’re just free to go?”
“Mhm, he wanted to offer me a long-term position, but I negotiated. Offered to do a few more jobs that pay more, and Iwalk away clean. He usually only sends me on one or two jobs a month for high-end cars anyway. He’s got this whole ‘you're an asset’ theory, so he can’t risk sending me out too much,” Colton explains.
I bite my lip, my stomach churning at the thought of him risking it for these last few jobs. Our entire future would be lost if he gets caught.
“He surprisingly wasn’t a dick about it because I’m moving. He still has his whole crew to get shit done. People leave all the time.” He pauses, tilting his head to look down at me. “You okay with all of this?”
“I’m hooked on you now, Hawthorne. Car thief or not, you’re mine. But are you sure you want me to go with you out west?”
I don’t know if he’s really thought this through. I mean, we just started dating a few weeks ago.
He turns onto his side, his eyes softening as he cups my cheek.
“Of course. I’ve dreamt of this for so long. Of having a life with you. This is what I’ve been working towards all these years. Getting us out of here. You fucking own me, Layla. I’m in love with you. I have been for years,” he confesses, looking at me with total adoration, his thumb rubbing my cheek.
My heart flutters chaotically, hearing these words come out of his gorgeous mouth. I lean in and kiss him, then rest my forehead against his.
“You were pretty confident you could get the girl when the time was right, huh?”
He smirks. “Damn straight I was. And look, it worked.”
“I love you too, Colt.”
His eyes light up as he pulls back to really look at me. My entire body warms at the sight of his beaming smile, so huge I can’t help but return one just as bright.
“Really? You love me too?”
I nod and bite my lip. “I always had a little crush on you, but then you came into my life and showed me the real, caring, silly, loveable you. I know it’s love. I know I was meant to wait all this time for you, and now you’re here because I was meant to fall in love with you.”
“You’re myride or die, baby. I love you,” he whispers, leaning in.
“I love you, Colt.”
His smile is so sweet as his lips touch mine, our bodies coming together again beneath the sheets.
Later that week, Colt and I are apart because he's having a guys’ night. They are playing poker and darts, and watching some fight on TV, and I am totally okay with it. I'll enjoy my solo time, pigging out and catching up on some reading.
It is pouring rain out, the ping of raindrops hitting the window making it even cozier to be curled up in bed with a good book. My space heater is warming the room, so I throw on my comfies and settle in, eating pizza and chips for dinner and cookies for dessert.
I’m one of those people who always keeps a show on in the background. I find the noise keeps me company. Though it’s not nearly as comforting as having Colt here. It’s nice having the time to myself, but I miss him.
I have spent enough of my life alone.
He was going to cancel his plans, but I encouraged him to go so he's not the guy with the girlfriend who never sees his friends. Which is already sort of the case, given we are always together.But I think he prefers it that way. He seems sick of the people he hangs out with, just grinding it out now until we graduate.
My phone chimes with a message, and I ignore it at first. I continue reading, trying to focus on my romance novel, but I keep getting distracted by the blinking light. It's most likely Colt anyway. It’s not like I get a lot of messages from other people.
