Page 63 of Ink and Ashes
I cross my arms over my chest. “What are you doing back?”
He takes a few slow steps in my direction. “Booking a room.”
My jaw falls slack, and Colson chuckles.
“Imagine that. Holland Rhodes, speechless.”
I close my mouth, pouting. “I don’t…” I trail off, confused as all hell. “Why are you booking a room?”
Colson shrugs, standing less than a foot away from me. His scent invades me, that pine and smoky mixture clouding every one of my senses. “You told me to.”
I shake my head. “What? No, I—” I cut myself off when I remember what I told him when he dropped me off, after he tried to get me to go to his place.
If you’re really that concerned, book a room here.
That smirk grows as he watches understanding dawn on me.
“I didn’t mean that.”
Colson shrugs. “Too bad. I did it anyway.”
My confusion around this man only grows. “But…why?”
“I told you earlier—I don’t feel comfortableleaving you here alone. Now you won’t be.”
My jaw hangs open in utter disbelief. I want to argue with him about this, tell him it’s unnecessary, but every word I’ve ever known escapes me as we stand in the hallway staring at each other.
What the hell is happening?
Colson smirks at me before he takes another step closer, his voice low as he says, “Have a good night, Rhodes.” He turns toward the door directly across the hall from mine and pushes it open before looking back to me. “If you need me, you know where to find me.”
The door clicks shut behind him.
CHAPTER 24
Colson
Iwake the next morning in a bed that isn’t mine, and it takes me a minute to remember where I am. I’m not sure who I surprised more by taking Holland’s suggestion to book a room here—her or myself. All I know is that I meant it when I told her I wasn’t comfortable leaving her alone. If me staying here is what it takes to make sure this son of a bitch doesn’t come after her again, I’ll do it as long as I need to.
I roll over in bed to check the time. I don’t remember the last time I slept past six, so I’m shocked when the clock on the side table reads seven forty-eight a.m. If this were a normal day, I’d be running very late for work right now. But for once, I have the day off.
If there’s one upside to everything going on, it’s that knowing when the next big fire will hit has given us some flexibility. We don’t all need to be at the station every day unless we’re actively fighting fires, so today Beau and Liv are holding down the fort with a few volunteers. If anything unexpected comes up, I’m only a phone call away.
I throw the covers back and swing my legs over the side of the bed just as my phone dings with an incoming text. I open my group chat with Beau and Dom to find I missed an entire conversation while I was asleep.
It’s Getting Hot in Here
DOM
Col, wya?
I’m at your house and your truck isn’t here
BEAU
Probably finally getting his dick wet
DOM
