Page 35 of Time For You
“Yes, really. It won’t take long for someone to post something about you and me on social media. And there is probably a picture out there somewhere. Ashfield being a small town, but we’re not disconnected from the world.”
His broad shoulders moved upward in a shrug and I gasped in shock. The man was here to hide from paparazzi and salvage his reputation. Small town gossip was the last thing that he needed.
“How can you be so flippant about this, Colton?”
“Because it’s no big deal.”
My breath caught in my lungs. He thought the kiss was no big deal while I’d been lamenting over it for the last twelve hours.
“I want to do it again,” Colton added.
“Do what?” I asked, confused.
“Kiss you.”
Licking my lips, my confusion grew. “Why?”
He leaned closer to me as he whispered, “Because I like you, Autumn. And I think beneath that grumpy exterior, you like me, too.”
Colton was like the sun, drawing me closer to his light, and I couldn’t pull myself away. I wanted to be closer to him, but self-preservation kept me tethered in place.
“People will see,” I murmured as Colton’s lips gently glided along my cheek.
“Everyone left, Autumn. There is no one around,” he pointed out and pressed the slightest of kisses at the corner of my mouth. I squeezed my eyes shut and shivered when his hand landed on my hip, brushing his fingertip under the hem of my shirt. The rough pad of his thumb rubbed a circle on my skin.
It took only a split second to turn my head and brush my lips against his. I wasn’t sure if Colton was right and I did secretly like him. What I did know was that I liked his kiss. I liked the way his lips felt against mine. And when his tongue swirled around mine, I swore that there was nothing better.
I could chalk it up to his years of experience and that was why the kiss was so memorable, but I knew it was because it was just Colton. He knew he was affecting me in a way that left me wanting more.
And I did.
It seemed like hours had passed when he finally pulled away, but in reality, it had been just seconds. Colton had this way of causing me to lose all sense of time when I was around him.
“Are you two done?” Alex’s voice called out from behind me. Shock and embarrassment threatened to overwhelm me as I took a step away from Colton. His hand dropped from my hip and I immediately missed its warmth. Something I was going to have to force myself to forget.
Those walls I’d taken down quickly resurfaced as I realized what my sister had witnessed.
My eyes narrowed into slits as I focused them on Colton, who shook his head.
“I thought you said no one was around,” I said angrily. If I knew it wouldn’t make me appear like a petulant child, I would have stomped my foot simultaneously.
He may not care about being front page news in the local newspaper, The Ashfield Times, but I sure as hell did.
“She just came back, Autumn. No one saw anything. You don’t have anything to be embarrassed about.”
Behind his carefree smile, I saw the hint of something else. Something that looked like I’d hurt his feelings.
“Colton. . .I. . .” I began as I reached for his hand, but the words were stuck in the back of my throat. I didn’t know what to say to make any of it better.
Thank goodness for Alex’s interruption when she jingled her keys and said that she was leaving.
Together, Colton and I both stepped away from the truck. I did my best not to swoon when he placed his hand on my lower back as we waved goodbye to my sister.
The large gravel lot was now empty save for the glorious mountains across the way. Neither of us spoke for a moment, but I relished in the feel of Colton’s hand remaining on my back.
A minute passed before he slid his hand around to rest on the dip at my waist as he stepped around to face me, blocking my view of the peaks.
“In actuality, I came to let you know that you left your binder in my truck last night. Your dad had mentioned that you and your sisters had a stand here at the market, so I took a chance that I’d find you here.”
