Page 35 of Inevitable
She’d included everything I could have wanted…clean clothing, my summer nightgown, my toothbrush, some of my favorite lotions, and my makeup bag.
As soon as we’d reached cruising altitude, I’d headed for the luxurious bathroom attached to the master bedroom.
I’d washed my shoulder-length hair more than once and scrubbed my entire body at least three times.
For the first time in days, I felt clean.
I’d probably never take that feeling for granted again.
Colin and I had eaten with Brock and Nate before we’d taken off on separate flights, so my belly was full.
I was thoroughly exhausted, but my mind was still racing with a million different thoughts.
However, every one of those thoughts left my head as Colin walked out of the bathroom after his shower.
He was wearing a pair of jeans but no shirt.
Dear God, how was it possible that he still had a droolworthy body in his fifties?
His six-pack abs were still pronounced, and his chiseledshoulders, chest, and arms were ridiculous.
My heart skipped a beat as he shot me a questioning look, probably because I was staring at him like an idiot.
I forced my gaze away from him, but it wasn’t easy.
I’d always thought that Colin was the sexiest man on Earth, and that certainly hadn’t changed.
Even after fourteen years, it was hard for me to look at him and not want him naked.
I ached to touch him, but I had to remind myself that all of that was in our past.
We were different people now.
“What exactly does a Last Hope advisor do?” I asked curiously, trying to get my mind off my lingering attraction to Colin.
I hadn’t seen him in fourteen years, so it was probably normal that I associated Colin with incredible sex.
Hehadbeen the man who had taught me that I was more than capable of feeling desire and passion on a whole different level.
“It means I’ll be in your life for a while,” Colin answered as he reached into a duffle bag to grab a clean T-shirt. “I’ll be there whenever you want to talk or if you have any issues from the kidnapping. We’ll be in touch even after I leave Cherry Cove. Sometimes it takes a while to heal from emotional trauma, and things come up later. If you need it, I’ll put you in contact with a counselor that can help you more than I can. We have some psychologists that specialize in victims of traumatic events who work with Last Hope and keep our secrets.”
“Right now, I just feel exhausted,” I told Colin honestly.
“Probably because you haven’t slept much in days,” he replied. “You need to get some rest, Emma. We can talk more tomorrow. I’ll bed down in one of the recliners.”
I shook my head. “You don’t have to do that. You need to rest, too, and this bed is enormous.”
For some reason I really didn’t want Colin out of my sight.
“Please?” I added. “I’ll feel safer if you’re closer.”
Now that my body was calming down from the overload of adrenaline, I felt a little vulnerable.
I didn’t want to be needy, but I really didn’t want to be alone tonight.
“That’s pretty normal, Emma,” Colin said as he tossed the shirt aside without putting it on. “I’ll sleep here if that’s what you need.”
I let out a sigh of relief as I slid under the covers and put my head on the pillow.
