“So you did ask around about me.” He winked. “I’m back for a few weeks.”
“Great.” I fought to keep a smile from slipping out. I’d been friends with Colton my whole life, and I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I was kind of glad to see him. He had one of those personalities that was perpetually upbeat. Generally, all it took was a few minutes with him to find myself in a better mood. I’d had a crush on him for years, but considering I spent half of high school dating his older brother, I never did anything with those feelings.
“Did you get the package I sent you?” He stuffed his hands in his back pockets and watched me expectantly.
“Yeah. I did.” I thought about the large box that showed up on my doorstep two weeks before. It was full of the most random stuff, including magazines, figurines, and jolly ranchers. I loved jolly ranchers, especially watermelon. The gift wasn’t a complete surprise. He’d been sending little care packages to me occasionally since we were kids. It all started when he drew my name in this secret Santa exchange we did with some friends in middle school. He’d put together this awesome package of goodies for me, and I jokingly told him he should give me gifts more often. The care packages became a long running inside joke.
I tried to hold onto our friendship when I left, but like with most of my friends, we’d drifted. I think the fact that he was a grade younger and still in high school made it even harder to stay connected. Of course, there was also the little detail of his brother breaking my heart into a million pieces. “Thanks.”
“I was thinking about you.” He tilted his head to the side slightly.
“Yeah?” I finished off the part of my drink that wasn’t currently soaking into my shirt. “That was sweet.”
“I know.” He grinned. “I’m going to grab a beer. You want another drink?”
“Sure. You are the one who made me spill this one.” I held up the empty bottle.
“I could help clean up your top if you want.” He arched an eyebrow.
“I’m going to have to have a lot more to drink if you think that’s happening.”
“What happened to my light weight?” Thankfully, he spared me from having to listen to him detail all the times I got wasted off one or two drinks in high school. You’d never believe how crazy our 4H parties could get sometimes.
“She spent a year in college.”
“Ah, I forgot. You’re the cool, sophisticated sorority girl now.”
“Shut up. I love Delta Mu.” Just the mention of my sorority was exciting. I couldn’t wait to get back to it.
“Sure you do. And I bet you love the frat guys just as much.” He smirked.
“I dated a few.” A few was a slight exaggeration. I’d spent nearly all of freshman year single.
“Spare me the details.”
“If you insist.” I watched Colton’s retreating figure. He looked way too good in his jeans. Maybe I’d had more to drink than I thought. I couldn’t think about Colton that way. I wasn’t into guys from Gasden anymore, especially not that one.
Drinks in hand, Colton joined me again. He twisted off the top of a bottle before handing it to me. “I’m not sure how you drink these things.”
“I don’t know either, but it’s better than the beer.”
“What did you drink in college?” He walked toward the edge of the woods, and I followed. I was ready to get away from the crowd while I waited for Annie. Tucked in the near darkness of the trees, we escaped the loud music.
“Better stuff than this.” I took a long sip of the sweet liquid.
“Oh yes. Sophisticated sorority girls drink far better things.”
I pushed his shoulder. “Lay off, Colt.”
“Where’s your other half?” He didn’t have to mention Annie’s name. I knew exactly who he was referring to.
“Annie’s off with Greg making sure no one sets the field on fire.”
“She left you all alone to fend for yourself?” He took a big swig from his red plastic cup of beer.
“It looks like I’m not alone anymore… that is unless you’re here with someone.”
“I’ll tell my girlfriend to hit the road.”
“Girlfriend? I didn’t know you were dating anyone.”
“Is that jealousy I detect?” A smile lit up his face.
I shook my head. “Of course not.”
“I’m here alone. Geez, pumpkin. You still can’t take a joke.”
“Don’t call me pumpkin.” I grimaced.
“Why not?”
“Because I was eight when I won that competition. I’m nineteen now.” Even more than ten years later, the name made me squirm. Being named Little Miss Pumpkin of Johnson County wasn’t my shining moment. I blame my mother for signing me up for that one.
“You’ll always be my pumpkin.”
“Go bother someone else.” I looked around for Annie. She’d have to come back to look for me eventually.
Colt wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me closer. “No. I’d rather bother you.”
There was something kind of sexy about the motion, something more confident than his usual goofy flirting. His hand felt nice resting on my hip, so I let it stay. Was this really the same Colt? Since when did his touch have that kind of effect on me? “When did you get back to town?”
“About two hours ago.”
“You didn’t wait long to come out.” I took a big sip of the drink. It was starting to taste a lot better.
“I took time for a shower.”
“That was thoughtful of you.”
“Planning on getting close to me tonight?” He watched me intently.
“Maybe.” The flirtatious word flew out of my mouth without me realizing it. The alcohol and that smile of his was making me forget where I was. “Sorry.”
“Why are you sorry?” He moved his hand, turning me and wrapping his other arm around me so my body was pressed against his.
“Colton…”
“Mallory…”
I laughed. “What are you doing?”
“What am I doing? You’re the one telling me you might be getting close to me tonight.” His hand slid down slightly, settling below my hip. His touch felt so good.
“Your birthday passed, right? You’re nineteen now?”
He laughed that deep, throaty laugh of his. “I’m going to take it as a good sign that you’re checking to make sure I’m old enough.”