“All right, it wasn’t the most romantic first time, but when we look back, we’ll remember the passion that brought us here.” He was just lying there grinning. Still naked.
“First and last time. Don’t make any mistake about it. This was a one-time thing.” I threw his boxers at him. “Get dressed. I need you to drop me off near my house.” I needed to get away from him, and I definitely needed him to put on some clothes.
“Last time? Not a chance. You can’t discover something that amazing and run from it.”
“I’m going back to school in a week. I can’t deal with this.”
“Did you read the letter in the package?”
“I didn’t see a letter.”
“I figured that’s why you were finally interested last night…” He looked at me funny then smiled. “I guess you’d have wanted me anyway. Good to know.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but you have to get me home.” Rob would kill me if he found out where I’d been. He’d probably make me transfer to a school closer to home.
Colton slipped into his boxers excruciatingly slowly. “Do you want to do something tonight? Maybe dinner and a movie?”
“Are you serious? Stop stalling and get dressed!”
He sighed. “Calm down, it’s only seven.”
“Please, Colt. I don’t want to get in trouble.”
“I know.” He pulled on his jeans and t-shirt, and we climbed down. His truck was the only one left in the empty field. Annie’s uncle was away another few days. I’d have to make sure to come back and help her clean up. If she covered for me, I owed her.
I got in the passenger side of his Toyota Tacoma and waited for him to back out.
“If you get in any trouble, just call me. I’ll take all the blame.” He put a hand behind my seat.
“That’s not going to change anything. I just don’t want Rob freaking out. He already doesn’t want me going back to Harrison. He saw some pictures someone tagged me in where I was drunk at a frat party. I promised him that wasn’t typical behavior for me. Clearly it is.”
“I’m not some random guy. You don’t need to feel embarrassed.”
“I’m not embarrassed.” I looked out the window.
“Good.”
“Stop here.” We were half a block from my house. I didn’t want him pulling up out front. My parents would freak if they saw a guy dropping me off.
“You sure?”
“Yeah.”
“Call me, later, okay?”
“Okay.” I told him what he wanted to hear, but I knew I wouldn’t call. Instead, I’d go upstairs and pack. I needed to get out of my stupid town before I messed things up more. I wanted to leave Gasden behind, and no one, especially not Colton Waters, was going to hold me back.
Chapter Three
“You promised me a car.” I hated sounding like such a brat, but it was true. My parents had promised me a car for sophomore year since I kept my full scholarship.
Rob tapped his foot impatiently. “And we’re giving you one.”
“No. You’re giving me a beat-up, old Ford pickup. That is not a car.”
“It still runs great, and it’s big enough to keep you safe.” Now I knew why Rob had held onto the old thing after he got his new truck.
“I’m a good driver. I don’t need extra protection.”
“It’s not you I’m worried about. City drivers aren’t very cautious.”
“As compared to the gems around here?” I put a hand on my hip. Rob took the stepdad thing far too seriously.
“I don’t know what to tell you, honey. It’s the truck or nothing.”
I sighed. Nothing would probably be better, but I also wanted the freedom to drive. Maybe I could play it off as a cool thing. Like I wanted to go retro classic with an old truck. Yeah, not going to fly, but I’d figure something out. “Fine.”
“Fine? Your mother and I are giving you a car and you say fine?” He scowled. “Maybe we shouldn’t even be sending you back to that school if you’re going to turn out this way.”
“Stop threatening me. I’m going.” I clenched my jaw and stopped short of saying anything that would get me in trouble.
“Just because you have a scholarship doesn’t mean we’re not your parents. Who’s going to write the check for that fancy sorority you’re in?”
“Come on. Don’t hold that over my head.”
“Then don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.”
I nodded. Fighting with Rob was pointless.
He flipped through a pile of mail. “Are you sure you want to leave today? I thought you had another week.”
“I want to help the girls get set-up for rush. My room’s ready, and I already planned to take this week off.”
“Why are you in such a hurry?” Mom joined the conversation for the first time. She’d let Rob navigate the truck argument.
“I want to see my friends.” I also wanted to get as far away from Colton as possible. Three months in a small town was bad enough. Now I had to dodge a one night stand. Who did that with their ex’s younger brother? I’d lost my mind.
“You have friends here. Annie’s going to be sad you’re leaving so soon.” Mom rested her hands in front of her on the wooden kitchen table.
I felt a tinge of guilt. It looked like I wasn’t going to be helping Annie clean. She’d stayed in town after graduation and attended the local community college. She didn’t hold my decision to leave against me, but I know she was surprised by my decision to move hours away. “She won’t care. She’s busy with Greg anyway.”
“What about you?”
“What about me?”
“Who are you busy with?” Mom took off her glasses and set them down beside the morning paper.
“If you’re talking about guys, none.” That wasn’t exactly true, but Colt was a one-time thing. There was no one at school.
“Really? So you aren’t running back to school to see someone?”
I shook my head. “I wish.”
“You’ll meet someone, honey. You just have to leave yourself open to falling in love.”
I sighed. “Not everyone wants to fall in love. I’d be fine with a couple of decent dates.” I’d done the love thing once, and all it left me with was a broken heart.