God.
Sex on fucking legs.
And he’s mine.
Women throw themselves at him on an hourly basis. Hell, I’ve seen his coaches daughter brazenly flirt with him to the point I was almost positive she was about to drop to her knees in front of him just to help him relieve some stress before one his games one night. It comes with the territory though, him being a basketball superstar.
Needless to say, I’m excited to get him away for a week. Spend some time alone with him where he doesn’t have to run off to train every other hour of the day. Where I don’t have to witness him fight off all the ball bitches affections.
His eyes darken, his strong square jaw relaxes, and his soft pink lips tip up into the smallest of smiles, barely noticeable under the black scruff growing on his face, but it’s his trademark smirk. “Wanna fool around?”
“Tempting, but we need to get on the road. I want to make it to your dad's place before dinner.”
“About that...” he trails off and walks over to me, pulling me into his arms. I go willingly because there’s nowhere I’d rather be.
Resting my hands on his shoulders, I lean into him. “What about that?”
“We're not going to dad’s.”
“What?” I pull back.
He shrugs and bites his bottom lip. “I know how much you hate returning home because of the assholes next door.”
Assholes next door. My parents. I nod. “But your dad...”
Colt covers my mouth with his palm to stop me from speaking, so I lick it.
His eyes widen. “Kinky.” He smirks and drops his hand.
“I don’t want to miss out on Christmas with your dad. It’ll break his heart.” I love that Colt needs to protect me and keep me safe, reducing any chance of running into my mother and the sperm donor who created me, but his dad is his world. His dad is my world.
“Dad understands and it was his idea. We’re going to meet him. Jody’s grandfather has a cabin by some lake and we’re spending Christmas there.”
“A cabin?” My eyes widen. I’ve never been anywhere before except for that long weekend camping trip with Colt and the rest of the guys on the team. That was simultaneously the best and worst trip of my life and I’d rather not remember it.
He nods and lowers his head, his lips brushing mine as he speaks. “So relax. Everything is going to be great.”
I wind my arms around his neck and pull him into me. Wet or not, it doesn’t matter. All that matters is his lips on mine. Something I’ll never get used to. Something I never thought would happen given his aversion and refusal to kiss anyone.
Colt breaks the kiss. “Did you buy snacks?”
“That’s what you’re thinking about right now?”
“I’m hungry.” He frowns. “I’m a growing boy, and you don’t want to fool around so food is the next best thing.”
“You’re not growing. And yes, I bought snacks. Now, hurry up and get ready please.”
“Road trip!” he cheers before ripping off his towel and throwing it at my face.
Chapter Two
Colt
She keeps glancing from me to the chickens in the back seat. Every so often with a gentle shake of her head, she laughs.
“You think it’s funny. Admit it. I heard the laugh,” I say.
“That wasn't a laugh, colt. It was a snort. A snort of disbelief.”
“Liar. We look good.” I wiggle my eyebrows at her.
“I can’t believe you have matching t-shirts. How on earth did you find them?”
“Custom made. I have one for dad, too. Tell me we don’t look awesome?”
“We look ridiculous.”
“This is what happens when you’re not around.”
My impulse control issues mean I often do crazy things on a whim. I’ve jumped off the roof into a pool. Jumped from my roof to Em’s roof as a kid. It’s usually always something dangerous.
“Don’t blame me.” She glances down at her shirt, picking at the hem and laughs again. “You’re dad is going to love it.”
I had ordered them a few weeks ago when she was at work and hid them from her until now. The hardest part was finding somewhere that made shirts to fit the chickens. I run my hand over my shirt, proud of my creativity.
It has a picture of a chicken and the words ‘Chick magnet’ underneath. I had the same made for dad and the birds. Em’s t-shirt is short, cropped at her ribs and has a chicken plastered across her chest, blowing a kiss and ‘Chick’ underneath.
“You think Jody will too?” I ask, my stomach twisting in knots at the thought of giving dads girlfriend a gift.
What if she doesn’t like it? What if she doesn’t get my humor? I want to make a good impression. My dad seems to really like her, and I don’t want to screw that up with my behavior.
“As long as it’s not cropped like mine, I’m sure she’ll love it.”
I nod. “Good.”
The chickens cluck in agreement.
“Feed me?” I ask Em, reaching over to fiddle with the volume on the stereo.
“Umm... We have no food.”
“But, snacks? You said we had snacks.”
“You ate them all,” she laughs.
“I did not.”
She reaches down between her feet and pulls out four empty chip packets, a box of cookies, and a bag of candy. “All gone.”
I groan and slap the steering wheel. I’ll stop at the next roadside dinner or something.
“How long until we get there?” Em asks.
With a glance at my wrist, I shrug. “Three or four hours.”
“Hmm. Good thing I planned for your bottomless stomach,” she says with a wink and reaches into her bag and pulls out protein bars.
I snatch the protein bars from her hand, and she laughs.“Have I told you that I love you?”
“You better.”
It’s almost dark by the time we reach the cabin. Dad’s truck is parked in front of the garage so I pull up beside it. He must hear us arrive because he’s on the deck waiting for us before we get out of the car.
Em rushes over to him, skips up the steps and wraps him in a hug while I wrestle Clyde and Jordan into their leashes. If they think they’re going free-range for the week, they’re wrong.
Dad stares at me as I stroll toward him and Em, his eyes focused on my shirt. “Like it?”
He arches an eyebrow, then looks at Em’s shirt and laughs. “Only you.”
Gripping my shoulders and pulls me in for a hug. “Missed you.”
“You too, dad.” I pat him on the back and hand him the chicken leashes before he makes things any more awkward.
I love the man. I’d lay my life down for him without a second thought, but feelings are weird. I can’t express them the way I want to. I can’t show them or talk about them. It makes me uncomfortable.
“Dinner?” He licks his lips.
“Not this week. No.” I call over my shoulder as I head back to the car to get our stuff, and the pop-up chicken coop Em bought this morning. Dad laughs and comes to help me.
“This all you brought?” he asks, lifting the bags from the bag of the car.