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“A taste tester?” Hailey asked, amusement tinging her tone, effectively bringing my attention back to her.
“That’s what he said. It’ll make it go easier if I understand what a guy working to build muscle is looking for in his shake. Is the amount of whey more important than taste?” This arrangement was purely business.
Zoe tipped her head to the side. “What does he get out of it?”
“We didn’t discuss that.” What did he want? Offering to help with my recipes was friendly, but after his reaction Friday night, I wondered if it was more. That just maybe he wanted me.
“Is he going to lick the juice off your body?” Hailey asked.
Sophie slapped a hand over her mouth to cover a snort, and Zoe almost fell off the stool, laughing.
My eyes widened, sneaking a glance over at Colton. “Oh my God. Keep your voice down.”
When their amusement died down, Hailey asked, “Well, is he?”
The thought of Colton Castle licking anything off my body had me hot and bothered. “I wouldn’t be against the idea.”
I’d be crazy to turn him down. He was sexy.
“Too bad he dated your sister first,” Sophie reminded me.
Sophie was sweet and conscientious. She’d never date her sister’s or friend’s ex. She wouldn’t even consider it, so why was I? Especially with Colton’s strong sense of right and wrong. There was no way he’d be okay with it. Even if he gave in to the crazy chemistry between us, he’d immediately feel guilty after. I hated the idea of him regretting it and walking away. The thought had cold slithering through my chest. It reminded me of the few times my real parents left us somewhere in the middle of the night because they wanted to have fun.
Except dropping kids off at a fire station meant a lot of red tape. We couldn’t just go back to our parents the next day. It was a year of court hearings and my parents taking parenting classes to prove they could take care of us. Twelve months of worrying that the process was too much for them, and they’d give up.
Living with our foster parents was amazing. When we finally settled in, we called them Mom and Dad. When we were returned to my bio parents, it was worse because we knew how other kids lived. They had plenty of food, their parents enrolled them in activities, played games with them, ensured they did their homework, and got enough sleep. They were loved. Experiencing that and then losing it was worse than never having it at all.
Loving someone and losing them was a crushing pain I never wanted to experience again. Yeah, steering clear of Colton was the best thing for my heart.
Chapter Six
COLTON
As soon as I entered Max’s bar the other night, I sensed her presence. I was drawn to her goodness and light. Her inattention used to drive me crazy, but now that I was getting to know her better, she wasn’t as flighty as I thought. She was focused on other things like yoga and meditation.
I was skeptical, but who could argue with her sunny disposition and calm demeanor? Instead of it repelling me, it made me want an excuse to be closer to her. But why had I agreed to help her with her juice, especially when I wanted to taste her?
I wanted to make her smile, to have a connection that went beyond her sister.
Pausing in front of the juice shop with the sign that stated it was closed, I wondered what I was doing here. Was I betraying Delilah?
By the time I officially broke things off with her, we’d drifted apart. Delilah seemed relieved, but maybe I’d misjudged the situation. I had no idea what she told her sister.
Not seeing anyone in the store, I texted Remi.
A blue couch sat in front of the window, a sign that read Peace, Love, Juice hung over it, and a large chalkboard hung behind the counter with the menu written in brightly colored chalk. I read the headings Cold Pressed Raw Juice and Five-Day Reboot before Remi appeared, a smile spreading across her beautiful face.
She unlocked the door and pulled it open for me while wearing a brightly colored apron that said Remi’s Juice Shop over a red T-shirt and white shorts.
Turning around, I saw that her shorts cupped her ass. I wanted to palm one globe, squeezing and feeling her muscles under my hand. Would her skin feel warm, or would I heat her with my touch?
She raised a brow. “Are you coming in?”
Clearing my throat, I moved past her. “Sorry, long day.”
“Any leads on the break-ins?” she asked, closing and locking the door.
“It’s been quiet.” I’d spent the day coordinating resource officers with the local schools.
