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Colt grabs my face in both of his hands and forces me to look at him. “No, you don’t,” he says. He rubs circles on my burning cheek with his thumb. “I need you to tell me what’s bothering you, Libs. I can’t fix it if you don’t.”
There’s something about this man that makes it impossible to hide myself away. Or maybe he just sees through me. Every time I think I've successfully put my walls up between us, he comes in, crashing right through. “It’s really nothing. I think I misunderstood what our deal was. I know I said I don’t want to lie to your mom, but I thought she’d still know that we are married. And so I just assumed your sister would know, too.” God, I hate being vulnerable, putting all the cards in someone else’s hands. “If you’d rather keep it a secret, I understand.”
A small smile slides into place on Colt’s face and his eyes twinkle as he leans in closer. “Libby Clark, if you think I’d ever keep you a secret, you’re sorely mistaken.” He places a peck on my forehead. “And I’m sorry I ever made you question that.” Colt straightens up, pulling me closer to him.
“Savannah,” he shouts toward his sister. She stops mid-sentence from her conversation with Blake and gives her brother her full attention, or more specifically, his arm that is wrapped around my waist. “I’d like you to meet Libby…” he looks down at me as if giving me the opportunity to stop what he’s about to do. But I don’t want to, so he continues, “my wife.”
“Fuck yeah she is,” Blake crosses her arms as she leans her hip against the sofa, grinning ear to ear.
“You… have a wife?” Savannah’s eyebrows arch toward her hairline. My heart jackhammers in my chest. Loud enough I almost don't hear what she says.
“Yes I do,” Colt answers with a beaming smile.
She looks back and forth between the two of us before addressing me. “I’m so sorry. I’m not trying to be rude. It’s just that I’ve never seen my brother with a girl before. That’s somehow more surprising than him getting married and not even telling me,” she pins her brother with a glare. Now it’s my turn to be stunned. Colt Gibson has never been with someone before? Surely that’s not true. But he’s never taken someone home? Or even just introduced his sister to a girl before? Even told her about someone? I wouldn’t believe any of it if it weren’t for the look of pure shock on her face.
“Gibson’s gay,” Blake blurts out, laughing.
“Definitely not gay.” Colt squeezes me tighter. “Just never cared to introduce anyone before,” he clarifies to the room, but his eyes are on mine.
“I thought you were gay, too. So this is a lot to process.” You can see her wheels turning, trying to absorb the information.
“Really, Sav?” Colt asks, but he doesn’t seem mad or offended.
She completely ignores his question, though. “Well, it’s really, really nice to meet you now, Libby. People typically hug in this situation, but I’m not big on touching, so don’t take it personally. I don’t hug anyone.” Her open personality reminds me a lot of her brother, but it doesn't put me off. Her whole aura screams authentic.
“It’s true,” Colt agrees. “I’m her favorite person and she doesn’t even hug me.”
“We should celebrate!” Blake is a glutton for a good time. Any reason to get out, party, or drink, she’s the first one to jump at the opportunity.
“I think I’m going to like you,” Savannah says to her. “I’m in. Where are we going?”
Blake starts filling her in on all her favorite places and Colt grabs both of my hands, walking backwards, pulling me into the hallway. Our hallway. My body knows it, too. Those damn butterflies escape their cage as soon as we step foot into it. And the ache in my stomach intensifies.
“Want to stay home?” He’s so cute when his eyes dance like they are right now, making it impossible to say no to him.
“Are you staying with me?” His smile grows bigger and the ache moves lower.
“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else, Libs.”
28
“Your turn, you sore loser,” Libby teases. We are playing scrabble on the couch and she’s admittedly whooping my ass. Savannah going out with Blake kind of went against the whole point of bringing her here, but it’s not like she’s with Tyson. And it allowed me this time with my girl, so I still take it as a win.
“I’m only a sore loser because you’re cheating.”
“I am not!” She swats my arm and the current runs straight into my pants. “It’s not my fault that you don’t know words.”
“There’s a difference between knowing words and making up words, Libs,” I say while looking at my seven vowels sitting in front of me on the coffee table.
“I’m not making anything up, you’re just not very smart,” she teases as she pats my leg. She’s been extremely touchy for the last few hours, and I’m mere seconds from not being able to hold my restraint any longer.
“You better watch what you do with those hands, Libs.” I see her out of the corner of my eye, bringing her knees up as she wraps her arms around them and rests her chin on top.
“And why is that?”
Letting my eyes trail over to her, I warn, “Because you’re playing with fire, you little pyro.”
She tucks her bottom lips between her teeth and gives a little shoulder shrug. “Maybe I like the heat.”
