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I realized she wasn’t just speaking about my experience. Based on her reaction in the car, she was hiding some darkness in her past. As much as I wanted to know, wanted to help her, I was afraid she’d expect me to reciprocate. So, I ended the conversation as best I could.
“Once I moved my brothers out, we moved on, and I haven’t looked back since.” Liar.
I looked back every single day, and I always would until I found the remaining pieces of my mother’s jewelry. Then I could rest. Then I could forgive myself.
Those deep brown eyes did not let go, but her lips curved upwards a bit. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I thought you were some rich, trust fund baby who inherited daddy’s money.”
I smiled. “I am.”
She covered her mouth. “Oh, god. I’m sorry I said that.”
She was adorable when she blushed. It reminded me of sitting in front of a warm fire. I pulled her closer and leaned us back onto the pillows. “My dad owned his own company. After my parents passed away, my father’s lawyer put our shares in trust until I became of age. I took the money and started Crawford Corp. It wasn’t a fortune, but I would never have amassed the capital to start the company without it.”
“I don’t think that’s the same thing as being a trust fund baby,” she said.
“We had to work to get to where we are now, but when my parents were alive, we never wanted for anything.”
“How old were you when they died?”
“Nine.”
“That’s so young.” The concern in her voice tore at the wall that I’d built to protect the secrets of my past.
“Ryan was seven and Luke was five.”
“You were lucky to have foster parents to raise you.”
My jaw tightened, and my fist clenched. The wall came up again. “They were compensated,” was all I could spit out.
She nodded but didn’t press me further. I exhaled through my nostrils and changed the subject. “What’s your family like?”
“They’re overbearing,” she said with a snort and covered it with her hand. “But I love them. My parents never let us go to bed angry, never let Marco and I argue and not make up. I hated it when I was a kid, but it helped us form a close bond.” She played with a string on the pillow. Then softly, she added, “I would do anything for my brother.”
“Do you ever think of getting your own place?”
She rolled her eyes. “All the time. But I can’t afford the rent right now nor the living expenses. I’ve got a five-year plan, though.”
“Your boss must be a real a-hole. You should ask him for a raise.”
“Maybe I will,” she said and nudged me with her knee.
She lowered her head, shying away, and her hair fell in front of her face. It bothered me that I couldn’t see it anymore. Pushing her hair back behind her ear, I kissed her softly on the temple. Then lower, next to her jaw. My lips had a mind of their own as the world around us and the past faded away. She made me want to forget everything.
I ran my lips down her neck and licked at her collarbone, sliding my tongue to the small dip in the center. She inhaled sharply as I waited for a sign from her on how far I could go.
She’s supposed to set the pace, Colton.
I pulled away to give her space, but she threw her head back and grabbed my shoulders. Yes, I rejoiced in my head. Her floral perfume intoxicated me as I continued to explore her neck. Her skin felt like silk against my lips.
When I reached the tip of her breast through her dress, I swept my tongue over that, too. She gripped my head against her chest, burrowing her fingers in my hair, and I lost my mind.
With a soft groan, I pushed her down onto the daybed and scattered the pillows onto the floor. Grabbing her wrist, I pulled it up above her head, then did the same to the other arm, raising her breasts high where I could taste them. Mmm.
She let out a whimper and I smiled at her response. Then her body tensed, like a corpse beneath me, and I raised my head to look into her eyes. They were closed, and her lips were sucked all the way into her mouth.
“Ava, sweetheart. What’s wrong?”
She shook her head and I let go of her hands. I lifted myself off of her, but never took my eyes away from her pale face. It was smooth now, still like the ocean in front of us. When she opened her eyes, the distant look I saw in them cut through my chest.
