“What’s wrong?” he asks, his voice husky.

“I’m sorry. I thought I was ready. But I’m not.” I look down.

He rolls over and pulls in a deep lungful of air. “Okay. That’s fine. Sorry, I just got a little carried away.”

“Are you sure?” I mumble, feeling stupid.

He snuggles me securely to his side. “Of course, everything’s fine. Better than fine. You just do insane things to my body, but I promise I’m fine.”

He presses a kiss to my forehead, then gets off the bed to gather up my clothes.

Colt

I’ve arranged all the details for our trip, and covered everything with Vera for while I’m away. Last month I sold the last of McAllister’s stock from his shady stock that skyrocketed thanks to orchestrating the oil spill. I donated the $1.9 million anonymously to the oil clean-up effort, just like Taylor wanted. It was the right thing to do, but the lack of income producing cases was starting to concern me. The sooner I could get this London deal secured, the better I would feel. I still had to deal with telling Taylor about Bria. I know I shouldn’t have put it off for so long, but it never seemed like the right time. Every time we were alone, my phone was going off with another girl calling. That shit had to stop.

I open the door and pull Taylor inside. Coming down here after lights out was quickly becoming our habit. One we’d have to break soon, because tonight was my last night in town for a little while. I had to tell her about Bria tonight. And I hope the gift I picked out would make up, at least in part, for how mad she was going to be.

“Come here. I got you something.”

I lead her to the bed, where I’ve wrapped a shoebox in silver paper.

“You got me a gift?” Her eyebrows dart up in surprise, and she smiles.

“Yep. It’s for both of us, actually.”

She tears into the paper, and lifts the lid from the box. Nestled inside are two identical smart phones. “Cell phones?”

She picks one up.

“One for you, and one for me. So we can keep in touch better while I’m away. I activated them both with international calling.”

She smiles.

“And the best part? I changed my number. I have like four contacts in there now. You, Reis, Mrs. Lee, and a few people from the school.”

She laughs, and throws her arms around my shoulders. “That was sweet of you. Thanks.”

She laughs it off, but we both know what it means: No more random calls for girls from my past.

Taylor

Colt’s new phone is far more significant than just a new piece of technology. It means he’s giving up his past. He’s walking away from all of that. For me. I’ve thought a lot about our first time together over the last few weeks, and as we’ve continued to grow closer each day, I know I’m ready. I want to share everything with him. With him going away, our relationship will be tested sooner than I thought, but I know we’ll be fine. I want to take this step with him before he leaves, to show him that I trust him, and like he’s shown me with the new phone that I’m in this relationship completely.

After opening my gift, I lay across his bed, playing with my new phone. He seems distracted, probably at the thought of going away for several weeks. His suitcases are packed and placed near the door, reminding me of our limited time together.

He lays down next to me on the bed, and I tuck my head under his chin. His arms wrap around me, and our legs automatically intertwine as we both seek to get closer.

“How long will you be gone?”

He presses a kiss to my forehead. “Not sure yet. A few weeks.”

“I have something I wanted to tell you tonight.”

He leans back so he can see my face. “Okay. I have something I wanted to tell you too.”

I smile. “Me first.”

He nods.

“I’m ready,” I whisper near his ear.

His muscles tense at my touch. “No.” He kisses the tip of my nose. “I’m fine, baby.”

“Well you might be fine waiting, but I’m not. I want to, Colt. Don’t make me beg.”

He studies my eyes, checking for any signs of wavering. I stare back at him, sure of my decision. “I want this. Trust me, okay?” I kiss him quickly, pulling back to see his reaction.

“Are you sure?”

I nod, meeting his eyes.

His breathing goes shallow and he nuzzles into my neck, planting soft kisses all along my jaw. “You are amazing. I am the luckiest guy in the world.”

My stomach tightens in anticipation, waiting and wondering what’s going to happen next. Being with Colt is nothing like being with Wes. Where Wes was clumsy and nervous with sweat coated palms, Colt is confident and relaxed. “I guess there’s a benefit to your history with other girls. You know what you’re doing,” I murmur at his touches.

“There’s never been any other girls but you.”

I pull back for a second, and smirk at him.

“I’m serious,” he says. “None of that mattered to me anyways. But this…this is important to me. I’ve never had sex with it meaning something more. So this will sort of be a first for me.”

I smile at his words, and lean down to kiss him again.

We kiss passionately for several minutes, until I’m panting at the anticipation of going farther. When Colt’s hands find my hips and pull me closer, I groan against his mouth.

He pulls back sharply. “It doesn’t have to be tonight.” At my frown, he continues. “We don’t have to stop yet, but we also don’t have to go any further. Okay?”

“Stop backing out. If you don’t want to sleep with me…”

He chuckles, low and deep in his throat. “Yeah, that’s it.” He shakes his head, kissing me again.

Sensing that Colt may still need more convincing, I take matters into my own hands. I want to show him that I am ready. I pull my shirt over my head and drop it on the floor. I’ve been shirtless in front of him before, but never without a bra. I reach back to undo it, fumbling with the clasp. Colt’s fingers find mine and the clasp springs free. I chuckle. Yes, he is good at this. He pulls his shirt off over his head, tossing it onto the floor, along with my bra. It doesn’t even occur to me to be self-conscious. I want this with him. He pulls me to him and the contact of our chests rising and falling together is amazing.

“Do you have protection?” I breathe.

“Shh. We don’t have to do this.”

I force his chin up to meet my eyes, glaring at him. “Don’t make me beg.”

He reaches into the nightstand beside the bed and removes a square package, setting in on the bed beside us.

My stomach is a ball of nerves. Seeing that package makes this all more real.

His hands roam up my back, starting at the base of my spine and massaging as he moves up. We continue kissing while I plot my next move, and push down the tingle of nerves in my stomach.

His cell phone buzzes loudly, vibrating on the night stand. At first annoyance flares inside me, then I remember, hardly anyone has his new phone number. “That’s your new phone. Should we see who it is?” I murmur against his mouth.

Instead of answering, his tongue caresses mine, coaxing my mouth open as he deepens the kiss.

The second time the phone buzzes, I reach for it with my free hand, wondering who has his new number. “Bria?” I read the screen.

He stops kissing me abruptly and reaches for the phone. I hold it tight and read the text.

Hey hotstuff. What should I pack for London?

What the hell? Colt reads the text over my shoulder and winces. He didn’t want me to see this. He didn’t want me to know she was going to London with him.

“Bria’s going?”

I wait for him to deny it, to explain it’s just a coincidence. But he says nothing.

“And you hid it from me?”

His face falls, knowing he’s fucked up big time.

My stomach drops.

I reach for my bra and shirt, grabbing them from the floor and struggle with getting my bra on correctly. I’m so angry my hands are shaking. And to think, I was going to sleep with him tonight. Once I finally have my bra clasped, I thrust my head through my shirt, it’s inside-out, but I don’t care.