I scoot over closer, climbing into his lap. “It’s okay, I want you to.” I run my fingers through his hair. His eyes fall closed at my touch and my heart dances in my chest. This feels so right. I don’t allow myself to think about anything other than Colt, Colt’s touch, Colt’s mouth, Colt’s hips moving against mine.

I hold on tightly around his neck while his hands roam under my shirt. He expertly caresses me, his fingers running across my stomach and ribs, before slowly making his way north with feather-light fingertips.

I let out a ragged moan, and Colt instantly mirrors my response, groaning his desire for me near my ear.

My brain snaps into action. “Wait Colt.” I pull back from his kisses, looking into his eyes. The distance is just enough to clear my head. I pull a few ragged breaths into my lungs, concentrating on what’s happening between us. It strikes me that despite our eager reunion, I don’t know where we stand. “Does this mean we’re back together?”

He moves to my neck, kissing his way to my collarbone. “Of course baby. If you want me still.”

My body clenches, shouting yes! I do want that, but something tugs in the back of my mind. After everything that’s happened, can I trust Colt? And what about McAllister? “Shouldn’t we talk about what we’re going to do about McAll..I mean, your dad?”

He strokes my hair back from my face. “I told you there’s nothing we can do.” He continues kissing my neck. “Shh, baby. No more talking.”

I place my hands on his chest, pushing him back. “Stop.”  Tears spring to my eyes. I realize this is a package deal for me. I need someone who’s strong enough to stand up for me, to fight alongside me. And this – the physical stuff between us isn’t enough. I want more. I’ve always wanted more. “If that’s how you feel…then I need to go.”

“Taylor, wait.” His hand encircles my wrist.

I close my eyes, steeling my nerves. “Let me go.”

He releases my wrist, and I tumble from his bed on shaky legs and make a dash for the door. 

Chapter 53

I awake in the morning hung over and feeling awful. Bits and pieces of last night stream into my consciousness. A slow familiar ache spreads through me, like with Wes, but a thousand times worse. Had I truly believed I could tame Colt? I was no one special. Just someone who called him on his bullshit. Something about that realization strikes me – maybe that’s exactly what he needs. Perhaps I am special. But it’s too painful to remember his reaction last night after we kissed. I run my hands over my face. I have no tears left to cry, so I force myself out of bed and into the shower, despite the early hour.  I know what I have to do today.

A short while later I steady myself in front of his door. Regardless of my feelings for Colt, this is the right thing to do. I rehearse the speech in my head one more time. I take a deep breath, then pull open the door to McAllister’s office.

When I enter the office without knocking, McAllister stands.

“What you did was inexcusable. You have no business…”

“I know,” he interrupts, looking tired. Exhausted actually.

I step back, my hands falling from my hips. “You know?”

“Colt talked to me this morning. I understand that you were going to go to the police if I didn’t step aside and hand the company over to him.” He holds up his hands in surrender. “You got what you wanted. He’ll be in charge, and I’ll stay on as a consultant.”

I’m utterly speechless. Colt already spoke to him. It’s then that I notice much of his office is packed up, boxes lying scattered across the room, files open and disorganized on his desk.

“Why are you still here?” he asks after a few tense moments. “You got what you wanted.”

I shake my head. “There’s one more thing.”

He cocks his head, looking at me quizzically.

I know I need to find Colt, to find out why he’s done this, but I can’t bear to face him right now, so I retreat to the safety of my computer lab. I need time to process all this.

So much for being alone. Colt is sitting inside the lab as if he’s waiting for me.

I stop just inside the door. “Hi.”

My hearts pounds looking at this achingly gorgeous guy who I can’t have, who I’m pretty sure no longer wants me. I blush at my behavior last night. Getting drunk with guys I don’t know, going to his bedroom, throwing myself at him, then pushing him off me and storming away like an impulsive child. Meanwhile, he’s talked his father into leaving.

The silence between us is chilling. I wait for him to say something, but he makes no move to speak. He just quietly watches me like I’m the most fascinating thing he’s ever seen. God I wish I knew what he was thinking.

“So are your parents on their way to come collect you?” His voice is cold, unemotional.

“I never actually called them.” I sit down in my usual chair. Between everything with Colt and McAllister and the ship disaster weighing on me, I hadn’t been ready to talk to my mom –or break the news that I was coming home.

“Why not? Seemed like you had your mind made up.”

“I thought I had too, but I still had some unfinished business here.”

He flinches. Yes, he was part of that unfinished business. But was he still? That was the million dollar question. Or actually, two million.

“Speaking of…” I hold up an envelope and hand it to Colt.

“What’s this?” He turns the plain white envelope over in his hands.

“Open it.”

Colt looks at me for a moment, then carefully breaks the seal on the envelope and slides out a two million dollar check to the Center for Cervical Cancer Research, made out in honor of Elaina Palmer. His breath catches. When his eyes flick to mine, they’re filled with incredible emotion.

It was my last request of McAllister, to see that all of money be donated to a good cause. This is the first installment. The next check I want donated to the region affected by the oil spill. When I told him what I had in mind, he didn’t even argue. He hastily made out the check and handed it to me. I suspected it had something to do with safeguarding that one day in the future, maybe he’d have the chance to rebuild his relationship with his son.

Colt’s still quietly studying the check in his hands, but there are a few more things I need to say to him.

“I wanted to…thank you.” I take a deep breath, trying to clear my head. Why did everything feel so horribly formal between us? “I talked to McAllister. You changed your mind about helping me. Thank you,” I say solemnly.

“I wanted to help you, I just had to figure out how, Taylor. He’s my dad.” Colt inhales sharply and runs his hands through his already disheveled hair. “He and I already had a terrible relationship. Running him out of his own company didn’t help that any, but you were right, it had to be done.” He meets my eyes, his gaze steely and intense. “I just needed time to see that.”

Gosh, of course he needed time. Was I so selfish that I just expected him to disown his father on my command? The achy feeling in my chest intensifies. This is not going the way I expected. What must he think of me?

“Not to mention, the thought of being the head of an international multi-million dollar corporation at age nineteen is a little overwhelming.” He smiles softly and my stomach flips.

Oh God. My feelings for him haven’t faded. Not one bit. If anything, after this, they’ve intensified.

“So I suppose we’re back to Mr. Palmer, then given your new role?”

He smirks, and shakes his head slowly. “No. But if I can, I’d like to use my pull around here to see if I can get you to stay. Of course, that’s up to you.”

My heartbeat builds, waiting to see where this conversation is going.