“What are you saying?” The fear in his voice about did me in. “Is this...are you saying your answer is no?”
“I’m saying I don’t know, Dean,” I cried. “I’m saying that I can’t have a boyfriend and kiss other guys. I can’t stand knowing that I’m even capable of doing that to you and that you’re just there waiting around for me.”
“Whether we’re broken up or not, I’ll be waiting. You’re it for me, baby.” Another jab at my heart. When did I become such an awful person?
“I want the summer off...I need time to figure out what I want, and you should do the same. At the end of the summer, if you still want to be with me, I’ll give you my answer.”
“Do you still love me, Alexis?” he asked in a broken whisper.
“Yes,” I answered truthfully and without hesitation. Whether I loved Dean or not wasn’t in question. I’d just always loved Colton more.
“Then, I’ll wait.”
“What the? Why aren’t you dressed?”
“Huh?” I asked, disoriented as I came out of a deep sleep. I peeled my tear-swollen eyes open to find Colton towering over me at the foot of the bed with the comforter clutched in his hands. “Don’t you da—”
Before I could finish my sentence, he’d already yanked the blanket off and tossed it to the floor. “Get up, Al.” I wanted to curse him from here to China, but he looked so excited, practically bouncing in his shoes.
“Colton...” I whined. “It’s cold.” His room always felt like a meat cooler, and this one was no different. With the thermostat set on sixty-five, ceiling fan on full blast, and a box fan on high in the corner, my teeth were actually chattering.
“Don’t make me do it,” he warned, smiling at me with the devil in his emerald eyes. He placed both hands on the mattress, crouching over like he was getting ready to pounce.
My heart started to race. “You wouldn’t...”
“One,” he started, lifting one knee onto the foot of the bed and moving forward just a smidge. “Two,” he continued, raising his brows in a challenge.
“I’m not feeling well, Colt.” I hugged my knees to my chest, which I realized was suddenly feeling lighter in his presence. My entire body tensed in anticipation of the attack I knew was coming.
“Three,” he finished, reaching for one of my feet and pulling it to him, where he began his favorite method of torture.
“Stop!” I shrieked, flopping around the bed like a fish out of water. “We’re too old for this,” I screamed, kicking and thrashing as I tried to relinquish my foot from his hold. It was a wasted effort. Colton was so much bigger than me. “I’m gonna pee!” I yelled, trying to hold it in.
Colton finally released my foot, and I came up swinging. He grabbed my fists in his hands, easily stopping my assault, and brought them down to my sides. We were on our knees in the middle of his bed, our faces red with laughter, our eyes glistening with mirth. Our chests heaving with exhaustion, our bodies less than a foot apart.
Electricity buzzed between us, and for a moment, I was sure that Colt was about to kiss me. I closed my eyes, leaning in closer. And then as if a switch had been flipped, he dropped my hands and hopped out of bed, leaving me dazed and feeling rejected.
Colt’s eyes took in my sports bra and booty shorts. He cleared his throat, and his tongue darted out to wet his lip. “Put some clothes on, Allie, and meet me downstairs.”
I stared after him without breathing a word as he headed for the door. “Colt,” I squeaked just before it closed. Instantly, I regretted calling him back. Even I could hear the desperation in my voice.
Colton’s head peered back in, regret clearly written in the dip of his brow and the downturn of his lips. “Get dressed,” he practically begged. He stared at me a moment longer, my skin heating wherever his eyes passed. Then he schooled his features, seeming to get ahold of himself. “If you’re not down in fifteen minutes, I’m going to drag you out in that.”
I stared at the closed door for a minute or two after he left before scrambling to make myself presentable in the time I had remaining. I didn’t doubt for a second that Colton Fowler had every intention to make good on his promise.
COLTON
WITH LESS THAN A minute to spare, Allie came rushing down the stairs dressed in a pair of cut-off jean shorts and the UCLA tank I sent to her for her birthday. Her hair was in a knot on the top of her head, and she wore large sunglasses to cover her red-rimmed eyes.
I pretended not to notice that she’d been crying when I woke her, mostly because I’d already ruined her first night and just wanted to see her smile. Also, because I was afraid that she was truly having regrets about coming here and I needed to change her mind before she up and left.
“Is this okay?” she asked, glancing down at her outfit while smoothing out the invisible creases in her shirt. “I have no idea where you’re taking me...I can go and ch—”
“You look fine,” I answered, trying not to go overboard. Alex was beautiful in anything. Feigning indifference with her would not be easy. Not when she made my heart race like this. Not when the mere sight of her made breathing nearly impossible.
“You sure? I didn’t even have time to put on any makeup...Can I have just a few more minutes?” She puckered out her bottom lip, sliding the glasses down the bridge of her nose while giving me the most pitiful puppy dog eyes. Red-hot lava coursed through my veins. I wanted so badly to suck that lip into my mouth. Shaking my head, I walked over to grab her arm. “Put those weapons away.” I pushed her glasses up with my index finger. “They won’t work today. It’s already after one, and I’m starving.” I rubbed my stomach. “You know how hungry I get after playing ball.”
When we got on the road, I put into motion operation Cheer Allie Up with a song I’d downloaded while waiting for her to get dressed. I knew it would bring up a slew of memories for her, just as it always had for me. “Sha la la la la la la la la la la ti da,” I sang, tapping my thumbs to the beat against the steering wheel while watching her face light up from the corner of my eye.
Alex kicked off her flip-flops, curling her legs up in her seat, smiling and blushing while I sang along to her song—our song. It was the song I’d been singing to my brown-eyed girl for as long as I could remember. Often times belting it out when we passed each other in the halls of Mercer High. She’d turn bright red, pretending to be pissed, but I knew deep down that she loved it. It was us, Allie and Colt.
“Every time I hear this song, I think of you,” she said, beaming as the last chords played. “Nothing’s the same when you’re not around.”
My heart clenched at her admission. “What? Are you telling me Dean doesn’t serenade you in the grocery store?” I teased, remembering a time when her song came on at the Piggly Wiggly, and I just couldn’t help myself. Her dad joined in, and we sang at the top of our lungs, drawing the attention of everyone around. We didn’t care that they stared or whispered. Getting a reaction out of Allie was more than worth it.