Consolation Prize (Forbidden Men #9)(72)

I couldn’t help it, I laughed and fist bumped him back.

“Here you go,” he added, handing me another five dollars. “This one’s for having an awesome name.” Then he clapped his hands to get Brandt’s attention so he could serve Dr. Hamilton.

And thus the night continued. No one mentioned Colton again—much to my disappointment—or tried again to theorize who his new f*ck buddy was—much to my relief—but I kind of stuck near the group anyway. It wasn’t busy in the place and there was just something very drawing about them. I liked them, but more…I liked knowing about their ties to my man.

I knew I probably shouldn’t be labeling Colton as mine. But he was. After hearing how our night together had affected him, he was most definitely mine. I just wasn’t sure yet how long I would get to keep him.

One thing was certain, I wasn’t ready to give him up anytime soon.





JULIANNA’S CHAPTER | 21





I was jumpy and nervous as I walked into philosophy the next morning. I still wasn’t sure what Colton was going to do.

I’d woken up to a text from him.





I hadn’t responded. I was too on edge, stressing about class. Would he sit by me, flirt with me, kiss me?

Of course he’d sit by me. Aside from that little glitch after the wedding where he’d been upset, he’d always come to me and flirted and talked whenever we were in the same room. But the kissing…I didn’t know. Did he do public displays of affection with the women he saw? Not that we were technically seeing each other, as in relationship-wise, but yeah, would he even touch me?

A part of me craved just that. After hearing last night how I’d rocked his world enough to make his brother-in-law notice the change, I was ready to grab his shirt, yank him close and molest his mouth senseless, while another part of me kind of dreaded it.

Was I really ready for this big of an announcement to the world yet? I was involved with a guy not of my own race. I had no idea why I didn’t stress about that issue as much when I’d been wanting to date Brandt. But now that something was actually happening between me and Colton, it was just…I didn’t even know. I was beginning to worry what everyone else would think, which I knew I shouldn’t, even as I did anyway.

My breath caught when he walked into the room, sipping from my mug, and suddenly I knew. Hell yes, I was ready to be seen in public with him.

My stomach fluttered as I straightened in my chair and glanced at the empty seat beside me. Thank God no one had sat there yet. I might’ve been forced to kick them out in order to make room for my man. But when I glanced toward Colton again, he was no longer in the doorway. Frowning, I searched the aisles until I spotted him falling into a seat clear on the other side of the room and behind me. My mouth fell open. He didn’t glance my way or even seem to notice I was present.

What the hell?

Wait, maybe he hadn’t seen me. I dug my phone from my backpack to text him when the professor arrived and immediately started class. Biting my lip, I set the phone down by my notepad and sighed. Too late.

I tried to take notes of the lecture—I really did—but I kept glancing over my shoulder toward Colton, who never once glanced back. I plopped my face into my hand as I rested my elbow on my desk and brushed my long bangs to the side out of my eyes just as my phone buzzed.

When I glanced down and saw Colton’s name, my stomach hitched with excitement. But then I read his message.





Excuse me?

I glanced back at him, frowning, and not at all sure what he was telling me to stop. Was he annoyed because I kept looking at him? Was this his way of telling me he was tired of me and ready to move on to a different woman now?

Clenching my teeth, I typed back:





I rolled my eyes and started typing.





He replied seconds later.





Grinning because he’d mentioned the top I had specially picked out to wear today just to drive him crazy, I set my phone down and purposely stretched as if yawning, lifting my arms over my head and arching back my shoulders, which pushed my chest forward.

An immediate text came through.





I pressed my hand to my mouth because it felt as if I probably shouldn’t be grinning quite this wide in the middle of philosophy class.

And then Colton wrote:





From that point on, I couldn’t control myself; I burst out laughing.

All my fellow students turned to gape at me, and even Dr. Taris stopped talking to arch an eyebrow in my direction.

“Though I’m sure the fact that Socrates was attracted to teenage boys might be amusing to some of you,” the professor intoned, staring down his nose disdainfully at me, “if you could contain your mirth for the duration of the lecture, that’d be great.”

I slapped my hand over my mouth and slumped low in my chair before mumbling, “Sorry.”

I’d had no idea we’d been discussing a philosopher’s freaking sexual proclivities in the middle of class. With my cheeks scorching with embarrassment, I risked a glance toward Colton.

He wasn’t looking at me, but there was a grin stretched across his face from ear to ear.

The bastard.