Consolation Prize (Forbidden Men #9)(84)

Something warm and soft bloomed in my belly. Still unable to stop staring at his face, I asked, “Who are you?”

“Huh?” He’d been examining my blankets as if to make sure I was covered well enough. But his gaze snapped to my face. “What do you mean?”

“Why’re you being so nice to me?” I didn’t deserve it.

“I don’t know.” And he honestly looked stumped about his answer. Then he added, “It’s that time of the month. You’re miserable.”

I gulped and couldn’t help but say, “I’m not miserable right now.”

He made me feel very not miserable.

Grinning his dazzling amazing smile, he murmured. “Good.” Then he leaned in and pressed his lips to the center of my forehead. “I’ll be right back.”

As he left the room, I pressed my hand to my chest and tried to figure out what was going on here. I’d already admitted to myself that I loved him, and yet what I was experiencing was so much more powerful than what I’d felt before.

This was plum crazy. How many freaking times could you fall for a single guy?

“I forgot, I also got Twizzlers and some iced coffees.” He pulled the bottle from his bag—it dripped with condensation because it must still be cold—and arched his brows as if asking me what my preference was.

Still too overwhelmed by everything, I looked up at him and said, “I just want you.”

He bloomed with pleasure, eyes sparkling and smile stretching, before he said, “Done,” and climbed onto the mattress beside me, scooting close enough that our shoulders mashed together and he could see the laptop screen as well.

Fishing through the bag as I logged into the movie, he came up with a Twix and broke it open. After popping one stick into his mouth, he silently offered me the other. I took it with a grin just as the movie started.

He kept sorting through the candy and sharing each piece with me all through the opening credits. I accepted whatever he handed over but didn’t eat any of it. I was too busy watching this new species my Colton had turned into.

“The royal penis is clean, Your Highness,” an actress on screen announced as she splashed her head up from under the water in front of Eddie Murphy’s character where he sat in an enormous bathtub.

Colton burst out laughing as he popped a handful of Sour Patch Kids into his mouth. When he glanced at me to share the amusement, he finally noticed I wasn’t paying any attention to the movie.

“Seriously, why do you keep looking at me like that?”

I shook my head, not really sure myself. “I’m just trying to figure out what’s going on with you? You’re acting...sweet.”

Huffing as if offended, he said, “I am sweet.”

“I guess,” I murmured, though he was taking sweet to a whole new level.

Not that I was going to complain. I wrapped my arms around his bicep, rested my chin on his shoulder and commenced to watch the movie with him. By the time the closing credits rolled, I’d fallen asleep.

I woke to Colton shutting my computer and easing it off my lap.

“Mmm,” I stirred, burrowing closer to his warmth and amazing Colton smell.

He chuckled and kissed my hair. “I think I’m going to take off and let you get some sleep.”

I clutched him tighter and mumbled my resistance.

“You want me to stay?” he asked, tracing his fingertips along my cheek. I nodded, and he said, “Okay.”

He climbed off the bed to strip down to his boxer shorts, then he climbed back in with me and curled under the blankets around me.

Humming my appreciation, I turned to him fully and ran my hands up his smooth, warm chest. He’d been absolutely perfect tonight: patient, caring, sweet, charming. And nothing he’d done had been because he thought it would help him score. He’d done it just because, which made me want to repay him just because.

Pressing my mouth to the side of his neck, I ran my hand down his sculpted pecs and over his six-pack. Then my fingers burrowed inside the band of his shorts until I had a handful of hot, quickly growing flesh.

“Holy shit,” he gasped, tensing under me.

I kissed his bare shoulder. “I want to do something for you.” Then I started to lower my face toward his lap.

“No, it’s okay.” He caught my shoulder to stop me, then drew my hand out from his underwear and brought it to his lips to kiss my knuckles. “You don’t have to do that.”

“What? Don’t you like blow jobs?” I teased, grinning mischievously.

Every guy liked blow jobs.

“Yeah, uh…actually…” He gave an uneasy laugh. “I don’t know. I’ve never had one.”

My mouth dropped open. “What? Really?”

“Hey, I’ve only been sexually active for two years. I haven’t quite tried every position yet.”

My return grin was immediate. “Well, trust me, honey. You’re going to like this.” I went for his dick again but he caught my shoulder.

“No,” he urged softly, stopping me again. “I don’t…I really don’t think I will.”

I stared at his face and took in the worry in his features before sitting upright and crossing my legs.

He shook his head and looked away. “Don’t. Stop looking at me with f*cking concern.”