Branded as Trouble (Rough Riders #6)(58)

“I fail to see the humor in this.”


“You’ve managed to hold Colt off for almost two weeks?”


“Huh-uh. He’s held me off.”


“Oh. That’s even better.” Skylar wiped her eyes. “I figured you guys would last about two days with the no sex rule.”


India sniffed. “We aren’t animals. We can control our baser instincts.” Maybe. Kinda. Sorta. Not really. Okay, it was a f*cking miracle they weren’t balling each other’s brains out at every opportunity. They definitely weren’t lacking in the passion and chemistry department.


Skylar looked thoughtful. “Do you want to make the leap from friends to lovers?”


“Like you wouldn’t believe. We’re good at the friendship part.


Actually, we’re great at it. Colt is my best friend. He’s been my best friend since six months after I met him. I trust him like no one else, I really like him, I can tell him anything and we have fun together.


He makes me laugh. He gets me. He doesn’t judge me. We have so much history…if we f*ck this up, we lose so much more than I can even fathom. It’s sort of paralyzing me, to tell you the truth.”


“So don’t f*ck it up. You’ve got the friendship part down solid.


Now it’s time to concentrate on the lover’s part. And in my experience the sex part is way easier.”


“You think so?”


“I know so.” Skylar grabbed India’s hands and pulled her to her feet. “Make the jump by jumping him. Do it now before you chicken out.”


India gave Skylar a quick hug. “Thanks, Sis.”


“I owed you one for giving me a kick in the ass about Kade a few years ago.” As India reached the back door, Skylar yelled, “But for God’s sake, don’t forget condoms.”


***


The universe f*cking hated him.


At least it seemed as if the universe was conspiring to keep him from indulging in the most amazing sex in the history of the universe with the sexiest woman on the planet.


It was Saturday night. Two weeks had passed since he and India started dating. Technically, tonight could be the night.


So why wasn’t his lover here in his arms, basking in the afterglow of smoking hot sex?


Because she was mad as a wet cat.


All due to a misunderstanding.


All due to you being a total dickhead.


Okay. Maybe he had acted like a dick, threatening to take her keys if he ever heard she’d ridden her motorcycle like a bat out of hell again.


Granted, he probably shouldn’t have brought it up while she’d been at work. But that was the root of Colt’s other problem: India had been working on Blake West. Namely, Blake’s chest.


So maybe he’d gone a little psycho when he’d seen his shirtless cousin stretched out in the tattoo shop, with India bent over his naked torso, laughing. Maybe he shouldn’t have dragged her away and laid a tonsil-scratching kiss on her. Maybe he shouldn’t have demanded they end their two-week abstinence right then and there, with Blake in the other room.


Big mistake steering her in the backroom, where she had easy access to tools. Heavy tools. She’d thrown a wrench at his head, for Christsake.


Then she’d thrown him out of her tattoo studio.


He’d done everything right. Romanced her. He’d taken her out for dinner—sure, Dewey’s wasn’t on par with The Four Seasons.