Dark Sexy Knight (A Modern Fairytale)(63)

In all his life, he’d only known familial love: the love he’d had for his mother and even for his father—angry, abusive bastard that he was—and yes, the love he’d had for Aunt Jane and Uncle Herman and for Melody.

But now he knew a love so different from any he’d known before. It was new and young, but it was as much a part of him as anything else that defined him, and for as long as he lived, he would know—certainly, without reserve—what it meant to be in love with another human being, what it meant to want her, to need her, that one person, above any other human being in the world. And if he was truly honest, it scared him a little because he had so much more to lose now. The idea of anything bad happening to her was so f*cking terrifying, it made his breath catch.

Without a doubt, living and working together had accelerated their feelings for each other, but that didn’t make them any less solid or true, and in fact, he felt even more protective of them. Colt knew what it felt like to live his life without her, and he had no desire to go back to that life. He’d gone from a quiet, taciturn, somewhat aimless existence, taking care of his late aunt’s house and daughter, having occasional, meaningless sex, and working a job he didn’t love . . . to feeling alive, hopeful, and loved. For the first time since losing Aunt Jane, he could glimpse his future, and it included a loving, sexy, beautiful girlfriend who understood his responsibility to Melody. Maybe he’d quit his job and go back to school to become a personal trainer. Suddenly anything felt possible! He felt like a new person who could have a whole new life, and it would be full and happy because Verity would be by his side.

But Colt wasn’t a child. By and large, he was a realist, and he knew that people didn’t just change overnight. There was a big f*cking fly in the ointment of his life: his temper.

If he wasn’t careful, he could end up like his father—yelling, hitting, scaring the people he loved most because of his fast and furious temper. He needed to stay on top of it, stay in control of it, stay away from situations that could inflame it and lead to decisions that would take Verity away from him or him away from Verity.

She took a deep breath in her sleep and nestled closer to him, sighing against his chest, and his heart thrummed with love for her so wild and so fierce, he clenched his jaw from the force of it.

He loved her like crazy.

But his love for her scared him to death.

Because part of him wondered if it was just a matter of time until he f*cked up again and lost her.

***

Verity hadn’t gotten much sleep, so she was sleepwalking through work a little bit on Wednesday. But when she wasn’t using toothpicks to keep her eyes open, she was reliving every moment of last night with Colton, and sighing as she daydreamed about every night yet to come.

He had been a tender and careful lover, touching her body with such reverence, it made her heart clutch to remember. When he’d said, “I was nothing without you, baby,” how the words had made sense for her too. She’d been so alone, taking care of Ryan, with no plan for her future but to make enough money for a roof and some food. And now? Now she had a home, a man who loved her, a job she liked—

“Hey! Are you working today or what?”

Sort of liked.

Beverly stood across the counter from Verity, scowling, her fists on her beefy hips, the princess gown she was forced to wear straining unattractively at the seams.

“Uh . . . yeah.” Verity straightened up from where she was leaning on the counter and pulled another plastic sword from the box at her feet. She used the price gun to mark the hilt with a sticker, then handed the sword to Beverly.

“How about double-timing it? It’s five. Dinner show starts in an hour.”

Verity nodded, taking two more swords out of the box and pricing them. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Daphne and Marty walk into the main hall, whispering and giggling as they headed over to the gift shop.

“Hey, Verity,” said Daphne. “Feeling better?”

Verity looked up at the waitress, whose breasts were practically spilling out of her serving wench uniform, and nodded. “Must have been a twenty-four-hour thing.”

Marty grinned at her, but it wasn’t an altogether friendly grin, and Verity looked away from her to reach down for another two swords. “Can I help you girls?”

“We were just wondering if you’d heard the news?” asked Daphne, her big green eyes wide and purposely innocent.

“The news?”

Verity handed the four swords to Beverly, who huffed at the three girls with annoyance, giving Verity a look that told her to get back to work and stop socializing. She took the last handful of five swords out of the box and looked up at Daphne again, raising her eyebrows in question.

“She wasn’t here yesterday. She was sick,” said Marty. “That’s how come she doesn’t know.”

“Ohhhh. Riiiiight,” said Daphne, nodding at her friend.

Verity pursed her lips and priced the five swords, then leaned down and grabbed the box, getting ready to take it to the back room and grab a full one. “Well?”

“Do you want to do the honors?” asked Marty.

“Sure.” Daphne’s lips spread into a huge grin. “We got a new waitress. She started yesterday.”

Is that all? Verity sighed, moving down the aisle between the sales counter and back wall, finished with Daphne’s and Marty’s shenanigans. She didn’t have time for games that led nowhere. “Great. Welcome aboard.”