Holding You (Love Wanted in Texas #3)(18)

Holding up her hand, my mother covered my mouth as I continued to talk in a muffled voice. “Lauren! My goodness, stop and take a breath.”

My eyes darted back and forth between my mother and Ellie. “If I drop my hand, will you calm down?”

Slowly nodding my head, I closed my eyes in an attempt to hold back my tears. Opening my eyes, I saw something in my mother’s eyes. Understanding. Compassion. Love.

Dropping her hand, she tilted her head. “Darling, where in the world did you get the idea that your father thinks you can’t run the business?”

My mouth opened, but I couldn’t talk. I didn’t like to show weakness and right now, my voice was going to sound weak if I talked. I lifted my shoulders up and made a face. Ellie walked up to me and took one of my hands. “Lauren, you and Colt clearly have feelings for each other. It was evident when the four of us saw the two of you dancing. What threw us all was we had no idea either of you felt things for each other.”

Feeling my cheeks flush, my eyes looked away. If they only knew. I wondered what would happen if I spilled my guts to my mother and Ellie? There were so many things I had wanted to ask them. Like, how long was it going to hurt after sex? Was it normal to already be wanting Colt, even though we had spent the most amazing afternoon together and made love twice? Did guys like dirty talk or was that something I shouldn’t do? Was shower sex really all that?

Okay . . . maybe those types of questions I should save for the girls.

Chuckling, my mother pushed a curl behind my ear. “Your mind is spinning, Lauren. Calm it down, sweetheart.

My mother always said that to me. She could tell when my mind was racing and she would always tell me to calm it down. Daddy said it was a sign of immaturity that I couldn’t keep my thoughts clear.

“I’ve loved Colt since the day he punched Paul Hines in the face and threatened to kill him if he ever touched me again.”

Ellie and my mother both let out gasps. “What did Paul do?” my mother asked.

“Colt punched him?” Ellie asked with her hands over her mouth.

Grinning when I probably shouldn’t have been, I answered, “Yes! Paul Hines had wanted to have sex in high school and when I told him no, he slapped me and called me a whore. Colt punched him and told Paul he would kill him if he ever talked to me or touched me again.” My mother had been looking past me, but her eyes snapped back to me when I said Paul had slapped me.

Ellie drew in a sharp breath and whispered, “That little bastard.”

“That’s why you hit Paul?”

Hearing Gunner’s voice, I spun around. Colt, Gunner and my father were all standing at the front door. Not being able to read Colt’s expression, I mouthed, are you all right?

Something moved across Colt’s face. I’d seen that look before. It was the same look he had when he made love to me for the first time earlier today. My knees wobbled and I almost reached out for something to steady myself. Gunner stood in front of Colt, blocking my view of him. “Colt, is that what happened between you and Paul Hines?”

“Yeah, the bastard deserved more than just a punch.”

My father’s eyes were burning with anger. What did they talk about outside? What if he told Colt to stay away from me?

“It’s a damn good thing I didn’t know about this when it happened,” my father said.

Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I looked at my father.

“Daddy?” I wasn’t even sure why I called out to my father like I did. Questioning him, as if he could read the questions in my mind.

Giving me a slight grin, he looked around. “Take a deep breath, baby girl, everything is okay. Shall we go get that pizza before it gets too late?”

My mother reached for my hand and gave it a light squeeze. Pulling my eyes from my father, I attempted to smile. “Um . . . sure. Antonio’s?”

Ellie flashed me a sweet smile as she walked by and over to Colt. Slipping her arm around his, she began to talk. “So, I want to hear all about how school is going this semester. Will you drive with your father and I over to the pizza place?”

I took a step back as my mother walked toward the front door behind Ellie. “Lauren, you can drive with your father and I. I hardly got to see you at all the last three days.

Oh God. They were separating us. Why? Shaking my head, I pulled my hand from hers. “What’s going on? Why did you take Colt outside, Daddy? Why is everyone acting so strange?”

My father looked at me and smiled. “Everything is fine, Lauren. Colt’s parents’ just want to spend time with him like we want to spend time with you, darling. Everything is okay.”

My blue eyes found Colt’s. He quickly made his way over to me and placed his hands on my shoulders. The warmth of his touch calmed me instantly and I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. He moved his lips to my ears. “I promise you, sweetheart. Everything is fine. I love you, Lauren.”

Pulling his head back just enough to look at me, I whispered, “Okay. I love you too, Colt.”

Kissing me softly on the cheek, Colt made his way out the door, followed by his parents and my mother. Giving my father a fake smile, I walked toward the kitchen. “I better get my purse so I—”

Taking my hand, my father stopped me. “Lauren Ashley, stop for one second and look at me.”