Holding You (Love Wanted in Texas #3)(47)

Placing my hand on the side of her face, she nuzzled into my palm. “I feel the same way, sweetheart. You’re my life, Lauren. You always have been, and you always will be.”

Sliding onto my side, I wrapped my arm around her as we dropped back onto the quilt and looked up at the stars. “Colt?”

“Yeah?”

“I still can’t push away the fear I have about Daddy’s business.”

Closing my eyes I sucked in a breath before slowly blowing it out. “Lauren, I can tell Scott I’m going to be helping out my father this summer if—”

Lauren quickly sat up. “No! No, I don’t want you to do that. I want you working for daddy. It’s just, I know him and I know he’s gonna be pushing me away and telling me I’m not ready and I don’t want to take that out on you. I’m so scared I’m going to pull away again.”

Pulling her back down next to me, Lauren rested her head on my chest. “I won’t let you, Lauren.”

“Promise me, Colt. Promise me you won’t let me push you away again.”

Holding her tightly, I whispered, “I swear to you, Lauren. I’m never letting you go. Ever.” Reaching into the bag I pulled out the bracelet and took Lauren’s hand in mine.

“Because I hold the key to your heart, and you hold the key to mine.” Slipping the bracelet over Lauren’s hand she let a sob escape between her lips.

Holding it up, Lauren smiled. “Colt, this is perfect. So perfect.”

Smiling, I pulled her to me and held her.

“Are you excited about Colorado?” I asked.

Nodding her head, Lauren said, “Yes. At the same time I feel sad though. I mean I really want to spend time with the girls, but I also want to spend time with you.”

Kissing the top of her head, I smiled to myself. “I know what you mean. But y’all are going to have fun, sweetheart.”

“I know. I’m so glad Taylor is going. She needs to cut loose in a big-time way.”

Chuckling I held her tighter as we lay under the stars and talked about everything and anything. I’d never felt so whole in my life as when I was holding Lauren in my arms.

“Colt?” Lauren whispered.

Taking in a deep breath, I smelled sweet flowers from Lauren’s shampoo. Smiling, I kissed her head. “Mmm?”

“Are you going to make love to me?”

My heart dropped to my stomach and my dick instantly hardened. “I take it you’ve had enough of the stars.”

Laughing, Lauren pushed herself up and gave me a naughty smile. “I’m kind of in the mood for seeing stars of a different kind.”

Standing, I reached down and helped Lauren up. Honestly, it felt too good having her in my arms, I didn’t want to move but I still had another surprise for her. “Come on, I’ve got one more place I want to go.”

“Somewhere private I hope.”

Wiggling my eyebrows, I said, “Oh yeah baby. When you come, you can scream to your heart’s content.”

Biting on her lip, Lauren whimpered.

Climbing down first, I kept reminding Lauren to watch her step and to take it slow. Stepping off the ladder I reached up and grabbed Lauren by the hips, lifting her off the ladder. Letting out a small yelp, she spun around and I about fell over. Her smile would always be my undoing. There was something magical about it. It filled my body with love and hope.

Taking her hand, we walked to the truck. Lauren jumped in as I threw the bag into the back seat. Making my way over to the driver’s side of my truck, I jumped in, started my truck and hit play on my iPod. “Smoke” by A Thousand Horses began playing. Smiling, I reached over and turned it up. Taking Lauren’s hand in mine, I made a plan to make sure my shirt was covered in her perfume by the end of the night. Pulling out onto the street I turned and headed to our spot.





MY HEART WAS still beating like crazy as Colt drove toward what I thought was his families cattle ranch. My mind was spinning as I attempted to take it all in, the orgasm, the height of the water tower, the stars in the sky, Colt holding me in his arms as we just talked endlessly.

Colt pulled down his driveway and waited for the gate to open. I watched as the giant black-iron gate opened. The words Mathews Cattle Ranch stood out in bold letters. Glancing over to Colt, I asked, “Where are we going? To your house?”

Smiling, he shook his head. “Nope, we’re going to our spot.”

Pulling my head back in surprise, I asked, “Our spot? We have a . . . spot?”

Tossing his head back, Colt let out a rumbled laugh. “Yes ma’am we do.”

Facing the front, I desperately tried to think of where in the hell our spot would be. We had a spot? I don’t remember ever having a spot? Huh. Chewing on my lip, I turned back to Colt. “We have a spot?”

Colt turned down one of the older dirt roads. This road ran behind the main barn of the ranch, just down from Grams and Gramps house. Looking all around, I tried like hell to remember our spot.

Oh. My. Glitter. I’m the worst girlfriend in the world. Placing my thumb in my mouth, I chewed on my nail. We have a spot and I don’t even remember it. Lifting my eyes, a thought occurred to me and I snapped my head over and looked at Colt.

That bastard. He’s probably thinking of Rachel! It’s probably their spot. Not our spot. Slowly facing the front, I folded my arms across my chest. Oh, if he thinks I’m letting him make love to me in someone else’s spot, he has another thing coming.