Chapter Twelve

 

 

 

There was one good thing about riding the subway to Brooklyn dressed like an animated character—it was Halloween, so plenty of other people were dressed up, too. Although I was the only one who was carrying a plastic baggie full of water.

Aside from when he’d stopped in at the store again with another surprise coffee for me and Fiona, I hadn’t seen Colt in the three weeks since my birthday. We’d spoken on the phone a few times, leaving me holding my phone with a stupid, girlish grin when his name lit up the screen.

Anticipation unfurled in my belly as I headed for his place. And not just because of all the free candy I hoped I was in for. I’d…missed him. And Faith. One of the times Colt had called me, Faith had been with him and she had snatched the phone from her daddy and chewed my ear off for half an hour about how amazing the cake had been.

She was a cool kid.

Colt’s neighborhood teemed with trick-or-treaters. Tiny vampires, werewolves and…Justin Beiber? Whatever floats your boat, kid. They roamed the streets like candy-hungry zombies looking for their next meal, banging on doors and begging for treats.

A gang of miniature witches crashed into me and I almost dropped my baggie. They laughed—or cackled—and ran up the stoop to their next house. Smiling at their enthusiasm, I hurried down the street to Colt’s house.

Part of me was still surprised he’d asked me to spend Halloween with him and Faith. I’d thought he might have wanted to spend it just the two of them, since he rarely got time with her himself. I guess that was the downside of having a huge, involved family.

But whatever his reasons, I was glad he’d asked me. I loved Halloween. The chance to dress up and be someone else for a night…or several. This was actually my third Halloween event this holiday already. And I had another lined up for later. No one did Halloween like New York, and man, did she like to party.

I checked my wig in a car mirror before skipping up Colt’s stoop. Two jack-o-lanterns grinned maniacally at me from their spot by the front door. One was clearly the art of a six year old, the other a man-child of thirty-five. Pressing the doorbell, I glanced down at my outfit, smoothing out my skirt.

The front door swung open and… Oh. Holy. Hell.

Colt was dressed like Thor.

Like, legit, he was Thor. From the body armor to the hammer…and the devilishly hot hair.

He grinned at my blatant perusal and if I didn’t know better, I’d say he knew just how tingly my body was at the sight of him.

“That’s very unfair of you,” I said, somewhat reluctantly stepping inside.

Colt took the tiniest of steps back to let me in, but not enough that I couldn’t avoid brushing against him on my way past. He wore typical Thor garb, with forearm cuffs, detailed body armor and pants tight enough that they molded to his strong thighs but were still sexy. His long red cape reached the floor past his heavy boots. He didn’t wear a wig, like some guys would have. Instead he’d styled his own hair so it appeared longer, almost chin-length.

He chuckled and closed the front door. Colt stalked toward me like I was his prey. My heart hammered. “I’m not looking to fight fair, St. Clair. I’m going to take every advantage I’ve got.”

“Go… Point your sexy somewhere else. Please.” I darted away from him. “Where’s Faith?”

“Getting ready. Speaking of which—who the hell are you supposed to be?” Colt invaded my space again and plucked at the hem of my purple sweater. “If you were going for a schoolgirl vibe, you sort of overshot it.”

I rolled my eyes and batted his hand away. “I’m not a schoolgirl. Well, actually, I guess I am— No. I’m not a schoolgirl.”

“Daddy? Is Hayley here yet? I need some help.” Faith’s voice drifted down to us from somewhere upstairs.

“Yeah, I’m here, Faith,” I called up to her.

A moment later she clattered her way downstairs. Colt and I met her in the living room, where she stood in what could only be described as a cat costume. From, like, three years ago. It didn’t fit—at all—and threatened to burst at the seams.

Tears filled the little girl’s eyes as she peered up at us. “Daddy got the wrong one.”

Colt’s eyes widened. “I guess I did, I’m sorry, baby.”

“We can fix this, don’t worry.” I crouched in front of Faith. “Why don’t we go look in your closet and see what we can find? I’m sure I can make something for you.”

Faith sniffed and nodded once. She glanced at my own costume. “Who are you supposed to be, anyway?”

I huffed and rose to full height. “Why does no one get this? I thought it was genius. Okay, let me know if this clears it up.” I lifted my plastic baggie full of water and shook it with considerable force. “Fishy! Wake up!”

The little plastic fish inside the baggie bobbed pathetically in the water before flopping onto its side. Faith pulled her gaze from the baggie and she scanned me from head to toe—my red wig in high pigtails, fake braces, purple sweater, plaid skirt and my knee-high white socks.

Faith’s lip wobbled.

Oh, shit. Maybe this had been a bad idea.

She ran sobbing from the room.

I whirled around to Colt, who wore a look of horror on his face.

He, too, looked down at my costume and back up again. He let out an involuntary snort of laughter. “Shit, you’re Darla, aren’t you?”

“I thought it would be funny.”

“Not to the six year old who can’t understand why she kills fish.”

Oh, God. OhGodohGodohGodohGod. “Okay, I can fix this. You go calm her down, and, Christ, tell her I’m sorry.”

Colt frowned. “But—”

I turned and rushed down the hall.

“Hey, St. Clair, you don’t have to leave—”

“I’m sorry! Just… Tell her I’m so sorry.” I threw open the front door and rushed down the stoop.

A little band of werewolves scattered in my wake as I hurried down the street. The costume store I’d passed on my way still had its lights on and if I had any luck on my side, it would have what I needed.

Bolting inside, I almost careened into a guy with a set of keys in his hands.

“Oh, hey, sorry, but I’m just about to lock up for the night,” he said.

I grasped his forearm. “Five minutes—please.”

He perused me for a long moment before nodding and moving to the side, letting me farther into the store. “Can I help you find something?”

“Wings?”

“Over here.” He pointed to a large wall display with dozens of different varieties of wings. I chose a huge, delicate and intricately designed pair and handed them to the guy.

“Um…what kid costumes have you got left?”

He lifted a solitary eyebrow.

“Right, duh, stupid question. Okay, let me see what I’ve got.” I dropped to the floor and pulled open my purse to rifle through the contents. A green party dress, killer shoes, eyeliner, perfume, sewing kit, wallet, phone…that was about it. With a sigh, I rocked back on my heels.

I pulled the stupid red wig off my head and stared at it, as though it would somehow give me an answer to this problem.

“Oh, hey, I get it! You’re Darla from Finding Nemo, right?”

“Yup.”

“Nice.”

I scanned the store before landing on a short smock top. Probably intended for an adult, but on a kid it would be more like a dress. I jumped to my feet and darted across the store for the top then threw it on top of the set of wings the guy had placed at the counter. “Do you have Santa hats? Crazy glue? Scissors?”

“Yes,” he said, eyebrows pulling together at my bizarre request. He picked up one, then another when he caught my headshake.

When he’d brought the items back and rung them through the till, I chopped the pompoms off the two Santa hats and glued them onto the toes of my sparkly green shoes.

“Awesome. Do you mind if I get changed real quick?” I picked up the wings and headed into the changing area before he could even answer me. I pulled off the stupid Darla costume and shoved my body into my tiny green sequined cocktail dress. Entirely too short for trick-or-treating, but entirely appropriate for the party I had been intending on going to with the girls later. But whatever. This was a crisis and the disapproving moms could suck it.

I rolled my long blonde hair into a bun on top of my head and rushed back out into the store. The guy’s eyes almost rolled into the back of his head at the sight of me, so I figured I looked damned better than before.

“Thanks so much, you’ve totally saved my life.” I hopped on one foot as I pulled my heels on before grabbing all my stuff and darting out the door.

This time it was the older kids, the ones a few years past trick-or-treating age, that stopped and stared. Them and the dads.

I bolted up Colt’s stoop and pounded on his door.

It took longer than before for him to answer and I bounced on the balls of my feet, praying I hadn’t been so long that they’d left without me.

Thor opened the door and I was knocked speechless all over again. Holy hell, he was hot.

Colt blinked and dragged his gaze over me from top to toe and back again. “Jesus Christ,” he mumbled.

“Is Faith okay? Have I scarred her for life?” I asked, worrying my bottom lip between my teeth.

“No, but stop doing that or I won’t be held accountable for my actions.” Colt reached forward to catch my hand and tugged me inside his house. “Fuck me, St. Clair, where the hell did you go?”

“The costume store on the corner.”

Colt’s eyebrows shot up. “And they had this costume left on Halloween?”

“What? No, the dress and shoes are mine, I already had them with me. I just bought the wings. And a few things to make Faith a costume. If she’ll let me.”

His face softened, his eyes losing a little of their raw sexual heat. “Of course she will, St. Clair. Come on.” Colt took my hand again, holding it loosely in his large palm, and guided me upstairs. “So you just happened to have that dress with you, huh?”

For some reason, a shot of guilt tore through me. Colt himself had said we would be done in plenty of time for me to make the party. Why, then, with him taking me up to see his upset daughter, in his big house that I felt so welcome in, did I feel like a selfish creep for planning on leaving them?

My cheeks warmed. “A girl has to be prepared for all eventualities.”

A smile touched his lips. “It’s cool, I know you have other places to be. I wouldn’t expect anything less from a party girl like you.”

We reached the top of the stairs and Colt led me to a closed door down the hallway. He tapped lightly. “Faith? Baby, Hayley’s back. She’s changed her costume, and says she can help with yours.”

He pushed the door open to reveal Faith sitting cross-legged on her small bed, her elbows on her knees and her chin resting in her palms. The sight of her made my heart hurt.

I scooted past Thor—I mean Colt—and crouched in front of Faith. “Hey, I’m really sorry about before. I thought it would be funny. Pretty stupid, huh?”

Faith peered up at me with her huge blue eyes, so like her daddy’s, and nodded once. She glanced behind me at Colt. “Daddy said you don’t know much about Disney. That’s really weird.”

I laughed. “Well, your daddy would probably tell you that I’m really weird. But I do know one Disney movie really well—in fact, it’s one of my favorites. Do you want to know what it is?”

Faith nodded.

“The Nightmare Before Christmas.”

Her eyes lit up. “I love that one!”

“You do? Well, that’s fantastic, because I brought some stuff to help make you your very own Nightmare Before Christmas costume.”

Faith scrambled to her feet and all but shoved her father out of the room. “Go away, I want it to be a surprise!”

Colt stuttered his protests but relented. He winked before Faith slammed the door shut, almost taking off his nose.

I laughed again. “Okay, I need you to find the most hideously disgusting dress you own that I can chop up into little pieces.”

Faith giggled and opened her closet, immediately choosing a plaid dress with weird puffy sleeves and A-line skirt. I could see why she hated it. I let Faith—carefully—cut some squares out of the dress while I stitched them onto the smock to create a patchwork dress.

Once she had it on, I drew some stitches onto her arms, legs and face and placed my Darla wig on her head, covering her thick dark hair. She bounded down the stairs and into the living room where Colt waited for us.

“Daddy! I’m Sally!”

Colt grinned at Faith. “You are. I like it, baby. Are you happy?”

Faith nodded and turned to me, looping her thin arms around my waist. “Thank you, Hayley. And I like you so much better as Tinkerbell.”

“Me too, kid.” Colt gave a wide grin.

I stuck my tongue out at him.

“Come on, let’s go or all the good candy will be gone,” Faith said. She slipped her hand into mine and pulled me toward the front door.

Colt caught my eye again, another small, intimate smile at play on his lips.

“What?” I asked.

He shook his head. After locking up the house, he draped his arm around my bare shoulders. “Aren’t you a popular fairy?”

“Everybody loves Tinkerbell,” I said, peering up at him.

Colt dipped his head so his lips touched the shell of my ear. “No one more than me right now.”

A shiver crept up my spine at his closeness. I wanted— Get it together, St. Clair.

He smiled as though he knew exactly what I’d been thinking… Or been about to think. The man was too intuitive for his own good.

Faith tugged on my hand again and we headed up the stoop of our first stop.

We made an absolute killing that night. Especially the houses where the dads handed out the candy. Faith’s little trick-or-treat bag was soon full to bursting and Colt had to run into a grocery store to buy a few more.

Faith kept us out for hours, walking up and down entire neighborhoods. We must have been a sight to see—Sally, Tinkerbell and Thor walking down the street. I had way more fun than I thought I would and I felt a bloom of pride when Faith opened her bag to show me what she’d received.

But even the most hardcore of trick-or-treaters couldn’t last all night, and it soon became clear that Faith was beat.

“Come on, baby, let’s head home,” Colt said.

“But I’m not done yet.” Faith pouted.

“Look at Hayley’s shoes—they have to be killing her.”

I snorted a laugh. “You’re kidding, right? I was practically raised in heels. These bad boys are good to go all night.” At Colt’s pointed look, I pretended to wince and limp. “Uh, I mean, ouch, actually, they totally pinch.”

Faith rolled her eyes. “Da-ad.”

Colt grinned. “Home, Faith. And you can eat three pieces of candy before bed.”

She huffed. “Make it four and a movie and we have a deal.”

He laughed. “You’re an extortionist!”

“I’m an opportunist.”

“Yeah, you’ve been around your mother too long.”

A laugh bubbled up in me. “I really like this kid.”

Faith beamed at this and slipped her hand into mine once again.

Back at Colt’s place, Faith sat cross-legged on the floor and tipped out her loot into one big pile. She sorted through it, pulling out all the pumpkin Snickers bars. “Daddy, can we watch The Nightmare Before Christmas, please?”

“Sure, go grab the DVD. I’m going to call Hayley a cab.”

Faith twisted around and peered up at us. “Why? I thought you liked this movie?”

My stomach twisted. I was a little surprised that Colt was dismissing me so fast. I’d thought for sure he would try to sweet-talk me into staying longer. Which was his usual MO.

Colt crouched in front of Faith. “You see how pretty Hayley looks? She’s going to a party. She can’t waste a dress like that on just us.”

“Why not?” Faith asked, peering up at me with her huge eyes, making me feel like the biggest asshole on the planet. “Don’t you want to watch a movie with me and Daddy?”

Jesus H. C., this kid should go into politics when she’s bigger. Or sales. Whatever her occupation, if it involved getting people to do what she wanted, then she would absolutely kick ass. I smiled, but I knew it wouldn’t look sure or confident. “Sweetheart, I would love to watch a movie with you. But I’m not sure I’m invited.”

Faith grinned and leaped to her feet. She jumped up and down on the spot. “You’re invited, you’re invited! I’ll go get the movie!” Faith ran out of the room and clattered upstairs.

Colt rose slowly from his crouch and crossed the room to where I stood. He simply perused me for a long, heavy moment. Finally, he said, “She’ll be asleep within twenty minutes, I guarantee it. Do you want me to call you a cab for then?”

That feeling in my gut curled tighter and for the first time since I’d met Colt, I felt in the way. A nuisance. “You want me to go?”

He blinked, surprise flitting across his handsome face. “No, why would you think that?”

I fidgeted with the hem of my short dress, which seemed to be shrinking the longer I wore it. Or maybe that was just how Colt made me feel—as though I was practically naked in front of him. “You’re all but shoving me out the door.”

Colt took a single long stride closer. “I’m just trying to give you an easy out. Trust me, I know how well my daughter can work the guilt angle.”

The last thing I wanted was an easy out. My friends and I had looked forward to this party for months, but now, here with Colt and Faith, it was the last place in the world I wanted to go. I wanted… I wanted to stay with them. For as long as they’d let me.

Shaking my head, I said, “I don’t want an out. I’d like to stay with you guys. If I’m welcome, I mean. I don’t want to impose. You probably want the rest of your night just the two of you, right?”

“St. Clair, Faith adores you. She’d never speak to me again if I tossed you out because I wanted her all to myself. My kid doesn’t starve for my attention, even though we don’t get a huge amount of time just us two.” Colt closed the remaining distance between us. He dropped his large, warm hand onto my shoulder then moved it up to cup my neck. “And for the record, you are always welcome here. Always.”

All I could do was stare at him.

Something passed between us that I couldn’t articulate, let alone process. I shifted forward, leaning my body toward his, letting his heat draw me in like a spell I didn’t want to break.

I reached up to cover his hand with mine, my eyes fluttering closed.

“St. Clair,” Colt said in a low, gravelly voice that was so primal I about melted. “You’re playing with fire. Don’t expect me to back off.”

My heart banged against my ribcage. Every nerve ending in my body was alive and aware of him. I wanted to kiss him again, to prove to myself once and for all that it wasn’t just as good as I remembered—it was better. This time I wouldn’t stop with a kiss. I would keep going until I knew every inch of his body and what it could do…what it could make me feel.

“I found it!”

Faith’s sudden announcement had me springing away from Colt as if I’d been prodded with an electric pole.

Colt made a noise in his throat and swallowed hard as he put more distance between us.

Faith skipped into the room, waving the DVD case above her head like a flag of victory. She dropped onto the floor in front of the entertainment center and started to set up the movie.

Colt cleared his throat. “Are you hungry?”

It was an innocent enough question—yet it felt loaded with possibility. Or risk. Or opportunity. I considered my answer, before going with the most honest one. “Starved.”

He stared hard at me, seemingly conflicted with what he wanted to—or could, with Faith in earshot—say. Eventually, he blew out a breath and reached for the cordless phone on the end table. “Playing with fire, St. Clair,” he mumbled as he dialed.

Colt ordered dinner at a Chinese place, asking for enough food to feed an army. He replaced the phone and moved over to Faith. “Come on, baby, go get dressed for bed then you can watch the movie.”

“But I want to keep my costume on.”

He shook his head. “PJs, now.”

Faith sighed like it was the biggest inconvenience of her life. Damn pajamas. Finally, she lifted her arms and flashed Colt the cutest smile I’d ever seen. “Carry me up? Please, Daddy?”

Colt rolled his eyes but leaned down to swoop his daughter into his arms. He tossed her tiny body over his shoulder, her shrieks of delight filling the room. “We’ll be right back.”

When they left, I took the opportunity of being alone in Colt’s living room to, well, give in to my curiosity, I guess. Last time I’d been here, Colt and I had mostly stuck to the kitchen.

Like a typical guy, he didn’t have much by way of decoration. What he did have was an abundance of photographs, like me. There were dozens of shots of Faith, documenting her progress through life. She was there as a chubby baby with a drooling smile, a mischievous toddler holding an upturned houseplant by its roots. Her and Colt at so many family activities. At the beach, Coney Island and the park. And his whole family around Jessie’s dinner table, Grandpa Joe with his head tipped back and laughing at something Uncle Sal said next to him.

Something in my chest tightened—a pinch of jealousy coupled with a hint of longing.

“Hey, St. Clair,” Colt called from upstairs.

I shook myself out of the sudden melancholy and headed to the foot of the stairs. Colt leaned over the bannister and tossed a wad of fabric that hit me square in the face.

“Get changed, or I won’t be held accountable for my actions.” His head disappeared and I unfurled the clothing he’d tossed. Another one of his old shirts, the material of the flannel worn and faded but so, so soft. It had felt like heaven the last time I’d worn one, and I couldn’t help but smile that I was wearing another one.

I ducked into the downstairs bathroom to wiggle out of my dress. Pulling Colt’s shirt over my head, it fell to just above my knees. I turned my face into the collar, catching a hint of pure unadulterated Colt.

Crap, I’m in trouble…

Forcing myself out of the bathroom, I went back to the living room to find Colt and Faith had come downstairs. Colt was sprawled on the couch while Faith lay on her belly in front of her hefty pile of candy, both changed out of their alter ego costumes. Colt wore soft workout pants and a T-shirt while Faith looked super cozy in her pink fluffy onesie.

“Hayley, what’s your favorite candy?” Faith asked without looking up.

“Um, I love Laffy Taffy. And M&Ms. I don’t eat much candy anymore.”

“Grownups are so weird,” she mumbled as she searched through her pile. Faith rose up on her knees and held up a handful of miniature Laffy Taffy and a few fun-sized bags of M&Ms.

I accepted them and ruffled her wig-free hair with my spare hand. “Thanks, sweetheart.”

She flopped back onto the floor and hit Play on the remote beside her, starting the movie.

Smiling, I turned to make my way to the couch but froze at the expression on Colt’s face. “What?” I asked, baffled at his look of disbelief. Glancing down at myself, I confirmed that I hadn’t missed any buttons and wasn’t actually flashing anything.

He shook his head and sat up straighter. “I’m an idiot. Why the hell did I think that was a safer alternative for me?”

“Daddy, don’t swear,” Faith said past a mouthful of candy.

“Sorry, baby.” Colt patted the cushion beside him. “Sit your a—apple bottom down, St. Clair.”

I snorted a laugh and sat beside him, curling my legs underneath me. “Nice save.”

“Thanks. Now cover up.” He dropped a thick fleece blanket on my lap.

Rolling my eyes, I did as I was told.

For once.

The food came shortly after, and we ate out of the cartons on the couch. Faith couldn’t be persuaded to have any, preferring to tuck into her candy loot.

Once we were done, Faith rose from her spot on the floor and came over to us on the couch. She dumped a small pile of pumpkin Snickers onto Colt’s lap before wedging herself between us.

With a huff, Faith pushed her hair out of her face only for it to flop back into exactly the same place a moment later.

“Do you want me to braid it for you?” I asked her. I reached into my bag, which was in front of the couch, and found a hair tie. Faith turned around so she had her back to me and I could reach her long hair better.

She sat quietly, as patient as a saint as I worked her hair.

When I was done, she whipped around to kiss my cheek before wriggling down and resting her head on Colt’s lap and her feet on mine. A second later, soft snores blew past her lips.

“She really likes you,” Colt said in a low whisper.

“I really like her. She’s amazing, Colt. Seriously.”

He stared at me as if there was more he wanted to say. He shook his head after a moment. “I can’t believe you pulled that Halloween costume out of the bag tonight. They just had that patchwork dress left?”

“What? Oh, no, I bought the shirt and Faith gave me an old dress she didn’t like and we chopped it up to stitch squares on.”

Colt lifted his eyebrows. “Which dress?”

I pulled a face. “This God-awful plaid thing. It was seriously hideous. You have terrible taste in little girl dresses, Colton Deluca.”

There was a pause, a moment where Colt didn’t move. Didn’t even blink. Then his lips twitched and he tipped his head back, his entire body shaking with silent laughter.

“What? Am I missing something here?”

Colt dug the heels of his hands into his eyes and it was a full minute later before he had regained some composure. “Nothing. Nothing at all, St. Clair. But you’ve made my daughter the happiest girl in the world.”

“Why does that feel like a double entendre?”

He grinned. “I’ll tell you someday.”

I pulled a face at him and tried to stretch out a little without disturbing Faith. The couch pillows were super soft and squishy as I laid my head down, warm and tired.

“Falling asleep on me, St. Clair?” Colt asked, his voice quiet and a hundred miles away.

“No,” I said, not sure if my eyes were open. “I’ll call a cab once the movie finishes.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, right. I thought you were a party girl. It’s not even nine yet.”

I felt like I hadn’t slept for a week. Which was actually sort of accurate. With all the parties, my usual nights of drinks and dinner with the girls and squeezing in work somewhere in between, I’d had to forgo luxuries like sleep.

I’m not sure if I answered him. I might have. Then again, it could just have been mumbled nonsense.

 

* * * *

 

I woke with sudden awareness that I didn’t know where I was. The pillow under my head, while soft, wasn’t mine. It smelled masculine and fresh. The blanket was warm and snuggly, and wrapped around me like a burrito. Hyped-up music played and there were sounds of life somewhere close by.

Stretching out, I was reluctant to move from my cozy bed.

But…I wasn’t in my bed.

At the sound of girlish laughter, it finally hit me where I was.

Colt’s.

I’d had a sleepover at Colt’s. Again.

Thankfully, I’d slept on the couch, alone.

I scrubbed the remnants of sleep out of my eyes and got up out of my makeshift bed. Faith’s obnoxious kids’ show blared from the TV in the kitchen. She sat on a high stool, shoveling Lucky Charms into her mouth, never looking away from the TV.

Coffee was in the pot so I poured myself a mug, drinking it black. “Morning. Where’s your daddy?”

“In the shower. Can I have some juice, please?”

“Sure thing.” I grabbed a glass from the cabinet and took out some fresh OJ from the fridge.

Colt’s cell blared to life on the breakfast bar and Faith reached for it, sliding her finger across the screen and lifting it to her ear. “Hi, Mommy.”

Shit. Susan. Please don’t tell her I’m here, Faith.

“No, he’s in the shower. Hayley, can I have my juice now?”

Ah, Christ… “Sorry, sorry,” I mumbled, setting the glass down in front of her.

Faith smiled her thanks. “Yeah, Hayley slept over.”

On the couch! Tell her I slept on the couch!

“When are you coming to get me? I can’t wait to tell you all about my Halloween! I didn’t dress up as a cat, Daddy got the wrong size, but Hayley made me a super cool Sally costume.” Faith glanced at me with a conspiratorial twinkle in her eyes. “She cut up my gross party dress to make it.”

Party dress? I’m too young for this kind of stress.

Colt appeared in the kitchen doorway, a towel hanging low on his hips.

I’m having a stroke. I’m having an actual stroke.

He plucked his phone out of Faith’s grasp and held it to his ear. “Morning, Susan.”

Water droplets clung to the ends of his hair, dripping down his strong back to the dimples above his hips. God, those dimples are sexy.

“Yeah, noon is fine. Okay, see you then.” Colt hung up and placed his phone back on the breakfast bar. His eyebrows drew together when he turned to look at me. “What’s wrong?”

“I cut up her party dress?”

Colt’s lips twitched. He turned to Faith. “You told your mother Hayley cut up your party dress?”

“Maybe,” Faith said slowly.

He sighed and shook his head. “Go brush your teeth, please.”

Faith hopped down from her stool and smiled at me on her way past—her unintentional partner in crime.

“I cut up her party dress?” I repeated.

His eyes were full of mirth as he nodded. “That God-awful dress, as you called it last night, is the one she’s supposed to wear tonight for her grandmother’s birthday party.”

“I’m sorry, what?” There had to be a mistake. I had to have misheard. No way had I been conned so hard by a six year old.

“Susan bought it for her, but she hates it. Who wouldn’t? But yeah, it’s for her other grandmother’s birthday party. Guess you saved her the humiliation.”

I’d never met Colt’s ex-wife, Susan, and I had a feeling I didn’t ever want to now, either. “But— That— She— I was coerced!”

Colt snorted a laugh. “I hear you. Don’t worry about it, seriously.”

I pressed a hand to my belly. “God. I’m getting an ulcer, I’m sure of it.”

He squeezed my shoulder. He leaned around me for a coffee mug and poured himself some from the pot. “St. Clair, Susan and I are perfectly aware how calculating our kid is. When you meet her, just ask her about the time Faith convinced her that her kindergarten teacher had died to get out of going to school that day. Imagine Susan’s surprise when Mrs. Parson made a full recovery—from her death—the following day.”

I clamped a hand over my mouth and swallowed a burst of laughter. “No way. Are you serious?”

“As Mrs. Parson’s fake heart attack.”

“Oh, my God… I don’t know whether to be impressed or terrified.”

“Welcome to my life.”

I liked it. I liked his life. A lot, it turned out. I liked his big, crazy family and his evil—or genius—child. I liked…him.

“St. Clair?”

Squeezing my eyes shut for a second to try to clear my head, I forced a smile then met his gaze. Colt’s stare seemed to cut right through me, past all the outer layers the rest of the world saw, to get right to the inner workings of me.

Colt took a step closer, reaching out to place his hand on the counter behind me. He crowded me in with his big body. He completely overwhelmed me, made me crave something I couldn’t vocalize.

“You’re doing it again,” Colt said, his voice low and rough.

“Doing what?” I asked, my own voice thick.

“Playing with fire.”

He’d said it to me so many times I should have been used to it, but the truth was, I wasn’t. I didn’t think I would ever be. But this time was different. He wasn’t teasing me, or even flirting. He was warning me that I was toeing a very fine line. But I wasn’t even sure where that line was anymore.

“I don’t want to get burned,” I whispered, my pulse hammering.

Colt leaned an inch closer, bringing his other hand up to cup my jaw. He stroked his thumb over my cheek and dipped his head, his forehead a fraction away from mine. “I could never hurt you, St. Clair. Never.”

I swallowed. My head swam. I felt like I was drowning and had no idea which way was up—only that he was my air. Every day he was making me forget why this was a bad idea. He made me want to jump into this thing with both feet and say to hell with consequences.

“I can’t think when you don’t have any clothes on.”

“So stop thinking.”

The heavy sound of six-year-old feet clattering down the stairs saved me from answering. I had no idea how I would have responded, or reacted, if Faith hadn’t made it impossible.

Colt stepped away from me and adjusted his towel. “I’d better go get dressed.”

I nodded.

Faith came back into the kitchen dressed in a pair of hot-pink leggings and a shirt with a picture of a cat on it. Her French braid had survived the night and she had added a sparkly headband to it. The kid had individuality—it would do her well in later years.

Colt made to ruffle Faith’s hair but she ducked out of the way at the last second. “Da-ad! You’ll ruin my hair.”

He rolled his eyes. “Sorry, baby. I’ll be right back, okay? I’m going to throw some clothes on.”

Faith nodded as she climbed back onto her stool to carry on watching the show that looked like it had been made by crack addicts.

Colt flashed me a wink on his way out of the room.

Lord, I need to get out of here.

“I’m going to take off, I have some stuff to do so I’d… Yeah, I’d better go and take care of… That. Stuff.” Smooth, St. Clair. Real smooth.

Colt ducked back into the kitchen. “Right now?”

“When are you coming back?” Faith asked, not pulling her eyes from the TV.

“Um, I’m not sure. But you have fun at your grandma’s party, okay?”

I edged past Colt and headed down the hall into the living room so I could get my dress from the night before. It wouldn’t be the first time I’d gone home in broad daylight wearing my party clothes.

“If you give me five minutes I can take you. Faith likes driving into the city.”

“No, it’s fine. I’ll be fine.”

“Let me call you a cab at least.”

I turned around with my hands full of stuff, my heart lodging in my throat at the look of confused hurt on Colt’s face. “The subway is quicker. Seriously, I’ll be fine. I’ll see you later, okay?”

Without waiting for a reply, I darted into the bathroom to quickly change back into my dress. I fixed my hair so I didn’t look like a total whore and shoved my feet into my shoes.

Beyond the closed bathroom door, the only sound to be heard was Faith’s show. I could hope that meant Colt was upstairs getting dressed and I could slip out unnoticed.

Nope.

I stepped outside and walked smack into his hard, naked chest. The sneak had waited for me. Quietly.

He lifted an eyebrow. “Hoping to run out when I wasn’t looking?”

My cheeks flushed. “Maybe.”

“Why?”

I shrugged and tried to move around him but he refused to budge his big, firm body. Stupid muscles. “Please, Colt? I really do have to go.”

“What’s going on, St. Clair?” he asked, reaching out to grasp my hip and tug me closer.

I couldn’t have resisted if I’d wanted to. I shook my head and placed my hand on his chest—whether to lean in, or push him away, I wasn’t sure. Closing my eyes for a second, I focused on the rise and fall of his chest beneath my hand, the constant, rhythmic thump of his heart. Colt was real and solid, somehow more than anyone else I had ever met.

He invaded my thoughts and my desires.

He was everywhere.

“Are you still running?” Colt asked, his voice low and gravelly.

“No,” I whispered.

Colt’s lips curled into a smile that was more resigned than anything else. “Yes, you are. But you’re getting slower.” He dipped his head to kiss my cheek, lingering a moment longer than needed.

When he pulled back, it took all my self-control not to grab that towel and yank him back to me, to hell with the right choice and the fact his daughter was in the other room.

Colt chuckled and retreated a few paces. “Yeah, you’re getting slower all right. Take it easy, St. Clair.” He turned and took the stairs two at a time.

Shaking my head to get rid of the lust-filled stupor, I stumbled to the front door. “Bye, Faith,” I called, wrapping my hand around the door handle.

“Oh, hey, what are you doing tomorrow night?” Colt shouted down from the landing.

I headed back to the foot of the stairs and peered up at him. There was a birthday party for a DJ I knew at one of the clubs me and the girls always hit up. It was the most talked-about party of the year, and I’d been looking forward to it for months. I had the best dress picked out—a totally sexy Armani number that hugged me everywhere it should. “Nothing.”

Colt grinned. “Come have dinner with me? Ma is putting on her usual feast, and she’s been asking when I’m bringing you back around.”

His smile was infectious and my own widened. “Done. I’m there.”

“Great. I’ll pick you up, okay? Six? You remember how long these things go on for.”

Did I ever. Colt’s family turned mealtimes into a ritualistic act. It brought them closer together through the simple act of eating and talking. A world away from what dinner had been like for me growing up—awkward, tense silence with the only sound coming from our silverware against the china. “Six is perfect. I’ll see you then.”

 

* * * *

 

The second I was home, I stripped out of my green party dress and kicked off my heels. I pressed Play on the answering machine as I passed it and darted into my closest, which had long ago reached bursting point.

“Hi, darling,” my grandmother’s voice drifted into the room from the machine. “I’m just calling to remind you that our reservations are for twelve-thirty at the Carlyle. See you soon.”

“Awesome,” I muttered as I rooted around for something to wear. Eventually I went with a forties-inspired navy floral fishtail tea dress and a pair of navy pumps. After tugging a brush through my hair, I negotiated it into a style that looked way more complicated than it actually was—two French braids either side of my head and rolling them into a wreath at the back.

I freshened up my makeup, then I was straight back out of the door.

Sometimes, on days like this, I had to wonder why I bothered with an apartment. Surely a storage unit would suit my needs just as well, seeing as I was never in the damn thing.

Luck was on my side and there was an abundance of cabs when I hit the street. I threw myself in one and slammed the door closed. “Bergdorf’s, please.” I pulled my cell out of my purse, found the number I was looking for and hit call.

“Hayley, bella, long time no speak!” My amazing friend Paulo answered after a few rings.

“Paulo! I’m on way to you right now—please tell me you’re free,” I said, pressing a hand to my forehead.

He made a disgruntled noise in the back of his throat. “I wish. Mrs. Size Eight who insists she’s Mrs. Size Two will arrive at any moment. Why, what’s the matter?”

I groaned. “I need a dress, like, now, and I need your help.”

Paulo laughed. “Why do you need my help? I’ve been trying to poach you for years to work here—you’d make a fortune in commissions.”

“It’s not a dress for me, it’s for a little girl. I’ve never bought a tiny dress before, what if I don’t even get the right size?”

“Breathe, Hayley, breathe. Okay, head for the kid section and I’ll get away from Mrs. Size Eight as soon as I can.”

My relief escaped me in a sigh. “Great, thank you.”

I could barely sit still. I tapped my foot, fidgeted in my seat and almost smacked my head off the window a few times, trying to gauge how much farther the store was. Time was of the essence, and I was running out of it.

When the cab finally stopped, I tossed a wad of bills at the cabbie before spilling out of the cab and into the store.

True to his word, Paulo met me after a few minutes. I was pacing in front of the clothes, trying—and failing—to think what would work best for Faith.

“Ah, ciao, tesoro mio,” Paulo said, clutching my arms and kissing both my cheeks.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” I said on a breath. Man, I loved Paulo. Hot as hell and gay as they come, he was a New York girl’s wet dream. Paulo loved to share his employee discount and often sent me and the girls samples of clothes Bergdorf’s would be carrying. We were great advertising—we were at all the best clubs and restaurants, after all. It was a win-win relationship. He was a genuinely great guy and I adored him.

“Who are you looking for?”

“A little girl, Faith. I totally wrecked the dress she’s supposed to wear tonight.” I told Paulo the costume story, and his loud, belly-clutching laugh reverberated across the entire floor.

“How old is she?” Paulo asked once he had regained composure.

“Six.”

“Then I’d go with one of these.” He waved his hand toward a selection of small dresses, and it was then that I saw it.

A Zoë black and white sleeveless pointe dress with black lace on a white bodice, and slivers of matching white lace on the black skirt. Faith would look amazing in it with her dark hair. “This is it. Do you have shoes to match?”

Paulo arched a single, perfect eyebrow and led me to the shoes. I picked out a pair of Gucci suede sandals and, because I couldn’t help myself, a tiny matching purse.

“I have a new dress in that you would look fabulous in, darling, why don’t you try it on before you leave?” Paulo asked as I gathered my small haul for Faith.

“I wish I could, but I have, like, no time left today. I need to get these to Brooklyn then back to the Upper East Side for lunch with my grandparents.” I heaved out a breath. “I just hope I miss Faith’s mother. She’ll probably skin me alive for this mess.”

Paulo chuckled. “Don’t be so hard on yourself, bella. Everyone makes mistakes.”

“And apparently I make epic ones,” I mumbled, handing my credit card over to the clerk.

Paulo shook his head and shooed the clerk out of the way. “You can have this on my discount,” he said, running the transaction through. “And I’ll throw in a fifty percent discount card for the mother, too, to sweeten her up for you.”

“Paulo, you’re the best, seriously.” I accepted the bags he handed over and kissed his cheeks. “I’ll come see you again when I have more time—we’ll break that sales record we made last spring!”

Paulo laughed. “You’d better! Now go and make that little girl look like a princess.”

I all but ran out of the store and into another cab. I was in no mood for the subway and I could only hope traffic was on my side.

In the end, I made it back to Colt’s a little after noon. I ran up to his front door and knocked so hard I thought I’d bruise my knuckles.

Faith opened the door, her little face lighting up when she saw me. “Hayley! You’re back!” Faith rushed out to wrap her thin arms around me, then tugged me inside the house. “Have you been shopping? Can I see?”

“Um, in just a minute, okay. Where’s your dad?”

“We made cookies after you left, come try one.”

“That sounds great, but where’s your dad?”

Faith hauled me into the kitchen and pointed at Colt, who sat at the breakfast bar, his large hand wrapped around a cup of coffee.

“In here with Mommy.”

Mommy…? Ah, shit.

Faith frowned. “Where’d Mommy go?”

“Bathroom,” Colt said as he rose from his stool. He smiled, making his way over to me. “Can’t keep away, huh?”

If she was in the bathroom, I had a tiny sliver of opportunity to make it out of there alive. I thrust the Bergdorf’s bags at Colt. “This is a replacement—but only if you guys are cool with it, no pressure, and I don’t want to presume anything… God. Okay, I have to go.”

Colt’s eyebrows shot up and he refused to accept the bags. “Christ, St. Clair, where’s the fire?”

I groaned in frustration and shook the bags. “I have somewhere to be, will you please just take these?”

“As someone who spent years getting pissed at this idiot, let me spare you some time and energy. The bigger the rush you’re in, or the more irritated you get, he’ll just dig his heels in even harder.” The woman who entered the kitchen gave me a wry look as she sat on a stool at the breakfast bar. She was tall and lithe, as gorgeous as a model and an apparent natural beauty, as it didn’t look like she wore a scrap of makeup. Her straight dark hair hung down her back, and her brown eyes were just stunning.

Colt’s ex was a goddamn knockout.

“Mommy, Hayley went shopping,” Faith said, tugging on my hand. “Do you want a cookie now?”

I had no clue what to do or what to say. Would they notice if I just turned and high-tailed it out of there? Maybe. Okay, definitely. I cleared my throat and tried to smile at Susan. “Hi.”

Her lips twitched as she raised her coffee cup to take a sip. “Hi. Are you okay?”

“I like your dress. But I think you’re prettier as Tinkerbell,” Faith said, looking up at me with a huge grin.

Susan coughed a laugh. “Yeah, I heard you had to come up with an emergency costume.”

I cringed. “Not my finest hour. Um… Or the one where I chopped up Faith’s dress.”

She waved her hand. “Jeez, don’t worry about that. That dress was hideous. Her grandmother picked it out months ago for her and insisted I buy it for tonight.”

My eyebrows shot up. “You didn’t like it either?”

Susan frowned as she stared at me in bafflement. “That disgusting thing? Of course not. You did us all a favor, seriously.”

My breath left me in a rush. “My God, I felt awful about it.”

Colt chuckled and pressed a hand to the small of my back. He guided me farther into the room. “Take a seat, St. Clair. I’ll get you a coffee—you look like you need it.”

“Oh, no, I really can’t stay. I only came to bring this,” I said, lifting the bags and setting them on the breakfast bar. I faced Susan. “I got this as a replacement, but if you don’t need it, you can do whatever you want with it. Exchange it for something else, whatever. No problem.”

Susan rose from the stool. “Oh, you sweet thing, you didn’t have to do that. Faith, sweetie, come see what Hayley got you.”

Faith scrambled up onto the stool beside her mother. “For me?” She dug into those bags like it was Christmas and gasped and oohed over every item. “Oh my gosh, these are so pretty!”

“They are,” Susan agreed. She smiled at me. “Thank you, Hayley. You’ve made my little girl’s day.”

A flush of pleasure warmed my cheeks. “No worries. My friend works at Bergdorf’s so he got me a pretty good deal. And he also gave me this.” I pulled the discount card out of my pocket and slid it across the bar to Susan. “You can use it against anything. It was just to apologize. I really do feel awful.”

“Seriously, there is nothing to feel bad about.”

“So you’re going to give that back, Susan?” Colt asked, his lips twitching in amusement.

She snorted a laugh. “Absolutely not.”

“Okay, now I really do have to go. Have fun at your party, Faith,” I said, tugging the end of her hair on my way past. I smiled at Susan. “Lovely to meet you.”

“You too. Are you going to be at Jessie’s tomorrow?” Susan asked.

Faith gasped. “You’re going to Nana J’s?”

“Yeah, she’ll be there,” Colt said as he came up behind me.

“Good, we can talk more then,” Susan said. She nudged Faith. “What do you say to Hayley for your new things?”

“Thank you!” she exclaimed as she peered inside her new purse.

“You’re welcome, I’m glad you like them. Bye, everyone,” I said.

Colt pressed his hand to my lower back again and kept close beside me as we headed to the front door. “That was totally unexpected.”

“Like I said, I feel terrible.”

“She loves them. You’re incredible, St. Clair.” Colt cleared his throat. “Are you absolutely sure you have to be somewhere?”

I nodded, ignoring the twist in my gut when I wished more than anything I was wrong. I checked my watch. “I’m late. Actually, I’m really late.”

Colt blew out a breath. “Guess I’ll have to wait until tomorrow, then.”

“I guess you will,” I agreed.

“You know,” Colt said as I opened the door and started down the stoop. “One of these days, you’ll stop running out of here like this.”

“Oh yeah? What makes you so sure?” I asked, looking at him over my shoulder and smiling.

“Hope.” Colt grinned. “I keep hoping one of these days you won’t want to leave at all.”

When he said things like that, he made me forget why we were such a bad idea. When he said things like that I wanted to march right back up those steps, slam the door closed and demand that he never let me leave ever again.

“Bye, Colt.”

“Take it easy, St. Clair.”