Holding You - Page 55/108

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.

Bastard. Oh wait until I tell the girls this one.

Sitting in the passenger seat, I began to plot my revenge on Colt. Maybe I’d give him a blowjob and accidentally sneeze and bite down . . . just a little. I bet that would hurt. Maybe my foot would make contact with his balls . . . by mistake of course.

Not paying attention at all to where Colt was going, I didn’t even notice when he stopped driving.

“We’re here.”

Humph. I’m not moving one inch.

“I know it’s dark, but do you remember what you said to me when we were standing in this very spot when we were six years old, Lauren?”

Blowing out a fast breath, I blew a blonde curl from my eye. “No.”

Wait. What? Six years old?

Looking out the window, I let my eyes adjust. Sucking in a breath, I opened the truck door and jumped out. My hands came up to my mouth as I walked over to the tree. The tree that held the treehouse Gunner made for all of us. I hadn’t been here in years. Truth be told, I had forgotten all about it.

Stopping just short of the tree, I looked up. It looked like it was in perfect condition. Like the years hadn’t even touched it at all. It stood only a few feet off the ground, but when I was six, it seemed so high.

Closing my eyes, my mind drifted back to that fall day.

“COLT, YOU WATCH Lauren and make sure she doesn’t fall,” Momma yelled out. Colt turned and smiled. “I won’t, Aunt Jessie! Promise!”

Colt took my hand and helped me climb up into our new treehouse. Looking around, I started jumping. “Is this all ours?”

Colt started jumping, too! “Yes! And Luke’s and Grace’s and Libby’s and Will’s and my stupid sister Alex’s! Oh and Daddy said it’s for Maegan and Taylor, too!”

Letting out a scream, I hugged Colt. “I can’t wait to show them,” I said as I stopped jumping and spun around.

Colt stopped me from spinning. “Or, we could tell my momma and daddy and your momma and daddy that this is our spot.”

Grinning so hard my cheeks hurt, I nodded my head. “Yeah! Our special spot forever, Colt. You can even marry me here.”

Colt wasn’t smiling anymore. “You want to marry me, Lauren?”

Shrugging my shoulders, I scrunched up my nose and looked up to think about it. Looking back at Colt, I nodded my head and said, “Yep. You ain’t gonna marry anyone else, Colt Mathews.” Placing my hand on my hip, I took my other hand and pointed at Colt. Like Momma does when she wants me to listen real good. “You hear me? If you do, I’ll beat you up ‘cause I ain’t afraid of you.”