Page 32 of Find Me

Colt’s hand landed on Creed’s shoulder. “Take Shiloh inside. I’ll deal with this.” Colt didn’t wait around for a reply and pounded down the porch steps. Creed listened to his twin and carried me inside.

We were only a few steps inside when we heard Colt growl, “That was fucked up, Knox. Even for you.”

“You two aren’t being smart,” Knox growled back.

“Why? Because you think we skipped practice to get laid?” Colt snapped. “Way to fucking assume the worst, as usual. Shiloh is our friend and—”

“I’ve seen the way you both look at her,” Knox cut him off.

Creed’s arms tightened around me. I hesitantly glanced at him. His jaw was clenched, and his gaze angrily bored into the floor.

“Alright, that’s enough,” Keelan said, his voice taking on a serious tone. “Colt, why did you and Creed skip practice?”

“A guy at school shoved Shiloh and she got hurt,” Colt answered.

“Is she alright?” Keelan asked.

I didn’t get to hear Colt’s response. Creed hiked me up to restrengthen his hold of me. “Where do you want me to take you?” he asked, his tone coming out sharp.

I was dying to change out of my jean skirt and into some loose shorts. I pointed to the hall just off the living room. “In my bedroom.”

I felt the tension ease a little from his body. Looking at his face, I caught the corner of his mouth curling up. “Oh, really?”

I frowned, confused. “Yes. I really need to get out of this skirt.”

Creed chuckled as he headed for my room.

I replayed what we both had said in my head and my blush that had yet to fully recede flared again. “Oh.” Then I ended up chuckling, too.

Creed carried me down the hall to my room. He gently set me down on my bed. As his eyes roamed around my room, I lay back across my bed with a sigh. I didn’t have much that was personal in my room besides a few knickknacks and my jewelry box sitting on top of my dresser. My furniture in my room was espresso-colored and the linens on my bed were teal and white. I hadn’t gotten around to putting my stamp on the space yet.

“You don’t have any pictures,” Creed pointed out.

No, I didn’t. I wasn’t allowed to have anything out that might give away my true identity. The few pictures I did have had been approved by Logan and they were only on my phone.

“I haven’t gotten around to hanging any yet,” I lied, staring up at the ceiling. I hated lying to him. I let out a heavy sigh and I felt fingers touch my bare knee.

“Are you alright? Is it your hip?”

I internally grimaced. Shayla had always said I was a crappy liar. I never could master a poker face. I looked down where my legs hung off the side of the bed. Creed was standing there staring down at me. I shook my head. Before he could push further, I changed the subject. “Knox was really upset.”

This time Creed sighed and plopped down on the bed next to me. He lay on his side, propped up on one elbow, his hand supporting his head. “He’ll get over it.”

I met Creed’s aquamarine eyes. My breath hitched as his fingers brushed a few stray hairs away from my forehead that had escaped my messy bun. “Your roots are brown.”

I leaned in close and whispered, “That’s because I have brown hair.”

He rolled his eyes. “No shit, smart ass. What I meant to say is that I didn’t know you had brown hair.”

I laughed and he watched me with a tiny smile.

“You’re so beautiful when you laugh,” he said, and with a featherlike touch, he ran his finger from my temple to the corner of my mouth. “Your whole face lights up.” His eyes dropped to my mouth and he slowly trailed his finger along my bottom lip. “Your smile is the best part.”

Butterflies went wild in my stomach.

“Then we should make her laugh more often,” a voice said.

Creed dropped his finger from my lip and we both looked toward the source and found Colt leaning against the doorframe. His eyes took us in, lying next to each other, with an unreadable expression.