Page 2 of Masters of the Game: Colton

With Colton standing close, she could feel a growing heat flowing all through her. Deciding she needed to keep the conversation going between them, she said, “How are you and your brothers related to Quinn, Grey, Shane, and Lake?”

“My grandfather, Kenneth Masters, had four sons. Quinn’s father, Blake Masters, was the oldest. My father, Charles Masters, is the youngest. I never knew Uncle Blake.

He died before Quinn and Quinece were born.

Grandfather Kenneth had a brother, Sylvester Masters.

Our uncle Sylvester, whom we called Uncle Sly, never married.

He said he was too busy trying to knock some sense into his oldest brother Kenneth. My grandfather was married five times.”

“Five times?”

“Yes. Our grandmother was his fourth wife, and she was the only one who bore him children--four sons. I have to give him credit--he took care of her and those sons, even when he was married to wife number five. He would come visit us often and remained close to his sons and his grandkids.”

Colton paused a moment and then said, “In fact, after his divorce from wife number five, he bought a house in the neighborhood, right down the street from where our grandmother lived.”

“The majority of the Masters are from Savannah, right?”

He nodded. “That’s our home base. Most of us were born and raised there.

And we’re still very close. Quinn and his three brothers--Shane, Lake, and Grey--were older, and they didn’t mind us hanging around them when we were growing up.

They were true role models, and we could talk to them about anything. We called them the ‘Brothers Four’.”

Kelly noticed that the crowd around them was breaking up, some people moving to the dance floor, others deciding to take a second go at the buffet table.

She was glad. Because, for what she was about to say, she didn’t want to be overheard.

The time was over for idle chitchat. Placing her glass aside, she eased closer to him.

If he was surprised by her move, he didn’t show it.

In a low voice, she said, “So, Colton Masters, we seem to generate a lot of heat every time we’re together. Don’t you think it’s time we do something about it?”

He held her gaze, and an intense spike of heat caught in her stomach…and lower. “What do you suggest, Kelly?”

The deep, husky sound of his voice only heightened her anticipation. Holding tight to his gaze, she said, “I think we should leave here and go have some fun.”

**

A deep, sexual hunger stirred to life within Colton, and at the same time, a jolt of anticipation rocked him to the bone.

Kelly’s suggestion should have been his, but he wasn’t bothered in the least that she had beat him to the punch.

Over the past year, he had thought about her often.

Even when he should have been too busy to do so.

Although the CEO of the corporation, Lake Masters, was his cousin, Colton had to prove his worth just like anyone else.

Lake hadn’t had to tell him there had been a number of good candidates competing.

He was certain that closing that mega-deal in Paris for the corporation earlier this year had been what had propelled him to the top.

Now, all that was behind him, and he could loosen up some, and enjoy more of life…

starting with getting to know Kelly Perkins better.

He now had time to consider a relationship, and there was no reason he couldn’t start with her.

He had been taken by Kelly the first time they’d met.

It had been an instant attraction—an attraction that had seemed to be reciprocated.

She exuded temptation and desire, and he had the feeling he would thoroughly enjoy letting her rock his world.

But for him, it had to be about more than sex.

He knew she was smart, intelligent, and caring.

And he could certainly use some fun in his life.

“What kind of fun are we talking about?”

He watched a smile touch the corners of her lips before she took her tongue and seductively licked from corner to corner. If there was any doubt in his mind before, there certainly wasn’t now.

“I imagine we can get pretty damn inventive between the sheets. What do you think?” she asked.

To be honest, he was past thinking. Especially when her gaze was filled with sensual promise.

Intense heat curled inside of him, threatening his control—something he’d never experienced before.

He wanted to get to know her better, and tonight felt like a great place to start.

“I need to warn you, Kelly. I play long and hard,” he said as his gaze raked over her.

“I’m sure that I can handle both, Colton.”

From the way she was looking at him, he had a feeling she could handle anything that came her way, and that thought made him want her even more.

Maybe now was the time to let her know he wasn’t into one-night stands--those were his brother Cobra’s thing.

But why ruin this? She wasn’t suggesting they only have one night, so why should he mention it?

Especially since he had a feeling one night wouldn’t be nearly enough.

They could start off casual, seeing each other, spending time with each other, and see where this went.

He would love to take her to dinner since he would be in Atlanta for another week on business.

He took in every inch of her smooth, creamy skin that hadn’t been covered by the pink bridesmaid attire she wore. It was a short dress that displayed a pair of gorgeous legs and curves in all the right places. The color made her look both feminine and sexy.

She was always beautiful, but she seemed even more so today, with her hair styled the way it was.

He’d seen it down and liked it that way, too.

Especially the way it would fall around her shoulders in soft waves.

When he’d first seen her at the Bennetts’ double wedding last year, he’d known she was Monica’s sister and that Kelly was two days older.

Then he learned that their father had gotten his wife and girlfriend pregnant around the same time, and neither had known about the other.

He could just imagine the fireworks when the truth came out.

“I’ll make the arrangements, away from this particular hotel,” he said.

“All right.”

He figured she was aware of his reason for wanting to spend their time together somewhere else.

This hotel, the St. Laurent--Atlanta, was owned by Grey and Brandy Masters.

Grey was his cousin, and Brandy was Monica’s aunt.

That meant all the wedding guests and family had booked rooms here.

He preferred neutral ground and knew just the place.

“Expect a text from me,” he said. “I’ll send a private car for you around eight.”

“Okay,” she said. “Now, if you will follow me, I want to show you something.”

Colton wasn’t sure what she wanted to show him, but he followed, taking in the delectable shape of her ass in that dress. She went out of the ballroom and down the hall past the regular bank of elevators to a single private one. He watched as she pulled a hotel key out of a small purse and used it.

When the elevator opened, they stepped in. When the door swooshed shut, she pressed a button to stall the elevator between floors. Then, moving toward him, she said, “I’m dying for a kiss.”

Again, he thought, that should have been his line as he pulled her into his arms. She tasted just like he’d known she would--sweet with more than a little sass.

He wasn’t used to women being so bold and daring, but dammit, he liked it.

And she was a pretty damn good kisser. She had slid her tongue into his mouth and was devouring it, claiming it as hers.

He had no problem with her taking the lead.

Knowing she wanted him so badly was definitely a turn-on.

All the pent-up desire that had been bottled up inside of him for more than a year came rushing out.

And it appeared she was ready to satisfy some hunger of her own.

He heard the soft moan when he took over the kiss as his tongue became demanding and probing, while exploring every single inch of her mouth. The more he tasted her, the more he wanted and the greedier he became.

This was their first kiss, but there was no way he’d let it be their last. He wanted so much more from her.

Still, he needed to get a hold of himself, and broke off the kiss before they began stripping naked in the elevator.

He watched her draw in a deep breath, then slide her tongue across a gorgeous pair of swollen lips.

“There,” she said, stepping back and straightening her short pink dress. “I wanted to show you how much I want you.”

Yes, she most certainly had done that. “Point well taken. And I’m sure you can tell how much I want you, too,” he said, licking his own lips and enjoying the aftertaste. “I’m going to be in Atlanta for a week, and I’m hoping we can--”

She reached up to place a finger to his lips to stop his words. “Tonight is all we can have, Colton.”

What? “Why?”

“I start my own business this week.”

As if that should explain everything, she pressed the button on the elevator panel to take them back down. When the door opened, she stepped back. “I need to go upstairs a minute to freshen up. I will await your text. Here’s my phone number.”

After he pulled out his phone, she rattled off her phone number and he called it. Now they had each other’s contact information. She then leaned in and swiped a quick kiss across his lips. “I’m looking forward to tonight.”

The moment he stepped off the elevator, the door closed behind him. And all he could do was stand there, wondering what had hit him.

**