Page 28 of Masters of the Game: Colton

The smell of spaghetti filled Colton’s nostrils the moment he entered his home. At least it didn’t smell like Kelly anymore. He thought she would prepare a sandwich or something and leave. He hadn’t invited her to cook a meal. So why wasn’t she gone?

It was after midnight, and he had deliberately stayed away.

He had visited Carney Lawson, a high school pal of his.

Both he and his wife Trish, whom he’d met in medical school, were pediatricians in town.

He, Carney, and two other friends from high school had gone out and had a few beers, played cards, and talked about the good old days.

Now he was back, and he knew Kelly was still here.

That car he’d missed seeing earlier, since it had been parked behind his uncle’s truck, was here.

He had tried calling his brothers to read them both the riot act, since one of them had to have given her his address, but neither would pick up his call. That pissed him off even more.

He heard the sound of the television and figured she was in his family room, which was off from the kitchen.

He headed that way and when he entered, he stopped in his tracks.

She wasn’t watching television. The television was watching her.

She was curled up on his sofa, asleep and wearing her pajamas.

A cute pair at that. She had deliberately ignored his order to leave.

Saying he was reneging on his invitation for her to come here for a week was no different than him reneging on their one-night-stand was BS, and she knew it.

Colton stood there for the longest time, just staring at her. Why did she have to look so beautiful sleeping?

He should toss a blanket over her and let her sleep right there all night. But even though he was angry with her, he couldn’t do that. The sofa was not comfortable. She needed to go upstairs to the guest room she’d claimed and get into bed.

Crossing the room, he gently shook her shoulder a few times. Slowly opening a pair of drowsy eyes, she looked at him and smiled. “Colton, I tried waiting up for you so we could talk.”

“You need to go upstairs to bed, Kelly.”

“Okay, but we’ll talk tomorrow.”

She wasn’t asking him but was stating it matter-of-factly.

Instead of trying to stand, she closed her eyes and shifted to curl back up on the sofa.

Colton released an exasperated breath before scooping her up in his arms. The moment he did so, her scent overpowered his senses, making him nearly stagger back as he held her.

Trying to ignore her luscious scent, he carried her up the stairs to the room she’d been reading in earlier, and placed her in the middle of the bed beneath the covers. She slowly opened her eyes to look at him. “We will talk tomorrow, right?”

This time, she was asking and not stating.

It was on the tip of his tongue to say that the only thing she would be doing tomorrow was leaving.

But, because her drowsy eyes were still staring at him, he said, “Yes, we’ll talk before you leave tomorrow.

” He then walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Hours later, he was still awake and thinking about the woman in his guest room.

Why couldn’t he stop thinking of finding her in his home, sitting in his wingback chair with her head bowed down while reading a book?

She must have been so engrossed in the story, she hadn’t heard him open the door, and hadn’t looked up until he’d spoken.

And that’s when he’d felt a kick in his gut.

The moment she’d raised her head, looked into his eyes, and smiled.

Regardless of the deep scowl that he’d known was etched on his face, she had smiled.

And that smile had sent a crackle of energy passing between them.

They had both tried to ignore it, but it was there, hot, raw, and carnal.

And she’d been wearing a cute blue sundress that had brought out the beauty of her eyes.

That had been the prime reason he’d hauled ass when he had.

There was no way he could have stayed without taking her into his arms and kissing her senseless.

He had stayed away as long as he could, only to return home and find her asleep on his sofa as if she belonged there.

The thought of that had annoyed him, but had warmed him, as well.

She looked so comfortable in his home. And the moment he awakened her, when she had glanced at him with beautiful, drowsy eyes filled with trust…

. Trust? Now that was a joke; especially knowing she didn’t trust him one iota.

His brothers had finally called back, but neither of them would admit to giving Kelly his address. Instead, they tried getting into his business.

“What will it hurt to listen to what she has to say?” Tez had asked.

“Before you send her away, make sure you freeze some of that spaghetti for me to get later when I’m there. I’ve heard she’s a good cook,” Cobra had added.

The house was quiet, and it was close to three in the morning. Why was Kelly so hell-bent on talking to him? The time for them to talk had been Thursday night, when everything had blown up. Besides, talking wouldn’t change the fact that she didn’t trust him. Nothing would change that.

Maybe the best thing to do was to be gone when she woke up in the morning.

But this was his house. Why should he deny himself this time in his home?

She should be the one to leave, not him.

He heard the ding of a text message coming through on his phone.

He picked it up and saw it was from Tez.

The three-hour time difference between Savannah and LA was responsible for a lot of late texts.

Don’t be an idiot, Colton. Listen to what she has to say.

He texted back. I want her gone.

Tez’s reply. When did you get to be so unforgiving?

He texted back. I’m not.

Tez’s reply. Then stop acting like an ass. Everyone makes mistakes. Even you.

Colton thought about his brother’s words. Tez was right, even he made mistakes. The one that stood out in his mind right now was falling in love with Kelly. But instead of replying to Tez’s text, he placed his phone back on the nightstand, shifted in bed, and did his damndest to get some sleep.

**

Kelly awakened to the smell of biscuits baking, bacon cooking and coffee brewing.

Sitting up in bed, she glanced around, remembering where she was.

Colton’s Savannah home. She remembered cooking a pot of spaghetti, and then after eating, she had watched television while she’d waited for him to return.

When the clock hit midnight, he still hadn’t come home.

Less than thirty minutes later, she had showered, dressed, and was walking into the kitchen.

He was standing at the oven with his back to her.

As if he’d heard movements, he turned around with an unreadable expression on his face.

His brothers had warned her that getting through to him wouldn’t be easy.

Of the three, he was the most easygoing…

until he felt he had a reason not to be.

And she had no doubt that she’d given him a reason.

Smiling, she said, “Good morning, Colton.”

“Kelly. Please have a seat at the table so we can eat.”

“And talk,” she decided to tag on.

“I’d rather not talk while we’re eating.”

She lifted a brow, wondering when that had changed. They had certainly shared meals where they’d done both before. “You no longer know how to multi-task?” she asked smartly. The glare that appeared in his eyes didn’t scare her any.

“I didn’t say I couldn’t do it, I said I’d rather not do it,” he responded the same way.

Deciding not to ruffle his feathers any more than they already were, she said, “Fine. Can I help you with─”

“I don’t need your help.”

He didn’t need it or didn’t want it? She decided not to let his attitude bother her as she moved to sit at the table in the kitchen. The same table she’d eaten her plate of spaghetti at yesterday…alone.

He placed the platter of foods in front of her. Biscuits, bacon, eggs, and shrimp and grits. She was impressed. “Everything looks delicious, Colton. I didn’t know you were a wiz in the kitchen.”

He took a seat across from her. “I’m sure there are a lot of things you don’t know about me.”

“Just like there are things you don’t know about me,” she countered.

They ate mostly in silence. Every so often, she would break into the quietude by complimenting him on the food.

“Oh my god, these shrimp and grits are to die for. The biscuits practically melt in your mouth, and the bacon is crisp, just the way I like it cooked.”

“Thanks,” he said, without looking at her.

“So, who taught you how to cook?” she asked.

“Everybody in the family. No particular person.” He surprised her when he asked, “And who taught you to cook?”

She lifted a brow. “What makes you think I can cook?”

He looked at her with a ‘duh’ expression on his face before saying, “I assume it was you who cooked that pot of spaghetti and not your fairy godmother.”

She couldn’t help but laugh. “Okay, guilty as charged. I learned to cook from working in the soup kitchens with my mom.”

He nodded. “I’ve never met your mom, but the more I hear about her, the more I like her.”

“But not her daughter so much,” Kelly decided to throw in.

He stared at her for the longest time, but didn’t deny her words. He then said, “Let’s finish eating so we can talk. Then you can leave.”

**

As Colton and Kelly continued eating in silence, Tex’s words last night ran through his mind…

Stop acting like an ass. Everyone makes mistakes. Even you.

“Damn,” he muttered.

She glanced over at him. “What’s wrong?”

He looked over at her and fought against saying the words that filled his mind…

This entire thing is wrong. Wasn’t it just two weeks ago when everything between them was good. So good that when they made love, he didn’t know where her body ended and his began. So good that he couldn’t seem to fall asleep without her in his arms...

Instead, he just continued to look at her, then at her plate.

She had finished eating. And so had he. He met her gaze and felt it.

Like always, the chemistry that flowed so effortlessly between them couldn’t be denied.

But with her, it wasn’t just a sexual thing.

It was deeper than that. He loved her. He’d figured that in time, the more they spent together, she could grow to love him, too.

That had been his plan. However, she didn’t trust him.

Without trust, there could be no love. And knowing that really hurt.

Colton leaned back in his chair. “Okay, Kelly, I’m ready to talk.”