Page 2

Two

Colt

18 years old

Struggling to contain myself from jumping up and dragging this girl out of here before anyone else got to see her, I curled my fingers around the arm of the oversized chair Mom had bought especially for me. I almost shook my head to make sure she wasn’t some kind of mirage.

My head was a jumble of thoughts that came to an abrupt halt when my mom more or less handed her to me on a silver platter. Well, fuck, Mom. Don’t think you’d have done that if you’d known what I was thinking.

Her father seemed to suspect it, though, because he grimaced. Or maybe he was simply a prick, like countless rich assholes before him who didn’t think I was polished enough. I was used to sticking out like a sore thumb in the circles my parents ran in. It had been a few years since I didn’t have to duck my head to walk through a door, and the business bros didn’t like that.

I didn’t fit the mold they thought was appropriate, and a majority of them were wannabe alphas who didn’t like it when they didn’t have the biggest dick in the room. Because they sure as hell didn’t.

“Sure, Mom,” I said with a polite smile. I’d spend every minute I could with this girl — much to her dad’s displeasure. Not sure I could even blame him, seeing as I would lose my mind with a daughter that pretty. Her small upturned nose highlighted the few freckles scattered across the bridge, and her smooth sun-kissed skin set off her honey-colored almond-shaped eyes. She looked like royalty — like a princess .

Fitting. She was the unattainable princess, and I was the peasant fool drooling after her.

She took a step forward, but her father’s quick, hard hand on her shoulder held her back. Not a fan of that. I stifled a sneer as all three women looked at him with furrowed brows and a slight tilt to their heads.

“Wouldn’t you like to meet some more people first, Hailey?”

His words hardened Hailey’s expression, and although his tone was pleasant, my mom was bristling and getting ready to attack. An attack that, as it turned out, wasn’t necessary.

Hailey yanked her shoulder from his grip, took three steps, nudged my arm aside, and parked her perfect little peach ass right on the arm of my chair. “I think I’ll stay here with Colt and Hunter, Dad. A new opportunity to make friends.”

Something passed between the two of them, with her father screwing up his face, and her donning a small smug smile. A powerful, almost triumphant feeling tore through me, as if she had chosen me and considered me worthy. The primitive part of my brain was in the driver’s seat. My cock hardened and pressed against my zipper — that fucker had never had good timing. Where was one of those ridiculous decorative pillows when you needed one?

I wasn’t exactly popular with most people, let alone with the fairer sex. My bulky frame and rough features weren’t a recipe for Prince Charming, which meant, the fact that this girl was blatantly defying her father, and willingly deciding to come near me fucked with my head. I’d better remind myself that she hadn’t actually chosen me ; it had been more of an emergency solution.

Hailey’s mother tried to save the day. “I’m sure Colt will take excellent care of Hailey. You know where to find us, sweetheart. And now, Alicia, I’m dying to meet your husband, and did I see Pamela Chapman over there?” My mom put on her standard smile again, clasping Hailey’s mom’s hand but not before giving me a cursory, scrutinizing glance. Whatever she saw must have been sufficient for her, because they all walked away. The dad threw one last warning glare over his shoulder, though I wasn’t quite sure if it was meant for me or her.

“Sorry for the drama. My dad can be … difficult.” Her voice was gentle, melodic, and apologetic. Fuck no.

“Nothing to apologize for,” I grunted. If I had an ounce of charm, now would be the time to dig it out, but I was coming up blank. My mind was so transfixed on the smooth tanned skin just inches from my fingertips and the heat emanating from her body, that a small shiver ran down my spine, freezing me in place, completely and utterly. God, I’m a loser.

Hunter snorted beside me, and Hailey leaned forward to peer around me at him. Good luck with that. She’d be waiting a long time for another reaction. Not that my best friend was an asshole per se, but he hardly let anyone get close to him. I didn’t know what was going on inside his head most days, even though he’d lived with us more or less since he was thirteen years old and we’d known each other since first grade. Sometimes, he would share bits and pieces with me, but he was still keeping a lot bottled up.

We usually stayed far away from these functions, but my mom had asked me to come, and there was almost nothing I could refuse her. I wanted to kiss her feet for it because if I had fucked off out of the house as I typically did, I wouldn’t have gotten to lay eyes on this angel.

Hailey seemed to have realized she wouldn’t get a verbal response from Hunter and moved her gaze to me. With her still on my armrest, the need to touch her was almost killing me. She was right there .

“He’s not much of a talker, huh?”

“Not really, no. Don’t take it personally.”

She shrugged. “No problem. Sorry my ass got dumped on you guys.”

I shook my head. She had no idea. Carefully, I rose to my feet so I wouldn’t knock her off the armrest she was perched on. The thought of her tiny frame being swallowed up by my bulky one made my cock jump. Why the fuck did that turn me on so much? Her eyes met mine, and my mind jumped straight to visions of her on her knees, peering up at me exactly like that. Jesus Christ.

I could feel her gaze drilling into me, and when I glanced down, I went from half-mast to rock hard. This dichotomy had never fascinated me this much, even though I had grown accustomed to being the tallest person in any room I happened to be in.

“Come on, let’s do a little tour so you know what you’re in for next week.” I nodded toward the other kids from my school. I wasn’t necessarily popular, but my performance on the football field and my parents’ bank accounts ensured I had a reasonably good social standing. Didn’t mean the preppy little assholes didn’t give me shit, but it could be worse.

“Sure.” Was that wishful thinking, or did she actually sound less than thrilled? She stood, and I flexed my fingers to resist the urge to reach out for her. Fucking hell, I’d been right. Even in high heels, the top of her head barely reached my shoulder.

I took a deep breath, grateful that my loose shirt hung over the bulge in my pants, and motioned for her to follow me.

“Sooo … you’re on the football team?” she asked from behind me, and the back of my neck got hot as I imagined what must be going through her mind. She was probably wondering what a big lumbering oaf like me was thinking playing football. People tended to jump straight to quarterbacks and wide receivers in their minds, forgetting that not everything is about the offense.

“Um, yeah,” I grunted. “Defensive end.”

“Nice. Who knows, maybe I’ll be lucky enough to watch you from the sidelines and cheer you on. I cheered for my old school, and I’m going to try out here.”

My mind flooded with images of Hailey in one of those barely there uniforms, and I stifled a groan.

“That would be fun,” I choked out, my neck and the tips of my ears felt like they were on fire.

As Hailey and I walked around the room, it became clear that she fit in much better than I did — gracious, yet fiery, with not an ounce of malice in her. She was as beautiful as a starry night — sparkling like a million diamonds scattered across an inky expanse so vast and far-reaching you could never hope to explore every corner of it.

I had intended to stop hanging all over her ass as soon as I got the feeling she was comfortable. I was well aware that I wasn’t the most sought after of companions, but every time I even made the slightest move to step away, she would give me one of her soul-crushing looks or shift closer to me.

“Well, if it isn’t the beast,” an all too familiar voice sneered behind me. “And what’s this? Where did you find such a beauty ?”

I looked up at the ceiling, and it took all my effort not to tug my shirt away from my body to make sure it wasn’t sticking to my stomach. A reflex from days long gone. Hailey raised her eyebrows as the perfect example of a medical or law student joined the group.

Alexander Fairfax III was every bit as pretentious and entitled as his name suggested. A long, long time ago, when we were kids, we used to be friends. Then I started to get more and more attention on the football field, and he got pissed off because he didn’t make the team. Somehow, we’ve not seen eye to eye since, and he’s taken his frustrations out on me. Fucking prick.

“Alex” — he hated being called Alex — “this is Hailey. Hailey—”

“Alexander Fairfax III, it’s a pleasure.” He looked Hailey up and down, his gaze speculative and lewd. I wanted to punch him. After years of verbal put-downs from him, which had stung me but rarely elicited a response, that single look was the straw that broke the camel’s back .

“Right back at you,” Hailey said deadpan before skillfully ignoring the hand he held out and turning to face me. “Want to head back over to Hunter?”

Stunned but trying not to show it, I nodded mutely.

“Come on, then.” She grabbed my wrist loosely, her small soft hand unable to fully encompass it. I cast a murderous glance in Alexander’s direction before following her as if she were holding me on a leash. Fuck, was it possible to come without my cock even being touched? Because it sure as hell felt like it was.

Heat crackled up my arm like an electric shock, moving down my back and striking my dick like a bolt of lightning. I swear that motherfucker was twitching in my jeans.

I followed her small form perfectly displayed in the dark-green dress that clung like a second skin, and watched the ends of her black hair brush against the fabric at her lower back.

“Did you really want to get away, or did you think you had to leave because of me?”

“Both.” She didn’t look back at me.

“You don’t have to feel sorry for me. And you don’t have to hang out with me if you’d rather have stayed with any of them. I wouldn’t hold it against you.” Although, the thought of her with Alex, or any guy for that matter, made me sick. Oh God, I’d better get over this infatuation quick because this would not end well for me. A picture-perfect little cheerleader didn’t end up with the guy they called the beast .

This time, she glanced over her shoulder, leveling me with a scowl.

“Why the hell would I want to hang out with Butthead III? And what the fuck would I feel sorry for you for? That you’re probably more real than the majority of people in this room?”

I recoiled, my throat bone dry as I searched fruitlessly for a response and blanked.

She blushed before turning away again and continuing on her way. When we made it back to the armchairs, mine still unoccupied, I offered her my spot.

“Nah, you go ahead and sit down. No offense, but I think you’re a bit too big for my spot.”

“I could sit on the floor,” I mumbled.

“What for? Then I’d just feel guilty because you’re uncomfortable. Or did it bother you that I was sitting there?”

Did it bother me? At least now I had confirmation she hadn’t noticed the massive hard-on I was sporting.

“Nope,” I ground out, fully aware I sounded like a complete idiot, but try as I might, I couldn’t force any more words out of my far-too-constricted throat.

I plopped down heavily into the chair, careful to pull my shirt away from my stomach so it wouldn’t show. I wore clothes two sizes too big, but old habits die hard.

Hailey, on the other hand, settled next to me so elegantly that the differences between us were clear as night and day.

“That okay?” she asked.

I jerked my arm away, making sure it wasn’t resting against her ass, which was quite a challenge given my size, but I nodded. Of course, it was okay. In case this was the only and last time I was this close to her, I wouldn’t complain. The chances of me being that much of a lucky bastard ever again and getting anywhere near her were slim.

There was no way in hell no one else would snatch her up, and although I despised the thought with gut-twisting, deepest loathing, I knew it would happen. So, yes, it was more than okay, and I would take every last scrap I could get.

“Sure.”

Hunter sat next to us, quiet as ever, but she wasn’t fazed. In fact, Hailey didn’t seem the least bit interested in him, which struck me as odd. Whenever girls approached us, it was always because of Hunter. Always . He didn’t fit the norm either, with his silence and other issues, but his good looks usually overshadowed that fact — at least in their eyes, I suppose.

And yet, Hailey paid little attention to him. Instead, she gave me her full attention. Normally, I shrank into myself when someone, especially a girl, stared at me so intensely, but with Hailey, it was different.

Being in her presence, basking in her light, seemed to spark my confidence. It felt like we were the only two people in the room. Hailey had this way of making me feel … normal . Her almond-vanilla scent hit me, and I stifled a groan.

“What’s the best part of your day?” The question came out of nowhere, and the very tips of her fingers plucked at the hem of her dress. It wasn’t the first time I’d seen her tugging on it. Did she always do that, or did she not like the dress?

I considered her question, tilting my head.

What was the best part of my day … Today? Her.

On a normal day? “Training, for sure.”

Her eyebrows rose. “Why’s that?”

“Because it’s the one thing I’m one hundred percent comfortable with, and I don’t think about anything else. When I’m on the field, I’m not just Colt, I’m number thirteen, Michaels, defensive end. Nobody cares what’s under the jersey and helmet as long as I perform.”

For a long moment, she didn’t reply, and I cursed myself in my head for blurting that shit out without thinking.

“I get it. Sucks when you don’t fit the role society assigns you.”

I nodded. This whole interaction was intoxicating. Did other guys experience this all the time? Or was it just her? The Hailey effect ? With this realization, a single thought circled in my head. If she were yours, you’d feel this way all the time.

Which was ridiculous — Hailey Brentwood would never be mine, and it was best to squash this fantasy right away. For both of our sakes, I needed to stay away.

“What about you? What’s the best part of your day?”

“Honestly? There’s not really much good about my days at the moment, pretty slim pickings. I have to go with the sunrise.”

“Why not sunset?” I shot back, eager for her answer and a glimpse into her mind.

“Because sunrise is like a new beginning. Every morning, without fail, it reappears. As if nature is giving you another shot. Sunsets are dramatic and stunning, sure, but sunrises are full of promise, and just about anything seems possible. Like a reminder that no matter how dark the night was, there will always be light again.”

Right here. This , right here, was the moment I started falling in love with Hailey Brentwood. And I never stopped.