Colton’s body was shaking. Vida raised her head to find that he was silently laughing down at her.
“Are you laughing at me?” she asked in disbelief.
“Kind of.”
“Why?” The last thing a woman wanted to hear was the man she just had sex with laughing.
“Baby, you’re every man’s fantasy. Not only do you fuck like you can’t get enough of my dick, but you talk dirty. A man couldn’t ask for more.”
“A woman could,” Vida responded.
“I couldn’t give you more right now if someone put a gun to my head,” Colton joked, pulling her forward until he softly kissed her lips. “Thank you.”
Vida knew what he was thanking her for. “You’re welcome.”
“Feel like getting a tattoo?”
Vida thought at first he was joking, but she actually did. “Yes, I never want to forget tonight.”
“I think I know exactly the tattoo. Get dressed.” Colton helped her off his lap.
Vida tried not to look worried when she remembered they hadn’t worn a condom. “I always wore a condom with the other women, Vida. I swear I wouldn’t put your health at risk,” he said when Vida couldn’t hide her worry.
“I believe you. Luckily, I’m on the pill because I cramp so bad when I’m on my period.” Colton didn’t look happy at her news. “I thought you would be relieved there wouldn’t be a chance of me getting pregnant.” Colton shrugged, pulling on his jeans.
“I wouldn’t have been upset. I like kids.”
“I do, too.” Vida carried her clothes into the bathroom across the hall from Colton’s room. Cleaning herself, she then dressed before coming back into his room. She found him sitting on his stool, ready to start.
Vida sat down in the chair. “Give me your hand,” Colton demanded, holding out his own.
Vida placed her hand in his. He turned it over, wiping down the back of her wrist before he began outlining the tattoo. This time, Vida had a clear view of how he worked.
“Don’t you get tired of giving tattoos?” Vida asked curiously.
“No, it relaxes me. I enjoy doing it. Trying to come up with designs for people that I’ve just met is challenging.”
“What’s the worst tattoo you’ve ever given?”
Colton worked steadily. “Max. He kept bugging me to give him a big tattoo on his back. Wanted it to cover his whole back. I kept putting him off, but one night he finally wore me down and I tatted him.”
“What did you do?”
“Well, we both were drunk. I thought I had done quite a bit of work, but we both must have passed out. We woke up the next day and he came to my room to show me what I had tatted on him.”
“What was it?”
“A tramp stamp.”
“You didn’t.” Vida giggled.
“I did.” The man went fucking crazy on me. I barely managed to escape with my life. He wouldn’t even let me touch him to do the cover up. He got another artist to do it for him.”
“He seemed so easy going. I can’t imagine him that angry.”
“Baby, they call him Max. That’s his nickname,” Colton explained.
“It isn’t much of one. The nickname Max is kind of boring.”
“Think about it. Max, as in, “Mad Max”.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah. He gave me a black eye that lasted a good month, not to mention he destroyed my room.”
“Wow.”
“Don’t piss him off,” Colton warned.
“I won’t.”
Colton worked steadily for an hour before he finished, wiping down her wrist with a clean cloth. He scooted his stool back to watch her reaction.
“What do you think?”
Vida looked down at the back of her wrist. Tears clogged her throat. Blue forget-me-nots. There were vines twined down, buried in the flowers. You could see three names; Sawyer, Callie and Colton.
He had given her his name twice now. Vida knew he was telling her how much she meant to him.
“I couldn’t think of one single thing more perfect than this night, Colton. Every time I look at this, I’ll remember everyone I love.”
Callie’s name and the flowers together had a trace of a memory stirring.
“What’s wrong?” Colton took her wrist, wrapping it carefully.
“I don’t know.” Vida frowned. “Last night, Briggs told me Sawyer had been taken because of our connection to King. Colton, other than my mother working for him, there is no connection. I don’t understand.”
She could tell it wasn’t the first time he had heard the same comment. “When I starting asking around, I found out the same thing, Vida. King had a protection order out on both you and Sawyer. After his sister, only someone determined to provoke King would have touched either of you.”
“I don’t understand.” Vida watched Colton clean his room.
“There has to be something we’re missing. Let’s go. It’s late, and you need some food and sleep.”
She nodded, automatically following him as they left.
On the ride home, Vida did nothing other than try to think about King, searching her mind and coming up blank.
Colton fixed their dinner while Vida showered.
She worried that something she had forgotten might hurt Sawyer’s safety. Vida washed her hair, wanting desperately for this whole mess to be over, but a deep, dark fear was growing inside of her, warning her it was just beginning.
Chapter Eighteen
Vida woke the next morning to find Colton sound asleep. They had gone to bed after dinner. Vida had tried to make up the couch, however Colton had convinced her with several smoldering kisses that sharing his bed was the more pleasurable option.
Her sore body told her that she needed a hot shower. Quietly, not wanting to wake Colton, she went into the shower where the hot water soothed her aching muscles. Running the soapy sponge over her body, Vida jumped when the shower door opened unexpectedly.
“Colton, get out.” Vida tried to turn away.
Colton ignored her protests, coming into the shower to stand behind her.
“Son-of-a-bitch. That water is hot,” Colton grumbled.
“Then get out,” Vida ordered.
“Baby, I’ve seen and touched everything you have last night. Why so shy about taking a shower with me?”
“A shower is private.”
“There’s nothing private anymore. I am going to learn everything about you and you’re going to learn everything about me.”
“I don’t know if I want you to learn all my secrets.” Vida turned so the water could wash away the soap.
“Don’t get your tat wet,” Colton warned. His hand on her ass enforced his message.
Vida jumped, throwing him a dirty look. He grinned back, reaching out to take away the soapy sponge and running it over her body.
“I’ve already washed,” she protested.
“I think you missed a spot.” Colton’s hand went between her legs where the soft sponge brushed against her tender pussy. Vida was unable to prevent herself from spreading her legs wider when he rubbed harder against her clit. Reaching out, she braced a hand against his shoulder as she felt herself getting more excited from the friction he created. Looking downward, she saw his cock hard and slick.
“Colton...”
He shook his head. “You’re too sore.” Denying her made her want him more.
“Please, Colton. I need you.” She took his cock in her hand, stroking him slowly at first then building her speed until he had to brace a hand on the shower wall. Her hand fell away.
“Come here.” Colton’s restraint broke,
Pushing her up against the shower wall, he raised one of her legs to his hips. His cock pierced her with one hard thrust. The exquisite pain had Vida biting down on his shoulder.