“Thanks.” Briana ran to her room to grab the car keys.
“What’s up, Bree?” Kara asked from the kitchen. She followed Briana into her room, noting her friend’s frantic movement.
“Who does he think he is?” she asked out loud. “He’s the one who dumped me! He has no right to act all pissed off, like we did something terrible to him.”
“What are we talking about?” Kara tried to get her attention, but she was scouring the room like a crazy person.
“Son of a bitch. Where are the keys?”
“Probably in your purse. Are you going somewhere?” Kara asked, picking up Briana’s purse and handing it to her.
“Yeah. I’m going to have it out with Colin, once and for all.”
Chapter Ten
Briana knew that Colin was staying at the apartments behind The General Store from a conversation she’d had with Rich. She just hoped that that’s where he went after he left the party. Then she pulled behind the store and saw his truck, so she parked behind it.
She stormed up the steps and pounded on the door.
It swung open as she raised her fist to knock again.
“Not now, Bree.” Colin said, swinging the door closed again.
She put her foot in the doorway and pushed the door as hard as she could, shoving past him and walking in, before turning to look at him with her hands on her hips.
“Yes, now, Colin,” she countered.
He slammed the door shut and looked down at her small angry form.
“Fine, you wanna go?” he yelled, storming past her, his arms emphasizing his words. “Let’s go.”
“No,” she turned on him, standing up on tip toe so she could get in his face. “You don’t get to be mad here, Colin. You left me, not the other way around, and I doubt you’ve been celibate for the last four years. Tell me, are you still a virgin, Colin?”
“That’s not the point, Briana, I don’t care that you’re not a virgin. I didn’t expect you to stay a virgin forever. The point is that you slept with Rich - my best friend. Or should I say, my former best friend.”
“Oh, give me a break. Rich is still your best friend. You aren’t going to let one night three years ago ruin the friendship you’ve had your whole life.”
Colin turned from her to walk over to the window.
“Colin, listen,” she pleaded, her voice softening at the look on his face. “We were both away from home for the first time. I was upset because I was still missing you and I’d heard you had started seeing someone. He was upset because he’d been riding the bench all year. We were hanging out and drinking, and it just happened. It was only once, and it was really awkward afterwards. We agreed that we only wanted to be friends, and have been ever since. Don’t be mad at him.”
Colin looked at her, his heart heavy and jealousy coursing through his veins. “What about you, should I be mad at you?”
She felt her blood start to rise again, angry that he was trying to make her feel guilty when she had no reason to be.
“I don’t care if you’re mad at me or not, but it would sure be hypocritical of you, now wouldn’t it?”
He sighed loudly. “What did you come here for, Bree? Go back to your boyfriend and leave me be.”
“I don’t have a boyfriend,” she retorted. “I haven’t had the stomach for one since you left.”
Colin took a step closer. “That Kent guy isn’t your boyfriend?”
“No,” she responded. “Look, I came here because I was pissed that you got mad at us. You have no reason to be mad. I don’t get why you are. You’re the one who left. You didn’t want me then, so why do you care now?”
With that she whirled towards the door. She only made it a couple steps before Colin grabbed her arm and whirled her back. He walked her quickly backwards until she was stopped by the door.
Before she could register what was happening, she was flat against the door. His mouth was on hers.
She didn’t think, she just reacted.
Her hands came up around his neck. His fastened under her bottom and lifter her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist, to get stabilized, then met his hot, hungry mouth with her own.
They kissed frantically, as if they had been starved for the contact. When his mouth left hers to trail kisses down her throat, her head fell back to allow him better access. As he licked his way back up to her mouth, she groaned loudly and he paused to look at her.
“Wanting you was never the problem,” he stated, eyes black with need. Then he dove back in and began to drive her slowly crazy.
Her whole body thrummed with need and desire. She rocked against him, reveling in the fact that his body responded to her in a way that it never had before.
Suddenly, the door was no longer at her back as he turned and carried her through the rooms to his bed, his mouth never leaving hers. Once they got to his bed, he laid her down and stayed on top of her in one swift motion.
Prone on the bed, she had the ability to use her trembling hands to explore his rock hard body. She quickly drew his shirt over his head, but when he inhaled deeply and reached for her shirt, she put her hand on top of his to stop him from undressing her.
“I’m not ready for this.” Briana looked up at him from beneath full lashes, trying to catch her breath as she spoke.
Colin kneeled back on the bed, running his hands over his face and through his hair. He closed his eyes and nodded, then opened them with a smile.
“Okay.” He moved around on the bed so he could lie next to her, picking up her hand and lacing his fingers through hers. “We’ll do this on your terms, Bree.”
He laid back and patted his chest. She scooted over and placed her head over his racing heart and smiled. He traced his fingers over her shoulder and arm. She dozed off reveling in the smell and feel of him.
Briana opened her eyes to Colin’s face peaceful with sleep. She realized that she hadn’t seen him look this peaceful since he’d come back home.
She felt a rush of sadness for him that he’d fallen short of his childhood dream. For as long as she’d known him, football had been his life. It was as much a part of him as breathing. She’d loved his dedication to the sport and the fulfillment that it had given him.
She smiled as she remembered Colin and Rich at the first pep rally of his senior year. They had been in front of the entire school, pumped up for their game. Colin was named Captain of the team, and Briana had never been so proud.
Now, she enjoyed having the opportunity to really look at him. They’d never spent the night together, so she’d never seen him look this vulnerable. It tugged at something inside of her, something she’d tried for years to contain.
He began to shift and stretch, then he opened his eyes. He blinked, as if to focus, and when he shifted his hand, it touched her leg, causing him to turn his head towards her.
His face blossomed and his dimples flashed.
“Good morning,” he said softly, his voice still rough with sleep.
“Good morning.” She smiled back at him, caught up in the moment.
“I’m happy that you’re here,” he said, bringing his hand up to sweep the hair from her face.
“Me too,” she admitted.
“I’ve missed you.”
Briana didn’t say anything to that. She wasn’t ready to delve too deep into their relationship.
“What happened? With football?” she asked softly
“It was the last game of the season and I got hit. Hard. I went down wrong and messed up my knee pretty bad again. The doctor said that I have to stop playing, or I’ll have permanent damage. So that’s it. No more ball, well at least no more ball as a player.”
“Does that mean you’re thinking about still being involved with football, but in another capacity?”
“Yeah. Rich and I were just talking about this actually, and I’ve been doing some research online. I was thinking about trying to coach.” Colin’s eyes shone with excitement as he spoke. “I’d have to star
t as an assistant, but it would be great to still have the opportunity to be part of a team.”
Briana couldn’t help but be excited for him, but that also meant that his time here would be short-lived.
“That’s great. Have you said anything to you folks?”
“Nah, not yet. I know Dad will be disappointed. He was pretty happy when I came home, and he loves the idea of me running the store, but I know that ultimately they both want what’s best for me.” Colin brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it gently. “What about you? What happened at A & M?”
Briana felt the familiar regret when she answered.
“You’ve heard the story before: girl goes to college, girl doesn’t go to class as much as she should, and doesn’t do well when she does. Girl doesn’t get good enough grades to keep her financial aid, so girl returns home with her tail between her legs.”
“Hey,” he said, lifting her face so that he could look in her eyes. “Don’t do that. You’re not just any girl. You’re smart, capable, and confident. Sometimes shit happens, but you’re great.”
She smiled at him, then leaned in to kiss him softly on the lips.
“Thanks. I’ve been thinking about going back to school,” she admitted shyly. “Not back to university, but to culinary school.”
“Really? That’s wonderful.”
“Yeah, there’s one in Austin that I’ve been looking at.”
“You should do it, Bree. You’ll be great.”
“I’ve been saving up and my mom said she’d pay half, so I should have the money soon. I’ve been putting together the application.”
“How is your mother?” he asked with a grin. He and her mother had always been very fond of each other.
“She’s great. She moved with Ray, her new husband, out to a farm about thirty miles away. I don’t get to see her as often as I’d like, but I’m planning on heading out there this weekend.”
“I’m glad she’s happy. She deserves it.” Colin and Briana had just started dating when Briana’s father died of a brain aneurysm rupture. He’d passed away in his sleep. It had been a total shock for Briana and her mother. Colin had been a wonderful source of support for them both, and Briana would always love him for that.
Her heart swelled at the memory and her eyes started to fill. She leaned in to kiss him again, with more force and feeling this time. It didn’t take much coaxing before Colin was resting on top of her, the weight of him causing the rest of her body to come alive.
The morning passed too quickly, and before she knew it, Briana had to leave so she could get some errands done before work that night.
Colin walked her to the door, his jeans unbuttoned and slung low on his hips.
She took a moment to appreciate the sight and feel of him before tearing herself away and reaching for the door handle.
“Will you go out with me Friday night?” he asked before she walked out the door.
She turned and looked up at him, “Like on a date?”
“Yes. I’ll pick you up and we can go to dinner, or whatever you’d like.” He looked so unsure of her answer that she couldn’t help the smile that blossomed on her face.
“I’d like that,” she replied. “But I’m leaving early on Saturday to go to my Mom’s house, so it can’t be a really late night.”
“No problem,” Colin said, grinning widely, his eyes sparkling with pleasure. “I’ll pick you up at six.”
“Okay, I’ll see you then.” She leaned in for a quick kiss, but paused before turning to go. “Go easy on Rich, all right? He loves you.”
Colin just nodded as she walked away.
Chapter Eleven
Colin walked into work the next day with a skip in his step and a smile on his face. He was excited at the prospect of his date that evening with Bree, and hoped to continue to rebuild her trust in him.
He was heading towards the back room when he noticed Rich at the counter talking with a pretty blonde as he made a sundae. He knew that they needed to talk, but figured it best to have it out after Rich was done with his customers.
When he got to the back office he booted up the computer and checked his email. He deleted all of the spam and random giveaways, but paused, when he saw an email from his ex.
He’d met Shawn during Greek Week. Her sorority was having a rush party and he and some of the team were out hitting up all of the parties on Greek Row.
Shawn was definitely beautiful; there was no question about that. So when she pursued him, he hadn’t put up a fight.
She made it pretty clear that she liked the fact that he was on the team and she enjoyed the perks and status that went along with dating him. He was totally focused on football and wasn’t looking for a serious relationship, so she’d suited him just fine.
It didn’t take long after he was injured, before it became apparent that his career in football was over, or for her to break off their relationship and move on.
It had hurt his pride a bit, especially on the tail-end of losing his dream of playing career ball, but there were no lasting effects.
When he saw her email address pop up in his inbox, he opened it with mild curiosity, figuring she had a question or something. When it said that she really wanted to see him, he deleted it without replying.
When he was finished in the office, he stood to go on the floor and was met by Rich coming in the back. Rich looked nervous and unsure, so Colin spoke first.
“Hey, man. I’m sorry about the other night, I was outta line.”
Rich looked relieved, but still said guiltily, “No. You had every right to be mad. I slept with your ex, and that is totally against man-code.”
“Rich, we’d been broken up for a year. Don’t sweat it. I shouldn’t have gotten so upset, but when you guys admitted that you’d been together, I was totally jealous. It was my gut reaction.”
“It’s understandable. She was your girl and I’m your best friend. You’re like a brother to me, man. It never should have happened.”
“Bree explained everything to me, so no hard feelings, all right?” Colin pulled Rich in for a quick hug, then looked at him with a smile. “Let’s just never talk about it again, okay?”
Rich grinned back, “Deal.”
The day went by pretty quickly, and at exactly six o’clock, Colin knocked on Briana’s door.
His breath caught when he took in her short skirt that billowed around her sexy legs. She looked fresh and beautiful as she greeted him with a smile.
He leaned in to kiss her cheek and said, “You look amazing,” which caused her smile to widen.
He held her hand as they walked down the stairs to his car. “Thanks for agreeing to go out with me, Bree.”
She stopped for a moment and said, “This is the only second chance you’re going to get, Colin. Don’t disappoint me.”
His stomach fluttered at her words, and he hoped that he wouldn’t.
“I won’t.”
When they got to the restaurant, he walked around to open her door and offered his hand in assistance.
“Thank you, Sir,” she said with a giggle. She tried to keep her skirt down as she got out of the truck.
“Anytime, Ma’am,” he replied, playing along.
She smiled as they walked up to the entrance. “You remembered that I love seafood.”
“I remember everything, Bree,” he assured her as he opened the door.
When they were escorted to their table, he pulled out Briana’s seat for her, then sat across from her. Her delighted grin made him happy that he’d been taking care to be a gentleman for her.
They ordered their food and caught up as they nibbled on spinach dip.
“So,” Briana began, “how are your parents doing?”
“They seem happier than they’ve ever been,” he answered. “Mom started playing tennis and has made a beautiful garden in their yard. She’s taking more time for herself, since I’m out of the house, which is really good for her. Since she’s so happy, that make
s Dad happy. They’re going out on date nights now and everything.”
“That’s wonderful. They’re such a great couple. I’ve always looked up to them for that,” Briana admitted. “When I get married, I hope my marriage is as great as theirs.”
“Me, too,” Colin replied, reaching over the table to hold her hand. “I know I’ve said this already, but I’ve really missed you, Bree.”
She looked down at the joined hands and then back up into his dark eyes.
“I’m sure you’ve had plenty of company over the last few years,” she said softly, not voicing the question that was apparent in her face.
“I’m not going to lie and say that I didn’t date after we broke up. I kept things pretty casual for the most part, but I did have one girlfriend while I was in school. It was more of a status thing. We liked each other, but we weren’t in love. It was nothing like my relationship with you, Bree. You’re the only girl that I’ve ever been in love with.”
Briana blushed at that, and couldn’t help the smile that formed at his words. She’d always assumed that he’d see other girls while he was a way, and she’d figured that unlike her, he would have another relationship. But she couldn’t help the uneasy feeling that came with hearing he’d had another girlfriend.
“What happened?” she asked. “Why’d you break up?”
“She was only interested in dating me because I played football and was getting scouted. Once I got injured, there was nothing that I could do to help her get what she wanted.”
“That sucks,” she said, getting angry on his behalf. “She sounds like a terrible person.”
Colin chuckled at her reaction. “Nah, she’s not that bad,” he replied. “Like I said, we knew what our relationship was, so the only thing that was injured when she dumped me was my pride.”
Briana squeezed his hand, then let it go when their food arrived and they both began to eat.
They talked a bit more while they ate, catching up on things they’d missed in each other’s lives since they’d last spoken. As they waited for the waiter to return with their bill, Briana talked to him about Pete’s love for Kara.