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F O R T Y - N I N E
The door swung open, Paloma’s sorrow-filled face greeting Kate with a warm hug, “Dylan’s offered to take Floss for the night. It’s just you and I, babe. I bought chocolate and ice-cream and the caramel popcorn you like, as well as a shitload of Tylenol and pads. I didn’t know what you’d need so I just bought everything I could think of.”
Straining a smile, Kate felt the stiffness of her cheeks from dried tears. She hadn’t thought of any of the necessities and she was so thankful for Paloma’s common sense. It seemed like her own had evaded her. “Thanks, P.”
“You’ve done the same for me,” Paloma smiled, soothingly rubbing Kate’s arms as she ushered her inside. “Go and put your sweats on. I’ll get a heat pack and we can hang out and watch movies.”
As Paloma disappeared from sight, Kate meandered down the hallway, stopping at the entrance of the spare bedroom and taking a deep breath. As much as she loved her best friend, this isn’t where she wanted to be. Not really.
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Rude Awakenings F I F T Y
Clutching the railing, Colton panted frantically, desperately trying to regain his breath. Jogging had never been his thing, and he had no fucking idea why he had thought that it would be a good idea. Kate had always claimed it ‘cleared her head’ but all he felt was fucking foggy. He was sure the cigarettes had destroyed his lung capacity.After hearing Kate’s sweet voice over the phone this morning, his body had begged for a release. Not holding her in his sleep, not being able to fuck her or kiss her or smell her or taste her, not having her beside him at every turn, was sending him fucking insane. But the run had been fucking idiotic and now he just missed her even more.Soft shuffling rang out from the floor above and Colton groaned. He prayed it was the new couple that had just moved in and not the old bitch that had threatened to have him evicted. He didn’t think he was mentally capable of not accidentally pushing her down the fucking staircase.Her pink fluf
Rude Awakenings F I F T Y - O N E
The car idled beside the curb, its driver watching assiduously through a sophisticated pair of binoculars. He had purchased them years ago when he had begun bird-watching and he applauded himself for using his acquired skills from night-birding to stake out Kate. She was staying with her friend, he’d established, after a spat with her oaf of a boyfriend, making her a much easier target. The slender brunette she was bunking with would be much easier to overpower than the brute.Vibrant blue eyes narrowed as Kate exited the front door, waving goodbye to her friend and the small child lifted precariously on her hip. Even with the refined technology of his binoculars, he could only assume it was Kate. Her brown hair was hidden beneath a dark beanie, her slender frame wrapped in an oversized coat. He had been watching for a while though, assured that it was only Kate and her friend in the home. He knew how terrible Kate was with children. There was absolutely no way she’d be left a
Rude Awakenings F I F T Y - T W O
The flight of stairs seemed never-ending, the clinical smell of the hospital saturating his senses. His heart raced emphatically, desperate to reach Kate. She had finally answered his call, her voice trembling explaining the situation. Paloma and Heath had been in a car accident. She couldn’t say much else, her words trailing off into soft weeps. Colton had wanted to pick her up, to be the one to comfort her, but she told him Dylan was picking up Florence and would drive her to the hospital.Never again would she need someone else to take care of her, he swore it. No matter how bad their fighting had become, he would never leave her side again.Rounding the corner, Colton almost collided with her shaking frame. Dressed in sweats and a thick, blue sweater, her hair messy and her tan eyes red and puffy, Kate looked as beautiful as ever. Strong arms enveloped her, crushing her tremors with the firm planes of his chest.“Are they okay?”Sniffling, Kate wiped her
Rude Awakenings F I F T Y - T H R E E
It took a few days before Paloma and Heath were released from the hospital. Heath had suffered a concussion, a broken leg and a few broken ribs, but he was healing well. Paloma had been mainly unharmed, although she was knocked unconscious during the collision. Doctors had done a multitude of scans to make sure she wasn’t bleeding internally or suffering any underlying issues and had found that she was doing okay.They couldn’t remember much of the accident, only that the car had redlined as if it had been stationary before their arrival at the intersection. There had been a small crowd of witnesses at the scene but all had been unable to provide a definitive description of the perpetrator, only causing Kate’s stomach to churn in unease.Guilt had consumed her at the officer’s words. She had offered for Paloma and Heath to stay with her, but they had declined. All Paloma wanted was to spend time with Florence. The brief hospital visits hadn’t been enough. She had gratefu
Rude Awakenings F I F T Y - F O U R
Exhaustion pushed Kate into bed, her eyes flickering to her phone and noting it was only 10 pm. She had tried to stay awake for the second American Pie movie, but her body was tired and she had admitted defeat a quarter of the way through. Heath had been sleeping for the majority of the day, being lovingly spoon fed soup and pasta by Paloma as he rested, so of course, he was so wide awake that he could marathon all four movies. As Kate had made her escape, she saw Paloma curled contently in his lap, her eyes drifting closed as she watched the movie.Colton’s voice trailed down the hallway, saying goodnight before he slunk into the bedroom. Pyjama pants hung low on his hips and as he tugged off his white shirt, the delectable v of his lower abdomen was exposed, pointing straight down towards his impressive member hidden beneath the gray fabric.A pillow flew in her direction, whacking the side of her head softly as Colton laughed, “Fucking perv.”Giggles erupted fro
Rude Awakenings F I F T Y - F I V E
“I’m sorry. What did you say?” Kate squeaked, caramel eyes bulging as her mouth hung open in shock.“I said… marry me.” His voice was a whisper, husky and raw, as he ran his thumb down her cheek, “I can’t live without you. I barely got through one night without you. You make me feel things I haven’t felt before. You make me want to be a better person. You make me want to be a husband and a father, someone responsible and not living off my fuckwit father’s money.” He took a deep breath, his voice wavering as he continued, “I knew from the minute I saw you in that damn hallway, with your sweet smile and your thousands of boxes full of crap, that you were the person I was going to spend forever with, and it scared the fuck out of me. So I made sure I kept my distance, but I could never get you out of my head. Never. You had a permanent residency and it was annoying as fuck, and I tried hard to fight it, but once you let me in, I knew for sure, you are the love of my fucking life.
Rude Awakenings F I F T Y -S I X
Music blasted from Kate’s phone, her body swaying to the rapid tempo as she brushed her teeth. An amused snort echoed behind her, earning Colton a playful glare from over her shoulder. His hands quickly found her hips, kissing the side of her head lovingly as she continued to dance.“You’re in a good mood,” he murmured, the faint scent of coffee lingering on his breath.Bending forward to rinse her mouth, Kate smirked as her rear pressed into Colton’s lap. She maintained the swing of her hips to the music, giggling at the soft hiss that slipped his lips. Rising, Kate spun around, resting her palms on the slippery porcelain sink as her eyes flamed. Colton’s hands framed hers, caging her in.“What are you playing at?” he asked in curious amusement.“It’s been four weeks.”Low eyebrows creased, “Okay?”Wiggling her brows suggestively, grinning at the hard laugh that rumbled in Colton’s throat, Kate bit her lip, “The doctor gave me the all-clear to… y
Rude Awakenings F I F T Y - S E V E N
Wrapped up together between the sheets of the bed, Colton clutching Kate to his chest, her eyes lingered emotionally at the pretty ring that glimmered on her finger. She didn’t know how long they’d been lying there, but she was in no rush to move.An abrupt knock on the door interrupted that idea though. Kate frowned, checking the time on her phone, “Who would be coming over at quarter to ten in the morning?”A month ago, a random knock would’ve made her curious but not startled. The car accident however, had her constantly on edge. Every bump in the night, every phone call from an unknown number, every shuffle of footsteps outside the apartment made her nervous. She felt bad for searing permanent moon-shaped gauges in Colton’s muscular biceps.“It’s probably Paloma, or maybe Heath,” he murmured comfortingly, sweeping her hair from her face as he rose. “Don’t stress.”Slipping from the bed, Kate wrapped a robe around her pyjama-clad body, hesitating in the do
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