Flipping open the plastic container Kate had packed for him, Colton laughed. Veggie sticks and hummus, sandwiches, and a slightly-nibbled muffin were tucked neatly in the confines, along with a note telling him how much she loved him. The tight squeeze in his chest served as a constant reminder of how fucking deeply he loved this woman.Tugging his phone from his pocket, he typed out a message; You’re the best thing in my life. I love the fucking shit out of you. The image of Kate reading it - tinted cheeks and nipped in lower lip - had him involuntarily smiling like a fucking fool.“Cute lunch. Looks like something mom would pack me in third grade.”Snapping from his haze, Colton’s eyes narrowed on the brunette standing in front of him. Carissa, Clara, Cameron… fuck if he could remember. Her confidence faltered at his evident disdain, but she recuperated quickly, adjusting her top to reveal an inappropriate amount of clea

Bruce Springsteen blasted from the jukebox, rainbow lights flashing around its perimeter in tempo, as the clatter of pool balls mingled with the chattering of guests. Colton pushed through the crowd, muttering incoherently about the number of people gathering near the entrance, while clasping Kate’s hand; his thumb brushing sweet lines against her knuckles. Scanning each crowded booth, he grumbled, finally locating Paloma and Heath at the furthest one from the door. It was easy to miss them; their faces attached together in a passionate embrace. Colton rolled his eyes, striking Heath’s arm before sliding into the faded, red booth. Draping his arm across Kate’s exposed shoulders, absentmindedly toying with the lacy hem of her off-the-shoulder sleeve, he cleared his throat. “Have some dignity. You’re in a public place.”Wiping the smear of red lipstick from Heath’s mouth, Paloma shook her head in amusement. “Did you guys fuck in a

Dropping her bag on the table by the front door, Kate kicked off her shoes, watching them fly in different directions; one landing beside the sofa, the other by the television. Colton slipped in through the opening behind her, stumbling onto the sofa and flicking on the TV. Rolling her eyes, Kate locked the door, averting his reaching grasp as she moved toward the bathroom.“It’s only 9:30,” he whined. “You’re not going to bed, are you?”Shutting herself in the tiled confines, Kate took in a deep breath, enjoying the fleeting silence. Colton’s loud, aggravated groan reverberated from the lounge-room, the heavy clomp of black boots testing their wooden floors. Kate pitied their downstairs neighbor; the boots exacerbating his usual stomp. Hurriedly stripping, she turned on the faucet, thankful for the near-instantaneous expulsion of warm water as she jumped in.The door flung open, Colton’s broad physique taking up m

“What’s the occasion?” Kate called out, touching up the few curls around her face that had loosened in her haste to get ready. She stared in the mirror, adjusting the twirled straps of her low-cut, burgundy dress. She’d bought it on a whim online but it revealed more cleavage than she would’ve liked, and she self-consciously pulled at the fabric in an attempt to cover up a touch more. The flowy material fell just past her knee, a deep red that swirled and bloomed with every slight movement she made. Readjusting her top once more, she flicked curled hair over her shoulder and slipped in a pair of gold hoops.The banging and clanging in the bathroom ceased, the door clicking open. “He does this shit every yea… holy shit.” Colton’s grumbles petered off, the new found rasp making Kate’s stomach erupt in an avalanche of butterflies. Her eyes met his in the reflection of the mirror, heart fluttering at the sight of his wa

Checking his watch, Colton respired. 11:30 could not come fast enough. Billy had told him not to worry about coming back after the appointment, and he couldn’t wait to surprise Kate – maybe take her to a movie or out for dinner. He’d been unable to concentrate on much else the whole morning, even getting knocked on his ass by a smarmy teen in the self-defense class. The little twat had been so goddamn snide; it had taken him every ounce of strength he had not to belt the smirk off his pimply face. The last twenty minutes of that class was the only time that morning that he hadn’t stared at the clock. He made sure that little shit was his partner for every demonstration, and he made sure that he used a little more force than necessary every time. But as soon as Chad, the fucking prick, left the building, he was right back to watching the second hand tick by ridiculously slow. He knew the appointment was just a preliminary check-up, a quick once over to make su