Snow in Texas

Chapter Fourteen: Jenny. Colin.

Fourteen

Jenny

It was no easy task walking through the clubhouse with a six-four Cajun trying to hold onto her. Their trip from the picnic table to his dorm was one of those handsy, shuffling, awkward progressions that so often plagued the lines at county fairs. Colin caught her around the waist in the common room, whispered something French against the back of her neck that sounded incredibly dirty, even if she didn't know the words. She gasped, hands clenching over his at her waist. She should have known, especially given his brother's penchant for the language, but it was still the kind of pleasant shock that made her shiver.

"You speak French?" she whispered.

"Oui, mademoiselle."

They needed to move faster. And not just because one of the guys could stagger into the room and find them at any minute.

They reached his dorm, he fumbled with the key, and then they were in, the cramped dark room folding around them. Jenny heard the lock engage.

Her breath caught.

Shit, this was happening. And it didn't matter that she wanted it, or that her heart was racing with anticipation. It had been seven years, and she was nervous, suddenly. That afternoon on the side of the road, it had been too hurried and instinctual for the worry to set it. But now...

The lights came on with a soft click. Warm, muted yellow light. Shadows in the corners. Safe on its face; just like all the other dorms; like the dorm where Riley had crammed a dirty sock in her mouth and tied her wrists...

She shook her head.

"Change your mind?" Colin asked, and he sounded disappointed, but not surprised.

She turned to him...

And froze.

Colin had shed his cut and stood before her in his jeans and a plain white t-shirt that clung to...everything. Men spent thousands of dollars in gym memberships to look like him. Tall, dark, broad-shouldered, defined...he looked nothing like Riley, and with nothing more than his presence, he wiped her ex from her mind.

"No," she said quietly. "Definitely not that."

He gave her a tentative half-smile and took one large step toward her. "No?"

She smiled back. "No."

Another step and he was right in front of her, and she had to tilt her head back to maintain eye contact. "It's been a while, hasn't it?" he asked, dark eyes sparkling because he'd already figured the answer.

She sighed and nodded.

"Then you'll be glad to hear I've practiced a lot."

A startled laugh left her lips, and that was when his arms went around her and he kissed her.

They'd already had a taste of one another, so the shock was this new twist, the way he took his time exploring her mouth, tongue dancing against hers. Jenny closed her eyes and softened all over, letting herself fall into the magic spell of it, the perfect melting that came with kissing a talented man.

Time and self-consciousness slid away. Jenny tangled her hands in the front of his shirt and wanted to tear it off of him. It was suddenly essential to see what had been hiding under his clothes. She needed to lay hands to it.

She didn't realize Colin had been walking her backward until her legs hit the edge of the bed. She sat down, surprised and dismayed when their lips came apart.