Loyal

Chapter 14

Vera's POV

Colin lifts me, carrying me like a child, the backs of my knees draping over his forearms, my back against the other. I'm reminded of my drunken night, and the hazy images in my mind of him carrying me out of the car and into my apartment building.

            "I need my clothes!" I exclaim. Colin keeps walking from the kitchen, his bare feet padding against the wooden floor.

            "You can wear mine," he says. I feel us walking up stairs. His house is large, beautiful, but bare. I can tell he doesn't spend a lot of time here. The idea makes me sad. He has no family.

            "You aren't here a lot, are you?" I press. Colin shakes his head no, as we make our way down a long hallway.

            "I spend more time at my apartment downtown than here," he says quietly. I nod my head.

            "That's the bachelor pad, huh?" I ask. Colin doesn't answer. "My grandmother would have loved this house, absolutely adored it," I say quietly.

            "Yeah? Is she in Seattle too?" he asks. I nod.

                        "She's buried there," I smile weakly. Colin pauses as we turn into a room. He lays me onto soft bedding.

            "I'm sorry, I saw the picture of you and a woman who looked like your grandmother on your door, I didn't know...." he doesn't finish.

            "Yeah, she passed away a year ago. She raised me, my parents were never really around," I say.

            "Mine too," Colin says quietly, lying beside me.

                        "I do have a lot of family though, aunts and uncles, cousins. They all supported my move here, but I don't want them to worry about me anymore," I say. Colin reaches forward, his thumb stroking my bottom lip. I shiver.

            "Let me get you something to wear," he says. He jumps up, still completely naked. I giggle at the sight of him. Colin Kaepernick is running around naked, to find me something to wear. This can't be real.

            Colin returns in boxers, holding up a baggy San Francisco t-shirt. He hands it to me, and I grab it, pulling it over my head.

            "Why thank you Mr. Kaepernick," I laugh. He sits beside me on the bed, his face inches from mine.

            "I meant what I said that night at the charity dinner. When I said I want to get to know you," Colin says. I close my eyes. I have to be dreaming. Am I dreaming? I open my eyes and he's still there.

            "Why me?" I ask. The thought of me being here with him seems too good to be true. What just happened moments later, completely unreal. I have never let my guard down like this, or given into such raw emotions ever. This man is having an effect on me, and it's driving me crazy. Colin sits up, clasping my hand in his. My hand is so tiny compared to his.

            "You're different. You care about people, really care. I see how you are with Leah, and her aunt. I see how loving and caring you are. A lotta the girls around here aint like that. And to be honest, I really can't stop thinking about you," he says quietly, running a hand across his head.

            "I....," I don't know what to say. Colin stands up, walking towards the window.

                        "I know you think I'm self-centered and materialistic," he says quietly, arms crossed as he looks out of the window onto his lawn.