Splintered Heart

November 1, 2020

Startling awake I shot straight up in bed, clutching a sheet to me, covering my naked chest. Looking next to me I say Colton, sleeping on his stomach, head facing me while his arms were by his sides. It was a weird sleeping position to say the least.

Flashbacks of last night raced through my head. It had been amazing. As soon as a soft smile played on my lips, the guilt flooded in.

Brandon had been dead for nearly five years, but this still felt like a betrayal.

I needed to get out of here. Now.

Kicking the sheets off I wasn't even trying to be quiet as I wrestled my way in to my pants, unable to even get them over my ankles.

"Hey, slow down." Colton was out of bed and by my side, hands on my wrists as he steadied me. "What's wrong?"

I was still naked, but too ashamed at my actions to even be bothered by it. Unable to speak I let the tears fall, powerless to stop the tears that were falling.

If he hadn't been thinking of this as a one night stand before, he definitely was now. Who would willingly deal with this level of crazy?

"Hey," he said softly, bending his knees so his face was level with mine as he brushed the tears away. "Give me a second," he said, taking the clothes, I was holding in a death grip, out of my hand and guiding me so I was sitting on the bed again.

Disappearing through the bathroom door I waited for him to come back with silent tears rolling down my cheeks. When he came back he was in a t-shirt and sweatpants holding more clothes in his hand. "Thought these might be more comfortable," he said quietly while pulling a t-shirt over my head. My mouth fell open slightly as he knelt in front of me, pulling on a pair of woman's sweats. "They're my sister's," he said quickly. Furrowing my brows I looked at him disbelievingly. "Seriously. Last time the boys were here they started a food fight." Again, I looked at him questioningly. "Okay, I may have instigated it," he admitted sheepishly. "But she was covered in food by the time we were done. She started stashing clothes here after that. I don't have a parade of women coming over here leaving clothes behind. I'm not that kind of guy." When he was finished he had the pants pulled over my knees before backing away, standing close as I stood and pulled them up, but he kept his eyes focused on mine. He didn't even take advantage and try and ogle me while I was naked in his bedroom.

I was back to swooning.

"Why don't we have some coffee and you can tell me what's going on?" He offered. Biting my lip I contemplated my options. Memories of how good he'd felt last night came back again. And I didn't mean just sexually. The way he'd spoken to me, listening about Brandon and not judging that I still hadn't moved on.

"Okay." I followed him downstairs, noticing how nice his house was. I'd been a little preoccupied last night.

"Milk or sugar?"

"You probably don't have pumpkin spice or peppermint mocha creamer do you?" I asked with a hint of teasing in my voice. To my surprise he pulled not one but both out of his fridge.

"My sister demands seasonal creamers whenever she comes over. You'd think me watching her kids once a month overnight and once a week after school would be enough, but apparently if I don't have the right creamer, the good deeds I do go punished," he said sarcastically, making me chuckle.

"Is she older or younger?"

"Jo is three years older than I am. She has three sons who are seven, six, and four."

"You speak like you love them very much."

"I do," he said. "Their dad is my best friend. Has been all my life. He's been in love with my sister for as long as I can remember. I never thought he stood a chance. But the day he turned eighteen he convinced her to go on a date with him. They've been together ever since."