Tempted

Chapter 2

Colt

I lead Taylor inside the ice cream shop, my hand resting against the small of her back. I wish I could shield her from the mistakes of my past. But tonight some random girl in a parking lot had forced it to the present. Thank God Taylor brushed it off. She took a second to breathe, squeezing her eyes shut before getting out of the car, like she was giving herself a pep talk, and I loved her for it.

We place our order and wait in line to pay. Taylor’s open mouth and tongue licking at her melting ice cream cone is more than a little distracting. I realize I’m holding up the line, just standing there starring at her. I tear my gaze away from Taylor and her mouth. The cashier is a blonde, her hair tied up in braided pigtails. There’s something familiar about her. Oh shit. As we weave forward in line, a sinking feeling develops in my stomach.

I’m half tempted to give Taylor the cash to pay and duck out of line, but I can’t work up the courage. Maybe she won’t recognize me, but I know I slept with the blonde-haired cashier. Taylor’s at my side happily licking at her ice cream cone oblivious to my torment. Fuck that’s distracting. “Do you want to get us a table while I pay?”

She shakes her head. “I don’t think we have time. We need to get back to the theatre for the movie.”

I say a silent prayer and step up to pay.

The girl doesn’t make eye contact, just tallies up our order, punching keys on the cash register. “Two small cones. That’ll be four dollars.”

When she looks up and meets my eyes, she sucks in a breath and stumbles back a step. “Colt?”

I attempt an innocent smile. “Hello.”

Her eyes flick from mine over to Taylor’s. Taylor’s eyes widen. Shit. She’s stopped eating her ice cream and her blue eyes find mine. I hate knowing I disappoint her. The three of us stand there in an awkward stare off. The girl stares at me, shooting daggers with her eyes. Taylor stares at her feet and I’m watching Taylor, praying she can find it in her heart to forgive me twice within as many minutes. A second later, Taylor mumbles that she’ll wait in the car and heads for the door. Shit. Real smooth, Colt. That’s twice now I’ve fucked up tonight. But I have no clue how to handle these situations. This is entirely new to me.

I hand the girl the cash and dash out after Taylor without waiting for my change.

“Taylor, wait.” I jog over to her.

She’s standing with her back to me, her ice cream cone melting in her hand.

“Did you have sex with that girl?” she asks in a small voice, still facing away from me.

Mt stomach sinks. “Yeah, I did. But it meant nothing.”

“Why didn’t you introduce me?” she asks.

Oh. That’s what she’s mad about? That I didn’t introduce her as my girlfriend? “I, um, don’t remember her name.”

She spins around to face me. “You’re a real asshole, you know that?” She pokes a finger into my chest.

I nod, coyly. “I know. I was lost before you and trying to fill the void, but you’re the one I want now. You’re everything to me and I hate disappointing you. Forgive me, please?” I drop to my knees in front of her right in the parking lot. I probably look like a complete douche bag, but I don’t care I’ll do whatever it takes to make her smile again.

One corner of her mouth lifts up, but her eyes are still guarded. Her ice cream cone is melting and the chocolate is beginning to run down her hand. I lift her hand to my mouth and lick the steam of chocolate from her fingers, watching her expression. I just want to get her to laugh, to forget about all this shit and enjoy herself.

She smashes the ice cream cone in my face, leaving my mouth and chin wet with sticky sweet chocolate. I lick my lips, but the effort is futile. “Feel better?”

She giggles. “Yes, I do actually.”

“Good.” I stand up and fish the napkins from my pocket, cleaning up.

She happily licks at the ice cream cone that’s now flattened from my face.

When we pull up to the movie theatre, I’m almost afraid to go inside, unsure of who else I might know in there. I never realized what a small town this was. Maybe the next time I take Taylor out, we’ll venture a few towns over just to be safe.

I breathe a sigh of relief when I spot a pimply-faced kid at the box office. I sure as shit don’t know him. After buying our tickets, Taylor goes to the concession stand and looks longingly at the popcorn. I slid up behind her. “Can I get you some popcorn?” I whisper.

“It’s okay, I don’t need it.”

I drop my voice an octave lower. “I want to feed it to you. Plus you’ll need your energy for later.”

“Later?” she squeaks.

I nod.

“Large popcorn with butter,” I say to the kid behind the counter.

We make it through the movie without any more unwelcome incidents. Taylor’s braver than I am when it comes to scary movies. I’d hoped she’d be balled up on my lap, burying her head in my chest at the gory parts, but she’d just laugh and throw a handful of popcorn into her mouth. It was adorable. But it left me craving some closeness between us.

The credits begin to roll and I stretch, leaning over to her. “Did you like it?”

She nods, smiling. “Yeah. Thanks for the movie date.” She kisses me once quickly. Her lips are salty and buttery from the popcorn. Yum.

I escort her to the lobby, my arm slung over her shoulders. She makes a stop at the restroom and I stand outside, waiting for her.

“Colt Palmer?” a female voice behind me asks.

Oh not again. I need to get rid of whoever this is before Taylor comes back.

I spin around to a leggy red head in a denim skirt so short it barely covers the important parts. Recognition strikes. This is the red head from earlier this summer, right before I met Taylor. I struggle to remember her name. Anna? Abby?

She grins at me. “Amber. Remember?”

Oh I remember. I remember her screaming out my name and her red hair a wild mess. I shake the thought away.

“Yeah. Hi.” I glance to the bathroom door. Still no sign of Taylor.

“Why didn’t you call me?”

Had she given me her number? I don’t remember. I thought it was just a one-time thing.

She leans in closer, her voice a soft purr near my ear. “You were so fucking good. I wouldn’t mind a repeat of that night.”

Taylor clears her throat next to us.

Holy shit. Taylor! Her face is beat red, her hands balled into fists at her side.

I take a step back from Amber, pulling Taylor closer in to my side. She quickly shrugs out of my grasp. “Amber, this is Taylor.” Would I get points for introducing them?

Amber sticks out her hand toward Taylor. I have no idea what Taylor is going to do next, but she looks like she wants to punch someone, preferably me.

Taylor returns the handshake. “I’m the girlfriend.”

Amber snickers. “I’m the girl he slept with this summer.”

“This summer?” Taylor goes pale.

“Oh, sorry,” Amber says with mock innocence. “How long have you two been dating?”

Taylor turns and rushes for the doors.

“Thanks a lot,” I say to Amber.

She shrugs, looking pleased with herself. Her revenge for me not calling her, I guess.

I rush out after Taylor. She stands against my car, tears freely streaming down her cheeks. “Don’t.” She holds up a hand, preventing me from coming any closer. I unlock her door and open it for her without a word. She slips inside and leans her head back against the seat.

I climb in next to her and pull away. The silence in the car is deafening. “You just need to know I was with her before I even met you – I know she made it sound different, but I promise you, Taylor.”

“Oh you promise me,” she says, sarcasm dripping from her voice. “Just like you promised them that’d you call? Your promises mean nothing. How can I trust you, Colt?”

I stay quiet. She has a point.

“Maybe I want a boyfriend that hasn’t already slept with half the town. Is this going to be what it’s like when we go out? Because I can’t handle this.”