"I have another present for you," Colt said sleepily as they were dozing off.

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah. But you have to wait 'til tonight," he answered with a yawn.

Dana frowned and wrinkled her nose. "That's not fair."

"Life's not fair. Can you set the alarm for six for me, babe?"

"Yes, dear," she said groggily, but secretly pleased he'd called her babe. Dana leaned over to grab the little alarm clock on her nightstand and quickly set it.

When she laid back down, he wrapped his arm around her waist. "Goodnight, Dana," he kissed her shoulder.

Dana smiled. "Night, Colt."

*******************************

She never heard the alarm go off and when Dana woke the sun was shining and in full force. She looked at the clock and it was already eleven o'clock.

Gasping in surprise she sat up, rubbed her eyes, and looked over to the other pillow where Colt had been. There was an indent from where he had slept. Dana hoped he'd slept well. She pulled the pillow to her and hugged it, taking in the scent of him.

The phone rang and she reached over to the table to grab it. "Yeah?" she muttered sleepily.

"Don't tell me you're still sleeping," Colt said from the other end.

Dana yawned."Okay, I won't tell you that."

He laughed. "I'm glad you got some rest."

"What'cha doing?" she asked, excited to hear his voice.

Colt cleared his throat. "I was trying to work, but I keep thinking about you."

"Really?" she asked surprised.

"You mind getting out of my head so I can get some work done?" he teased.

"You're sweet," she blushed.

"I'm trying," he said quietly.

She knew he was. He'd been nothing but nice to her recently and she was now seeing the true Colt. And she liked him. A lot.

"It's been crazy, huh?" she asked, running her hands through her hair imaging him in ways she never used to imagine him.

"Dana, look...." he said and paused.

"What?" she asked concerned.

"I'm trying to come up with the words."

"Ut-oh," she said tearing up. Was he already regretting their kissing? His sleep-sleeping with her?

"It's not bad. Well, maybe you think so. I don't know," he sighed.

"Are you trying to torture me?"

"Um...about earlier. I care a lot about you, Dana. I do. And that's the thing. You know this week has been great. Incredible, actually. But we're moving so damn fast. You know? Last week, we were fighting like cats and dogs, this week...well, you know."

"What are you trying to say?" she asked, wiping tears away.

"Damn, are you crying?"

"No," she lied.

"All I'm trying to say. And badly, I guess. Is that I think we need to slow down a bit. This is all so new for us. I don't think we should just jump into things, like bed, without thinking things through."

"Why do you have to think things through?" she asked, her tears falling down her cheeks now.

He sighed. "No. Dana," he sighed again. "This is going so badly. Maybe we should talk about this later. Face to face."

"No, I want to talk about it now," she said sniffing.

"Dana."

"No, keep talking."

Colt sighed. "I never expected this, especially not between us. I don't date. I don't do relationships. And you, I mean, you just broke up with that Jeremy guy a few months ago. I don't want to be just some rebound guy to you."

"You're not," she protested.

"Maybe. Maybe not. That's why I think we need to slow down. I don't want to hurt you, Dana. Hell, I don't want to get hurt myself. I never thought about falling in love with someone before, wanting to get married. Having kids. I've always been so screwed up, you know. I never wanted that because I didn't want to do to anyone what was done to me. To my mom..." he said breaking off.

Dana sat up. "You're thinking about doing those things now?"

"I...I can't talk about this now, okay? We'll talk later. I promise."

She wiped her eyes. "Before the party?"

"Yeah, if you want."

"Colt."

"Yeah?"

"I care about you a lot too. And I'm not going to get hurt and I swear I wouldn't do anything to hurt you. Not on purpose anyway."

"How can you be so sure?"

"I just am."

"I wish I was so sure," he said seriously.

"Why can't you be?" her voice cracked.

"I...I know... I know I love you, Dana. But I just need time to get used to it, okay?" he asked nervously.

She grinned. He loved her? "Okay."

"Just okay?"

"You want something back?" she asked with a laugh.

"It might help my ego just a bit," he laughed.

"I love you too," she whispered.

"You don't have to say it if you don't really mean it," he said seriously.

"I mean it. I love you, Colt. Wow. I can't believe I'm saying that. I think I have for such a long time. But I ignored it because of how we were. But looking back now, I know I've always cared about you. I've always loved you even if I didn't realize it then. I know now."

"I'll be there around five, okay?"

"Okay," Dana answered,

"Promise you won't cry anymore?" He sounded concerned.

She wiped her tears. "I promise." She whispered.

"Bye." He answered, and she hung up when she heard the click of his phone disconnecting.