I stretched and sighed, my body stiff and feeling like I had stayed in the same position all night long. I was curled up on my side, body aching. I arched my back to relieve some of the stiffness when I felt him.

My backside brushed against his erection and I gasped when his large hand curled around my hip and squeezed. "Mmm... you feel so good," he hummed into my ear from behind. He thrusted forward as his mouth fell into the crook of my neck. Colt's voice was low and gravelly, his words getting dirtier by the minute. "I need you so fucking bad."

I suddenly froze in his hold. My skin was burning where he had touched me, but I couldn't will myself to respond. His words turned me on and his hands had me melting, but something wasn't right.

Somehow it felt wrong to just give in after all the pain we had put each other through. How could I just forget? How could he just act like nothing bad had ever happened between us?

"Colt," I warned gently when I felt his teeth nipping the shell of my ear.

I felt him freeze behind me, then his hands snapping back like they were on fire. "Oh God," he groaned.

I rolled over and found Colt on his back with his palms pressed into his eye sockets. "No, no, no."

I glanced away, feeling overwhelmed at how strange this all was. When his fingers gripped my chin and forced me to make eye contact, I couldn't read his expression.

"Sorry for that. I didn't mean to be so aggressive with you."

I shrugged. "It's okay. You just...got carried away..."

"Carried away?" he sputtered. "I was half out of it...thought I was dreaming. I thought maybe you deserved better than a half-asleep mauling." His tone was light and joking, but I could still feel an undercurrent of lust as he dragged his fingers across my cheek and behind my head. "Good morning," he mumbled against my skin as his lips grazed my forehead.

I didn't reciprocate his affection. Something inside me told me not to trust it, trust this. Whatever-in-the-fuck this was. Why had he even asked me for another chance? And why the hell did I say yes?

"I'm sorry about last night. I swear I wasn't drunk...just really exhausted. I haven't been getting the best sleep since I got back."

"How did you sleep last night?"

"I slept hard," I laughed. "It was nice falling asleep in your arms." That part was honest. I did enjoy it even if the repercussions were threatening to bury me now.

Colt hummed as he held me loosely in his arms. His body felt rigid and his touch unsure. Maybe this was a mistake? Was I taking advantage of the fact that he had been a gentleman all night, but woke up with morning wood, as guys sometimes do.

I pulled away from him, swinging my legs over the side of the bed before this awkwardness between us got worse. "I have a busy day planned. I should get in the shower," I explained as I rushed around the room, choosing my clothes and undergarments for the day.

I dashed away from Colt's confused gaze and hid behind the closed bathroom door, sure that he would take the hint and leave me alone. So imagine my surprise when I entered the kitchen and found Colt cooking us breakfast. I maneuvered around him, careful not to brush up against his bare chest as he fussed over the eggs and bacon on the stove.

"Your breakfast is ready," he crooned proudly, offering me a plate of yummy goodness.

I shook my head gently, feeling a tad guilty over how hard he had worked. "I don't have time today, Colt."

His head drooped dramatically as he placed the dish on the counter. "What did I do wrong?" he sighed.

"Nothing!" I blurted, torn between wanting to run from him or pulling him in for a hug. "I just promised my dad I'd visit him today. He said we had some business to discuss and then I have to stop by the gym."

Colt crossed his bulging arms over his impressive chest and stared me down skeptically. "Just tell me why you're running away."

I scoffed. "Why are you jumping to conclusions?"

Colt threw his hands up in frustration and groaned, "This is what you do, Corri. You'd rather run than talk shit out. This is classic Corri behavior."

I could feel the heat of my anger climbing my neck and spreading to my ears. "Well sorry if I haven't changed," I replied defensively. "Sorry if I woke up regretting what we said to each other last night."

His face fell. "No," he asserted, his green eyes blazing angrily. "No, no, no, Corri. This is bullshit. We talked and you agreed to give this a shot. You can't take it back!" His frustration was written all over his face.

I couldn't keep looking at his face and seeing the disappointment that I had placed there. I had broken my number 1 rule. All these years I had kept my heart guarded and made myself promise to never let Colt Anderson shatter it again.

A couple days together and I was right back to that fifteen year old who fell for the impossibly broken boy. What the hell was wrong with me?

"I gotta go."

"So that's it?" he blurted as I tried to pass him, his huge body blocking my only way out of the kitchen.

I shrugged, refusing to meet his gaze. "I was drinking last night and you caught me in a moment of weakness. I shouldn't have said yes." My tone was flat and emotionless. It was the complete opposite of how I felt. I wanted to beat on his chest and scream at him for all the years he had fucked with my head...and my heart.

"Such a fucking coward," he muttered under his breath when I pushed past him.

"Me?" I scoffed loudly. "I'm the fucking coward?"

"Yeah," Colt sighed, spinning around to face me. "That's what I said."

"I gave you three years, Colt! I followed you around like a pathetic puppy dog. I broke up with Jason and turned any other guy down when you gave me the tiniest bit of attention! You made me look like a fool," my voice cracked. Shit, I was trying not to cry. My flight instincts were kicking in because I was determined not to let him get to me...again.

I felt Colt's hand curling around my arm, forcing me to face him once more. He walked me back until I was pinned against the kitchen wall with no space between our bodies. His fingers held my jaw, making me keep eye contact with him when all I wanted to do was hide.

"Like I didn't make a fool of myself everytime I sat home alone on the weekends or had to leave a party because you were making a fool of yourself?" he accused.

"I didn't ask for that!" I shot back. "You had no reason not to date or fuck or do whatever the hell you wanted. I was just some little kid whose dad took you in. You didn't owe me anything!"

My words were biting through him, tearing his flesh and laying him open for me to inflict pain on. We had hurt each other so many times and here we were, doing it again. "What do you want from me?" Colt demanded, his fingers drifting down to my throat. His control was slipping.

"We should just steer clear of each other."

"Like that's gonna happen," he scoffed.

"It needs to," I glared right into his eyes and refused to back down. "This is my father's house. I have every right to be here."

"I didn't force you to stay away. Fuck, I wanted you to..."

His expression shuttered and I could see how badly he was trying to protect his own heart. We both were.

"Fuck," he sighed. "You act like I had choices." His anger was back. That same frustration we both felt over 'what could have been.'

"We always have choices, Colt." I was tired of being that submissive little girl he met ten years ago. I waited for him, wanting that elusive kiss or the declaration that it was me he wanted to date. But it never came. Oh sure, I got longing looks and jealous rages and speeches about 'when we get older' but now we were older and I still couldn't let it go. I still couldn't forgive him.

I pressed both hands to his chest, somehow forcing his hard body back until his backside hit the end of the counter. Now I had the upper hand. "We missed our shot, Colt. Now...too much has happened and I can't just forget it."

"I'm not asking you to," he replied, catching me off guard when his hands coasted down my sides, gripped my ass and jerked me tightly against him. My mouth fell open in a gasp when I felt his hardness between us. His mouth found my ear and I tried not to shudder when he murmured, "If you think you're in charge...you're not. We will talk later. We will figure this out and you will be mine, Butterfly."

I gazed up at him as he dragged his lips along my jawline and landed on the corner of my mouth. He patted my ass once and guided me towards the door before I had even realized I was moving.

And dammit if I wasn't under his spell again.

...

"So what you're saying is...you want me to run the gym?"

"Why is that so hard to believe?" my father retorted, shifting uncomfortably in his bed. I had been here for an hour, listening to my father's plans for what he wanted after he passed. It was uncomfortable but necessary.

"I just...I thought you'd leave the gym to Colt," I reasoned.

He chuckled lightly, pressing a hand to his side as he did. "Why? Because he's a boy?"

"Because he's Colt. He's the boxer and the son you never had," I replied bitterly.

"But you're my daughter, my real flesh and blood. Why wouldn't I want you to continue my legacy and carry on our family business?"

I shrugged as I scooted around the room, straightening up the get well cards and folding his clothes. Mostly I was stalling for time because his announcement caught me off guard. "Colt is a boxer. He knows boxing. Wouldn't he be the logical choice?"

"Let's not fool ourselves, Corri. You've always run the gym. Ever since you were a kid, you made sure I paid the electric bill and kept my desk from getting too cluttered and reminded me to put up the air freshners so the place didn't get overrun with that awful body odor smell. You've always been such a big part of what I created there. I miss the days you took care of the guys when they got injured. I just need to know that what I started will be continued...by you."

"Dad, I don't know..."

He reached for my hand, pulling me to sit at the edge of his bed. "I know you're not working. And this probably isn't exactly the job you imagined, but honey, there's potential for you to do more with the gym than just training. You can make improvements, change what you want as long as the boxers still have a place to train. But anything else is completely up to you. Just think about it, okay?"

And so I did.

I left him when he was too sleepy to carry on our conversation and I drove and considered his offer until I found myself outside the gym. I wandered inside, smiling at a few familiar faces and curious looks from the guys who didn't know me. I couldn't help it when my eyes scoured the room in search of the boy my mind couldn't stop thinking about.

Colt was in the ring, sparring with Beau of all people. They were both sweating, muscles cording, dancing around the other with precision foot work. Colt looked like a god up there. His punches were perfectly timed and defensive moves were excellent. Beau was lucky this wasn't a real match, because I had a feeling Beau wouldn't come out on top.

"There she is!"

I turned to find Big Mike ambling toward me. He was my father's oldest friend and had always been a part of training the boxers. He looked just as big and imposing as I remembered. And he still gave the best hugs.

We stood talking for a while, catching up on the gossip and which boxers were still around. As we spoke, I glanced around and made mental notes of what some updated equipment and some new paint could do for the place.

"Is the rug store next door still occupied?" I asked with interest.

"No, it was sold a few years back and became a foot doctor's office for a while, but they closed a few months ago," Big Mike supplied. "What are you thinking?"

I shrugged as we stepped outside and peeked in the windows. "Not sure yet. Just...thinking."

Mike nodded as he rubbed his beard. "Well if you don't need anything, I think I'll head out. Colt already said he'd lock up."

"Of course. Go ahead."

We said our goodbyes and I stood out on the sidewalk while most of the guys filed out the front door. I was mostly avoiding Colt and having another confrontation with him. I knew it was inevitable, but my confidence was shaken after this morning. I knew he wouldn't be happy that I had gone back on our agreement, but in the light of day I knew it was weak of me to give in to him like that.

I had to find a way to keep my distance from Colt. Even if my body didn't agree.

I walked back inside to find the gym mostly deserted. I knew Colt had to be here somewhere because I hadn't seen him leave. I decided to check out dad's office, sort the mail and straighten his desk like I used to.

Suddenly the thought of never seeing my father here again made tears spring to my eyes. I'd been so wrapped up thinking about the gym and my situationship with Colt, that I had managed to bury the sad fact that my time with dad was limited. Even today I could see how he was fading away and struggling to hide the pain. It was horribly unfair because I wasn't ready to lose him.

I brushed my tears aside when Colt eased the office door open and slipped inside. "What happened?" he asked gently, maneuvering around the desk to crouch down beside me. "Is Charlie okay?"

I nodded and returned my attention to the stacks of papers in front of me. Colt pulled me up from the chair and gathered me close as he leaned against the edge of the desk. "I just don't think I can do this," I sniffled into his chest.

Colt brushed the hair from my face and held my jaw in his hands. "Do what, Butterfly?"

"This. All this. Take over the gym. Lose my dad. How can I come here everyday knowing he won't be here?" I sobbed softly.

"You don't have to do anything. If you can't handle the gym, Big Mike and I will. We'll take care of everything. All you need to do is be there for your dad."

"He said he wants me to run it," I admitted.

Colt nodded slowly and I could see he was struggling to keep his opinions at bay. "You, huh?"

"I have to make a decision soon."

"Well you don't have to make it tonight," Colt sighed. "Take your time and decide what's right for you."

I swiped at my tears as I leaned away from him. "I'm trying to honor his wishes, Colt."

"Never said you weren't."

I pulled away from his embrace so I could gather my things. I had more work to do here, but I needed to get away from Colt more. "I'll be back tomorrow to deal with all this."

"Or you could let Big Mike and I handle it...like we have been."

"I know you don't believe it, but I think I could do a good job managing things around here," I declared, immediately noticing the skepticism in Colt's eyes.

"Of course. The wayward daughter who hasn't stepped foot inside these doors for the last six years thinks she knows more than me. You know, the one who's been here everyday."

By now I was stomping down the hallway toward the front door, ready to lock up whether Colt was still inside or not. "I don't care what you think. Nobody asked for your opinion."

"Didn't you?" Colt sneered, yanking his duffle bag over his shoulder as we stepped outside. "Isn't that what this was? Weren't you pouring your heart out to me and looking for my opinion on you running the gym? Or maybe you just wanted to rub it in because he's giving it to you and not me?"

"Get over yourself," I groaned as I locked the door and stormed off toward my car. "I really don't care how you feel. It won't change my decision one bit."

"Fine. Run away like you always do. Keep running from me and this conversation you know we need to have, Corri. Just stay gone another six years and see what happens when you come back."

I spun around to face him, finding his imposing figure looming over me, backing me against my own car. Twice in one day I had this man pressing his body into mine and it was more than I could take. "Just leave me alone!" I demanded.

Colt tipped his head back and laughed. "If only it were that easy. Don't you think I would if I could? Fuck, Corri. I have tried to forget you. I've tried to tell myself there's no way we can fix this, but..."

I gazed up at him, his jade green eyes dark and fierce as he hovered over me. "If I could let you go, then I would," he murmured softly as his fingers dove into my hair.

With his lips just a breath from mine, his scent enveloping me and him stealing the very air from my lungs as we panted into each other's mouths, I struggled to form the words I needed to say to stop this. Our bodies were pressed so tightly together that I could feel his heart pounding and his pulse thrumming. I had to stop it. I had to find the strength.

"Colt..."

"Corri?"

I blinked quickly when I realized it wasn't Colt who had uttered my name. My body went instantly cold when Colt pulled away from me and allowed me to see who was standing behind him.

"Jason?" I gasped in surprise.

"Yeah," he nodded with the biggest smile stretching across his face. "Long time no see, huh?"

I glanced at Colt and then squeezed past him to move into Jason's warm hug. I didn't have to see Colt's face to know how he was feeling. I sagged against Jason, thankful for the diversion. I knew I couldn't avoid a certain conversation with Colt forever. But seeing Jason allowed me to delay it just a little bit longer.