Remember Me Always: A Contemporary Romance Read online

  He nods curtly and says, "Anytime," before pulling his hand away and standing. He takes both of our now empty plates and silverware and puts them in the sink.

  I join him at the sink. "You cooked. Let me clean."

  He shakes his head. "I'll do these later."

  "I'm sure you're sick and tired of me being in your kitchen all the time anyway," I say.

  He stacks more dishes in the sink. "I miss you when you're not here."

  I scoff at his words. He must be joking. "You act like you can't stand me being around."

  "At first…maybe I couldn't." He turns to me and says, "That's before I realized how much I would miss you when you weren't here." He tucks a loose piece of hair behind my ear, and I melt.

  He leans into me, his mouth seeking mine. I let him kiss me, but I can feel a lump forming in my throat. His mood swings are spiraling out of control. He wants me. He doesn't want me. He wants me again. I can't keep giving into him.

  His tongue teases my lips, but I'm having none of it. The wound is still too fresh. I can't just suddenly up and forget what he did to me. He slept with me and then threw me out like yesterday's trash. And as if that wasn't bad enough, he flaunted Ruby Sue, his girlfriend, in front of my face a few hours later, putting even more salt on the wound. The memory of that night still kills me.

  "No!" I shout, pushing him away. I barely move him an inch, and it's only because he let me. "You don't get to do that, Colt! You don't get to just kiss me and pretend like everything is fine, like you don't have a girlfriend and I'm not dating Tucker and that we're not even together anymore."

  He takes a step back and stares at me. "Ruby Sue is not my girlfriend. How many times do I have to tell you that?" he asks angrily.

  "No? She's just someone you fuck occasionally?" I accuse. Like me? I think to myself, but don't dare say the words out loud.

  "We haven't even slept together since…" His voice trails off, but I desperately need to know what he was going to say.

  "Since when?" I demand.

  "Since you came into town!"

  His words throw me for a loop. He hasn't slept with Ruby Sue since I came back to Willowbrook. So all this time he's only been kissing her and making it seem like they had something more going on when they clearly didn't. But why? Why put me through all of that pain and torture? What is his thinking behind it all?

  Before I can even process that, his hand is reaching out for me. I quickly pull away from his reach. "Don't." He looks wounded, but it's about time he knows how I feel. I'm tired of letting everything bottle up inside of me. I feel like I'm going to explode if I don't tell him how I feel. "It's killing me inside every time you touch me, Colt. And it kills me because I know you don't feel the same way about me that I feel about you."

  He grabs me roughly by the arms and pulls me close. "Then tell me how you feel, Penny. Stop beatin' around the bush about it and tell me. Don't tell everyone else. Tell me!" he orders.

  "I love you!" I blurt out. Tears fill my eyes and spill down onto my cheeks. "I have loved you ever since we were five years old, Colt, when you pulled my hair during recess. I have loved you every day of my life since then, and I…I still love you. I'll always love you. Nothing will ever change that. A love this deep can never heal. You've scarred me for life. Don't you get it? I'm yours. My heart and my soul belong to you. Only you!"

  His grip lessens as he stares intensely into my eyes. His chest rises and falls rapidly with heavy breaths. When he next speaks, it's barely above a whisper. "Out of all of the things I've forgotten, I regret forgettin' you the most. Because when I see you, Penny," he pauses and puts my hand over his beating heart, "I remember you in here. My body wants to go through the motions like it's runnin' purely on instinct. It takes everything in my power every single day to not grab you and kiss you. I may not have my memories back, but I know what's gonna come out of your mouth next. I know that when you put your hands on your hips and look at me with your beautiful face that I want to come undone. I know that you fidget when you're nervous and that you bite your lip," he says, pulling my bottom lip out from between my teeth, "when you're thinkin' hard about somethin' and don't know what to say." He stares at my mouth and licks his lips. "And right now there's nothin' more I want to do than bite that lip, Penny."

  "Then do it," I say before I can even think.

  Colton's lips crash down onto mine in a fevered kiss. His teeth tug and nibble on my bottom lip, followed by the soothing lick of his tongue. I whimper from the sweet pain of it all. His hands grasp me tightly and pull me against him. I gasp from the impact, and his tongue takes the opportunity to invade my mouth. Our tongues tangle together, battling over dominance. Colton is clearly winning as he claims me, possessively and completely.

  My salty tears mix in with the kiss, and it just makes it even more perfect. Everything about him is exactly how I remember. He always used to kiss me like it was our last day on earth. His kisses meant something, and they always made me melt.

  Everything around us ceases to exist after that. Clothes are torn off, buttons are flying, zippers are pulled, and then we're standing almost completely naked in his living room. Colton's still in his boxers, and I'm in my bra and thong, but all the other clothes have been strewn haphazardly around the room.

  Colton cups my head in his hands. His dark eyes scan my face as if searching for an answer. And I know exactly what answer he's looking for. We've reached a defining moment in our relationship. Once we cross this line, there's no going back. The other night when we slept together was more out of quick satisfaction in the face of despair. We were seeking comfort in each other. But this right now…this is different. It will completely change everything.

  I open my mouth to protest, to tell him maybe we shouldn't be doing this, but he doesn't give me the chance to speak. His mouth is on mine, swallowing my words, my thoughts and leaving me speechless. I kiss him back, reveling in the feeling of his body against mine, his heated skin keeping me warm.

  "Tell me you want this," he whispers against my mouth. "Tell me you want me."

  I missed him. I missed him so damn much. And I didn't realize how much until this moment. "I want you, Colton. Always."

  The heat between us suddenly turns scorching. He roughly pushes me up against his living room wall, pinning my arms above my head in one of his large hands. I'm helpless and totally turned on. A low moan escapes my lips as his tongue and teeth lick and nip their way down my neck and chest, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. He kisses the swells of my breasts before tearing the lacey material of my bra down to lick and tease my pebbled nipples. I throw my head back to rest on the wall behind me and groan loudly, my hands flexing uselessly as he keeps them pinned with one hand.

  All of the fighting and conflict we've had between us melts away. It's hard to believe just a moment ago that I was crying, that we were fighting. It's only us now, in this moment, and I just hope I can keep him a while longer. I don't want him to push me away ever again.

  His lips return to my mouth, and he kisses me hungrily like it's the last thing he will ever do on this earth and, in turn, fueling the desire raging between us. The taste of his tongue and the smell of his cologne permeate my lungs and drive me crazy. He finally releases my hands, and I cling onto him for dear life as he ravishes my mouth with his skilled lips and tongue.

  His erection digs into my belly, and I shamelessly grind myself up against him, wanting more. He groans and pulls back from me. "Not yet. There's so much I want to do to you first," he says with a dirty promise that has me shaking down to my core. His fingers dip into my thong, teasing my clit until I'm panting and writhing against his hand.

  "Please, Colt," I beg. It's been so long --- too long since he has touched me like this.

  His thumb circles my throbbing nub while his middle finger seeks out my core. The tip of his finger slowly enters me, and I can't help the moan that tears from my throat. "You're so wet," he says with awe. "So tight." He pushes his finger in a l
ittle more and works it within my walls. "So fuckin' tight, Penny." He gazes down at me, his expression suddenly unreadable. "You told me last night it's only ever been me inside this sweet pussy. Is that true?"

  I gasp at his words and internally scold myself for divulging such information while being plastered. "Only you," I whisper. The words come tumbling out of my mouth before I can stop them, but he deserves to know the truth. "There's only ever been you, Colt. I've never been with anyone else."

  My words seem to turn him on even more, and an animalistic growl comes from the back of his throat. He painfully twists his fingers in my hair and holds my head in place while he ravages my mouth with his lips and tongue. He's not just kissing me then --- he's devouring me. And I am his for the taking. I want everything he'll give me.

  Colton breaks the kiss with a shuddering breath before declaring, "I need to taste you." He falls on his knees and slips the thong down my quivering thighs. "Perfect," he whispers against my heated skin. His mouth trails kisses on each of my thighs, growing closer to the apex, but never quite reaching where I want him to be. I shiver in anticipation and groan in frustration from him making me wait. I want him so damn bad I could just scream.

  He chuckles against my skin when he notices my frustration. "Someone is impatient," he remarks.

  "Please, Colt," I beg again. "Please."

  "Yes, ma'am," he says in his southern drawl, and I feel like I could implode. His fingers gently part my lips, and his wet tongue licks the length of my slit, making me violently shudder.

  "Oh, shit," I gasp. It's been five years since I've had anyone do this to me, and I almost forgot how good it felt.

  Colton grabs my left thigh and drapes it over his shoulder, opening me wide for him. His fingers dip inside of me as his tongue licks my swollen, little nub. I cry out, desperately clinging to his shoulders as I rock gently against his gifted mouth. He licks me with fevered precision, and I feel like I'm going to explode within seconds. "Colton!" I moan.

  He looks up at me, and I meet his gaze. "I want you to shatter around my mouth, Penny."

  Colton's words are my undoing. My fingernails dig into his muscular shoulders as he pushes his fingers inside of me and strokes my front wall. His tongue finds me again, and he licks and sucks on my clit until my legs are shaking and I'm crying out nonsensical words. My hips thrust against his mouth, and I grab fistfuls of his hair to drag him even closer. Colton lets out a low growl against me, and I shatter just like he wanted me to. I can barely remain standing as wave after wave of an intense orgasm sweeps over me. I whimper his name as I ride out the last of it.

  I'm panting and completely out of breath when it's all over. I watch as Colt places a kiss to my mound and stands up. His fingers are slick with evidence of my arousal, and I watch as he drags his middle finger into his mouth and sucks on it for a moment before flashing me a heart-stopping grin. "Mmm. So sweet," he murmurs. "Your pussy was grippin' my finger so damn tight, baby. I can't wait to feel that around my cock again."

  Colton reaches down to his jeans on the floor and retrieves a condom from his wallet. I watch as he skillfully puts on the condom and stalks over to me, his hard length bobbing with every step. He cages me against the wall with his hands, and then his lips are crashing down on mine in a fevered kiss. Once again, he possesses every single inch of me. A girl could get used to this.

  "Need you," he says in a rushed whisper against my mouth. "Now."

  Colton's strong hands grip my backside, lifting me up and wrapping my legs around his waist. He positions me on top of his erection and slowly slides me down onto his hot, rock hard cock. I cry out at the sensation as I sink down inch by delicious inch until I'm completely filled.

  He's impossibly long and thick, and it takes me a few minutes to get accustomed to his size. He gazes into my eyes and whispers in my ear, "Ready, baby?" before leaning down and trailing kisses along my jaw.

  I bite my lip and nod.

  With a growl, he crushes me against the wall. He pistons his hips into me, taking me hard and fast, and I feel like I could cry each time he pushes back in. It feels so damn good.

  "Colt," I whimper.

  He covers my mouth with his, muffling my cries. I wrap my arms around his neck and rise and fall in rhythm with each of his punishing thrusts. This angle has him hitting my g-spot over and over again, and I know it's only a matter of time before I shatter once more. I can feel my core clenching around his thick length, greedily trying to hold him deep inside.

  Colton closes his eyes and shudders. "You're so fuckin' perfect, Penny. I'll never get enough of you," he confesses.

  "Then never let me go," I whisper.

  "Never," he whispers back.

  His strong arms hold me up as he pistons his hips up in unison with my movements, bringing me to the brink faster and faster. I barely have time to catch my breath before my orgasm hits me like an explosion. I cry out as I ride wave after wave of pure pleasure. Colton's rhythm falters as he finds his release, letting out a loud, low growl that sends a shiver running up my spine. He crushes me between his rock hard body and the wall, and we stay like that as we both struggle to catch our breath.

  When our breathing eventually returns to normal, his lips find mine in an unhurried, comforting kiss. I slowly lower my wobbly legs and hold onto him for support. He's gentle as he pulls out of me and leads me over to a chair to sit so he can go dispose of the condom. When he comes back into the room, there's a smile on his face that looks so familiar. It's a genuine smile that he only reserved for me back in the day.

  Before I say anything, Colton lifts me up into his arms and carries me upstairs to his bedroom. He playfully tosses me onto the bed and stares down at me with lust-filled eyes. "Spread those long legs, Penny." I do, and he slowly crawls between them, planting kisses along the way until we're finally face to face. "I wanna make love to you, Penny," he whispers while tucking a piece of my hair behind my ear.

  Tears fill my eyes, but I don't allow them to spill over. These are happy tears, and I intend to keep them at bay. "Make love to me, Colt."

  We spend the next several hours in bed, leisurely exploring each other and making love until the wee hours of the morning. When I finally fall asleep in Colton's arms, I have a permanent smile on my face.

  My Colton finally came back to me.

  * * * * *

  COLTON

  I'M NOT FREAKIN' out. That's the first thing I realize when I wake up with Penny in my arms. She's curled up tightly against me, and I can't stop starin' at her. She's gorgeous even with sex hair and smudged makeup. Hell, she would be gorgeous in a burlap sack with a shaved head. It's her heart that I'm in love with now. The outside is just a big bonus.

  Last night keeps replayin' over and over again in my mind, and my cock stirs under the blankets from just thinkin' about it. I spent hours makin' love to Penny, and it feels like our whole dynamic drastically changed. There's no goin' back now, and I don't wanna go back. I freaked out the last time we were together, and I fucked everything up. That's not happenin' again. I definitely learned my lesson.

  This time is different mostly because…I love her. I'm in love with Penny Lane Preston. I guess I always have been, but now I'm willin' to admit it even if I can't remember my past.

  Penny stirs in her sleep, and I hate the fact that she's gonna wake up soon. I could lie here all day and watch her sleep. Yeah. She's pretty much got me wrapped around her little finger already.

  Her eyes blink open, and she slowly sits up and stretches. The sheet wrapped around her falls, and I can't help but stare at her luscious tits. She looks down, grins shyly and pulls the sheet up around her as if I didn't kiss and lick and touch every inch of her tan, silky skin last night.

  "Good morning," she says, her voice still husky from sleep, but her stormy eyes bright and alert.

  "Mornin'." I pull her down and kiss her chastely. "How did you sleep?"

  She rests her head on my chest, and it feels like she belongs there.
"Good. You?"

  "Good." For a change. I could count on one hand the number of nights I've slept without a nightmare since the accident.

  Her fingers lazily trace the tribal tattoos on my right arm. "When did you get these?" she asks.

  I watch her fingers' movements. "A few years ago."

  "When you met Ruby Sue?" she asks, and I can hear the uneasiness in her tone.

  I nod.

  "Did she do it?"

  I shake my head, and I can see Penny visibly relax. "The owner of the shop she works at did." We both sit up, so I can flip my arm over and show her the underside. "I got Connor's name weaved into it here," I say, pointin' to my wrist. Connor's name is in one of the thick, black stripes. Penny stares closely at the tattoo, and I can see the sadness in her eyes when she spots his name.

  "Connor was always like the little brother I never had. He was a great kid."

  My throat works over a swallow, and it takes me a while before I can say anything. "Yeah, he was."

  "I'm sorry, Colt," she whispers. "I know you don't like talking about your past."

  I look at her and give her a small smile. "I don't mind right now." And that's the truth. For once in the time since the accident, I'm not gettin' angry from talkin' about the past. Maybe that's a sign of better things to come, because I know I can't keep livin' angry at the world and pushin' everyone close to me away. I wasn't happy before…but I feel happy now.

  Her fingers venture over my muscular chest and skim over my hard abs, causin' them to ripple under her touch. "You were never this built when I knew you."

  "No?"

  "No." She flashes me a grin and says, "Not that I'm complaining." Her smile slowly fades, and I can practically hear the wheels in her head turnin' as she thinks. "A lot has changed over the years, I guess." Her stormy gray eyes blink up to me. "I'm sorry I wasn't here to help you through it all," she whispers brokenly.

  "The what ifs and the past don't matter, Penny. You're here now." I know I'm right on that. We can't change anything that happened before today, but we can make sure our future is great.