Free Keep It Together by Lissa Matthews

chuckle. The hand pressed to her heart in a classic show of Southern shock and surprise…
    “What? Me?”
    Colt just shook his head. “Really? Shame on you.”
    She flashed a cheeky grin. “Spill it, Colt. Say it. I want to hear the words. Spell it out for me.”
    He inched forward in his seat. ”You’ll wanna lean in close for this.” He waited while she sized him up, then mimicked his posture.
    “Okay. I’m ready. Let me have it.”
    And now she was challenging, almost defensive. He might need to invest in a mood ring or two for her. She was a country girl, and there were so many sides and facets to her personality that he was going to have to take notes on what set her off in one way or another. Otherwise, he’d never be able to keep up or even have a chance to catch up. She fascinated him, though from just shaking her hand the first time they met, he couldn’t have known she would. Something clicked for him. “I want you. I want to spend time with you. I want to take you to bed. I want to crawl up your body and bury myself in it so deep I’ll never find my way back out. I want to marry you.”
    Her mouth gaped and closed multiple times before something actually came out, and what she said was not what he’d been expecting. But then, so far, nothing she said or did was what he expected. “On his toes” was an understatement. “I’m your brother’s ex,” she said so softly the words barely made a sound.
    “I’m your ex’s brother.” The volume of his voice matched hers.
    She sat there, a stunned look on her beautiful face, and then grinned from ear to ear. “Touché.” She popped her last shrimp in her mouth and chased it with the rest of her beer. She slammed the glass on the table and raised her arm for their waitress. Colt followed her line of sight and saw the waitress nod.
    And just like that, she was back to who she’d been before they embarked on that bit of serious conversation. He didn’t know if what he’d said had made any kind of impact. He couldn’t read her eyes and definitely wouldn’t be able to read her mind even if it were opened to him. Though he wanted to ask what she thought about his rather blatant confession, he was just as content to see where and how things progressed. He was content to simply try and figure her out. “Secret code? Going to get me drunk and have your wicked way with me?”
    “Do I have to get you drunk for that? And no. I just wanted another beer.”
    “No, you don’t have to get me drunk for anything. I’m all yours.” He was afraid there were no truer words ever spoken.
    “All my what? And you know”—her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper, and he made sure he was listening real close—“I have had two beers tonight and am about to have one more, so…I’m thinking I probably shouldn’t make that long drive all the way back out to my place.”
    Colt sat back and considered the woman sitting across from him. She was laughing and smiling at him and not for the first time, he wondered what in the hell was wrong with his brother. Chrissie was simple, incredible, and full of life. What man wouldn’t want her in his everyday life and in his bed? “Uh-huh. And what do think you should do instead?”
    “You could drive me home.”
    He nodded as though thinking it over, but there was no way he was doing that. “I could.” She wasn’t going anywhere except up to his room. “Or…you could stay with me.”

Chapter Five
    Colt had Chrissie against the hotel room door as soon as it closed behind them. Once they got into the elevator, he’d been unable to keep his hands off her, and now that they were in his room, in private… “This wasn’t exactly how I’d planned this to happen.” The words rumbled up from his throat when he broke away from her mouth and trailed his lips down her neck.
    “Y-you had a plan?”
    “Mmm. Hmm. I had a plan.” He planted his lips against the pulse beating wildly in her neck. It fluttered against his