“Wow, you’re really stunning,” I said, out loud, and immediately felt my face flush warm.

Karina tilted her head and laughed delightedly. “Colton. You were right, she’s delightful.” Her British accent took me by surprise. “Nice to meet you Keri Ann, I’ve heard lots of great things about you. And thank you.”

“You’re British?” I blurted.

“Mmmm, well I was born here, grew up there, British father, Indonesian mother, time in London, time in Kuala Lumpur, and now Savannah, Georgia. The quick history.”

Wow.

“Karina overheard me talking to you about your big event and offered her input on places to shop, get your hair done, etc.”

I instinctively brought a hand up to my hair. I hadn’t even thought about getting my hair done. Or makeup. I blinked.

“Yes, here,” said Karina, handing me a thick business card. “I called and set up your appointments, I hope you don’t mind. It’s just that I had to pull some strings, they’re normally pretty booked up. One for today and also the day of the event to do the styling.”

I nodded, like I totally understood. “Uh, thanks. Thank you.” Spa appointments were a bit alien to me, Jazz’s attempts to keep me groomed notwithstanding. I had a feeling the place Karina was talking about was altogether different than the Korean girls who painted stars on my toes for Fourth of July.

She smiled and reeled off the boutiques I should visit after lunch. When I’d said she was stunning, it was an understatement. Why wasn’t Colt dating her?

I glanced at Colt, who winked at me. Then we said goodbye to Karina.

As we strolled down the street, I became aware Colt hadn’t taken my hand. He’d been holding my hand a lot recently, and the fact that he didn’t was unnerving to say the least, even though part of me was relieved. I slid my eyes over to him as we walked. He seemed lost in thought. We reached the small gastro pub, and he held the door open for me as we entered.

Colt removed his suit jacket and rolled up his crisp white sleeves as we sat down. “So, have you seen him again?” he asked over the menu.

“Yes. He told me you guys had quite the chat.” I quirked my eyebrow at him, trying to keep the situation light.

Colt rolled his eyes. “Yeah, you could say that. After you left, I apologized for punching him, and he did the same. Look, I know we’ve only just started dating, so to speak, but I’m not under any illusions that I don’t quite … do it for you … the way he obviously does.”

I swallowed, guiltily. “Colt—”

He put a hand up. “It’s fine, Keri Ann.”

We placed our order with the server.

“It’s not like you didn’t try,” Colt continued after we’d made our choices. “But, I care about you, you know that, and if you’d asked me two days ago whether I would stand in his way if he came back, I wouldn’t have hesitated. I mean, we all got to see how little he obviously thought about you since he was here last.”

I flinched, my chest collapsing into the pit of my stomach.

Colt grabbed my hand that was sliding off the table. “That was before, Keri Ann. Before I spoke to him. Before I saw him look at you. I don’t know why the hell he spent the last half a year acting like a douche, but as soon as you were gone, it was like he was different.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know what I mean. The guy you see out there in the world is not the same guy I spoke to yesterday.” He exhaled roughly. “I just know that standing between you two, physically and metaphorically, doesn’t feel comfortable at all. I realized no matter what I feel for you, you’ll never have those same feelings for me. And to be honest, as much as I care about you, because I seriously do, I can’t compete with that.”

I sat quietly, listening, letting him hold my hand. Colt was such a good guy. A good looking, successful, thoughtful guy. Any girl would be lucky to have him. But apparently not me.

He sighed and went on, “I know you’re not taken in by what he does for a living. I think, in fact, that’s probably the least attractive thing about him for you. That’s part of what makes you so different than all the asset-driven women I know.”

“Is that the gentleman’s way of saying gold-digger?” I laughed. “Don’t put me on a pedestal, Colt. I like money and security as much as the next girl.”

He smiled, ruefully. “It’s not about just money. It’s the props they get from gossiping with their friends about how hot their boyfriend is, how successful he is, the latest designer purse he bought for them. That’s why I call it asset-driven. It’s all about collecting trophies that make them look good and feel good.”

I frowned at him with a bemused smile. “Feeling sorry for yourself, Mr. Bigshot? You realize this is how men have been since the beginning of time? Have to have the hottest girlfriend, flashiest car, best job, blah, blah, blah. The eternal pissing contest, if you will.”

Colt smirked. “You’re totally right. As always. Anyway, I’m not feeling sorry for myself. I do have the flashiest car and best job out of all our peers as far as I know. I’m just irritated that I have to give up the hottest girl.”

My cheeks flushed warm, and I kicked his shin under the table.

“Ow! Jeez! I just gave you a compliment, and that’s the thanks I get.”

Our server arrived with our food so I leaned back and folded my arms.

“Sorry,” I said with contrition. “And I’m not the hottest girl—”

“Whatever.”

“I’m not, and you know it.”

“And that right there, Keri Ann, is what makes you completely fucking breathtaking. No wonder you had Jack Eversea falling for you.”

I paused with a fry halfway to my lips and winked to cover my reaction. “Damn, with that mouth, you should be dropping panties all over Savannah.”

“Well, I was. And I plan to get back to it, now that you won’t have me.”

“I have no doubt.” I laughed. I was beyond relieved Colt and I managed to move out of the date zone with minimal damage to pride and ego. “Are you going to eat those fries?”

“You’ve already stolen five, what’s a few more? Go ahead.” He leaned back and patted his flat waist through his shirt. “Gotta keep trim now that I’m on the scene again.”

“I doubt you’ll have to wait long. So about the party at the Westin. Do you still want to go, or would you prefer to bring a date? I can have Joey take me.”

“What? You mean Mr. Eversea won’t be escorting you? Can you imagine how much more publicity your exhibit will get if he shows up?”

“Frankly, I can’t think of anything worse.” I shuddered, imagining the circus it could become. “But he won’t be going, he doesn’t know about it. And anyway, I told him to stay away from me.”

“First of all, he does know about it, because I told him. And secondly, what on earth makes you think he’ll stay away from you?”

“Colt, I can’t believe you told him. What the hell else did you guys talk about?”

“Hmm … let me think … we covered me threatening him, him threatening me, your event obviously, the fact that I thought he’d been staring too hard at your wet t-shirt. He accused me of the same, whereupon I couldn’t resist joking that it was ‘headlight weather’ and he literally flinched. I could tell I was getting to him, so, of course, I told him I was dating you now and that you made little kitten sounds when you were in bed with me, just to piss him off further, which worked because he went white as a sheet. That’s when I knew I should probably bow out. Not that I told him that. A bit of healthy competition works wonders, don’t you think?”