Following the sound of Anna's cellphone hitting the hospital room floor tiles, total silence ensued. Without looking up to meet his gaze, she froze.
After a few seconds of blank thoughts, she was convinced she misheard him and snapped out of her daze. She bent down and picked up her phone to checked it to see if it was okay. Thankfully it was.
"Sorry Sir. I think misheard you." She looked at him and he was again, politely smiling at her. "What did you said?"
"I said, come here and kiss me." He said again making her phone slam onto the floor a second time. But this time, she was staring directly at him.
"I-I'm sorry?" Anna's heart started to race. The look in his eyes was still his usual lax one, but she knew better than to think he was joking with her.
"You've now heard me correctly twice." Colton responded as he studied her.
While Lily was in the room he had solely focused on his favorite kiddo. He was extremely happy to be alive despite his easy going attitude. Waking up in his hospital room was enough to scare him straight, but his earlier conversation with Claire truly struck a chord with him. Making spending time with those he loved even more precious and important. He had been avoiding the topic he had just blown wide open for years. However, this time around he had no intention of letting so much time pass again.
He had already wasted enough as it is.
"I-I don't know what you mean Sir." She stuttered as she felt her hands turn clammy. Her throat suddenly felt dry and her head was in such a mess that the speed in which her heart was pounding against her chest wasn't even registering.
"What I mean is that you can either come here now and kiss me, or you can prepare yourself for my unyielding chase after you if you choose not to."
"Sir I-"
"Yes I know. You can't. You shouldn't. You supposedly don't want to." Shivers ran down Anna's spine when his eyes turned fierce and his usual amicable vibe shifted to a more serious one. "We aren't known for our patience Miss Clemson. That you already know. The only reason I remained as such these last few years was because we both needed to heal by ourselves. And we did. I respected the fact that you needed more time by giving you space, but that will end today. It stops right now."
Anna's usual calm and composed personality flew out the window. It always happened when things pertaining Colton were involved. Her body trembled nervously as she opened and closed her mouth like a fish looking for the right words to say. Memories of things she couldn't unsee or undo started to cloud her eyes in form of tears fighting to run down her face.
She shouldn't. She truly shouldn't. Not even if her heart rips in two. Not even if it meant she would die alone without ever being able to love another man. She simply couldn't walk over to him and kiss him like she would always do in her dreams.
"I-I'm sorry Sir. I ca-can't-" She tried to draw a line between them but was cut off before she could.
"Anna." He said her name instantly making her stop. She had forgotten how nice it felt to hear herself be called in his melodic voice. "I won't back down this time."
Colton's eyes threatened to break down her resolve. His dark forest eyes clashed with her dark chocolate ones in a silent battle that ended with him as the victor. Despite the pleading in her gaze, he was beyond serious. Just like he stated. He would not back down.
"I'm sorry." Anna softly said before she briskly picked up her now cracked phone and left without any of them saying another word.
"A chase it is then babe. A chase it is." Colton mumbled to himself as he laid his head back and closed his eyes with a wolfish grin spread across his lips.
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"You really took Cameron from me didn't you? Just so you know, he was one of my best." Aiden said as he played with a lock of Claire's hair.
They were sitting inside the car on their way to the city's center. They had talked and settled on a few things while they finished their lunch. After that, they lost track of time conversing a little bit about anything that came to mind and ended up having dinner at the same place too.
"Too bad. You said I could keep him, so I did. Besides, I can tell that working for you seemed to bore him. He would've never tapped into his true potential if you had kept him by your side." She said making him scoff.
They sat close to one another. Aiden had his arm over her shoulder while his other hand twirled the rays of sunshine that grew out of her head with his fingers. A description that would always come to mind when he thought of her hair.
Claire on the other hand, was semi turned towards him. Appreciating how entranced he seemed with what he was doing.
"Are you implying I'm a bad boss?" His brow raised in curiosity.
"Not at all. It's simply a matter of compatibility. Cam is much more suited to be under my command than he is under yours." She cheekily smiled up at him. "As a matter of fact, why don't you come by tomorrow night to the base. You can see for yourself that what I'm saying is true."
Aiden's hands briefly stopped before continuing to play with her hair. Although his face didn't show it, he felt over the moon. That was the first time she had invited him to see each other and on top of that, it was to a place as personal as one of her bases. Being as secretive as she was, it was like taking a leap instead of a few baby steps. He was sure it wouldn't be the most important place to her seeing as she so easily invited him, but it was still a move in the right direction.
"Sure." He answered as if he wasn't soaring from happiness and a sense of triumph. "But only under one condition." Claire's eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. "I get to see my Princess tomorrow too. The only thing missing today was her."
Claire's earlier mischievous smile turned into one filled with warmth and fondness. Aiden truly made her heart thump hard even when she thought the moment couldn't get any better.
"Okay." She replied. Looking deep into his honey batter eyes she could tell he meant it. Making her stomach butterflies flutter.
Closing the little gap of space between them, she lifted her face enough to be able to press her lips against his when the car suddenly stopped. They had arrived.
She inwardly sighed. While she started to turn her face, Aiden placed his hand on her cheek and prevented her from doing so. Lowering himself, he captured her lips.
He kissed her in a tender and loving way before backing away. "One for goodnight." He said against her lips with a satisfied expression on his face.
Claire grinned before kissing him back. "One for the road."