Colin moved across the room to her in a flash, stopping just inches from Claire's face. He gently raised his hands to fix some of the fallen pieces of hair. As he touched her head, he smiled at the electric current running through his fingertips. "Perfect," he whispered with a smile.
He wanted to paint the walls the color of her cheeks so he could stare at it forever. Reed cleared his throat, wrapping his arm around Kali. "Well, we should head back to the house. Colin, I assume you'll be alright?" he asked pointedly.
Claire was the only one in the room who didn't know what he meant. She cocked her head, visibly confused. She wasn't an idiot – she knew there was something wrong between Peter and Colin. Clearly it was enough to make others worried, so shouldn't Colin be worried too?
Colin gritted his teeth, upset that his brother would spoil such a perfect moment. "We will see you later tonight."
The two couples departed, leaving Colin in front of Claire. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, Colin said quickly, "I'm going to take a shower and get dressed."
He disappeared before she could collect herself. Her head spun a bit when he was that close to her. So instead, she sighed and decided to peak around his home.
He didn't have much. A coffee table with a single unused candle, a couch with no pillows or blankets, a kitchen table that had a pile of napkins, and a TV on a stand. No magazines, no books, no art; only some medical textbooks and a few photographs.
One was of Colin and his siblings at a park of some sort, enjoying a picnic. Another was a photo of him and some older man, one that wasn't Alpha Peter, hugging as he stood in cap and gown at his college graduation. The last caught her eye; it was a very young woman. Claire could tell that the photo was from the late nineties from her messily clipped hair and denim outfit. She was smiling widely at the camera, waving as she stood in front of an easel. Flecks of paint were on her cheeks, and her clothing was covered in old, colorful stains. In the corner of the photo, there was a small child's easel. A little boy had his back turned to the camera, but his hands were on the canvas as he worked diligently next to the young woman.
She heard Colin come out of the shower and slip into his room, but she didn't move. She wondered who the woman was. Colin saw where she stood and took a deep breath. This was as good a chance as any.
"That's my mother," he said softly, a few feet behind her.
"She's beautiful," Claire replied, noting the sadness in his voice.
Colin smiled slightly and nodded. She was. He hated that she was beautiful. If only she hadn't been, none of it would have happened…
Claire turned around, blushing suddenly. Colin had his hands in his pockets as he furrowed his brows, trying to figure out what to say. She didn't notice the upset look on his face because she was busy staring at him. She had never seen him cleaned up before, and she was not at all disappointed.
Colin's mid-length reddish hair, the same color as his mother's, was styled to sit in a perfectly messy mop, loose waves threatening to break free. He tightened up the messy beard that had been trying to grow on his face, leaving a clean layer of dark stubble that accentuated his strong jawline and full lips. He wore a plain button-down, but it hugged his muscled torso and arms. His pants were equally tight, clinging to his firm butt. When he shifted on his feet, a tight outline appeared on the front; Claire was surprised how quickly certain thoughts made their way into her mind, and she blushed.
She had never considered herself someone who blushed before meeting Colin Lucin; now, it felt like that was all she did.
He noticed her gaze and smirked, running his hand through his hair. He loved that he had this effect on her, especially because she did the same thing to him. He wanted to tear the dress off and kiss every inch of her toned body. But he couldn't, not now. Even if she had wanted to, he had to explain things to her.
Before Colin had a chance, there was a harsh knock at the door. He stiffened, already guessing who it was. Claire noticed his change and shifted defensively, moving to stand by him.
"Come on, dumbass!" Chris yelled through the door, clearly annoyed that he had to leave the house to bring Colin back.
"We'll be out in a second!"
Colin gave her an apologetic look and shoved his keys, wallet, and phone into his pockets. As he turned to the door, he paused. "Did Lily leave you a jacket?"
Claire snickered, shaking her head. "I don't get cold, Colin."
Slightly embarrassed by how little he knew about her kind, he nodded. Colin opened the door, his hand hovering just above the small of her back. Chris was leaning against the car, an angry look resting on his face as he smoked a cigarette. "Took you long enough," he muttered under his breath before flicking the still-lit butt against Colin's house, climbing into the passenger seat, and nodding to the wolf behind the wheel.
Colin offered Claire another apologetic glance before opening the car door for her.
"Thanks," she mumbled, playing with the golden pendant on her necklace.
He wanted to kiss her forehead, pull her into his arms, and tell her that he would do anything for her. He wanted to tell her that it would all be alright. That nothing bad would happen tonight. That he wouldn't let anything bad happen to her again. Instead, he only smiled, nodded, and replied, "Of course."