"It's all right, Vida. Go get a shower." Colton didn't look back at her as he pulled cans out of the cabinet.

Vida felt terrible, yet went to take her shower. Taking clean clothes, she went into the bathroom. Turning the water on hot, she hoped it would take the soreness out of her body.

When she came out of the bathroom, she smelled hamburgers frying. Her stomach growled as she came to a stop in the kitchen. The waitress from the waffle house was back and she was standing at the stove frying the hamburgers. Colton was leaning casually against the counter. Talking to her, his face was relaxed and friendly with the woman fixing their dinner.

Vida felt a jab in her stomach. Refusing to admit she was jealous, she walked further into the room.

"Have a seat. Dinner will be ready in a minute." His friendly disposition changed when he saw her come into the room.

Vida sat down at the table, reluctantly feeling uncomfortable. Colton had never had a woman in the apartment outside of the bedroom.

He sat a plate down in front of her with the hamburger and a salad that she was sure Tammy was responsible for as well.

"Water?" he asked.

"Yes, thank you." Colton sat the drink down in front of her. Going back and forth, he sat a couple of bottles of beer down for Tammy and himself before sitting down on the other side of the table. Vida watched as he opened both bottles of beer and then handed one to the other woman.

She felt like a third wheel.

Tammy's gasp drew Vida's attention to find the woman staring at her in horror. "What happened to you?" she questioned, looking accusingly at Colton.

Colton had told her before not to break into his conversations, so Vida kept her mouth shut. Colton didn't seem pleased with Tammy's accusing look.

"Vida made someone angry that she shouldn't have," Colton informed Tammy.

Tammy didn't look as if her suspicions had been appeased. She cast looks back and forth between Colton and Vida. Colton gave Tammy a rea.s.suring smile. When Tammy wasn't looking, Vida smirked at him. He began to look angry, which only fueled Tammy's suspicions.

"Stop it, Vida," Colton warned her.

Vida jumped in her seat and threw terrified eyes toward Tammy, all while managing not to burst out in laughter. The food tasted really good, despite watching Tammy flirt with Colton. She thanked Tammy, determined to hide how irritated she was becoming.

"It was delicious. I wish I could cook as well as you."

Tammy preened with the compliment from Vida.

"Let's go into the bedroom. Vida can do the dishes." Colton stood up, taking his plate and Tammy's to the sink.

Vida hastily stood, carrying her half-eaten plate to the counter. Taking an empty to go box out of the cabinet Vida put her half-eaten sandwich and leftover salad into it before putting it in the refrigerator. Tammy stood with her mouth open.

"We can't waste food." This time Vida wasn't joking when she saw Tammy's pitying look and Colton's angry one. The phrase coming out of Vida's mouth had obviously been droned into her by her quick response.

"I'm sorry, Colton, but I need an early night. I have to be at work early." Tammy went to the couch, picking up her purse.

"Tammy, she can eat whatever she wants. I don't starve her," Colton tried to explain.

Tammy looked at Vida's thin build and loose clothes.

"Honey, you get tired of his c.r.a.p, I got an extra bedroom you can stay in until you get on your feet." Throwing Colton a look of disgust, she left in a whirl of perfume and high heels.

Vida waited until the door was closed before she broke down into laughter. She laughed so hard she had to hold her sides. Seeing Colton's smoldering gaze only set her off in fresh peals of laughter.

"I thought the black eye would do it..." Vida had to pause to catch her breath "...not the food. That's just habit. I guess she couldn't stand the thought of you not feeding her." Vida had to lean against the counter she was laughing so hard.

"Oh my G.o.d, your expression was priceless. And the madder you got only convinced her more that you were beating me."

Vida was so busy laughing she didn't notice Colton setting the dirty dishes in the sink or crossing the room to lock the door.

"Vida?" Colton's soft voice drew her attention as he now leaned against the counter with his arms crossed against his chest.

"Yes?" Vida wiped the tears of mirth away from her eyes.

"Do you know why I invited Tammy here?"

"Because you wanted to get laid." Vida didn't detect the danger she was in.

"Yes, because it was either get a woman here or f.u.c.k you. You have now taken that option out of my hands." Colton straightened, reaching for Vida. Sliding out of his reach, she thought he was paying her back for ruining his night.

"Don't take it so hard, Colton. Your next lay is only a phone call away," Vida taunted.

"No, Vida. My next lay is six inches away." Colton strode forward. Belatedly realizing that he was serious, she took off running for the door. The doork.n.o.b was in her hand and she was pulling the door open when Colton's hand above her head slammed the door closed. Vida was held flat against the door as Colton's body pressed against her back and a.s.s.

Vida stood still, realizing to late when she felt Colton's hardness against her backside just how serious he was about his intentions.

"What's wrong, Vida. Got yourself in trouble?" Colton whispered in her ear. His mouth nuzzled her neck, sending chills down her back.

"Let me go, Colton. I'll call Tammy and tell her I was just aggravating you."

"Too late. I didn't want her anyway. I want you. I was being nice keeping my hands off you. Since you don't want to play nice, I see no reason to continue f.u.c.king women that aren't you."

Vida tried to struggle free, however Colton held her still while his lips continued to explore her neck. He slightly lifted his weight off her and slid his hand across her midriff, seeking and finding the bottom of her top. His firm hand glided upwards across the flesh of her stomach, causing goose b.u.mps to rise on her flesh.

His hand slid underneath her flimsy bra to find a nipple and begin twirling it between his fingertips. With Vida's hands against the door, she pushed back against him, but Colton forestalled her, widening his stance and using his other hand to grip her hip, pulling her a.s.s back against his lengthening c.o.c.k.

"You're making me so hard that I could come in my jeans." Colton's lips found her earlobe, gently biting it at the same time pinching her hard nipple. His hand then slipped from her breast, down her quivering stomach, his fingertips sliding underneath the fabric of her sweat pants.

"Stop, Colton!" Vida protested.

Colton took a step backward, releasing her. It took Vida several seconds to become aware he had released her. Turning from the door, she saw that he was standing by the couch, clenching and unclenching his hands.

"I stopped this time, Vida. Next time you play me like that, I won't."

"I won't. I'm not going to have s.e.x with you, Colton," Vida told him bluntly.

"Five more minutes and I would have had you begging me." Colton's cynical voice had Vida's temper rising.

"I would never beg you, Colton. You take s.e.x as seriously as chewing a piece of gum. You're married, and you're an a.s.s." Vida raised her fingers counting off each one of his faults.

"You're a pain in my a.s.s. I am not married. I told Tessa to get a divorce while I was in prison, she didn't. It will be final in a couple of weeks." Vida waited expectantly, but he made no excuses for being an a.s.s.

"I'll move back into King's," Vida decided out loud.

Colton looked at her as if her intelligence was in question. "You move back in with King then Briggs will tell Digger. Next time he takes you, he will get you out of town so fast there won't be time to get you back before you're sold to someone."

Vida turned away, going to the closet to get her blankets and sheets. Making up the couch, she ignored him. Colton sighed and then left the room. Vida turned out the lights before lying down on the couch. Her body was sore and it finally hit her what Digger was going to do to her if Colton had not shown up. Moving restlessly on the couch, she was unable to get comfortable.

The nightmare came whenever she had an emotional upset. She had a recurrence for several nights after Sawyer's disappearance, but it had eased off. It came back with a vengeance now.

The dream began with flashes of her playing with Sawyer and Callie, running down the halls and making everyone crazy. Then, the day gradually changed over to night in her dreams with the flames eating at her unconscious mind. She could still see herself screaming and knocking on Callie's door, the smoke pouring out from underneath. Her mom ran frantically toward her, picking her up and running down the hallway with her. Sawyer's mother was running in front of them, trying to escape the smoke filled hallway, her terrified eyes staring back at Vida had her crying in her sleep.

Vida felt coc.o.o.ned in softness as her mother held her, rocking her gently then lifting her and carrying her to bed. She couldn't stop crying for Callie and Sawyer's grey eyes tormented her until she gradually managed to doze off with her mother gently stroking her hair.

Chapter 11.

Vida tried to roll over and found herself pinned with an arm around her waist as well as a hard male body curved against her back. She stiffened, feeling a soft mattress underneath her. Trying to slide out from underneath the arm, Vida felt it tighten against her, pulling her backwards.

The arm turned her until she was lying on her back, staring up at Colton.

"Feeling better this morning?" Colton's thumb traced her black eye and bruised cheek.

"Yes, uh... how did I end up in here?" Vida asked, confused.

"You sleep walked in here and begged to sleep with me." Colton's straight face stared back at her.

"I did?" Vida's mind desperately tried to remember the night before. Colton's laughter brought her back, seeing him grinning down at her.

"You idiot." Vida hit him with her fists. Colton caught her hands in his then raised them above her head laying them on the pillow. Taking both her wrists into one of his, he laughed harder at her expression before becoming serious.

"You woke me up crying for Sawyer and Callie. I couldn't get you to stop crying so I brought you in here. It took awhile, but you finally managed to go back to sleep. You don't remember?"

Vida shook her head against the pillow. "All I remember is dreaming about the night Callie died."

"Poor baby." Colton's mouth dropped to nuzzle her neck.

"Colton, you can let me up. Don't you need to get to work?" Vida reminded him.

"In a minute." Colton raised his head, staring down intently into her eyes.

He lowered his lips until they rested gently against hers. Vida tensed underneath him.

"Relax," Colton murmured against her lips.

"I can't." Vida tried to turn her head away, but Colton took advantage of her parted lips, deepening the kiss.

His kiss went from gentle to firmly taking control as he slipped his tongue into the warm moistness of her mouth. As Colton explored her mouth, Vida gradually began to respond, pressing her lips back against his, her tongue seeking his.

His hands released hers, and at first, Vida didn't move them then she lowered them until they lay against his shoulders, trying to decide whether to push him away or pull him closer. However, Colton's tongue, thrusting in erotic movements, had her arms circling his neck and pulling him closer. Decision made as her fingers twined into his long hair.

Colton broke the kiss to glide towards her neck, taking detours here and there, exploring her soft flesh with nips and licks.

His chest lowered to hers, flattening her b.r.e.a.s.t.s against his chest. Her leg curled around his hip, pulling him against her. Colton took command, tilting her face back, his mouth returning to her lips, demanding more of a response from her. Vida almost baulked, but gave in to the pleasure of his heated kiss, becoming lost in pa.s.sionate surrender.

His hand slid to her stomach and without hesitance slid inside her sweat pants. Vida felt his fingers glide through her moist cleft. Startled she tried to jerk her mouth and hips away, but Colton held her steady, his fingers not moving to enter her, only softly stroking to heighten her desire.

Vida was torn between wanting him to stop and for him to keep going. His fingers began rubbing her sensitive flesh harder, swirling the sensitive bud in a motion that had her jerking her hips, this time to follow his movements. Her leg wound around his waist harder. Small moans began to escape her mouth, which was trapped under his. Her hips wiggled closer towards his hard body that was pinning her down to the bed. A finger slightly entered her moist sheathe. Vida thought she would lose her mind at the pleasure when it sank deeper inside of her.

Colton raised his mouth from hers. Her pa.s.sion glazed eyes closed at seeing the desire blazing from his eyes.

"What do you need, baby?"

"More," she said, unable to prevent the word from escaping her mouth.

"I can give you more." He inserted another long finger, keeping his palm pressing down on her c.l.i.t. Vida began moving her hips back and forth, her hands grasping his shoulders. Her movements driving Colton's fingers higher inside her p.u.s.s.y.

His mouth went to her ear. "You're so tight. I can feel you're a virgin, Vida, right against my fingers." Vida felt his thumb slowly moving more seductively against her. "Have you ever let anyone play with this pretty, little p.u.s.s.y before?"

Vida tried to jerk her hips away, but Colton held her still with his chest and his palm pushing against her mound while his fingers kept up their torturous pumping.

"Answer my question." Colton's firm voice demanded an answer.

"No," she said, trying to catch her breath.

"Your b.r.e.a.s.t.s? Have you let anyone suck on these pretty pink nipples?" he asked, nuzzling down into the gap her pajama top provided until he found her nipple, his tongued playing with it, turning the nub into a hardened point.

Vida moaned, wanting to stop, but also wanting more of him.

"You're going to like this, Vida. You're going to like this a lot." Colton's mouth latched onto her nipple while his fingers drove into her faster and faster.

Vida felt the pressure of a build up and slight pain with each thrust of his fingers as they b.u.t.ted up against her innocent flesh, until she was brought to a sudden climax. The spasms took control of her, forcing a shrill scream from her tight throat. Her body stiffened as she felt the loss of complete control to a pleasure she had never experienced before.

Colton rose above her, removing his hand from her warmth before pulling her pants back up and lowering her top until she was covered once again.

Vida lay stunned, wanting desperately to cry. She jackknifed straight up, startling Colton, and tried to jump from the bed. An arm around her waist stopped her, jerking her back as he leaned against the headboard and placed her effortlessly on his lap facing him.

"Where are you going?" Vida saw the amus.e.m.e.nt in his face, wanting to die of embarra.s.sment.

"To the bathroom," Vida said in a strangled voice.

"You couldn't just tell me that instead of jumping out of bed like you saw a giant spider?" Colton looked at her quizzically.

"I need to go to the bathroom," Vida told him, trying to get off his lap.