Once Bitten: Twice Mad

Chapter Thirty-nine

Anger flashed in Silas's eyes. "I lost a child as well and for you to imply anything different is pure nonsense! If not for me you and Little Grace would have died in those service quarters months ago! You were both in need of a doctor when I came upon you."

"Yes and some fine doctor you turned out to be. You weren't quite good enough were you?"

Charlotte instantly covered her mouth, as if hoping she could swallow back the words she had already spoken. Lord knew she hadn't meant them. Silas's brown eyes filled with tears and he truly looked as if he had just taken a punch to the gut.

"Silas—I'm so sorry...." Charlotte gasped as she reached for him. He jerked away from her and threw open the door.

"I have things to do." He ground out between clenched jaws, before slamming the door shut in her face, the sound of his boot steps pounding away down the hall.

***

Evangeline bit her lip as she lay in Colt's arms and studied his face, his bare shoulder and his broad chest. He truly was a work of art. Perfectly sculpted and breathtaking. The scars on his skin only added to his rugged attractiveness.

Lifting her hand, Evangeline traced Colt's strong jaw with her finger before brushing her trembling fingertip across his lips and nearly crying out in shock when his hand wrapped around her wrist, locking her hand in place before his lips pressed a gentle kiss to her palm.

"Good morning." He whispered sleepily, his eyes never opening.

Evangeline smiled. "Good morning. I have never woken up with anyone in my bed before."

"Is it something you could find yourself growing accustomed to?" Colt asked.

Evangeline felt butterflies fluttering inside her stomach and smiled brightly, unable to hide her happiness. "Well I am not certain. A hardened criminal cannot let anyone in too close."

Colt's eyes remained closed as a smile spread across his face, those creases around his mouth adding to his handsomeness. "Yes but I am not just anyone, I am your accomplice in crime."

"You're more than that." Evangeline couldn't believe those words had actually left her mouth and she swallowed hard and gave a nervous laugh as she waited for him to reply.

"Am I?" Colt questioned, his voice sounding much more tense than it had seconds before.

"Aren't you?" Evangeline replied, wishing she could take her words from a moment ago back. Of course she'd had to open her mouth and ruin what should have been a perfect morning waking up in the arms of the man she loved.

Colt's eyes opened then and Evangeline felt her breath leave her at the wealth of emotions shining in the dark blue depths.

"I'd like to be, sweetheart."

Evangeline's smile returned and the two of them simply lay there staring into the other's eyes and smiling for several long moments.

Suddenly the sound of yelling reached their ears followed by the slamming of a door.

"What was that about?" Evangeline gasped as she pulled away from Colt and sat up.

Colt sighed and threw his legs over the bed. "It sounded like Charlotte and Silas."

"They don't fight and yell at each other...."

"They just lost a child. That changes you and it takes a while to get back to who you were before, if you ever get all the way back to that person again." Colt assured her.