★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the cold.The space beside me was empty. The sheets were rumpled, but the warmth was long gone. I blinked up at the ceiling, my body heavy with sleep, but my mind was already racing.He left.I should’ve expected it. Hell, I should’ve wanted it. That’s how this worked. No strings, no attachments, just a good time and a clean break. That was the rule. My rule.So why did my chest feel tight?He left his own room, before i woke up. Should i be charmed?I swallowed hard and sat up, running a hand through my hair. The room was dim, the faintest hint of morning creeping in from the edges of the curtain. I let my eyes roam over the space—his space. The scent of him still clung to the sheets, and I hated how much I noticed.Pulling the covers off, I swung my legs over the side of the bed, my bare feet pressing into the hardwood floor. My clothes were scattered from the night before, a careless trail leading back to wh
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★I sat cross-legged on the bed, my laptop warm against my thighs, fingers hovering over the keyboard.Focus.I needed to.Breakfast had been a mess. Awkward silences stretched between bites of food, Ross flirting like nothing was weird, and Colton… watching me. His eyes had burned into me from across the table as he could see straight through my attempt to act normal. I had tried—really tried—to flirt back with Ross, to play along like I always did. But my mind was tangled in knots, and my stomach had felt too tight to eat much of anything.And then I ran.Okay, not literally. But I might as well have. A half-baked excuse about needing to write something for my blog, an awkward smile, and I was out of there before I could make a bigger fool of myself.Now, here I was, staring at a blank screen, willing myself to think about anything other than the way my chest had ached when I woke up alone.I took a deep breath, rolled my shoulders, and finally let my fin
▄︻デ══━一 COLTON HAYES💥I stared at my phone after ending the call with Rachel, tapping my fingers against the back of it. My stomach twisted as I debated what to do.I knew I should call Ezra, check-in, and see if there was anything I could do to help. But the truth was, I already knew how that conversation would go.Ezra was done.Still, guilt pressed against my ribs. Rachel had been my best friend for years. And Benny—God, Benny was my favorite person in the world. He did not deserve to be involved in this mess. He did nothing wrong. I know the same could be said for Ezra. He’s reacting accordingly.With a sigh, I called Ezra’s number and pressed the phone to my ear.It rang twice before a tiny, excited voice answered."Aunt Nessa!"A smile broke across my face immediately. "Benny-boy!""You called me!" he giggled."Of course I did! Who else would I want to talk to?"He gasped dramatically. "Not my dad?"I laughed. "Well, maybe. But mostly you. What are you up to, huh?""I’m playing
▄︻デ══━一 COLTON HAYES💥After the awkward breakfast, and seeing the woman i had slept with the night before... i decided to tackle my task for today without worrying much about the mistakes i made last night and this morning.The barn smelled like hay, leather, and the familiar musk of horses as I pulled the heavy door open. The early afternoon sun streaked through the slats in golden beams, dust swirling in the warmth. I was here to check on one of our mares, Daisy—she was due to foal in a few weeks, and I wanted to make sure she was comfortable.Ross, of course, had followed me, boots crunching against the dirt as he sauntered in like he had all the time in the world.“You know,” he started, dragging a hand through his already-messy dark hair, “I was thinkin’—Vanessa’s kinda cute. Let’s be honest, cute doesn’t cut it. She’s gorgeous.”I didn’t respond. Not because I hadn’t heard him, but because I was already expecting this conversation. Ross flirted with just about anything with a h
▄︻デ══━一 COLTON HAYES💥 I didn’t want to let go.But I had to.Vanessa pulled the oversized shirt tighter around herself, her fingers trembling as she worked the buttons. Her hands weren’t steady—hell, she was barely holding herself up. Her knees were pressed into the dirt, her breath ragged, her throat working through another coughing fit. I clenched my fists to keep from reaching out again, from gathering her against me like I had when she stumbled out of the fire, covered in soot, blue fur shifting back to bare skin before my eyes.I had never seen a wolf like hers before. Never seen a color like that, never seen anything like her.Not that it mattered right now.I finally turned my attention to Darcy instead, kneeling beside her and pressing my fingers against her throat. She was covered in ash and debris, her face slack, lips slightly parted, but I still felt it—the faint but steady thrum of her pulse beneath my fingertips.“She’s alive,” I muttered, relief loosening something in
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★I wasn’t expecting to open with Colton rushing towards me before I could even finish shifting back to my human side.Not after the way the morning started, with awkward glances and unspoken tension. Not after I’d spent the whole day trying—and failing—to push him out of my mind. Not after convincing myself that his absence in bed hadn’t meant anything- okay, I didn’t convince myself but I was going to.And yet, here he was.Standing in front of me, arms crossed, golden eyes sharp as he assessed me. His jaw was set, but there was something else beneath the rough exterior—something I couldn’t quite name.“You’re not walking back alone,” he said, his voice low and firm. The doctor had discharged me, a nice man by the name. Introduced himself to me before he rushed off to do other things.I frowned, shifting slightly on the cot I was sitting on. The medical room in Reaves’ basement smelled like antiseptic and burnt wood, a reminder of the fire that had nearly
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★The engine sputtered, letting out a high-pitched whine before descending into a series of jarring clunks, each one louder and more ominous than the last. A metallic scraping sound joined the cacophony, like nails on a chalkboard, before the car gave one final, wheezing groan. The momentum ebbed, and with a reluctant shudder, it jerked to a halt, silence settling like a heavy curtain in the aftermath of the mechanical chaos.“HOLY FUCKING SHIT! WHY NOW? WHY THE FUCK NOW?!” I yelled, banging my head on the steering wheel over and over again. The honking sound didn’t even stop me from freaking out. I’m not even near this stupid godforsaken town. And this piece of crap has given up on me. I hate THIS!Okay, you might need some backstory to understand why I’m freaking out. This is all the fault of my estranged mother. Two days ago she sent me a letter. In these modern times, she sent me a fucking letter. After twenty years of pure silence, after running out on
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★“What is this?” Lionel asked as he picked up the piece of paper I’d thrown away. Shit. He looked at me after unruffling it up, and reading through it. “why is she writing to you? From dusty creek?”Yeah, creek. Right. Is that even a place? Is it like a small venue in New York? Hmm.“I don’t know. I just got the letter. I don’t know why she hasn’t reached out in twenty years. Okay, what am I supposed to do?”Ezra growled, “Do what you always do when you don’t want to entertain bullshit. She doesn’t get to see you. She never called, never even bothered to check in to see how Dad was doing. no. You can’t go.”normally, this would be a given. I hate my mother. But I have to admit that what she did reroute my brain. Our family was perfect, and she ruined it. However, I can’t seem to feel that bubbling hate right now. I truly want to know. My therapist- yes, I have one. When you key an old lady’s car at sixteen, call her a dying floozy, punch her grandson, and
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★I wasn’t expecting to open with Colton rushing towards me before I could even finish shifting back to my human side.Not after the way the morning started, with awkward glances and unspoken tension. Not after I’d spent the whole day trying—and failing—to push him out of my mind. Not after convincing myself that his absence in bed hadn’t meant anything- okay, I didn’t convince myself but I was going to.And yet, here he was.Standing in front of me, arms crossed, golden eyes sharp as he assessed me. His jaw was set, but there was something else beneath the rough exterior—something I couldn’t quite name.“You’re not walking back alone,” he said, his voice low and firm. The doctor had discharged me, a nice man by the name. Introduced himself to me before he rushed off to do other things.I frowned, shifting slightly on the cot I was sitting on. The medical room in Reaves’ basement smelled like antiseptic and burnt wood, a reminder of the fire that had nearly
▄︻デ══━一 COLTON HAYES💥 I didn’t want to let go.But I had to.Vanessa pulled the oversized shirt tighter around herself, her fingers trembling as she worked the buttons. Her hands weren’t steady—hell, she was barely holding herself up. Her knees were pressed into the dirt, her breath ragged, her throat working through another coughing fit. I clenched my fists to keep from reaching out again, from gathering her against me like I had when she stumbled out of the fire, covered in soot, blue fur shifting back to bare skin before my eyes.I had never seen a wolf like hers before. Never seen a color like that, never seen anything like her.Not that it mattered right now.I finally turned my attention to Darcy instead, kneeling beside her and pressing my fingers against her throat. She was covered in ash and debris, her face slack, lips slightly parted, but I still felt it—the faint but steady thrum of her pulse beneath my fingertips.“She’s alive,” I muttered, relief loosening something in
▄︻デ══━一 COLTON HAYES💥After the awkward breakfast, and seeing the woman i had slept with the night before... i decided to tackle my task for today without worrying much about the mistakes i made last night and this morning.The barn smelled like hay, leather, and the familiar musk of horses as I pulled the heavy door open. The early afternoon sun streaked through the slats in golden beams, dust swirling in the warmth. I was here to check on one of our mares, Daisy—she was due to foal in a few weeks, and I wanted to make sure she was comfortable.Ross, of course, had followed me, boots crunching against the dirt as he sauntered in like he had all the time in the world.“You know,” he started, dragging a hand through his already-messy dark hair, “I was thinkin’—Vanessa’s kinda cute. Let’s be honest, cute doesn’t cut it. She’s gorgeous.”I didn’t respond. Not because I hadn’t heard him, but because I was already expecting this conversation. Ross flirted with just about anything with a h
▄︻デ══━一 COLTON HAYES💥I stared at my phone after ending the call with Rachel, tapping my fingers against the back of it. My stomach twisted as I debated what to do.I knew I should call Ezra, check-in, and see if there was anything I could do to help. But the truth was, I already knew how that conversation would go.Ezra was done.Still, guilt pressed against my ribs. Rachel had been my best friend for years. And Benny—God, Benny was my favorite person in the world. He did not deserve to be involved in this mess. He did nothing wrong. I know the same could be said for Ezra. He’s reacting accordingly.With a sigh, I called Ezra’s number and pressed the phone to my ear.It rang twice before a tiny, excited voice answered."Aunt Nessa!"A smile broke across my face immediately. "Benny-boy!""You called me!" he giggled."Of course I did! Who else would I want to talk to?"He gasped dramatically. "Not my dad?"I laughed. "Well, maybe. But mostly you. What are you up to, huh?""I’m playing
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★I sat cross-legged on the bed, my laptop warm against my thighs, fingers hovering over the keyboard.Focus.I needed to.Breakfast had been a mess. Awkward silences stretched between bites of food, Ross flirting like nothing was weird, and Colton… watching me. His eyes had burned into me from across the table as he could see straight through my attempt to act normal. I had tried—really tried—to flirt back with Ross, to play along like I always did. But my mind was tangled in knots, and my stomach had felt too tight to eat much of anything.And then I ran.Okay, not literally. But I might as well have. A half-baked excuse about needing to write something for my blog, an awkward smile, and I was out of there before I could make a bigger fool of myself.Now, here I was, staring at a blank screen, willing myself to think about anything other than the way my chest had ached when I woke up alone.I took a deep breath, rolled my shoulders, and finally let my fin
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the cold.The space beside me was empty. The sheets were rumpled, but the warmth was long gone. I blinked up at the ceiling, my body heavy with sleep, but my mind was already racing.He left.I should’ve expected it. Hell, I should’ve wanted it. That’s how this worked. No strings, no attachments, just a good time and a clean break. That was the rule. My rule.So why did my chest feel tight?He left his own room, before i woke up. Should i be charmed?I swallowed hard and sat up, running a hand through my hair. The room was dim, the faintest hint of morning creeping in from the edges of the curtain. I let my eyes roam over the space—his space. The scent of him still clung to the sheets, and I hated how much I noticed.Pulling the covers off, I swung my legs over the side of the bed, my bare feet pressing into the hardwood floor. My clothes were scattered from the night before, a careless trail leading back to wh
▄︻デ══━一 COLTON HAYES💥I didn’t move for some time. I think i must have drifted off thinking because it doesn’t feel like I’ve been asleep or awake and yet the clock says it’s two hours from six am.The room was dim, the only light coming from the sliver of dawn trying to creep through the curtains. Outside, the ranch was quiet, the world still caught somewhere between night and morning. Inside, the warmth of her body still lingered against mine, her slow, steady breaths the only sound filling the silence.Vanessa was still asleep. Peaceful. Oblivious to the storm rolling through me.I should have gotten up by now. Slipped out of bed, gotten dressed, gone about my morning like I always did. But I didn’t. I just lay there, staring at the ceiling, feeling the weight of last night settle into my bones.And hell, I could still feel her.Not just the way her body had fit against mine, the way her lips had tasted, or the softness of her skin under my hands. No, it was something deeper than
▄︻デ══━一 COLTON HAYES💥I knew this was a bad idea.But when Vanessa lifted her eyes to mine, half-lidded, her lips swollen from the way I’d already kissed her, I didn’t care.I tipped her chin up with two fingers, my thumb skimming over the curve of her jaw.“Sure about this, darlin’? We won’t be able to turn back from this.” My voice was rougher than I meant it to be.She swallowed, then nodded. But it was the way she looked at me—like she was already gone—that sent something sharp cutting through my ribs.I kissed her slowly at first like I had all the time in the world. Like I wasn’t already unraveling from the feel of her against me.But then she made this quiet sound—half a sigh, half my undoing—and suddenly, slow wasn’t an option anymore.Her hands slid into my hair, tugging me closer, and I pressed her back against the door, molding myself to her inch by inch. I wasn’t sure who was chasing who at this point—only that neither of us wanted to stop.She tasted like whatever cheap
▄︻デ══━一 COLTON HAYES💥The second I stepped out of the shower, steam curling around my skin, I knew she was coming.It wasn’t just my heightened senses picking up on her approach—the light drag of her bare feet across the wooden floor, the hesitation in her breath—it was something else. Something deeper.I had taken two showers tonight. Two. And neither had done a damn thing to wash her off me.Vanessa.City girl with a sharp tongue and eyes that gave her away more than she realized. Stubborn as hell, quick to push, quicker to run. And yet, here she was.I walked to the door before she even had the chance to knock.When I swung it open, she was right there, caught mid-motion, knuckles hovering just shy of the wood.For a second, neither of us moved.She was standing there in a pair of those damn shorts that should be illegal and a shirt that was thin enough that I could see the curve of her collarbone, the hint of skin beneath. Her hair was still a little damp from her own shower, str