I looked myself over in the floor length mirror, my eyes scanning every inch of exposed skin—which was a lot. The red lacy bra and matching thong that Colton picked out were way too sexy for me. Never in my life had I ever even owned something this scandalous. My underwear wardrobe consisted of one nice bra, a million sports bras, a few pairs of cute panties and regular, non-lacy thongs.  I looked over my freckled arms in distaste. Maybe if my skin wasn’t so pale and I actually had a body to show off I would feel comfortable in something like this.

Maybe if I was Melody.

Shaking the thought from my head I reached to unclasp the back of the bra. “Sutton did you try them on?”

Colton’s curious voice sounded right outside the bright pink curtain that stood as our only barrier. The thought of him seeing me in something like this brought warmth to my cheeks.

“Yes Colton and now I’m taking them off. This was an absurd idea,” I mumbled while fumbling with the clasp.

“Wait you can’t take it off before I see you in it!”

I laughed. “That is never going to happen pretty boy.”

What happened next could have been totally disastrous. Colton’s hands clamped around the side of the curtain and pulled it back just as I reached for my oversized sweater and held it in front of my exposed body.

Colton stepped into the room and shut the curtain behind him.

“Colton Jones you have three seconds to get out before I personally castrate you!” I hissed venomously.

His expression was neutral as he assessed the sweater I was holding onto for dear life. “Sutton just let me see it. Remember I’m helping you as a friend.”

I glared at him with all my might. “You are over stepping your boundaries. This is my personal space, and I don’t want to show you the lingerie because it looks absolutely hideous on me!”

Colton rolled his eyes. “Nothing looks bad on you. And plus I have to prove that you’re wearing it, otherwise you can’t cross it off your list.”

I was not giving up that easily. Colton had a past with girls, and I knew he’d been with just about every type, which included girls much prettier and much more enhanced than me. He would probably laugh at the sight of me in sexy underwear.

Instead of glaring at him again, I turned on my puppy dog face and widened my eyes. “Please—“

“That’s not going to work on me,” he said in an instant, crossing his arms over his chest.

“This is so embarrassing,” I muttered.

Colon sighed. “You don’t have to feel embarrassed around me. But if you feel too uncomfortable then you don’t have too.”

I saw the disappointment on his face he looked me over. After a few seconds he turned to leave the dressing room. The truth was, I didn’t want him to leave. I felt comfortable around Colton all the time, what was different from now? Anyway, undies are just like a swimming suit right?

A brief wave of courage overtook my body and I let the sweater I was holding to my chest drop to the floor. Colton heard the fabric crumple to the ground and slowly turned around with his eyebrows raised. As soon as his eyes landed on me I felt totally self-conscience and unbearably embarrassed. I crossed my arms over my chest and looked at the ground as my cheeks grew warm.

Colton took a step towards me and grabbed my chin with his hand. Slowly, he raised my face up so that our eyes were level with each other’s. “You are so beautiful,” he said, his voice raspy and strained.

Was Colton Jones turned on?

He looked down at my body once more and gulped. I felt his hand trail down my arm leaving goose bumps as a wake. Sighing he closed his eyes and forced himself to step backwards. “Now put some clothes on and never wear something that tempting again.”

I laughed nervously as he turned to leave the dressing room. “Don’t forget you were the one who made me try this on.”

Colton took one last look at me before closing the curtain behind him without a response. Rolling my eyes, I shakily took off the lingerie and changed back into my clothes. I turned to face my reflection in the mirror. My normally pale freckled face was flushed and my wild auburn curls seemed to stick out in all directions. I didn’t understand how Colton thought of me as tempting, let alone beautiful. Sure I wasn't ugly but there was nothing really special about me.

Sighing, I grabbed my bag and the lingerie and stepped back into the store area. Colton stood at the entrance looking like he was lost in deep thought.

“So would you like me to ring anything up for you?”

The woman who helped me earlier stood before me with a smile on her face. Normally I would have said no, but Colton seemed to like the lingerie, why not? Nodding my head, I handed her the things I had tried on and followed her to the checkout counter.  

“What are you doing?”

Colton came up behind me and leaned against the counter with his eyebrows raised. “I’m buying stuff isn’t that obvious.”

 His brow furrowed. “But I said—“

“And you’re not the boss of me so I decided not to listen,” I interrupted him mid-sentence.

Colton seemed to think about what I said for a moment before turning to see the store clerk ring up my items. “Promise me something then.”

With a smile I nodded my head.

“Make sure I’m the only one that will ever see you in that.”

I laughed. “I promise.”

**

“You did not!”

Colton nodded his head while trying to hold in a laugh. “And then after I puked all over the floor this girl Marisa came running into class and tripped in it. I swear I have never seen a girl cry so hard in my life.”

Tears were streaming out of my eyes by the time Colton was done telling me about his third grade puke story. And the story about him being a chubby little chipmunk in fifth grade.

“You my friend are full of surprises,” I told him as I wiped my cheeks.

Colton seemed pained by the word “friend”, and I had to tell myself that it meant nothing. There was no way he felt the same way as me. Colton could have any girl, anyone, there was no way I was the chosen one. As much as I wished I was, it would never happen.

“Maybe we should go get your sisters, the movie should be over soon right?” I asked.

The change of subject seemed to relieve Colton but he shook his head. “My mom picked them up, she texted me that she got home early from work and so she came and got them.”

The news was relieving. As much as I liked Colton’s little sisters, I wanted him all to myself. It sounded selfish but I needed time alone with him.

Suddenly the thought of my angry parents flashed across my mind. I had deliberately left my phone at home—knowing that they would call—so that I didn’t need to worry about any distractions. Now that I thought about it I knew it wasn’t one of my best ideas. They were probably freaking out.

“Colton I should probably get home.”

He looked at me intensely, his gorgeous blue eyes wide. “Yeah, but first I need to do something.”

I nodded my head. “Okay that’s fine jus—“

“Come on.” Colton grabbed my hand and led me through the food court and out a back entrance of the mall.

I was totally surprised as we walked outside into a dream land. The normally dull courtyard was strung with millions of beautiful lights that illuminated the dark night. Newly planted flowers were scattered here and there and in the middle of the courtyard sat a lone wooden bench.

“Do you like it?”

I looked at Colton in surprise. “You did this?”

He shrugged. “I wanted everything to be special.”

“Why?” I asked feeling dumbfounded.

He smirked. “For this.”

Before I even knew what was happening Colton’s warm lips were on mine. His hands snaked underneath my arms and around my waist as he lifted me from the ground and twirled me around in the air. I giggled stupidly against his mouth as my feet hit the ground and he pressed himself closer to me.

“Tell me if you want to me stop,” he pulled away and breathed heavily across my face.

I shook my head and closed the gap between us hungrily. Colton’s body melted into mine as we kissed each other on the mouth and on the neck in a messy rush. I felt my hands travel along the back of his arm muscles and then up to his neck where I pulled him closer and brought my mouth back to his. When Colton’s tongue slipped across my bottom lip I groaned in utter bliss.

He pulled back urgently. “You do things to me Sutton, I can’t explain it.”

His eyes were glossed over and his lips were swollen red. Colton looked vulnerable, almost like he was a completely different person; almost like he wasn’t the cocky, too sure of himself bad ass that I knew and loved. But I loved this side of him too.

I think I loved Colton Jones.

“I don’t understand any of this.”

He looked confused. “It’s pretty obvious that—“

“But you’re Colton Jones, it just doesn’t make sense.”

Colton sighed sadly. “I wish I could be a whole different person. I am a different person when I’m with you.”

His eyes were searching mine as if he was looking for some sort of answer. I believed that Colton was a good person; I just didn’t want a broken heart.

“I can’t afford to be broken again Colton, you of all people know that,” I finally said in a low voice.

He pulled my close to his chest and held me so tight, almost as if he thought I would disappear at any moment. “I will never hurt you Sutton. And I’m so sorry for making you uncomfortable earlier. I was being a stupid guy and—“

“Just shut up and kiss me.”

You all better take the time to hit vote because I know you’ve been eagerly awaiting that…

Happy holidays!