Same Time Next Year
By Misha
Disclaimer- Not mine.
Author’s Notes- This is Day 10 of the advent challenge, this time we are checking in with Colt and Belle. This is set 3 years after the end of book 1.
Pairing- Colt x MC
Rating- PG-13
Summary- Once a year, they let themselves be together and put the Earl world on hold.
Belle slipped out of the house, grateful that her father was at work. While she was in her final year of college and, she felt confident in making her own decisions without her father’s approval, there were extra factors at play.
No it was better just to avoid the questions all together.
Belle drove to the destination, to the cliffs, relieved to see the motorcycle already there.
A part of her had wondered if he would come. After all, they had been apart, more or less, three years now with only this annual reunion and how long could they drag it out? Yet, here they both were for the third time.
It had happened out of the blue, the first time, she and Colt had run into each other completely by accident and after the initial awkwardness, they had begun to talk, neither wanting the moment to end and they had agreed to meet the next day and when that day had come to an end, they had agreed, half jokingly, to do it again the next year.
And they had. And agreed to do it again. And so here they were for the third time.
A part of wondered why they were were, shy they were still hanging on, but that part shut up when she took in the smile Colt gave her her he saw her, a slow, lazy smile that sent a heat right through. ”Look at you. I guess college suits you.”
Belle wondered how much those words cost him, given that he had made his feelings clear about her path, her choices. But at the same time, he hadn’t tried to stop her, not really. He had let her go. He had his life and she had hers and this was the only time they intertwined.
She knew very little about his life these days and that was done purposefully. She had made her choice, the MPC life wasn’t for her. Ot at least that is what she kept telling herself.
It was easy to believe it when she was at school clear across the country, harder to remember when she was in Colt’s arms, feeling as if she had never left them. As they enjoyed the sun and the water, trading kisses and caresses as if they had never been apart.
“So this is your last year of college,” Colt commented as the sun started to set and she lay in his arms on the blanket she had packed, “and then what?”
“I don’t know,” Belle answered honestly, knowing what he was really asking, “ask me next year.”
Colt was silent for a long moment. She could hear all the things he wanted to say, the desperate and the bitter, but none of them came out, instead he nodded. She looked up at his face, wishing she could make promises, wishing she had answers.
Right now it would be so easy to throw away everything she had worked for, to just promise Colt everything he wanted to hear and stay with him. To have him be a part of her day to day life, instead of relegated to one day a year. But, she stayed silent.
Soon she would have to choose, though, and she honestly didn’t know what she would decide. But that was next year’s problem. For tonight, she was going to soak up the feel of Colt’s arms around her, knowing that it would be all she had for the next year.
And after that, who knew what would happen. She certainly didn’t.
- End
