Chapter 67
Chapter 67:
She recognized it immediately.
So Colton had gone all the way to Peudon to bring Elyse that charm.
“What were you going to ask p>
His voice pulled her back. Kristine looked up at him and suddenly felt foolish beyond measure. There was no way Colton would ever travel to Peudon because of her.
“It’s nothing,” she said.
A crease formed between his brows as he reached out and took her hand. “Are you sure it’s nothing p>
With a faint nod, Kristine lowered her gaze. Her long lashes fluttered more than once. Without another word, she turned and went upstairs.
𝘕e𝗐 𝗰𝘩𝗮ptеr𝘀 𝗲𝘷𝗲r𝘆 𝘄𝘦е𝗸 𝗼ո
Colton watched her slim figure disappear. Then he lowered his eyes to the tray, picked up the charm, and slipped it away.
That charm had been meant for Kristine.
Bobby had once told him that good-luck charms truly worked — just not always in the ways people expected. A person who prayed for wealth might instead end up in a severe accident and receive a large insurance settlement. The wish would be granted, but the price paid would be unbearable.
His expression darkening, Colton took out his lighter and held the flame to the charm until it crumbled into ash. His gaze lifted toward the second floor. Kristine’s door remained firmly shut — much like her heart.
After a brief pause, he headed upstairs.
The door was unlocked. He pushed it open to find Kristine perched on the edge of the bed, eyes fixed on her tablet. He approached quietly, and when he saw the densely packed documents filling the screen, his frown deepened.
“Why are you still awake p>
Startled by his voice, she looked up and found him standing beneath the soft yellow glow of the lamp. Her brows knitted slightly. “You move without making a sound p>
“Antiques seem to matter a great deal to you,” he said.
“That’s none of your business,” Kristine replied, her tone cool.
Not another word came from Colton. He drew a slow breath, crossed to the closet, pulled out a change of clothes, and went into the bathroom. Moments later, the steady sound of water filled the room.
Though her eyes stayed on the tablet, Kristine’s thoughts had already wandered.
Colton had always been in excellent shape. In the past, he would step out after every shower with only a towel wrapped around his waist, and during those days she had loved sitting quietly on the sofa, letting her gaze linger. On occasion, she had even reached out to trace the lines of his abdomen with her fingers. Every contour of his body had long been committed to memory.
The moment she became aware of her own thoughts, Kristine snapped back, grabbed the tablet, and moved quickly out onto the balcony.
Only after more than ten minutes did the sound of running water fade.
The bathroom door swung open almost immediately. Colton emerged through the steam, a single towel wrapped low around his waist. Beads of water traced slow paths along the firm lines of his body.