by Coleen Kwan
…
Caleb tapped his fingers on his hip as he surveyed the shelves. Once again he was at the hardware store, looking for screws of a certain size because last time he was here he’d forgotten. Because he’d been too preoccupied with Lily. Just like he was today. He couldn’t find the screws he needed because he was too busy wondering why Lily hadn’t called him and told him how yesterday’s lunch date had panned out.
There was no reason why he couldn’t call her and ask—he’d told himself that a dozen times already. He pulled out his phone and checked for any missed calls or voicemails. Nope, none from Lily. He should call her and ask how it went. After all, he’d initiated this date, and twenty-four hours had passed since it had happened.
He brought up Lily’s contact details. His finger hovered above the call button.
“Hey, there, Caleb,” a male voice called out.
He looked up and quickly slipped the phone back into his pocket. “Afternoon, Mr. Baker,” he said, shaking the older man’s outstretched hand.
“Just browsing, are you? Or looking for something in particular?”
“I’m actually working on the house but ran out of screws at the wrong time.”
“Ha, happens to me all the time.” Bill Baker rattled the box of screws he was holding. “I’m trying to get something fixed for Lily. Her outdoor enclosure for that pet dragon of hers is broken. The little critter almost got out. It’s a small job, but I’m not supposed to be doing it myself.” He pulled a face. “Doctor’s ordered me not to put any strain on my back. Lily said it could wait, but I figured I could sneak in and do it when she wasn’t looking. Won’t take more’n an hour.”
“I’ll do it,” Caleb said without hesitation.
Bill’s bushy eyebrows rose. “But you’ve got enough on your plate. You don’t have time.”
“You said it’ll only take an hour. I can do that.”
“Well.” Bill lifted his ball cap to scratch his head. “It’s not an emergency, but if you’re offering…”
“I can take care of it right now.” And while he was at it, he could ask her how the date went. Casually, of course.
Bill resettled his cap. “Hmm. Well, if you’re gonna do the job, it’s better you wait till she gets home. Right now she’s sailing with a friend. One of the Claybournes, apparently.”
Caleb’s lungs squeezed. “Sailing?” he wheezed out.
“Yeah. The Claybournes are rich. Guess they can afford a fancy yacht.”
The lack of oxygen was making him dizzy. He dragged in a mouthful of air. Forced himself to concentrate. Yesterday Lily had gone on a lunch date with Ryan Claybourne. Today she was out sailing with him on a fancy-schmancy yacht. Jeez, he hadn’t expected the guy to move so quickly. That meant they must’ve hit it off yesterday, so well, in fact, that they hadn’t hesitated about the second date. Two dates in two days. He’d never done that, not with the same woman. But then, he wasn’t the serious relationship-type. Ryan was. And that was the point, wasn’t it?
A chill settled on the back of his neck. “I guess so,” he muttered.
“She said she’d be back by three,” Bill continued, apparently oblivious to Caleb’s disquiet.
That was a relief, knowing Lily wouldn’t be out all day with that yacht-owning speed dater.
“I’ll go over to her house after three, then,” Caleb said.
Bill gave him a curious look. “Son, I hope you’re not offering to help just to impress me, because I already know how hard you’re working.”
“No, I’m offering because I owe Lily. She, uh, she went above and beyond helping me with my business plan.”
“Okay. Well, thank you, Caleb. That’s a big help.”
“Great.”
Caleb followed Bill toward the cash registers. The back of his neck was still cold, and there was a tight ache in his stomach. The sooner he got to talk to Lily, the better.
…
Lily had just stepped out of the shower when someone knocked on her front door. She groaned. Why couldn’t the world leave her alone? Right now she just wanted to be on her own. It could be her dad. She had a feeling he’d insist on fixing Noodles’s outdoor enclosure despite his bad back. But she wasn’t sure she wanted to see him right now.
The knocking sounded again. She wrapped a fluffy bathrobe around herself and gave her shampooed hair a final toweling. Hurrying to the door, she cautiously opened it a crack, trying to keep most of herself hidden.
Familiar, keen blue eyes gazed at her. “Hey, Lily.”
She choked down her surprise, not very successfully. “Caleb. What are you doing here?”
“I’m here to fix Noodles’s enclosure. Your dad told me about the problem when I bumped into him at the hardware store. He mentioned his bad back, so I offered.” He paused, his gaze zeroing in on her wet hair and partly concealed bathrobe. His entire body stiffened, and a hard glaze came over his eyes, shutting out the warmth that was usually present. “But it looks like I’ve come at a bad time.” His voice had taken on a strange harshness. He took a step back. “I didn’t mean to interrupt. I’ll come back another day.”
Why was he reacting so dramatically? What did he think he was interrupting? And then she realized…the bathrobe, her disheveled hair, her dad talking about her… Oh no. Caleb couldn’t think that she and Ryan had…?
“You’re not interrupting a thing.” She swung the door open and gestured to him to enter. “Come on in.”
Still he hesitated on the porch, his forehead furrowed. “You’re sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure.” She waited until he’d entered before shutting the door. “There’s no one here,” she said pointedly. “It’s only me. You can check my bedroom, if you like.”
Color raced across Caleb’s cheekbones before disappearing. “I didn’t think—” He halted and blew out a breath. “Okay, when I saw your wet hair and bathrobe, for a moment there I did jump to the wrong conclusion, but I guess I was only going on my experience, not what I know about you. Sorry about that.” He swiped the back of his neck, his gaze heavy on her.
She tucked the bathrobe closer around her. The garment was thick and reached several inches below her knees, but in Caleb’s presence she was too conscious of her nakedness beneath the fluffy cotton. Caleb lowered his arm. His body exuded a powerful masculinity that was impossible to ignore.
“I’m going to get dressed,” she announced, spinning on her heel. “The enclosure is out the back. You can take a look at it, if you like.”
Escaping to her bedroom, she shut the door and hunted in her closet for some clean clothes.
Caleb hadn’t called her yesterday to ask about the lunch date. She’d expected his call, and when it hadn’t come, she’d found herself more deflated than anticipated. Maybe he was waiting for her to call. Several times she’d been on the verge of dialing his number, but each time something had held her back. Why? Why did she hesitate when she had only good news to report? Even now she didn’t know the reason.
She pulled on a buttercup skirt, polka-dot T-shirt, and Tartan knee-high socks. She gathered her damp hair into a messy bun, securing it with a hair clip. Her scrubbed face and straggly hair made her look like a drowned rat. Shrugging, she added a pair of Mickey Mouse earrings.
She found Caleb outside on the back porch, inspecting the enclosure. It was a sizeable wooden box with mesh sides and a hinged lid. One of the sides had come loose, creating a gap large enough for an inquisitive bearded dragon to wriggle through.
“So this is Noodles’s outdoor playpen?” Caleb said, leaning down to test the wooden frame.
The back of his T-shirt rode up, exposing a band of taut muscle above his jeans. He didn’t have an ounce of fat there. His skin was light brown and smooth, and she wondered what it would feel like to skim her fingertips over it.
“That’s right,” she replied. “I put him out here to catch some sun. He likes to lie in his hammock.” She pointed at the miniature hammock that she’d made for her pet.
“Yes, that’s right.”
A pause developed. “How did it go?”
“It…” It went well, she’d been about to say. But the white lie died in her throat. “It went as expected,” she said. “First, I was seasick. Then, while I was hanging over the rails throwing up, Ryan came to check on me, and I succeeded in bumping him overboard. And while he was in the water I almost ran the boat aground on the rocks before Ryan managed to climb back on board and grabbed the helm just in time. So, in a nutshell, it was quite the disaster.”
She tried to smile, but her facial muscles refused to cooperate, and instead there was a knot in her throat. Why? She couldn’t understand it. She turned away, mystified by her loss of self-control.
Strong hands clasped her arms from behind. Caleb’s warmth enveloped her.
“You’re shivering,” he said, sounding concerned.
“The lake was colder than I expected.” Another tremor ran through her, but it had nothing to do with the lake and everything to do with Caleb’s touch.
His hand cupped her elbow. “Come on,” he said.
He steered her to the kitchen and pressed her into a chair at the table. She didn’t protest as he put the kettle on to boil and rummaged around for mugs and spoons, making himself at home in her small kitchen.
“Instant coffee okay?” he asked, pulling a bottle of Nescafé from a cupboard.
She nodded. It was oddly peaceful watching Caleb putter about and knowing he didn’t expect her to say anything. Eventually he took the chair to her left and slid one of the mugs toward her.
“About your cage. The wood has split,” he said after a few sips. “That’s why the screws fell out. I’ll fix it with some filler for now, but eventually it’ll need a new frame.”
“You don’t have to do my repairs. You’re already working overtime on the other house.”
“It’s no problem doing a quick patch now.”
“As long as it’s not taking up too much of your time.” She paused. “Thank you. I feel like you’re doing so much for me.”
Caleb set down his mug. “Was Ryan mad at you for knocking him overboard and almost crashing his boat? He didn’t yell at you, I hope?”
“No. He muttered a few curses, which is only natural, but he didn’t yell.” She traced a finger around a knot in the wooden table. “Actually, he was pretty nice about the whole thing, considering it was such a debacle. I suppose it was only to be expected, after the nice lunch we had yesterday.”
Caleb’s gaze shot toward her. “The lunch was nice, huh?”
“Yes. We chatted forever, and everything went so well. I wasn’t nervous, didn’t babble on about inconsequential things, and Ryan seems like a really great guy.”
He sat up, shoulders squared, thumbs drumming on the edge of the table. “So you got along like PB and J.”
Peanut butter and jelly? Not exactly, but she couldn’t pinpoint how she really felt about Ryan.
“Must have been,” Caleb said before she could reply. “Or he wouldn’t have asked you on a second date so soon.”
She lifted her shoulders. “He might be regretting that, after what happened.”
The lines disappeared from Caleb’s forehead. He leaned back in his chair. “What did he say when you said goodbye?”
“Not much. He dropped me off and said he was sorry he couldn’t stay and chat. Well, the poor man was soaking wet and he’d lost his shoes in the lake. I could see he was dying to get home and jump into a hot shower, so I just apologized once more and got out as quickly as I could. I don’t know what he thinks of me, but I presume he isn’t too impressed.”
Caleb nursed his mug in silence. “Want me to find out for you?”
“No.” She quickly shook her head. “I don’t think I want to know.”
“Really? You’re not curious? I thought you liked the guy, since you had such an awesome lunch with him.”
Lily glanced up. Was that a hint of sarcasm in Caleb’s voice? But why would he be snarky about a date that he had helped set up? It didn’t make sense.
“I do like Ryan,” she said, sitting straighter. “He’s kind and polite and intelligent. His family put a lot of pressure on him to go to law school, but he stood firm and pursued his own goals. He’s a strong man, yet he doesn’t boast about it or throw his weight around like some do.”
Caleb’s thumbs started drumming again. “He sounds like a regular Prince Charming. Didn’t realize I’d struck gold when I thought of him.”
Yes, Ryan was a modern-day Prince Charming, exactly the kind of man she’d hoped to meet when she’d taken the plunge into dating again. So why didn’t she feel like more of a princess in his company? There must be something wrong with her. She had to make more of an effort. She did like Ryan, and she was upset about how today’s sailing had turned out, and if he didn’t call back she would be dismayed. She really would.
“I do like him,” she said with more emphasis. “And I was under the impression he liked me, too, but after today I’m not so sure anymore.” She let out a sigh.
Caleb’s chair creaked as he leaned forward. His hand descended on hers on the table, the rough warmth sending a jolt through her.
“Hey, if he doesn’t call you back just because you accidentally knocked him into the water, then he’s a moron and doesn’t deserve your attention.”
She couldn’t help smiling. “I did almost wreck his boat, you know.” It was difficult keeping her breathing steady when Caleb was holding her hand. He didn’t even seem to be aware of what he was doing.
“The Claybournes are loaded. They’re not going to cry over one boat, and besides, it’s probably insured, so if you had totaled it, they would’ve just gone out and bought a bigger one.”
“I suppose so…” Her breath shuddered out as his thumb absentmindedly stroked the back of her hand. It was hard to think when all she could focus on was his touch, his fingers bewitching her senses.
“I can’t believe you got seasick,” he said, the corner of his lips lifting. “Was the lake really that rough?”
“It felt rough to me. I’d never been on a boat before. I didn’t realize I was such a wimp.”
His thumb continued to caress her, sending sparks shivering through her bloodstream.
“You’re not a wimp,” he said. “It just means you have a heightened sense of balance.” Shifting in his seat, he turned toward her and ran his fingers through her hair. “You’re like a delicate instrument that needs careful handling.” He played with a curl of her hair, looping it around his forefinger.
She shivered again. She should move away, bat his hand away, do something. But she was trapped by her own desires. She turned to face him, breathing in his scent. He smelled of wood, plaster, and honest sweat. Ordinary aromas, but on Caleb aphrodisiacal.
“A delicate instrument?” she asked. “Like an electron microscope?”
His eyes glimmered like the sky after a thunderstorm. His fingers brushed her earlobe, then glided down her throat to rest on the pulse at the base, where her frantic heartbeat must have told him all he needed to know.
“Yeah, just like a microscope,” he muttered, his voice thickening as he closed the few inches between them and lowered his mouth onto hers.
At the first touch she gasped, the shock of pleasure more than she expected, and then she melted into the kiss. No thinking or analyzing or worrying, just surrendering to the moment, the thrilling joy. His kisses were soft and tender, his lips gliding over her mouth before moving on to nibble her chin, her earlobes, her neck. He held her carefully, as if she was indeed the delicate instrument he’d spoken of. With his hold gentle, she could have pulled away at any time, but instead she leaned in closer, drinking in his intimacy, caressing his face, his arms, his chest.
Eventually he lifted his head. His breathing was unsteady, his eyes blazing and unfathomable. He s
wallowed audibly. “You okay?”
She nodded. Her skin was flushed, her heart ping-ponging in her chest, and her lips felt swollen and full. He must see so clearly what one little kiss did to her; there was no hiding her reaction. And him? Did the kiss affect him to the same degree? She couldn’t tell. His eyes were glowing, and his fingers were still brushing her ear as if he couldn’t stop touching her, but was this just a physical thing for him?
He plucked the hair clip holding her bun together, causing her hair to tumble around her shoulders. Twisting one of her curls around his fingers, he tugged her closer and kissed her, deeper this time. His kisses were more urgent now, and she relished them, her hunger spiking, every sense trembling under the passion. She heard herself make a sound, a whimper of delight, and was fascinated to hear him growl in return.
She didn’t know how long they kissed, but eventually the honk of a passing car jolted her back to the present. Oh God, why was she kissing Caleb again? And why was he kissing her? She shouldn’t be reveling so much, shouldn’t be touching him—end of story. She drew back, flustered, her body still humming with desire. Caleb blinked at her, lust and confusion evident in his expression. His hands, that had been roving over her bare knees, stilled.
He blew out a breath, the corner of his mouth lifting. “That was not what I planned when I came here.”
She pushed her damp, mussed up hair away from her hot cheeks. “Why did you do it, then?”
His eyebrows arched. “Didn’t you enjoy it?”
“That’s not what I asked.”
“Okay. I kissed you because I wanted to.”
Was that all? His answer left her unsatisfied; however, she wasn’t even sure what she was searching for.
Drawing away, he picked up his cup and downed a gulp of coffee. “You have very kissable lips, Lily. I’m surprised no one’s told you that before.”
Her flush deepened. He was watching her closely, his hooded eyes masking his expression. She moistened her lips. “I think you kissed me because you feel sorry for me.”
His eyebrows instantly slammed together. He rapped his thumbs on the edge of the table. “I don’t feel sorry for you. If anything, I feel sorry for Ryan because he screwed up. He should’ve noticed you weren’t coping with the sailing and brought you back to shore, but instead he persisted, probably because he wanted to show off with his big, fancy yacht. Serves him right, falling overboard. You don’t need him in your life, Lily.”
