What I did need was exactly what he was just starting to give me. His thrusts were hard, determined, punishing in the strength behind his hips.
Callen transformed before my very eyes. The friendly, easygoing guy morphed into a man who wanted to fuck and knew how to do it well. It was like he’d given over to some raw, carnal thing inside of him, and to my sex-addled brain, it was beautiful and sexy as all hell.
There wasn’t a single spark of humor in his darkened eyes. His jaw was set and his body worked like a well-oiled machine. Every touch had a purpose, every single thrust driving me toward an impossible edge.
His mouth worked with his hands and his extremely talented dick, licking and sucking and flicking until I was a trembling mess. With one last thrust, I went flying to that place where only exquisite bliss existed and lost myself to a mind-blowing, toe-curling rollercoaster of pleasure.
I heard his moans in my ears, felt his hips twitch and his stomach dip, then something else deep inside. Next thing I knew, ropes of his come were covering my stomach and he wore his own contorted mask of pleasure as his fist glided up and down his dick, pulling the very last drops of his orgasm from him.
“What happened to the condom?” I asked when I eventually caught my breath and Callen had collapsed beside me, one of his arms draped over my waist.
He turned his head on the pillow to look at me, his delectable body covered in a light sheen of sweat. “It broke right at the end, but I pulled out fast enough.”
“You’re sure?” I frowned, panic flooding my previously blissed-out brain. “And clean? Because if not, you need to tell me right now. I am. Had a physical just the other day.”
“I’m clean too,” he said, bringing one hand to my cheek and stroking it as he held my gaze. “The band used to get checked out once a month and I haven’t been with anyone since I got my last test results. You?”
“No, I haven’t either.” I let out a relieved breath, but I had to ask again. “You’re sure you pulled out soon enough?”
His forehead furrowed as if my question required deep thought, but his eyes stayed on mine. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure I pulled out the moment I felt the tear.”
“Okay.” I breathed out again. “Good. That’s good.”
He placed a gentle kiss on my lips, his mouth opening to say something when we both heard a car in the driveway. My eyes went wide. “Shit. She’s never come back that fast before.”
“I think she’s been gone longer than you realize.” He smirked at me, then sat up and swung his legs over the bed. He bent over, grabbing his pants and tossing my dress to me. “God, first we made out like teenagers. Then we hooked up in your parents’ house and now we’re hurrying to get dressed before they come inside. It makes me feel like we’ve gone back in time fifteen years.”
“Yeah,” I agreed, a grin curling my lips as I thought about what he had said. “I kind of like the excitement, though. Don’t you?”
“Call me crazy, but yes, I do,” he said as he pulled on his shirt. “Now get dressed before we get caught, gorgeous, partner-in-crazy, fake girlfriend. I’d prefer to keep that invite for coming back. Especially now that I know what these beds feel like.”
I laughed and didn’t stop until I heard my mother walking in through the front door.
Chapter 15
Callen
The last of our things unpacked, I stood in the center of the living room with my hands on my hips and smiled. I might look crazy to anyone who got a peek at me through a window, but I couldn’t not smile.
The house was finally feeling like a real home, and this was the first time I was feeling that way in a very, very long time. My date with Tiffeny had gone surprisingly well, and the sex? Fuck, the sex had been incredible.
So yeah, I had to smile. Every lucky son of a bitch in my position would.
I hadn’t planned what had happened between us in that guest bedroom, but I couldn’t say I regretted that it had happened. All I’d done was whatever had felt right in the moment and it had led to explosive sex that had woken my body up in ways I’d forgotten it could be woken up.
There had been a few bumpy bits. Jumping into bed with another woman for the first time was never going to be all easy, but fuck, had it felt good when I’d finally gotten out of my head.
I wasn’t even only talking about how fucking awesome it had felt physically. It had felt amazing on every level. Like I had been given back parts of myself I had lost ages ago, parts that had helped shape me into the man I was today. Maybe because I actually felt like a human being again and not just a shell of one. I was feeling a sense of possibility again and actually wanting to find out what those possibilities might be.
Waking up the next morning, I felt more like myself than I had in years. After I’d dropped Winter off at school, I raced back home and started on the rest of the boxes.
I had that feeling of getting life on some kind of track again and I couldn’t do that if I was constantly surrounded by boxes. It had taken me a couple of days, but with all the boxes now flattened and every last thing of ours unpacked, I was feeling pretty good.
The feeling got even better when my phone rang and Tiffeny’s name appeared on the screen. “Hey, you. What’s up?”
“Hi,” she said, her voice warm but hesitant. “I was wondering if you wanted to come over to the shop for a bit.”
“Sure. I finally finished unpacking, so I could use some celebratory ice cream. I’m paying for this one, though.”
“We’ll see,” she replied. “So I’ll see you soon?”
“See you soon.” I hung up and went to grab a quick shower so I wouldn’t smell like someone who had just finished moving in. Then I headed out.
Tiffeny looked as good as ever when I got there, a bright smile on her face as she handed over a cone to a teenage customer. Her blue eyes shone with happiness and her hair was pulled up into a messy bun on top of her head.
She had on a pair of jeans and a black T-shirt, but it might as well have been lingerie for the way my blood heated at the sight of her. She said something to the customer just before I opened the door and walked in, the beautiful sound of her laughter meeting my ears along with the jingling of the bell.
“I could never do that,” the teenager said, sounded horrified and intrigued all at the same time. “Girls don’t ask boys out. It’s supposed to be the other way around. I don’t even know if he likes me. What if he says no?”
Tiffeny shook her head at the girl, her smile now aimed at me as the door swung shut after I’d stepped inside. “Back me up here, Callen. Teenage boys can be blind as bats when it comes to girls. They need a little push sometimes, right?”
“Right,” I agreed, walking up to the counter instead of joining her behind it and pulling her into my arms like I wanted to. “Take it from me. Boys can be very, very stupid. Noticing subtle hints isn’t a specialty many teenagers have. If that’s what you’ve been doing, Tiffeny’s right. Just ask him out.”
“You really think so?” she asked, clearly doubting the advice. “What if he turns me down?”
“He won’t,” Tiffeny said firmly. “From what you’ve told me, he’s definitely into you too. I wouldn’t have told you to ask him out if I didn’t think he’d say yes.”
“Even if he says no, at least then you’ll know you tried instead of wondering what might have happened if you’d just gone for it,” I said.
Tiffeny nodded and the teenager mulled it over before doing the same. “You’re right. It’s got to be better to know than be stuck wondering forever. Thanks, guys.”
She spun on her heel and had her phone in her hand before she was even out of the shop. Tiffeny lifted her hand and presented me with her palm. “High five, partner-in-crazy. Thanks for backing me up again.”
“No problem.” I slapped my hand against hers, grinning as I watched the girl walk away. “You really think he likes her?”
“I do. I just hope he’s man enough to admit it and say yes when she asks him. Otherwise, I might
have just lost a customer that I genuinely like.”
“We wouldn’t want that. I meant what I said though. It’s always better to know you went for it than to wonder, right?”
Tiffeny’s teeth sank into her lower lip, the lightness in her eyes disappearing as she suddenly frowned. “Speaking about just going for things, I asked you here because we haven’t spoken in a couple of days and I wanted to make sure I didn’t screw up the other night.”
“You didn’t screw up,” I assured her, my lips curving into a smirk as I walked around the counter and put one of my hands on her hip. “You screwed me, but you didn’t screw up.”
She held my gaze for another beat before the frown faded and she gave me a shy smile instead. “I sure did, didn’t I? I still can’t believe we did that in my mother’s house.”
“Neither can I, but no regrets, right?” I took a step closer to her.
“No regrets,” she repeated, taking a step of her own to close the distance between us.
I broke eye contact to glance down at her lips, and when I looked back up at her, hers were on mine as well. My heartbeat kicked up a notch and I brought my hand up to touch her cheek.
It was that electrifying moment just before a kiss, and I couldn’t wait for it, but as I lowered my head, the bell jingled again, and Tiffeny jumped away from me. She turned in the same movement, her eyes wide in panic over having been caught in a moment by a customer, but when she saw whoever had walked in, her face fell and her hands balled into fists by her sides.
With my lips still tingling from the almost kiss, I frowned when I noticed her response to whoever she had seen and twisted to get a look at them. The customer was a man who had on an expensive suit, but it wore him more than he wore it. His hair was slicked back and his eyes narrowed on a glare at us.
“Mr. Nicolson,” Tiffeny said. “What can I do for you?”
His gaze flicked toward me, but his words were obviously for her. “It’s that time of the month, Ms. Hurst. What do you think you can do for me? I want my money.”
“Oh.” Her jaw was tight and her nod curt. “Yes, of course. I have it right here.”
She bent over and drew her purse out from under the counter, keeping it low as she extracted a wad of bills from an inner pocket. The man reached for it as she handed it over, then thumbed the notes as he counted.
“You know,” he said, a smirk forming on his lips as he gave her a look I really didn’t fucking like. “I can always give some of this back to you in exchange for some one-on-one time like you’re obviously giving him.”
Tiffeny opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Her discomfort around this guy and her dislike of him were clear as day, but he didn’t seem to fucking get it. The insinuation he’d made that I was somehow paying her for the time I spent with her made red spots dance in my vision, and rage over the situation simmered in my stomach.
Without needing to think about what I was doing, I rounded the counter and grabbed his arm to lead him firmly to the door. “You got what you came for. It’s time for you to leave.”
The much smaller man shrank away from me. The intimidating glare I gave him must have worked because he didn’t argue. He simply left.
“That’s your landlord?” I asked her when the door had shut behind him.
She nodded, letting out a heavy sigh. “Unfortunately. I’d have paid double the rent I am now just to keep him out of my shop, though. I don’t know why he comes to collect the cash when I’ve offered to wire it to him, but it’s like he enjoys coming in here and making us feel like shit. Thank you for getting him out so fast.”
“No problem.” I dragged my hands over my face and let the prick of my stubble into my palms distract me from the need to chase him down and make sure he never came back to her shop again. “Is he always like that?”
“Pretty much.” She lowered herself onto the metal stool behind the counter and shook her head. “He doesn’t seem to take a hint very well, or even a flat-out denial.”
“If you ever need me for anything, but especially to be here when he comes around, all you need to do is call me, okay? I can be here anytime you need me.”
A part of me wanted to demand she call me at the first trace of the guy, or that she let me use her backroom to do all my stuff in just so I could be at the store all the time, but I knew I had no right to make any demands of her. Tiffeny could take care of herself, but strangely, I found myself not wanting it to be necessary for her to have to do it.
Chapter 16
Tiffeny
“Hey, guys and girls,” I said to the kids as I walked into the day-care on Friday morning. I was getting used to making these deliveries and had bought a cart especially for them so I could bring in all the ice cream in one go. “You ready for today’s surprise flavor?”
The kids swarmed around me, clapping and calling out guesses. A smile I couldn’t contain spread across my lips. These kids were so damn cute. “I guess that’s a yes, huh?”
More cheering and shouting followed. It was madness whenever I came here, since they all knew by now I was the one who brought them treats once a week, but I loved it.
As I rolled the cart to a stop in front of a table the center had already gotten ready for me under a big oak tree outside, I lifted one of the tubs and tapped the side of my mouth, pretending to have to think. “You know, I think I’m going to need help remembering what’s in here. Anyone want to volunteer to come have the first taste so we can try to work it out?”
Little hands shot into the air, but then I noticed Winter in the crowd. Her hair was pulled up into pigtails and her hand was waving around as she stood on her tiptoes.
Smiling as I engaged shamelessly in a nepotistic act that didn’t even make me feel bad for the grin it got me, I pointed at her. She rushed to the front of the group and bounced on the balls of her feet.
“Hi, Tiffeny. I can help you remember.”
“I know you can. You’re an ice-cream expert.” I reached out to touch her shoulder, guiding her the last few steps to the table. After popping the lid off the first tub, I scooped out a large ball of ice cream and placed it in one of the little cones I’d brought with me. “Here you go. I’m looking forward to hearing if you like it.”
She took it from me and gave it a tentative lick. Recognition flashed in her eyes and she smiled proudly. “It’s butter pecan. Daddy’s favorite.”
“You’re right.” I lifted her arm into the air to celebrate her victory, and the other kids cheered again, then surged forward while the teachers tried getting them into a line.
I winked at one of the teachers I’d spoken to during the deliveries once or twice. “Good luck with that.”
“They really like to test our organizational skills every time you come here, but we love it.” She gave me a small smile before returning to the kids.
Winter stayed at my side, patiently waiting for my attention to come back to her. I frowned, bending my knees a little to talk to her. “Are you okay, sweetheart? Why haven’t you run back to your friends?”
“I want to give you a tour of my classroom. Would you like to see it?”
Surprised, I nodded and swept my arm out ahead of us to let her lead the way. “I have to get back to the shop soon, but I’d definitely like to see your class first.”
“Okay.” She beamed at me, grabbed my hand without any hesitation, and pulled me toward the building. I made sure to let one of the teachers know where we were going, adding that I knew Winter and her father. She smiled and waved me on.
A short walk down an open-sided corridor led us to her classroom. She kept her hold on my hand as she pointed things out to me. “I sit there. Nathan sits next to me. He’s my friend.”
“That’s nice. You’re so close to the front of the room and you’re already making friends.”
She looked up at me and smiled as she nodded. “I didn’t have any friends in California. I didn’t like my old school.”
“Well then I’m glad you like thi
s one and that you’ve made friends.” I paused beside the small plastic desk she’d said was hers, admiring the bold, bright colors of a picture she must have been busy coloring before they’d been called outside. “This is beautiful, Winter. I love the colors.”
“Thank you. So do I.” A line appeared between her eyebrows as she frowned. “Nathan said I used too many.”
I traced a finger along the page, shaking my head. “I don’t think so. The more colors, the merrier. Which ones are your favorites? Mine are purple and yellow.”
“Mine too, but I also like pink and orange.” She walked around the desk and reached into a space underneath it to extract some beads strung together on a skinny shoelace. “I made this yesterday. Do you like it?”
“I love it.” It was multicolored and the ends of the shoelace had been tied together. “Is it a necklace?”
She nodded, placing it in both palms and holding it up to me. “My teacher said we could keep them or give them away. Do you want mine?”
My heart melted, my limbs turning to jelly. This girl was just too damn sweet. “I’d love to have it, but are you sure there’s no one else you’d rather give it to?”
“No. I want you to have it.” She looked almost scared, like she was afraid I was going to reject her. It confused me, but I didn’t want to ask about it.
Instead, I dipped down to my haunches and looked her right in the eyes. “In that case, I definitely want it. I’ll treasure it every day.”
Her smile turned radiant as she handed it over, then helped me get it over my head when I bent it forward. I touched the wooden beads resting over my heart, not able to resist drawing her in for a hug. “Thank you, Winter. It’s beautiful.”
“You’re welcome.” She hugged me back, her thin arms winding around my neck and holding me close. “Thank you for wearing it.”
“Of course.” After I released her, I straightened up and hooked a finger beneath the necklace, pulling it away from my body to look down at it. “I’m going to wear it so much, I might need a new one soon.”
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