Little White Lie

by Madison Night

  He kissed her then—lightly, tenderly, his lips barely putting pressure on hers.

  She was powerless.

  Damn him.

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and drew him deeper into the kiss. Not separating herself from him, Syd got to her knees and scooted closer to Caleb, scissoring her thighs with his. She tangled her fingers in his blond hair, pressing him closer to her. She parted her lips and snaked her tongue out, teasing the seam of his mouth. Lips parted and tongues met, sliding sensuously along each other one second, eagerly thrusting against each other the next.

  Syd moved her hands to the front of his baby-blue top and hooked her fingers onto the hem, pulling the thin fabric over his head. She scratched her nails lightly along his torso as she stared into his eyes.

  He furrowed his brow. “Syd,” he said, taking hold of her hands and bringing the fingertips to his lips. “Syd, baby, these last few weeks, why were you pushing me away? Why did you try to break up with me when it’s so obvious it’s not what your heart really wants?”

  Syd examined their hands—his were so large they completely enveloped hers. She felt safe when she was with him.

  She couldn’t meet his steady gaze. “I… It can’t work with us, Caleb. I told you—”

  He put his finger to her lips. “If you’re about to say you don’t have time for me, if you’re about to claim that the distance would make it near impossible, I simply don’t buy it.”

  “But…” she began.

  Caleb shook his head. “Sorry, darlin’. Those excuses aren’t going to work. The second I left Vancouver you began pulling away, Syd. You never even gave us the chance we deserved. How can you expect me to let you go when we haven’t even tried? There’s something you’re not telling me and I wish you would trust me enough to be honest about it.”

  Syd’s shoulders slumped in resignation. Short of telling him she hated him, which she’d never be able to do with conviction, there was no way she was winning this battle.

  She tipped herself forward and rested her head against his him, sighing. “Why did you have to come here? Why couldn’t you just leave it alone?”

  His body quivered with a silent chuckle. “I thought I already told you, darlin’, but maybe you didn’t hear me.” He kissed the top of her head. “I love you, Sydney Bennett,” he whispered into her hair. Caleb hooked a thumb under her chin and lifted her head so she’d have no choice but to look at him. “I love you.”

  A flood of emotions washed over Syd. She loved him too, but to verbalize it, to tell him her feelings—that was something she wasn’t able to do. How could she, when she was only going to break his heart?

  And yet here I am, she thought, in his arms, giving in when I should be pushing away.

  “Come on, darlin’, we need to get some real food into your system.” He settled Syd into a sitting position at the top of the bed, fluffing a few pillows behind her back for support. He kissed her forehead and vanished down the stairs.

  She couldn’t help but smile. He truly was one of the good guys.

  He came back upstairs, plate of food in one hand, two colas in the other. He rested the cans on the bedside table and popped a fry into his mouth. He winked at her and snatched another from the plate.

  “So, you don’t have a hot date tonight, do you?”

  Syd took a huge bite out of the burger and wiped the crumbs from her lips as she shook her head.

  Caleb grinned at her and winked. “You do now.”

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Syd held a fry in mid-air and gazed at him quizzically. “I have a hot date tonight, do I?” she asked. “And, pray tell, who’s this supposed hot date with?”

  Caleb sat there, grinning as he shrugged. “I dunno. It could be with a sexy guitarist who simply cannot get enough of you. Or perhaps it’s with a regular, run-of-the-mill man who loves you and would do anything to make you smile. Or maybe,” he continued, leaning over and kissing her, feather soft, “Maybe, you’ll just have to wait and see.”

  She sucked a dab of ketchup off her middle finger. “Or, maybe it’s the guitarist and regular run-of-the-mill dude who’s the lucky one. Maybe he’ll just have to wait and see.”

  He chuckled and got to his feet. “Either way, I have a feeling they’ll both be in luck.” He nodded toward her suitcase. “By any chance, did you bring a bathing suit along?”

  Syd nodded.

  “Perfect. I’ll be right back. Save some fries for me.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “And if I don’t?”

  “Well, in that case I’ll have to find something else to eat,” Caleb teased, his gaze flicking between her legs and lingering there.

  Her face flushed and her eyes darkened. “I’ll make sure to finish them off then.”

  Caleb took two long strides over to Syd, threaded his fingers into her black mane and gripped the hair tightly, bringing her mouth to his. He kissed her fiercely, his lips marking her as his. When he pulled his mouth away he gazed at her, grinning, loving how whenever he kissed her like that she appeared somewhat dazed.

  “I’ll be right back,” he whispered, dropping a final peck on her forehead and turning to go down the stairs, grabbing his tossed shirt along the way. He heard the telltale squeak of the mattress as she plopped back onto it, along with the frustrated groan that tumbled from her lips, and he chuckled.

  In the elevator on the way to the reception desk on the ground floor to pick up the suitcase he’d stashed there, Caleb couldn’t help but smile. He knew she loved him, knew that she really didn’t want to break things off. He knew it. And he was damn glad he had taken the chance to track her down and confront her. He had somehow managed to convince her to give it another chance, and he was going to use the opportunity to try every trick in the book to romance her right off her feet and into his life for good.

  Syd leaned back in her seat, patting her full belly. “Oh my God, that was so good.”

  “It looked delicious, darlin’. Especially the way you were sucking every last bit of meat off those bones,” Caleb said, wiggling his eyes.

  Syd snorted. “You liked that, did you? Well maybe if you would stop being Mr. Mysterious about our plans for this evening, I could actually get to work on sucking a completely different kind of…bone.”

  He growled.

  “Shall we?” she asked, getting to her feet. “Not that I have a clue as to what’s next on the agenda, but I simply can’t sit here anymore. I’m this close,” she said, pinching her index finger and thumb together, “to ordering up another plate of that rack of lamb.”

  Caleb followed suit and took her offered hand, and they left Citrus Lounge, the hotel’s restaurant. “Come on, baby. How about we go for a little walk?”

  “A walk,” Syd said flatly. “You want to go for a walk. After the way you kissed me earlier, and after all the bone talk, you want to go for a walk?”

  He smirked and tugged on her hand, leading her out of the hotel and onto the street. It was a gorgeous early summer night—a slight warm breeze ruffled the blond hair that sat at the collar of CJ’s embroidered denim shirt, making Syd want to capture the moment on her easel once again.

  He felt her staring at him, and turned his head to her, blue eyes soft in the streetlights. “What is it, Syd?”

  “Nothing. Every so often I just get struck with how beautiful you are.”

  “You think I’m beautiful?” he asked, batting his eyelashes in an exaggerated manner.

  “Well, yes.”

  “Not helping the male ego here, babe.”

  Syd rolled her eyes. “You’ll get over it. Don’t forget, I’m an artist. I see beauty in things you wouldn’t. And right now, the soft light from the street lamps shining down on you, the shadows that light creates on your face, the gentle movement of your hair in the wind…the way you’re looking at me at this exact moment… Beautiful.”

  He stopped walking and turned her to face him. Each hand gently cupping a side of her face, he brought his mouth to
hers in a soft, barely there kiss. He pulled away and winked. “Well, you’re kinda beautiful, too.”

  She feigned hurt. “Kinda?”

  Caleb tossed his head back and laughed. “Yup. Kinda.” He reached down and smacked her behind playfully.

  Syd jumped and squealed in protest, trying her best to put on an air of anger as she shoved CJ away and failing miserably as she was unable to contain the giggle that escaped her lips. He grabbed her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, holding her close to him for the next twenty minutes while they walked around the block at a leisurely pace, talking about everything and nothing, before heading back into the Grande.

  As soon as they returned to Syd’s hotel room, she yanked on his hand, pulling him up the stairs behind her and finally pushing him onto the bed. She straddled him and tipped her head to kiss him. He threaded his fingers into her hair and held her close to him, slowly tracing his tongue along the gentle curve of her lips, making Syd’s insides clench and her heart flutter.

  Then he flipped her off him and stood.

  “What…the hell?” she asked breathlessly, frustrated beyond belief.

  He grinned and moved toward his suitcase. “How ‘bout that swim?”

  “Now?”

  “Of course now, baby. Why else would I have mentioned it?”

  “Sure, baby,” she mimicked between gritted teeth. “Why the hell not.”

  Syd mumbled and grumbled under her breath while digging in her suitcase for her bikini.

  I can’t believe he’s making us go swimming now. What the hell!

  She glanced up at him. He had taken off his shirt and his bare, chiseled chest just begged for her touch. He caught her checking him out and tried to appear indignant. “Can I help you?”

  She raised her head high and turned toward the bathroom. “No. You cannot.”

  “Hey, Syd,” Caleb’s voice was soft behind her.

  She turned around and took in the sight of him pulling his jeans off his narrow hips—she barely controlled the urge to lunge at him.

  “You’re not getting changed in here where I can admire the view?”

  “You don’t deserve to see the view quite yet,” she said, turning back toward the bathroom’s open door. She continued under her breath, “Making us go for a stupid walk and now stupid swimming. Uch.”

  Syd closed the door behind her and stripped out of her black dress pants and charcoal silk blouse, folding them neatly and placing them on the counter. She slipped the black halter bikini top over her head and clasped it at the back, then stepped into the matching bottom, adjusting the small wood buckle detail that accented the garment near her left hip. Syd reached for the bathrobe, tied the belt tightly around her, and stepped back out into the bedroom.

  Caleb wasn’t there.

  A rose and a letter, however, were there, sitting ever so innocently on her mattress.

  She unfolded the small piece of paper.

  Meet me at the bar.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” she muttered, tugging at a corner of her robe. “I have to go to the bar dressed in this?”

  Muttering a string of intelligible curses, Syd slipped her feet into a pair of flip-flops, grabbed her room key and made her way downstairs. Walking into the hotel restaurant and heading toward the bar, Syd ducked her head, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible in her bright white bathrobe. She noticed several patrons glancing her way, raising their eyebrows, and swore to make Caleb pay for this somehow.

  “Fuck.” CJ wasn’t at the bar.

  “Ms. Bennett?”

  She whipped around at the sound of her name. “Yes.”

  The bartender smiled at her and handed her two drinks. “These are for you. Oh,” he said, pausing and reaching underneath the counter, “these are, as well.”

  Syd sighed and accepted the drinks, rose and piece of paper, and moved to the end of the bar to read the note.

  Meet me on the 17th floor. Don’t forget the drinks.

  “Of course I won’t forget the drinks, you dink,” she grumbled, shaking her head. She grabbed them, along with the rose, and headed back toward the elevator. She carefully used her pinky to stab at the button for the seventeenth floor.

  Ding.

  The doors slid open and Syd stepped out into the hallway. It was dark, save for a single fluorescent bulb, and a glass door that led outside was the only way to go. She took a step toward it when the door suddenly swung open, and there stood Caleb, yummy chest exposed, towel wrapped around his waist, smiling brightly.

  Syd chomped down on her lower lip, intent on remaining irritated at him for his little games. She lifted her head high and breezed past him, out of the door and toward the pool…and stopped dead in her tracks.

  Roses were scattered everywhere—petals floated serenely in the pool and restlessly in the Jacuzzi, stemmed roses were strewn almost carelessly across the patio floor, bouquets and votive candles adorned the few tables that occupied a small corner. The door clicked behind her and she turned to look at Caleb in astonishment.

  “You… You did all this?” she asked, her eyes wide in wonder.

  He beamed.

  She glanced around again before turning back to him. “But why?”

  Caleb beamed and came closer to her, sliding his arms around her. “Syd, darlin’, I love you. There doesn’t need to be a reason beyond that.” He dipped his head and brushed his lips feather-soft on hers.

  Her body immediately sank into his, all the frustration she had been experiencing a moment ago whisked away in the cool breeze that played around them on the rooftop.

  He took the drinks from her and placed them on the table behind him. He untied her belt and drew the robe off her shoulders, draping it carefully over the back of a chair. He tilted his head to the side, smirking at her, and whistled long and low.

  Syd’s face flushed. “What?”

  Caleb chuckled and shook his head. “Nothin’, darlin’.” He took the rose she was still gripping, snapped the stem and tucked the red bud behind her ear.

  “Come on, baby,” he said, his darkened eyes focused on her. “Let’s go for a little swim.”

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  It really was beautiful.

  The city lights twinkled all around them and the soft glow from the votive candles shimmered on the water’s surface. Caleb has managed to somehow reserve the entire rooftop pool area for them and the total privacy and quiet was exactly what she—they—needed. Caleb was completely relaxed in the Jacuzzi, one arm slung over the edge without a care, the other he smoothed up and down her leg, making her tingle.

  “How do you do it?” she asked suddenly.

  “How do I do what, baby?”

  “How do you manage to make me feel so special?” She shrugged, suddenly embarrassed to have made the admission.

  He pulled her onto his lap and slid his arms around her waist, bringing her flush to him. He nosed her hair out of the way and nuzzled at her neck. “Because,” he began, his breath hot on her skin, “you are special. You’re perfect, Syd, in every single way, and you’re perfect for me.”

  She shifted restlessly on him, his mouth against her neck doing everything but relax her. She angled her head to grant him greater access and his lips eagerly took residence on the exposed flesh.

  “You make me feel loved, Caleb. So damn loved, and needed…and so much more I can’t even begin to put into words.”

  “I’ll say it as many times as I have to till you believe me, Sydney. I love you.” He kissed her neck. “I love you.” He moved to her jaw line. “I love you.”

  He was getting hard underneath her and she giggled. “I’m literally feeling the love, CJ.”

  He laughed. “Can’t help it. Not with you around.” He lifted her up and repositioned her so that she was straddling him. He raised his hips and pressed into her center.

  Syd moaned low and reached between her legs to massage his ever-growing cock beneath the water. She gave it a squeeze and he let out a
small contented sound that did all kinds of things to her. Her sexual frustration bubbled to the surface and, needing to do more than grope CJ, Syd popped off his lap and got out of the Jacuzzi.

  “Follow me,” she whispered. She headed toward one rather discreet corner of the rooftop, grabbing their towels and bathrobes along the way. This little nook was perfect for what she was about to do—it was tucked away underneath a small overhang, protecting them from prying eyes. She spread the towels out on the ground and folded the robes up to act as a makeshift pillow. When she straightened up she turned to find Caleb standing behind her, water beaded on his tanned torso and a crooked smile on his delectable lips.

  “Enjoying the view, Mr. Jones?” She hooked her thumbs into her bikini bottoms and shimmied them off her hips a couple of inches. “Anything I can do to make it more interesting?”

  No more than two strides and he was at her side, drawing her into his embrace, his hands on her ass and his mouth on hers. She let him envelop her, everything going fuzzy for a moment, before she pulled away. She nodded toward the towels.

  “Lie down,” she instructed.

  “Bossy little thing, aren’t you?” he joked, settling to the ground and doing as he was told.

  “Only when you’ve been teasing me constantly and I’m dying to get off,” she quipped, instantly silencing his laughter.

  “Jesus, Syd…”

  She dropped to all fours beside him and kissed his chest, slapping him away when he went to cradle her head. “No touching.”

  “But…”

  “No touching.”

  He nodded and rested his hands under his head, no doubt a move to prevent getting yelled at again.

  She went back to kissing him, lips feathering across his bronzed skin, while using her hands to explore the already familiar planes of his muscled chest. “I missed you,” she murmured, moving her lips up his neck and finally coming to rest on his mouth. She lingered there, tugging his lower lip, nibbling on it, before she swung a leg over and settled on him. He mumbled something incoherent and reached for her hips. She grabbed his wrists and held him still, rendering him immobile.