Going All In

by Alannah Lynne

  Appealing to his rational side, where logic ruled over emotion, she said, “I couldn’t have seduced you in my living room or joined you in the shower if I was just out for a good time.”

  She fell back on the bed with a heavy thwump. “I don’t even know how to go out with a guy just for a good time. That’s why Jen’s always calling me a prude.”

  His eyes narrowed with fresh anger, something she took as a positive sign. At least he cared enough to be offended on her behalf.

  “I didn’t set out to be this way. It just happened. Yes, I want to explore new things, but not just sexually and not because I see you as… a plaything.” Her face curled with disgust and regret at saying the word.

  She would never think of him that way, and knowing someone else had, caused a heavy ache to settle in her chest, making it difficult to breathe. “You make me want to be brave and adventurous. You bring out a side of me I didn’t know existed.” She smiled and dropped her gaze. “But I’ve enjoyed meeting her.”

  He closed his eyes and his jaw popped the way it did when he clenched his teeth with annoyance. After several tense moments, he scrubbed his hand over his face, as if washing away the remnants of the past few minutes—and maybe even the past year—then drew in a deep breath. He nodded once, which she hoped meant he believed her, then said, “Why would your supposed friend say something like that to you? And why do you remain friends with someone who treats you the way she does?”

  Both questions were easy to explain, but the second was less uncomfortable, so she started there. “Jen comes across a bit harsh sometimes”—she paused and smiled at his raised eyebrows—“and entitled and selfish, but deep down she’s a good person. She’s been a good friend to me, especially over the past two years.”

  Shame over the upcoming confession caused Callie’s head and shoulders to slump. “I’m glad you don’t still see the resemblance between your ex and me, because that means I’m making progress.” She turned her head away from him and studied the light streaming in through the partially open bathroom door. “I never cheated on a boyfriend. I never really had one to cheat on. But selfish and spoiled?” She sighed. “Yeah, that was me.”

  “There’s no way you were like Miranda. And I find it hard to believe you were as bad as you think.” His voice was soft but emphatic. “The person who offered me Dramamine and Gatorade when she needed it herself didn’t appear out of nowhere. Your life might’ve been different than it is now, but when I look at you, I see an all-American girl, busting her ass to make her way in the world, doing the best she can, like the rest of us. Working hard to get the things she wants”—he winked—“like a sexy pair of boots that come up to here.” Wicked intent filled his eyes as his gaze and finger slid across her leg, a little higher than the boots would go and dangerously close to where his mouth had been.

  Guilt blew through her like a winter blizzard, freezing out the heat of his touch. She needed to tell him the truth, that she chose to work rather than live off her trust fund, but she couldn’t force out the words. He saw her the way she wanted to be, as the person she’d fought hard to become, and she didn’t want to lose that right now.

  There would be time in the future, after they’d established a deeper connection and stronger bond, to tell him. Hopefully by then, he’d understand why she hadn’t been completely honest and upfront with him about her financial situation. And he would continue to look at her with eyes filled with lust and affection, not cold, dark, and hardened like they’d been while questioning her motives for being with him.

  Anxious for a quick redirect, she switched to the other, more humiliating question. “As far as me being a prude…” She shrugged helplessly. “I fell in love with my dad’s protégé at fourteen. He was Prince Charming, and until two years ago, I was still waiting for him to ride in on a white horse and sweep me off my feet.” Heat crawled up her neck and cheeks as she confessed her silly fantasy. “I’ve had a few boyfriends, but…” She sighed and played with the top edge of the sheet. “The sex was never all that, so I didn’t spend much time or energy thinking about it. Or in relentless pursuit, like Jen.”

  Until you came along.

  He rolled to the side and and took her down to the mattress. Hovering over her, he said, “Has anyone ever made love to you?”

  With him lying on top of her, heat pouring off him and deep affection emanating from his eyes, images of Wade making love to her rushed her mind. Her heart raced and she gulped at the erotic images coming to mind. “I’ve had sex.”

  “I didn’t ask if you’ve had sex. I asked if anyone has ever made love to you. Did they hold you close and drive into you so deeply you weren’t sure where you ended and they began?”

  Her breath and heart collided in her throat as she stared into his eyes and imagined the picture he painted. She had no words, but that was okay because the man who didn’t normally say a lot wasn’t finished.

  “Have you ever stared into their eyes while they danced inside you, certain you could see straight into their soul… because they bared it to you while giving you everything they had?”

  She’d never experienced anything close to what he described, and as she stared into the bottomless depths of his suede eyes, she realized she was closer to him in this moment than she’d ever been with any of her previous lovers. Her breathing was choppy and her heart sat in her throat, making it impossible to speak, so she shook her head in jerky movements, confirming what he already knew to be true.

  “You’re not a prude, baby. You’re a tempting seductress who oozes sex appeal. You’ve never gotten close enough to anyone to really let go, and no one ever had a chance because your heart wasn’t available.” He wrapped his hand around the back of her head and rested his thumb on the pounding pulse in her neck. He swallowed hard and locked his gaze onto hers. In a soft voice filled with trepidation, he asked, “Is it available now?”

  All signs of the Beast were gone as he stared into her eyes and held his breath, waiting for her answer. Staring into the eyes and soul of this deeply compassionate, tender man, she realized he could easily steal her heart if she wasn’t careful.

  But she didn’t want to be careful anymore. She wanted Wade.

  With tears pushing at her eyelids and her breath coming in ragged puffs, she nodded like a bobble-head and hoped he understood.

  “Then let’s take things slowly and see what happens. I’m concerned about being the man you ultimately need, but I’m willing to give it a go if you are. And when the time is right…”

  The sentence faded away as he lowered his lips to hers, slipped his tongue into her mouth, and gave her a scorching preview of things to come.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Determined to act like a mature adult involved in a real adult relationship, Callie didn’t lose her head over not seeing Wade for a full thirty-six hours, even though she desperately wanted to spend every waking moment wrapped up in his arms, exploring her newfound sexuality.

  But real-life relationships included work and friends, so rather than spending all of his time cuddled with her, Wade spent Thursday in Anticue, preparing for the renovations on Gavin and Sunny’s bed and breakfast, and she worked at The Chesapeake, measuring rooms and windows and ordering furniture and drapes. After work, he went to the campground, and she took advantage of a rare evening alone to finish the dressing table.

  Even though they hadn’t seen each other, they talked and texted several times, and every communication left her warm and bubbly with an infatuated schoolgirl smile plastered on her face. The conversations were more intimate than before their shower and discussion; the texts grew increasingly flirty and naughty.

  The only surprise of the day came when Kevin dropped by The Chesapeake to tell her she’d be spending the next few weeks working in Anticue with Wade. The thought of working so closely with him excited her, especially given the hour-long drive to and from Anticue each day, but she was also a nervous wreck, wondering how Sunny would feel about working so c
losely with Callie.

  Even though Callie had nothing to do with her father’s resort development business and had done everything in her power to stop him from strong-arming Sunny into selling her property, Callie still couldn’t look her in the eye without drowning in guilt and shame.

  Her father’s determination to move forward with his plans to develop a resort on Anticue had driven him to use whatever means necessary to gain control of Sunny’s bar. Callie had tried to stop him but fell short in her efforts.

  She’d called Gavin the second she suspected foul play. She’d snooped in her father’s office to gather information, and she’d teamed up with Gavin in an underhanded transaction that gave him control of the fishing pier. The move stripped her father of the largest and most crucial piece of property necessary to follow through with the development.

  But that transaction also pushed her father over the edge with a nothing-to-lose attitude that almost cost Gavin and Sunny their lives.

  A shudder ripped through her with the memory of the horrifying events of that night, catching Wade’s attention. “Why didn’t you tell me you were cold?” Even though the heat was already so high sweat had formed on his forehead, he cranked the fan up another notch, sending a burst of heat through the cab of the truck. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, then did a double take. “Are you okay? You’re awfully pale.”

  “I’m fine.” In an effort to keep Wade from melting, she cut off the heater fan completely and pulled the edges of her coat tighter around her waist. “I’m just tired and have a lot on my mind.”

  Truth was Wade could crank the heat up until the cab became a sweltering sauna and she’d still be cold. Her chill radiated from deep within and until she moved past her discomfort of working with Sunny, she’d likely stay chilled to the bone.

  Another concern was Gavin catching onto her personal relationship with Wade.

  A stranger would pick up on the simmering attraction between her and Wade, and since Gavin had known her since she was fourteen… yeah, there’d be no keeping secrets there. What would Gavin think about it? Did he like Wade? Even though Wade was a construction worker and didn’t have a large trust fund, would Gavin think Wade was good enough for her?

  Do I care what Gavin thinks?

  The unexpected thought startled her, but the answer shocked her more. No, she didn’t care if Gavin gave his blessing or not. She carried a complex mix of feelings for Gavin and he would always hold a special place in her heart, but she was finished letting other people influence her decisions. In the past, she might’ve stopped seeing Wade if her parents or friends didn’t approve because she wasn’t strong enough to stand up to the criticism and possible rejection that would accompany their disapproval. But not anymore.

  Wade didn’t have money and his background drastically differed from hers, but none of that mattered. He was kind and caring, always considerate, and a perfect gentleman. She liked how she felt when with him and who he inspired her to be even when not together. If the other people in her life didn’t approve, tough cookies.

  “I’m sorry you have so much on your mind.” The way his brow furrowed and eyes crinkled at the corners, she had the feeling he was concerned her unease stemmed from their talk and the new direction their relationship had taken. Little did he know he was her “Wheaties” and her life had never been better than now. “Anything I can help with?”

  As they took the exit and closed in on Anticue, she clasped his hand and drew it up to her cheek. “You can hold my hand. My overactive imagination often conjures problems where none exist, but when I’m with you, I feel like I can conquer the world.”

  *

  Wade sat at his desk, a stack of purchase orders in front of him, his stomach reminding him every few minutes they were well past their normal lunchtime. Since their arrival in Anticue, Callie, Sunny, and Gavin had been hard at work inside the Victorian, while he spent the majority of the day in his office, focused on paperwork and ordering materials. He normally wouldn’t have put lunch off until so late, but he wanted to eat with Callie and didn’t want to interrupt her until she’d finished hammering out details with Gavin and Sunny. He also hoped if they worked extra hard and skipped lunch, they might finish up early enough that he could have a little one-on-one time with Callie before meeting up with the guys.

  Movement through the window caught his attention and gave his stomach a touch of hope that the trio had wrapped things up and lunch would be in their near future after all. He glanced outside and found Gavin and Sunny standing next to her piece-of-shit Honda that had to be on its ninth life.

  Wade laughed and ran his hands over his face, unable to believe she still drove the same car she’d had… well… obviously forever. When he first met Sunny, she and Gavin hadn’t been together all that long and Sunny was saving to send her younger brother to college. But now? They’d been married for well over a year and had a beautiful partnership, personally and professionally. Gavin had recently traded in his Lexus SUV for a pickup truck, but Sunny refused to upgrade. She said she’d drive it until the wheels fell off, and based on the looks of things, that day couldn’t be too far off in the future.

  As Gavin leaned over and spoke to Sunny’s belly and then kissed it, Wade muttered to the papers on his desk, “Well, I’ll be damned.”

  Now he understood why Sunny seemed so tired and rundown the past few days. Normally as effervescent as a glass of sparkling wine, she’d been dragging herself from room to room, and the day before, he found her propped up against a wall, sipping on a ginger ale.

  He cut his gaze back to the car and shook his head. Damned if Callie would drive a rusted-out piece of shit while pregnant, and sure as shit she wouldn’t strap his child into the back of something that would fall apart with a large enough pothole. He might not always be able to keep her in a new Mercedes, but she would drive something safe.

  Wait…

  What?

  He’d barely started getting comfortable with the idea of trusting someone enough to get serious, and now he was thinking about kids?

  The problem was he kept finding himself wandering down these mental pathways despite the roadblocks and barriers he threw up to prevent the mental musings. He never meant to take the conversation as far as he had the other night, but the part of him that had been dormant for so long decided to take over everything: his body, his mind, and his mouth.

  He’d fallen for everything about her and couldn’t help himself. The way she rambled when nervous made him smile, and he loved her sense of adventure and the wide-eyed wonder with which she approached new things. He admired her incredible inner strength and tenacity and respected her intense loyalty to her friends, even though he felt Jen was mostly undeserving. She had a huge heart and capacity for caring and was sexy as hell in her own unique, unassuming way.

  Shit.

  He shook off the distressing thoughts as Sunny drove away and Gavin headed back inside, then piled the purchase orders in a stack. From the sound of things, his stomach was concocting a mutiny and wouldn’t be denied much longer, so he locked up the office and went in search of a lunch partner.

  The house had a wide, expansive porch that wrapped around all four sides, and the round columns anchoring the porch at the corners were so large Wade couldn’t get his arms around them.

  He pushed open the heavy wooden and glass front door and stepped into the foyer, then listened for the sounds of footsteps or voices. It could take a long time to find someone in a house this size without vocal cues, and after a moment, he pinpointed Callie’s and Gavin’s voices as coming from the kitchen.

  He turned to the left, cut through the front sitting room, and entered the dining room as Callie said, “Gavin, I need your opinion on something.”

  The sound of her voice tossed his stomach and warmed his heart. His body tensed and his ears perked up, going on high alert so he didn’t miss a thing she said or did.

  He skidded to a stop in the middle of the dining room and
shook his head. It might be too early to think about marriage and baby carriages, but there was no denying he was deeply infatuated with everything about her.

  A thud, as if Gavin dropped a heavy box, rattled the floor and echoed through the house. “Sure. What’s up?”

  Callie’s slow response had Wade smiling as he imagined her chewing on her finger, debating the best way to approach Gavin about granite countertops or pine flooring. “For the past six months, Tiffany’s been taking cooking classes.”

  Tiffany?

  Wade cranked his head to the side and pulled at his ear, like he needed to clear things out because his hearing had gone wonky. Did Gavin know Tiffany?

  “She’s started talking about opening a catering business.” The words spilled out in a rush, like she feared Gavin would interrupt her before she finished if she didn’t talk at supersonic speed. “Everything she cooks is amazing and she’d be really good at it. She’s got the contacts, especially if you add Jen’s family’s contacts and my mother’s. Believe it or not, she has a great work ethic.” She giggled. “I mean, who would’ve thought I’d be working my little fingers to the bone, right? Anyway, she loves cooking, and she’s developed and mastered some unique, interesting dishes. She’s excited about opening this new business, and I’d like to encourage her to go for it.”

  When she stopped to suck in a breath, Wade found himself grinning like a fool. He adored her nervous ramblings, and pride at her concern and desire to help her friend puffed up his chest.

  However, he was also confused.

  Why have this conversation with Gavin? How well did they know one another?

  When he and Callie arrived, Gavin greeted Callie with more enthusiasm than he’d ever greeted other Mazze Builders’ employees. Thank God he’d never cuddled Wade in a giant hug or nuzzled his face in the crook of his shoulder; Wade would hate to get fired for punching a client in the face. At the time, Wade assumed Gavin and Callie met while working on the fishing pier and restaurant renovations, but now he wondered if they had another connection.