“Oh shit.” Caleb chokes back a laugh. “I don’t know if that’s ballsy or just really stupid.”
“A little of both, I think. Anyway, next time I came in, he was working here. I’ve stopped by to see him every time since.”
“That’s kind of awesome. And he’s in school?”
“Yep. Just finishing up his bachelor’s degree. He’s a really great guy, but don’t tell him I said that.”
“Too late. He heard ya.” Rosco slides up to the end of the table. “What’ll you two have? Your usual, Zoe?”
“Please? Get that for Caleb too. I know he’ll like it.”
“You got it.” He taps the table twice. “I’ll be back with your coffees.”
“What’d you order me?” Caleb asks when Rosco leaves.
“You’ll see.”
“It better not be anything weird.”
“I never eat anything weird.”
“Not true,” he argues. “I once rinsed out a bowl that had three different kinds of cereal and orange juice in it.”
“Hey, don’t knock it till you try it.”
“Is she on about the orange juice and cereal again?” Rosco says, setting two cups of steaming hot coffee on the table.
“It’s not that weird,” I tell them.
Rosco makes a disgusted face at Caleb and points my way. “Please tell me you notice something’s wrong with her.”
“Oh definitely.”
“Asses!” I say loudly, nearly yelling.
Rosco walks away cackling, and Caleb dodges the sugar packet I throw his way.
“I think I might like it here,” Caleb comments.
“Because you have someone else to back you up and join in while you pick on me?”
“Pfft, obviously.” He takes a sip of his coffee. “That, and everyone seems so…jovial, so free.”
“You’ve met like one person other than my parents.”
“Hey, those people on the beach waved at seven in the morning.”
“That’s a fair point.”
“But really, it’s not bad so far. I’m not hating it, so that’s a plus.”
“You thought you’d hate it?” I ask, surprised.
“Not like hate it, more like I wasn’t sure. Outer Banks is a nice place. You always hear about people vacationing or retiring here. It’s the ‘it’ place, you know?” He folds his hands around his mug, staring down into the dark liquid. “I come from the opposite side of the tracks, like way far away from any of this. I’m always afraid people can tell I’m a huge fake.”
I peel open the sugar packets and dump all three into my coffee before adding a heavy dose of creamer, taking in what Caleb just said.
This isn’t the first time he’s mentioned coming from an unsavory neighborhood, so that part doesn’t surprise me.
What does is that he’s so down on himself for where he came from, like that’s his fault.
Does he not see how far he’s risen above it? How much better he’s made his life in just four years away from there? Sure, he’s still attached to it in some way, but that’s not him anymore. That place isn’t who he is. He got out. He’s making a better life for himself.
Can’t he see that?
“I don’t think you’re a fake, Caleb. Where you’re from? That’s not you. Your dreams, your goals, those aspirations you hold so dear to your heart? Those are you. The rest of it only defines you as much as you let it.”
He finally looks up from his coffee, meeting my eyes. “Is that how you see me? Full of dreams and goals?”
“I see you in so many different ways. I see those sad, unsure parts of you. I know there’s a string tethering you to your old life that you can’t seem to break, but I also see the dreamer, the boy next door. I see the third baseman, the nice guy, the amazing friend and supportive shoulder to lean on.” I pause and lick my lips, hoping what I want to say next doesn’t offend him. “Can I tell you something?”
“Of course.”
“When I first met you, I had you pegged for the average meathead jock. Then you started dating Delia and I knew that couldn’t be true because that was so not her type. So, I just moved you into the nice guy category, and I won’t lie, you stayed firmly planted there for some time. Then when everything went down last year with the photo and you were right there on the battlefield with us, I started to see other sides of you.” I brush a stray hair out of my face and tuck it behind my ear, blowing out a breath. “That’s, uh, when you piqued my interest…popped up on my radar, so to speak. You were kind and fierce and loyal and so…there, you know? You dropped everything. You raced to the rescue, and not just because you felt you had to, because you wanted to. You stepped up and got dirty when you needed to. I really respected and admired that.”
He doesn’t say anything, just stares at me.
I take a sip of my coffee and clear my throat. “You’re not so one-dimensional, Caleb, and you kind of rock my world because of it.”
Caleb shifts in his seat, not meeting my eyes. I can tell he’s feeling a bit uncomfortable with everything I just admitted, but it feels good to get it off my chest.
I watch him stare out the window, his brows drawn tightly together, mouth crumpled in the corners in concentration.
Just as I’m about to say something to change the subject, he opens his mouth.
“You know, that’s when I really started noticing you too. I mean, you were always this kind of force to be reckoned with, but it wasn’t until Delia went through all that shit and you were there for her that I realized how great you really were.” He finally looks my way. “Do you remember that night you went out with Delia after she and I broke up?”
I cover my face with my hands. “I was so drunk that night.”
He peels my hands away and gives me a lopsided smirk. “I meant before that part. You were just so…free, and fun. I was there for a while before I finally approached you two, just sitting in the corner watching you dance and flirt your way around the room, hoping and praying you’d come flirt with me too.” He winces. “Then I felt like such an ass because Delia and I had just broken up.”
“I kept calling you a douchebag the entire night and you wanted me to flirt with you?”
“I said before you were drunk, remember?” he teases. “Anyway, that was the first time I really felt a pull toward you. It’s increased every time I’ve seen you since.”
My heart is pounding in my chest at his words, my ears starting to thrum to the beat.
“Every time?”
“Every damn time. Hell, even though I live with you, it still increases daily. There’s just something pulling me closer and closer your way.” He shakes his head. “God, I sound so stupid.”
“I feel that too, Caleb.” I turn my attention to the window, my head swimming with so many thoughts. “According to Delia, it’s a good thing. She says we’re falling,” I say almost absentmindedly.
Just then Rosco appears at the end of the table, plates in hand.
“All right, two stacks of peanut butter banana pancakes, extra whipped cream, and a sprinkle of chocolate chips. Plus a side of bacon,” he says as he deposits our meals.
“Oh god, it looks just as good as I remember,” I nearly moan.
“Tastes just as good too,” Rosco promises. “You guys need anything else?”
“Syrup?”
He holds up a finger. “Ah ah.” Reaching into his apron, he pulls out a bottle of syrup that I know for a fact is going to be warmed and sets it on the table. “For the lady.”
I give him a thumbs-up. “We’re good to go then.”
He throws me a wink. “I’ll be back for my tip in a bit. Enjoy.”
I grab the syrup and pour a hefty amount all over my plate, including on the bacon.
“This is either going to give me a boner or a sugar rush,” Caleb says as he begins cutting into his pancakes. “Or both.”
I watch as he takes his first bite, his mouth closing slowly over the fork before he pulls it out cle
an. His eyes float closed and his body slacks in ecstasy. I would know, because I’ve been that person before.
“Fuuuuuck. You’ve ruined me, Zoe. Completely ruined me.”
“It’s amazing, isn’t it? You’re welcome.”
“It’s official: we’re retiring here.”
We’re.
I don’t miss it.
I’m certain he doesn’t mean it in the way that’s making my heart jump into my throat, but damn does the word feel good to hear.
We devour our meals in near silence, the only sounds are Caleb’s moans and our forks scraping against the plates.
As we’re pushing our empty dishes aside, Caleb speaks.
“For what it’s worth, Zoe, you rock my world too.”
19
“This was all an elaborate plan to get me to dog sit with you, wasn’t it?”
“No,” I say not so innocently.
“Uh huh.” Caleb rubs Magnus’s ears. “She’s a big fat liar, isn’t she Magnus?” He barks. “See, even he doesn’t believe you.”
“You’re full of shit, aren’t you, Magnus?” He barks again, and I lift my brow, silently saying, See, he’s clueless.
“Mittens is not thrilled with this situation right now.”
He’s not wrong. The cat is currently curled into a ball on my lap, throwing daggers his owner’s way. Mittens is rather displeased by Magnus’s constant need for attention from Caleb, and he’s even less happy that he’s now resting his head in his lap and staring over at him with mirth.
“I’m sorry, buddy. I’ll make it up to you.” Caleb goes to pet Mittens, but he bats away his attempt.
“Oooooh, sick burn, Mittens! High five.” I grab his paw and bump it against mine.
“You’re both horrible.”
“Says the betrayer.”
Caleb throws his arms in the air and Magnus whines at the loss of his touch. “It’s not my fault he’s attached to me.” He covers the dog’s ears. “The craziest part is that I don’t even really like dogs.”
As if he can hear and understand him, Magnus chooses that moment to amble away, head dropped low.
“Great, now you’ve hurt his feelings, Caleb.”
“He’ll be all right.” He turns toward me. “So, plans for tonight?”
“Can’t we just sit on the couch like we’ve been doing all day? It’s so comfy here.”
“I can’t deny that, but nope. I want to take you out. It’ll be our first official date as boyfriend and girlfriend.”
“That’s not true—we went to That Pancake Joint.”
“Okay, how about our first romantic date, huh?”
We’ve been at my parents’ house for several days now, splitting our time between soaking up the beach rays, hiking, and being lazy on the couch. To say it’s been relaxing is an understatement, but I can’t deny that I’m getting a little bored. Maybe a night out will do us some good.
I groan. “I guess I can put pants on for one night.”
Caleb grabs at the blanket I have covering my lap, trying to peek underneath. “You didn’t put any pants on after the beach? I want to see.”
I swat away his attempts. “Get out of here, you pervert! You cannot talk dirty to me when I have a kitten in my lap. That is just weird, Caleb.”
He lifts Mittens from my lap and holds the cat out in front of him, mock glaring at him. “You’re killing my game, bro.”
Mittens responds by licking his paw and not giving two shits. Caleb lets him go and then turns my way, his eyes darkening with desire.
He moves onto his knees and crawls toward me across the couch, his lips pulled into a teasing smirk. “Now, about that no pants thing.”
He’s lying on top of me now, settled comfortably between my legs.
“What?” I say.
“Are you really not wearing pants?”
“Maybe.”
He rolls his hips into me and I do everything I can not to gasp at the contact, but he can tell. He can feel it, can see the reaction in my eyes.
“Maybe…yes?”
“Maybe.”
Another roll into me. “Any answer yet?”
“Nope.”
“We’re going to be here all night at this point.” He titters.
I lift a shoulder. “Or I’m just waiting until you get me off.”
He lets out a surprised half-gasp, half-laugh kind of thing. “You’re such a little shit.”
Then he’s kissing me. His tongue begs for entrance and I allow it, pulling him closer and wrapping my legs around his waist, my heels digging into his ass. His lips move over mine with such finesse that it’s not long before my hips are the ones rolling. I’m desperate for any sort of contact. I grab at his shirt and he pulls away long enough to rip it off over his head, somehow still keeping that stupidly sexy baseball cap on his head.
Goddamn.
I race my hands over the muscles of his back, digging my nails in with just enough bite to keep it fun.
He lets out a gasp, the sound lost in the moans I emit as his erection drives into me again, rubbing against my clit. This feels reminiscent of our past activities, but somehow the need for more is stronger, harsher.
I want Caleb naked, and I want him naked now.
I drag my hands down his back and straight under the band of the boxer briefs he’s wearing beneath his sweats. I stop for only a moment to admire the number of squats he must do for his ass to feel this good before I trace a light path around to his front. I take my time teasing him, gently running my fingertips over his thighs before finally palming his hard cock.
Caleb tears his mouth away and rests his forehead against mine, his severe breaths so loud in the otherwise quiet room.
“We have to stop,” he begs as he pushes his hips into my hand.
He wants this just as much as I do, maybe even more.
“Why? We’ve been playing this game for days now. You keep dancing me to the edge and then BAM! You back off. I don’t even have balls and my balls are blue. You kiss me, touch me, and you won’t leave my stupid nipple rings alone, but you won’t bang me?”
“What? I like the antici—”
“Say it!”
He frowns. “I was going to before you interrupted me.”
“Never mind,” I mutter. “You’ll learn one day. Now, explain yourself.”
“If you think I don’t want to sleep with you, you’re wrong. I’d fuck you right here on this couch, but I don’t want that for our first time together. I want the moment to be right.” He pulls his head back and meets my eyes. “We’re getting dressed. We’re going out to dinner. Then we’re coming home and I’m having you for dessert.”
My hand tightens around his length at his declaration, my teeth biting into my bottom lip at the promise.
“Zoe?”
“Yeah?”
“Move your hand before we can’t stop.”
He’s right. I know he is. I don’t want our first time to be on the couch either.
But I want him—bad.
With reluctance, I remove my hand, and Caleb pushes himself up on his knees and away from me. I sit up, my hair spilling out in every direction, chest pushed out, on display.
His pupils dilate as he points to the bedroom. “Go now, before I change my mind.”
Chuckling, I pull myself off the couch, keeping the blanket wrapped around my waist because I am most definitely not wearing pants under it. “Where are we headed?”
Caleb relaxes back into the cushions, exhaling a shaky breath and widening his legs, trying to make the situation in his pants more comfortable. “Seafood okay?”
“Is seafood okay, he says to the girl who spends several weeks a year in Outer Banks.”
“That’s Zoe speak for yes, right?”
“Yes, Caleb.”
He runs a hand over his forehead, pretending to wipe sweat away. “Phew. Good.”
“Give me about thirty minutes then?”
“Like thirty minutes or ‘thirty minutes�
�?”
“A normal half hour.”
“Okay,” he agrees skeptically.
An idea hits me as I begin to walk away, and I pause at the end of the hallway.
“Hey Caleb?”
He twists around on the couch to look at me, the fire of desire still dancing in his dark eyes. “Yeah?”
I drop the blanket, and his mouth hits the floor along with it.
“A thong!” he yells. Then I hear a loud groan as I continue down the hallway. “You’re killing me, Zoe. Killing me!”
Caleb shifts the car into park and opens his door.
“Stay there,” he instructs over my shoulder.
“You could at least say please!” I argue, but he’s already shutting the door.
I watch as he rounds the car and am surprised when he rushes over to my side to open my door for me.
Extending his hand, he says, “For you.”
I allow him to help me out while eyeing him warily. “Why are you being so gentlemanly? Because you want to get laid? I plan on sleeping with you either way.”
He smiles. “No, but that’s nice to know.”
“Then…”
“It’s the right thing to do. When we were at the restaurant, I watched an older man do it for his wife and I realized how much of an ass I was for never doing it before.”
I want to laugh at him, but it’s actually kind of sweet and romantic.
“Well, thank you then.”
“No problem.”
He grabs my hand and begins leading us down the path we always take to the beach.
I pull at him. “Wrong way.”
“No it’s not.”
“You’re telling me you’re dragging me to the beach for a change?”
“What? I’m starting to like it.”
I grin. “Hey, I’m not arguing here.”
We make our way down the dusk-lit path. Before we hit the sand, we take our shoes off and Caleb rolls up the bottoms of his jeans. Then he leads me over to what we’ve sort of deemed our spot and doesn’t stop until we’re standing at the water’s edge.
He wraps his arms around me from behind, pulling me close, and we stare out at the vast ocean as the rays of day settle into night, letting the water lap at our bare feet. The stars shine above, the moon reflecting off the water in a picturesque scene. It’s quiet and comfortable and the simplest, most romantic gesture of my life.
Texting Box Set: The Complete Series Page 38
