Caleb is standing at my stove, wearing nothing but his wrinkled dress pants from last night.The morning light streaming through my kitchen window catches on the defined muscles of his back, highlighting his trim physique as he moves.His blonde hair is still messed up from sleep and my fingers, falling across his forehead in a way that makes him look younger, more approachable.
He’s cooking.Actually cooking, not just heating up leftovers or making toast.There’s a stack of golden pancakes on a plate, bacon sizzling in one pan, eggs cooking in another.The domestic scene is so unexpected, so completely at odds with everything I thought I knew about him, that I can only stare.
I need to get dressed.Now.Before I do something stupid like appreciate the view too much.
I hurry back to my bedroom, clutching my towel around myself, and quickly pull on the jeans and cream sweater I’d laid out earlier.The black lace underwear feels like a secret I’m keeping from myself.When I catch my reflection in the dresser mirror, my damp hair falling in waves around my shoulders, I look almost normal.If you ignore the faint mark on my neck and the way my lips are still slightly swollen.
Taking a deep breath, I return to the kitchen, trying to project an air of control I definitely don’t feel.
“Why are you still here?”I manage, crossing my arms over my chest.
He glances over his shoulder, his blue eyes traveling from my damp hair down my body in a way that makes heat pool low in my belly despite the clothes now covering me.“Thought you might be hungry.”
“I told you to leave.”
“You did.”He turns back to the stove, flipping the eggs with practiced ease.“But then I realized our cars are still at the yacht club.I made a call—someone’s bringing both cars here, along with a change of clothes for me.”
I blink, surprised by the efficiency of it.“Someone?”
“I have my ways,” he says with a shrug, not elaborating further.“Should be here in about an hour.”
He slides the eggs onto plates with practiced ease.“Figured we might as well eat something first.Counteract the alcohol.”
I watch him plate the food, trying to reconcile this version of Caleb—domestic, capable, thoughtful—with the arrogant rich-boy I’ve always assumed him to be.
“You can cook.”It’s not a question, but he answers anyway.
“I can do a lot of things.”He turns around, leaning against my counter with a plate in each hand, and I have to force myself not to stare at his chest.“Just because I come from money doesn’t mean I’m spoiled.”
“Could’ve fooled me,” I mutter, but there’s less bite in it than usual.
His lips form a smile that radiates arrogance.“Eat, Princess.You’re going to need your strength.”
“For what?”
“For pretending you don’t want to do this again.”
The boldness of the statement makes my cheeks burn.I snatch one of the plates from his hands, trying to ignore the way his fingers brush mine.“You’re delusional.”
“Am I?”He sets his plate on the counter and steps closer, close enough that I can feel the heat radiating off his bare skin.“Because the way you were moaning my name this morning suggests otherwise.”
“That was…” I start, then stop—Because what can I say?That it was a mistake?That it didn’t mean anything?The lies stick in my throat.
I take a deep breath, steeling myself.“Look, Caleb.Last night was...It was good.I won’t lie about that.But we can’t let it happen again.”
His expression shifts, surprise flickering across his features.“Why not?”
“Because we work together.Because it’s complicated.Because—” I run my hands through my damp hair, frustrated.“Because I don’t do relationships, especially not with people I work with.”
“Who said anything about a relationship?”He steps closer.“I’m talking about two adults who are clearly attracted to each other acting on it.”
“No.”I shake my head firmly, even as my body betrays me by responding to his proximity.“That’s not how this works for me.I don’t do casual hookups with colleagues.”
“Eve—”
“I’m serious, Caleb.It stays in this apartment.We go back to work, we act professional, and we pretend this never happened.”
He stares at me for a long moment, and I can see him weighing his options.Finally, he rolls his eyes with obvious annoyance.
