“Is that so?”
Harper
A hot shower followed breakfast—and a whole lot of touching. Cal couldn’t seem to keep his hands off me, and I wasn’t any better. He joined me in the shower, washing me tenderly, his lips paying homage to every inch of my skin while his fingers massaged and eased the ache in my muscles. He was rock hard against my hip, but he kept from entering me again—he’d said he could feel how swollen I was.
I did ache, and knew he was right—marathon sex was something my body definitely wasn’t used to. When we were younger, we hadn’t gotten many opportunities to be completely alone for longer than a half-hour. Our entanglements were always extremely satisfying, but quick. Except for the occasional weekend when Calum’s parents and sister were out of town for one of her piano recitals.
Now, we had the luxury of time, and Calum put it to his full advantage. Although he didn’t penetrate me, he still made it a very enjoyable experience, right up until the hot water ran out.
We finally stumbled out of the house around eleven, stopping at the bookstore long enough to grab the last two boxes of books and some coffees for the road. With Calum’s help, it didn’t take us long to drop off the rest of the donations at the local schools.
I got to see him in action again. His charisma, his boyish grin—his easy nature with everyone we encountered on our brief stops. He politely declined photo requests and redirected attention to me, claiming he was simply the help.
With the last of the boxes dropped off, we were on the road traveling east, paper cups of coffee fromBooks & Brewsin the console beside us. I’d scarcely had a sip of mine, but I was wired for sound—and widely awake.
Cal parked near the boardwalk and we sat in the quiet of the vehicle for a moment, looking at each other. I wondered if the memories were trickling through his mind, too.
I’d taken Asher to this beach a hundred times over the years, but the last time the two of us had been here together, we’d been…well, together.
And here we were, together—again. He reached across the seat and brushed a calloused thumb across my lips, his blue eyes so focused on me, so full of emotion—and I had my answer. The memories were with him too, but his eyes were focused on me, on the present.
“You’re so goddamn beautiful.” His voice was gravel and grit. His eyes searched mine, a smile tugging the corners of his lips up. He shook his head, like clearing it before he spoke again. “I haven’t been myself without you.”
“What do you mean?” I whispered. He moved his thumb down along the side of my jaw.
He let out a breath he’d been holding. “I’ve always felt like I left everything behind when I walked away from you. And I know why…because I did.”
He followed that raw confession with a kiss, his hand slipping to tangle the hair at the nape of my neck as he closed in. My fingers gripped his leather jacket, tugging him closer, greedy for the minty taste of him. Rapacious for his tongue on mine.
I dropped my right hand, purposely letting it fell onto his lap, right onto the jean-clad bulge of his erection.
Calum broke the kiss with a grin and a slight chuckle, his hand dropping cover mine. “You’re insatiable.”
“So are you.” I retorted. “At least I can conceal my arousal a little easier.” Pulling away from him with a smirk, I opened the door. Gravel crunched beneath my boots as I slipped out, closing it and silencing Cal’s tortured groan.
It was colder near the ocean. The salty breeze carried a stronger bite as it whipped at my hair. I slipped my hands into my jacket pocket to warm them, thankful I’d thought to wear my hat, the cream-coloured slouchy beanie cable hat, crocheted by a local crafter. It was as warm as it was cute and would keep most of my hair in place during the hike to Gaff Point.
Calum took a moment to get himself under control before joining me, which was just as well—I needed a few seconds, too. Closing my eyes, I drew in a lungful of fresh air, letting myself soak in everything that I was feeling.
Well,almosteverything. I was trying not to give my worries and anxieties any more power. Life was unpredictable, and often unfair. I didn’t doubt that Calum loved me, and I knew that he’d go back and change our history if he could—just as I would.
The happiness I felt around him now was genuine. Being with him felt right. I could worry about the thousands of unknown factors, or I could let go and trust in him, and let us finally be the family it already felt like we were.
I turned my head when I heard his door open, watching as he climbed out and closed the door. He grinned at me, his eyes light and happy—carefree, warm, and open. A stark difference from the icy glaciers that had graced the Internet and celebrity tabloids over the last nine years. He’d always looked so…severe in those photos. Focused. The fans loved it—he made brooding look incredibly sexy, but this easy-smiling Calum was one that I remembered, which made my belly swoop and my spirit soar.
I understood what he meant when he said he wasn’t himself without me because I hadn’t really felt likeme, either. At least…not the complete version of me. Something was always missing. Or it had been, anyway.
He took five purposeful steps around the front of the Jeep, and then he was behind me. I could feel the warmth radiating from his solid body. He placed his hand on the side of my hip and dropped a devout kiss to the side of my temple before guiding me forward.
My boots thudded against the wooden boardwalk, and Cal’s hand dropped away from my hip to take hold of mine, his fingers sliding comfortably between mine. We walked at a leisurely pace, hand in hand. The wooden boardwalk ended, and we stepped out onto the smooth rocks, walking between the tufts of grass and down to the sandy beach.
It was a short trek down the beach to the trail. Piping plovers walked along the edge of the water, a group of them taking flight when a couple and their puppy, a reddish retriever-looking ball of fluff, got a little too close.
The young puppy barked with excitement at the birds, and the couple laughed, doing their best to reign him in. The man had a hold of his leash, and the woman was snapping a picture of them with her phone.
Puppies were my kryptonite, and I couldn’t help the squeal that escaped my lips. It didn’t matter where I was or who I was with; if I saw a dog, I had to pet it. “Oh my gosh! He’s so adorable! How old?”
“Three months this Tuesday! We’re still working on his recall.” The woman replied, laughing a little. Her gaze moved from me to Cal, and her jaw dropped. She nudged her boyfriend, who was already staring at Calum with wide eyes.
