“Oh?” She fiddled with her napkin. “You planning on giving him a reason?”
Caleb leaned back in his chair, his eyes warm, a corner of his mouth lifting as he gave her a wink. “Only if you ask.”
Mia blushed a perfect shade of pink and licked her lips.
He took care of the check the server had just placed down and stood, holding out his hand. She took it without hesitation.
They walked out of the restaurant shoulder to shoulder, fingers still laced, the night air cool against the heat simmering between them.
The valet pulledup with the car, jolting Mia just enough for reality to slip back in. She loosened her grip on Caleb’s hand, surprised at how reluctant she was to let go.
Caleb reached for the key, his thumb brushing over Mia’s knuckles as he did. The small contact stirred something low and warm inside her.
“Ready?”
She nodded, a small smile tugging at her mouth. “Yeah.”
He tipped his chin toward the road. “I’ve got a cabin on the campus of the Brotherhood. It’s quiet. We could put on some music, have a little wine, just relax. No expectations.”
She studied him for a minute. He wasn’t pushing. Just standing there, open and a little vulnerable. That mattered more than she expected.
“Okay.”
Relief flickered across his face. The corner of his mouth lifted, slow and unmistakably pleased. “Okay.”
CHAPTER 28
They didn’t saymuch on the way to Caleb’s cabin. But the silence wasn’t uncomfortable. He had reached for her hand early on and held it the whole way. His grip felt solid and steady.
Her body thrummed with anticipation, while her mind wrestled with quieter questions. Was this too fast? Too much? Or exactly how it should feel because it mattered? Because she’d stopped wanting to hold back.
The headlights cut through the dark road. Mia stared out the window, acutely aware of how close they were in the car. The radio played softly, something slow and familiar, barely more than background noise. Every time he shifted gears, his forearm flexed. Every curve in the road nudged her shoulder against his.
Neither of them commented on it.
Soon they turned onto a gravel path. The tires crunched beneath them as Caleb pointed things out along the way. Where Joy and Liam lived, the Brotherhood Alliance campus, the Paws for Caring building. He mentioned Nate lived nearby and pointed out Zach’s cabin, although she hadn’t met him yet. She listened, filing it all away, liking the way he was letting her into this part of his life.
“Several of the guys live on campus,” he said. “Some because they want to. Some because they’re not ready to move on.”
She understood that kind of staying.
“Ranger’s here?” she asked.
“Yeah. He’s going to be excited to see you.”
The cabin finally came into view, a warm glow spilling from the windows. Caleb killed the engine, and for a second neither of them moved.
“You sure?” he asked quietly.
“I wouldn’t be here if I weren’t.” And she meant it.
He nodded, then stepped out and came around to open her door. Loud woofs echoed from inside.
“We’ve been found out,” Caleb quipped.
Inside, the cabin smelled like Caleb, clean, fresh and an unmistakable hint of dog. Ranger made a valiant attempt to jump up and lick her face before Caleb gently pushed him down. Mia crouched, laughing, and rubbed him behind the ears, which earned her a full-body tail wag and approving snort.
Caleb went outside with Ranger. Mia looked around the cozy cabin. A small kitchen sat just beyond the entry. The living room was done in neutral tones, comfortable and uncluttered with a sofa, some end tables and a few solid chairs and the requisite male touch—a large TV dominating one wall.
