I wish in this dim light I could make out the color of his eyes. His gaze never once leaves my face, his eyes dart between my eyes and lips a million times, and I know he’s trying so hard not to kiss me again. I love that while, yes, he took what he wanted at first, the moment I said stop, he hasn’t laid even a finger tip on my flesh. My body craves his hands on my flesh, but I know I can’t give in, and how does one crave the touch of a human they just met?
Nothing about this makes any sense to me, and I just wish for once my life could be uncomplicated. My fiancè hasn’t crossedmy mind once since I climbed into Nyx’s SUV, and that should feel wrong. I should want to go home and see him, not be terrified about how mad he will be when he finds out I’ve been out with my best friend.
The only people I am allowed to see without him present are his group of friends and their significant others. He knows better than to try to stop Nyx from seeing me, only because he’s secretly terrified of her. Now she has a whole private security company full of Marines at her back; he's screwed the minute he steps out of line.
Callum clears his throat, and it startles me back into the moment. To this dimly lit living room, where only the glow from the back deck and the fire gives us enough light to not trip walking into the space. He turns to face forward on the couch cushion next to mine, but his legs are spread just enough that if I move, our knees will brush. He isn’t causing the touch, but he isn’t preventing it either.
With one slight touch, my body is alight with a surge of electricity I have never once experienced when touching another human. My fingers reach up and brush gently across my lips. I can still feel his kisses there. His lips were lush and soft, the first time I’ve ever kissed a man where I could tell he used lip balm. He never once forced anything; if I had denied him access, he would have left it at that.
But you didn’t deny him, did you?
“I am sorry if I overstepped, sunshine.” His voice is low and calm.
“No…” I shake my head slowly, not only to say no but also to try to clear my thoughts. “You are so fine.” My palm reaches up and slaps across my forehead with a thunk. “I mean, you’re good. You didn’t overstep.”
Way to go, Kyra. He probably thinks you’re an idiot now.
His chuckle fills the quiet house. It’s a noise that I could get used to hearing, even if I have to make an ass of myself again to hear it. Looking over my shoulder, I see him leaning back, his body looks relaxed. Head leaned back, arms stretched along the back side, and he is working the damaged knee back and forth. Bending and straightening, I can hear a slight pop every time it reaches a specific spot, but it doesn’t seem to cause him pain.
“Does it bother you?” I blurt out. My brain-to-mouth filter is non-existent even though I haven’t even had a drink yet.
“Cal?” I hear Demitri’s voice as the sliding door opens. “Kyra? Are you guys up to no good?” His words are slurred slightly, so I know he’s been drinking. I dart up from the couch and head the long way to the kitchen to make it look like I just came from the small powder room Nyx showed me this evening.
“Hey! Demitri, right?“ I plaster on my most innocent smile as I hear Callum walk into the kitchen from the other doorway.
Demitri’s eyes dart from him back to me, and he just shakes his head. “I don’t want to know.” Looking dead at Callum with a finger in his chest, he growls, “I hope you know what you're doing, Little H.“
Demitri heads for the door next to the refrigerator, walks in, and returns moments later with a small cooler.
“If y’all are done playing suck face, help me load this, please.” My cheeks heat at his assumptions.
“Umm, I’m not sure what you are talking about, Dee. I was sitting in the living room. Kyra went to the bathroom and was coming out as you came in.” Callum tries to cover up our moment but fails when Demitri starts laughing.
“Uh huh. I know nothing.” He mimes zipping his lips and drags us back out to the party cooler in tow.
CHAPTER 6
CALLUM
To keep myself from staring at the gorgeous woman curled up next to my brother and Nyx. I stare at the glowing embers in the fire pit. The fire is slowly but surely putting itself out. The red and orange dances around from coal to coal, and the late October chill is making itself known. Kyra pulls the hood of her jacket up over her blonde hair and the sleeves over her fingers.
“Cold sunshine?” I make eye contact with her when her head darts up to meet my gaze. She just nods her head and then looks back down, mesmerized by the embers, too, or just trying to avoid making eye contact with me.
Standing up from my folding chair, I take a quick moment to stretch out my long limbs. Bringing my arms up above my head, I arch my back, feeling many vertebrae crack and pop. I am like a damn bowl of rice crispy. The only light in the backyard is the twinkle lights my brother made Demitri hang up along the deck.
“It sets the mood.“At least according to Graham.
Walking around the large built-in fire pit, I stand in front of Kyra for a moment before she realizes I am there.
“Holy Fuck, Cal. Where did you come from?” She brings a sleeve-covered hand to her chest. Just her brightly painted nails peek out of the end.
“Let’s get you to bed, Sunshine.” I stick my hand out to help her up. “Graham, you got this?”
He nods to me before standing up and setting a sleeping Nyx on Dee’s lap. These boys are such goners for her. I have never once in my life seen Dee look longingly at anything, let alone a woman. I am happy for them, I really am. It’s just time for me to figure my life out, and that includes getting this ray of sunshine to admit she needs me just as much as I need her. With her small hand in mine, we head into the house.
“Wait, do you stay in the house too?” She stops standing in the little breakfast nook. With a chuckle, I turn to face her.
“No. I stay in the pool house, but I want to get you tucked in safely before I go to bed.”
