“You better head back in there, and I need to get on the road. Mom will wonder where I am.”
“You got a man back in Lexington?” he asks.
“Excuse me?”
“Do you have a man? It’s a simple question.”
“I suppose it is, but I don’t see how it’s any of your business,” I counter.
“Because I’m going to kiss you, and I need to know if you have a man I’m going to have to handle later.”
“Handle?” I laugh before I can stop myself. “You’re ridiculous. I don’t have a boyfriend, but?—”
“Good,” he practically growls. He all but yanks me so I practically fall forward onto him.
“Stop. You’re not kissing me,” I argue. “I don’t even like you.”
“You shouldn’t lie to me, Izzy,” he chastises.
“I’m not lying,” I argue immediately. “If anything, you’re delusional.”
He leans down so that his lips are so close to my cheek that I can feel his warm breath. I hear the intake of breath as he takes in the scent of my shampoo. A shiver moves through me when his voice drops to just above a whisper. “I can prove you wrong, Isolde.”
My eyes flutter closed as my body reacts to his seductive voice and his strong, wide body surrounding me. The tantalizing aroma of his cologne hits me, and it’s all I can do to keep from whimpering. I could chalk it up to the fact that I’ve devoted all my time lately to school and haven’t had sex—not even with my vibrator—in a very long time. That’s not it, though. Whatever this spell is that I’m in danger of falling under has everything to do with Caleb. It registers that he used a name I hate—my full name that I can only assume my parents saddled me with because they felt it only fair since they named my brother Bartholomew. I told Caleb that name the first time we met.
I don’t know what the fuck I was thinking.
“I hate that name,” I grumble, wincing when I hear the desire leaking into the tone of my voice. Damn it all to hell, Caleb has to know I’m turned on. It’s not like I’m hiding it at all.
“I think it’s beautiful. Just like you,” he practically purrs. “I’m going to kiss you now, baby.”
“This is a bad idea—a very bad idea, Caleb,” I respond at once, giving a feeble attempt at making him see sense. One of us should, cause God knows I’m being taken over by hormones. My resistance is disappearing faster than condoms at an orgy. Okay, it should be noted that I don’t know if condoms are even used at an orgy. I’ve never been to one and never will. It would just seem that if you’re going to participate in one, you’d want as much protection as possible. Maybe not. You’d probably have to be pretty free with your body and stuff to do that. Crap. I’m getting sidetracked here.
“Are you with me, Izzy?” he asks, pulling back slightly to look at me.
“About what?” I ask blankly.
“What’s that sharp-as-a-tack brain of yours thinking about?” he asks.
As proof that my brain isn’t even functioning—not to mention the fact that it has short-circuited completely—I answer. “Orgies.” Oh my God. I feel his body tense up around me, and then he throws his head back and roars with laughter. “Shit,” I mutter. “Kill me now.”
Caleb’s hand moves against the side of my neck. He manages to get control of his laughter, although I still see it shining in his eyes. “I hate to break it to you, baby, but I’m a pretty fucking possessive man. I’m not sharing you. So, if that’s the kind of scene you’re into, we need to talk about that right now.”
I don’t have a mirror, but I’m wondering if my eyes are as big as watermelons. How in the hell did talking with Caleb get this twisted up? I need to escape immediately. Shit, I may need to move to a deserted island at this point. I decide I need to inflict damage that will make him leave me alone. It’s the only defense I have at this point. “I’ve heard about club parties, Candy-boy. So, I’ve definitely heard of the group sex. I just wondered how many condoms you go through during them and if you’re safe. That’s all,” I say with a shrug. “Then, I decided that I’m just not willing to chance it,” I added. I know I sound like a shrew, a bitch, a harpy, a ballbuster … yet I’m doing it anyway. I don’t have a choice. I feel like I’m fighting for my life here. I have plans. There’s a life inside my brain I’ve carefully built and dreamed of for years. Caleb has the power to derail all of that, and I can’t let him. He’s not the minivan type of guy who will pick our kids up at soccer practice, then come home and fix dinner because I’m stuck at the hospital. I knew when I picked this career that finding a life partner would be difficult—if not impossible. I’m prepared for facing that and settling for real-life love instead of a fairytale, make your heart pound, overwhelming desire love. Caleb would never fit into any scenario with the life I’ve planned—the life I’ve dreamed of since I was in elementary school. I start to walk away, but he reaches out, grabs my arm, and pulls me back to him.
“I see it now,” he says, making me frown. His blue eyes bore into me as if they are trying to uncover every secret I have—and I’m afraid he is.
“See what?” I ask.
“Whenever I get close to cracking that shell of yours, you let Bitch-zilla come out to play.”
I feel like I can’t drag air into my lungs. “You’re crazy,” I lie.
“I’m also right. You have issues, Isolde.”
“Yeah, right,” I huff. “Like you’re entitled to judge me. You don’t even know me.”
“Keep making yourself believe that, but I happen to think I’m seeing you pretty clearly.”
