“If you think I’d ever force myself on you, Isolde, then you are the one who never knew me at all,” he snarls.
Guilt hits me. Shit, everything is way too confusing. “Okay, honey. I know you wouldn’t.”
“I like when you call me honey,” he murmurs, the anger slowly leaking away from his face. Sadly, that just makes the hurt on his features easier to see.
“Caleb, you can’t deny that stalking and kidnapping are not exactly sane behavior.”
“You know me, woman. I only did that because you wouldn’t even talk to me. I had to get you to spend time with me. I needed you to actually listen.”
“Fine,” I huff. “Unchain me, and we can talk.”
He laughs, grinning at me like a lunatic—which he might actually be. Then, the bastard reaches over and bops me on the nose. “You’re so damn cute. You think you can fool me so easily. I’m not letting you out of here until I’m positive that you’re not going to run away from me again.”
“I need you to listen to me. I cannot miss my shift at the hospital. You’ll cost me my career.”
“No, I won’t. I had my doctor friend call in and explain that you were in an accident in Tennessee and would be in the hospital for a few days. He explained to them that it wasn’t serious, but it would probably be a week before you could return to work. He told them that even though you had a mild vocal cord injury, you demanded he call so you wouldn’t lose your position.”
“Caleb—”
“I love you, baby. I’m not trying to ruin your future. I just want to be part of it. I had him speak directly to Blake Sampson. That’s your supervisor, correct?”
I huff, but don’t argue. “Let me guess. The doctor who is helping you is a girl.”
He shakes his head. “Are you jealous, gorgeous?”
“More like disgusted.”
That makes him laugh harder. “To clear that up immediately. The doctor in question is a seventy-year-old retired Army doc. He has a devoted wife, two kids and 8 grandchildren. He still keeps his license active and works part-time at St. Lutheran.
“Asshole,” I mutter under my breath.
In response, he kisses my forehead. “You still look tired. Finish drinking your pop. It will help get the medicine out of your system.”
“It’s not medicine, Caleb. It’s drugs—because you drugged me.”
“Semantics,” he dismisses instantly. I push out a loud breath but finish my drink while he happily watches.
I fall back against my pillow. I hate to admit it, but my eyelids are getting heavy. Caleb immediately moves and gets in bed behind me to spoon my body with his. I instantly tense.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?
“I’m going to be the big spoon. We’ll nap together. I haven’t been able to sleep without you. I just want to lay here with you in my arms. That’s it. At least until you’ve had a few hours to get everything out of your system. Then, if you want more … all bets are off.”
“You’re too damn cocky,” I mutter. I know it’s weak. I should be irate that he kidnapped me, called into my work—not to mention drugged me—but apparently, I’m just as crazy as he is because I kind of like that he has gone off the deep end to get me back. In a way, it feels like he might love me as desperately as I love him.
Shit. Fuck. Damn. I do love him. That’s why it hurt so much to think he cheated on me. The feeling terrified me so much that I ran. Hell. I’ve regretted pushing him away since that day in the parking lot, and even before that, if I’m honest. I’m not about to tell him that right now. We have shit we need to work out.
Hell, I’m as nutty as he is. I’m kind of happy he kidnapped me to prove his love. I like he was that desperate to be with me. God, I’m deranged, too. Of course, that’s something he can’t just go around doing in the future. Right now, I’m too tired to fight with him. I tell myself that’s the only reason I let him pull me close and snuggle me. I also say that’s the reason the kiss on my shoulder feels so good. It’s probably also the reason that I easily fall asleep in his arms—in the arms of a crazy man who loves me, and one I love more than anything in the world.
24
MAKE ME YOURS
CANDYMAN
I smile as the warmth of Izzy’s body fills me completely. Jesus, I’ve missed her. It felt like a part of me was cut off—completely gone—and I was slowly dying without it. We talked more last night when we woke up to have dinner together. I released her from the chains, and we called a truce. There’s still more we need to discuss, but she admitted she missed me, too. She sat in my lap and fed me, while I fed her. For the first time since she told me it was over, I’m breathing easily. Today, I just need to get her to admit that we’re going to do this together. Whatever I need to do to keep her, I will. I cannot give her up. I refuse.
I bite my lip to keep from groaning. She keeps rubbing her ass against my cock—which is so hard that it’s physically painful at this point. I’ve got one hand on her breast and without thought, I knead the fleshy mound and brush my thumb against her nipple. I know I shouldn’t, but fuck, it would take a saint not to touch her at this point. I’ve been putting up with her grinding her perfect little ass against my dick for the last hour.
