I drew in a sharp breath, stood, and half ran in the opposite direction. Did he see me? Maybe he didn’t. It happened too fast.
At the end of my shift on Saturday, my boss told me I wouldn’t be getting any hours at the restaurant the next weekend. Life seemed bleaker.
The next day, I felt more desperate and determined to find another job. I needed to widen my job search, which would take the whole day. I woke up early and started to make Caleb’s breakfast and lunch, because I was expecting to return late that night.
I was just placing his plate in the food warmer when I heard footsteps behind me. My heart pounded in panic.
“Why are you avoiding me?” Caleb asked, straight as you please.
I nearly dropped the plate. He stood before me, wearing only gray sweatpants and a towel around his neck. Sweat glistened on his forehead, on his impressive chest, and down to his hard stomach where a light trail of dark hair disappeared below his waistband. He’d obviously just finished a workout. I noticed a couple of Band-Aids on his fingers again and a long scratch on his forearm. He seemed to need to be constantly busy. All through the week I’d heard him hammering on something, even retiling his bathroom. I was surprised he knew how to do that stuff—not that it mattered.
I cleared my throat. “I… I’m not avoiding you.”
He tilted his head, studying me. I stood my ground, even though I wanted to squirm.
Why did he have to look so good?
“I never pegged you for a liar,” he said.
Anger flared in my chest. And then I realized he was right. I was lying—but I wasn’t going to admit that.
“Did you need something?” I asked, irritated.
He rubbed his hand across his face. “Yes.”
He walked toward me
slowly, his intense green eyes locking on mine. I stood frozen, unable to move, unable to breathe. Something in the air was so thick I could almost touch it.
Desire.
I had never felt this with any other guy. Why did it have to be Caleb? He stopped a foot away, his hands in his pockets as his eyes held mine captive.
“I need you to stop,” he whispered.
“Stop?”
“Whatever you’re doing to me.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat.
He narrowed his eyes. They were gleaming with anger. “I need to get you out of my mind.”
I bit my lip, balling my hands into fists. I could say the same to him, but I didn’t. I was silent, waiting. And then his eyes softened. He stepped closer. His hand reached for my hair, and he tucked a lock behind my ear.
“You’re something else, Red. I won’t be able to pull away next time,” he said before he walked away.
It sounded like a promise.
Chapter Six
Caleb
Wet dreams were a thing of the past for me.
Or so I thought.
Lifting the blanket, I took a peek and let out a frustrated groan as I plopped back down in bed.