Chapter Fifty
Ghost (extended cut)
“You’re a natural, Jacks.”
I smiled as I looked at his perfectly made bowl.
He smiled as he looked up at me. “Really?”
I nodded. “Keep this up and you’ll be better than me.”
He laughed.
I grabbed a wet wipe and crouched down to wipe the gray smudges off his cheeks. His hair was back to a curly, fluffy, dirty blond.
His eyes widened and I instantly knew he thought of something, they always widened before he said or asked anything that might’ve made him curious.
“Are you going to teach Clay how to do this?”
I nodded, “probably, if he’s interested in learning like you are. But I won’t force him to.”
“Yeah, what if he likes soccer or something?”
I faked a gasp. “How did you know I’ve always wanted to be a soccer mom?”
I chuckled.
“You don’t look like a soccer mom,”
he replied as he made a confused face.
My brows furrowed as I stood up and placed a hand on my hip, “is that a compliment or an insult?”
He shrugged, “It’s just that…”
he looked at me up and down, “you’re always dressed like a homeless person.”
My mouth dropped open. “like a home—”
I released a shaky breath.
I glared at Jacks who truly believed in his statement.
“And you said that with full confidence, knowing that I can just stop teaching you at any moment.”
He smiled. “you wouldn’t do that.”
My brows furrowed as I challenged him, “why not?”
“Because I’m your favorite student and a fast learner.”
“And arrogant.”
I faked a cough.
Well, that was a big blow. They say kids are honest but what if he was just clueless about the fashion world?
That’s possible.
I took off my workshop apron and glanced down at my long white dress. I wore a green zip up cardigan over it because it was cold. And I could actually understand from his perspective how I could objectively look homeless.
“Alright, our time here is done, your mom is here,”
I said as I looked at the clock. We finished right on time.
I helped Jacks untie his apron while he held his precious bowl like a baby.
We spotted Sarah Jo sitting on one of the stools by the window with a coffee in hand.
“We’re all done,”
I said in a cheery voice, “we made a bowl today.”
Sarah Jo immediately turned around totally impressed as if we made some fancy China imported from somewhere important.
“That’s amazing!”
She cheered as she stood.
She crouched down to Jacks’ level and hugged him while he lifted up his precious bowl out of the way and barely hugged back. I chuckled as I shook my head and looked out of the window.
The sun was going to set any minute now. The leaves were bright red orange, it was truly beautiful. Bailey and Ben-Ben couldn’t come in today. It was just Ava and I, and she had to leave early—she mentioned it a hundred times now. We were slow all day anyway so I didn’t mind, besides the second she left I’d close down early and head back to the art room and try to make something.
“Thank you so much, his days with you are what he looks forward to most of these days.”
I smiled as I looked at Sarah Jo and Jacks. “Me too honestly, he’s like a little prodigy.”
“Next Thursday?”
Sarah Jo asked.
I nodded. “Next Thursday.”
Once they left, I joined Ava behind the counter. She handed me a cup of iced chai latte and I grinned because she read my mind.
I took a sip. “Jacks said I dress like a homeless person.”
Ava laughed next to me, she paused and turned to look at my current outfit and continued laughing even louder this time.
My brows furrowed and I slapped her shoulder. “Don’t laugh.”
I sighed as I took another sip of the chai latte, it was the only thing comforting me right now because clearly Ava agreed with Jacks.
“I’m not dressed like a homeless person by the way. I just like wearing long dresses and skirts and cardigans and anything else that feels comfortable,”
I snapped, “is it wrong to be comfortable?”
“I guess not,”
Ava said as she wiped fake tears under her eyes.
“I’m being bullied by a ten year old.”
Ava hummed. “I wouldn’t say bully, I think Jacks was just being honest.”
I glared at her, “so you agree with him?”
Ava blinked as she pretended to look around, “it’s time for me to go.”
She smiled and walked behind the counter. She grabbed her purse off the counter and came back to give me a hug. “I think it’s great you’re dressed comfortably,” she said then quickly ran out the door.
“See you tomorrow!”
“That little brat,”
I mumbled under my breath as I shook my head.
I finished my chai latte. I cleaned up the front a little and packed all the trash so I could just throw it out on my way out.
The sun was finally setting when I walked in front of the door to flip the closed sign. I locked up and started walking away but someone knocked on the door. I turned around and noticed it was Callum.
I unlocked the door and pulled it open.
“You okay? Why are you closing up so early?” he asked.
I pointed down the hall. “I was just going to throw a piece.”
His brows furrowed. “Throw? Like across the room? Is that how you make them?”
I stared at him wide-eyed until I realized he was serious. I slowly shook my head. “No, that’s just what it’s called. I throw the clay on a wheel, so like…”
I chuckled as I scratched my chin, “do you want me to show you?”
“Yes,”
he immediately said.
I looked at Cal as we put on our aprons. “You’re taller and bigger than me so it won’t work if I show you from behind, you’ll have to be the one behind me—”
“Sounds great.”
I scratched my neck. “Yeah,”
I mumbled as I brought the wheel on the floor, we’d have much more space on the floor.
I sat down. “Okay, now come sit behind me—”
Before I could even finish my sentence his warmth engulfed me as he flushed his chest against my back. His warmth spread all around me. I felt his taut muscles with every movement I made.
“Wrap my arms around you and place my hands over yours?”
he asked in a husky tone, I could feel his lips against my ear.
I nodded. “Yeah,”
I whispered.
I cleared my throat and focused on the task at hand instead of giving in to doing what I really wanted. “Now we get the clay wet—I think we should make something simple, something like a…”
I sucked in a breath, looking at his hand over mine as he fully locked his hand around my fingers. Our hands were wet from the clay. “A candle holder,” I finally said.
“Sounds good sweetheart,”
Cal whispered in my ear.
I shuddered. “Cal,” I warned.
“Yes, love?”
“Focus.”
“Trust me,”
he murmured against my hair, “I’m trying like hell.”
The wheel started to spin as the clay started to form its shape, his hands on top of mine. My lips were parted as I tried to focus on my breath—it was a better and smarter thing to do than focus on the fact that his chin rested on my shoulder, and I could hear and feel each gentle, desperate breath he took. I could feel how fast his heart was beating, I felt it so clear and well mine could synchronize with his.
“Do you have any questions?”
I asked in a hushed tone.
He moved his hand and somehow he was even closer than before. “What are you thinking about?”
I smiled. “That’s not a question you should ask right now.”
“Why not?”
“It’s not fair,”
I answered.
“Why not?”
I sucked in a breath and closed my eyes, and in the split second I succumbed to him, the clay fell apart. My eyes snapped open, and I swallowed as I tried to regain myself.
“You need to stop talking. I can’t…I can’t focus,”
I mumbled as I glanced at him over my shoulder, “you’re clouding my head, with your…” my brows furrowed as I took a deep, frustrated breath, “warmth,” I spat like it was his fault I couldn’t stop thinking about him.
“And you’re driving me mad,”
he countered, “all I can feel or think about is the way it feels when I touch you—“ he sighed as his hand glided up my wrist. He was getting clay all over me yet it was the best feeling I’ve ever felt.
“Do you feel that? That rushing feeling, that buzz—it’s like the first taste of a drug—blood rushes through my head and my ear rings as my body vibrates, calling out to you, begging for more. That’s all I can think about, Juliette,”
he admitted with a halfhearted laugh.
“I can’t tone down the loud thoughts in my head, that voice begging for the same thing whenever I’m around you, over and over and over.”
His voice was gentle, so gentle I wanted to close my eyes and just be in his arms. It was driving me crazy, and I was losing control of myself and the clay.
I sighed as I tried to reform the clay again after crumbling it into a ball.
“I don’t know,”
I whispered as I brought the clay back to a long rectangle shape.
He sighed deeply, it sounded like he was relaxed. “You’re so good at this,”
he said as he slid his hand over mine and used two fingers to create the hole inside of the rectangle mold.
I remained quiet.
“Wait.”
He pulled back a little and I could feel his gaze burn holes into the back of my head.
I pulled my hands away from the mold and glanced at him over my shoulder. “What?”
“Is this how you teach?”
My face dropped. “No,”
I deadpanned.
He grinned, “I knew it.”
I rolled my eyes as I turned around, “what?”
“You’re really really, really, really into me.”
“Really?” I teased.
We laughed as he flushed his body back against mine.
“But I’m not into you, Juliette.”
The laugh died in my throat as I froze, completely wrecking the mold.
A million thoughts raced in my head, loud obsessive thoughts that kept repeating. I could feel my heart slowly sinking into a dark pit and my eyes were bouncing everywhere as I looked down.
I completely forgot Callum was still near me for a second until I felt his chin drop on my tensed shoulder again.
“Juliette.”
I shuddered, “mhm?”
“I love you.”
My eyes snapped up and my body relaxed again.
“I love you, Juliette Grace Rhodes,”
he repeated, and somehow his voice was even more gentle and I could feel his words.
“You don’t have to say it back now or tomorrow or ever. I’ll be fine, I can live off just loving you.”
He chuckled softly, “but the fact is, I can’t even stand the idea of not being with you. You’re the best person I’ve ever known. Even then and now, I used to find everything strangely empty like I was missing something all my life—it’s like when you disappeared, it changed me, I lost something big…like a big piece of myself. I didn’t feel it then, not until I met you again. And the second you came back into my life you filled a void, and something lost was suddenly found.”
I turned around and pushed him lightly as tears fell down my cheeks. “How could you do that…and then tell me all of this?”
“Baby,”
he whispered as he held his hands up in surrender.
His expression softened each time I pushed him.
“I’m sorry.”
He pouted.
I shook my head as I pushed him again, and this time he fell back on the floor and pulled me down with him.
I squealed with the sudden movement.
“If you wanted to be on top, you could’ve just said that.”
He smiled.
That damn smile.
I froze as my eyes dropped to his lips and my breath quickened.
It didn’t make sense how this man could have me crying one second and turned on the next.
He leaned up and kissed me and my head followed as I leaned down and kissed him back, he pulled away and before we could break apart I pressed my lips against his again. Callum smiled against my lips as he wrapped his hands around my waist and held me tighter. I moaned into his mouth and dug my hands into his hair. Our tongues brushed against each other and he groaned as he sucked mine. I made a move to pull myself up, but Callum quickly flipped us so he was on top and my arms laid flat next to my head.
He kissed my cheek, “I’m really, really, really, really, really into you,”
he whispered against my skin as he slowly glided his hand from my shoulder to my elbow until he reached my wrist and slowly, tenderly locked our fingers and pulled away to look at me.
Everything inside of me intensified.
I held his hand back as I smiled.
His eyes were soft and looking at him felt like looking back at everything I was feeling. I could feel his love by his soft gaze, his soft caress, his…
He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss against my forehead.
Then the side of my head.
Then my cheek.
Then my nose.
Then my chin.
And finally, finally, he brushed his lips on top of mine like he was savoring the moment, the feeling, my taste. Me.
“God, you’re incredible,”
he whispered against my lips and took my breath away with a kiss.
I smiled against his lips. He was kissing me like it might be our last time, or maybe he was kissing me to show me how much he loved me, I didn’t know anymore, I could barely think. I just knew that I was kissing him back like I needed him to be with me forever and ever.
He dragged his head down, breaking our kiss to kiss my shoulders, he pushed back my cardigan and kissed my bare skin.
I sighed as my lips parted open with my eyes closed.
I needed more.
I pulled my hand away from his as I sat up a little and started to take off his apron and he was doing the same with mine, except he was kissing me in the process. He pulled my apron off as he sucked my neck, licking, biting, and sucking. It was fucking madness. I glanced at him, using my dirty hand from the clay to push off his dress shirt.
“I want all of you,”
I whispered into his ear.
He groaned into my skin as he pulled my cardigan all the way off, my hands fumbled with his belt until I finally pulled them off, then I took his pants off.
It’s like he couldn’t pull away from me for long, he pulled my dress over my head then pushed my hair back to find my face again, he held me in his hands and kissed me again.
His kisses trailed down to my chest. I moaned loudly when he took one of my tits into his mouth and twisted my other nipple. My back arched into his mouth as I wrapped my legs around his waist and dropped my hand into his hair. He looked up at me then licked my nipple, a soft sigh escaped my lips as I watched my own nipple bounce.
My brows pulled together, and he bit his lips then kissed me lower, he licked my skin until he reached my lower stomach, he kissed me there over and over again. I pushed my waist up and he immediately pushed me back down with a firm hand.
“I know, baby, I know,”
he mumbled.
I sucked in a breath, trying my best not to move.
Cal kissed my pussy over the underwear. He pushed my legs open wider and aligned his head and licked my pussy over the underwear, I shuddered as I moaned.
“Callum please.”
I was desperate—beyond saving.
“That’s more like it,”
he grumbled against my pussy then finally pulled my underwear off.
Immediately he raised one of my legs over his shoulder and lapped his tongue over my pussy. I was so sensitive it shocked me a little. I sat up on my elbow and tried to pull back a little or to at least close my legs, but Cal pressed his hand on my stomach and pushed me back down.
My eyes rolled back as I fell back down with a loud moan feeling Cal suck my clit.
My stomach was twisting, and I could almost pull his hair out because I was tugging so hard but he wasn’t complaining—no—he was busy driving me crazy. My brows pulled together, I couldn’t possibly describe the feeling, but it felt like something almost similar to fight or flight. I had this energy and it needed somewhere to go, it was nearly eating me inside.
I slid my hand down and cupped his face and pulled his head up, his breath was shallow and his eyes were dark and hooded. I was quick to pull him up and slid my hand down his chest and felt his soft skin. He was quick to follow my lead and dropped his clay tainted fingers on my shoulder, they felt calloused but I liked it.
I know some people couldn’t actually live off love, but if this is what it’d always be like, I think I could live off Callum for the rest of my life.
I closed my eyes as he dropped his head into the crook of my neck and kissed me as he pulled his boxers down. He groaned as his cock brushed against my pussy. I wrapped my hand around his neck and held him close. I practically felt his heart beating against mine.
“You’re so fucking wet,”
he said as he used his hand to brush his cock against my pussy, coating it with my wetness. I was shuddering just thinking the idea of this would possibly feel like, I don’t think I’d ever move on, I’ve wanted him for so long I was growing impatient feeling him against me—and he knew how much of an effect all of this teasing caused me.
“I love you,”
he whispered against my skin as he harshly pushed himself inside of me.
“Fuck.”
I moaned as I bit his shoulder.
Cal whimpered as he licked my throat. He moved his hand under my ass and gripped a fistful of it like it could possibly get him any deeper inside of me.
He felt fucking punishingly delicious.
The lewd sound of my wetness filled the silence around us with each thrust, I held him tighter.
“God, Juliette,”
he moaned.
I moaned in response, feeling my wetness pool down. Cal pulled out and slammed back into me as he licked his lips. I closed my eyes as I panted against his skin. Cal pulled up a little and grabbed both of my hands and pinned my wrists above my head. He leaned down and kissed me—the kiss was sloppy but it was so fucking good feeling him thrust in and out of me with a murdering pace. I licked his lip, then pulled it in between my teeth. He groaned, kissing me deeper.
We didn’t break away until we finally couldn’t breathe anymore.
Cal let out a breathy sigh as his brows furrowed and he pushed himself deeper inside of me.
He held my hands above my head with one hand and used his other hand to press my stomach down due to my constant arching. My mouth remained open as I closed my eyes, and Cal dropped his forehead on top of mine.
My stomach tightened as he kept his pace, he was attentive, he could tell how I was feeling. And right now I was close. My brows furrowed.
“You wanna come, pretty baby?”
I nodded.
He hummed and finally let go of my hands and I immediately wrapped my arms around him and dug my fingers into his back.
My stomach tensed and he held himself up a little to look at me. He did it so seductively, like he truly enjoyed making me feel this way.
Cal smiled as I came around him.
I panted trying to desperately catch my breath and Cal laid a soft kiss against my cheek. “You’re so beautiful,”
he mumbled as his pace quickened and he began to chase his own high.
I held him tight, trying not to shake from my previous orgasm. I was still too sensitive.
Cal moaned and held me tightly as he came.
Cal grabbed the flushable wipes from the bathroom—thank you past me—and cleaned me up, and after he held me in his arms.
We laid on his dress shirt. His pants were back on and my dress was back on. We were having a moment.