Chapter 27
Cute and Delicious
WES
Iwatch from a dark shadow across the street as Callie gives Lola a long hug at the entrance to the bookstore. She looks relaxed and happy, and I’m assuming she’s made up with her best friend. Great. The woman needs more good people in her life, not fewer.
There hasn’t been a minute of my time since I dropped her off last Saturday morning that hasn’t been filled with thoughts of Callie.
Her smiling at me, her laughing, the way her tits felt in my mouth, how her pussy clenched around my cock again and again.
Her gorgeous dark eyes. The way she tastes.
I’m so consumed, and forty-eight hours later, it’s only gotten worse.
What I want Callie to do right now is call a car service. Her car’s not an option as she walked the seven blocks from her apartment to the bookstore after driving home from the library an hour ago.
This might not fall in the same category as stalking a serial killer or tracking Noah and I as we eliminate a target, but it’s still not safe. Why won’t she keep herself safe?
Callie zips her pink puffy coat and looks around. The sun’s just set. She pulls out her phone, and I think, yes, she’ll call a car service, but instead she starts walking, still staring at her device. Not even paying attention to her surroundings.
“Fuck.” I groan and watch her go down the block, only hesitating a moment before following her. Then my phone buzzes. I sent her a picture of Sir Fluffy while she was with Lola. Then I sent her a picture of an apple pie. It’s like I can’t stop.
Callie
cute. And delicious
Me
why thank you, I have heard that I’m cute and delicious before, actually
Callie
shut up. What are you doing?
I smile and stride after her, considering. I could stealthily make sure she gets safely home and then go back to Lake Savage. That’s what I should do. But I have a chance to talk to her in person. Kiss her, maybe, if she’ll let me. How can I pass that up?
I should. But I won’t. I’m only ten feet behind now.
Me
making sure you’re safe
She stops abruptly and looks up, spinning around until her eyes land on me.
“Wesley,” she says, slipping her phone in her pocket and planting her hands on her hips. “You are insane.”
I shrug and close the gap between us, stopping when I’m only two steps away.
“I would say I’m sorry, but it’s quite literally who I am.”
Her lips twitch. Fuck, she’s so beautiful. I could stare at her face all day, every day. And the way she’s looking at me? Like she’s so happy to see me. Like she’s relieved that I’m by her side again.
She huffs and takes a step toward me.
I’m suddenly afraid, because it’s in this moment that I realize I’m falling for Callie Callahan.
Oh.
Shit.
“Walk me home?” she says, taking another step and sliding her hand around my elbow.
“Of course.” I could use this time to talk to her about the security footage I’ve found of Shane around the New York City fight club.
He’s definitely working there. We’ll find him later this week when we’re there, not only because I’ve found him, but because I know he’ll be expecting us.
Jones will certainly alert everyone in the organization that I’m the one who kicked his ass in the bathroom, and they will all be able to put together that I’m the one who asked about the NYC fight club, including the address.
We’ll be walking into a trap, probably. Who knows what we’ll be walking into. And I have Callie to protect, which makes the stakes even higher.
But I don’t want to talk about any of that right now, because I have a beautiful woman next to me, and her arm is wrapped around mine, and she’s smiling at me.
She’s seen me hold a man while my brother stabs him, and she’s still happy to see me.
I entwine her fingers with mine. Neither of us are wearing gloves and the skin-on-skin contact sends shockwaves up my arm.
And I’m falling for her.
“Tell me something that happened at the library today,” I say, squeezing her hand.
“Okay. I had a lady who was probably around sixty come up to the desk and ask if I had any gay romance recommendations.”
I chuckle. “Hey, what’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing at all.” Callie looks up at me and smiles. “I didn’t blink an eye, just went through a few recommendations of popular MM romance novels. I even threw in a MM monster romance, and she was all about it.”
I’m not the biggest reader, but I’d happily build an entire library in my cabin if it meant I could tempt Callie to spend more time with me.
“How about you? What happened at your job today?”
I snort and raise my eyebrows. “I’m still working on my top crust for the competition on Sunday.”
“The competition is this Sunday? Oh my gosh, I thought it was weeks away.”
“Nope.” I shake my head. “But I’m feeling good about it. Other than that, I helped Noah brainstorm some renovation ideas for his first project, which starts in a few weeks.”
She makes a sweet murmur, then looks up at me. “Wesley? Are we ready for New York?” she asks in a soft voice.
Somehow, we’re already at her building. We stop in front, and I glance at the door, desperate to be invited inside.
“We’re ready. Don’t worry.” I turn to face her and let our eye contact intensify before sliding my hands along her jaw and into her hair. Her lips are so pink and full, and she licks them as I’m watching her. “Calliope.”
She grabs my waist and pulls me toward her, and I take that as an invitation to press my mouth against hers. The kiss is soft and deep and sexy, and she lets me part her lips with my tongue and gently sweep inside her mouth. A soft moan escapes her throat, and my cock responds instantly.
Then Callie gently pulls her mouth away from mine. Her eyes are heated and her lips pinker, but she steps away so my hands fall off her body.
“I’ll see you Thursday,” she says, and with not a small amount of regret on her face, she turns and disappears into her building.
My heart’s racing so hard I can’t bring myself to move from the spot I’m standing in. I touch my lips with my finger and close my eyes.
I am so fucked.