21. Bad Choices
21 BAD CHOICES
Cal
I lowered my fork, trying to read Daphne. She was the most confounding woman. I hadn’t come here to seduce her but as she bit her lip, it was over. She could ask for whatever her heart desired and I would have given it.
“Satisfactory? You think it was satisfactory?” I asked.
“ More than . It’s a limited sample size, Cal,” Daphne said. “You must admit, it could have been a flash-in-the-pan.”
I set my fork down.
“You done?” Daphne asked. “I need to run the dishwasher.”
“I am?—”
I went to stand, but she rose instead, picking up the plate. I hated it.
I grabbed her hand. “No. Sit down. I’m a big boy. I can bus my plate.”
“You’re a guest,” Daphne said.
I shook my head, loving the defiant look on her face. Dumb and braver for the glass of wine we’d imbibed, I pulled her into my lap. The look of surprise on Daphne’s face was more than enough reward for my misdeed. I thought for a moment she might slap me. She merely stared, mouth gaping.
“I don’t need you to wait on me like a servant, Daphne. Someone should take care of you.”
Her face flushed. Speechless, Daphne shook her head.
I tucked her blonde hair behind her ear. “You don’t think you deserve that?”
“I… I can do fine on my own,” Daphne quieted.
“That’s not what I asked,” I said.
“I… why do you even think that?”
“Because you’re amazing, Daphne. You know that deep down, don’t you?”
She nodded as if mystified.
“Now, what do you want? What can I do for you, princess?” I asked.
“I… I don’t know,” Daphne whispered.
I pulled her chin towards mine, unable to resist, and leaned to kiss her. But before my lips could even meet her, she gripped my shirt and pulled me closer, her lips pressed hard against mine. Her greedy kiss hit every note it needed. I needed more of her. I ran fingers through her hair and remembered how I felt when we kissed on the balcony years before—how free we felt. Gripping the roots of her wavy hair elicited a low moan.
I pulled back slightly, our faces almost meeting, and her hot, rapid breath told me all I needed to know.
“Can I try to get into the ‘exemplary’ category with you, Daphne?” I asked. “I’ll do whatever you want me to do.”
Daphne nodded.
“I need you to say it out loud, princess. Say it.”
“Yes, Cal. I want to try. I need to,” Daphne pled.
I swatted her ass. “Then get upstairs, Daphne. I’ll come find you.”
“Oh… okay,” Daphne said, confused.
She slowly stood before me. I rose, gazing down at her. She was desperate to get off. It had been so long since I touched anyone like this. I was dying for it, too.
“Go, go on. I can figure out a dishwasher, Daphne,” I assured.
“Oh… okay,” Daphne murmured.
I watched her leave. I should have taken the moment to shake myself out of it. Before, my risk was losing my career opportunities. Now, I risked an angry public and the loss of image. I should have said no. Our relationship wouldn’t play well in the press, but I craved her.
* * *
Daphne
I paced in my room, unsure of what to do. Did I run? Did I tell Cal no? I felt my body’s betrayal—due to years of fertility treatments and wishful thinking—deep in my bones.
Cal appeared in my doorway. I looked over, unsure where we went from here.
“I… I have no idea what I’m doing,” I confessed. “And… I worry I’m just going to be a grave disappointment.”
Call approached, pulling me to him with a firm grip on the small of my back. He owned me in these moments. And yet? I knew, somehow, I had absolute control.
“We can do whatever you want, Daphne,” Cal said. “Whatever you want—or nothing at all. I cannot imagine a day where you are a disappointment.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck, kissing him. Each time our lips met; I grew braver. I wanted him but was terrified I’d ruin it. What it was, I didn’t know. I just knew he’d do anything to please me in the moment. So, I let go of my fears. I breathed him in and let him walk me to bed.
Cal threw his clothes aside as I fell into it. We were older and, perhaps, wiser, but damn . Cal Markham was still gorgeous. He aged like fine wine.
“You aren’t going to meet me halfway here, princess?” Cal chuckled.
I sat up, pulling my t-shirt off and revealing my very utilitarian sports bra. I desperately wished it was sexier. But, as Cal pinned me, his body pressing into mine the best way, I didn’t care. I tried to slip out of my jeans. Cal stood, whipping them off. He traced the outline of my panties with his index finger. I shivered.
“What? You good?” Cal asked.
“I…” I had no words.
I repositioned myself on the bed to grant more space. He read the room, climbing back in. He lay beside me, running his hand down to my center again. Rather than pin me, he longingly looked at my reaction as he ran his fingers on my clit—just over my panties.
“Oh, God,” I let out a little moan.
“That’s all it takes?” Cal asked.
“I didn’t say stop,” I panted. “Did I?”
Cal kissed me as he slipped his hand into my panties. My pussy was slick. The heat of his kiss sent me reeling. I bucked my hips towards him. Cal slipped one finger, then two inside me.
“Oh fuck,” I gasped.
“You like that?” Cal asked. “Do you want more?”
I nodded.
“I need you to say it, Daphne.”
“Yes, please,” I begged.
Cal kissed down my body, pulling my panties off. He cast them aside, then gently parted my legs. I worried about the difference between twenty-four-year-old me and my present self. I feared I’d disappoint him in the moment. Cal dove between my legs, slowly kissing my clit. I threw my head back in total disbelief that this was happening.
He had no idea how many years it had been since anyone had gone down on me. It seemed an eternity now. The way he slowly, torturously, sucked on my clit, and licked deliciously made me want more. Though I never preferred it, I didn’t want him to stop. I gripped his hair to steady myself.
“Oh, God. That feels so good, Cal,” I gasped. “Fuck!”
It only encouraged him more. Cal slid two fingers back inside. The sheer pleasure sent me into another dimension. I squealed. Why was he so good at this? As if magic, every stroke of Cal’s tongue and each thrust of his fingers drove me closer to the edge. I was desperate to get there, grinding my hips now.
“Please, please,” I begged. “Oh God, please, Cal.”
I gripped the headboard behind me as I gave over to the rush of pleasure his touch gave. I shrieked a line of inaudible words, unable to control myself. I couldn’t stop it. I felt like the gates opened. As if a light within me turned back on, I came to life.
Cal met my gaze as I looked down. “Was that good?”
“That was exemplary,” I said. “Fuck!”
Cal chuckled, kissing his way back up my torso. I felt the full length of him pressed against me as he kissed my neck. I wanted all of him inside me, but I knew there was an issue at hand—one I needed to broach before we got carried away.
“Cal,” I panted. “I… I want to do this, but I’m not on the pill. And…”
He pulled back, looking down at me. “Oh, shit. If you don’t believe me, I honestly didn’t plan anything?—”
“I’m sorry. I’ve spent the last five years trying to get pregnant. And it’s not like I expected you to show up and do what you just did.”
He chuckled, then kissed me slowly and sweetly. “I will have to suffer the atrocity of waiting until the drugstore opens in the morning. I mean… if I’m allowed to stay.”
“You’re allowed to stay,” I said. “I could?—”
“No. This was about you, Daphne. I wanted to give you what I suspect you haven’t had in years. I will get mine eventually. And it will be sweet… when it happens.”
Cal rolled onto his back, pulling me into his arms. I rested my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat as it calmed. I never had a man deny himself an orgasm for me. What was this sorcery? I waited for the other shoe to drop, but it never did. I drifted to sleep to the sound of the waves, cuddled up on Cal’s warm chest.