CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Aspen
The truck hums to life as Cal turns the key in the ignition. He winks, throwing the truck into reverse before making his way out of the parking lot. We drive to his house in silence. Not an uncomfortable silence, but one that certainly gives me too much time to think. I wonder how this evening will play out. God, just thinking about how he had his way with me in his hotel room has my thighs rubbing together involuntarily. My fingers twine together, and my teeth nibble on my bottom lip.
I didn’t want to tell him when he asked, but my mom told me not to worry about coming home tonight. She knows how our schedule has been since we’ve become an item. I’ve been waiting for what feels like forever for a night with him. God, I’ve missed him so freaking much.
I cast a quick glance at Cal. The sight of him makes my heart leap. I want him to finally take me to bed and do the most sinful things to my body. He would completely wreck me. If our night in Chicago is anything to go by, I will be wrecked with a fucking smile on my blissed-out face. I hope this whole delayed gratification bullshit is over with. There are just things a toy cannot do for a woman; I want to feel his hands and his lips all over me.
My mind is doused in sexual thoughts. I mean, after he just bossed me, how could they not? Something tells me this man is a gentleman in the streets and a sadistic, kinky fuck in the sheets. When I took my hands out of the makeshift binding of my dress, he said he wanted to spank my pretty ass red— nowthat’s something I can get behind. It makes me want to misbehave so he’ll deliver on his promises.
You’d think, as inexperienced as I am, that I wouldn’t know what I would want or like when it comes to sex, but I’ve read enough books to know how my body responds to certain situations. Sometimes, I think I’m a little fucked up. It’s probably one of the reasons why I’ve never really cared to have a random hookup. I’ve heard River’s stories, and most men she’s been with were selfish and boring. She would complain about how she would have to finish the job herself. Why would I want to be with just anyone, especially someone who would leave me disappointed? That would be a waste of my time, and time is something I’ve never had much of.
The way Cal’s hand went to my throat—both in the alley and in the elevator . . . that was hot. When I think back to that argument in the alley, if we had admitted our feelings for each other then, he could have just fucked me right there against that brick wall while he restricted my airflow. See? Never been choked out before or had sex out in the open where anyone could see, but apparently, I’d like it. Case closed; I’m fucked up. But maybe Cal is a little fucked up too.
He reaches over the console and takes my left hand into his and places it to his lips, grazing my knuckles with a kiss. “I can feel you thinking over there. What’s going on in that pretty little head of yours?”
Oh, God. Wouldn’t he like to know? No one has ever been able to read me as well as he can. I’m surprised he even has to ask. I remain silent as I glance at him. A knowing smirk sports his beautiful face.
I shrug a shoulder. “Nothing really,” I lie.
He hums.
What was it that he said? Oh yeah! “One day, you’re going to pop off to me, and I’m going to fuck that smart ass mouth of yours to shut you up.” I wonder what scenario funneled through his mind when he said that. Did he see me lying with my head tilted back on the bed, both hands tied up and hoisted to a restraint hanging from a hook bolted to the ceiling? My legs spread and restrained with a spreader bar while he fucks my mouth until saliva and tears run down my face. Callan Miles doesn’t seem like the type of man to need a map, if you know what I mean, but I wonder if my fantasies would scare him off. One night with him—one freaking night—
and we didn’t even have sex, yet he created a monster.
Cal parks the truck in his circular driveway, turns the truck off, and hops out. I don’t wait for him to round the truck to open my door. Instead, I open my door and slide out.
He shakes his head as he fists his keys, walking to the front door. “You’re pushing me to my limit, Angel.”
“Maybe I’m trying to,” I sass.
Oh yeah . . . by the look on his face, he knows what I’m doing. He shakes his head, laughing, as he unlocks the door and pushes it open for me to step inside. I hang up my coat and follow his stride to the living room, where he picks up a remote from an end table and presses the power button. He lowers the volume of country music to a comfortable level. It’s a genre I didn’t expect him to listen to, though his tastes have been pretty eclectic in the past. The volume is loud enough to still make out the music but low enough to engage in conversation. After placing the remote back on the end table, he makes his way to the kitchen.
“Are you hungry?” He asks.
“I could eat.”
Rummaging through the fridge, he pulls out a couple of vegetables, a container of thawed chicken, and a bottle of wine. He takes two wine glasses out of the cabinet, then fills both glasses before handing one to me.
Clinking my glass to his, I wink, “To a kid-free night.”
“To a kid-free night.” Cal chuckles, taking a sip.
When he sets the glass down on the counter, his lips lift into a left-sided smirk. I know that smirk; it’s a devious one. He grabs a cutting board out of the cabinet, seting it on the counter, then crosses the kitchen to the sink, where I follow. A smirk still graces his lips, and it makes me wonder what crazy thoughts are running through his head right now.
Once we’ve washed our hands together, he turns to grab a towel. As soon as he turns to hand me said towel, I flick the water from my hands at his face. A loud laugh escapes my lips when he grabs me by the waist and spins me around. He lowers me to my feet in front of the cutting board. “Don’t think I haven’t been keeping tally in my head of all the times you’ve been a brat. Your punishments are adding up.”
“Oh, promises, promises, Hotshot. You talk a big game, but you have yet to deliver on anything you’ve threatened. One might think you’re just talking out of your ass.”
“Yeah, you won’t be saying that when your ass is on fire, will you?”
“Mm-hmm. Do it, then talk about it,” I wink.
From behind, he presses his body against mine and buries his nose in my hair. I brace my hands on the counter—my body on full alert. As he speaks low into my ear, goosebumps prickle along my skin, and a tingling sensation takes over my entire body. “I would like to feed you. You’re going to need all the energy you can get for what I have in store for you.” His fingertips trace down my neck. “I’m going to worship every inch of your body, then make love to you nice and slow . . .” The heat from his body leaves mine, followed by a loud crack that echoes throughout the kitchen and makes me jump. Fuck! My ass is on fire, but I’m completely aroused. Again, I feel his breath on my neck, and his body presses against me. “That was just a taste of what’s in store for you. Are you ready for me to deliver the punishment you’ve been begging for?” Sexually frustrated and aroused, I nod. His low chuckle fills my ear, “Be a good fucking girl . . . and cut those up,” he whispers, popping the p. Then kisses my cheek. Fucking tease.
I’m left panting as he moves away from me and sets the oven to preheat. It takes me a minute to collect myself, but I begin to cut up the broccoli and green onions like a good fucking girl while he seasons the chicken. Once the task is complete, I set the cutting board next to him and lean back against the counter.
“So, any word on when your homeowners will be back?” He asks as he places the chicken in a baking dish, then scrapes the vegetables from the cutting board into a bowl.
I freeze and turn to him. “Oh. Oh god.” I panic, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Fuck! I have to figure something out pretty quickly. Time just kinda snuck up on me. I only have about a month left. How did I let this slip?”
Cal adds a mixture of rice, water, cheese, and a can of cream of mushroom soup to the veggies and gives it a good stir before placing the mixture on top of the chicken. Then he tops the casserole with cheese. He looks so sexy doing such a minuscule task. This is nice—just the two of us after a crazy day, laughing, playing, and bantering while we prepare a meal as a couple.
“That tends to happen when you’re as busy as we are. Any ideas floating around in that brilliant brain of yours?” He shifts his focus from me to his phone and sets a timer before sliding the device into his back pocket.
“Not yet. I guess in a worst-case scenario, we can just crash at River’s apartment until we can find something.”
“Or . . . and hear me out . . .” He says as we wash our hands in the sink, “You two could just stay here with me.”
My head jerks back. “What? Cal, that’s ridiculous. We just got together and . . .”
“And even still, I already know you're it for me. Both of you. I want you here . . . always. When I come home from away games, I want to come home to you and Tuck. I want to see his smiling face and hear about his day before he goes to bed, and then I want to climb in bed next to you every night I’m home. Is it really too soon, Aspen? We’ve been dancing around this relationship for months.”
Jason Aldean’s “You Make It Easy” plays low in the background. Cal wraps his arms around me. My hands reach up around his neck, and I play with the hair at his nape as he sways us back and forth. I can’t contain the smile on my lips as I look up at this amazing man. I want to say yes so badly, but I’m scared.
His eyes hold mine hostage. “I’m fucking obsessed with you. When I’m with you, the world stops spinning, and everything just goes . . . still. For years I’ve begged for peace, but I’ve quickly come to realize that you are my peace. You’re my comfort. My silence when the world around me is too loud. Angel, you’re everything.” He takes my chin and brings his lips to mine. It’s not a breathtaking, lip-bruising kiss, but a sweet one. “I hate every second we’re apart, so please, just promise me when the time comes to hand your keys to the owner, you’ll at least consider staying here.”
A happy tear slips down my cheek. “I’ll consider it.” The words leave my lips before I’ve even thought about what would happen if we moved in and then he decided he didn’t want us anymore. He’s shown me time and time again those thoughts are completely irrational, but they’re still in the back of my mind.
Cal takes both of my hands in his and removes them from his neck, kissing my knuckles before he lifts one of my arms and spins me around. I’m brought back to his chest, and we dance there in the kitchen for what seems like forever. This is a window into what my future could look like with him, what it would be like if we lived here. Going to Tucker’s games, making dinner together as a family, dancing in the kitchen. I love him. I think I’ve always loved him even when I thought I hated him. From the moment I saw him down on the ice with my son, I’ve become so completely in love with this man.
The timer on Cal’s phone rings, and he pulls it from his back pocket to silence the alarm. He pulls a bubbling casserole out of the oven, plating it up while I refill our wine.
We make our way to the table, and I take a seat next to his and dig into the casserole. When I bite into the cheesy goodness, I can’t help the moan that escapes my mouth. I’m not even a fan of chicken, and this is delicious. Cal gives me a heated look, then shakes his head as if to clear his mind of whatever lust-filled thoughts I assume he just had.
We eat in silence until we’re almost done. He clears his throat. “I, um . . . I spoke with my dad earlier today.”
I set down my fork, surprised that he finally adhered to my advice, “Yeah? How’d that go?” I take a sip of wine.
Cal wipes his mouth with his napkin. “Emotional. It was good to finally hear his voice. He said if we make it to the playoffs, he’s going to try to fly out to watch the game, that is if his team isn’t in the playoffs too. If that doesn’t pan out, he’ll for sure come down this summer.”
“That’s amazing. I’m incredibly proud of you. That must have been a tough conversation.” I rub his arm, then pull my hand back.
He scratches the back of his neck. “Well, it wasn’t easy. But I’m glad I did it. I’ve really missed him, you know? And . . . I told him that I can’t wait for him to meet the woman who pulled me from the depths of hell.”
My smile widens, but I’m still taken by surprise. “You want me to meet your dad?” I take the last bite of my meal as I gauge his sincerity.
“You still don’t get it, do you?” He shakes his head in disbelief, then clears the table.
I trail behind him as he walks through the kitchen to the sink. He turns on the water as I stand beside him. I try to take the dish from his hand so I can rinse our dishes, but Cal bumps me out of the way with his hips, which causes a giggle to escape my lips. With the dishes rinsed, he places them into the dishwasher, dries his hands on a hand towel, then takes me by surprise when he turns around and picks me up. My legs instantly wrap around his waist, and as I cling to him, he buries his head in my neck.
“I’m yours.” His low voice sends a shiver down my body. When he leans back, beautiful hazel eyes flick across my face, and butterflies erupt in my stomach. “I don’t know what I have to do to prove to you that I’m not going anywhere. When are you ever going to realize that I’m a permanent fixture in your life? There is nowhere in the world that I’d rather be than right beside you. I love you, Angel.”
I close the space between us and kiss him.
His lips part, and my tongue grazes his as I pour every ounce of my soul into this kiss. Cal carries me toward his bedroom but stops midway up the stairs to press me against the wall. What is it with him and carrying me and walls? Whatever it is, it’s hot as hell. My hands are in his hair, and one of his is tangled in mine. His hips grind into me, and through our clothes, his hard length rubs against my clit. We become more frantic, and he swallows my moan by kissing me so hard that I’m sure my lips are going to be swollen and bruised. “You have no idea how long I’ve waited for you,” he mumbles against my lips. “Now . . . lose the blouse.”
Within seconds, grabbing the hem, lifting the silk fabric over my head before dropping it onto the floor. I’m lifted higher, and Cal’s head descends as he takes each nipple into his mouth one by one over my white lace bra. His lips return to mine. My back leaves the wall, and he carries me the rest of the way to his bedroom.
With my feet deposited back to the ground and our connection broken, I stand panting and beyond senseless. His left hand squeezes my hip, and the right one wraps around me to my bra, then he peels the straps from my arms, and white lace falls to the ground. He lowers himself to his knees, takes off my shoes and socks, pops the button to my jeans, then glides the zipper down.
I hold onto his shoulders as he strips the denim from each leg; he nips and trails kisses from my thighs to my ankles. My white lace panties are the last thing to glide down, and with them lying on the floor next to me, his hands slide up my thighs before grabbing a hold of my hips. He breathes me in, then his tongue begins its assault on my pussy while his hazel eyes connect with mine.
Fuck, he knows how to make me feel good. This man is a god in the bedroom. My hands pull his hair—moving him even closer—and I throw my head back. “Oh, fuck,” I moan.
He pauses his onslaught, and I look down at him as his gaze peruses me. “Goddamn, you’re pretty.” My quaking legs part a bit to give him better access. His fingers slide inside me. “Fuck, Angel, your pussy is dripping. Is this all for me?”
“Everything’s for you, Callan,” I pant as his mouth returns to me.
His tongue and fingers continue to work their magic until my entire body tenses, all the blood rushes to my head, and stars burst behind my closed eyelids. It takes a few beats to catch my breath. I peer down as he wipes my arousal from his glistening lips and chin with the back of his hand.
Cal stands, and I grab the end of his shirt, lifting it up his torso. As my knuckles skim his sides, goosebumps pebble his flesh. It’s empowering to know I have that kind of effect on his body, that I can make him feel the same way that he makes me feel. He reaches behind his head and assists me by pulling off his shirt. Before I even have a chance to admire his body, he bends his head and teases my lips with his, then his tongue gently caress mine.
I rub against his hard cock through his clothes, then fumble with his belt. After unbuckling his belt, I unbutton and unzip his pants, letting them fall to the ground. He toes off his shoes and pulls off his socks, then stands upright wearing a smirk on his lips and a pair of boxer briefs. I didn’t think he could be any sexier . . . that is, until he released himself from said boxer briefs, and they hit the ground next to his jeans in a heaping pile of fabric.
Holy shit! This man is an Adonis with muscles cut from his jawline all the way down his body. Angry veins run down the length of his big, hard shaft as I allow my eyes to take him in, I’m left wondering how the hell he’s going to fit. It’s been years since I’ve been with anyone, and by the looks of things, this incredibly intoxicating man is going to rip my pussy to shreds. I take a deep breath and try to calm my nerves.
Cal has just singlehandedly turned my entire world upside down, and I want to return the favor, or at least try to, but he grabs my wrist when I reach for him. He takes my chin in his hands, tilting my head back to look him in the eyes. “You’ll spend plenty of time with that pretty little mouth wrapped around my cock, but not tonight. I thought I made myself clear the first time, but I’ll go ahead and reiterate what I said before. When we’re in the bedroom, you’re not in charge. You spend every single waking moment making enough decisions for yourself and everyone around you. When we’re here, I call the shots. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
“Yes, what?” He demands.
Oh, dear lord. I didn’t think it was possible for me to be even more turned on, but here I am.
I give a dramatic roll of my eyes. “Yes, I understand.” I know I’m intentionally being a brat, but he doesn’t know that I know what he wants me to call him. So, I’ll sit here, play dumb, and let everything build up until he’s reached his limit and delivers what I want.
He chuckles low. “Now, now. Do you really think you can get away with that? I know what you’re doing, and it’s not going to work. I also know a little secret about you.”
A sharp breath escapes my lips; I swallow hard, then lick my lips.
He tsks, “You see, I’ve been doing . . . a little research. Let’s call it: Callan Miles’ DEFCON 1. In my research I found some interesting things about you. On shelves across the street sits a slew of books. Very dirty . . . incredibly naughty . . . and extremely smutty books, owned by none other than . . . you. So, I know that you know how to address me properly. Do you want to try that again, Angel?”
My eyes widen. My cover is blown, and I’m fucking busted. What the fuck is going on? How the hell did he get ahold of my books without me knowing? Good grief, I’m hanging on by a fucking thread here.
I nod, and I nibble on my bottom lip, knowing my cover is blown, “Yes, sir.”
His hand strokes my head. “That’s my good girl.”
Fuck. Hearing him call me a good girl is even hotter than when he tied me up. It makes me want to be his good girl all the time. My eyes light up.
“If you don’t want anyone to know your secrets, Aspen, maybe you shouldn’t annotate your favorite scenes. Now, scoot up on the bed. I don’t make promises I don’t intend to keep.”
I do as he orders, internally begging him to praise me again.
He saunters to the nightstand and grabs a condom and a bottle of lube, tosses them on the bed, then climbs up and settles between my legs. Lifting my left foot, he kisses the top, then kisses and sucks on the pleasure points all over my body.
Expert fingers bury into my pussy, scissoring and stretching me to fit his girth as he takes a nipple into his mouth. Then his fingers make a come-hither motion that causes my back to arch. I lose my fucking mind as he bites down on my other nipple. An orgasm hits me like a tsunami. Ohmygod!
He removes his fingers and places them to my lips. “Open,” he commands. “I want you to see how good you taste.”
My eyes widen. Umm . . . I’ve never done that before.
One eyebrow raises, daring me to go against his command. Wanting his praise, I hold his wrist, open my mouth, then close my mouth around his fingers.
“Suck.”
Like a needy little whore, I do exactly as I’m told—sucking those skilled fingers into my mouth, twirling my tongue around his fingers, and waiting for those words I long to hear leave his lips.
The man doesn’t disappoint, “Good fucking girl,” he growls before kissing me.
He releases my lips, and a serious expression crosses his face as he looks me in the eyes. “I don’t want anything between us, but if you’re uncomfortable with that, I’ll respect your wishes.”
I shake my head. “I’m on birth control, and I’ve seen your health report.”
“Good, because I want to fill this pussy with my cum and watch it drip down these sexy ass legs.”
Oh dear god. He’s going to be the death of me.
Picking up the bottle of lube, he squirts a generous amount into his hand, then rubs it over his length and my pussy—even though I’m already wet. He gives his cock a few pumps, then he lines himself up with me. As the head of his dick breaches my entrance, I tense up, anticipating the pain. My lids are squeezed tight in anticipation.
“Angel, look at me.” I pop open my eyes and meet his sincere gaze. “If you want me to stop, just say the word. Okay?”
I nod.
He’s much bigger than any of my toys. Inch by inch, he carefully pushes in, stopping a little at a time either to tease the hell out of me or to give me time to adjust.
“That’s right.” He strokes my hair. “Such a good girl for me.” He pulls back before slowly gliding in again, forcing himself a little deeper, “God, you feel like heaven.”
Stilling his body, he kisses me until I’ve adjusted to him. The defined muscles of his biceps and deltoids are on display as he braces his weight on one arm. He’s trembling, and it’s not from holding his weight; from the look in his eyes, I can tell it’s from the effect I have on him. Then, as if he knows what I need, he slowly glides out before sliding back in—repeating his movements. I meet his thrusts with my hips, taking him deeper. My God, he feels incredible, but when he does this tilt thing with his hips and hits a spot deep within me—holy fuck, I don’t think I’m going to last long. I’ve never felt so full. My fingers dig into his back.
Slowly he makes love to me. My head tilts back and my spine arches. His lips trace along my collarbone and my neck. “I feel like I’ve waited a lifetime for you, Aspen Taylor. It’s the juxtaposition, right Angel? God, I love you so damn much.”
A tear falls to my cheek from the overwhelming emotion this astonishing man stirs within me. Then, my vision darkens, my body tingles, and my pussy begins to contract around his cock as another orgasm hits me.
“Goddamn, your pussy is gripping me like a vice, Angel. I’m about to cum. He growls, then he shifts his body, throwing a leg over his shoulder, driving deeper into me. Over and over and over in rapid succession, he fucks me harder until finding his release. “Fuck, Aspen,” he breathes.
Cal peers down at me and steadies himself with one arm, mindful not to crush me, and sweeps stray hairs away from my face. I lift my head to kiss him, “I love you, Callan Miles,” I whisper against his lips.
Emotions swirl in the midst of those hazel eyes before he buries his head in my neck.