Chapter 36
Chapter Thirty-Six
Emmersyn
“Better than the rustic toast,” Caleb says as we clear the table. Max and Zoe have retreated to their room, finally catching a moment of peace while Emma sleeps. It’s the perfect time for them to shower and rest before the next round of diaper changes and feedings.
Caleb glances over at me, his expression a mix of curiosity. “We could head back to New York now if you want,” he suggests, his tone casual. “I already requested the jet to be ready. Unless you’d rather stick around here for a bit longer.”
His friends are nice, but there are two reasons why I want out of here. Mostly, I don’t want to get attached to someone and then be rejected because I can never be a part of their group—well no, they’re more like a family. Zoe promised I’d meet her sister Lily and Audrey. Ethan and Liam’s wives.
Though it sounds lovely, I don’t want to get attached to anyone. I can easily get the wrong idea, think I’ll make new friends and then get pushed out by Caleb. Not that they would allow me to get close enough. When we got married, I thought I would be part of the Cunninghams and . . . well that never happened.
“You okay?” Caleb narrows his gaze, a hint of concern in his voice, but it only makes me stiffen.
I turn cold, shutting down any chance of him seeing how much I’m hurting. He doesn’t need to know, and I’m not about to let him in. I straighten up, my expression hardening. “We should leave now. I’m heading to pack.”
Without waiting for a response, I turn on my heel and head for the bedroom, my heart pounding in my chest. The coolness in my voice is like a shield, one I’ve perfected over the years, and it’s the only thing keeping me from crumbling. But I can feel his eyes on me, the weight of his unspoken questions, and it only makes me walk faster.
He’s right behind me. I can hear his footsteps, steady and determined, following me into the room. As soon as I step inside, he closes the door behind us with a quiet click that feels louder than it should. I drop my bag on the bed, refusing to look at him, focusing instead on gathering my things. But I know what’s coming, I can feel the tension building in the small space between us.
“There you go again, acting like nothing fazes you. You can be so fucking cold,” he says, his voice low, almost accusing. “You think you can just shut me out like that?”
I finally turn to face him, my expression carefully blank, the mask firmly in place. “As I said, I think it’s best if we don’t linger. That’s all the exchange we need to have.”
His eyes flash with something dark, something that sends a jolt through me. “You really think you can just brush me off?” His voice is sharper now, cutting through the air between us. “Everyone says you pretend to be this prissy, detached ice princess, but I know better. You’re cruel, Em. You shut people out, push them away, and pretend you’re above it all. But you’re not.”
Though I want to ask which is it, am I pretending or am I a bitch, I don’t do either one. I lift my chin, forcing myself to meet his gaze with a cool indifference I barely feel. The words sting, hitting closer to home than I’d ever admit. “I’m not pretending anything. This is who I am. And maybe that’s why it’s best I leave, so I don’t disappoint more people.”
He takes a step closer, and the air between us practically crackles with the tension. “I’ve seen who you are, Emmersyn. I know what you’re capable of. This? This cold act you’re pulling? It’s not you, and you know it.”
My heart is racing, but I keep my voice steady, my expression aloof. “You don’t know me as well as you think you do, Caleb.”
Another step closer, and now he’s in my space, his presence overwhelming, his gaze boring into mine. “You’re wrong. I know you, everything about you. The person you’re faking to be right now, the one who pretends not to care? That’s not the woman I’ve seen, the one I’ve been with. The one I love.”
I work hard not to gasp. He can’t love me; he never did. Though, his words cut through me, but I can’t let him see how much it affects me. I need to push him away, make him believe that the cold exterior is all there is. So I take a deep breath, steadying myself before I say the words that I know will hurt him.
“Maybe that woman was just a mistake,” I snap, my voice colder than I’ve ever heard it. “Maybe what you saw was just a game, something to pass the time. Did you ever think of that, Caleb? That you were just a distraction, something to keep me entertained until I got bored?”
I watch as the impact of my words hits him, see the flicker of pain in his eyes before he quickly masks it. My chest tightens with regret, but I force myself to keep my expression neutral, to stand by the lie I just told.
Heat flares between us, an undeniable charge that has nothing to do with anger and everything to do with the tension simmering just below the surface. I can feel it pulling us together, drawing us into that dangerous territory where lines blur and boundaries break.
“You want me to believe you don’t care?” His voice drops, becoming darker, more intense. “Then why are you still here? Why haven’t you walked out that door? Leave everyone behind and just enjoy the money you already made—you don’t need your grandmother’s fortune. You never needed the fucking trust.”
His words hit hard, slicing through the armor I’ve tried so desperately to maintain. I take a breath, trying to stay in control, but it’s slipping, the cool fa?ade cracking under the weight of his gaze. The truth is, I’m not sure I have the strength to leave, not when the heat between us is so thick I can barely breathe.
But I refuse to let him see that. I refuse to let him think he’s right. My chest tightens with a mix of anger and fear, and I do the only thing I know how to do when I feel cornered—I lash out.
“You think you’ve got me all figured out, don’t you?” I snap, my voice sharp, aiming to wound. “You think I’m staying because of you? Don’t flatter yourself, Caleb. I’m here because it’s convenient, nothing more. And when this is over, I’ll leave without a second thought.”
The lie tastes bitter on my tongue, but I keep my expression cold, hoping the harshness of my words will push him away, make him hate me enough to leave me alone. But instead of backing off, his eyes darken even more, a dangerous glint flashing in them.
Before I can react, he closes the distance between us in one swift movement, his hands gripping my arms as he pins me against the door. The sudden contact sends a jolt through me, my heart racing as I’m caught between the desire to fight him off and the undeniable attraction pulling me toward him.
“You don’t mean that,” he growls, his breath hot against my ear, the intensity in his voice sending shivers down my spine. “You’re just trying to push me away because you’re scared that I’m finally catching up. But guess what, Em? This time I’m not going anywhere.”
His words, so close, so certain, make it impossible to maintain the cold distance I’ve been clinging to. I’m trapped, physically and emotionally, and the truth I’ve been hiding from, the feelings I’ve been denying, come crashing down on me all at once.
I try to turn my head away, desperate to escape the intensity of his gaze, but he won’t let me. His hand grips my chin, firm yet gentle, forcing me to face him. His eyes lock onto mine, burning with a mix of frustration and something deeper, something that terrifies me because it’s a reflection of the turmoil I feel inside.
“You can lie to yourself all you want,” he says, his voice a rough whisper that sends a tremor through me, “but you can’t lie to me. I see right through you, Em.”
Before I can respond, before I can even think, he slams his mouth against mine. The kiss is desperate, demanding, and it takes my breath away. There’s nothing gentle about it—this is raw, untamed, and filled with every emotion we’ve been holding back. His hands tighten on my arms, pinning me against the door, and all the walls I’ve built around myself come crashing down in an instant.
I gasp into the kiss, the shock of his lips on mine sending a rush of heat through my entire body. I can feel his frustration, his need, and it mirrors my own, fueling the fire that’s been smoldering between us for far too long.
I’m overwhelmed, caught in the storm of his kiss, but I can’t bring myself to pull away. Instead, I kiss him back with equal intensity, my hands finding their way to his chest, fisting the fabric of his shirt as if holding on for dear life.
His lips move against mine with a fierce hunger, his breath hot and fast as he deepens the kiss, his tongue sweeping into my mouth with a possessiveness that leaves me dizzy. Every touch, every movement, is charged with an urgency that I can’t resist, even as part of me screams that this is dangerous, that I’m losing control.
But maybe I don’t care. Maybe, just this once, I want to lose control. To let him dominate me the way he likes, the way I need.
He pulls back just enough to catch his breath, his forehead resting against mine, his eyes dark and intense as they bore into me. “You drive me crazy, you know that?” he mutters, his voice hoarse and thick with emotion. “You make me want to tear down every wall you put up, make you admit what you’re really feeling.”
His words send a shiver down my spine, and I can’t deny the truth anymore. Not when he’s looking at me like that, not when I can still taste him on my lips.
“Caleb . . .” I start, but the words die in my throat as he captures my mouth again, this time with a tenderness that contrasts sharply with the desperation of the first kiss. It’s like he’s trying to prove a point, to show me that he’s not just driven by lust, but by something deeper, something that terrifies me as much as it thrills me.
His hand slides down my side, finding the hem of the short dress that’s been driving him crazy. The moment his fingers slip beneath the fabric, I gasp, a shiver of anticipation running through me. He breaks the kiss, his lips hovering just above mine, his breath warm against my skin.
His hand inches higher, skimming over my thigh, teasing me with every touch. I can feel the intensity of his gaze, the way he’s holding himself back, barely, and it sends a thrill straight through me.
“Cal—” I try to talk, but he cuts me off with a low growl, his hand gripping my thigh, pulling me closer.
“Shh, baby,” he whispers, his lips brushing against my ear, sending goosebumps across my skin. “You’ve been driving me out of my mind, parading around in this dress, knowing exactly what the little fabric does to me. You know what happens when you tease me.”
His fingers tracing the edge of my panties, the sensation making me dizzy with want. He’s so close, and I can’t help but arch into him, my body betraying how much I need this, how much I need him.
With one swift motion, he pushes my panties aside, his fingers sliding against my slick heat. I gasp, my body jerking in response as his touch sends a jolt of pleasure straight through me. The world narrows down to the sensation of his fingers teasing me, the deliberate way he’s making me feel every inch of his touch.
He kisses me hard, his mouth capturing mine with an urgency that matches the rhythm of his fingers. I can’t think, can’t breathe—every thought dissolves into pure sensation as he thrusts his fingers inside me, deep and insistent. My moan is swallowed by his kiss, my hands fisting the fabric of his shirt, holding on as the pleasure builds, hot and fast.
Each thrust is precise, controlled, driving me closer to the edge. I can feel the tension coiling in my belly, the way my body responds to him, completely at his mercy. His thumb circles my clit, adding another layer of intensity, and I’m lost— completely undone by the way he knows exactly how to push me, how to make me unravel in his hands.
He pulls back just enough to murmur against my lips, his voice thick with desire, “You’re so wet for me, Em. You’ve been needing this, haven’t you?”
I can’t speak, can only nod as he continues to finger fuck me, each movement sending waves of pleasure crashing through me. My head falls back against the door, my breath coming in short, desperate gasps as he drives me higher, the tension tightening until it’s almost unbearable.
His mouth is everywhere—my neck, my jaw, my lips—his kisses as demanding as his touch, and I can feel myself teetering on the brink, the pleasure spiraling out of control.
“Let go,” he whispers, his breath hot against my ear, his fingers never slowing. “I’ve got you.”
And with that, I do. The tension snaps, and I come apart around him, my body shaking with the force of it. He keeps his fingers moving, drawing out every last bit of my release as I cry out his name, my nails digging into his shoulders, anchoring myself to him.
As the aftershocks ripple through me, he slows his movements, his lips brushing softly against mine in a kiss that’s surprisingly tender after the intensity of what just happened. I’m still trembling, my body humming with the remnants of pleasure, and all I can do is cling to him, my heart pounding in my chest.
I’m on the edge, waiting, hoping, needing him to take it further, to give me everything I’m craving. His fingers are still inside me, his touch maddeningly controlled, and I’m so close to begging for it when? —
A knock on the door jolts us both, shattering the moment. “Hey, Liam is trying to get in touch with you, asshole. The plane’s ready for takeoff,” Max’s voice calls out from the other side.
I freeze. My heart pounding for an entirely different reason now. Caleb’s hand stills, his eyes locked on mine, a dark promise lingering in them despite the interruption.
Max’s footsteps retreat down the hall, leaving us alone again, but the spell has been broken. I’m relieved—my mind reeling from the intensity of what almost happened—but I’m also flustered, my body still aching for more, the desire still pulsing through me.
Caleb doesn’t move, his fingers still buried deep inside me, his eyes narrowing as he takes in my reaction. Slowly, a wicked grin spreads across his face. “You thought you were going to get away that easily?” he murmurs, his voice a low, dangerous whisper.
I swallow hard, my breath catching as he leans in, his lips brushing against my ear. “You think I won’t fuck you right here, right now? Maybe your pretty little mouth . . . or perhaps your tight little cunt.” His words send a fresh wave of heat through me, the threat making me shiver with both anticipation and something darker, something that makes my knees weak.
But before I can respond, he pulls his hand away, leaving me aching and empty. I watch, breathless, as he slowly brings his fingers to his lips, his eyes locked on mine. He licks them clean, tasting me, his gaze never wavering. A low, satisfied groan escapes him, and I shiver as the heat between us intensifies .
“You taste so fucking good,” he murmurs, his voice thick with lust. “I can’t wait to eat your pussy again. Next time, I’m going to take my time, make you beg for it.”
His words make my knees weak, and I’m trembling with the need for him to make good on that promise. His eyes flash with something that’s equal parts lust and control, and I can see the satisfaction in his expression, knowing he’s left me wanting, needing more.
“We’re not done, Em,” he promises, his voice firm and laced with heat. “Not by a long shot. You’re going to get exactly what you want . . . but not until I decide you’re ready.”