14. Peyton
Peyton
Callum and I made plans to meet outside of Good Taste before the Harvest Festival, because I had a work event in Bowling Green right before this. It was a long day of convincing people to participate in the new corn maze at Behling’s Farm.
First, I walked around the grounds and talked loudly about it.
Then, when a crowd had formed, I had to go into the corn maze to “walk the talk.” Turns out when management told me “don’t get lost in it,” they weren’t talking about the vibes.
It was complex as hell and took me twenty unplanned minutes to escape.
Now, I’m changing like a madwoman in the costume closet, pausing only to grab a breath mint out of my small crossbody bag.
If Callum is anything like Callum, he’ll be here fifteen minutes early, which is two minutes from now.
I pull up my brown tights and smooth the slim fit plaid mini-dress I’m wearing down over them.
Just as I’m zipping tall leather boots up, I hear a knock on the front door.
Giving myself one last look in the closet mirror, I zhuzh my hair, which I left down and wavy, and swipe on some cinnamon chapstick before running to the front.
When I unlock the door, I find a smiling Callum.
“Fancy running into you here, Inspector.”
“It never gets old, running into you.” He steps inside.
I flip the light switch on. “Sorry, I didn’t have time to turn them on.”
Callum takes off his leather bomber and drapes it across the chair in the front. “You look really pretty. Your hair looks nice. And your smile even more.”
My shoulders pull in at his compliment, and I can feel the heat rising to my cheeks. Dear Lord… Am I getting shy around the Toledo-Lucas County Health Inspector now? From one kiss?
“Thanks. You look great, too. Love the plaid,” I say, pointing to his flannel.
He left it open, showing a fitted white T-shirt underneath. His chest muscles are visible through the material, and my eyes trace the outline of his pecs.
Maybe they linger a little too long. When I look up, Callum’s eyes are swimming in amusement.
I wonder if he’s still thinking about our kiss. The questions bubble up but get caught in my throat: Do you want to kiss me again? Do you want to kiss me as much as I want to kiss you?
His happy expression softens into something sincere. “One on your lips, and one behind your ear.”
“What?”
“One kiss on your lips, and one behind your ear, Pey,” he murmurs.
A gradual unfurling of heat blooms in my stomach. I nod slowly. “Yeah, but make it three.”
Then his lips are on mine. This kiss is so slow, so achingly tender, that I lose my footing. I melt forward, pressing my hands against his chest for balance. At my touch, he curves in on a deep breath. The passion between us feels electric, every kiss a shock to my system.
“My hands,” he exhales against my lips, not breaking contact.
“Hmm?” I hum into his mouth.
“Can I touch you with my hands?” His lips move mine when they form the question.
“Yes,” I breathe, dragging out the “s” in a haze, not wanting this to end.
His hands move to cradle the back of my neck, gently tugging me closer, deepening our kiss. A surge of need ripples through me, traveling to my chest and leaving flutters in its wake. I grasp his flannel and arch into him.
His hands travel down my back, and he pulls away, breaking our kiss. “Okay?”
“More,” I say back.
When his lips meet mine again, Callum gently sucks on my bottom lip. I want his tongue in my mouth so badly, I wish he would just—oh.
He traces the seam of my mouth with his tongue before ever-so-slightly leaning back. “Okay?”
“Yeah,” I breathe.
He grins against my mouth, coaxing my tongue out and tangling his with mine. I’m feverishly hot, drenched with this desire to be as close to him as possible. It feels like my need is liquefying inside me.
Am I going to…
Callum breaks our kiss.
“Okay, okay. You have to—I have to… Okay.” He mutters like he’s trying to control himself. Like he’s talking himself off a cliff.
But what if I want to dive off of one with him instead?
We both pant heavily when he takes a step away. Callum’s gaze drags down my body, pausing on my lips, my chest, the curve of my waist. The hunger in his eyes is unmistakable, and I’m sure it matches my own.
He leans forward, pressing his lips down gently behind the shell of my ear.
It’d be impossible for me not to notice the hard outline of him beneath the zipper of his jeans.
And I don’t just notice it, I… I want it.
My nipples are hard, pointed for attention, and I’m starting to get wet between my thighs.
“I feel so greedy around you, Pey,” he murmurs. “I want to be careful.”
I shake my head slowly and reach for his hand, threading our fingers together. It’s okay to be greedy, I try to communicate through touch. I want to be greedy with you.
He idly rubs his thumb against mine. “Be patient with me, is all I’m asking. It’s been so long, and, with you, I’m—”
My phone starts ringing in my bag, breaking our focus. “It might be Tessa calling.” I drop his hand to get it from my purse, but when I look at the screen, I realize it’s not her.
“Oh, false alarm.” I breathe out a laugh. “Actually, true alarm. Gotta take my meds.” I retrieve my travel pill case from my purse and shake them out into my hand. “I’m gonna go get the water bottle on my desk. One sec.”
“I’m gonna—” he glances down at his jeans, “calm down.”
Grinning at his predicament, I walk over to my desk and wash down my pills.
Callum closes his eyes and takes a few deep breaths before looking at me again. “Are you warm enough for—”
My phone interrupts him, ringing in my hand.
“Okay, now it is Tessa,” I tell him, before tapping the green button.
Her smiling face fills the screen. “Hey, girl! We’re close! Are you ready for us?”
“Yep! I can’t wait to see you!”
“Same. I should be hugging you in approximately five minutes, according to the GPS.”
Predictably, I hear her husband mutter something about the unreliability of navigation systems in the background.
Tessa rolls her eyes, presumably directing her attention to Giovanni. “Listen. I know back in your day, you used a compass and the stars, but modern technology can be—”
“Once again, I’m only five years older than you,” he replies dryly.
She refocuses on me. “Guess we should get going. Apparently, we must stay vigilant in case the directions fail us.”
I laugh. “See you soon.”
When I slide my phone back into my purse, Callum reaches for my hand, and I lace my fingers with his again.
He dips his chin, locking his eyes on mine. “How are we feeling, Pey?”
I sigh happily and go on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “Amazing. We’re feeling amazing. Ready?”
He scratches the back of his neck with his free hand. “Um. Sure.”
There’s no hiding it: Callum looks nervous. But he has nothing to be nervous about. My friends will like him because I like him. Considering my history, Tessa knows how much he means to me.
I don’t want to make him more uncomfortable by calling him out, so I reply simply. “Hey. It’s going to go great.”
Callum nods slowly. “Yeah.”
I squeeze his hand, and we leave for the festival.
* * *
“Oh my God! I missed you so much!” Tessa basically tackles me near the donut and cider stand. “What the fuck? Your skin is glowing!” She hoists me back up in her arms and swings me side to side. “What Waterton elixirs do I need to buy before I leave?”
My feet dangle in the air, laughter bursting out of me. “Did you get taller? I feel like my head’s in outer space right now.”
She smirks. “Every time Gio grumbles about my ‘unstable heels,’ I buy another pair—but higher.”
I glance at her stiletto boots. “You’re not going to be able to do the three-legged sack race in those things.”
Tessa’s long, dark ponytail swishes in the breeze, and she sets me back on my feet, reaching down to straighten the hem of my dress.
“Babe, I wasn’t going to be doing a three-legged sack race.” Her brown eyes look mischievous. “I think we both know that.”
I giggle, completely overjoyed that my best friend is finally here. “Where’s your husband?”
She cringes, her light brown complexion looking a bit pale. “Well…”
“Shit. You took Main Street on the way here, didn’t you?
I told you, don’t take Main. Francesco’s Pizzeria has that big Italian flag hanging out front, and it’s not authentically Italian.
It’s a laundromat that sells frozen pizza from the Toledo Costco.
I knew Giovanni would see it and have angry questions. ”
“No, we didn’t take Main, per your instructions.” She laughs. “He’s just wrapping up at the High Striker game with Daniel and Grace. The one where you hit the hammer, and it tests your strength.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Gio hit it all the way to the top on the first try, and Daniel… didn’t. Then Grace made a joke about her husband being a former athlete—”
“Big mistake,” I chime in. Daniel Thompson still holds most current wide receiver records in the League.
Tessa nods. “Huge. Now Grace and Gio are being held captive until Daniel hits the bell. I figured I’d meet Callum in the meantime.”
Callum. I was so wrapped up in seeing Tessa again, I almost forgot that he existed. I turn and find him standing behind me.
He steps to my side, and the back of our hands brush.
I glance down, wondering if he’ll take mine in his.
Callum’s hand flexes, like he’s trying to repress an urge to touch my skin.
Excitement and anticipation spark in my stomach as his fingers hover for another moment, outstretched.
Then, he carefully slides them between mine.
My pulse kicks up a beat, as if he’s holding the keys to my heart instead of my hand.
Callum holds out his free hand to Tessa. “Hi, it’s really nice to meet you. And, for what it’s worth, I’d like to echo Peyton regarding Francesco’s. They received several violations during my last inspection, and one of them was for having an open bottle of fabric softener near the salad dressing.”