Chapter 17
CADEN
Last night kind of felt like a spiritual awakening. Only that I hadn’t found my way back to God or the Universe, but to Valentina Rhodes.
Watching her come apart had been better than what my memory had served me. Watching her take me in her mouth, inch by torturous inch, had exceeded every and any fantasy. And kissing her, sweaty and out of breath, but seemingly proud of what she’d done to me, might still be my personal highlight.
When she had suggested Only Sex, I thought I’d hit the jackpot. I’d thought a repeat of the other night would be enough to still my insatiable hunger—but that’s exactly what it was: insatiable.
I’d been disappointed when she climbed back up to her bunk, and not because I’d been rooting for another round in the morning. Only because, somewhere in the back of my mind, there was a piece of me that had wanted to fall asleep next to her. Wake up and have her be the first thing I’d see.
That was new. And scary.
I got up the next morning, and she was still sound asleep, covers thrown wildly across her bed, covering barely half of her. I tiptoed into the bath first, then out of the room, and it hurt a little to leave her there, knowing I was about to spend my time with Mike, instead.
Don’t get me wrong, I loved the guy. But priorities were priorities.
Anything for the HBU soccer team, though. Right?
Ready? he asked, standing by the bottom of the stairs as I descended.
No, I deadpanned.
Mike rolled his eyes, but I followed him outside. Cheer up, captain! He bumped my shoulder in amusement. A few more weeks until you’ll need enough motivation to encourage an entire team. Better start harnessing that good vibe early.
If I couldn’t even muster up those good vibes after a night with Valentina, I’m not quite sure how I was supposed to do it in two months. I knew I didn’t want to. Then again, I knew I didn’t have much of a choice either.
Alison’s wish lingered in the back of my mind, like a cobweb in the corner of a room you couldn’t get to and learned to live with. She would want this. She’d be ecstatic, knowing I was set to captain the current NCAA champion. She’d be happy. She’d be proud.
So, I sucked it up.
Just tired, I explained curtly, then clapped my hands together and managed to at least summon a semi-enthusiastic: Let’s do this!
One of the soccer balls we’d taken for practices exactly like this one was already in the yard. To warm up, we started passing it across the pool. Good enough motivation not to fuck up, in my opinion, and Mike still felt confident enough to continue talking.
There was rarely a time when he didn’t talk, though.
Tired, he echoed, and a knowing smile etched into the corners of his mouth. How much longer were you guys up?
My next pass was wonky, and the only reason it hadn’t landed in the water between us was Mike. I tried not to sound guilty (of what, I wasn’t quite sure) when I asked, panicking, What?
Had they heard us last night? Impossible. Valentina had done so well, and—no matter how hard it was—I’d been unexpectedly quiet, too. An occasional groan could be anything. They wouldn’t immediately jump to the conclusion we’d—
By the fire? he clarified, and I visibly relaxed. I easily received his next pass, did some kick-ups, and passed it back to him. We left before you guys. How much longer did you stay out there?
Ah. I shook my head. Not long. Fifteen minutes, maybe?
Fifteen minutes, which wasn’t a lie, but I didn’t mention the hours in our room after that. There was a part of me that wanted to scream the fact from every rooftop on this island. Valentina Rhodes wanted me.
There was an entirely different part, though, that liked this—her, being my little secret. Me, being hers.
Having this thing between us nobody else knew…
there was something so intimate about the thought.
That we existed that way only for each other.
That no one else knew how well we’d gotten to know each other—that I knew about the small mole on her hip, and the way her bare skin felt under my fingertips, and that she shuddered when she came.
That she could make me come, apparently, just by batting those beautiful lashes at me, eyes watery and lips wrapped around my cock.
I don’t think she would’ve had to move at all, and I still would’ve been satisfied by the end of it.
God, she was fucking spectacular.
Mike’s pass landed in the pool. I was not surprised that it was my fault.
Loser had to retrieve, those were the rules, and I groaned when I pulled the HBU jersey over my head.
Mike raised an eyebrow. Is she going to be a problem, Callahan?
I straightened, alert to his tone: captain voice. It was like second nature, really. Nothing I could do about it.
Curtly, I said, No. Of course not. I stripped out of my shorts, and didn’t let myself hesitate before jumping into the cold pool, if only to get some time underwater in which he couldn’t ask any more questions.
Was she going to be a problem?
Not for me. For my focus, though? Maybe. Which meant it was a problem for him, and for the team. When I emerged from the cold and threw the ball back to Mike, he’d already prepared a whole speech.
Listen, man, he sighed. I heaved myself out of the water, and he nodded toward the beach, to get started on drills and shots on targets, and whatever else he’d cooked up to get me back on my A-game, apparently.
I followed. I want you to be captain because in the past four years, there was no one else more determined than you.
You almost failed your classes first semester because you were so focused.
That’s not something to be proud of, I wanted to say.
But I kept my mouth shut, just this once.
And when you’re officially taking over after the summer, I want to have a good feeling about it. Right now, I do not.
Captain Thatcher had always been blunt. It’s like two people lived inside of Mike. One was this stoic, disciplined HBU captain, the other a thirteen-year-old boy. It had been a little disorienting at first, but you just had to separate Mike at practice from Mike in his personal life.
On this trip, I’d had the luxury of dealing with personal Mike. That had just changed.
She’s not going to be a problem, dude.
And I hoped I was right.
Two hours of a vigorous workout regime in the sand would leave anyone looking like this: sweaty, sand clinging to the sweat, flushed and breathing heavily. By the time I’d stepped out of the shower, Valentina was awake, leaning against the desk next to the door.
I’d expected a lot, but not that look on her face. A mixture between guilty and unbelievably tired. She held her phone in her hand, and her gaze flicked between me and the device one last time.
At first I thought the look—the guilt—had been about last night, but she swallowed hard, then gave me an apologetic smile before she said, You got a call.
Which was when I noticed that phone in her hand wasn’t hers, but… mine?
What? I was still standing in the doorway to the bathroom.
Listen! She started justifying herself before she’d even said anything in need of a defense.
I was asleep. A phone rang— same ringtone as mine, by the way.
And it rang, and rang, and didn’t stop ringing.
I thought it was mine, so I picked up! she cried.
By the time I noticed it wasn’t, it was too late.
But after you noticed, you obviously hung up. Who was it?
She grimaced. It was answer enough, even before she said, Congrats, though! Pete from Anova offered you the job.
The beginning of that amused smile on my lips fell back into a straight line. I was still rooted to the same spot. I blinked at Valentina. What?
She could clearly feel the change in attitude, shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other.
Pete… I-Forgot-His-Last-Name. From Anova.
You got the job! She tried to sound chipper, and I understood, kind of.
If this were a normal situation, it would be enough reason to celebrate. Should we get out the champagne?
The door into the hallway was open, just a crack, but I finally crossed the room to close it. To avoid anyone else overhearing what could cost me everything. It slammed shut, and my first instinct was to get as far away from it as possible—just to lessen those chances a little more.
I dragged Valentina with me, hissed in a tone that was sharper than intended, If you tell a single soul about this—
That you got a job at one of the biggest software developers in the country? she guessed, understandably confused. Great entry salary, by the way. One hundred and—
I cut her off. I’m being serious, I snapped, again much harsher than intended.
But regulating my emotions was last on my list of worries right now.
Anova took up those first five spots alone.
You tell anyone about this, I’m arts-and-crafting a banner that says Valentina Rhodes slept with Caden Callahan, and hanging it in the living room.
Her features fell and her eyes narrowed and she did not look happy. I wouldn’t be, if someone had just threatened me. Which was basically what I was doing, right? Unintentionally, sure. But if Mike found out I’d applied—
Valentina slammed my phone into my hand. I told Pete to send you an email with the details, she said, but the tone in her voice made it sound like a big, fat fuck you before she pulled her wrist out of my grasp and disappeared into the bathroom.
Alone, regret immediately flooded every single one of my rational thoughts. The irrational ones, though, were convinced that keeping Mike from finding out about Anova Inc. was more important than Valentina’s feelings.