57. Sienna
SIENNA
“Tell me I’m doing the right thing,” I beg once we’ve closed the salon for the night.
“You’re doing the right thing,” all of them say in unison.
“Calvin seems really sweet,” Lessy says.
“And not to mention hot,” Rachel adds.
“And he genuinely seems to like you,” Savvy points out.
I know all of these things, I do, but they’re not helping with the nerves over tonight.
It’s stupid. We’ve hung out after work numerous times. He’s cooked for me before—none of this is new. And yet, the butterflies are having a freaking riot in my stomach. Suddenly, it seems like the stakes are higher.
He’s told me how he feels. Okay, so it was through a message. But when he was talking, explaining everything while I was doing his manicure the other night, I felt it. And not just that, I saw it in his eyes.
He’s serious.
Mr. I Don’t Do Serious is freaking serious.
I’m terrified.
What if I jump into this and he hurts me again? What if I regret trusting him again?
What if it’s the best decision you’ve ever made?
I blow out a long, calming breath.
“You’re all right, I know you are.”
“You’re not promising to marry the guy,” Rachel points out. “Just go and have fun with him.” She wiggles her eyebrows suggestively.
“What she said,” Savvy agrees as she shrugs her jacket on, ready to leave. “Is it the holidays yet?” she asks, looking utterly exhausted.
“Almost. Just a few days left,” Bea promises.
“Bring it on,” Lessy cheers before we all make our way out of the salon, waiting as Bea locks up before saying our goodbyes.
Once the others have walked off, Bea turns to me. “It’s okay to be nervous. And it’s okay to make him wait until you’re ready to trust him again.”
I stare at my best friend, regretting not telling her my issues long ago. My lips part to say something now, but my cell buzzes, and suddenly the man who is no doubt at the other end of it becomes more important.
“I know. And don’t worry, I’ll make him wait.”
“Good girl.” She laughs.
“Have a good night. See you in the morning.”
“Good night.” I wave absently as I pull my cell from my pocket.
Calvin King of the ice Keller: I can’t wait to see you x
A buzz of excitement rushes through me.
Sienna: Just leaving the salon, see you soon.
Bea waves as she drops into her car in front of me, and not a second later, I do the same.
The drive home is a blur; my thoughts are spinning out of control, and my excitement is getting the better of me.
No sooner do I put my car in park than I’m in the elevator and heading for my apartment.
I throw my purse on the couch as I pass and begin stripping, leaving clothing in my wake.
The second I’m in my bathroom, I step under the shower and allow myself to be sprayed with cold water in the hope that it’ll help wake me up.
Once I’m out, I stand in front of the mirror, debating what to do with my face. I’m sure most women would be reapplying their makeup, but while it’s what I probably should do, I really don’t want to.
In the end, I make quick work of removing it all, exposing the light freckles that dust my nose. Without my makeup, I look more tired than I was expecting, but I swallow my apprehension and go and find something suitable to wear.
Calvin suggested I could wear my pajamas …
I open one of my drawers and study my options.
A smirk pulls at my lips when I spot a pair at the bottom I haven’t worn for a while, and then pull them out.
After unbraiding my hair, allowing it to tumble around my shoulders, I find my cell and my keys and walk back to my front door.
“You’ve got this, Sienna. Find your confidence and blow him away.”
My pep talk doesn’t really work, because by the time I’m standing at his door, my hands are trembling.
Chastising myself, I press the buzzer and attempt to sort myself out.
But he doesn’t give me a chance, because I’m pretty sure he’s waiting for me on the other side of the door.
It opens, and I startle, jumping back.
"Hey, are you—” His words die when I look up and our eyes connect. “Fuck, I missed you.”
I relax instantly and take a step closer.
A smile twitches at his lips, and it only grows when his eyes drop to my body and he discovers what I’m wearing.
“Horses?”
My cheeks heat.
“Yeah. You like them?” I ask, as I walk past him and into his apartment.
His attention makes my skin prick with goose bumps and causes my temperature to soar.
My slippers pad against the wooden flooring, and as I get deeper into his home, the scent of him gets stronger and all-consuming, blending with the rich smell of garlic from whatever he’s cooked.
“Oh wow,” I breathe when the hallway opens to a huge open-plan space.
I’m not sure what I was expecting. Messy bachelor pad, I guess. But this apartment…it’s home. It’s all light colors and soft textures, and the wall of windows…I can’t help but gravitate toward them, my eyes taking in the unobstructed view across the city.
I can see a sliver of it, and I thought that was impressive. But this…this is something else.
“It must be so pretty at sunset.”
“It’s never been better than it is right now,” he rasps. His deep voice rumbles through me, and I spin around.
He’s standing a few feet away with his eyes zeroed in on me.
“Calvin?” I breathe as he takes his fill.
He swallows thickly, his eyes bouncing between mine and my lips.
“Fuck,” he breathes, his hand tugging at the back of his neck as he fights some kind of internal battle.
“Are you okay?”
One side of his mouth lifts in a smile. “Darlin’, I’m fucking amazing. You look…You look too fucking good in my apartment.”
I tilt my head to the side with a soft smile. “Then maybe you should have invited me before.” It’s meant to be a tease, but from the way his expression drops, I don’t think he takes it that way.
“I know. I should have, I—”
“Hey,” I say, stepping forward and taking his hand in mine. “Let’s forget about the past for now.”
He nods, his shoulders relaxing.
His hand lifts, cupping my cheek, and I melt into his touch.
“You look incredible.”
It doesn’t seem to matter that I’m standing here wearing pajamas with horses all over them, no makeup, and exhausted from my day. There’s heat in his eyes that makes my thighs clench, reminding me just how long it’s been since we were together.
Desire coils in my lower stomach as I vividly remember just how good things can be between us. How electric.
“Don’t look at me like that,” he begs quietly.
“Like what?” I ask innocently.
“Like you want me to throw you over my shoulder, lay you out on my bed, and spend the rest of the night eating you instead of what I’ve made.”
Fire shoots straight through my veins as the image he paints appears vividly in my head.
“Dinner,” I blurt, making him chuckle.
He leans forward, and for a moment, I think he’s going to kiss me. I’m ready to throw caution to the wind and stretch up to meet him, but his lips don’t seek out mine. Instead, they land on my forehead.
Tears burn my eyes as the warmth from his chaste kiss burns through me.
“Yes. Dinner,” he finally says, spinning away from me and stalking toward his kitchen, leaving me standing there with my head spinning and my blood searing.
And watching him move effortlessly around his huge, fully kitted-out kitchen only makes it worse.
He’s wearing a pair of gray sweats and a plain white T-shirt that shows off his strong arms and wide chest. His hair is a mess, like he’s spent most of the evening running his hands through it, and his jaw is covered in a thick layer of scruff. Honestly, it doesn’t get much better.
“What have you made?” I ask, moving closer before pulling out one of the stools at his island and climbing onto it.
“Chicken parmigiana with wholewheat pasta, greens, and a side salad.”
My brows lift at the same time my stomach growls.
“And for dessert, Eton Mess with homemade meringue,” he states proudly.
“Wow, you’ve had a busy day.”
He spins around with a baking tray in his hand and lowers it to the counter beside two plates. The scent of garlic gets stronger, mixing with the tomato and herbs.
My stomach growls obnoxiously loud. Hearing it, Calvin looks up and smirks at me.
“Only the best for my girl.”
My heart slams against my ribs as our eyes hold over the counter.
Forgive him. Trust him, a little voice screams inside me.
He gets back to work, plating everything up, and only a few minutes later, he carries two plates to the dining table.
I pick up the bowl of salad he’s prepared and left on the counter and join him.
“The flowers are for you,” he tells me, nodding toward the middle of the eight-person table.
My eyes drift to the bright yellow sunflowers. They have to be the least festive flower he could have chosen, but I love them.
“Thank you.”
“They remind me of you,” he explains as he steps closer. “You light up every room you walk in and make me smile.”
I fight to drag in the air I need.
“You draw me into your orbit without even trying, you always have, and I don’t think you have any idea just what kind of power you have over me.”
He reaches out and tucks a lock of my wavy hair behind my ear.
“I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to prove you’re the only one for me, darlin’. You’ve just got to give me the chance.”
My lips part to tell him that he can, but he beats me to it.
“I’ve got wine,” he says, darting off, leaving me swaying on my feet.
When he returns with the bottle, I’ve taken my seat.
“Just a small one. There’s every chance I’ll pass out if I have too much.”
“I don’t have a problem with tucking you into my bed tonight,” he teases as he does as he’s told and pours me a small glass.
He takes his seat opposite me, and we just stare at each other. There are a million and one things we could be talking about, but it seems that neither of us can bring ourselves to break the silence; the connection between us.
“Eat,” Calvin finally instructs.
“Thank you,” I whisper, reaching for my knife and fork. “This looks delicious.”
As I cut a piece of chicken off, Calvin doesn’t so much as reach for his cutlery. Instead, he just watches me as I have my first taste.
I can’t help but groan when the flavors hit my tongue. He really is an excellent cook.
“It’s incredible,” I tell him honestly.
Happy with my feedback, he finally picks up his fork and begins eating while asking me about my day.
He listens to me talk like I have the most fascinating job in the world. I’ve never known a person outside of my family who genuinely wants to hear about the kind of nail art I’ve done, or just how badly some of the feet I’ve been forced to touch smell after a day of gift shopping.
He’s fast to tell me that whatever smell I’ve had to endure can’t be worse than what he’s experienced over the years in men’s locker rooms.
Honestly, I dread to think.
Before long, the conversation turns to his work and the new addition to the team. He gives me a rundown of Nash’s first day in the Vipers barn while we finish our meals.
“I’m so full,” I complain, resting back in the chair with my hands on my swollen belly.
“Don’t say that, we’ve still got dessert.”
“I might have to have that as takeout.”
“Or you’ll just have to stay a little longer?” His question is teasing, but his eyes are full of hope.
“Okay,” I agree, nowhere near ready to say goodbye yet. “Could I use your bathroom?”
He smiles at me. “That door over there,” he says, pointing to the other side of the vast living space.
I walk across his apartment, aware that his eyes are on me the entire time. When I come to a stop at the door, I look back over my shoulder and find his eyes glued to my ass.
“See something you like?” I tease.
“Darlin’, you have no idea.”
I’ve still got my eyes on him when I twist the handle and open the door, so I don’t get any warning about what’s about to happen until something flaps above my head.
“What the—”
I look up and see a small bird flying for its life through Calvin’s apartment.
The scream that rips through the room is more startling than the freaking bird.
“What’s—”
“I’m gonna need you to get that out,” Calvin cries before racing to another door and disappearing behind it.
My mouth opens and closes as the terrified bird does another lap of the living area, looking for its escape.
And then I’m hit with a memory of that summer.
Calvin is terrified of birds.